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Home My WebLink About04-05-16Harbor and shellfish Advisory Board Minutes April 5, 2016 Community Room, 4 Fairgrounds Road Members Present: Peter Brace, Wendy McCrae (5:03), Peter Boyce, Bill Blunt, Kenneth Gullicksen and Andy Lowell Members absent: Michael Glowacki Marine Department: Sheila Lucey Natural Resources: Jeff Carlson Call to Order at 5:01 Agenda Approved, with remembrance to be at end Minutes of March 1, 2016 approved Chairman's Report: Brace and Lowell at Candidates Night. Only two candidates there - Kuntz and McClure, both seemed qualified. Over 60: chair did not attend (ill). Boyce - stated with deCosta saying in favor of- small discussion, suggestion form one of BOS- first time caught selling- lifetime ban. Disc: Fronzuto- penalties provided stiff, passed as recommended. Marine Dept. report: Lucey: 46 lifeguards hired, 38 returns, others rom Jr. lifeguard program and referrals. Housing full, half in housing, half in own housing. Buoys loaded for Madaket, ready when weather breaks. May take time to find water, things have shifted, big concern with Tuckemuck, Whale Island extended and changed direction. Not much lagoon left. Polpis took 2 days to mark channel. Will try this year, not sure will be able to. May have to be notice, can only use at half tide (if less than 4'). Jackson Pt.- 2 floats destroyed over winter. $10,000 estimate to have built, may do so on own. Huge increase in number wanting to liveaboard, know have to be on mooring. Mooring company wants money up front. May be issues, will have to monitor. Request by Dan Drake for copy of handout to boaters re soap and grey water. Brace: where problems with Polpis? A: stretch near corner at entrance, is very skinny channel, like slalom, to narrow to mark opposites. Natural Resources report: Carlson: Commercial season ended, tallying, probably behind last year. Should have (report) for next meeting, probably between 9 and 10. Starting water quality sampling tomorrow, starting with ponds. Opening the pond next week. Doing sampling in Polpis, moving station closer to bog to try and find source of nitrogen. Concern- flow from wetland- boards blocking break, need to maintain, working with NCF as to management. Hatchery- continuing, making progress, exterior largely done, hanging drywall inside. Since not back in hatchery in May providing what can but will be less than usual. Summer interns hired, 2 interns working in water quality. Dr. Costello, who did eel grass mapping may come back for presentation. Got preliminary word, will get funding, Great Harbor Yacht Club, Land Council and Shellfish Association, monitoring and publication of date on website- real time monitoring. Getting new LED lights for algae, can adjust for color of light to maximize production. Public comment: Ron Shepard: # licenses sold for next year? A: don't have information yet. Is simplified form for renewals. Looking at being able to have info input on line. Lucey: forgot to mention: getting lot of applications for businesses to use town pier for drop off and pick up. Are already at capacity, may have to deny some. May request HSAB's support in connection with denial. Pittman: are number of proposals. Qualified people but not appropriate for inside harbor, too much going on, birds need protection, shellfish, etc. Old Business: Slip and Mooring Regulations: Lowell: concerned may be over simplified, lead to backfire at Selectmen. Q(chair): to Lucey: any final comments: A: will support what in place. Motion (Gullicksen) submit request to Selectmen to adopt proposed amendments reviewed by Board. McCrae: what point if Harbormaster not in support. Gullicksen: are improvement, should be presented if Board in support. Brace: did have impact last time, should put forward. Voted: 5 in favor, McCrae abstained. Shellfish Management Plan: Boyce: in favor of Board pushing for implementation. Gullicksen: should look at to try and find things HSAB can do, what is beyond scope of Board. New Business: proposal by Carl Sjolund to limit scallops to 4 bushels in November only, as one time experiment, limit of 4 and 8. 8 out of 10 fishermen in favor of Long Island, Vineyard and Nantucket all put product on market at same time, smaller amount will keep prices higher and stretch out season. Blunt: good idea, would be price support. Lowell: spoke with 5 scallopers, were all supportive of, (he) in support of scallopers. McCrae: scallopers she spoke to were not in favor of, not Board concern to keep price up. Concern with limited scallops for Thanksgiving. Gullicksen: how market prices change? A: rise around Christmas, then higher in January and later. Tara Riley: in favor of, less stress on environment. Brace: would like to hear from more fishermen. Discussion of timing and need for hearing and changes to regulations, BOS voting. Proposal to allow conch fishing every year- proponent not here but has already approached BOS and there will be a hearing April 20. Are three conch fishermen. Jim Ellis has had license since 80's. did not fish, now retired, fishes part time, doesn't think fishing will last if too many pots in harbor. Is lot of pressure out of harbor, Vineyarders and others. Supports keeping as is. Matt Hen- existing regs 20 years in making, written remarks to be submitted. When started, 2 others set 90 pots each. Declined by November, moved to Sound. Second year much lower yield in harbor, second guy got out of business. Voluntarily agreed to every other year with fallow periods. Tara Riley - Conchs one of many shellfish predators in harbor. Study- can eat one scallop per day, but not preferred food, not seen as major threat to scallops. Conch very slow growing, 7 -9 years to maturity. Is native species, important for diversity. Gullicksen: Motion- notify BOS not in favor of change of regs to allow fishing every year. McCrae- second. All in favor, except Blunt- abstained. Remembrances by outgoing members: Boyce- early in tenure McCrae was chair. Nub issue came up, 50 scallopers in room, she ruled with iron hand. McCrae- is last meeting, has been enriched by everyone involved, dedicated harbormaster, growth of NRD, commendable knowledge of Dr. Boyce- tremendous asset. Blunt's knowledge of fishing- admirable. Glowacki's political knowledge kept in line. Brace hit further as chair. Gullicksen's insistence to keep Ts crossed will help Board. Lowell's enthusiasm will inspire. Views self as good fit, ocean in blood, water are most important resource. Lowell- presence of McCrae and Boyce has made comfortable. Service of senior members should be overwhelmingly appreciated. Shoes will be difficult to fill. The meeting adjourned at 7:30pm.