Shellfish harvesting waters in Virginia classified as “Conditionally Approved” are in the OPEN status unless a ‘condition’ has been met. If the condition has been met, the waters identified immediately below will convert to closed (Restricted) status for a set duration of time.
Rainfall-based Conditionally Approved waters are in the CLOSED status for ten days, and open on the eleventh day, when a rainfall ‘condition’ occurs. When rainfall exceeds the condition threshold for a 24-hour (8pm – 8pm) period, these waters will close.
Unless otherwise classified as condemned by separate order… the current status of Rainfall-based Conditionally Approved Areas for the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels as of Sunday, December 4, 2022.
Lynnhaven River Conditional Area C1
– OPEN.
Pungoteague Creek Conditional Areas C4 and C19
– OPEN.
Nandua Creek and tributaries Conditional Areas C5, C17 and C18
– OPEN.
Chuckatuck Creek Conditional Area C8
– OPEN.
Onancock Creek Conditional Areas C9 and C20
– OPEN.
Poquoson River and tributaries Conditional Areas C10 and C11, Conditional Areas C12 and C13, and Conditional Areas C14 and C15
– OPEN.
Back River and tributaries Conditional Area C21 and Conditional Area C22
– OPEN.
Nansemond River and Linkhorn Bay are former Conditionally Approved Rainfall waters reclassified to Approved or Restricted status year round.
Number of Rainfall Events, Closed-Day Totals, and Annual Rainfall by Year and Conditional Area:
2022 (through September 15)
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 8 events 73 days 39.52″
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 6 events 53 days 32.34″
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 7 events 58 days 33.00″ *
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 8 events 59 days 33.79″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 7 events 56 days 30.83″ *
Onancock Conditional Areas C9 & C20: 2 events 20 days 22.97″
Pungoteague Conditional Areas C4 & C19: 3 events 30 days 23.57″
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C17, & C18: 5 events 50 days 23.48″
2021
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 8 events 62 days 23.58″ *
Chuckatuck Conditional Areas C8 & C16: 15 events 160 days 48.43″
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 36 events 194 days 51.86″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 6 events 69 days 40.57″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 7 events 54 days 40.26″
Onancock Conditional Area C9: 3 events 30 days 22.81″ *
Pungoteague Conditional Area C4: 4 events 40 days 29.58″
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, & C7: 6 events 60 days 33.48″
2020
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 1 events 10 days 6.05″ *
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 46 events 276 days 67.87″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 11 events 99 days 61.85″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 12 events 103 days 60.67″
Pungoteague Conditional Area C4: 5 events 56 days 48.24″ *
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, & C7: 7 events 63 days 52.46″ *
2019
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 33 events 215 days 49.30″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 6 events 60 days 46.40″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 8 events 66 days 46.51″ *
2018
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 37 events 269 days 51.77″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 78 days 55.45″
2017
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 28 events 194 days 47.91″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 11 events 104 days 49.43″
2016
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 10 events 45 days 25.52″ *
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 15 events 111 days 75.13″
2015
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 69 days 50.51″
2014
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 14 events 114 days 50.92″
2013
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 6 events 51 days 22.43″ *
* Totals denote a partial year since the date the specific conditional area became active / inactive.
Waters Classified Seasonally – Open from September 1 through March 31
Effective annually from September 1 – March 31, the following Seasonally Condemned Conditional Areas are OPEN to the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels:
Northern Neck:
GA # 004 – Nomini Creek and tributaries: Sections S124, S125 and S205-S207
Middle Peninsula:
None.
Lower Peninsula:
None.
South of James River / Southern Hampton Roads:
None.
Eastern Shore:
None.
Waters Classified Seasonally – Open from November 1 through March 31
Effective annually from November 1 – March 31, the following Seasonally Condemned Conditional Areas are OPEN to the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels:
Northern Neck:
GA # 005 – Lower Machodoc Creek: Sections S4. S208 and S209
GA # 006 – Gardner, Jackson and Bonum Creeks: Sections S1-S3
GA # 007 – Northwest and West Yeocomico Rivers and tributaries: Sections S38-S39 and S96
GA # 007 – South Yeocomico River and tributaries: Sections S40-S41 and S97
GA # 008 – Coan River and tributaries: Sections S5-S6, S135 and S172
GA # 008 – Kingscote Creek, Wrights Cove and Glebe Creek: Sections S133 and S173
GA # 009 – Cod Creek: Sections S175-S176
GA # 009 – Hull Creek: Section S177 and S200-S202
GA # 010 – Little Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S11-S12, S86-S87 and S184-S187
GA # 011 – Gaskin and Owens Pond: Sections S189 & S191
GA # 011 – Taskmakers and Little Taskmakers Creeks: Sections S192-S193
GA # 012 – Cockrell Creek: Section S194
GA # 014 – Mill and Harveys Creeks: Sections S148 and S150
GA # 020 – Carter Creek tributaries: Sections S49-S51
GA # 021L – Lower Corrotoman River tributaries: Sections S52-S53
GA # 021L – Middle Corrotoman River tributaries: Sections S55-S58
GA # 021U – Eastern Branch Corrotoman River and tributaries: Sections S59, S61 and S106
GA # 021U – Western Branch Corrotoman River and tributaries: Sections S62-S63 and S105
GA # 022 – Beach Creek: Section S107
Middle Peninsula:
GA # 036 – Barn Creek: Section S126
GA # 037 – Queens and Lanes Creeks: Section S132
GA # 037 – Stutts and Billups Creeks and tributaries: Sections S128-S131
GA # 042 – Lower North River and tributaries: Sections S22, S159-S161 and S204
GA # 042 – Upper North River and tributaries: Section S24
GA # 043 – Ware River and tributaries: Sections S25-S26
GA # 048 – Morris Bay, Adams and Bland Creeks and Purtan Bay: Sections S19 and S90
Lower Peninsula:
None.
South of James River / Southern Hampton Roads:
None.
Eastern Shore:
None.
For more information see the Division of Shellfish Safety’s web page at www.vdh.virginia.gov/shellfish, or contact the Division at 804-864-7480 during normal business hours.