SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE LICENSE APPLICATION

Transcription

1 /07/2009 Coonamessett Farm Shellfish Aquaculture License Application SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE LICENSE APPLICATION NAME OF APPLICANT: Matthew Weeks, Eric Matzen, and Ron Smolowitz. of Coonamessett Farm, Inc., Aquaculture and Research Divisions. ADDRESS: 277 Hatchville Rd., East Falmouth, MA PHONE NUMBERS: Ron Smolowitz cell - (508) Eric Matzen. Matthew Weeks. PROPOSED LOCATION OF PROJECT: (ATTACH MAP WITH PROPOSED AREA MARKED.) Offshore of Flume Pond 3 acres, 1000 ft offshore, ft deep (map attached) PROPOSED SPIECES TO BE RAISED: Primary Crassostrea virginica Eastern Oyster. Secondary Argopecten irradians Bay Scallop. ) ) ) IS YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE IN FALMOUTH? Yes all participants are full time Falmouth residents. PLEASE ATTACH DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT YOU RESIDENCY STATUS. LIST YOUR EXPERIENCE OR TRAININNG IN AQUACULTURE, FISHING, AND/OR WORKING IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT: Please see attached documents listing the experience and training of all participants:. Matthew Weeks. Eric Matzen. Ronald Smolowitz. Roxanna Smolowitz. PLEASE ATTACH A PLAN DESCRIBING HOW YOU PLAN TO OPERATE YOU PROJECT THAT INCLUDES PLANS FOR ANY AND ALL CAGES, RAFTS, AND OTHER SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT. DETAIL YOUR GOALS FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF SEED THAT YOU INTEND TO PURCHASE EACH YEAR AND WHERE YOU INTEND TO PURCHASE THAT SEED. A CERTIFIED ENGINEERS SURVEY OF THE PROJECT AREA WILL BE REQUIRED AFTER INITIAL APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT BY THE SHELLFISH CONSTABLE. (please see attachments) - 1 -

2 Coonamessett Farm is a twenty-acre farming and research enterprise located on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, USA. The operation is organized in three Divisions: Agricultural Production, Research, and Consulting. Coonamessett Farm has been serving public- and private-sector clients locally and globally since Coonamessett Farm is dedicated to the responsible stewardship and maintenance of the biodiversity of our planet. Our purpose is the development and transfer of appropriate technology in support of farming and fishing communities that are environmentally sound and compatible with a sustainable future. The Research Division conducts multi-disciplinary field projects on land and at sea in a variety of areas. Our plant production work, for example, has included demonstrating new growing technologies and plant propagation, different forms of using plant cultivars, pond management, and new approaches to integrated pest management and weed control. Research in aquaculture has ranged from small-scale, onfarm, fresh water culture systems, to large-scale marine approaches to mariculture, and resource enhancement. Our fisheries work has entailed exploratory fishing and conservation engineering/technology development. Services are provided to the MIT Center for Fisheries Engineering Research in conservation engineering. Coonamessett Farm personnel conduct model tests on fishing and aquaculture systems at the Navy's David Taylor Research Center in Maryland for clients around the country. Field work also includes the video taping of fishing gear using a towed underwater gear observation system (TUGOS). Coonamessett Farm is a combination of a working farm and a research center, set up to function smoothly and efficiently into the 21st century. The farm, with its five greenhouses, field equipment, and water systems, provides the cornerstone to the operation. Our computer system network ties together the globally-based researchers that comprise our organization. Coonamessett Farm has access to fishing vessels and facilities worldwide. We work closely with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Sea Grant, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory and the Laboratory for Marine Animal Health at the University of Pennsylvania. We have an extensive network of supporting operations, including industrial contractors, environmental consultancies, economists, and equipment suppliers. The following are listings of ongoing and completed projects, which have usually required, in addition to the technical expertise, federal and state permits, financing and coordination of many different groups

3 Fisheries Projects Currently Active Projects Project Title Developing An Improved Dredge for Standardized Surveys of the Sea Scallop Resource Turtle Excluder Dredge Next Generation Scallop Dredge Design Sea Turtle - Scallop Fishery Interaction Study Field Testing of a New Dredge for the Sea Scallop Fishery Client Sea Scallop Research TAC Set Aside Sea Scallop Research TAC Set Aside Sea Scallop Research TAC Set Aside Application for 2006 Sea Scallop RSA Program Sea Scallop Research TAC Set Aside Total Project Funding $125, $424, $107,162 $94,282 $89,144 Completed Projects Client Total Project Funding Bag Tag Uruguay Scallop Fishery Development Market Study Verification Deep Water Fishing Potential Off Southern New England Oceanic Squid Fishery Sea Scallop Dredge Finfish Excluder Sea Scallop Enhancement and Sustainable Harvesting Handbook On Conservation Engineering and Sustainable Fishing Gear Modifications To Mitigate Bycatch Problems Ecological Impact of Tropical Shrimp Trawling Development of Snag-Free Fishing Gear Work Plan for Fish Health Study Offshore Squid Jigging Land Testing of Gill Net Modifications Gill Net Survey Sea Scallop Research TAC Set Aside BIVAR S. A., Montevideo, Uruguay Sparton of Canada Ltd., Ontario, Canada Michigan Fishing Corporation, Fairhaven, Massachusetts K & T Fishing Corporation, Fairhaven, Massachusetts SER Enterprises, Fairhaven, Massachusetts Westport Scallop Corporation, New Bedford, Massachusetts Greenpeace International EC Unit, Belgium World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) UK, Surrey, UK International Collective in Support of Fishworkers, Madras, India Massachusetts Environmental Trust Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. Commonwealth of Massachusetts National Marine Fisheries Service Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries $33,591 Proprietary Proprietary $395,500 ($225,000 federal grant; $173,000 match) $168,220 ($134,820 federal grant; $33,400 match) $141,381($101,048 federal grant, $40,333 match) $313,936 ($157,000 federal grant; $156,936 match) Proprietary Proprietary Proprietary $70,000 ($23,000 grant: $47,000 match) $20,730 $25,000 $6000 $15,

