The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announces the harvest of shellfish in state waters will close at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, and remain closed until further notice.

DNR Commissioner Mark Williams on Tuesday signed an administrative order closing the harvest due to expected rainfall associated with Hurricane Dorian. This closure is precautionary and made in the interest of protecting public health. Shellfish harvest will reopen after DNR has conducted water quality and shellfish meat samples and ensured bacterial thresholds are safe for human consumption.

Predicted impacts from Hurricane Doran include heavy rains and larger than normal tidal surges that may result in elevated bacterial levels from run off into the growing areas resulting in potential contamination of shellfish beds.  This closure includes clams and any other bivalve molluscan shellfish from all Georgia waters at this time.

This closure is being made in accordance with current sound principles of wildlife research and management, and to fulfill the requirements of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference and the federal Food and Drug Administration.

Anyone with questions may contact Dominic Guadagnoli at 912-617-1741.

Shellfish Administrative Order