A Long Island Shellfish Directory
From Great South Bay to Montauk — discover Long Island's oyster farms, clamming culture, shellfish seasons, and coastal traditions.
Coastal Heritage
For generations, Long Island's bays and harbors have yielded some of the finest shellfish on the Eastern Seaboard. Blue Point oysters, hard-shell clams, and bay scallops thrive in the nutrient-rich waters stretching from the North Fork to the barrier islands. This guide is your companion to the farms, flavors, and traditions that make Long Island a shellfish destination unlike any other.
Filtration
A single oyster filters up to 50 gallons of seawater a day — quietly clarifying our bays, restoring eelgrass, and rebuilding the estuary. See how Islip's aquaculture program is putting that miracle back to work.
Inside the Islip Program →
Tradition
Wading into the shallows with a clam rake is a Long Island rite of passage. Learn where, when, and how to harvest your own hard-shell clams.
Read the Guide →
Farms
Meet the aquaculturists and baymen who raise Long Island's shellfish. Tour working oyster farms from Oyster Bay to Montauk.
Find Farms →
Live Seasonality
June 2026 — updated automatically
Sourced from NYSDEC Shellfish Harvesting Regulations and 6 NYCRR §§ 43–49. Hard clams, soft clams, oysters and mussels have no NY state closed season — local town permits, area closures, and the NYSDEC Vibrio Control Plan (May 1 – Oct 31) still apply.
oyster
Legal: Year-round (NYSDEC, no closed season)
Quality: Peak Sept–Apr (R-months); summer subject to Vibrio cooling rules
oyster
Legal: Year-round (NYSDEC, no closed season)
Quality: Peak Sept–Apr; cold-water months are firmest
clam
Legal: Year-round (NYSDEC, no closed season)
Quality: Recreational peak May–Oct; commercial harvest year-round
clam
Legal: Year-round (NYSDEC, no closed season)
Quality: Best spring–early summer; quality declines in hottest months
clam
Legal: First Monday in November – March 31 (6 NYCRR § 49.1)
Quality: Sweetest early in the season (Nov–Dec)
crab
Legal: Year-round in NY marine waters; 5" carapace min, no egg-bearing females (6 NYCRR § 44.2)
Quality: Peak mid-summer through early fall when crabs are heaviest and sweetest
Sources: NYSDEC Shellfish Harvesting Regulations, Recreational Shellfish Limits (PDF), 6 NYCRR § 49.1 (Bay Scallops), NYSDEC Vibrio Control Plan.
Common Questions
Check permits and regulations, find the best oyster bars, and discover the seasonal rhythms of Long Island's shellfish waters.