For more detailed information and maps, see Bacterial Closures and PSP (Red Tide) Closures.
Current hotline text:
"This message was last updated on Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 1:56 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 No 500- Coastal Maine flood closure- the flood closure has been reduced due to water quality meeting the approved standard. The following areas remain CLOSED due to water quality not meeting the approved standard: Hills Beach (Biddeford), the Kennebec and Sheepscot Rivers, the Upper Medomak River, and a portion of Penobscot Bay, including the mainland coastline between Spruce Head, Northport and Squaw Point, Cape Jellison, and the western shore of Islesboro Island.
Automatic – Main Menu
This system is provided to allow public access to current status for red tide closures, large-scale flood repeated closures, the status of conditionally approved harvest areas and information on swim beach monitoring.
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 want information on swim beach monitoring, press 4 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.
To return to the main menu, press 0 now.
1 – Soft Shell Clams, Surf or Hen Clams, and Oysters (50101):
There are currently two closures for clams.
The first closure includes all the waters from the Maine/NH border to Dyer Point (Cape Elizabeth), and extends to the limits of US jurisdiction. This closure is only for surf/hen clams. Soft-shell clams may be harvested in this area.
The second closure for clams is from Thurston Pt (Bristol) to Kimball Head (Isle au Haut), and extends to the limits of US jurisdiction. This closure includes the area south of a line from Long Cove (Bristol) to Allen Is (St. George), to Kimball Hd (Isle au Haut). This closure is for all species of clams.
There are no closures for American oysters.
Closures to European oysters are the same as for Mussels.
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
2 – Mussels and Carnivorous Snails (50102):
There are currently two closures for mussels, and three closures for carnivorous snails.
The first closure for carnivorous snails includes all the waters from the Maine/NH border to Dyer Point (Cape Elizabeth), and extends to the limits of US jurisdiction.
The next closure for mussels and carnivorous snails includes all the waters from Thurston Pt (Bristol) to Kimball Head (Isle au Haut), and extends to the limits of US jurisdiction. This closure includes the area south of a line from Long Cove (Bristol) to Allen Is (St. George), to Kimball Hd (Isle au Haut).
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
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 Pt in Winter Harbor, and seaward to the limits of U.S. jurisdiction.
The second closure extends from Schoodic Pt, Winter Harbor to the Canadian border, and seaward to the limits of U.S. jurisdiction. An exception area exists beginning at the south tip of Schoodic Pt (Winter Hbr) running true south to the limits of US Jurisdiction; AND west of a line from the south tip of eastern most point of Thornton Pt. (Cuter), running south to the eastern point Cross Island (Cutler) and then running true south to the limits of US Jurisdiction. Ocean quahogs may not be harvested from one half hour after sunset to one half hour before sunrise.
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
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.
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
Flood Closures (50106):
There is a flood closure in effect in the following areas: Hills Beach (Biddeford), the Kennebec and Sheepscot Rivers, the Upper Medomak River, and a portion of Penobscot Bay, including the mainland coastline between Spruce Head, Northport and Squaw Point, Cape Jellison, and the western shore of Islesboro Island.
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
Conditional Areas:
There are several shellfish areas in the state of Maine which open and close depending on various conditions, which affect the 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.
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
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 exceedences of river discharge. This list was updated on November 16, 2009. 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.
Area No. 20, Kennebec River and Tributaries -the discharge and rainfall conditional areas in the Kennebec River are closed due to river discharge exceeding 30,000 cfs, and rainfall exceeding 1.5 inches in 24 hours.
Area No. 26, Medomak River (Waldoboro, Bremen, and Friendship)- the rainfall conditional areas in the Medomak River are closed, due to rainfall exceeding 1 inch in a 24 hour period.
Area No. 27, Upper St. George River and Tributaries (Warren to St. George)- the rainfall conditional area in the St George River is closed, due to rainfall exceeding 1.5 inches in a 24 hour period.
Area No. 40, Northern Morgan Bay (Surry), Union River Bay, Patten Bay and Heath Brook (Surry, Ellsworth, Trenton) and Goose Cove (Trenton) -the Union River conditional area is closed due to a bypass at the Ellsworth WWTP.
For details about the closure lines contact the local Marine Patrol Headquarters in your area.
To return to the main menu press 0 now.
Seasonal Conditional Areas (50111):
The following list includes all conditionally approved areas, which change status depending on the time of year and will open on the day specified as long as water quality meets approved standards and/or potential pollution sources are not present, such as boats in marina areas. If any of these areas do not meet criteria to open as scheduled, they will be listed in the opening message of this recording.
Area 10, Hills Beach; open 10/1 – 5/31.
Area 12, Scarborough Beach area and Crescent Beach area; open 12/1 – 5/31
Area 15, Harraseeket River marina area; open 12/1 – 4/30
Area 16, Upper Maquoit Bay; open 4/1 - 8/31
Area 16, Paul’s Marina at Merepoint Neck; open 11/1 – 4/14
Area 17-B, Upper Basin Cove; open 12/1 – 4/30.
Lower Basin Cove; open 11/1 – 4/15
Area 18, Orrs Cove (Harpswell); open 12/01 – 04/30
Mill Cove (Harpswell); open 10/01 – 04/30
Area 19-A, Upper New Meadows River; open 11/16 – 4/30
Area 19-C, Lower New Meadows River, Tottman Cove; open 10/1 – 6/30 and Hermit Island area; open 11/16 – 5/31
Area 20, Kennebec River by Cox Head; open 1/1 - 9/30
Area 20, Kennebec River by Squirrel Pt; open 1/1 - 9/30
Area 20, Kennebec River Todd Bay; open 1/1-8/31
Area 26, Western Branch of Broad Cove, Medomak River; open 10/1 – 4/30
Area 27B, Lower St. George River; lower Broad Cove; open 10/1 – 5/31
Area 36D (Part B), Penobscot-Bagaduce Rivers marina area; open 11/1 – 4/30
Area 39-A (Part B), Benjamin River; open 11/1 – 4/30
Area 39-A (Part C), Center Harbor, Brooklin; open 11/1 – 4/30
Area 44, Somes Harbor, Mt Desert; open 10/1 – 4/30; and Gary Moore Cove open 11/15 – 4/30
Northeast Harbor, Mt. Desert; open 11/1-4/30
Area 47, Thomas Bay, Bar Harbor;
Conditional 10/1 – 4/30 Restricted 5/1 – 9/30
Area 50, Sorrento Harbor; open 10/1 – 4/30
Area 52-F, Birch Harbor, Gouldsboro; open 11/1 – 6/30
Area 54-B, Indian and West Rivers, Jonesport-Addison; currently CLOSED
For details about the closure lines contact your local Marine Patrol Officer or the Marine Patrol Headquarters in your area."
