HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-3-7Agenda
Shellfish Bylaw Review Workgroup
March 7, 2013 6 p.m. RECEIVED
Community Room, 4 Fairgrounds Road
2013 nHR 28 PIS 1 25
MEMBERS PRESENT: Bill Blount, Cari4jWunih FVWN CLERK
Shepherd, Stephen Estabrooks, Peter Brace, Ted Lambrecht, Doug
Smith, Matt Herr
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jo Perkins
STAFF: Jeff Carlson, Tara Riley, Bill Pittman
OTHERS: UMass students
CALL TO ORDER
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Approved unanimously
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
Approved unanimously
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
The group expressed its appreciation to Ms. Riley's for her efforts
in providing all the necessary copies of information for the group
as well as designing the format for review the regulations for each
species and printing out and collating the various sets of
regulations for the town, state and federal governments. The group
discussed how to proceed in reviewing the regulations with new
template. Mr. Carlson explained he might help the group design
the handbook of regulations once the group gets done reviewing
and revising the regulations. Mr. Brace added that Mr. Carlson
would be doing all the background work of processing rewritten
regulations into a format for public consumption.
Mussels
Mr. Blount said this species should be left as is. He asked if horse
or, ribbed mussels were of any economic value to be included in
the regulations. Ms. Riley said that this species could be covered in
the Other Shellfish Species section. Mr. Shepherd said that there is
really no commercial value to these mussels. Mr. Brace suggested
a species glossary in the back of the booklet. Mr. Herr said the
horse mussels could become a source of bait for other fisheries.
The group agreed that the season should remain year- round. Mr.
Shepherd said the commercial fishery is dictated by the summer
market and that you should be able to get them seven days a week.
He added that they're a fresh catch to be sold and consumed the
days they're harvested. In answer to Mr. Shepherd's concerns
about testing mussels for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP or, red
tide), Mr. Brace said language on this and possible closures,
closures areas and the effects of PSP on humans needed to be
repeated in each species' section. The group agreed with Ms.
Riley's suggestion of dawn till dusk for hours of fishing.
Mr. Shepherd said that on the daily limit language, it should
bushel, not box for the definition. The group agreed. Mr. Herr
asked they would be including temperature cutoff for fishing on
cold days, something like the regulation for scalloping that
prohibits scalloping when the temperature is 28 degrees Fahrenheit
or colder because dredging for mussels means pulling up scallop
seed as well, which dies at this temperature. Mr. Blount said it's a
good idea that the 28 -degree regulations for scalloping should
apply to all shellfish in these regulations. Mr. Shepherd this would
be a good way to control bycatch. Mr. Smith said plenty of people
go out to get soft -shell clams when it's colder than 28 degrees. Mr.
Carlson said the language on the 28- degree regulation could
exclude soft -shell clams and whatever other species the group
wanted to exclude. Mr. Carlson added that this regulation would
also protect people from extreme cold weather conditions, but Mr.
Shepherd felt that this would be over - regulating the taking of
shellfish.
On the size restriction, the group agreed that two inches would be
minimum from end to end. On the method of commercial taking,
Mr. Shepherd said that dredges wouldn't be damaging the bottom
too much because the beds are always in one place or the other and
the fishermen aren't towing all over the harbor.
Mr. Herr recalled using four dredges when he went musseling with
Andy Roberts. The group agreed that standard size scallop dredges
should be used and fewer dredges, which would tear up the bottom
less. Mr. Brace asked what bottom is being torn up if, as described
by the fishermen on the workgroup, mussel beds tend to be just,
layer upon layer of mussels. Mr. Shepherd explained that
generally, near -shore mussels beds are on mud and the shells of
other shellfish species, but there are no scallops growing there. Mr.
Shepherd said the group should consult with Neil Cocker on the
size of mussels and the number of dredges before finalizing its
mussel regulations. Mr. Smith and Mr. Herr suggested four
standard scallop dredges. The group agreed. Mr. Brace asked how
we'll know if mussels are out there.
Mr. Herr asked Mr. Carlson if a regulation is changed that is
different from the town's current shellfish regulations in Chapter
122 -6, would it require a town meeting vote to make it legal. Mr.
