Attendance:
Ed Baker, David Bouchard, Bill Burt, Leo Byrnes, ,Kevin Chu, Clif Goudey, Harlyn Halvorson, Dvora Hart, Jay Johnson, Hans Laufer, Dale Leavitt, Diane C. Murphy, Michael P. O'Malley, Philip R Michaud Jr., Phillip R. Michau ,Sr., Albert, John A. Quinlan, Rick York

Greetings - Dr. Harlyn Halvorson welcomed the group, and thanked the Mass Maritime Academy for hosting the meeting. He regretted that as a result of late changes, there was a conflict with the scallop Committee of the NEFMC. As a result several of our key people will not be with and sent their regrets. A report submited by Rob Garrison on Newfoundland giving up its scallop-hatching efforts was distributed. Also he distributed the preliminary program for a Workshop "Marine Aquaculture and the Environment: A meeting for stakeholders in the Northeast" to be held January 11-13, 2001 at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Dale Leavitt had several announcements. First SEMAC has prepared a "Massachusetts Aquaculture Product directory". The first guide to aquaculture growers, HACCP certified, can be obtained from SEMAC, c/o Hurley Library, Mass Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, MA 02532. This guide is in the process of being updated. Additions and corrections are welcomed. Next the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association, together with the National Shellfish Association, have come up with 2010 Goals: Research and Initiative Priorities. A copy of this important document that identifies and prioritizes shellfish research for the next ten years is attached. Bill Burt reported that SEMAC had $52,000 to distribute and 187 proposals were received. Dale Leavitt also reported that SEMAC was in the process of developing Best Management Practices for shellfish growers in Massachusetts. Two scoping meetings have been held with stakeholders to develop this program. This will then go through the public hearing process. They expect the manuel for the industry to be available this summer for a broad ranging review to defuse potentially contentious situations. In parts of the country these practices are being mandated. Bill Burt announced that there are two workshops coming up. He first is in the Y2K Shellfish Farmer's Forum on the morning of April 15th at the First District Court House in Barnstable, followed by a Flea market and a surf clam roundtable discussion in the afternoon. They are also hosting a Pond Farm Workshop on April 18 and 19 to address the problems that cranberry growers and others are facing. As they look to diversify their crops.

Cooperative Research Program in Ground Fish NMFS - Dr. Kevin Chu described several different congressional mandated initiatives going on with groundfish. The goals are not only to do some research but also to get some money out to the industry in the form of some sort of disaster assistance. First there was a $4 M appropriation given to NMFS this year, to be expended by the end of September, for cooperative research , management and enforcement. Congress required the Fisheries service to work with NEFMC to develop a plan. The NEFMC has organized a new "Research Steering Committee" and have developed priority areas for groundfish. They are requesting by April 10, one to four page concept papers. These will be judged on the quality of science and the degree of help to fishermen. Those concept selected will be invited either to submit full proposals or to develop extensive concept papers that can not easily be fit into a proposal. We are forming a series of task forces (scientists and fishermen) to deal with these larger concepts. An example of this is tagging codfish. People from Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts to do this. The second program of $5 M was appropriated in 1998 to hire fishing (inshore fishermen Gulf of Maine) to do research to benefit science and assist fishermen in Disaster Assistance. NMFS has used these funds to compensate fishermen at the rate of $1500 / day that they were not able fish because of closures. In exchange for this, fishermen promised to allow their vessels to be used for research. We have until Sept. 30th to ask the fishermen to do this. The research project must be completed by May 1, 2001. Approximately 2000 days are available. We are not sure how many of these will be used.

