Three Cited for Illegal Clamming in Centerport Harbor, Suffolk County

HUNTINGTON, NY — Three individuals are facing environmental violations after being caught illegally harvesting clams and other marine life from closed waters in Suffolk County.

On June 24, 2025, Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) Day and Franz responded to a complaint about suspicious nighttime activity in Centerport Harbor, located in the town of Huntington. Witnesses reported seeing people with headlamps digging in the area, which is closed to shellfishing.

When the officers approached the trio as they returned to their vehicle, they discovered a sizable catch consisting of horseshoe crabs, blue crabs, and nearly 400 hard clams. Some of the clams were under the legal size limit, and all were harvested from uncertified waters—violating New York State shellfishing regulations.

In New York, shellfish may not be harvested between sunset and sunrise, and harvesting from closed or uncertified waters is strictly prohibited. The daily recreational limit for hard clams is 100 per person.

All three individuals were issued tickets for harvesting clams from uncertified waters and for possession of undersized hard clams.

To learn more about where shellfishing is allowed, visit the DEC’s Public Shellfish Mapper.

https://dec.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2025/7/environmental-conservation-police-on-patrol