9/5/1984 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Minutes

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■ 5 i Board of Selectmen Meeting `" Minutes of September 5, 1984 Page r6(dleton 'O'Malley-Keyes re: Scallop Season cont. Mr. O'Malley-Keyes said that there are other areas in the Poponesset Bay area that have the potential of being impacted in the same way as the Mashpee Kiger which all ties into the quality of shellfishing available to the p ople in the Town of Mashpee. He said that Little River, Great River, Jehu Pond and Hamblin Pond also run the same risk because of the development and increased use. He said that the town can anticipate problems of this nature to increase (not decrease). Mr. O'Malley-Keyes said that the attitude is that shellfish are God given to harvest when- ever and however they want. He said that was once probably true given a small population base life Mashpee once had; however, if one continues to demand from a source more than what a source can r plinish either through massive regeneration or through '-expensive re-seeding programs, then you can assume what you have has a finite quantity. He said that because of that and other~ things, he is asking to adjust the scallop regulations for this season- to suit what is available. He suggested that scalloping be opened during the sane time frame -- October to March., but only on Wednesdays and Saturdays. He said that Saturday would allow weekend people and Wednesday is just a day in the middle of the weep which h "pulled out of a hat"; however, that he wants to make it difficult with the widest possible spread. He said that he would life the first two weeks of October to be opened to family permit holders only. He said that the rationale behind that was that taxpayers and family permit holders have rights and that theme are not many scallops to take. In a situation where there is not - 4 a commercially viable harvest for any length of time, it is his opinion that all family per- mit holders should have first crack at it. He said that was not an uncommon practice men- tioning that Nantucket does it that way. Terry asked if it was going to have an impact on the commercial people as far as letting ily permit holders go first in terms of the amount of people that would get commercial permits if they Felt that the family permits might fish out the place? Mr. O'Malley-Keyes said that if the commercial people were out there sim ultaneously, it would be fished out o fast. He said that he was trying to bring it down to a manageable level.. Jean Thomas commented that she thought he would have difficulty as he would be breaking a habit. She commented that the town is sharing the Bay with Falmouth and asked what would prevent their people from coming in? Mr. O'Malley-Keyes said that he hopes to get radio time in Falmouth to inform people and that it would be in the newspapers. He said that they would also be out there. r~. O'Malley-Keyes made reference to item #4 on the regulations -- only dip netting from boats or norld:e diving will be allowed. Talking the flats is not allowed. He said that by people walking the flats, a large amount of seed is killed. He said that by requiring people t scallop from boats, it would not be a great imposition. Dick Terry asked about the person who did not have a boat. Mr. 1Malley-Keyes said that there are sacrifices that have to be made Verne Thomas commented that he was stopped by the Falmouth warden and checked two years ago. The Warden commented that he was from Mashpee and that he could get a bushel and Falmouth people could only get a half a bushel. He said that he would life to see the two towns get together and have the whole Bay restricted so that when October 1 comes everybody would know about it. Mr. O'Malley-Keyes said that he and his assistants would be out there and that hey fully intend to stake life miserable for somebody who comes over and illegally shell- hes. hell.- hes_ He said ,that he would be talking' to Mr. Souza and anticipates his assistance. L 1 w