Report from Cape Cod Cooperative Extension

Report from Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Deeds and Probate Building PO Box 367 - 3195 Main Street Field Station-3675 Main Street Barnstable, MA 02630-0367 Telephone: 508-375-6690 Facsimile: 508-362-4518 Website: www.capecodextension.org Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Administration Marine Education William F. Clark, Extension Director •Eileen Sonnenberg, Extension Educator Telephone: 508-75-6701 Telephone: 508-375-6694 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Kalliope Egloff, Administrative Supervisor/ Marine Resources and Aquaculture Web Administrator William Burt, Marine Resources Specialist Telephone: 508-375-6698 Telephone: 508-375-6702 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Tasha Ramos, Administrative Assistant Diane Murphy, Fisheries & Telephone: 508-375-6697 Aquaculture Specialist Email: [email protected] Telephone: 508-375-6953 Email: [email protected] Christine St. Pierre, Administrative Assistant- part time Joshua Reitsma, Marine Program Specialist Telephone: 508-375-6690 Telephone: 508-375-6950 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 4-H Youth Development Dr. William Walton, Aquaculture Specialist Judith Vollmer, Extension Educator (retired) Telephone: 508 375-6696 Email: [email protected] Recycling, Household Hazardous Waste & Water Quality Education Kerry Bickford, Extension Educator Michael Maguire, Extension Educator Telephone: 508-375-6695 Telephone: 508-375-6699 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Nutrition Education & Food Safety Horticulture/Agriculture/Natural Resources Susan Bourque Seward, Extension Educator Roberta Clark, Extension Educator Telephone: 508-375-6693 Telephone: 508-375-6692 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Kimberly Concra, Extension Educator David Simser, Deer Tick Project Coordinator Telephone: 508-375-6884 Telephone: 508-375-6642 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] BOARD OF TRUSTEES Appointed by Barnstable County Commissioners Mr. Conrad Caia Mr. Robert Bloomer Mr. Jeffrey Carlson Mr. Edward Albino Mr. Steven Kane Mr. Michael Neath Barnstable County Annual Report - FY 2009 69 ape Cod Cooperative Extension was established in 1916 and is Barnstable County’s Education Depart- ment. Cape Cod Cooperative Extension is part of a national educational system developed through CUnited States Department of Agriculture to convey research-based knowledge from Land Grant Uni- versities to the general public. Educational programs focus on agriculture, marine resources, horticulture, aquaculture, shellfishery management, natural resources, tick-borne disease, water quality, recycling, household hazardous waste, nutrition, food safety, youth development and environmental education issues facing the county. Extension programs are conducted in Barnstable County in cooperation with staff at the University of Mas- sachusetts and Woods Hole Oceanographic Sea Grant program. Utilizing volunteer advisory groups, Extension staff members develop and conduct specific programs based on local needs and interests. Additionally, the overall program is advised by County Extension trustees, a group of local citizens appointed by the Barnstable County Commissioners. Over 450 volunteers complement and extend staff efforts, contributing their time and expertise to Extension in Barnstable County. Extension specialists serve as a direct link with the University of Massachusetts and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Sea Grant programs, where new research findings are translated into practical applications to be shared with people and community officials through workshops, conferences, field demonstrations, technical assistance newspaper articles, radio, television and the internet. Publications, such as regular newsletters and booklets, fact- sheets and home study courses, bring information directly to those who need it. MARINE PROGRAM of programs including those listed below. Goals: To establish, develop and carry out educational• programs in marine resource development, to Barnstable County Municipal Shellfish assist with problems concerning coastal industries Propagation Program and the management of coastal resources, and to The Marine Program of Cape Cod Cooperative transfer technological innovations, educational and Extension provided $32,750.00 for a Barnstable informational materials to public officials, educators County Municipal Shellfish Propagation Program in and marine resource user groups. FY 2009. These funds assisted with the purchase of 4.7 million hard clam (quahaug) seed and 2,800 bags Joshua Reitsma was hired as a Marine Program of remote-set oysters. Specialist in June 2009, and he fills the