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North of Boston/Merrimack Valley offers plenty of rich shellfish beds for vacation fun

Ipswich Shellfishing & Clamming

Town of Ipswich, 25 Green Street Ipswich, MA, 01938 Phone: 978-356-6600

Ispwich residents may purchase a shellfishing permit for $30 a calendar year. Massachusetts residents who do not live in Ipswich may purchase a permit for $150 a calendar year or $20 a day. Out-of-state residents may purchase a one-day permit for $20 if they name in the permit application the name and permit number of an Ipswich licensed clammer who will accompany them and if they are accompanied by the sponsoring clammer on the day specified on the permit. 
Gloucester Shellfishing & Clamming

Gloucester City Clerk, City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue Gloucester, MA Phone: 978-281-9720

All shellfishing permits are issued by the City Clerk's office at City Hall. Call or click for hours.
Fees: Annual non-resident fee for clams and seaworms is $200. One-day fee for clams and seaworms is $25. All permits expire June 30 of each year.
Contact Information: The Shellfish Department hotline is 978-325-5245. Shellfish warden is Peter Seminara.
Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

6 Plum Island Turnpike Newburyport, MA, 01950 Phone: 978-465-5753

Fishers must have a valid Refuge Use Permit for shellfishing on clam flats that can be reached from the refuge. To qualify for a refuge permit, you must have a commercial or recreational clamming license from the towns of Newbury, Rowley, or Ipswich. Refuge permits are available year-round from refuge headquarters and from the refuge gatehouse on Sunset Drive. Permits are valid through the end of the calendar year.
Fees: Refuge shellfishing permits are issued free of charge, but there is a daily entrance fee of $5 per vehicle at the Plum Island area.
Hours:Shellfishing is allowed sunrise to sunset.
Parking: Access from the refuge to all flats is from designated parking areas and by foot only. Parking for shellfishing is permitted in designated lots only.