OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEYNews
January 3, 2025
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Re-Opening of Waters to Shellfish Harvest
Dated: December 20, 2024
On October 21, 2024, the Department suspended harvest of shellfish from the Approved and Restricted waters of Barnegat Bay pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(a). The Department initiated this suspension to protect public health and prevent the consumption of shellfish from the affected waters that may have been subjected to an intermittent pollution episode due a leak from a central outfall pipe of the Ocean County Utilities Authority. The Ocean County Utilities Authority implemented interim measures to stop the leak as of December 6, 2024, and completed final repairs on December 8, 2024. The Department has, through water quality monitoring, determined that the Approved and Restricted waters of Barnegat Bay meet the standards for those waters’ classifications in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.3. The suspension is hereby rescinded, and the affected waters are returned to their prior classification.
More information can be found in the Public Notice listed below:
Public Notice of the Re-Opening of Waters to Shellfish Harvest – Barnegat Bay (Ocean County Utilities Authority)
October 31, 2024
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
Marine Water Monitoring
Unilateral Administrative Order in the matter of High Bar Harbor and Ludlam Bay Shellfish Harvest Suspension
Dated: October 31, 2024
More information can be found in the Order listed below:
Unilateral Administrative Order – Suspension of Harvest (2024, High Bar Harbor and Ludlam Bay)
October 21, 2024
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
On October 15, 2024, the Department was made aware of the release of secondary-treated effluent from a leak in a central outfall pipe of the Ocean County Utilities Authority (OCUA) into the waters of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County. The resulting suspension of harvest will ensure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other conditions that may render the shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality as a result of the release of secondary treated effluent into the waters of Barnegat Bay.
More information can be found in the Public notice listed below:
Public Notice – Suspension of Harvest (2024, Barnegat Bay)
October 4, 2024
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
The Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring classifies shellfish growing waters to ensure water quality is suitable for the harvest of shellfish to protect the public from health risks associated with the raw consumption of shellfish. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(a) and (b) and the statutory authority granted the Department at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2, two locations (221.9 acres in High Bar Harbor and 33.7 acres in Ludlam Bay) are hereby suspended to shellfish harvest in order to protect the public health from the risk posed by the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other conditions that may render the shellfish dangerous to health. The suspension remains in effect until the waters return to their current classification (based on additional monitoring) or formal rulemaking to change the classification.
More information can be found in the Public notice listed below:
Public Notice – Suspension of Harvest (2024)
March 2, 2023
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
Water Resource Management
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(b) and the statutory authority granted the Department at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 to protect the public health from the risk posed by the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other conditions that may render the shellfish dangerous to health, the harvest of shellfish from the following waters are immediately suspended.
Water sampling data collected and analyzed by the Department indicate that certain shellfish growing waters do not consistently meet the fecal coliform standards for Approved, Conditionally Approved, or Restricted waters.
More information can be found in the Public notices listed below:
Public Notice – Suspension of Harvest (2023)
May 5, 2022
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control
Water Resource Management
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(b) and the statutory authority granted the Department at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 to protect the public health from the risk posed by the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other conditions that may render the shellfish dangerous to health, the harvest of shellfish from the following waters are immediately suspended.
Water sampling data collected and analyzed by the Department indicate that certain shellfish growing waters do not consistently meet the fecal coliform standards for Approved, Conditionally Approved, or Restricted waters.
More information can be found in the Public notices listed below:
Public Notice – Suspension of Harvest (2022)
March 24, 2021
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring and Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Re-Opening of Waters to Shellfish Harvest
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(a) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 to ensure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other condition that may render the shellfish dangerous to health, the Department suspended harvest of shellfish of all Approved and Conditionally Approved waters of Lakes Bay and Shelter Island Bay north of the Margate Bridge, Atlantic County on February 23, 2021. The suspension was put in place to assure that the public health was not at risk from the consumption of shellfish which may have been subjected to an intermittent pollution episode from the release of sewage from a broken sewer line.
The Department has determined through monitoring of water quality and shellfish tissue that the Approved and Conditionally Approved waters of Lakes Bay and Shelter Island Bay north of the Margate Bridge are now safe for the harvesting of shellfish in accordance of N.J.A.C. 7:12 et seq. The suspension is lifted and the waters are returned to their prior classification, effective immediately.
All the Approved and Conditionally Approved (Nov-Apr) waters of Lakes Bay and Shelter Island Bay North of the Margate Bridge
More information can be found in the attached pdf
February 23, 2021
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring and Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(a) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2, the Department shall immediately suspend harvest in areas impacted by an intermittent pollution episode or emergency condition when the event has or may have a deleterious impact on public health. To ensure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other condition that may render the shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from a release of sewage from a broken sewer line into the waters of Lakes Bay in Atlantic County, the harvest of shellfish from the following waters are immediately suspended.
All the Approved and Conditionally Approved (Nov-Apr) waters of Lakes Bay and Shelter Island Bay North of the Margate Bridge.
More information (including maps) can be found in the attached pdf
June 15, 2020
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring and Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
The Department of Environmental Protection routinely monitors shellfish growing areas to assess the sanitary harvest of shellfish by the shellfish industry so it can be safely consumed by the public. Analysis of water samples indicate that the waters in the area of the mouth of Kettle Creek, the mouth of Silver Bay and the adjacent Barnegat Bay area (Ocean County) no longer meet the current Approved and Conditional Approved shellfish growing water classifications set forth in the Shellfish Growing Water Classification rules at N.J.A.C. 7:12. Additionally, analysis of water samples indicates that Gull Island Thorofare/Sturgeon Hole area (Cape May County) south of Great Sound no longer meet the current Approved shellfish growing water classification set forth in the Shellfish Growing Water Classification rules.
