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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-4-17Nantucket Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board Minutes of Meeting held April 17, 2012 Approved: Conference Room, 2 Fairgrounds Road Call to Order at 4:04 p.m. Members Present: Chuck Connors, Doug Smith, Bill Blount, Dr. Peter Boyce, Wendy McCrae and Peter Brace Members Absent: Michael Glowacki Marine Dept: Tara Riley BOS: Whitey Willauer Others: Approval of Agenda: Unanimously approved Approval of Minutes: March 20, 2012 - Ms. McCrae corrected the minutes, indicating that she did not say that "she asked the board discuss that Steve Bender be required to submit his comments from now on in written because of negative comments made by this person at a previous emergency meeting." Instead, she asked that the board discuss a previous vote taken that would've required a certain member of the public to submit his comments to the board in writing. Unanimously approved as amended. April 2, 2012 - Unanimously approved. Election of officers Mr. Brace was elected chairman, Mr. Smith; vice chairman and Mr. Connors; secretary Chairman's Report: No chairman's report because Mr. Brace just started at this meeting. Marine Department Report: Commercial season wrap -up Ms. Riley reported that the commercial season wrap -up was presented at the April 3 meeting and hasn't changed; 17,800 bushels were harvested. Seed moving report Ms. Riley also reported that she organized seed - moving days on April 4 and 5 when 6 -8 people and their boats moved around 200 bushels of seed out of Fourth Bend to First and Second Bend. Madaket open for shellfishing On behalf of Dave Fronzuto, Ms. Riley reported that for the first time in 15 years, Madaket Harbor will be open year -round for the taking of shellfish because its waters tested negative for fecal coliform bacteria three times in a row during a recent round of sampling. Other items Ms. Riley announced that she'd be giving a talk at the NHA Whaling Museum on April 19 on her larval release protocol and her two -month trip to Zanzibar where she helped village women learn how to grow blood ark clams. Ms. Riley reported that she is readying the boathouse for the season, that her four interns will be in action the second week of May and that she has three eighth graders working on their own harbor - related school projects while helping Ms. Riley with her projects. She added that she doesn't yet have an island fisherman committed to helping the program this season. Mr. Willauer asked where Ms. Riley would be housing the interns. She said they would be providing their own housing. Mr. Brace noted that Sesachacha Pond was still open, that it had remained open for a week or more and that so much of the bottom was exposed that medium -size oysters were visible. Ms. Riley said this year's opening of Sesachacha Pond wider than normal and more difficult because of nesting piping plovers. She added that Hummock Pond was opened a day before Sesachacha, but it closed within 48 hours. Public Comment on Marine Department Report Ms. McCrae commended Dr. Boyce for the great job he did as chairman for the last two years. Old Business: Article 68 Workgroup update Mr. Smith announced that Nantucket's Board of Health would meet on April 19 to review the proposed regulations from this workgroup at 4pm in the training room on the 2nd floor of 4FG. Shellfish Management Plan update Rules for the public to address HSAB Ms. McCrae said she wanted to know whether the HSAB would be upholding a vote the board took previously to require a certain member of the public to submit his comments to the board in writing because of his personal negative comments directed at a member of the Marine Department during a discussion on determining adult scallop sizes. Mr. Brace noted that the person in question, Steve Bender, was fairly polite the last time he spoke at a HSAB meeting on March 6. Ms. McCrae agreed, but added that the previous voted needed to be upheld or undone. Mr. Smith apologized for not upholding the outcome of that vote at the March 6 when he was acting chairman. Mr. Willauer offered that all comments from the board and the public should go through the chairman, and that if whoever is speaking is out of order in what they're saying, the chairman has the right to silence the speaker. Mr. Brace suggested that Mr. Bender could be removed from the room if did not cooperate. Mr. Willauer said the board's previous vote may not be legal and that such an action is probably unconstitutional in that it prevented free speech by this member of the public. He added that the chairman could inform the person in question that if he /she doesn't relent, he would be removed from the room. Dr. Boyce motioned that the previous vote be rescinded. Ms. McCrae seconded that motion. Mr. Smith said he'd support this motion if the board's chairman informs whoever is speaking out of turn or in a derogatory manner that they must speak through the chairman an that if they cannot keep their comments under control that the chairman would silence them. The board voted unanimously to rescind the vote it had taken to require a certain member of the public to submit his comments to the board in writing. New Business: Aquaculture lease application — Chuck Connors Ms. Riley reported that Mr. Connors has a sound production plan for three to five years is an excellent candidate for getting an aquaculture lease to grow oysters and that he would be doing this within four acres in the Head of the Harbor. Mr. Brace asked if all the aquaculture leases were in this area and Ms. Riley said most are in a 30 -acre area pre - approved by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries in deep water. The cages float for half of the year and then is secured to the bottom during the winter months. The area is marked off with buoys. She said there's still around eight acres left. Dr. Boyce made a motion that the board draft a letter of support for Mr. Connors and Mr. Smith seconded his motion. The board, minus Mr. Connors who removed himself from the board for this vote, voted unanimously to draft such a letter. Seed - stranding fish totes Mr. Smith asked for an update on when these would be purchased. Mr. Blount and Mr. Willauer said they would follow up with Dan Drake of the Nantucket Shellfish Association on this. Recap and Items for Next Meeting: Mr. Brace will look into the how control meetings and what the board's rights are in terms of unruly participants. He is also going to report back to the board on Mr. Fronzuto's new position, who will replace him and why. Adjournment: Unanimously approved. Next Meetings: May 1 and 15, 2012 Respectfully submitted, Peter B. Brace, Secretary