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Watershed Management Bureau
Shellfish Program
The mission of the NH DES Shellfish Program is to ensure that the state's shellfish meet standards for consumption by those who enjoy harvesting these public resources. To this end, the NHDES Shellfish Program strives to:
- Evaluate the sanitary quality of all coastal shellfish growing waters in the state, and ensure that these evaluations are kept current through periodic re-evaluations;
- Identify pollution sources and other factors that render the state's shellfish resources unfit for human consumption;
- Work with local officials, other state agencies, environmental organizations, and members of the public to eliminate pollution sources, especially those that limit opportunities for shellfish harvesting;
- Inform and educate the public about the sanitary quality of the state's shellfish resources, as well as potential health risks associated with shellfish.
 To ensure the protection of public health, the Shellfish Program maintains a number of monitoring programs. The Ambient Monitoring program involves regular collection of water quality samples from over 75 locations in the tidal waters of the state. The "Red Tide" Monitoring program involves the weekly collection of blue mussels from two sites (April through October) to check the levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) toxin in shellfish meats. Shellfish staff assist with the GulfWatch program, which monitors the levels of toxic substances in blue mussels on an annual basis. Finally, the Shellfish Program conducts Sanitary Surveys of shellfish growing areas. These surveys, which are required in order to open shellfish beds for harvesting, involve a variety of activities including pollution source surveys, general water quality monitoring, and hydrographic, meteorologic, and other studies.
 In the State of New Hampshire, the management of shellfish sanitation, harvesting, and resource health is divided among three state agencies. DES is responsible for determining which growing areas are safe, and which are unsafe, for human consumption. The Fish and Game Department is responsible for issuing harvesting licenses, managing the shellfish resources, and enforcing the open/closed decisions made by DES. The Department of Health of Human Services regulates various aspects of the commercial shellfish industry, including shucking, packing, shipping, etc. DES works closely not only with F&G and DHHS, but also with a number of other organizations including the NH Coastal Program, the NH Estuaries Project, the University of New Hampshire/Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Great Bay Coast Watch. DES has also formed partnerships with the private sector, including FPL Energy Seabrook Station and the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company.
Updated: September 12, 2003
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