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Acres of coastal waters will be closed to shellfish harvest

MOREHEAD CITY, NC (WWAY) – State fisheries authorities will close 2,450 acres of coastal waters to shellfish harvest tomorrow after they failed to meet required bacteriological standards.

Additionally, 50 acres in the Stump Sound area of Pender County that closed to shellfish harvest last year will reopen after 2016 sampling showed improved water quality.

The shellfish classification changes are based on water quality samples tested for the past five years for required sanitary surveys and annual reviews of the state’s shellfish growing areas. Three of the past five years saw above average rainfall that causes stormwater runoff that, in turn, washes human and animal waste into the water.

The Division of Marine Fisheries will continue to monitor these areas and if conditions change, they could reopen in the future.

Areas that will close include:

Growing Area Name Area No. County Specific Closure Area Acres
Lockwoods Folly River Area A-3 Brunswick Lockwoods Folly River 120
Spring Creek 55
Wrightsville Beach Area B-7 New Hanover Oakwinds Marina 6
Canady’s/Mason’s marinas 1
Topsail Sound Area B-8 Pender Mallard Bay Area 17
Mill Creek Area C-1 Onslow Fullard Creek 37
Bayshore Marina 4
Queens Creek Area D-2 Onslow Queens Creek 93
White Oak River Area D-3 Carteret Boathouse/Dubling creeks 22
Deer Creek Area D-4 Carteret Bogue Sound Drive Canal 3
North River/Harker’s Island Area E-6/E-7 Carteret National Park Service Boat Basin 1
Jane’s Creek 132
Sleepy Creek 25
Core Creek/South River Area F-2 Craven/Carteret South River 552
Cedar Creek 95
Godfrey Creek 28
Delamar Creek 10
Kellum Creek 9
Oriental/Broad Creek Area F-5 Pamlico Broad/Brown creeks 384
Bay River Area F-6 Pamlico Vandemere Area 133
Bear Creek 75
Ball Creek 34
Swanquarter Area G-3 Hyde Rose Bay 67
Swanquarter Bay 47
Wysocking Bay Area G-4 Hyde Outfall Canal/Sage Bay 130
Engelhard Area G-5 Hyde Far Creek/Waupopin Creek 370

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