Suffolk County Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Program in Peconic Bay &

Steven Bellone County Executive Division of Planning and Environment Town of Southold Informational Meeting March 27, 2019

Ten Year Review Advisory Group

• Director of Planning, Chairperson • Sarah Lansdale, AICP

• Commissioner of Economic Development • Theresa Ward and Planning • August Ruckdeschel (designee)

• Hon. Bridget M. Fleming • S.C. Legislature (Two Representatives), appointed by Presiding Officer • Hon. Al Krupski

• Member of the State Senate, District 1, or designee • TBD

• Member of the New York State Assembly, Assembly District 1, or designee • Hon. Fred W. Thiele, Jr.

• NYS Dept. of Environmental • Debra Barnes (designee) Conservation, Director of Division of Marine Resources

• US Coast Guard, Sector • BMC Robert Spencer (designee) Sound, Aids to Navigation Team Moriches

Ten Year Review Advisory Group

• Town of East Hampton, Supervisor • John Dunne (designee)

• Town of Riverhead, Supervisor • Lt. David Lessard (designee)

• Town of Shelter Island, Supervisor • TBD

• Town of Southampton, Supervisor • Hon. John Bouvier (designee)

• Town of Southold, Supervisor • TBD

• East Hampton Trustee, President • Hon. John Aldred (designee)

• Southampton Trustee, President • Hon. Edward J. Warner Jr.

• Southold Trustee, President • Hon. Nicholas Krupski (designee)

• Yachting or Sailing Assoc. Rep. • Greg Cukor

Ten Year Review Advisory Group

• Association of Marine Industries, • Eric Krueter President

• Long Island Oyster Growers Assoc., • Chuck Westfall President

• Town Baymen's Assoc. • Peter Wenczel

• Long Island Farm Bureau, Director • Robert Carpenter

• Suffolk County Aquaculture Lease • Ian Wile Program lessee

• Cornell Cooperative Extension, seaweed • Stephen Schott (designee) specialist

• Executive Director of Peconic Baykeeper • Sean O’Neill

• Peconic Estuary Program • Dr. Joyce Novak

Role of Advisory Group Members • Seek input, views and concerns of local government and stakeholder user groups represented during the Ten Year Review project.

• Share information with the Advisory Group.

• Advise the Department of Economic Development and Planning on changes to the Suffolk County Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Program.

Ten Year Review Public Outreach • Elected Officials • Leaseholders • Regulatory Agencies • LI Shellfish Farmers • Local Municipalities • Yacht Clubs • Research Entities • Marine Trades • Environmental • Commercial Fishing Organizations/Programs Industry • Farm Bureau • Kelp Interested Parties • Private Oyster Grant • Potential Lease Applicants Owners • Recreational Bay Users

Ten Year Review Public Outreach • Town Public • Focus Groups Information Meetings – Environmental/Conservation – East Hampton 1/9/19 Organizations 3/21/19 – Southold 3/27/19 – SCALP – Southampton 4/23/19 Leaseholders/Aquaculture- – Riverhead TBD related Interests 3/21/19 – Shelter Island TBD – Yacht Clubs, Marinas, Boat Trades and Other Recreational Users 4/10/19

– Commercial and Recreational Fishing TBD

Suffolk County’s role in the development of shellfish cultivation in Peconic Bay and Gardiners Bay.

●Culture of oysters began in the late 1800’s as the human population increased and the oyster population decreased.

●Plant natural oyster seed on beds restored with shell.

●NY follows a trend on the east coast of states or towns leasing or granting shellfish cultivation rights to individuals.

New York State Laws of 1884 “An act to cede lands under water of Gardiner’s and Peconic bays, to Suffolk County, Long Island, for the cultivation of shellfish”

Historical Overview

Otto W. Van Tuyl , Oyster Lots Map. July 18, 1935 Historical Overview

• Sea Grant Coastlines -1981

The Greenport oyster industry flourished during the early decades of the 1900’s, with nearly 30 oyster companies operating. The industry peaked in 1936 when 2.5 million bushels of oysters were shipped out of Greenport, worth approximately $60 million at today’s market value. Annual production remained fairly steady until 1950. Historical Overview Historical Oyster Landings in NYS

Conversions: 1,000 metric tons = 2,205,000 pounds = 294,000 bushels

Source: McHugh, J.L. 1972. Marine Fisheries of New York State. Fishery Bulletin, 70 (3), pp. 585-610

Historical Oyster Landings in NYS • Average Annual Landings ( in bushels) by Time Period

– 1946 – 1949 920,793 – 1950 – 1959 415,632 – 1960 – 1969 50,680 – 1970 – 1979 167,611 – 1980 – 1989 101,214 – 1990 – 1999 68,110 – 2000 – 2009 38,521 – 2010 – 2017 57,451

Source: NYS DEC, Division of Marine Resources, Shellfish Management Unit

Lease Program Authorization – Chapter 425, Laws of New York… 09/14/04 – ECL, Art. 13, Title 3 § 13-0302

• NYS ceded 110,000 acres of underwater lands in Peconic and Gardiners Bays to Suffolk County for shellfish cultivation.

