CONTACT:
Renee Zobel: (603) 868-1095
Robert Atwood: (603) 868-1095
October 29, 2026

Map showing the Twenty-acre Oyster Restoration Project Area in Great Bay, New Hampshire, with labeled sections indicating 'Oyster Restoration Area' in pink and 'Natural Oyster Reef'. Includes details like acre measurements and geographic coordinates.

Durham, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is closing a total of 20 acres of Great Bay to shellfish harvest to continue oyster reef restoration efforts in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and the University of New Hampshire. The closure will begin on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and conclude on October 31, 2031.

The 20-acre area is comprised of two restoration sites: a 5-acre site near Woodman Point and a 15-acre site near Nannie Island. Only the 20-acre restoration area, depicted on the map, will be closed to shellfish harvest. The remaining Nannie Island oyster reef and the Woodman Point oyster reef are excluded from this closure and will remain open to recreational oyster harvesters. The closure will be in effect for 5 years to increase the likelihood of successful restoration and enhancement of the oyster population at the site. To learn more about this closure, visit wildlife.nh.gov/saltwater-fisheries-new-hampshire/shellfishing-new-hampshire.

The NH Fish and Game Department is the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife, and marine resources and their habitats. To learn more about the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Marine Division, visit wildlife.nh.gov/saltwater-fisheries-new-hampshire.