Water MonitoringThis data is a graphic representation of NJ coastal waters classified according to regulations of shellfish harvest. Waters are classified in one of five categories: Prohibited - harvest not allowed under any conditions. Special Restricted - harvest allowed with a special permit requiring further purification of the shellfish before sale. Seasonal (Nov - Apr) - and Seasonal (Jan - Apr) - where harvest is permitted only during certain seasons of the year. The final category is Approved - harvest permitted under any conditions. Classification of the waters is based on the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. As specified in this program, classifications are based on three components: 1) Regular monitoring of water quality 2) Field surveys of shoreline conditions 3) Study of water currents and flows (hydrography). These functions are performed by New Jersey's Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring which monitors about 2,500 locations a minimum of five times a year. Please note: Shellfish water classifications in this theme may be temporarily superseded by an emergency closure order. The Department may suspend harvest in areas impacted by an intermittent pollution episode or emergency condition when the event has or may have a deleterious impact on public health. Public notice will be provided of any emergency closures. However, if there are any questions about the suitability of a shellfish growing are for harvest, please contact the Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring at (609) 748-2000. THE SHELLFISH GROWING CLASSIFICATION THEME IS A GRAPHIC REPRESENTATION OF THE CLASSIFICATION REGULATIONS AND IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY. SEE 7:12-1 ET SEQ. FOR THE FULL TEXT AND AREA DESCRIPTIONSArcGIS DynamicMapLayerhttps://hub.arcgis.com/datasets/e8153c69f8e64d77a770d0eb6f51e9fd_2engNew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (NJDEP) Bureau of GISPublicNJDEP Shellfish Classification for New Jersey [New Jersey]Web servicesNew JerseyLast Modified: 2025-11-18