Always confirm with the official hotline before harvesting. Not affiliated with the State of Connecticut or New York State.

← All townsNew Haven County

Branford

Call hotline

Status by phone only. Call before you go.

Phone-only town. Last checked: not available online.

Hotline — call before you goState table / town page header203-315-0678Town page: call daily before going203-315-3909

Hotline source ↗

Health warning. Beds can close at any time for red tide / biotoxins (PSP), Vibrio risk, sewage or other emergency and administrative closures. Eating raw or undercooked shellfish carries risk. CT DoAg ↗
No warranty. Information here is provided as-is, without warranty of any kind, and may be out of date or wrong. We accept no liability for any harvest decision. The official hotline and town rules govern. Disclosures

Areas & maps

Areas shown on 2025 map; areas A, C, D and Thimble Island anchorage are private (no recreational harvest)

Official mapTown shellfish page ↗

Permits & fees

Resident$10
Non-resident$50
Non-resident daily$10
Branford seniors 65+No charge

Validity: Calendar year; required age 16+ · Source ↗

Limits by species

Blue mussel¼ bu, 2"
Steamer clam¼ bu, 2"
Oysters½ bu, 3", cull on bed
Razor clam⅛ bu, 3"
Round clam½ bu, 1½" ring

Source ↗

Season & hours

No shellfishing sunset to sunrise. Rivers and streams permanently closed.

Source ↗

Rain closure rules

Closures after heavy rainfall or sewer discharges. Open/closed sign at Limewood Beach.

Source ↗ · Connecticut rain & how-to guide →

Where to buy a permit

Town Clerk's office or a Commission member.

Source ↗

Notes & sources

Two numbers: 203-315-0678 is the state table / town page header listing; 203-315-3909 is the number the town page body says to call each day before going (unresolved which is current).

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What’s open this weekend

Every Thursday: which beds are posted open, closures after rain, and season changes. Free, unsubscribe anytime.

Opens Buttondown in a new tab to confirm. A weekly summary, not a real-time alert: always call the hotline to confirm before you harvest.