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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-8-9Nantucket Harbor & Shellfish Advisory Board Minutes of Meeting held Aug. 9, 2011 Approved: Conference Room, 2 Fairgrounds Road Call to Order at 4:35 p.m. Members Present: Dr. Peter Boyce, Michael Glowacki, Peter B. Brace, Wendy McCrae Members Absent: Doug Smith, Bob Rank, Bill Blount Marine Dept: Dave Fronzuto BOS: Others: Approval of Agenda: We did not approve the agenda. Approval of Minutes: Approved unanimously. Chairman's Report: Dr. Boyce announced that there would be a water quality presentation at the new police station. Dave Fronzuto added that there would be representatives at this meeting from the Department of Environmental Protection and the School of Marine Science and Technology at UMass Dartmouth. The presentation, explained Mr. Fronzuto, would be an update on the TMDL number for Madaket and the computer modeling scenarios the town hired SMAST to do. Dr. Boyce also announced the erosion talk at the Coffin School at 4 Winter St. that day between 5pm and 7pm Marine Department Report: Dave Fronzuto Mr. Fronzuto reported being busier than he's ever seen it policing errant Jet - Skiers, dealing with issues situating the Nantucket Lightship in the anchorage for Raceweek and pumping more than 17,000 gallons of sewage from boats since July 1, "an enormous amount ". He reported that town biologist Tara Riley did a scallop spawn recently, set up the booms in Madaket at Warren's Landing and released the results there, and that she hoped to get a few more spawns in before the water got too cold to allow growth. Mr. Fronzuto said there's been a lot of transcient dockage, relatively few mooring incidents. The anchorage is averaging 60 boats a night and the rental moorings are full, but the boat basin is not. Mr. Fronzuto said he expected Raceweek to be extremely busy. Dr. Boyce noted that many more boaters are ignoring the no -wake zone inside of Brant Point. Mr. Fronzuto said his department makes the effort to cover all of its bases. Mr. Brace inquired about the distance a JetSki must be offshore and Mr. Fronzuto said 150 feet. Mr. Brace reported being at Dionis several times while witnessing JetSkis operating between bathers and shore. Mr. Fronzuto estimated that there were 25 -30 JetSkis on the island, but some of them arrive on the megayachts. Mr. Fronzuto said JetSkis are supposed to operate away from boats, swimmers and moorings, and that the town has a bylaw that is supposed to keep them in the areas off of Quaise and up in the Head of the Harbor, and out in the Nantucket Sound. He added that the whole west end of the island is prohibited to JetSkis Although the town has signs at various public launching spots outlining JetSkiing areas and laws, Mr. Fronzuto said many launch from inside the boat basin or from boats in the anchorage. He told the board he would include info about the laws and use areas in welcome packets for boats anchoring in the harbor. Dr. Boyce echoed Mr. Fronzuto's kudos on Ms. Riley's propagation efforts this summer. Old Business: No old business. New Business: Dr. Boyce noted that HSAB needed to appoint new representatives to the Harbor Plan Implementation Committee. Dr. Boyce, Mr. Smith and former HSAB member Bam LaFarge are the encumbents, and Dr. Boyce said all three members want to continue for another term. Ms. McCrae noted that Mr. LaFarge is no longer a member of HSAB, so he is no longer acting as a liaison for HSAB. Mr. Brace asked how Mr. LaFarge could be on HPIC and be appointed by HSAB if he was not a member of HPIC. Dr. Boyce clarified, saying that the criteria for appointments by the HPIC only specifies that this board can appoint three people, but that if any members of the HSAB are uncomfortable with Mr. LaFarge continuing on the HPIC, the board can appoint someone else in his place. Mr. Fronzuto stated that the HSAB should not give up representation on HPIC by letting LaFarge take up HSAB's third appointee spot. Dr. Boyce stated that if the board does not re- appoint Mr. LaFarge, he would no longer be a