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0*%1,1 <br /> Town of Mashpee Shellfish Commission <br /> 16 Great Neck Road North <br /> Mashpee,MA 02649 <br /> which requires banding and resin to secure the mesh, the new system uses a removable plate that allows mesh <br /> to be replaced more easily. Eleven units have been purchased for evaluation during the upcoming season. <br /> Gear Inspections and Nursery Conditions <br /> On February 27, 2026, staff launched a vessel to survey the Thatch Island nursery, and initial observations <br /> indicated the site may have overwintered well. Follow-up inspections confirmed that gear and trays at Thatch <br /> Island and other locations fared well through the winter with no significant losses. Conditions at Waquoit, <br /> Great River, Popponesset Island, and the Mashpee River also appear stable, with submerged floating gear <br /> intact and approximately 27 cages remaining in place beneath the ice in the Mashpee River. Ice eaters at the <br /> Ockway Bay ramp are functioning, although the dock remains surrounded by ice. Snow from the blizzard <br /> exceeded plowing capacity at several ramps, and clearing will resume as conditions allow. Additional <br /> inspections and gear retrieval are planned during favorable tides. <br /> The Constable also reported that staff removed a shellfish cage near the Santuit Causeway after winter ice <br /> dislodged it and secured it before it could drift away. <br /> Steamer Pilot Propagation Program <br /> The Constable further reported plans to introduce 50,000 steamers this year as a pilot propagation effort. The <br /> seed will be sourced from a nonprofit hatchery in Beals, Maine,which is on the Massachusetts approved state <br /> list, and is expected to be available around early to mid-June. The shellfish will initially be grown in <br /> upwellers. Approximately 10,000 of the seed will be placed at Thatch Island as a control area to monitor <br /> growth. If they reach approximately 1.5 to 2 inches,they may then be transplanted to other areas, including <br /> Mashpee Neck, Callies Beach, and potentially the Seconsett Causeway, to evaluate survival and growth in <br /> local waters. If successful,the program could become an additional component of the town's shellfish <br /> propagation efforts. <br /> Overall Status <br /> Overall, while winter conditions have limited access and delayed stocking activities, inspections to date <br /> indicate that much of the town's shellfish gear and nursery areas have weathered the season well. Staff will <br /> continue monitoring conditions and provide updates as areas can safety reopen. <br /> ADJOURNMENT <br /> MOTION To adjourn. <br /> Motion by: Darryl Christensen Seconded by: Chris Avis <br /> Vote: The Motion passed unanimously. <br /> Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:20pm. <br /> Respectfully Submitted, <br /> Gina Gonsalves <br /> Board Secretary <br /> List of Documents: <br /> • Meeting Minutes of February 10, 2026 <br /> • Shellfish Constable Report <br /> 2 <br />