Charles A. Phippen - Shellfish Warden
Harbor Department - 1 Town Pier, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207)
288-5571 Fax (207) 288-1034
Licenses are available in the Town Clerk's office 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The fees for licenses and the enforcement of the shellfish ordinance for the Town of Bar Harbor only apply to the taking of soft shell clams (steamers) Mya arenaria. It is unlawful to dig or take shellfish from flats located in Bar Harbor without a shellfish license issued by the town. License fees are waived for Bar Harbor residents under 16 and over 65 years of age. Commercial shellfish harvesters must have a valid State of Maine Commercial Shellfish License and a Town of Bar Harbor Commercial Shellfish License. The number of commercial licenses available is adjusted annually by the Marine Resources Committee. Licenses are issued annually July 1st and are valid through June 30th.
| Type of License | Number available | Cost |
| Resident Commercial (Must hold State Commercial License) | Four (4) | $106 |
|---|---|---|
| Non Resident Commercial(Must hold State Commercial License) | Zero (0) | $212 |
| Resident Recreational | unlimited | $21.00 |
| Non Resident Recreational | unlimited | $42.00 |
| Daily Resident Recreational | unlimited | $5.00 |
| Daily Non Resident Recreational | unlimited | $10.00 |
| Over 65 & under 16 Resident Recreational Effective July 1, 2010 | unlimited | FREE |
Currently, there are no conservation closures in Bar Harbor Shellfish Conservation areas. The open clamming areas in Bar Harbor coincide with the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Bacterial Closure areas as depicted on the DMR map for the area Click here for the DMR Map
Bar Harbor Marine Resources Committee map Click here for the MRC Map
Although we attempt to keep all the information on the Town's Web Site up to date and as accurate as possible, there are situations where emergency closures are imposed due to Red Tide and heavy rainfall. If you are in doubt as to the status of a particular shellfish harvesting area contact the Harbormaster (288-5571), Town Clerk or Maine DMR. The Maine Shellfish Sanitation Hotline number is (800)232-4733.
For more information on clamming, clam biology, clam management and marine resources research in Bar Harbor go to the Marine Resources Committee page
Posted 12-14-10