Shellfish Beach Pollution Closures

Please find below temporary shellfish harvesting advisories and closures related to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), sewage spills from public sewer treatment and collection systems, and
ongoing shellfish harvesting advisories and closures related to chemical or biological pollution of marine water and/or sediments.

The Health District does not monitor shellfish beaches located on military bases. Please contact each facility directly for information on their beaches.

Temporary Closures and Advisories

This message was updated on August 21, 2009

Hood Canal Streams

The Washington State Department of Health has established shellfish closure zones around the mouths of the following streams on Hood Canal:

• Kinman Creek is closed 50 feet on either side of the mouth.
• Lofall Creek is closed 300 feet on either side of the Lofall ferry dock.

ongoing CLOSURE ADVISORies

The Health District issues Ongoing Closure Advisories for areas with known sources of chemical or biological pollution. Closure Advisories are in affect for all species of shellfish, crab, bottom fish, and rockfish in the following areas:

• Sinclair Inlet from Port Washington Narrows west to Gorst.
• The west side of Ostrich Bay in Dyes Inlet near Jackson Park; and
• Eagle Harbor extending out to Wing Point.

The Health District has also issued a Closure Advisory, for shellfish only, near sewer treatment plant outfalls. Shellfish should not be harvested near the sewer outfalls in the following areas.

• Port Gamble
• Annapolis
• Kingston
• Skiff Point
• Suquamish
• Wing Point
• Brownsville
• Lynnwood Center
• Bremerton
• Fort Ward State Park
• Manchester
• Blake Island
  

ongoing WARNING ADVISORIES

The Health District issues Ongoing Warning Advisories for areas that periodically experience high levels of nonpoint pollution. Nonpoint pollution includes pollutants such as sewage, oil, and chemicals that run off the land into marine waters during periods of heavy rain. Consuming shellfish during these periods may pose a threat to human health. However, it is difficult to predict when these periods might occur. Due to this uncertainty, the Health District advises against harvesting shellfish in the following areas:

• Burke Bay
• Liberty Bay (near Poulsbo)
• Miller Bay
• Point White
• Port Washington Narrows
• Portions of Dyes Inlet (including Ostrich, Oyster,
• Mud and Phinney Bays)
• Seabeck Bay (near the marina)
  

For more information please contact the Health District’s Water Quality Program at (360) 337-5235, Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM.