Shellfish Harvesting Closures/Openings/Reclassifications
Many of the Eastern Shore's creeks are subject to shellfish harvesting closures and/or advisories as determined by the Division of Shellfish Sanitation of the Virginia Dept. of Health (VDH). From time to time the VDH re-evaluates and reclassifies these.
The following links regard shellfish harvesting closures/advisories:
Swan's Gut and Cockle Point in Accomack County, effective Oct. 25, 2012.
Swan's Gut
Messongo Creek and nearby Beasley Bay in Accomack County, effective Aug. 12, 2012. Some 26 acres of formerly condemned waters in Messongo Creek and 136 acres of formerly condemned waters of Beasley Bay have been opened and reclassified accordingly.
Messongo Creek
Beasley Bay
Upper and lower portions of Nassawadox Creek in Northampton County, effective Oct. 7, 2011. Over 100 acres of formerly condemned waters in Nassawadox have been opened and reclassified accordingly.
Hungars and Mattawoman Creeks in Northampton County, effective Sept. 21, 2011. Only a small portion of Hungars Creek was reclassified as open.
Pungoteague and Chesconnessex Creeks and their tributaries in Accomack County, effective June 30, 2011. Opened were 14 acres of the Underhill Creek tributary and 215 acres of Pungoteague Creek. Twelve acres of Pungoteague Creek and Taylor Creek were reclassified to "Seasonally Condemned." On Chesconnessex Creek, 52 acres of the main creek were opened.
Folly, Finney, and Nandua Creeks in Accomack County. The advisories for Folly and Finney Creeks went into effect on April 26, 2011, and the one for Nandua Creek went into effect on May 12, 2011. While there are still closures on Folly Creek, 17 acres of previously closed area were reopened. On Finney Creek, 182 acres were closed and re-labeled. On Nandua Creek, 43 acres were reopened, plus 20 acres on McLean Gut.
