The Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has re-examined the waters of South Coastal Scituate, the North River, and the South River, in the Towns of Marshfield and Scituate which closed on January 26, 2023 due to a Rockland Wastewater Treatment Plant failure. The failure occurred from 9:00 a.m. on January 26, 2023 to 9:00 a.m. on January 27, 2023.
DMF has determined that the areas can now be re-opened. As a result, the status of the areas has been changed to “OPEN TO SHELLFISHING” effective February 17, 2023.
The below-defined areas may be opened to the harvest of shellfish for direct human consumption subject to local rules and regulations under authority of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 130, Section 52. (See maps below.)
CLASSIFICATION: CONDITIONALLY APPROVED Status: Open to Shellfishing November 1 through May 31 MB5.1 North River East “The waters and flats of that portion of the North River in the Towns of Marshfield and Scituate, east of a line drawn across the North River at the Route 3A bridge, and west of a line drawn in a Southeasterly direction from the “No Shellfishing” sign at 42.166870° N / -70.728832° W to the “No Shellfishing” sign at 42.162305° N / -70.722909° W”
CLASSIFICATION: CONDITIONALLY APPROVED Status: Open to Shellfishing November 1 through May 31 MB6.1 South River East “The waters and flats of that portion of the South River in the Towns of Marshfield and Scituate, east of a line drawn in a southeasterly direction from the “No Shellfishing” sign at 42.156999° N / -70.710420° W to the “No Shellfishing” sign at 42.156156° N / -70.708655° W, and east of a line drawn in a southerly direction from the “No Shellfishing” sign at 42.153028° N / -70.705524° W to the “No Shellfishing” sign at 42.149576° N / -70.705038° W, excluding the Prohibited area of MB6.0”
CLASSIFICATION: APPROVED Status: Open to Shellfishing MB4.0 Scituate South Coastal “The waters and flats of that portion of Massachusetts Bay in the Town of Scituate, north of a line drawn due east from the Scituate/Marshfield Town Marker to the Plymouth County Line; south of a line drawn due east from the northernmost tip of First Cliff to the Plymouth County Line; easterly of a line drawn across the entrance of the New Inlet to the North and South Rivers; and westerly of the Plymouth County Line”
Open and closed areas: Red = closed areas, Blue = open areas, Blue cross-hatch = area open March through May.
To read more about the initial spill in Rockland, click here.