Connecticut Department of Agriculture

Applications, Forms, and Licenses

Commercial, Municipal, and Special Study-related licenses can be found below. Connecticut General Statute Section 26-192c requires each commercial harvester, producer or shipper of shellfish to obtain a license from the Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture (DA/BA). The license describes the type of operation authorized, and in some cases the specific areas involved. Recreational shellfishing licenses are handled by each municipality and may or may not be required. Municipalities may also require a commercial shellfishing license for waters under local jurisdiction. Please be aware there may be other permits needed for an Aquaculture business along with HACCP information and forms that should be referenced. Licenses are valid for one year (July 1-June 30) or for the duration of the activity, if less than one year.  They are not transferrable and must be renewed annually.  Licenses must be available and presented when requested by the DA/BA or Department of Environmental Protection enforcement officers.

COMMERICAL LICENSES:
Shellstock Shipper I License: 
  •  Shellstock Shipper I License (Combined Harvest and Relay Activities) & Combined Short Applications
  • This license is required for operations that grow, harvest for market from “Approved or Conditionally Approved Open Areas only,” buy or sell shellstock.
  • They do not authorize operations to shuck shellfish or to repack shucked shellfish.
  • This license is used for either long term relay-transplant operations (including a minimum six months or greater for seed oysters from Prohibited areas) or short term relay operations (including a minimum of 14 days or greater with a water temperature of >50o F) where the shellfish (oysters, clams and mussels) originated from areas classified as Restricted-Relay or better. The shellfish may be re-harvested for market when the specified time/temperature requirements have been met and satisfactory verification studies have been completed or meat sample analysis has been completed and the appropriate shellstock shipper license has been applied for and received. 
  • Learn more about the procedures and requirements to obtain a Shellstock Shipper License.
Shellstock Shipper III License:

Shipper III licenses must be completed using elicensing. A step-by-step user guide is available for download.
  • This license allows the applicant to buy shellstock, repack and sell market shellstock. The market shellstock may be obtained from only those dealers included on the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List (ICSSL). The licensee is not authorized to shuck shellfish nor repack shucked shellfish, but may ship shucked shellfish in the original container. Parts A through C are required.  If you're applying for any of the classification below, use this application:
  • Part A: Shucker-Packer License: This license allows the applicant to purchase market shellstock, shuck and pack, repack, ship or reship those market shellfish originating from only those dealers included on the ICSSL prior to resale.
  • Part B:  Repacker License: This license allows the applicant to purchase market shucked shellfish or shellstock from only those dealers included on the ICSSL and repack those shucked shellfish or shellstock prior to resale. This applicant is not authorized to shuck shellfish.
  • Part C:  Reshipper License: This license allows the applicant to purchase market shucked shellfish or shellstock from only those shippers included on the ICSSL and resell that product. The licensee is not authorized to repack or relabel.
Combined Harvest and Relay Activities Amendment Form: Please fill out and submit this form to add or remove a boat, captain, truck, or loading or unloading area to your Shellstock shipper licenses.
 
Seed Oyster Harvesting Licenses:
  • This license allows the harvesting of seed oysters (submarket size, 2.5 inches or smaller when taken from areas classified as Prohibited) from State and Town natural shellfish beds. When seed oysters are harvested from Prohibited areas and brought to land they must have a red tag or marker satisfactory to DA/BA on each bag or container indicating that they were harvested from prohibited areas. The seed oyster license number must be on the tag or marking. The seed oysters must be transplanted for a minimum of six months.
  • When oysters are harvested and landed by a seed oyster licensee from State and Town natural beds classified by DA/BA as Restricted-Relay or better the seed oysters must have a yellow marker or tag satisfactory to DA/BA on each bag or container indicating that they were harvested from Restricted-Relay areas or better and no size restriction applies. The seed oyster license number must be on the tag or marking. The seed oysters must be relayed for a minimum of fourteen consecutive days (longer periods of time based upon classification requirements may be required) with a water temperature of 50oF (10oC) or greater.
  • This license allows the sale of oysters to only individuals or companies with a DA/BA license to purchase seed oysters for specified relay or transplant of that product. Out-of-state sales are restricted to oysters three (3) inches or greater in length to such individuals or companies licensed by the receiving state to relay or transplant such product. A seed oyster license does not allow the harvesting of clams, mussels and scallops. Only hand power can be used for hoisting or operating dredges or other implements for gathering shellfish on natural shellfish beds. The DA/BA allows harvesting on certain specified State natural beds from September 20 through July 20. This license is subject to all federal, state and local laws. This license may exclude certain areas that are contaminated with marine biotoxins, chemicals or other pollutants.

Seed oyster boat/individual 9S form (seller of oyster seed) and buyer form

Seed oyster boat/individual 9T form (transport of oyster seed)

  

Provisional Depuration License: This license is required for depuration plant startup and verification studies prior to issuing a Depuration License. The depuration plant must conform to all requirements including design, construction and proposed performance criteria before a Depuration License can be issued. Shellfish depurated under this license may not be used for market. Anyone interested should contact the Bureau of Aquaculture for more information.

Depuration License: This license is required for the operation of a depuration plant and the sale of the processed shellfish. The depuration plant processing procedures and shellfish must conform to all depuration requirements of the ISSC/NSSP and State policies, including, but not limited to, design, construction, performance standards and verification studies. Shellfish depurated under this license must be marketed with shellfish tags that include the letters "DP" after the license number.  Anyone interested should contact the Bureau of Aquaculture for more information.

 

MUNICIPAL LICENSES:

Required for municipalities, not commercial users or recreation.

Town Recreational Relay License: This license is required by a municipality or shellfish commission to relay shellfish from areas classified Prohibited (seed oysters only) or better to specified recreational shellfishing areas. After the relay operation has been completed, the license must be voided and returned to DA/BA with an application to reopen the relay area. The municipality must maintain the relay area closed to shellfishing until a DA/BA license to reopen the area is received. The closure period is a minimum of six months if seed oysters came from Prohibited areas or a minimum of 14 consecutive days or greater with a water temperature of less than 50 degrees F from Restricted-Relay areas.

Town Recreational License To Reopen A Relayed Area: This license is required by a municipality or shellfish commission to reopen those normally open recreational waters closed to shellfishing due to a town recreational relay operation. The license may be issued after the receipt of a voided Town Recreational Relay License and the required time/temperature purification time has elapsed.

 

SPECIAL STUDY OR SHELLFISH IMPORTATION LICENSES:

Scientific/Resource Assessment License: This license is required by municipalities, institutions, companies or individuals involved in resource assessment, education or research. This license is used when assessing available shellfish resources, new management methods, levels of bacteria, predators, chemicals or other scientific endeavors involved with the removal, examination or treatment of shellfish. Shellfish may be removed from all areas specified in the license and returned after examination or transported for studies as specified. The quantity and species of shellfish allowed to be harvested is also specified on this license. These shellfish may not be marketed, sold, bartered, consumed or otherwise offered. Shellfish may not be removed from any leased, granted, state or local natural bed without specific agreement from the party of note. This license is subject to all federal, state and local laws that may apply. Please review the shellfish importation policy.