• Suffolk County has authority to adopt and implement a shellfish cultivation lease program.

Program Development Process SEQRA Process • Type I Action • Draft GEIS: 3/19/08 • Final GEIS: 9/3/08 • Statement of Findings: 9/22/08

• Resolution 1028-2008: 12/15/08 – Adopted the Statement of Findings and Completed SEQRA Process – Framework for the Program Adopted – Established the 29,969 acre Shellfish Cultivation Zone

Adoption of the Lease Program

• Local Law No. 25-2009

• Chapter 475,Article II of the Suffolk County Code

– Formally established program requirements and administrative procedures.

– Adopted the 29,969 ac. Shellfish Cultivation Zone.

Aquaculture Lease Program • Acreage Cap Limit “new” lease acreage 600 acres over 10 years • Cap of 60 acres of “new” leases per year.

• Unallocated and/or reclaimed acreage will carry over from year to year.

Status of Lease Issuance • To Date: • Nine Lease Application Cycles Conducted. – 55 leases executed on a total of 785 acres • Twenty eight leases in Southold (330 acres) – Acreage leased under the cap = 415 acres • Twenty “new” leases in Southold (195 acres) – 11 leases pending execution (100 acres) • Three 10-acre leases pending execution in Southold (30 acres) • One 20-acre lease overlay on private oyster grant pending execution in Southold

• Future Lease Application Cycle – 85 acres available for leasing Lease Site Status Map

Lease Areas in Southold Regulatory Authority

NYS Department US Army Corps Environmental of Engineers Conservation

NYS Department US Coast Guard of State Current Shellfish Farming Operations

Current Shellfish Farming Operations Ten Year Review • Capital Project No. 7180.110 • Required per Suffolk County Code/ Administrative Guidance. • Review, revise and map updates to Shellfish Cultivation Zone. • Review and recommend revisions to limits on lease issuance and administrative procedures. • Suffolk County Legislature must adopt all changes. • Evaluate the prospects for commercial seaweed cultivation in Peconic and Gardiners Bays.

Ten Year Review

Ten Year Review Program Modifications Ten Year Review

CCE Peconic Estuary Seaweed Aquaculture Feasibility Study Ten Year Review Contractor • Cashin Associates, P.C. 1200 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788 • Key Personnel: Title: – Gregory T. Greene, P.G. Sr. Vice President

– Keith Brewer Sr. Environmental Scientist

– Ellen Feldman Sr. Environmental Scientist, SEQRA Specialist

– Krista Thyberg, Ph.D. Research and Analysis Specialist • Primary Responsibilities: • Technical assistance in aquaculture, marine science, resource management • SEQRA compliance documentation • Report and map preparation

Ten Year Review Overview of Main Tasks & Anticipated Completion Dates • Public Outreach Program: • Outreach Plan Development/Implementation . December 2018 • Data Collection Meetings . August 2019

– Literature, Information, and Data Search . February 2019

– Modification of Shellfish Cultivation Zone . October 2019 and Lease Sites Maps

– Evaluation of Limits on Scope and Extent . October 2019 of Lease Activity

Ten Year Review Overview of Main Tasks & Anticipated Completion Dates • Recommendations for Lease Process . March 2020 Revisions

• SEQRA Compliance . March 2020

• Update/Amend of Shellfish Aquaculture Lease Program Management Plan Report . April 2020

• Adoption of Amended Shellfish . June 2020 Aquaculture Lease Program by Suffolk

County

• Feasibility Study for Commercial Seaweed . April 2020 Cultivation

Next Steps • Continue data acquisition: – Navigation issues – Updated harvest areas – Ecological and habitat issues • Research on current aquaculture practices- other regions: – Types of gear – Management Practices – Marketable Products • Review effectiveness of existing program. • Next Advisory Group meeting: – April 2019 • Follow website for updates. Aquaculture Lease Program Website

https://suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Economic-Development-and-Planning/Planning-and-Environment/Environmental-Planning-and-Aquaculture/Aquaculture- Lease-Program/Ten-Year-Review Contact Information

• Division of Planning & Environment – Sarah Lansdale, Director of Planning – [email protected]

– Susan Filipowich, Project Manager – [email protected]

• Contractor: Outreach and Data Collection – Cashin Associates, P.C., Gregory T. Greene – [email protected] Questions Breakout Session Questions 1. Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of the Lease Program; or no opinion?

2. What are your major concerns regarding the Lease Program?

3. Where within the County’s jurisdiction in Peconic Bay and Gardiners Bay would leasing be acceptable or unacceptable?

4. Should the existing limits on shellfish aquaculture occurring on leases increase, decrease, or remain the same?

5. What do you see as the long-term benefits of shellfish aquaculture?