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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-2-21Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. PLUS Building Conference Room, 2 Fairgrounds Road Members present: Ken Gullicksen, Ken Kuntz, Andy Lowell, Peter Brace Members Absent: Fritz McClure, Joe LiPuma, Bill Blount Marine Dept: � Z Natural Resources Dept: Kaitlyn Shaw Others: 2 r �G CALL TO ORDER APPROVAL OF AGENDA w 70 t !' r APPROVAL OF MINUTES Feb. 7, 2017 — Unanimously approved CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Proposed shellfish regulations amendment Mr. Brace informed the board that shellfish biologist Tara Riley would be making her presentation to the board at its March 7 meeting. March 7 meeting time change reminder Mr. Brace informed the board that March 7 meeting would start at 6pm in the Community Room at 4FG MARINE DEPARTMENT REPORT General Marine Department report — Sheila Lucey No report, as Ms. Lucey was not present at this meeting NATURAL RESOURCES REPORT General Natural Resources Dept. report — NRD staff Town Water Quality Specialist Kaitlyn Shaw reported that the latest issue of National Fisherman had an article in it on new dredge designs. She also reported that scallops growing in the hatchery were doing well and that the hatchery is applying to the Nantucket Marine Resources Grant Program for a grant for $25,000 for grow out equipment, she is submitting her own proposal to this program for equipment, water quality, eelgrass survey and algal bloom survey equipment for $25,000. Ms. Shaw didn't have a scallop season report for the board. Mr. Brace asked Ms. Shaw about photos of a recent( ?) seed stranding in Madaket on the shore at the end of North Cambridge Street he'd seen on Facebook. Ms. Shaw said she thought this was an old post re- posted. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MARINE DEPARTMENT / NATURAL RESOURCES REPORT OLD BUSINESS Draft letter to ferry services on keeping trash barrels emptied — discussion Mr. Gullicksen suggested changing "that harbor" to "the harbor ". The board agreed that after Mr. Kuntz investigated who owned which properties in the area including the Stop & Shop parking lot, the Hy -Line dock and the surrounding wharves, that he report back to the board at the next meeting and then Mr. Brace would finalize the letter and send copies to identified parties. Green crabs — possible eradication solutions —Ken Kuntz Mr. Kuntz conceded eradication probably isn't possible, but trapping them might reduce their numbers. Ms. Shaw said Carl Sjolund bought 15 traps, set them and got around 100 crabs per trap, but that he stopped trapping because he had no way of getting rid of them. She added that she spoke with Cormac Collier of the Nantucket Land Council who said they'd like to determiner where the green crabs are in the harbors and then develop a plan to reduce their numbers. And she said this would be "well received" by the selectmen. Mr. Gullicksen asked if there was any use for the crabs such as bait. Ms. Shaw said conch bait and fertilizer. But when asked by Mr. Lowell, she said she wasn't researching Nantucket's green crab problem and that funding was needed. Mr. Lowell agreed that trapping them would be a good idea and moving forward with researching green crabs in the harbors. He asked that this issue be continued to the March 7 meeting. Scallop dredging impacts on eelgrass — continuing discussion Mr. Kuntz reported that he was waiting for RJ Ribbs to send him photos and information on a new design of bay scallop dredge. Ms. Shaw said she liked Mr. Lowell's idea of attaching skids to the dredges because they wouldn't put the dredges to high off the bottom and would still allow them to catch scallops. Mr. Lowell recommended that two prototypes of this new dredge need to be made and that "Chucky Stojak" made such a dredge and had great success with these dredges. Mr. Brace suggested that Mr. Lowell bring this matter up at the next Nantucket Shellfish Association meeting. Ms. Shaw recommended having several dredge options including attaching a video camera on the current dredge style to impacts on eelgrass and catch effectiveness and closing certain parts of the harbor during the scallop season to see how they fare without being dredged. Mr. Brace said he was excited to see how much of an effect the newly rebuilt jetties will have on increasing tidal velocity and subsequent effects on harbor pollution and eelgrass health. Ms. Shaw said computer modeling of harbor circulation prior to the work being done was a velocity increase of three quarters of