Effective January 1, 2008, Through December 31, 2008, NOAA Fisheries extends the emergency action to address Red Tide. Fishermen are warned not to eat shellfish taken as bycatch in the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) closures areas, including mussels, surf clams, ocean quahogs, moon snails and whelks and any part of sea scallops other than the meat (adductor muscle).

• December 31, 2007 - Federal Register Notice
• December 28, 2007 - Permit Holder Letter
• Chart of 2008 PSP Closure Areas

Past Red Tide Closure Notices

• June 27, 2007 - Federal Register Notice
• June 27-28, 2007 - Permit Holder Letters
• December 28, 2006 - Permit Holder Letter
• June 30, 2006 - Federal Register Notice
• June 28, 2006 - Permit Holder Letter
• June 23, 2006 - U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  Request for Continuance of Current PSP Closure
• May 2006, Environmental Assessment
• December 23, 2005 - Permit Holder Letter
• September 29, 2005 - Permit Holder Letter
• October 18, 2005 - Federal Register Notice
• September 9, 2005 - Federal Register Notice
• September 8 2005 - Correction Permit Holder Letter
• September 7, 2005 - Permit Holder Letter

• Click Here for FAQs on Red Tide/Commercial Fishery Failure
• Click Here for Information About Pilot-PSP Dockside Monitoring Study

• Shellfish Fishery Failure Determination - On June 16, 2005, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez yesterday announced a formal determination that the Massachusetts shellfish fishery is in a commercial failure triggered by a massive red tide bloom in the New England region. The determination came in response to a June 10, 2005, letter from Governor Mitt Romney requesting disaster assistance for the hard hit Massachusetts shellfish industry (Click here for more information).  On June 14, 2005, the State of Maine submitted a similar request that is currently under consideration.
  • Secretary of Commerce Letter to Governor of Massachusetts
  • Governor of Massachusetts letter to Secretary of Commerce
  • Governor of Maine letter to Secretary of Commerce
    • Maine DMR Letter to NOAA Fisheries

• NOAA Fisheries Service Takes Emergency Action to Address Red Tide - On June 14, 2005, NOAA Fisheries Service issued an emergency action to close a portion of Federal waters off the coasts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts to the harvest of all species of shellfish (bivalves), with the exception of scallop meats, due to the spread of toxic algal blooms (red tide). This is the largest bloom on record in New England history warranting a public health emergency (Click here for more information).
• NOAA Fisheries Service Permit Holder Letter (06/16/05)
• Federal Register Emergency Action (06/16/05)

Relevant Websites:

• NOAA Establishes New England Red Tide Information Website
• NOAA New England Red Tide Information Center
• NOAA Oceans Service
• NOAA Fisheries Service
• Red Tide Triggers New England Shellfish Fishery Failure Determination
• Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB)
• Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB)