11/12/2019 SHELLFISH COMMISSION Minutes

Home Browse Search

Dick Cook commented on the Kenneth Thompson license being revoked. He said it's good news, seems the State is following through and not afraid to revoke a permit.Ashley Fisher said it's a rare case where the person did not have the opportunity to submit his opinion to the State,there was so much evidence against him they just revoked his license. I've also been working with the Division in other matters, like going over the family limit in a family area. My Deputy reported that there were people fishing in a contaminated area. Dick Cook asked if they were commercial, Ashley Fisher said yes. Dick Cook and Bill Holmes both commented that it concerns the general public. Ashley Fisher said it's also dangerous because they're moving shellfish and could be spreading disease. Ashley Fisher said the prices came back, Dick Cook asked when the decision has to be made,Ashley Fisher said she'd like to have her order in by February. She's been working with Rick, he wants to do remote set bags, but it's the cost. I'm worried about the wintering. We don't have a walk in cooler. We're currently discussing our needs assessment for the department.That's one of the things I'm going to add to the list. Dick Cook asked what she thinks about remote set, besides cost,for instance,grow out,the amount of labor involved between the two?Ashley said there's ways to do it. There's a lot more maintenance than singles. If you wanted to have survival,you'd have to separate shells from oysters, break up the clump. Right now I can't move them without 4 people year round. Rick installed 4 winches on the boat, I'm not sure if that will help. We don't have the growth at the top of the water. Dick Cook said smaller cages maybe, on some sort of rack? 1 know Rick had some concerns about making too nice an oyster,visually. If we raise a million oysters or whatever on the Mashpee River, they'll be a hot commodity for people to steal. The purpose is to put them in the river and let them do their job and let people harvest them. Whatever the most efficient way to do that is. You know if the oysters come out great, ok, but we want survival as the main thing, with the least amount of labor as possible. Bill Holmes asked if it was less labor if we just flipped them every two weeks or whatever? Ashley Fisher said we just flip them every other week. Bill Holmes said that mud down there is dangerous.Ashley Fisher said it's getting to the point where we're ripping our waders, people are falling in the water, we're not seeing the survival. Bill Holmes asked Dick Cook how he does it, Dick Cook replied he does a bag for the first year,then he puts them on the bottom. There was more discussion about what to do over the winter.We can keep small animals in a walk in cooler over the winter. Dick Cook said some years back he stored some oysters under a dock in a marina over the winter. He stack some 3x3 trays and stacked them up about 4 or 5 high, put a bridle around them and when he took them out in the spring,they were perfect, didn't lose a single one. It's just a matter of getting them below the ice and leave them alone somewhere. Hopefully we can find somewhere to do that. Ashley Fisher said she has looked into companies that take old shipping containers,they insulate it and it's a cheap price. Old Business: Aquaculture License Area Availability/Moratorium:continued We have a separate meeting next week-it will be broken up into two sessions, 11/19/19 and again in December, or January depending on the schedule. Aquaculture License Area Upkeep and Float allowance:continued Dick Cook said he thinks we need better posting at the landing. Ashley Fisher asked is there something better out there than the yellow floating balls? Bill Holmes said general boaters have no idea what the yellow balls are.This isn't just a Mashpee problem, it's everywhere. I don't