a knot. Mr. Gullicksen said that the volume of water in the harbor mattered more than its velocity in and out of the harbor. Mr. Lowell reminded the board that the jetties weren't being rebuilt higher than the water at high tide. In response to questions from Mr. Lowell about harmful algae in the harbor, Ms. Shaw explained the various species the Natural Resources Department has identified and that they are working on dealing with them, learning how they thrive and how to get rid of them. She added that she and the NRD are working on reaching Nantucket's total maximum daily load of .37 kilograms of nitrogen entering the harbor, at which eelgrass can thrive. She added that after Town Meeting, she, along with staff from the School of Marine Science and Technology at UMass Dartmouth will be presenting the 2016 water quality analysis findings for Nantucket's harbors and ponds. The board agreed to continue this discussion at the March 7 meeting. NOAA 2017 Coastal Resiliency grant — added by Ken Kuntz. Approved by HSAB on Feb. 21, 2017 - discussion Mr. Kuntz recommended that the NRD broaden its use needs when applying for grant. Ms. Shaw said because of the time requirement in applying for this grant, she wouldn't have the time to apply for than one use of this money, which would be $250,000 to $1 million. She added that some of this money might be used to build a bio- retention area where the micro -park is at 37 Washington St. clean runoff from the town parking lot going into the harbor. Mr. Brace explained the town and the Land Council's multi -year watershed cleanup for runoff flowing into the outflow pipes flowing into the harbor. Ms. Shaw clarified that the bio- retention area project is different than what Mr. Brace described in that the town -NLC project focuses on sediment filtering. Mr. Lowell mentioned the manmade wetland installed between Sayle's Seafood and the harbor. Mr. Kuntz stressed the need to see this money go toward enhancing eelgrass and scallops in the harbors. Mr. Lowell noted that raising the water quality of the runoff entering the harbor needs to happen before eelgrass can planted in the harbor. Ms. Shaw said that she is open to suggestions, but that she is running out time to complete the grant application and turn it in by the deadline in mid - March. Mr. Lowell reiterated the need to educate the public about hazardous waste collection and disposal. NEW BUSINESS Gray water containment on boats in the harbor — discussion The board engaged in a discussion of understanding how boats in Nantucket Harbor deal with gray water, noting that smaller boats don't have holding tanks and though larger ones do, most dump their contents into the harbor with no recourse for the town. Mr. Lowell expressed dismay that most just pump it into the harbor. Mr. Brace stated Nantucket and its surrounding waters out to the three -mile limit is a federally - designated no- discharge zone. Ms. Shaw noted that the Steamship Authority has gray water pump - out facilities on Nantucket and in Hyannis. She added that it might cost as little as $1 each for dye tablets that could be put into boat gray water tanks, but that enforcement would be a challenge, and that education could be aimed small boat owners whose vessels don't have gray water tanks. Ms. Shaw offered that the town might need to amend its regulations to allow staff to board boats to put dye tablets in gray water tanks. Mr. Gullicksen said the bigger problem is people washing their boats with detergents while in the water and that only environmentally friendly detergent should be used. Mr. Lowell indicated enforcement starts at the boat basin. Ms. Shaw suggested a training program for boat basin employees. Mr. Gullicksen and Ms. Shaw suggested putting information about gray water regulations on boat radio channels Ms. Shaw said enforcement of existing regulations is key. Mr. Brace asked the board how it should proceed. Mr. Gullicksen said find what's being done now. Mr. Lowell said he would learn how the Nantucket Shellfish Association is going at this issue. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENT No comments. RECAP and ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING Mr. Brace said he would check on the meeting time for March 7, find whose trash cans are whose on the harbor, continue the green crabs, NOAA grant, gray water, eelgrass and dredging discussions, to the next meeting, and track down Christy Bassett at the boat basin for their handouts to boaters. ADJOURN Unanimously approved Future Meetings: March 7 and March 21 Respectfully Submitted, Peter B. Brace, Chairman