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New Hampshire

Saltwater Fishing

Saltwater Fishing

New Hampshire › Fishing › Saltwater Fishing › Shellfish Identification

Shellfish Identification

New Hampshire has oysters, clams and mussels available for recreational harvest. License may be required.

  • Mollusks (clams, oysters, mussels, etc.) may only be taken from approved areas. (See Coastal Access Sites.)
  • Motor vehicles are prohibited on clam flats (any tidal area, exposed at low tide, that is capable of growing clams).
  • Call 1-800-43-CLAMS for current open/closed status of N.H. shellfish areas. Temporary closures during open seasons may occur due to high bacteria levels, red tide or other issues.
  • Sale prohibited. Softshell clams and oysters of N.H. origin, and quahogs, littlenecks and cherrystones (Mercenaria mercenaria) less than 1 inch in shell thickness cannot be sold.

Note: Shellfish Closures May Change

Most of New Hampshire’s coastal waters (up to 3 miles offshore) are open to shellfish harvest, with the exception of surf clams and mahogany quahogs, which can be harvested for consumption from the shoreline to 500 feet seaward of the low tide line. In addition, several small areas along the coast are closed due to pollution concerns. These areas include the outlets of Parsons Creek and Eel Pond in Rye, an unnamed creek near Bass Beach in Rye, and Chapel Brook. All waters within 750 feet of each outlet are closed to shellfish harvest. Additionally, all waters within 1,500 feet of Little River (near North Hampton State Beach), and waters 1,500 feet north of Great Boars Head in Hampton, are closed to shellfish harvest. Also closed are areas around the wastewater treatment plant outfalls at Wallis Sands State Park, the Town of Seabrook, and Star Island (Isles of Shoals).

Other areas may close temporarily at any time. For the most up-to-date information, call Fish and Game’s Clam Flat Hotline at 1-800-43-CLAMS, check current updates on the New Hampshire Fish and Game marine page, and consult maps and coastal data in the New Hampshire Coastal Atlas.

Red Tide

Red tide is caused by the accumulation of toxins from one-celled organisms. The toxins may be stored in the bodies of filter-feeding bivalves, such as clams, mussels and oysters, which ingest the organisms. Humans who eat the shellfish may become afflicted with paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), which can cause death through respiratory paralysis. Mussel samples are tested weekly from April to October. If PSP toxins exceed state standards for consumption, shellfish harvesting areas are closed and public notice given via news media and the Fish and Game website. Contact Fish and Game Marine Fisheries Division at (603) 868-1095 or the Department of Environmental Services at (603) 559-1509, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., for updated information. Even when red tide closures are not in effect, some areas may be closed to the taking of shellfish (see Shellfish Closures May Change).

Aquaculture in Little Bay

Aquaculture of marine bivalves (mainly oysters) is a relatively new enterprise in New Hampshire. Currently, this activity is being pursued at a number of aquaculture operations in Upper and Lower Little Bay. Each area, ranging from 1 to 4.5 acres, is identified by yellow corner buoys. Recreational boaters and fishermen should use care in traversing these areas. Remember, it is unlawful to disturb, molest, tend, or possess any aquaculture gear or marine species raised in a licensed marine aquaculture operation without the written permission of the licensee. (RSA 211:62-e, II-a FIS 807.15)

New Hampshire is fortunate to have a rich variety of molluscan shellfish.

Some of the most frequently seen are easy to identify by their shell shape and color.

Blue Mussel

Close-up illustration of a blue mussel showing a dark blue to black shell with an elongated oval shape.
This illustration features a blue mussel, a common coastal shellfish species found along New Hampshire’s shoreline.

Ribbed Mussel

Close-up illustration of a ribbed mussel showing a dark shell with pronounced ridges and an elongated shape.
This illustration features a ribbed mussel, a coastal shellfish species commonly found in salt marsh and estuarine habitats.

Horse Mussel

Close-up illustration of a horse mussel showing a large, dark brown shell with concentric growth lines.
This illustration features a horse mussel, a large marine mussel species found in cold Atlantic waters.

Sea Scallop

Close-up illustration of a sea scallop shell showing a fan-shaped shell with radiating ridges.
This illustration features a sea scallop, a commercially important shellfish species found in Atlantic waters.

Surf Clam

Close-up illustration of a surf clam showing a thick, rounded shell with light tan and white coloring.
This illustration features a surf clam, a large marine clam species commonly found along sandy Atlantic coastlines.

Softshell Clam

Close-up illustration of an eastern soft-shell clam showing a thin, oval shell with light gray to white coloring.
This illustration features an eastern soft-shell clam, a common burrowing shellfish found in coastal and estuarine waters.

Razor Clam

Close-up illustration of a razor clam showing a long, narrow shell with light tan and white coloring.
This illustration features a razor clam, a distinctive shellfish species found in sandy coastal waters.

Mahogany Quahog

Close-up illustration of a mahogany quahog showing a thick, dark brown shell with concentric growth rings.
This illustration features a mahogany quahog, a long-lived hard clam species found in cold Atlantic waters.

Quahog
(Mercenaria mercenaria)

Close-up illustration of a quahog hard-shell clam showing a thick, rounded shell with tan and cream-colored growth rings.
This illustration features a quahog, also known as a hard-shell clam, a common and important shellfish species found in New Hampshire coastal waters.

American Oyster

Close-up illustration of an eastern oyster showing a rough, irregular shell with layered ridges.
This illustration features an American oyster, a native shellfish species that plays an important role in coastal ecosystems and water quality.

European Oyster

Close-up illustration of a European oyster showing a thick, irregular shell with layered ridges.
This illustration features a European oyster, a hard-shelled oyster species known for its rough, uneven shell texture.

Waved Whelk

Close-up illustration of a waved whelk shell showing a spiral shape with ridged, cream-colored bands.
This illustration features a waved whelk, a marine snail species commonly found in Atlantic coastal waters.

Stimpsons Whelk

Close-up illustration of a marine whelk shell with an elongated spiral shape and smooth brown and tan coloring.
This illustration features a marine whelk species, a predatory sea snail commonly found in cold Atlantic coastal waters.

Shellfish illustrations: ©Hans Hillewaert CC 2.5: Mahogany Quahog, Razor clam; ©Invertzoo GNU Free Documentation License: Surf Clam; ©Fisheries and Oceans Canada: Waved Whelk; ©NHFG/Victor Young: Ribbed Mussel; ©Pallbo: Blue Mussel; ©Pipa100 | Dreamstime.com: European Oyster

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