Falmouth sets fall-winter shellfishing area openings and closures

The Town of Falmouth announced Oct. 28 updated shellfish harvesting rules for fall and winter 2026, setting new opening and closing dates for several local shellfish areas.

Under the update, all listed areas are open to Falmouth family and commercial permit holders Monday through Sunday, with commercial shellfishing allowed on Sundays from Nov. 1 through April 30. The town said these dates do not apply to the harvest of bay scallops.

The Falmouth portion of Hamblin's Pond (SC-16) opens Nov. 15, 2026, except for the area within 100 feet of either side of Seconsett Island Road.

In Waquoit Bay (SC-15), the use of jerk rakes, bull rakes and "T" handle rakes is prohibited on the flat outside the Moonakis River, though Falmouth permits may be used on the Mashpee side of the bay. The north end mooring field, north of a line drawn from 20 Nichols Road to 234 Metoxit Point Road, opens to shellfishing Nov. 15, 2026. The southern section of the bay, south of that same line, closes Dec. 1, 2026.

In the Eel River (SC-14) area, Child's River is closed north of a line from Seaspray Drive to the end of the Seapit Peninsula. The release notes additional opening details for Eel River East, including areas on the west side of the river along Seacoast Shores Boulevard.

The town directed residents to its website for maps of the open areas.

Source: Town of Falmouth announcement, October 30, 2026.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the original announcement.