HomeMy WebLinkAboutHarbor Plan Minutes - 03-24-2011_201402051607186103Nantucket Harbor Plan Implementation Committee
Minutes of Meeting held March 24, 2011
Approved: April -- , 2011
Conference Room, Land Bank, 22 Broad St.
Call to Order at 5:17: Members present: Dr. Oktay (in the chair), Dr. Boyce, Ms. Johnson,
Mr. LaFarge, Mr. Sjolund, Mr. Smith, Dr. Willauer
Members Absent: Ms. Coombs
From Marine Dept: Ms. Riley From the BOS: Mr. Atherton
From the Roads and Right of Way Committee: Mr. Saperstein
Others: Mr. Brace, Mr. Brasfield,
Approval of Agenda: Mr. Smith moved approval (Mr. LaFarge second). The motion passed
unanimously.
Approval of Minutes: Postponed to next meeting
Chairman’s Report: Dr. Oktay reminded the members to take the ethics test. Ms. Riley
reported that Sheila Lucy agreed to talk to the HPIC. It was suggested that she come to the
next meeting (Secretary’s note: It was decided later in the meeting to have her come to the
April 28th
Mr. Sjolund arrived at 5:21
Report by Ms. Tara Riley on the HPIC Matrix Status: (5:22pm)
Ms. Riley passed out the Draft Outline of the Shellfish Management Plan (SMP). She then
discussed the progress on the Harbor Plan recommendations in her areas of responsibility. The
recommendations are identified by number and informal title.
#8 – Eelgrass Restoration: Dave Fronzuto will meet with mooring permit holders with a
discussion of adapting alternative technology which will not wipe out eelgrass.
#11 – Green Crab Trapping: Nothing has been done on this yet. If a small grant can be found,
this would be a good project. Dr. Boyce suggested that commercial scallopers be encouraged to
destroy Green Crabs. Mr. Sjolund requested that pictures be distributed to be sure scallopers
can recognize Green Crabs. Mr. Saperstein suggested that students could work on this project.
Dr. Oktay said she only has students for 8 weeks, which is not very long. Mr. Smith pointed out
that Green Crabs are spawning now, and this is a great time to trap the crabs.
#41 and 48 – Monitor Algae: Town is working with Sandra Shumway on a Harmful Algal Bloom
(HAB) team to monitor the Cochlodinium (rust tide) bloom if it reappears this summer. Dr.
Oktay noted that one of the Nantucket Biodiversity grants this year is for a master’s student at
UMASS Dartmouth to do genetic studies on the algae in the ponds, and also Nantucket Harbor.
Dr. Boyce noted that MMA has conducted bottom transects for the last 6 years, including
amount of algae and the type (Codium, branching, and filamentous). He will be making these
data available this summer. Dr. Willauer asked if the rust tide had been noted in Madaket. The
answer is no. Mr. Smith noted that Spanky says there is no life in the Warren’s Landing area
since the Esther Island cut has closed.
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#46 – Environmental Effects of Aquaculture: The Town, in working on the SMP, is working to
update the aquaculture guidelines, improving and standardizing the reporting requirements,
better specifying the requirements for getting a lease, and requiring that leaseholders provide
either seed or their time to the Town’s propagation effort. Mr. Sjolund thinks it is a good idea to
enforce the use it or lose it requirement. It is not right to let people keep leases if they are not
working them. Mr. Smith estimates that perhaps 50 acres are under lease right now, and that it
is expensive to get into. They have to carry liability insurance which is expensive.
#60 Pond Rehabilitation: Town will continue doing water quality in the ponds this summer as
well as in the harbors.
#77-83 – SMP: This is under way. The final product will be very similar in form to the Harbor
Plan. The new completion date is June 1. The next meeting of the SMP Committee will be
Tuesday April 5 at 1:00pm at the Town Annex. There will be a public Forum in the Communityy
Room at the new Public Safety Building on April 14, 5 – 7 pm. This is the same time as the next
HPIC meeting. Ms. Johnson moved (Mr. Smith second) that the HPIC will meet at this forum.
