Del. Admin. Code tit. 7, 5000, 7400, 7402, app 1
This list of Prohibited shellfish growing areas is recorded at the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on December 20, 1995. Shellfish harvesting is prohibited in the following areas for any reason at any time:
Delaware River / Bay:
1. The Delaware River north of a line drawn in an east-west direction running concurrently with the New Castle County / Kent County Line from the Western Shore of the Delaware River on the Delaware side of the River east to the New Jersey State Line.
2. Duck Creek, Leipsic River and Simons River and all their tributaries and a contiguous area in the Delaware Bay adjacent to the mouths of these Rivers. This area is identified by the use of signs on the shoreline, and latitudes and longitudes recorded in the Delaware Fishing Guide, and/or other maps available to the public.
3. Little Creek and its tributaries and a contiguous area in the Delaware Bay adjacent to the mouth. This area is identified by the use of signs on the shoreline, and latitudes and longitudes recorded in the Delaware Fishing Guide, and/or other maps available to the public.
4. St. Jones River and Murderkill River, including their tributaries and a contiguous area in the Delaware Bay adjacent to the mouths of these Rivers. This area is identified by the use of signs on the shoreline, and latitudes and longitudes recorded in the Delaware Fishing Guide, and/or other maps available to the public.
5. Mispillion River, Cedar Creek and Slaughter Creek, including their tributaries and a contiguous area in the Delaware Bay adjacent to the mouths of these Rivers. This area is identified by the use of signs on the shoreline, and latitudes and longitudes recorded in the Delaware Fishing Guide, and/or other maps available to the public.
6. Broadkill River including its tributaries. This area is marked by signs.
7. An area of Breakwater Harbor and Delaware Bay encompassed within a line running from the northern boundary of Beachplumb Island state-owned lands, in a northeasterly direction for 5000 feet, thence in a southeasterly direction to the west end of the inshore breakwater off of Lewes Beach and running on the inside of this breakwater to a point intersecting a line drawn from the Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier to the breakwater then running along said line to the fishing pier and down the center line of the fishing pier to the beach. This area is identified by the use of signs on the shoreline, and latitudes and longitudes recorded in the Delaware Fishing Guide, and/or other maps available to the public.
Rehoboth Bay and Indian River Bay:
8. Lewes-Rehoboth Canal. This area is marked by signs.
9. Rehoboth Bay north of a line drawn in a northeasterly direction between the tip of White Oak Point to the tip of Bald Eagle Point, thence in a southeasterly direction to a point identified as being directly west of the south submarine observation tower at Delaware Seashore State Park and south of the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal mouth, thence in a northeasterly direction to the tip of Thompson Island, thence in an easterly direction to the southern most point of the Rehoboth Bay Marina. This area is marked by signs and buoys.
10. The areas north of a line drawn from the tip of White Oak Point in a southeasterly direction to a point identified as being directly west of the south submarine observation tower at Delaware Seashore State Park and south of the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal mouth, thence in an easterly direction to the south submarine observation tower. This area is marked by signs and buoys.
11. Indian River Inlet and Cedar Islands. The western boundary line begins at Burton's Island, running south to a point west of the marsh which lies south of an unnamed gut south of the South Inlet Marina, thence in an easterly direction to said marsh. The eastern boundary begins one-half mile south of the Inlet running east into the Atlantic Ocean for one-half mile, thence in a northerly direction for one mile, thence in a westerly direction for one-half mile to the beach. The northern boundary (in the vicinity of Cedar Islands in Rehoboth Bay) begins at an unnamed island north of Savages Ditch running in a southeasterly direction to Burton Island. The area is marked by signs and buoys.
12. White Creek and its tributaries extending south of a line drawn in an east-west direction from the East Shore of White Creek to a point on Big Marsh on the West Shore. This area is marked by signs.
13. Indian River-proper and its tributaries and an area adjacent to Indian River-proper bounded by a line 650 feet in length in a north-south direction beginning at the eastern bank of the mouth of Emily Gut thence running from the southern terminus of said line in a westerly direction to Highgrass Point. Vines Creek and Pepper Creek-proper and their tributaries beginning at a point south of Rock Point and running in an easterly direction to Grays Point.
14. Herring Creek and its tributaries extending northwest from a line running from Burton Point in a southerly direction to Long Neck. This area is marked by signs.
15. The southwest corner of Beach Cove. This area is marked by signs.
16. The southeast corner of Beach Cove. This area is marked by signs.
17. The northeast corner of Beach Cove. This area is marked by signs
18. Love Creek - The portion of Love Creek lying in a northwesterly direction from the line formed by a point marked on shore at the southern confluence of Love Creek and Arnell Creek, thence in a southwesterly direction to a point in the marsh identified as being directly south of Boathouse Lane. This area is marked by signs.
Little Assawoman Bay:
19. Assawoman Canal. The Canal-proper is not marked. However, the adjacent waters in White Creek in Indian River Bay and Little Assawoman Bay are marked by signs.
20. Miller Creek and its tributaries and the northern reaches of Little Assawoman Bay north of a line running in an east-west direction from Goose Point on the southern bank of Miller Creek at its mouth to an unnamed point on Fenwick Island State Park. This area is marked by signs.
21. Dirickson Creek west of a line running from Bennett Point in a southwesterly direction to Conch Point. This area is marked by signs.
22. Tubbs Cove south of a line running in an east-west direction from the shoreline north of Treasure Beach Campground to Point Of Ridge. This area is marked by signs.
23. The waters adjacent to the Town of Fenwick Island south of a line running from Old Inlet Point in a north-north-easterly direction to an unnamed point on the barrier. This area is marked by signs.
Assawoman Bay:
24. That portion of an unnamed bay north of the Delaware / Maryland line adjacent to the Cape Windsor Development. This area is marked by signs.
25. Roy Creek and its tributaries north-west of a line running from an unnamed point on Greys Neck north-east across several unnamed islands to a point south of Route 54. This area is marked by signs.
Nanticoke River:
26. Nanticoke River and all its tributaries. This area is marked by signs.
Atlantic Ocean:
27. The Atlantic Ocean from the northern most point at Cape Henlopen to the Delaware/Maryland State line and due east 3 nautical miles in the State of Delaware's jurisdictional waters. This area is identified in the Delaware Fishing Guide, and/or other maps available to the public.
Applies To All Areas:
28. All artificial lagoons. Most of these areas are unmarked.
29. All wet slip basins. Most of these areas are unmarked.
30. Seagrass beds (Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima)
Del. Admin. Code tit. 7, 5000, 7400, 7402, app 1
20 DE Reg. 183 (9/1/2016)
22 DE Reg. 863 (4/1/2019) (Final)