4 Agricultural Projects Completed Projects Project Title Year Round Salad Mix Production Cultivation of Beach Plums for Commercial Fruit Production Cultivation of Beach Plums for Commercial Fruit Production II Greenhouse Polyculture System Client Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, Boston Barnstable County Cooperative Extension, Massachusetts Barnstable County Cooperative Extension, Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, Boston Hydroponic System Comparisons Massachusetts $12,000 Total Project Funding $21,780 ($10,890 state grant; $10,890 match) $31,490 ($15,080 state grant; $16,410 match) $32,800 ($16,800 state grant; $16,000 match) $40,600 ($18,600 state grant; $22,000 match) - 4 -

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15 Proposed Site: Offshore of Flume Pond Site Description of Proposed Area #1: - 3 acres - Over 1,000 ft. offshore - Depth of ft. - Gravel/sand substrate - Along rocky shoreline Explanation for Proposed Area #1: 1. The water depth limits navigational hazards and visibility 2. Absence of critical habitat 3. Absence of shellfish resources 4. Relatively little boat traffic 5. Acceptable water quality and circulation 6. Sandy/Rocky bottom 7. Accessible from West Falmouth, Quissett Harbor, or Woods Hole 8. Close to the residences of all participants Photos of Proposed Area #1: Photo 1. View looking offshore of Flume Pond towards proposed site

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17 Operational Plan: We would like to grow both Eastern Oysters and Bay Scallops in Buzzards Bay off of Flume Pond using a bottom cage grow out method similar to that successfully used Peter Chase in Falmouth (figures 1 thru 3). Peter s site has similar characteristics to our site and he has proven that the operation is successful for Eastern Oysters in our area, with minimal impact on natural and recreational resources. We would also like to utilize our expertise and interest in scallops by developing methods to grow scallops on the same site as oysters. We will explore scallop aquaculture on the site once we have established ourselves with multiple successful harvests of oysters. Coonamessett Farm would also like to apply our research experience, explore funding sources, and utilize opportunities with local research institutions to help promote and develop shellfish aquaculture in Falmouth. Our experience with the fishing industry could be applied to provide innovative gear research, such as: minimizing vertical lines in the water column, low profile gear design, materials, and remote buoy retrieval. In addition, we would like to cooperate with other local growers, shell fishermen, restaurants, and sea food dealers in developing and promoting the market for locally caught seafood here in Falmouth. This would be a continuation of Coonamessett Farm s reputation for promoting the economic, cultural, ecological, and health benefits of utilizing locally harvested food. Our operations will also be open for opportunities for public education and cooperative research. The day-to-day tasks and most decisions in regard to the operation of the site will be conducted by Matthew Weeks and Eric Matzen. Ron Smolowitz will provide guidance and expertise in regard to operations and gear design. Roxanna Smolowitz is available for consultation in regard to shellfish biology and pathology. Financial record keeping and money handling will be done by Coonamessett Farm staff. In addition, all gear work and storage will be done using the facilities at Coonamessett Farm. If our application is accepted, we would like to start off small and slowly grow as we gain experience with successful techniques of oyster culture at this particular site. During the first year of operation, we would purchase 75,000 oyster seed from Fisher Island Oyster Farm and/or ARC. Both of these hatcheries are approved by the Division of Marine Fisheries to provide seed to growers in Massachusetts. Our seed orders for the first few years of operation will be for larger seed that will have a higher likelihood of having a lower mortality rate. The seed will be ordered during the winter and transported to the site in the spring. We expect 2-3 years will be required for the oysters to be of legal harvestable size. After the first year of growth, if mortality is less than 40% we will pace an order for more seed. In the case of the prediction of a major storm event, all gear and shellfish will be removed and stored at Coonamessett Farm. Each cage, when filled with oysters, will weigh approximately 500 lbs. Other than four small corner buoys designating the aquaculture area boundaries (as required by law) and a small skiff tending the shellfish on occasion, we do not expect our operation to be visible from shore or from the water. Gear placed on the bottom at depths of >18 feet will not pose a navigational hazard to boaters. All recreational activities other than shellfishing (which doesn t occur on the site anyway) will still be allowed in the site area

18 Figures of gear to be used on site: Figure 1. Bottom cages rigged as in a lobstering operation Diagram by: Ron Smolowitz Figure 2. Longline Setup Diagram by: Peter Chase

19 Figure 3. Bottom Cage Diagram by: Ron Smolowitz

20 Elevation and Plan View of the Aquaculture Grow-Out Rack and Bag System Red = Bags, Black = Rack, Blue = Rope Harness Drawing by Dan Fouger