Polluted Area Proclamations

Polluted area proclamations include temporary closures and re-openings to shellfish harvest as a result of bacteriological water quality, as well as changes in descriptions of permanently closed areas due to Sanitary Survey findings.

To reach the 24-hour automated message listing the latest shellfish harvest closures, please dial 252-515-5656. For questions regarding bacteriological closures, call Andrew Haines at 252-515-5617, or email him at Andrew.haines@deq.nc.gov.

2021 Proclamations

Send an email to subscribe to the Polluted Area Proclamations list

Shellfish Sanitation Maps

To see an interactive map of temporary closures: Click here.

To access maps of permanently closed areas and written permanent closure descriptions: Click here. (Click on the growing area label in the map and then click on the "Attachments" link that appears in the pop up window.)

To receive recent maps referenced in proclamations via mail, contact Andrew Haines (Andrew.Haines@deq.nc.gov), or call 252-515-5617.

Proclamations

PA-10-2022

This proclamation closes the following area in Brunswick County: IWW Beacon "84" to the SC line, including Tubbs Inlet.

Effective Date: Shellfish Temporary Closure effective 8:25 A.M., Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Issued Date: 3/09/2022

Counties Affected: Brunswick

PA-9-2022

This proclamation returns the following areas to the status described in PA-PC-2022: Stump Sound and White Oak River.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopening effective at sunrise, Saturday, January 29, 2022

Issued Date: 1/28/2022

Counties Affected: Pender, Onslow, and Carteret

PA-PC-2022

This proclamation closes approximately 170 acres near Mill Creek and Chadwick Acres in the C-1 Growing Area of Onslow County, 64 acres near Ware Creek in the E-4 Growing Area of Carteret County, 27 acres in Whitehurst Creek in the E-6 Growing Area of Carteret County, 326 acres in Juniper Bay and Wysocking Bay in the G-4 Growing Area of Hyde County, and 80 acres in Slade Creek in the G-8 Growing Area of Hyde County. This proclamation also opens 156 acres in Bogue Sound in the E-2 Growing Area of Carteret County, 496 acres in Great Creek in the E-8 Growing Area of Carteret County, and 43 acres near Orchard Creek in the F-5 Growing Area of Pamlico County.

Effective Date: This proclamation supersedes PA-PC-2021 and brings together in one document all areas which are permanently closed to shellfish harvesting effective sunrise, Thursday, January 27, 2022.

Issued Date: 1/26/2022

Counties Affected: Onslow, Carteret, Pamlico, Hyde

PA-8-2022

This proclamation returns the following areas to the status described in PA-PC-2022: a portion of Stump Sound, Queens Creek, and Newport River.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopening effective at 7:10 A.M., Thursday, January 27, 2022

Issued Date: 1/26/2022

Counties Affected: Onslow and Carteret

PA-7-2022

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Tubbs Inlet, Ocean Isle, Shallotte River, Holden Beach, Lockwoods Folly River, a portion of Newport River, Core Creek, North River, and Ward Creek.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopenings effective sunrise, Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

Issued Date: 1/25/2022

Counties Affected: Brunswick and Carteret

PA-6-2022

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Salliers Bay, Freeman Creek, Bear Creek, a portion of White Oak River, Wade Creek, Jarrett Bay, Brett Bay, and Nelson Bay.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopenings effective sunrise, Saturday, January 22, 2022

Issued Date: 1/21/2022

Counties Affected: Onslow, Carteret

PA-5-2022

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Bogue Sound, a portion of Newport River, a portion of North River, Whitehurst Creek, Sleepy Creek, a portion of Jarrett Bay, and Oyster Creek.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopenings effective sunrise, Friday, January 21, 2022

Issued Date: 1/20/2022

Counties Affected: Carteret

PA-4-2022

This proclamation returns the following areas to normal closure boundaries: Alligator Bay and Chadwick Bay.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopenings effective sunrise, Thursday, January 20, 2022

Issued Date: 1/19/2022

Counties Affected: Onslow

PA-3-2022

This proclamation closes the following areas in Brunswick, Pender, Onslow, and Carteret Counties: IWW Beacon "84" to the South Carolina State Line, includes Tubbs Inlet; Shallotte River; all the waters in Holden Beach between IWW Beacon "48A" and IWW Marker "71"; Lockwoods Folly River; all the waters between Hatch Point and the Surf City Bridge, includes Stump Sound, Alligator Bay, and Chadwick Bay; all the waters from the Intracoastal Waterway between the Emerald Isle High-rise Bridge and IWW Beacon "65A", includes the Intracoastal Waterway, Salliers Bay, Freeman Creek, Bear Creek, Queens Creek, and White Oak River; all those waters in Bogue Sound from the Intracoastal Waterway to the mainland between 16th Street and IWW Marker "14", including Intracoastal Waterway; Newport River, North River, Whitehurst Creek, Sleepy Creek, Jarrett Bay, Oyster Creek, Brett Bay, and Nelson Bay.

Effective Date: Shellfish Temporary Closures effective 8:00 a.m., Monday, January 17, 2022

Issued Date: 1/17/2022

Counties Affected: Brunswick, Pender, Onslow, Carteret

PA-2-2022

This proclamation returns the following area to normal closure boundaries: Tubbs Inlet.

Effective Date: Shellfish Reopening effective sunrise, Saturday, January 8, 2022.

Issued Date: 01/07/2022

Counties Affected: Brunswick