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  Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring



Shellfish Growing Area BB4 is located in Ocean County and consists of all the back bay waters from just north of Parker Run to Little Sheepshead Creek. In total, there are 13,552 shellfish growing water acres in BB4. There are many tributaries that feed into this growing area, such as Little Sheepshead Creek, Big Sheepshead Creek, Jimmies Creek, Little Thorofare, Big Thorofare, Tuckerton Creek, Jeremy Creek, Thompson Creek, Jesses Creek, and Parker Run. The following municipalities are adjacent to this growing area: Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton and Eagleswood Township.

Status: Currently, 94.1% of this growing area is Approved for shellfish harvest year round, 3.7% is classified as Conditionally Approved (Nov.); open for shellfish harvest November through April, 0.7% is classified as Restricted; no harvesting for direct market is allowed in Restricted waters and in 1.5% of this growing area shellfish harvest is Prohibited.

Most recent Reappraisal Report

Most recent Sanitary Survey Report

Southern Barnegat Bay Shellfish Classification

Click map to enlarge


Southern Barnegat Bay Photo Southern Barnegat Bay Photo Southern Barnegat Bay Photo Southern Barnegat Bay Photo

Photo Credit: NJDEP