1988-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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quality testing facility. Testing of coastal waters all. It is hoped that the Townspeople will support for bacterial pollution as well as testing of drinking and expand this program in the future. and groundwater samples could help the Town to Both recreational and commercial fishermen en- get a better handle on the problems of poor water joyed a relatively good year despite the many diffi- quality it has at present. The Mashpee School Com- culties facing the shellfisheries and the coastal en- mittee has approved a request to locate this facility vironment. Declining stocks, increasing pollution in a science office at the Middle School, thereby, and minimal points of access are only a few of the presenting the school children of Mashpee with a problems that must be faced on local, state, and fed- unique learning experience. eral levels in order to preserve this historical and The Commission continues to encourage every- desirable aspect of Cape Cod life. Mashpee is see- one to bring their questions and comments to the ing its share of competition among the various monthly Commission meetings or call the Shellfish users of its marine areas and resources. This com- office at 477-5360. petition will only increase in the coming years. The The following were issued in 1988: Shellfish Commission will continue to encourage Licenses ` and participate in the establishment of a Harbor Family Permits 394 Management Plan in order that these conflicts be Senior Citizen Permits 259 resolved in a fair and equitable manner. Non-resident Family Permits 12 The Shellfish Department will continue to pro- Commercial Permits 14 tect and enhance the marine resources of the Town. Law Enforcement Several areas of upper Popponesset Bay will be Citations issued 3 closed to harvesting this year to protect a natural Warnings issued 72 set of soft-shell clams. Cooperation from both shellfishermen and Mother Nature could mean some Respectfully submitted, excellent clamming in the not-so-distant future. A noticeable decline in the quahog fishery will be Paul Somerville, Constable 3 countered by the purchase and planting of adult Mashpee Shellfish Department stock as well as the continuation of the hatchery seed program. A relay of contaminated oysters was i performed this fall under the strict supervision and monitoring of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Report of the Fiheriesofshearty' eoc lei bra ed coldca rand water rogram. number Parks & Recreation Department Y P P tures, heavy rain, a mini-blizzard and a layer of ice on Great River to harvest the clean stock before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Additional To the Honorable Board of Selectmen stock may be relayed this Spring for harvesting and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: next Fall. Survival rates over the summer will be The following programs were offered during 1988: monitored and used to determine the potential for Mashpee May Days an effort to re-populate this once-plentiful shellfish. Co-ed Adult Softball Tournament Scallop season was a real disappointment this Vacation Week Sports Camp year. Few, if any, scallops could be found in Pop- ponesset Bay. Waquoit Bay produced several days Co-ed Adult Volleyball of average fishing. A small handful of die-hards Workshops in Stress Reduction continued to search the area for a few weeks with Nat. Youth Sports Coaches Training Clinic limited success. It is not surprising that the retail Youth and Adult Tennis Lessons price for Cape Cod bay scallops is around $10.000 Arts and Crafts Lessons I per pound or more! 8th Annual Sandcastle Competition l Dave Ryan had experimented with a process Bus Trip to Lincoln Park called "Hydraulic Sediment Cultivation." This pro- 4-H Beachcomber Trailer Visits cess has shown promise in making bottom sedimen- Soccer Clinic, Soccer Camp is cleaner and more attractive to natural shellfish Children of the First Light Playgroup spat. The Shellfish Department plans to continue Summer Playground Program this experiment this Spring. Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest Mashpee was one of the few towns on the Cape R.I.P.(Run in Pairs) Halloween Footrace that was not hit with massive closures of its shell- (benefit Good Neighbor Fund) fish areas this past Summer. However, the Mashpee Youth Basketball, Volleyball and Santuit River estuaries saw no improvement in Community School Workshops, their quality. It is the intention of the Shellfish De- plus many other activities. partment and the Health Department to seek fund- The Parks and Recreation Department Summer ing at the 1989 Annual Town Meeting to be used to- Beach program provided residents with safe swimm- wards the purchase of testing equipment for water - 88 -