1994-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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z I i� r to fund the construction of catch basins to control Report of the runoff into the Mashpee River. The proposal was I Shellfish Department acce ted with the federal funds to be distributed earl� y in 1995. To the Honorable Board of Selectmen and the Citizens of the Town of Mash pee: Propagation Program: 300,000 quahog seed planted P 19,000 scallop seed planted Soft-shell clams were the most abundant shellfish 4,000 pounds chowder quahogs planted in 1994. The large quantities of seed in a number of areas indicate that the population is able to sustain Shellfish Permits Issued: 618 itself. Jehu Pond and part of Great River were closed to shellfishing from December until May of 1995 to Resident/Taxpayer 322 protect the seed there. Senior Citizen 255 Non--Resident/Ma Taxpayer 24 Quahogs were the next most abundant with seed Commercial 17 from the propagation program supplementing natural growth rings, it was determined that same Thanks to the Boards, Commissions, Departments sets. From g g and People of the Town of Mashpee for assistance and seed planted Iasi year was large enough to harvest this P ' support throughout the year. year at about one year of age. The propagation pro- gram was very successful this year with 300,000 qua- Respectfully submitted hog seed planted in the fall. Some of the seed placed p y ' in the nursery trays in May at the size of about 1.18" (R- Richard H. York, Jr. 3mm), grew as large as 1.25" by November, This Shellfish Constable exceptionally fast growth can be attributed to warm temperatures, and nutrient rich water. The water tem-- ti.• " . -' 4 eratures were in the 80s Fahrenheit for most of Jul : u R and in September were still in the los. A new program was started with the stocking of 4000 pounds of clean ' Cape Cod chowder quahogs (3"+) into the family Akn - shellfishing areas in April so that they would spawn in May. ry; The total catch on opening day of scallop season z. was one bushel from Waquoit Bay. The scallop popu- lation in the Waquoit Bay area was only a few bushels with very little seed. No" scallops were found in Popponesset Bay. To restore the scallops, the Shellfish a r Commission and Department started a new scallopLA seeding program in the fall. About 19,000 large y (1.5"+) seed scallops were purchased from a hatchery on Martha's vineyard and released in Great River, Little River and Hamblin's Pond. The scallops are expected to spawn in the spring. Future harvests will be better if the offspring survive, grow and reproduce. Oysters remain so scarce that no oystering was per- mitted this year. As research on oyster diseases pro- gresses, repopulation might become less risky. The Mashpee River down to the end of Mashpee r Neck and Punkhorn Point Shoestring Bay above i Mitchell's Pier, and eastern Sae Lot Pond were Sage : closed to shellfishing because of fecal coliform bacte- ria.The Sage Lot Pond coliform contamination is fromAl birds.At the other locations,the sources have not been . determined. Since runoff has been identified as a pos- sible source of contamination, The departments of Public works and shellfish collaborated on a proposal Large quahog seed(--+11/4") — planted Fall, 1994 4 89