Press Release  Division of Marine Fisheries Announces Support for Impacted Shellfishers During Extended Closure of Newburyport Shellfish Plant

NEWBURYPORT — The Department of Fish & Game’s (DFG) Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) today announced support for those impacted by the extended closure of the Newburyport Shellfish Purification Plant. Operations were temporarily suspended in November 2023 due to extensive damage from severe storms. As a result, DMF is taking action to mitigate impacts of the current closure for shellfishers who use the facility and conducting a comprehensive engineering study to determine the cost and feasibility of restoring operations.   

DMF will distribute $82,000 in direct aid to the twenty-seven impacted shellfish harvesters to make up for lost wages during the extended closure. Additionally, DMF is working to establish an agreement with the state of Maine to allow the affected shellfish harvesters to process clams at a similar facility in Elliot, ME. If the agreement is approved, DMF would provide up to $25,000 to subsidize higher transport and processing fees. 

“Climate change is bringing monumental challenges--we are already seeing the impacts of warming waters, increasingly powerful storms, and coastal erosion on our fisheries, habitats, and infrastructure,” said Department of Fish & Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea. “Our Department is committed to rising to these significant challenges--alongside our state and local leaders--to support our hardworking shellfishers who sustain this important industry.” 

“Due to critical infrastructure failure caused by several severe winter storms, repeated high-tide flooding, and unprecedented dune erosion that have compromised the Newburyport Shellfish Purification Plant, the Division of Marine Fisheries has been forced to suspend operations at the facility,” said Division of Marine Fisheries Director Dan McKiernan. “We understand that sustaining the softshell clam harvest is very important to the community and closure has significant impacts on the twenty-seven shellfishers who utilized the services provided. We’re extremely pleased to have worked together with the community to find solutions that work for them and provide essential aid to make up for lost income." 

DMF has operated the Newburyport Shellfish Purification Plant since 1961 on Plum Island at the mouth of the Merrimack River, an area today that is highly vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surge. The facility processes softshell clams harvested from a limited number of areas in Boston Harbor and the Pines and Merrimack Rivers that are classified by the state as “Conditionally Restricted,” or not suitable for direct human consumption due to bacterial contamination. Processing at the Plant cleanses them so they are safe to eat and can be sold commercially.   

The plant was temporarily closed on November 24, 2023, after a severe coastal storm that brought unprecedented dune erosion and storm surge. Wellheads and pumps that provide clean saltwater to the facility to purify the contaminated softshell clams are irreparably damaged and need to be relocated to restore operations. Additionally, subsequent powerful storms have caused further dune erosion and damage, including a powerful storm on January 13, 2024, that completely flooded the interior of the facility and recent storms in February and March that have accelerated dune erosion.   

To restore operations, an extensive permitting process and environmental review will be needed to replace and relocate the damaged infrastructure, which is located under sensitive coastal dune and endangered species habitat. DMF has contracted with an engineering firm to conduct a full site assessment, flood vulnerability assessment, and feasibility study for design, permitting, and evaluation for saltwater well replacement. DMF has also decommissioned and removed the destroyed wellheads on the beach, as they were a hazard for navigation and beach users.   

The Newburyport Shellfish Depuration Plant has faced prior closures due to a variety of factors, including prior coastal storm damage and a saltwater pump failure in 2018. In 2012, plant closure was proposed in the state budget due to a decline in demand for services, and high costs of operation and maintenance.  

Over the last thirty years, the number of clams brought to the facility by the harvesters for processing has declined by 95%. In 2023, the facility processed just 1,400 racks of clams brought in by twenty-seven individuals, a mere 8% of its historic production capacity. As a result, total annual fees collected are at an all-time low, with revenue below $13,000 in 2022 and $9,000 in 2023.  

One factor in the sharp decline in demand for services at the plant is declining populations of softshell clams themselves. According to NOAA Fisheries, softshell clams have a “VERY HIGH” climate vulnerability rating, and populations in Massachusetts and beyond are threatened by increased predation from invasive green crabs, increased mortality from diseases like Neoplasia, and ocean acidification.  

Additionally, the Newburyport Shellfish Depuration Plant is located in an area identified by NOAA as “HIGH” vulnerability to sea-level rise impacts, with projected annual flooding depths of 1.5 to 2 feet by 2030. The plant, as well as supporting infrastructure, is projected to face increasing threats of flooding, storm surge, and erosion damage, well beyond current levels, as sea levels continue to rise. 

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