Polluted Area Proclamations

Polluted area proclamations include temporary closures and re-openings to shellfish harvest as a result of bacteriological water quality, as well as changes in descriptions of permanently closed areas due to Sanitary Survey findings.

To reach the 24-hour automated message listing the latest shellfish harvest closures, please dial 252-515-5656. For questions regarding bacteriological closures, call Andrew Haines at 252-515-5617, or email him at Andrew.haines@deq.nc.gov.

2021 Proclamations

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Shellfish Sanitation Maps

To see an interactive map of temporary closures: Click here.

To access maps of permanently closed areas and written permanent closure descriptions: Click here. (Click on the growing area label in the map and then click on the "Attachments" link that appears in the pop up window.)

To receive recent maps referenced in proclamations via mail, contact Andrew Haines (Andrew.Haines@deq.nc.gov), or call 252-515-5617.

Proclamations

PA-17-2023

This proclamation restates the area that remains temporarily closed to shellfish harvest after issuance of PA-PC-2023.

Effective Date: Shellfish Temporary Closure effective at 6:40 a.m., Friday, March 3, 2023.

Issued Date: 3/2/2023

Counties Affected: New Hanover

PA-16-2023

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Myrtle Grove Sound and a portion of Masonboro Sound.

Effective Date: Shellfish reopening effective at sunrise, Thursday, February 23, 2023

Issued Date: 2/22/2023

Counties Affected: New Hanover

PA-15-2023

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Tubbs Inlet, Shallotte River, Lockwoods Folly River, Queens Creek, Newport River, and Core Creek.

Effective Date: Shellfish reopening effective at sunrise, Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Issued Date: 2/21/2023

Counties Affected: Brunswick, Onslow, and Carteret

PA-14-2023

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Stump Sound, Alligator Bay, and Chadwick Bay.

Effective Date: Shellfish reopening effective at sunrise, Sunday, February 19, 2023

Issued Date: 2/18/2023

Counties Affected: Pender and Onslow

PA-13-2023

This proclamation closes the following area in New Hanover County: All those waters in the Intracoastal Waterway within 250 yards of the dredge spoil discharge pipe on US Army Corps of Engineers Spoil Island #254 near IWW Beacon “134”, bounded by a line beginning at a point 34° 09.9631’ N - 77° 50.6641’ W on the spoil island south of the pipe, running northwesterly to a point 34° 10.0042’ N - 77° 50.7691’ W in the Intracoastal Waterway, thence running northeasterly to a point 34° 10.1854’ N - 77° 50.6647’ W in the Intracoastal Waterway, thence running southeasterly to a point 34° 10.1326’ N - 77° 50.5335’ W on the spoil island north of the pipe.

Effective Date: Shellfish Temporary Closure effective at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

Issued Date: 2/15/2023

Counties Affected: New Hanover

PA-12-2023

This proclamation closes the following area in Carteret County: Newport River, including Core Creek

Effective Date: Shellfish Temporary Closure effective at 8:00 a.m., Monday, February 13, 2023.

Issued Date: 2/13/2023

Counties Affected: Carteret

PA-11-2023

This proclamation closes the following areas in Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, Onslow, and Carteret Counties: All waters between IWW "84" and the South Carolina State Line, to include Tubbs Inlet; Shallotte River; Lockwoods Folly River; All waters in Myrtle Grove Sound between IWW "155" and Snows Cut; All waters from the Intracoastal Waterway to the mainland between IWW "149" near Peden Creek and IWW "155" near Carolina Beach Inlet; All waters in Stump Sound, Alligator Bay, and Chadwick Bay between Hatch Point and the Surf City Bridge; Queens Creek; a portion of Newport River upstream of a line running from Penn Point to Hardesty Farms; and Core Creek.

Effective Date: Shellfish Temporary Closures effective at 7:45 a.m., Sunday, February 12, 2023.

Issued Date: 2/12/2023

Counties Affected: Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, Onslow, and Carteret

PA-10-2023

This proclamation returns the following area to normal closure boundaries: North River.

Effective Date: Shellfish reopening effective at sunrise, Thursday, February 9, 2023.

Issued Date: 2/8/2023

Counties Affected: Carteret

PA-9-2023

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Tubbs Inlet, Shallotte River, the Intracoastal Waterway behind Holden Beach, Lockwoods Folly River, Ward Creek, and Whitehurst Creek.

Effective Date: Shellfish reopenings effective at sunrise, Wednesday, February 8, 2023.

Issued Date: 2/7/2023

Counties Affected: Brunswick and Carteret

PA-8-2023

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: All those waters in Ocean Isle near the Ferry Landing Park between IWW Beacon "84" and IWW Marker "89", all those waters in Holden Beach between the permanent closure line near IWW Beacon "69" and IWW Marker "71", Sleepy Creek, and Oyster Creek.

Effective Date: Shellfish reopenings effective at sunrise, Friday, February 3, 2023.

Issued Date: 2/02/2023

Counties Affected: Brunswick and Carteret