The suspension of harvest in the portions of the Barnegat Bay and the Gull Island Thorofare/Sturgeon Hole area shall take effect immediately and continue pending the establishment by rulemaking of the appropriate classification and boundaries of the waters so classified or until further determination by the Department that the area of water subject to the suspension meets the standards for its current classification.
More information (including maps) can be found in the signed Public Notice
No data currently available for 2019
December 13, 2018
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resources Management
Water Monitoring and Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Re-Opening of Waters to Shellfish Harvest, Barnegat Bay
Pursuant to N.J.A.C 7:12-1.4(a) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2, the Department shall immediately suspend harvest in areas impacted by an intermittent pollution episode or emergency condition when the event has or may have a deleterious impact on public health. The Department suspended harvest of shellfish in 112 acres of waters in Barnegat Bay, Ocean County on October 12, 2018 to assure that public health was not at risk from the consumption of shellfish which may have been subjected to an intermittent pollution episode from the release of secondary treated effluent from a leak in the Ocean County Utilities Authority – Central Water Pollution Control Facility’s outfall pipe.
The Department has determined through monitoring of shellfish tissue that the Approved waters of Barnegat Bay located in an area originating from a point at 74°7’14.88″W, 39°54’30.96″N heading east to a point at 74°6’30.24″W, 39°54’30.60″N, then heading south to a point 74°6’30.24″W, 39°54’18.72″N, then heading west to a point at 74°7’28.20″W, 39°54’18.72″N and then heading northeast back to the original point at 74°7’14.88″W, 39°54’30.96″N are now safe for the harvesting of shellfish in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:12 and the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The suspension is lifted and the waters are returned to their prior classification, effective immediately.
More information can be found in the attached PDF signed Public Notice .
October 12, 2018
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resources Management
Water Monitoring and Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Harvest Beds Dangerous to Health, Barnegat Bay
Pursuant to N.J.A.C 7:12-1.4(a) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 the Department shall immediately suspend harvest in areas impacted by an intermittent pollution episode or emergency condition when the event has or may have a deleterious impact on public health. To ensure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution that may render the shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from a release of secondary treated effluent from a leak in a central outfall pipe into the waters of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, the Department hereby immediately suspends the harvest of shellfish from a portion of the Barnegat Bay.
This suspension of harvest shall take effect immediately and continue until further determination by the Department that the particular area of water subject to the suspension meets the standards for its current Approved classification.
More information (including a map) can be found in the signed Public Notice .
May 1, 2018
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Harvest Beds Dangerous to Health, Middle Thorofare
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(b) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 to protect the public health from the risk posed by the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other conditions that may render the shellfish dangerous to health, the Department hereby immediately suspends the harvest of shellfish from Middle Thorofare, Cape May County.
The suspension of harvest in Middle Thorofare shall take effect immediately and continue pending the establishment by rulemaking of the appropriate classification and boundaries of the waters so classified, as provided by N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4, or until further determination by the Department that the area of water subject to the suspension meets the standards for its current classification.
More information (including a map) can be found in the signed Public Notice .
January 16, 2018
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.4(b) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 to ensure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution or other conditions that may render the shellfish dangerous to health, the Department suspends the harvest of shellfish from portions of the coastal Delaware Bay – Stow Creek area, Ludlam Bay – Maple Swamp area, and Toms River. This suspension of harvest shall take effect immediately and continue until further notice.
More information (including maps) can be found in the signed Public Notice .
October 6, 2017
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Re-Opening of Waters to Shellfish Harvest, Lakes Bay area
Pursuant to N.J.A.C 7:12-1.4(a) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2, the Department shall immediately suspend harvest in areas impacted by an intermittent pollution episode or emergency condition when the event has or may have a deleterious impact on public health. To assure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish which may have been subjected to pollution that may render the shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from the release of sewage from a broken sewer line into the waters of Beach Thorofare in Atlantic County, the Department closed all the Approved waters of Risley Channel, Dock Thorofare, Whirlpool Channel, Shelter Island Bay and Lakes Bay North of the Margate Bridge on September 26, 2017.
The Department has determined through monitoring of water quality and shellfish tissue that the Approved waters of Risley Channel, Dock Thorofare, Whirlpool Channel, Shelter Island Bay and Lakes Bay North of the Margate Bridge are now safe for the harvesting of shellfish in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:12 et seq. The prohibition is lifted and the waters are returned to their prior classification, effective immediately.
More information (including a map) can be found in the signed Public Notice .
September 26, 2017
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Water Resource Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Marine Water Monitoring
Public Notice of the Suspension of Harvest from Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health, Lakes Bay area
Pursuant to N.J.A.C 7:12-1.4(a) and the statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection at N.J.S.A. 58:24-2 the Department shall immediately suspend harvest in areas impacted by an intermittent pollution episode or emergency condition when the event has or may have a deleterious impact on public health. To ensure that the public health is not at risk from the consumption of shellfish that may have been subjected to pollution that may render the shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from a release of sewage from a broken sewer line into the waters of Beach Thorofare in Atlantic County, the Department is immediately suspending the harvest of shellfish from the following waters, as further described below:
All the Approved waters of Risley Channel, Dock Thorofare, Whirlpool Channel, Shelter Island Bay and Lakes Bay North of the Margate Bridge (County Route 563).
This suspension of harvest shall take effect immediately and continue until further notice.
More information (including a map) can be found in the signed Public Notice .