Shellfish Management Plan OCTOBER 2012
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Nantucket Shellfish Management Plan OCTOBER 2012 This Shellfish Plan was developed by the Nantucket Shellfish Management Plan Committee: Matthew Herr (Chair), Nantucket Fisherman Frank Dutra (Vice Chair), Nantucket Shellfish Association Tara Riley (Secretary), Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Sarah Oktay, University of Massachusetts Boston Field Station Peter Boyce, Maria Mitchell Association, Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board Doug Smith, Harbor and Shellfish Advisory Board Carl Sjolund, Nantucket Shellfish Association Jake Kritzer, Environmental Defense Fund Cormac Collier, Nantucket Land Council Dave Fronzuto, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources With Assistance from: Kristin Uiterwyk, Urban Harbors Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston Jack Wiggin, Urban Harbors Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston Dale Leavitt, Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Roger Williams University Steve Bliven, Urban Harbors Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston Allison Novelly, Urban Harbors Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston Dan Hellin, Urban Harbors Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston Cover Images (left to right): Bay scallops being grown out at the Brant Point facility; Bay scallop boat tied up at the dock; Sign outside the Summer Shack restaurant in Hingham, MA Shellfish Management Plan, October 2012 Page i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Management Plan was produced with support from the Nantucket Shellfish Association, the Nancy Sayles Day Foundation, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Nantucket Land Council, and the Town of Nantucket. Many Nantucket shellfishermen and wholesalers participated in interviews during the development of this Shellfish Management Plan. We are grateful for their time and candidness. We would also like to express our gratitude to Whiting "Whitey" Willauer for his thoughtful contributions, unflagging enthusiasm, and support for the planning process. Lastly, we also thank the outside reviewers who provided insightful feedback on the first draft of this Plan: Carl LoBue, Senior Marine Scientist, The Nature Conservancy; Stephen Tettelbach, PhD, Professor, Long Island University; Kenneth J. La Valley, PhD, Associate Director, NH Sea Grant. Shellfish Management Plan, October 2012 Page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Section 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4 Section 2: Purpose, Scope, Planning Process, and Larger Context ............................................................... 6 Section 3: General Characterization of Nantucket and its Shellfishing Resources ....................................... 9 Section 4: Characterization of the Harbors’ Environments and Habitats ................................................... 11 Section 5: Description of the Resources Harvested and their Habitats ...................................................... 25 Section 6: History and description of Nantucket shellfishing ..................................................................... 34 Section 7: Aquaculture, Propagation, and Seed Management Activities on Nantucket ............................ 54 Section 8: Other Marine Resource Uses ..................................................................................................... 65 Section 9: Other Programs Related to Shellfish Management on Nantucket ............................................ 69 Section 10: Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 77 Section 11: Adaptation of the Shellfish Management Plan ...................................................................... 108 Section 12: Research Plan ......................................................................................................................... 110 Appendix A: Matrix of Recommendations ............................................................................................... 125 Appendix B: Resources .............................................................................................................................. 155 Appendix C: List of Committee Members ................................................................................................. 160 Appendix D: List of Committee and Public Meetings .............................................................................. 161 Appendix E: List of recommendations considered but not included in this Plan ..................................... 162 Appendix F: Examples of Traffic Light Control Rules in Data‐Poor Fisheries ............................................ 166 Appendix G: Considerations for Developing a Marketing Collaborative .................................................. 172 Appendix H: Seafood Branding and Marketing Initiatives ........................................................................ 177 Appendix I: Memo of harvesting criteria ................................................................................................ 185 Shellfish Management Plan, October 2012 Page iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Nantucket’s shellfisheries are significant both locally and nationally. Locally, commercial and recreational shellfishing are critical to the Island’s history, culture, and economy. Nationally, the Island’s largest commercial shellfishery— the Nantucket bay scallop fishery—is one of the last wild‐harvest bay scallop fisheries in the country, but there is growing concern over the health of the overall population and the sustainability of the fishery. Given the importance of the shellfisheries on Nantucket and the drastic decline of bay scallop populations elsewhere along the Atlantic coast, there is a compelling interest in ensuring that the Town’s shellfish are managed to sustain both the shellfishing industry and the resources. This is the first official management plan for commercially and recreationally harvested shellfish in Nantucket waters. The Plan addresses bay scallops, quahogs, oysters, mussels, soft‐shell clams, and conchs. A Shellfish Management Plan Committee, consisting of researchers, managers, and fishermen, met regularly for more than a year to discuss issues, research, management strategies, and recommendations. They focused on ensuring that this Plan would be developed by and for stakeholders, with specific attention paid to (1) the biology of the shellfish resources, (2) the interactions within the surrounding ecosystem, (3) the needs and interests of the shellfishing industry, and (4) the cultural and economic attributes of the Island. Together the Committee identified the following goals for this Plan: The shellfish resources of Nantucket should be managed to support a viable and continuing shellfishery for both economic and traditional purposes by: Maintaining or improving the habitat associated with a healthy shellfish fishery, and Maintaining or enhancing the populations and health of scallops, quahogs, soft shell clams, mussels, conchs, and any other shellfish of commercial and/or recreational importance in Nantucket waters. The breadth of this Plan is reflective of the variety of issues affecting the resources and, as a first iteration of a living document, the Plan is designed to (1) provide a solid foundation of background information relevant to shellfish management on Nantucket, (2) provide a means for updating and adapting its content on both an as‐needed and a regular, three‐year basis, and (3) capture a broad range of issues and consider a wide range of needs and possibilities. Sections 1–9 of the Plan provide background information about Nantucket’s marine habitat, shellfish, and the fisheries they support. Section 10 contains goals, objectives, and recommendations for improved management. Section 11 describes the process to adapt the Plan as needed. Section 12 outlines a Research Plan to support better management. When taken together, Sections 10–12 comprise the actions to be taken to achieve the Plan’s goals for the shellfisheries. The goals, objectives, and recommendations contained in this Plan are numerous and diverse, covering topics such as habitat management, shellfish resources, regulations, management implementation, education, harvest documentation, support of the commercial fishery, and plan adaptation. Accompanying each recommendation is a list of organizations charged with implementing the recommendation, along with a lead organization. Examples of some of the goals found in this Plan include: Shellfish Management Plan, October 2012 Page 1 Maintain and improve the habitat associated with sustainable commercial and recreational shellfish fisheries Conduct predator management activities Ensure adaptive management of shellfish resources Increase public education/outreach efforts to create a better understanding of how human activities affect important shellfish resources Given the significant need for more scientific information about the Island’s shellfish resources and associated habitats and fisheries, the Plan’s management and research recommendations are comprehensive and long‐term. As was done with the Nantucket Harbors Action Plan, the committee charged with implementation of the Shellfish Management Plan will prioritize the actions based on importance, available resources, feasibility, and other criteria as deemed appropriate.