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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-11-19Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Community Room, 4 Fairgrounds Road Members present: Peter Brace, Michael Glowacki, Doug Smith, Bill Blount, Dr. Boyce Members Absent: Wendy McCrae, Chuck Connors Marine Dept: Natural Resources Dept. Jeff Carlson Others: Tim Mooney, Zachary McMullen CALL TO ORDER 5:00 P.M. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Unanimously approved APPROVAL OF MINUTES Unanimously approved CHAIRMAN'S REPORT Mr. Brace reminded the board of the venue change for the Dec. 17 meeting, which is going to meet in training room at 2 Fairgrounds Road. Mr. Brace asked Mr. Carlson to make sure that he sends materials pertaining to apprentice and late license requests prior to the meeting at which these issues are to be considered to the chairman so he or she can distribute the materials to board members so they can have time to digest the requests and form their thoughts. Mr. Carlson said that shellfish warden Dan Blount had informed Frank Day, who came to the Nov. 5 HSAB meeting seeking permission for his daughter to get a late license, that he had to first file such a request so it could be put on the agenda and that his daughter had to be at the meeting to represent herself. However, Mr. Day did not heed Mr. Blount's advice and showed up at the Nov. 5 meeting without having filed his paperwork and without his daughter. Mr. Carlson said Ms. Day did file her paperwork a week later. MARINE DEPARTMENT REPORT Mr. Carlson combined this report with his own under Natural Resources Report. NATURAL RESOURCES REPORT Status of Shellfish Management Plan implementation group — Jeff Carlson Update on commercial scallop season — enforcement: JC Johnson or Jeff Carlson and Tara Riley Mr. Carlson reported that the scallop season was going really well and that as of Nov. 15, the bushel count is around 3,000 bushel as compared with last year at this time with 1,080.5 bushels harvested, reminding the board that in 2012, there a fair amount of days lost to bad weather including the storm that stranded seed up and down the inner harbor shores in the second week of November. He added that improved tracking and data collection methods this season is making count numbers more accurate. The weather has also been great. Mr. Carlson introduced Tim Mooney, a commercial scallop diver since 2001 who's been mentoring two apprentice scallopers, one of which, Zachary McMullen, has completed his 40 -day apprenticeship and who is seeking recognition from the board of completion of his 40 days so he can start scalloping on his own. Mr. Brace noted that this should be discussed under New Business. Mr. Carlson reported that he did receive five or six applications for membership on Shellfish Management Plan committee in addition to those that the HSAB appointed to this new committee. Mr. Carlson announced the birth of Ms. Riley's and Mr. Herr's son, Campbell, and that Ms. Riley, although on maternity leave, is out and about and available on a limited basis for anyone who has questions for her. Mr. Carlson said that and he and Mr. Johnson would sometime be taking turns throughout the winter attending HSAB meeting. He also reported that the boathouse lab is almost closed down for the winter. He then updated the board on the progress of the Shellfish Bylaw Review Workgroup in producing a revised set of regulations for the Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board to review in January followed by the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Brace asked how many fishermen were scalloping at this point and Mr. Carlson said anywhere between 35 and 50 boats a day depending on weather conditions. He added that the a fair amount of the fleet has moved out to Madaket and just to the north of Tuckernuck, but that the amounts of fishermen in town and out in the "Wild West" ebbs and flows depending on weather. Mr. Brace asked where scallopers were exploring other than the usual spots. PUBLIC COMMENT ON MARINE DEPARTMENT REPORT No public comment OLD BUSINESS Update - Morgan Day's apprenticeship — Jeff Carlson See Chairman's Report. Scallop shell reclamation — continuing discussion Mr. Smith asked that Mr. Brace stop including the scallop shell reclamation item on future agendas because he hasn't been getting anywhere with this idea. Full -time town biologist position — continuing discussion Mr. Carlson said that the town departments have submitted their budges to town administration, which is drafting its budget and that anything new would then be submitted to the Finance Committee for its budget review process and if the town biologist position comes up in discussion at a FinCom meeting, that's when members of the HSAB should attend the FinCom meetings to speak in support of this. He added that he didn't know exactly when this would happen. Mr. Brace said from his conversation with Selectmen Chairman Rick Atherton he is now aware that the selectmen have heard the HSAB's numerous requests and understand that this board does want a year -round town biologist primarily for water quality sampling and analysis. Mr. Brace asked Mr. Carlson to remind the HSAB when its time to speak before the FinCom was approaching so Mr. Brace could, with the board's blessing, write a letter to the editor of the Inquirer & Mirror detailing for the public its reasoning for filling this currently vacant position. Mr. Carlson said he'd keep the board abreast of when it should attend relevant meetings on this issue. Dr. Boyce asked Mr. Carlson who is currently staffing the Natural Resources Department. Mr. Carlson said himself, JC Johnson, Dan Blount part-time, Ms. Riley, Leah Cabral (for the winter). So, currently, the NRD has three fulltime employees. NEW BUSINESS Staffing shortage at Marine & Coastal Resources Department Apprentice scallop divers — update — Tim Mooney Wendy McCrae requested this agenda item because of Ms. Lucey's comments at the Nov. 5 meeting relating to the understaffed Marine Department, specifically, the need for more qualified rescue boat operators. Mr. Carlson