The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation closed Three Mile Harbor to shellfish harvesting on Tuesday due to recent heavy rainfalls, and the water body will remain closed to shellfishing through Saturday's Clamshell Foundation Great Bonac Fireworks Show and until a determination that water quality is acceptable for the harvest of shellfish is made.
The closure affects approximately 935 acres and includes the entrance channel into the harbor.
Since 1993, the D.E.C. has closed Three Mile Harbor to shellfishing on the day of the fireworks and for the following four days.
"The extremely heavy rainfall and extraordinary amounts of stormwater runoff and localized street flooding associated with the rainfall event from July 5 through July 6, 2026, resulted in conditions which may cause shellfish to be hazardous for use as food," according to a statement issued by the D.E.C. on Thursday. "These conditions prompted an emergency closure that will extend throughout the planned closure for the fireworks event."
The D.E.C. enacts the temporary fireworks closure because of increased potential for contamination of shellfish beds from the large number of recreational boats that gather for the popular fireworks display. Potential discharges of waste from marine sanitation devices may temporarily contaminate nearby shellfish beds with pathogenic bacteria or viruses, rendering the shellfish unsafe for human consumption.
The annual fireworks show draws hundreds of boaters each year, including many who remain in the area overnight. The D.E.C. seeks to remind boaters that all of the Peconic-Gardiner's Bay area, including Three Mile Harbor, is a no-discharge zone and they are required to use pump-out facilities. A no-discharge zone is a body of water designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where discharges of treated or untreated boat sewage are prohibited.
The East Hampton Town Trustees operate a pump-out boat that can be reached by using marine radio, VHF Channel 73, or calling 631-644-7162. The town harbormaster's office at Gann Road in Springs has a self-serve facility. Both are available at no fee for boaters.
A recorded message advising the public about temporary closures of any shellfishing areas in the state is accessible 24 hours a day by calling 631-444-0480. The recorded message also advises harvesters when such areas have reopened. Information, including maps showing the affected areas, is available on the D.E.C.'s website.
