shellfishing

Oystering Season Opens Next Wednesday

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Recreational Oystering Season Opens Wednesday November 5, 2025

Information to obtain permit found HERE

Shellfish Area Maps HERE

Shellfishing Regulations HERE

ENJOY!

Oyster season in Barnstable officially opens next Wednesday November 5th!!! Reminder that the weekly limit is 1 level peck per shellfishing week.

10/30/25  The water quality samples taken for Shoestring Bay, North Bay, the Seapuit River and Mill Creek have all come back clean, so all of these areas will re-open to shellfishing November 1st. Please remember however, that oyster harvest remains closed town wide until Wednesday November 5th. 

10/28/25 Please be advised that water quality sampling to re-open North Bay (Bay St, Great Bay Rd) November 1st thus far has come up dirty. Water quality sampling was done yesterday, I should know Thursday whether or not it will be open on the 1st and will send notification as soon as I know. Additional water quality sampling was also needed for the Seapuit River, Shoestring Bay and Mill Creek in Barnstable Harbor as they all also came up dirty ahead of their respective November 1 openings.

As always, if you have any questions please email me directly: amy.croteau@town.barnstable.ma.us 

Take Care, Amy Croteau Shellfish Constable Town of Barnstable. Questions please call Natural Resources 508-790-6272

Oystering Season Opens Today

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  Due to some confusion from the recreational shellfishers at Bay Street today, please note

If you harvest 1.0 peck of oysters at Bay Street, you are NOT ELIGIBLE to harvest oysters from anywhere else in Town until the following Sunday when the shellfish week starts over.

If you harvest 0.75 peck of oysters at Bay Street, you are ONLY ELIGIBLE to harvest 0.25 peck of oysters from anywhere else in Town until the following Sunday when the shellfish week starts over.

If you harvest 0.5 pecks of oysters at Bay Street, you are ONLY ELIGIBLE to harvest 0.5 peck of oysters from anywhere else in Town until the following Sunday when the shellfish week starts over.

The Town of Barnstable oyster season opens Wednesday November 1, 2023.

Places to harvest oysters include the Scudder Lane Recreational Shellfishing Area, the Bay Street Relay Area and the Bridge Street Recreational Shellfishing Area. Oysters must be 3″ in order for them to be legally harvested and kept in your catch.

The weekly limit for oysters is one level half peck (5 quarts dry measure) per shellfishing week at all locations with the exception of Bay Street where one level peck (10 quarts dry measure) may be harvested per shellfishing week.

**If you go to Bay Street and harvest one half peck of oysters, you may also go to another oyster location and harvest an additional half peck of oysters. You MAY NOT do this if you harvest a full peck of oysters at Bay St in any given shellfishing week**

**Reminder on parking at Scudder: this link HERE shows the Town line in the lower lot at Scudder.

**Parking Compliance enforces beach sticker requirements year round, and if you do not have a beach sticker and park in the upper or lower lot at Scudder and do not have a Town of Barnstable beach sticker, you may be issued a citation. Parking is allowed on the right hand side of the road as you approach the landing unless otherwise posted.**

Happy Oyster Season!

Questions please call Natural Resources 508-790-6272

Information to obtain permit found HERE

Shellfish Area Maps HERE

Shellfishing Regulations HERE

ENJOY!

Oystering Season Opens Today

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Recreational Oystering Season Begins

SHELLFISHING UPDATE FROM MARINE & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

Water quality test taken by the MA Division of Marine Fisheries on Tuesday, November 5th show North Bay is suitable for shellfishing. Bay street will be open to shellfishing at sunrise on Saturday, November 9th. Any questions please call Natural Resources, 508-790-6272.

Oysters will open in the Town of Barnstable for both the southside (Cotuit Town Dock and Handy Point) and the northside (Scudder Lane, Barnstable). Please remember the limit is 1/2 peck per week. For more information, visit Natural Resources HERE or call 508-790-6272.

Saturday November 2, 2019

OYSTERS
LEGAL SIZE OYSTER: Minimum legal harvest size is three (3) inches longest length.
RECREATIONAL HARVEST LIMIT: Not more than 1/2 peck (5 quarts dry measure) per calendar week
SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT: The Natural Resources Office reserves the right to prohibit the harvest of shellfish at any time in any area of the Town for management purposes.

View Notice HERE

Shellfish Area Maps HERE

Shellfishing Regulations HERE

Shellfishing Reopens

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UPDATE – 8/23/17 Shellfishing Open

Due to heavy rains, the Town of Barnstable is CLOSED TO ALL HARVEST OF SHELLFISH

For updates & additional information Contact Dan Horn Marine & Environmental Director dan.horn@town.barnstable.ma.us or call MEA Supervisor, Douglas Kalweit
P 508-790-6272
F 508-790-6275
8:30a-4:15p, M-F

 

 

 

Shellfishing RE-OPENS at Sunrise Today

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 As of sunrise July 12, 2017 shellfish areas within the Town of Barnstable in accordance with Chapter 130, section 74A of the Massachusetts General Laws, MGL,  the Division of Marine Fisheries has determined that those areas closed due to rainfall on July 7, 2017, now meet the National Shellfish Sanitation Program guidelines for an “OPEN” status.     

Therefore under authority of MGL, Chapter 130, Section 74A, 75 and 322 CMR  7.01 (7) the below-defined areas will revert to their former status prior to the closure of July 7, 2017; effective at sunrise Wednesday, July 12, 2017. 

Those areas previously classified as APPROVED and  in the “OPEN “ status to shellfish harvesting are now open to the harvest of shellfish for direct  human consumption subject to local rules and regulations under authority of MGL Chapter 130, section 52. Similarly, those areas classified as CONDITIONALLY APPROVED are open subject to the classification conditions. Areas classified as RESTRICTED, CONDITIONALLY RESTRICTED and PROHIBITED remain closed to the harvest of shellfish for direct human consumption.