said Ms. Lucey does have the use of Dan Blount part-time and use of two seasonal employees through the end of September. Additionally, several police officers are getting trained in boat use and rescue. Dr. Boyce noted that recently his boat engine died 100 yards off of 40`h Pole and because Ms. Lucey was off island, there was no one at the Marine Department to come tow him back to the harbor. Mr. Brace suggested that Dr. Boyce and other disabled boaters try to Coast Guard to see if they could rescue him before trying to the other agencies. As Ms. McCrae did not attend the Nov. 19 meeting, Mr. Brace suggested that this item be added to the Dec. 3 agenda. Scallop diver Tim Mooney's apprentices Mr. Carlson said that Mr. Mooney has had two apprentices in the last calendar year during last season and the current one, and that these two apprentices have completed their 40 -day apprenticeship. Mr. Mooney asked if the 40 -day period applied to divers as well. Mr. Smith said it does and the number should apply to both. He added that the Shellfish Bylaw Review Workgroup should add this issue to its next meeting agenda. Mr. Brace said he didn't recall hearing about either of these apprenticeships starting from Mr. Carlson who said that typically, he doesn't inform the board when the apprenticeships begin. Mr. Smith asked how many apprenticeships were currently active during this season. Mr. Carlson said 18, but that not all of them are actively fishing. Mr. Carlson detailed for the board why the apprenticeship program exists and how it works. Mr. McMullen said he thought that for 30 of the 40 days of his apprenticeship he couldn't take five bushels and that the during the last 10 days he could. Mr. Smith admitted to being confused as well and Mr. Carlson said this is why the shellfish regulations are being reviewed and revised. Dr. Boyce said he hadn't heard of the 30 -day period Mr. McMullen spoke of and said he recalled that the apprenticeship regulations he helped write allows the apprentice to harvest five bushels a day during the 40 fishing days with his mentor. Mr. Brace asked Mr. Mooney to tell the board generally, what a diver needs to know to scallop alone underwater. Mr. Mooney told the board that a scallop diver must take and pass a diver certification course including five open -water dives, become fluent on the impacts on a diver's body including cold water slowing down their metabolism, nitrogen building up in their blood stream, and how to remove the excess, monitoring their gauges, dealing with having two or three bushels of scallops hanging in bags off their shoulders while maintaining their buoyancy under water and what to do when their air supply runs out. Mr. Mooney continued, saying safety equipment is also covered including setting out the diver down flag, checking the boat's anchor once the diver has reached the bottom and then finding the scallops and determining adults from seed, as underwater everything is magnified by three. Additionally, said Mooney, apprentices have to learn how to operate underwater in a dry suit in which a bubble of air can develop and upend a diver if it reaches their feet along with using a full -face mask. When Mr. McMullen gets his dry suit and full -face mask, Mr. Mooney requires that he spend time him learning how to use these new pieces of diving equipment. Mr. Brace asked if commercial scallop divers only fish after the dredging scallopers are for the day. Mr. Mooney said he instructs his apprentices on how to dive for scallops while the dredgers are operating. He added that he teaches his charges to scallop upstream of the dredgers so they can see the scallops, as being downstream of the dredging means the scallops are hidden in a cloud of debris. He also teaches his students to hug the bottom when they're six feet or deeper if a boat is coming and come to the surface if they're six feet or deeper. Mr. Brace asked how many divers going now. Mr. Mooney said three. Mr. Brace asked Mr. Mooney about Mr. McMullen's competence as a commercial scallop diver. Mr. Mooney said he thought Mr. McMullen needs a couple more dives, to spend more time practicing getting in and out his boat and on doing anchor checks. Overall, Mr. Mooney said Mr. McMullen is an excellent diver, but he wants him to become more natural in the water before signing off on him. Mr. Brace asked Mr. McMullen if thought his mentor's assessment of his abilities was accurate. Mr. McMullen said yes. Dr. Boyce noted there was a difference between the board agreeing that Mr. McMullen had met all of his apprentice requirements and Mooney signing off on his diving abilities. Mr. Carlson said this is one of the issues that the SBRW needs to deal with. Mr. Brace asked Mr. Mooney to attend the SBRW's next meeting. Mr. Mooney said he wanted the board to feel comfortable with approving Mr. McMullen as a commercial scallop diver. Mr. Carlson said the board is within its rights to authorize Mr. McMullen's commercial scallop license because he's completed his 40 days with the condition that he get the extra equipment and dive training from Mr. Mooney. Dr. Boyce said he's comfortable with voting in the affirmative to this effect — this is his motion — but is still unsure how the board would have proof that Mr. McMullen has the necessary diving skills. Mr. Smith seconded Dr. Boyce's motion with the caveat of if anyone on the board feels Mr. McMullen needs to do eight more fishing days with his new full -face diving mask. The board voted 5 -0 to grant Mr. McMullen his commercial scallop license with the understanding that he complete the rest of his skills training with Mr. Mooney. Dr. Boyce alerted the board to the work of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute students on putting all of the town's water quality data into town's GIS system and suggested that this group come speak on their efforts at the next HSAB meeting. PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENT RECAP and ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING ADJOURN Unanimously approved Future Meetings: Dec. 3 and Dec. 17 Respectfully Submitted, Peter B. Brace, Chairman