Oak Bluffs Shellfish Department

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Oak Bluffs Shellfish Department

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The Oak Bluffs Shellfish Department

10/06/2026

The Lagoon has re-opened to Shellfishing. Senge remains closed and was sampled yesterday.

Also the following dates for scallop season have been voted by the Selectboard:

Scallop season opening dates:

Sengekontacket Pond:
• Recreational Permit Holders – October 17, 2026
Sengekontacket Pond & Outside waters:
• Commercial Permit Holders – October 26, 2026
Lagoon Pond:
• Recreational Permit Holders – October 31, 2026
• Commercial Permit Holders – November 2, 2026

Harbor (depending on water quality test results):
• Recreational & Commercial Permit Holders – December 7, 2026

09/25/2026

STATE WIDE SHELLFISHING CLOSURE:
Starting at sunrise tomorrow 9/26/2026, all of the waters of the State will be closed to Shellfishing until further notice due to the impending storm per the order of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries. This closure includes Aquaculture harvest. For the purposes of the Town of Oak Bluffs, this includes Sengekontacket, the Lagoon and all outer Vineyard Haven Harbor.

This closure will be re-assessed after the storm passes and we make sure to update the public. Per the most recent NWS emergency management briefing at noon today, this storm is projected to last until Sunday, and could bring up to 4-6 inches of rain continuing into Monday. Peak wind gusts for our area could top 60mph and there is potential for erosion and coastal flooding around the high tide times.

We STRONGLY encourage everyone to stay off the water and the beaches until the storm passes.

09/14/2026

Good Morning! 🌧️

Due to recent rainfall, Sengekontacket Pond is currently under a rainfall closure. Shellfishing is prohibited throughout the pond for a minimum of five days.

Lagoon Pond remains OPEN to shellfishing at this time.

We will provide an update once the Sengekontacket closure has been lifted. Thank you for your cooperation!

08/28/2026

GOOD NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT: We just received word from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, that the results of this past Tuesdays water sampling of Sengekontacket have been completed and the pond has tested CLEAN.

As a result the pond is now OPEN to shellfishing on both the Oak Bluffs and Edgartown side.

08/19/2026

08/18/2026

Sengekontacket update: Last week, with the assistance of a Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Biologist, we re-tested the entirety of Sengekontacket. Unfortunately, numerous of the sampling stations still returned results that were too "hot" for us to re-open the pond for shellfishing.

While this is not the result that any of us were hoping for, we will continue to monitor the pond and test as frequently as the protocols allow.

The Lagoon remains open at this time.

07/18/2026

PLEASE stop shellfishing in Sengekontacket until the closure has been lifted! We have been having too many people ignoring the red flags, and postings! The last thing we want to do is issue fines or summons. This is a public health issue and recent sampling as recent as yesterday has shown that the pond has not flushed enough to be re opened to Shellfishing. We are asking the public to spread the word and let us know or the Comms Center know if they see anyone Shellfishing.

On a positive note the Lagoon has tested clean and is wide open for your clamming desires!

07/08/2026

Due to yesterdays unexpected heavy rain fall, ALL shellfishing in any waters of Oak Bluffs is closed until further notice. This includes Senge, the Lagoon, and all outside waters.

07/03/2026

On a hot hot hot 4th of July weekend the Department would like to remind everyone shellfishing to keep both themselves and their catch cool.
Shellfishing can be a strenuous activity and the reflections from the sun on the water can exacerbate that stress. We encourage people to:
• drink water
• limit alcohol
• avoid heavy activity in the heat
• take breaks in the shade or air conditioning
• keep food/clams cold and throw it out if it was left in the heat for too long

When you harvest your catch remember that leaving it in the sun for even a little bit can lead to rapid bacteria growth that can cause illness.
Use a cooler or keep your catch submerged in the water. When you get home, if any of your clams are open DO NOT eat them even if you cook them.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th weekend!

06/23/2026

Good Morning!
Unfortunately, due to the rainfall we received Sengekontacket pond has been placed in a rainfall closure. The pond will be closed to all Shellfishing for a minimum five days.

Address

347 County Road
Oak Bluffs, MA
02557

Telephone

+15086930072

Website

https://www.oakbluffsma.gov/159/Shellfish-Department

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