member. Ms. McCrae added that she isn't trying to get Mr. LaFarge off the HPIC, but to clarify that he was appointed by HSAB and that she'd rather have a full board present when appointments are made, and that the slate of appointees should detail who are HSAB members and those who aren't. Acting on Ms. McCrae's motion and Mr. Brace's second that the HSAB reappoint Mr. Smith and Dr. Boyce to the HPIC and waiting until all seven HSAB members are present to consider Mr. LaFarge's reappointment, Mr. Brace, Dr. Boyce and Ms. McCrae voted in favor while Mr. Glowacki vote against the motion. Complaint about Matt Herr's conch raft in West Polpis Harbor Mr. Fronzuto stated that he hadn't had a chance to speak with Mr. Herr, as he had been out in Madaket working with town biologist Tara Riley. He said that the complaint was in the way of a person rowing their shell in this part of the harbor, making it difficult for her to turn around. Mr. Fronzuto said he would speak with Mr. Herr about moving the raft up to the Nantucket Harbor mooring field. Dr. Boyce said Mr. Herr told him that his raft needed repairs before being anchored in open water. Mr. Fronzuto explained that Mr. Herr usually anchors his raft off the second pier in Monomoy to hang his conch off of in the water until he can sell it but that this year, the market is such that he is selling his catch as soon as he brings it in from his pots off of the island, so Mr. Herr doesn't need his raft. Mr. Fronzuto added that the woman who complained believes that the "sole source of pollution" in west Polpis Harbor is from the sea birds that roost on this raft. September meeting dates Dr. Boyce stated that the next regularly scheduled meeting would be the day after Labor Day, Sept. 6. Mr. Glowacki stated he could make that meeting. Mr. Brace said he might have a conflict with the Sept. 6 meeting. Mr. Fronzuto said he'd like to have a week to decompress after the Labor Day Weekend. Ms. McCrae said she was flexible on meeting dates for September. Dr. Boyce said he would prefer not to do the agenda on Labor Day Weekend. On Dr. Boyce's motion for holding the first September meeting on Sept. 13, the board voted unanimously to do so. Letter of support for ECOHAB proposal w /Sandy Shumway of the University of Connecticut Dr. Boyce stated that the money Ms. Riley is seeking grant funding to study the brown tide and monitor its effects should it occur in Nantucket Harbor this year or next year. Dr. Boyce queried the board on him writing a letter of support for Ms. Riley's efforts to secure this funding. Mr. Glowacki asked if Dr. Boyce was asking the board's permission to represent its position of support for this grant proposal. Ms. McCrae expressed her confusion over Mr. Glowacki's statement, saying he made it sound like the board would be "rubber stamping" for funds and Dr. Boyce made it sound like the board would support another member of the department that is seeking outside finding for that effort. Dr. Boyce clarified, stating that Ms. Riley is a co- proposer and researcher on the effects of the brown tide on the harbor and that the board can be in general support of this effort. Mr. Glowacki agreed. Dr. Boyce said his statement in his letter of support would that HSAB supports Ms. Riley's efforts to research the impacts of the brown tide on Nantucket's shellfish. Ms. McCrae made a motion that Dr. Boyce, speaking for the board, draft such a letter of support for Ms. Riley's efforts. Mr. Brace seconded this motion. Mr. Glowacki stated that he would vote no because he wouldn't vote for a letter he didn't know the content of. Ms. McCrae amended her motion by stating that if Ms. Riley has enough time before she files her proposal, Dr. Boyce would bring his letter to the Sept. 13 HSAB meeting for the board's consideration and if she doesn't, it would be OK for him to write it and give it to Ms. Riley without the board's review of the letter. On Ms. McCrae's revised motion, Mr. Brace. Dr. Boyce and Ms. McCrae voted yes. Mr. Glowacki voted no. Adjournment: Unanimous Next Meetings: Sept. 13 and 20 Respectfully submitted, Peter B. Brace, Secretary