Licenses are available in the Town Clerk 19s office 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Clam Update
The fees for licenses and the enforcement of the shellfish ordinance for the Town of Bar Harbor only apply to the taking of soft shell clams (steamers) Mya arenaria. It is unlawful to dig or take shellfish from flats located in Bar Harbor without a shellfish license issued by the town. License fees are waived for Bar Harbor residents under 16 and over 65 years of age. Commercial shellfish harvesters must have a valid State of Maine Commercial Shellfish License and a Town of Bar Harbor Commercial Shellfish License. The number of commercial licenses available is adjusted annually by the Marine Resources Committee. Licenses are issued annually July 1st and are valid through June 30th.
| Type of License | Number available | Cost |
| Resident Commercial (Must hold State Commercial License) | Four (4) | $100 |
|---|---|---|
| Non Resident Commercial(Must hold State Commercial License) | Zero (0) | $200 |
| Resident Recreational | unlimited | $20.00 |
| Non Resident Recreational | unlimited | $40.00 |
| Daily Resident Recreational | unlimited | $5.00 |
| Daily Non Resident Recreational | unlimited | $10.00 |
| Over 65 & under 16 Resident Recreational | unlimited | FREE |
Bar Harbor flats are closed to the taking of soft shell clams from Hadley Point eastern side to Otter Point. Otter Cove is now open to clam harvest east of the Mount Desert Town line. Flats are open from Hadley Point west to the line with the Town of Trenton in Eastern Bay and from the Trenton line west in Western Bay to Northwest Cove which is now closed and then open west from Indian Point to the Mount Desert line. The Recreational daily limit is one (1) peck of clams at least two(2) inches measured on the shell between the neck and the foot.