FREEPORT – As most real Mainers know, shellfish like steamed clams are not just a delicacy for summertime.
Hardy residents from Freeport and surrounding towns who want to brave the cold fall and winter months to dig their own clams or quahogs still do so, as the town still has recreational shellfish licenses for sale.
Freeport Town Clerk Tracey Stevens said that the difference between a recreational license and the much more expensive commercial license is a simple one: “Recreational, you use (what you harvest) for your own use; commercial, you sell (the shellfish harvested).”
Stevens said recreational harvesters are limited to one peck of clams per day.
Freeport is limited by the state to 45 resident commercial licenses and six non-resident commercial licenses, and license holders retain their licenses from year to year. Stevens said that all of those licenses, which cost $230 for residents and $430 for non-residents, are taken.
However, when it comes to recreational shellfish licenses, which cost $16 for residents and $27 for non-residents, Stevens said, the town has much more availability, though like the commercial licenses, the state still does put limits on the amount of licenses the town can issue. The licenses run on an annual basis from July 1 until June 30 each year.
“We only have 180 (licenses) to sell total (each year),” Stevens said, adding that there are still plenty to be had. “We’ve only sold 78 of them.”
Stevens said she didn’t know why the demand for the licenses was down.
“Last year, there was quite a demand (for recreational licenses),” Stevens said. “This year, I haven’t seen a huge demand for it.”
Anyone wishing to harvest shellfish in town must first check if the flats are open, as conditions change quickly and the state could close some areas to shellfishing without advance notice.
As of last week, there were no major closures in the Freeport area, but anyone going clamming in Freeport should call the town’s shellfish hotline at 865-2904 or the state Department of Marine Resources’ shellfish hotline at 800-232-4733 to get the latest information.
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