Carlson said that at some point, yes, but that first the selectmen
must approve it. Restating existing regulations in a new format
doesn't require selectmen approval, Mr. Carlson said.
Mr. Blount suggested that for recreational musseling, the season
should be the same year- round, hours and minimum size. Mr.
Brace said the language for recreational musseling should be
crystal clear. The group agreed that recreational musselers should
use just on standard size scallop dredge to prevent any
misunderstanding of what size they can use. Mr. Herr said that
another important thing to consider about the size limit is that we
have a huge eider duck winter occupation force that can easily
wipe out entire mussel beds during the winter, so the group should
consider allowing recreational musselers to take 1.5 -inch mussels
and up. The group agreed to consider this. The group agreed with
Mr. Carlson that the requirements for issuance of a recreational or
commercial shellfish permit be that same for all species and agreed
that this issue should be discussed under General Rules or Fees.
Oysters
Mr. Blount said his father helped get oyster aquaculture going in
Narragansett Bay by dredging up seed oysters from Sesachacha
Pond and giving them to Mr. Blount's father who brought them to
Rhode Island, but he added that around 50 bushels were dumped
into Nantucket Harbor where they grew incredibly well. Mr.
Shepherd said he used to get them by hand from Sesachacha Pond.
Ms. Riley said that there is a natural set of oysters in this pond, but
she's never found anything larger than one inch long. She added
that she is doing joint water quality testing of Sesachacha Pond
with the state to get that pond approved for the taking of shellfish
from this pond. Ms. Riley said the recreational limit for oysters is a
half - bushel a day, but that there are no regulations for the
commercial oyster fishery because there is no fishery. She added
that the group must decide whether to create commercial oyster
regulations to have in place when such a fishery is developed. Mr.
Carlson said, and the group agreed, that under oysters, we need to
put "closed to commercial taking of oysters" so there's no doubt
about the current status of the fishery.
Mr. Brace recommended that a map of Nantucket Harbor be put
into the regulations booklet showing where all aquaculture leases
are so recreational osytermen know what's off limits to them. Ms.
Riley said that oysters from one location cannot legally be
removed and put elsewhere to enhance a population without
certain tests and permission first.
Mr. Blount suggested, and the group agreed, that recreational
season for oysters should be Sept. 1 to April 30, that hours for
taking should be sunrise to sunset, that the size should be three
inches minimum, that the amount should be a half - bushel per day
and that they can be taken by hand, rakes and tongs, but not by
dredge.
Soft -shell clams
Currently, there is only a recreational fishery for soft -shell clams.
The group agreed that soft -shell clams are too scarce and two
popular for there to be a commercial fishery. Mr. Blount suggested
the hours for digging soft -shell clams be sunrise to sunset, that the
season be Sept. 15 to June 15 on Sundays only and that harvesting
methods be hands, rakes and poles /tongs. Ms. Riley recommended
that the word "clam" be replaced with the words soft - shelled clams
so there is no mistake about what species can be harvested.
Mr. Herr asked about returning undersize soft -shell clams to the
mud and Ms. Riley said she wants to put in the regulations booklet
that you have to replant them in the mud. Mr. Brace noted that this
information is already on the back of recreational license permits.
Mr. Shepherd said that information is more than just enforcement,
it's information that people want to know about because generally
they're interested in complying and helping enhance the fishery.
Mr. Shepherd suggested putting some of these regulations in the
Nantucket Blue Pages. Mr. Brace said that that is not likely to
happen since this publication is all about water quality.
Mr. Brace asked where on the regulations schedule is the
apprentice program? Several members of the group inquired about
meeting earlier than 6pm. Mr. Brace said that there's a possibility
of that when the Finance Committee stops meeting in the
Community Room at 4pm before the group's meeting. He added
there isn't any room up in the training room and that the group is
meeting where it is because of the constraints of time and space for
town meetings
OLD BUSINESS
PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENT
RECAP and ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING
ADJOURN — 7:46 p.m.
Unanimously approved
Future Meetings:
April 2 and April 16