3/8/2016 SHELLFISH COMMISSION Minutes

Home Browse Search

Old Business Propagation 2016: Quahog seed --- 10 million small (2 mm) quahog seed have been ordered from the ARC hatchery in Dennis, MA for delivery in June 2016. The seed will be grown in the upwellers on land next to the Harbormaster Shack at Little River, and then transferred to new floating upweller systems (FLUPSY) planned in Little River. One system will be anchored in the river, and another will be under the floats of the Town Dock at Little River. After growing larger (up to an inch), up to 9 million seed will be planted in Great River and Jehu Pond, and up to one million seed will be planted on good bottom in the usual areas elsewhere in Town. Growing some of the seed in trays and under nets was discussed. The CWNMP calls for the purchase of large (1") quahog seed that we purchase and plant when received. The plan now (adaptive management) is to purchase and grow very small seed to avoid the risk from a new quahog disease (neoplasia) that has been identified in Cape Cod Bay. The very small seed is spawned from disease-free adult quahogs, and grown in filtered water in the hatchery. Large seed is grown in the wild. We do not have the disease in Mashpee. Ten million 1" seed cost $450,000, and ten million small (2 mm) seed cost $90,000, so we will be saving $350,000 on seed this year. The cost of electricity, labor, and the amortized cost of facilities (FLUPSYs) is relatively small. A full implementation, the savings would be over a million dollars a year. Oyster seed -- 4,480 bags of oyster seed set on shell (remote set) are on order from the ARC hatchery for delivery in June 2016. Our oyster project in the Mashpee River continues with 2,480 bags of seed to be grown in trays. Funds from the October 2015 Town Meeting are being used to purchase 2,000 of the bags, and funds from Barnstable County Cooperative Extension are funding the other 480 bags. The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is funding 2,000 bags of oyster seed for a new project to create an acre of restored oyster bed in Shoestring Bay with funds from an EPA Healthy Communities Grant award to the Tribe's Natural Resources Dept. Comprehensive Watershed Nitrogen Management Plan (CWNMP): The plan is for the Shellfish Component to be phased in starting this year with full implementation by 2018. Shellfishery Management Plan: CWNMP areas seeded and closed to shellfishing for up to 3 years, then open for shellfishing on a rotational schedule. Other areas are open for shellfishing year-round except areas closed to shellfishing by the DMF because of contamination by bacteria or other reasons. Great River Boat Ramp Reconstruction: Increased funding from the Community Preservation Committee for the double wide ramp is on the May Town Meeting warrant. Mashpee Shellfish Commission minutes 3-8-16 Page 2