position held by Diane Murphy, who moved into the Aquaculture and As in recent past years, this quahaug seed and Fisheries Specialist position. the remote-set oysters were purchased from the Aquacultural Research Corporation in Dennis. Cape Cod Cooperative Extension’s Marine Resources The program benefits both the commercial and Program cooperates with the Division of Marine recreational shellfisheries of all fifteen towns, with Fisheries, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 1,194 commercial permits and 17,068 recreational Sea Grant Program, the Massachusetts Maritime permits. In addition, the marine program provided Academy, the Marine Biological Laboratory, the funding for the testing of shellfish (quahaugs) relayed Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources from the waters of southeast Massachusetts to several and the local shellfish constables in providing a variety communities within Barnstable County. Municipalities picking Loading county-bid seed Remote set oysters, im- Bay scallop fencing up seed from ARC. for the towns. proving stock and water improves stock for quality. towns. Barnstable County Annual Report - FY 2009 70 SouthEastern Massachusetts Aquaculture oversight of the consortium, and the contract for Center the initial MSAIC work ended in March 31st 2009. The Cooperative Extension Office of Barnstable Projects, which continued into FY 2009 were divided County remains the administrator of the SouthEastern among the participants and included: marketing, Massachusetts Aquaculture Center (SEMAC). A updating best management practices, expansion of 13-member board of directors directs the center. the shellfish farm network, development of innovative Department of Agricultural Resources awarded hatchery techniques, shellfish disease monitoring, funding in the amount of $50,000.00 to the center and workshops and education, and an industry grant projects will be carried into FY 2010. Ninety percent program. SEMAC and Cape Cod Cooperative (90%) of the funding has provided for direct industry Extension had the responsibility over the research farm assistance by supporting marketing, improving public network, disease monitoring and the industry grant perception, investigating disease and hard clam program in which eight (8) grants totaling $15,604.00 mortality issues, and continuing the long term marine were awarded to shellfish farmers, and provided an water monitoring program. opportunity to experiment with gear technology and address issues and problems within the industry. Water Quality Projects continued through FY 2009, and final reports YSI instruments record water conditions at 4 locations were submitted in March. In addition to the grants, on Cape Cod, which include Barnstable Harbor/ seven growers received scholarship assistance totaling Barnstable, Cotuit Bay/Barnstable, Pleasant Bay/ $3,875.00 to attend aquaculture related conferences Orleans, and Wellfleet Harbor/Wellfleet. Water and events. The MSAIC received a second award parameters such as temperature, salinity, dissolved for Development of an Improved Oyster for oxygen, chlorophyll, and turbidity are recorded every Massachusetts Shellfish Farmers: Field Test of Seedless fifteen (15) minutes. Two of the sites, Cotuit Bay and Oysters. This project is ongoing, but there appears to Wellfleet, have an additional feature and are able to be site-specific advantages to these seedless oysters. transmit this data to the website for the public to use. Funding was also set aside to continue the Research Education and Research Farm Network, in which eleven (11) participating An eight week course entitled: Fundamentals of shellfish growers, chosen to represent specific growing Shellfish Farming: Practical Tools, Tips & Techniques areas of the region, conduct the same controlled was provided to 23 participants. The course included experiments. Areas chosen this past season included: instruction in subjects ranging from shellfish biology to Outer Cape Cod (Provincetown Harbor), Inner aquaculture business planning and regulations. Wellfleet Harbor, South Wellfleet, Nauset Marsh, In addition to this course a one day conference Pleasant Bay, Cape Cod Bay Flats (Dennis), Barnstable entitled: Shellfish Restoration and Nitrogen Cycling Harbor, Southside of Cape Cod (Chatham), Buzzards in Estuarine Environments, What is the Science Bay, Southeastern Massachusetts Coast (Onset), was attended by more than eighty (80) interested Duxbury Harbor, The Islands (Cuttyhunk). individuals; and a half-day workshop on upweller nursery systems for shellfish seed was provided to a Massachusetts Shellfish Aquaculture mixed group of eighteen (18) growers and constables. Innovation Consortium

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