Shellfishing Area Reopens for First Time in Decades - Seasonal Shellfish Area Closures Take Effect This Weekend

Shellfishing Area Reopens for First Time in Decades - Seasonal Shellfish Area Closures Take Effect This Weekend

Published on Thursday, May 21, 2026

PROVIDENCE, RI - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that a 462-acre area along the Portsmouth shoreline just south of the Mt. Hope Bridge is reopening for the first time since 1975. This area has met water quality and shellfish sanitation criteria and will be upgraded from prohibited to approved for harvest on May 23, 2026. Improvements in wastewater management from infrastructure investments have resulted in lower bacteria levels in the area.

Seasonal shellfish area closures will also take effect at sunrise on Saturday, May 23, and will remain in place until Tuesday, October 13. These annual closures are implemented in accordance with federal regulations due to potential water quality impacts from marinas and mooring fields. The seasonal closure areas are within:

• Bristol Harbor
• Dutch Harbor Area, Jamestown
• Fishing Cove, Wickford Harbor
• Great Salt Pond and Trims Pond, Block Island
• Potter Cove, Prudence Island
• Sakonnet Harbor, Little Compton

Small seasonal marina closures in the southern coastal ponds, Fort Wetherill, and the Kickemuit River in Warren will also go into effect on May 23.

"We're very excited to be able to open a new area in Narragansett Bay to shellfishing. Significant investments in wastewater treatment facilities and statewide efforts to better manage stormwater have led to improved water quality and our monitoring clearly showed the results, allowing us to open up a new 462-acre area for shellfish harvest that has been closed since 1975," said DEM Director Terry Gray. "It's particularly nice that we can announce this during Quahog Week. Seasonal closures are in place to safeguard public health as more and more boaters get on the water for the summer. DEM will keep on working with our partners to protect our waters and continue investments and improvements in Narragansett Bay, which is so central to the quality of life for all Rhode Islanders."

Administered by DEM's Office of Water Resources and working closely with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and shellfishing partners, RI's shellfish monitoring program plays a critical role in protecting public health while supporting one of our state's most important coastal traditions and industries. RI's shellfish waters are divided into individual growing areas throughout Narragansett bay, coastal ponds, Block Island, and offshore waters. DEM assigns each growing area a harvest classification of approved, conditionally approved (allowed except during specified pollution events or seasonal closures), or prohibited.

Through rigorous water quality testing, shoreline surveys, and rapid pollution response, DEM's staff works to ensure RI shellfish harvested from approved waters remain safe for consumers. This work has shown that progress improving water quality has allowed for expanded harvesting opportunities, supporting RI's seafood industry and the communities behind it. This week from May 17 to 23, the tenth annual Quahog Week highlights the cultural and economic importance of the quahog, the official state clam. Visit seafood.ri.gov for a full list of restaurants and markets statewide that are featuring quahog specials.

For more information on these seasonal and shellfish harvesting classifications, review the annual notice available at www.dem.ri.gov/shellfish. An interactive shellfishing map is also available.

For information on emergency and conditional area water quality related shellfish closures, call DEM's 24-hour shellfishing hotline at 401-222-2900, visit www.dem.ri.gov/shellfish, or subscribe to DEM's Shellfish Closure email list.

For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter/X (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates. Sign up here to receive the latest press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs Office to your inbox.