Shellfish Leasing Application Process

Intertidal Leases

Intertidal Shellfish Leases are offered via a public bidding process that is further described in the Shellfish Policy Manual found on the Commercial Shellfish Harvest webpage. Applications for intertidal shellfish leases will be accepted within application windows advertised by the Department, and a set number of applications will be accepted in each application window. The Intertidal Shellfish Lease Application is available in the Resources and Forms section of this webpage, and information on lease availability and details is available on the Shellfish Leasing Dashboard found below.

Upcoming Application Window Details:

Lease Applications to be accepted: N/A 

Opening and closing dates: N/A

Interested parties are encouraged to schedule an appointment for a pre-application meeting with the Department to learn about the requirements and expectations of leaseholders and to inquire about the application process and available leases. Pre-application meetings may only be scheduled prior to the opening of the application window and can be scheduled by contacting Michael Mock using the contact information found below.

Once the application window opens, applications should be sent to the following address:

Attn: Dominic Guadagnoli

Coastal Resources Division

1 Conservation Way

Brunswick, GA 31520

*All applications must be received prior to 4:30 PM on the last day of the application window.

Subtidal Leases

Subtidal Shellfish Leases are offered via a lottery devised and operated by the Department. The lottery has minimum requirements for entry, and candidates are tanked and selected using priority points. Subtidal Shellfish Lease Lottery Applications will be accepted within application windows advertised by the Department, and a set number of applications will be accepted in each application window. For more information, please refer to the Shellfish Policy Manual located on the Commercial Shellfish Harvest webpage.

Upcoming Lottery Information:

Applicants to be selected: TBD

Dates of Lottery Application window: TBD

Shellfish Leasing Dashboard

The shellfish leasing dashboard below was created to assist in the lease advertising process. Use the application below or click here for a full screen version to view available leases. Lease information is available in the application by selecting a lease on the map or on the vacant leases list and then viewing the lease info window on the bottom right. For additional assistance using the Shellfish Leasing Dashboard, please contact the Department using the contact information below.

Commercial Interest Survey

Please click here to take our Commercial Shellfish Interest Survey. The data collected in this survey will be used to notify interested parties of applicable commercial shellfish opportunities, to determine where to direct efforts and resources toward identifying potential lease sites, and to determine which types of leasing opportunities to provide (intertidal wild harvest, intertidal mariculture, or subtidal mariculture). Your input is greatly appreciated!

Subscribe to Updates

Current commercial leasing opportunities will be posted at the top of this webpage. Additionally, please visit https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/gadnr/subscriber/new and be sure to select "Shellfish Leasing Updates and Opportunities" under the Coastal Resources category to subscribe to email updates regarding leasing opportunities.

Contact Information

For any questions or comments concerning the availability of shellfish leases, the leasing process, or to schedule a preapplication meeting, please contact the Shellfish Aquaculture Coordinator below:

Michael Mock

Marine Biologist

(912)617-0525

Michael.Mock@dnr.ga.gov

For general questions concerning commercial shellfish harvest, please visit the Commercial Shellfish Harvest webpage or contact the CRD Shellfish and Water Quality Program at (912)264-7218.