2021-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Through the MVP program and other partners, the Division in deploying and retrieving aids to navigation, DNR plans to review and implement both internal and removing abandoned moorings,assist in shallow patrol external measures within the Santuit Pond to reduce the response, and help to remove derelict and abandoned occurrence of toxic cyanobacteria blooms in the near gear from our waterways. In October of 2021 the future. Division finalized the expansion of its fleet with the purchase of a new 25' Munson, ready for patrol in Harbormaster Jeffrey Smith reports: summer 2022. In June 2021, the DNR acquired two new large maintenance bays, allowing for the Harbormaster Shellfish Constable Donovan McElligatt reports: Division to perform numerous long term maintenance The 2021 Season saw major improvements in the projects on Town vessels. This new building has Shellfish Division due to continued implementation of provided the much needed climate controlled building new industry standard growing techniques. While the for necessary periodic vessel maintenance on eight Division received less Oyster and Quahog"seed"than Harbormaster Vessels and three Shellfish workboats. the previous year due to unforeseen issues impacting In November 2021, a much needed mid-life the regional Shellfish Hatcheries, much better results maintenance program was started on the town's 25' were achieved with the seed that was received. The Safeboat Patrol Vessel, this project included Division saw less mortality and faster growth with the replacement of the decking, new paint and a complete new gear systems and approach to propagation. This re-furbish of the inside of the vessel. new approach also lead to a wider distribution of Shellfish in order to attempt to remove nitrogen on a In 2021,over 550 mooring permits were renewed, wider scale. 10 new mooring permits were issued and 55 dinghy rack permits were renewed and maintained. A new In addition to the traditional Oyster grow out area annual renewal fee was implemented in the Mooring in the Mashpee River, the Division also established a Rules and Regulations. This change decreased the major propagation area on the Thatch Island Sand Bar mooring waitlist from a high of 850 people,to a current in Popponessett with 4.2 Million Oysters and a tester level of 388. Other changes in the Mooring Rules and site at the Mouth of Great River and Little River with Regulations saw the removal of over 20 abandoned 50,000 Oysters. These areas have shown enormous moorings, allowing room for new moorings in 2022. potential and will allow the Shellfish Division to concentrate its grow-out efforts to three main sites to In 2021 the Mashpee Pump-Out program improve efficiency's as the program strives to grow removed over 2,500 gallons of brown and black water more Shellfish.Additionally a large quahog nursey was from vessels over the course of 400 hours. This also established on Thatch Island with 1.7 million valuable service prevented and encouraged boat owners Quahogs planted under nets that will be ready to be to continue to keep Mashpee waters clean. replanted to family areas in fall 2022.An additional 1.2 million Quahogs were broadcast at various areas The Mashpee Assistant Harbormaster's around Town to ensure adequate stocking of family conducted over 1,600 hours on patrol for a busy shellfish areas and to promote sustainability in the summer boating season (June to Sept 2021), resulting Fishery. in over 50 citations issued in an effort to improving boating safety. Significant investments were made into upgrading the infrastructure needed to continue the Assistant Harbormaster also responded to Shellfish Divisions growth. With the addition of following: another 100 Oyster"condos" the Division was able to creatively capitalize on space constraints by fitting 1 —Boating Accident (no injuries) more Shellfish into one area by layering them vertically 26—General Service Calls instead of expanding out horizontally.This has allowed 15—Marine Incidents the Division to place more Shellfish into the same Sq. Acre footprint that would not have been possible with In 2021 Mashpee taxpayers approved the funding traditional Shellfish gear. Improvements were also to purchase a new multi-mission vessel for the made to the land based nursery at Little River with Harbormaster Division. This vessel will assist the 128