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e <br /> DNR Director Reports: Rick York <br /> Shellfish Constable Report: Ashley Fisher <br /> Mark Burtis and Joe/Lisa Bohnenberger both applied for a shellfish aquaculture license, and <br /> have received approval from the Board of Selectman. The applications are currently under <br /> review by the Division of Marine Fisheries. Site surveys will be conducted in April for both sites <br /> in ockway Bay and Hamblin pond. once the Division of Marine Fisheries determines there is not <br /> a viable stock of shellfish in the area their applications will move for approval from the <br /> Conservation commission and the Department of Environmental Protection under a Notice of <br /> Intent. <br /> Oyster season at Mashpee Neck landing has been slow for the month of March due to theft at <br /> the landing. The Shellfish Department has had a number of reports of theft in the area, both at <br /> Mashpee Neck landing and the Mashpee River grow out site. There has also been issues with <br /> mis-taggings that have been reported. Some commercial harvesters have been tagging oysters <br /> from the Tribe's Healthy Community EPA oyster grant area in Shoestring Bay as coming from <br /> Falmouth (SC12). It is known that Mashpee has never had a commercial oyster season,which is <br /> why some commercial shellfisherman are labeling Mashpee oysters as Falmouth oysters, This <br /> has triggered an investigation between the town of Falmouth and Mashpee,the Environmental <br /> Police are also heavily involved. <br /> Tribal access rights have come into question after an incident occurring on Frog Pond Close <br /> boarding the tribe's oyster reef in Shoestring Bay. The area is a private neighborhood that has a <br /> water access easement for several properties. The neighbors have reported individuals <br /> expressing tribal rights that were trespassing on their property. In one case residence reported <br /> shellfisherman loading and offloading in their driveway, all while parked in front of their garage. <br /> This case was brought to the attention of the Mashpee Police Department and the Town <br /> Mangers office. It was concluded that aboriginal rights do not include parking in private <br /> property or walking through private property.The tribal police and tribal council do not agree <br /> with were the town stand because the area is land locked and no access exists in the area. The <br /> tribe will not change or alter their aboriginal rights regardless of property designation. <br /> Kenneth Thompson was issued as total of 15 citations for the illegal harvest of oysters in the <br /> town of Mashpee. He was cited after the Environmental Police received his total sales of <br /> oysters from the Town of Mashpee (SC16 and SC19). His records of sale were pulled after he <br /> was found harvesting oysters within a licensed aquaculture site in Mashpee (Ronhock's Site in <br /> lower Great River). on December 17th 2018 Thompson was cited for shellfishing within an <br /> aquaculture site by both the Environmental Police and the Mashpee Shellfish Department. He <br /> has since paid all of those citations, which is a direct admission of guilt. The Mashpee Board of <br /> Selectman have since suspended Thompson's Mashpee commercial shellfish permit, and his <br /> shellfish transaction card is being reviewed by the Division of Marine Fisheries. <br />