Rake with clam

Shellfish Commission Guidance

  • As the lead state authority on shellfish sanitation and management, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture/Bureau of Aquaculture (DoAg) is responsible for classifying and overseeing the management of all shellfish growing areas, including recreational shellfish growing areas.
  •  Towns with conditionally approved shellfish growing areas must have a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the DoAg, which outlines the responsibilities of all parties, including closing and reopening shellfish growing areas and routine sampling responsibilities.
  • DoAg offers guidance, will establish the shellfish growing area sampling stations and growing area classifications, and GIS mapping services to all towns with open recreational or commercial shellfishing areas.
  • Shellfish commissions should contact Alissa Dragan, the Growing Area Lead, with any questions at Alissa.Dragan@ct.gov or (203)-874-0696 ext. 119.

Required Prerequisite Training for Shellfish Commission Samplers

  • Training consists of 2 components: self guided online slide deck and detailed sampler SOP and on water training with DoAg staff. Both segments must be successfully completed prior to conducting sampling for your Commission
  • Training is required for new paid or volunteer samplers & those who have not been trained by DoAg staff
  • Training is recommended for Commission members who do not participate in sampling and samplers who received training >10 years ago
  • You must be a member of a municipal shellfish commission, or other eligible municipal commission, and be approved by your commissioner to participate in in sampling

Sampling Requirements

  • Sampling requirements are summarized on this one-page guidance document.
  • Shellfish growing areas are classified based on national standards established in the NSSP-MO and managed with rainfall triggers that are established based upon water quality data indicating when growing areas should be in the open and closed status. In addition to collecting routine water samples at established sampling stations, the DoAg may require shellstock tissue sampling for reopening and/or background verification studies.
  • All conditionally approved growing areas are subject to a minimum 7 day closure following a rainfall event that exceeds the rainfall trigger. Commissions should plan to collect reopening samples prior to the 7th day; satisfactory water quality (and shellstock, if applicable) results will allow DoAg to reopen the area on the 8th day. Without the necessary sample collection, areas will remain closed for a minimum of 14 days following a rainfall event that exceeds the trigger, or 21 days following a sewage treatment plant bypass or upset. Sewage-related closures will require bacterial and viral testing, as required by DoAg.
  • Towns with approved shellfish growing areas must collect a minimum of 5 adverse pollution condition (APC) (0-4 days following >0.5" rain) sample sets annually that meet the minimum water quality criteria outlined in the NSSP-MO.
  • Towns with conditionally approved shellfish growing areas must collected an annual minimum of 12 open sample sets, and a minimum of 5 APC (0-4 days following >0.5" rain) sample sets, throughout the year that meet the minimum water quality criteria outlined in the NSSP-MO. Sample sets collected while the areas are closed will not contribute to the annual 12 open sample set requirement but will contribute to the APC requirement if collected 0-4 days following >0.5" rain.
  • Towns with conditionally approved seasonal shellfish growing areas must collect a minimum of 1 open sample set per month that the area is scheduled to be open, and a minimum of 5 APC (0-4 days following >0.5" rain) sample sets, annually that meet the minimum water quality criteria outlined in the NSSP-MO. Sample sets collected while the areas are closed will not contribute to the annual open sample set requirement but will contribute to the APC requirement if collected 0-4 days following >0.5" rain.
Recreational clammers

Area Classification Upgrades

Establishing new growing areas is a lengthy process, as the DoAg must complete a full sanitary shoreline survey and associated report, and the Shellfish Commission must collect a minimum of 15 sample sets over 3 years under adverse pollution conditions (APC) (0-4 days following >0.5" rain) that meet the minimum water quality criteria outlined in the National Shellfish Sanitation Program Model Ordinance (NSSP-MO).

Similarly, upgrading shellfish growing areas can be a lengthy process, and may require additional sampling by the shellfish commissions to demonstrate that the growing area(s) meet stricter minimum requirements outlined in the NSSP-MO.

Connecticut Sea Grant

  • Connecticut Sea Grant can also be of assistance to recreational shellfish commissions. Each January, Connecticut Sea Grant organizes a gathering of Shellfish Commissioners, and brings together municipal shellfish and harbor commission members and state managers to discuss issues related to recreational shellfisheries and natural resource management. For more information, please contact Connecticut Sea Grant.
  • Read the Connecticut SeaGrant Report, which found that the recreational shellfishing sector has a more than $1.6 million annual economic impact on the state's economy.