2012-SHELLFISH COMMISSION - Laserfiche WebLink

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algae at the landing was not much different from last year resulting in health advisories at times this year when the counts exceeded 70,000 cells per milliliter. Their highest count (on July 24, 2012)was 130,000 cells/ml which was less than half of the highest count in previous years (278,000 cells/ml on August 25, 2009). Their water samples are collected from a depth of about 6" where the water was probably about the same average clarity in past years with the algae bloom concentrated above it. I split a sample with them on July 31, 2012 and got the same count that they did. The Secchi disks measure the bloom more accurately than a sample at a given depth by including water from the surface down into the water column. Counts in the surface water at the landing in past years were in the millions of cells/ml. No deaths of fresh water shellfish were observed even in those thick blooms (I dug some up at the landing to check). No toxin has been detected. We thank the Friends of Ssntuit Pond for their efforts in the restoration of water quality in Santuit Pond. Water quality in the other ponds in Mashpee is good with healthy shellfish populations. I am working with the Mashpee Environmental Coalition to sample the ponds for the Pond and Lake Sampling (PALS) program. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen and Secchi disk visibility are measured, and water samples are sent to the UMass Dartmouth SMAST for lab analysis including nutrients and chlorophyll. Ashumet, John's, Mashpee/Wakeby, Moody's and Santuit Ponds are measured 3 times during the summer. The Water Quality Monitoring Program continues as a collaboration of the Town, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Dept. of Natural Resources) and UMass Dartmouth, SMAST. Old Business: Shellfish Propagation: ARC - No final decision has been made in the court case blocking the wind generator for Aquacultural Research Corp. in Dennis. ARC needs USDA funded wind generator to reduce costs so that they can afford maintenance and repair of the facility. Barnstable County is working on the plan to purchase the property, make the needed maintenance and repairs, and lease it to the current owners to operate it. The plan involves paying off a bond over a number of years with a $10 surcharge on family shellfish permits and a larger amount ($50 ?) on commercial shellfish permits from all of the towns in the county. The towns would still have to buy seed with no credit for the surcharges. York is concerned that fewer people would get shellfish permits (less funds for propagation) if the cost was higher, and suggested to ARC that they consider selling the property to the Town of Dennis to be purchased with Community Preservation funds instead. Holmes said that he probably would not renew his commercial permit if it was $50 more. Contaminated quahog relay— No relay of contaminated quahogs is planned for this year. We have not received the results of lab tests of contaminants in quahogs from the Taunton River relay area from DMF. Shellfish Aquaculture Regulations: Nothing new. Sponge Fouling: Nothing new. (Shellfish Commission minutes 9-11-12) 3