See Bacterial (Pollution, Flood) Closures and PSP (Red Tide) Closures for more detailed information and maps.
Current hotline text:
"This message was last updated on Friday, February 3, 2012 at 2:35 PM.
Thank you for calling the Department of Marine Resources Red Tide and Shellfish Sanitation Hotline.
All pre-existing pollution and Red tide/ PSP closures remain in effect.
For details on closure lines, please see the website at www.maine.gov/dmr or contact your local marine patrol officer.
The DMR announces the following:
Area # 24-A, Johns River and Pemaquid River (South Bristol and Bristol) has been modified to clarify the restricted area in north Pemaquid River.
Area # 39-C, Herrick Bay and Eastern Flye Point (Brooklin) has been modified to reclassify the seasonal conditional area in Herrick Bay to restricted due to water quality meeting the standard for restricted harvest. This amendment also reclassifies a portion of Eastern Flye Point from approved to restricted.
Area # 52, Schoodic Point to Corea (Winter Harbor- Gouldsboro) has been modified to reclassify Long Mill Cove in Gouldsboro from approved to conditionally approved due to intermittent non-point source pollution.
Automatic – Main Menu (50105)
This system is provided to allow public access to the current status for red tide closures, large-scale flood related closures and the status of conditionally approved and conditionally restricted harvest areas.
If you have a touch-tone phone, and you know your selection, you may press it at anytime during this message.
There are many closures due to sewage pollution in effect along the entire Maine coast. If you need more details about these pollution closures, you should contact the Marine Patrol Division in the area in which you plan to harvest.
These are:
* Division I: Includes the area from the N.H. border to the western shore of the St. George River. Their number is 633-9595.
* Division II: Includes the area from the eastern shore of the St. George River to the Canadian Border. Their number is 667-3373.
If you are calling from a touchtone phone and want access to red tide closures, press 1 now. If you want information about the current status of a flood closure, press 2 now. If you want information on the status of conditionally approved harvest areas press 3 now. If you are calling from a rotary phone, stay on the line and you will hear all messages.
Red Tide Closures (50100)
If you know the selection you want, you may press it at anytime during this message. Red tide closures are organized by species. For the latest closure information press the appropriate number associated with the species. Only the shellfish mentioned below are affected by “red tide” and other marine biotoxins. Red tide and other toxin closures do not affect lobsters, shrimp, crabs, finfish or periwinkles.
For Soft Shell Clams, Oysters and Surf or Hen Clams, press 1 now; for Mussels and Carnivorous Snails, press 2 now; for Ocean Quahogs or Hard Clams, press 3 now; for Whelks, press 4 now.
Press 9 to repeat these menu options.
1 – Soft Shell Clams, Surf or Hen Clams, and Oysters (50101):
There is currently one closure for clams.
There is a closure for all species of clams in the waters surrounding Mount Desert Rock.
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
2 – Mussels and Carnivorous Snails (50102):
There is currently one closure for mussels, in the waters surrounding Mount Desert Rock.
The closures for carnivorous snails are the same as the closures for mussels.
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
3 – Ocean Quahogs or Hard Clams (50103):
There are two closures for the harvest of ocean quahogs. The first closure extends from the Maine-New Hampshire border to Schoodic Point in Winter Harbor, and seaward to the limits of U.S. jurisdiction.
The second closure extends from Schoodic Point, Winter Harbor to the Canadian border, and seaward to the limits of U.S. jurisdiction. There is an exception area for harvest, from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset, between Schoodic Point (Winter Harbor) and Stone Island (Machiasport). There is also a small exception area for harvest near Cross Island (Cutler).
Ocean quahogs may be wet stored by certified dealers who currently hold a valid wet storage permit issued by the Department in accordance with DMR Regulations 15.32 to 15.35.
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
4 – Whelks (also known as conchles or conchs) (50104):
All Maine flats and waters located between the New Hampshire boundary and the Canadian boundary out to the jurisdiction of the United States are closed for the taking of whelks.
There is one EXCEPTION to this rule. The common Northern whelk (also known as the waved whelk) and the Stimpson’s whelk can be harvested in the waters of the State of Maine, except where there is a PSP closure in place for carnivorous snails.
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
Flood Closures (50106):
There are no flood closures at this time.
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
Conditional Areas: (50109)
There are several shellfish areas in the state of Maine which open and close depending on various conditions, which affect pollution levels. A list of these areas is available from the Marine Patrol. To listen to the current status for conditional areas impacted by rainfall or sewage treatment plant malfunctions, press 1 now. To listen to a list of areas which open and close on a seasonal basis press 2 now.
Press 9 to repeat these menu options.
Rainfall, Sewage Treatment Plant and River Discharge Conditional Areas (50110):
The following list includes the conditional areas which are currently closed for shellfish harvesting due to either rainfall, a malfunction at a local sewage treatment plant or exceeding river discharge. This list was updated on January 27, 2012. If you know you will be harvesting in a conditional area, you should check with your local Marine Patrol Officer, your local shellfish warden, or your local shellfish committee.
For details about the closure lines contact the local Marine Patrol Headquarters in your area.
Area # 11, Scarborough River (Scarborough) This amendment closes the rainfall conditional area on the Nonesuch River due to rainfall exceeding 1” of rainfall in a twenty four hour period.
Area # 15, Harraseeket (Freeport) This amendment is notification that the rainfall conditional area in the Upper Harraseeket River has exceeded its 1” threshold of rainfall in a twenty four hour period.
Area # 26, Medomak River (Waldoboro, Bremen, and Friendship) This amendment closes the rainfall conditional areas on the Medomak River due to greater than one inch of rainfall in a twenty-four hour period.
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu.
Seasonal Conditional Areas (50111):
This information is no longer recorded. The seasonal closures are embedded in those legal notices marked with a red asterick on the DMR website with the Bacterial and Pollution closures, at www.maine.gov/dmr
Press 9 to repeat this information. Press 0 to return to the main menu."