The HPIC then agreed to ask Ms. Lucey to come to the April 28 meeting. Mr. Brasfield noted
that he thought we should find out more about what the Chinese are doing to raise Bay
Scallops. Mr. Smith noted that we had sent Nantucket Bay Scallops to China which they used to
start their scallop industry. Dr. Boyce agreed to look up what they are doing and send
references to the group. Ms. Riley noted that Duane Dougan had heard a presentation last
week about Chinese scallops. She will try to find out the name of the person.
#78 – Shellfish Propagation: Ms. Riley summarized her plans for the coming summer
1. Continue the spawning cages where she keeps adults in close proximity to enhance their
chance for success.
2. Ongoing boathouse improvements:
a. New downwellers for the 200 micron to 1 mm size stage
b. New upwellers made from pickle barrels
c. Floating Upwellers (FLUPSY) at the do
3. Continue larval release strategy, avoiding the times of the rust tide
4. Doing shellfish growth trials using the new upwellers and the FLUPSYs.
5. Work with MMA doing spat bags, and testing large area spat collectors with the idea of
bringing the settled seed scallops back into the harbor. There was a discussion of scallop
habitat along the north shore of Coatue. There isn’t much. The eelgrass gets destroyed
by storms.
6. Some scallops have been sent to the Mlford Lab again this year for spawning. They will
return the seed to us.
#79 – Seek Funding, adjust license fees: The SMP will deal with the license fees. Dr. Boyce
noted that he and Ms. Riley had submitted a proposal to the WHOI Sea Grant program to help
support the research. Mr. Brasfield reported that he had talked to a person in Wauwinet who
felt that projects communicated to the landowners in a one-to-one way would be likely to raise
money in support of the projects being done. Mr. Smith noted that he teaches scalloping every
October at the Great Harbor Yacht Club, which could be a way to contact possible donors.
In the discussion, Dr. Boyce noted that the Nantucket Shellfish Association had discussed how
Ms. Riley is already fulfilling in an informal way many of the goals of the previously proposed
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Shellfish Collaborative. Ms. Riley also noted that she is looking for fishermen to work with her
this summer. She can pay $14.50 per hour for up to 35 hours per week. Mr. Sjolund said that if
the funding were raised to $20 or more, it would be more attractive to the fishermen.
Blue Pages: (6:24pm)
Mr. Brace noted that he believes the Blue Pages would benefit from a Glossary. Dr. Oktay asked
if anyone else had things to contribute to the Blue Pages proposal. Dr. Oktay plans to go to the
BOS after May 1. A discussion of distribution channels ensued with no consensus emerging.
Other Reports: (6:33)
Article 68 Work Group:
Mr. Saperstein reported that the Best Management Practices manual is out for review. The draft
is available on the Town Website. The time line is completion in May or June. Mr. Smith asked if
the Work Group has done anything about the certification. That will come from the Health
Department. Dr. Boyce noted that the Article 68 Work Group is burned out and will not develop
the certification procedure. Mr. Saperstein noted that we have to be certain that our
recommendations are based on good science.
Madaket Estuaries Report: Many people in the room attended the presentation. Mr. Atherton
reported that much of the pollution came from the landfill, which is contrary to what Dr. Howse
had been saying three years ago. Sewering or requiring tight tanks along Hither Creek will be
sufficient to solve the problem, along with what is being done at the landfill. Ms. Oktay said this
does not agree with preliminary data from sample wells. Mr. Atherton also noted that the water
quality measurements, done by Dr. Howse’s group last summer are still not ready. Dr. Willauer
noted that fertilizer was not mentioned as a problem. There is only one trophy house in
Madaket. Dr. Willauer noted that the Board of Health is appointed, not elected, which might
make that body able to take action, whereas the BOS has some trouble because they are
elected.
Annual Town Meeting (ATM): There are a number of articles dealing with the Harbor in the
ATM Warrant. Dr. Oktay announced that there will be a Civic League Forum this Saturday at the
Community Room at the Great Hall of the Antheneum. 1:00 – 3:00pm is Meet the Articles and
3:00 – 5:00pm is Meet the Candidates.
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 6:51pm
Next Meetings: April 14 and 28, 2011
Respectfully submitted,
Peter Boyce, Chair