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, October 1, 2023.
Lynnhaven River Conditional Area C1
– CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
Pungoteague Creek Conditional Areas C4 and C19
-CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
Nandua Creek and tributaries Conditional Areas C5, C6, C17 and C18
-CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
Chuckatuck Creek Conditional Area C8
– CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
Onancock Creek Conditional Areas C9 and C20
-CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
Poquoson River and tributaries Conditional Areas C10 and C11, Conditional Areas C12 and C13, and Conditional Areas C14, C15 and C16
–CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
Back River and tributaries Conditional Area C21 and Conditional Area C22
-CLOSED through October 3, 2023. Currently set to re-open October 4, 2023.
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:
2023 (through June 30)
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 5 events 34 days 22.72″
Back River Conditional Areas C21 and C22: 5 events 34 days 23.36″
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 5 events 44 days 24.0″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 4 events 47 days 21.68″
Onancock Conditional Areas C9 & C20: 3 events 19 days 15.53″
Pungoteague Conditional Areas C4 & C19: 3 events 19 days 15.46″
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, C17, & C18: 4 events 20 days 15.66″
2022
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 10 events 93 days 51.62″
Back River Conditional Areas C21 and C22: 1 event 10 days 6.56″ *
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 8 events 73 days 44.29″
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 8 events 60 days 33.00″ *
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 69 days 44.93″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 8 events 57 days 30.83″ *
Onancock Conditional Areas C9 & C20: 4 events 40 days 32.60″
Pungoteague Conditional Areas C4 & C19: 5 events 50 days 33.35″
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C17, & C18: 7 events 70 days 33.98″
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 a 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:
None.
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
GA # 007 – South Yeocomico River and tributaries: Sections S40-S41
GA # 008 – Coan River and tributaries: Sections S5-S6
GA # 009 – Cod Creek: Sections S175-S176
GA # 009 – Hull Creek: Section S200-S201
GA # 010 – Upper Little Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S11, and S86-S87
GA # 010 – Lower Little Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S12-S13, S184 and S184-S187
GA # 011 – Gaskin and Owens Pond: Sections S189 & S191
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-S54
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-S64, S105 and S210
GA # 022 – Greenvale and Paynes Creeks: Sections S108 and S211
GA # 022 – Beach Creek: Section S107
Middle Peninsula:
GA # 036 – Barn Creek: Sections S126 & S212
GA # 037 – Queens and Lanes Creeks: Section S132
GA # 037 – Stutts and Billups Creeks and tributaries: Sections S128 & S130-S131
GA # 042 – Lower North River and tributaries: Sections S22, S161 and S204
GA # 042 – Upper North River and tributaries: Sections S23 and 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.