There are two pots of money which may be coming to us in the future. The first of these is $15 M in the language to come as Disaster Assistance (anywhere where the multispecies fishery takes place) starts in October 2000. NMFS plans to use this for further large-scale cooperative efforts - as the cod tagging project or developing a Study Fleet. The later project would use 20% of the groundfish fleet (300 - 400 vessels) to report accurate information to NMFS. This information would include where /when / what is caught / weather conditions / etc. The present method of reporting is not reliable - some reports come in one year later. Second the President has also requested $12 M for groundfish and we do not know how this fits in with the $15 M. The language in both expenditures require these funds to be used for Northeast Multispecies fishery. Rick York asked if they had considered aquaculture. Kevin Chu replied no. The steering Committee focused on the commercial fishery and did not give much attention to aquaculture. Cliff Goudey noting that a wide range of options was available, NMFS could help by supporting alternative fisheries including aquaculture. Kevin Chu replied that this could not be used for the $4 M pot but may be for the $15 M since this was designated for Disaster Assistance. To influence this there are three points of contact: a) Congressional staffers, b) Pat Kurtle would be interested but has not had a chance to focus on this, and c) Write to John Williamson as Chair of the Research Committee or Tom Hill as Chairman of the Council. Unfortunately the congresioal language favors giving Disaster Assistance to individuals not projects. Philip R Michaud Jr. noted that he is the only boat owners here that scallops year around. Groundfish boats follow his scallop fleet when they go out. What about the year around boats that are also being hit by the closures? Can this help go into other fisheries as his? Kevin Chu thought that the help would stop with vessels that engage in multispecies fishery. Research assistance is limited to groundfish. Philip R Michaud Jr then noted that boats that got out of the fishery to let the stocks replenish, were being let out in the cold. Jay Johnson suggested that there is no reason that you could go in and tinker with the language for the $15 M pot to permit extension to scallops. From previous meetings of this group there is a synergistic effect from scallop aquaculture and harvesting projects and the area that is set aside to rotate the wild stocks or supplement with hatchery stocks. These set asides are also groundfish nursery grounds. There is a benefit to the get this data. Someone could propose to do such studies so that the groundfish fleet that could be quantified. Rich York suggested that multispecie boats could go into the scallop areas as a solution and this would fit within the framework. Cliff Goudey noted the relationship between these programs and the Northeastern Consortium and reported in the recent round of preproposal reviews that the strongest one was on sea scallops from Scott Gallagher (WHOI), members of SSWG, and others.

Update Seasted Project Cliff Goudey reported that the project is no longer funded and the project has officially closed. However there is interest in the parties that were involved to see a continuation of activity into a permanent research area. There is no downside to this. But there is a time consuming process to do the next step. All of the participants are busy on other projects. The council is looking for compelling reasons to do it. Nothing will happen until the next amendment. Amendment 10 is already heavily stressed. With the introduction of the dredge boat controversy, the next amendment is going to become very contentious. If Seasted can be squeezed into amendment 10 there will not be much opposition. The only scallops at seaSted are the ones we put in and they are not sufficient in number for poaching. The seeding and growing experiment is intact. The plan is to harvest some in June this year and leave the rest for another year. Cliff Goudey invited comments and suggestions about the project. The total federal funding (SK Grant) was $157.000 with equivalent industry participation. It was pointed out that this was a significant investment for the government to see that the project continued. There is relatively low level of fishery activity in the area. Rich York thought that extending the New Zealand model involving closed areas, would be a good idea for Seasted. Cliff Goudey responded that this may ultimately be included in the management plan, especially when there are areas that have more seed than can be environmentally supported. Philip R Michaud Jr said he was interested in a similar project in the Bay. Cliff Goudey reminded the group that Rich Taylor's efforts to identify areas where Georgia's bank spat eventually settle are highly relevant here.

Sea Grant Technology Center Project in Sea Scallop Mariculture - Cliff Goudey reported on a $100,00 Sea Grant project, which was approved a year ago. This was started March 1st and could be extended to two years. This project has several objectives. The camera sled that proved so effective, reliable, and inexpensive in Seasted, needs to be standardized. Next, improvements are needed in seed harvesting gear. The gear being used by smaller boats will be reevaluated. In their experience redesigned dredges require many trials to set them properly. The third goal is to modify deck-holding systems for transport. Next, when should seeding take place to control predation, especially from starfish? We need to follow the approach used by the Connecticut Oyster Industry. Finally the project will look at the techniques of harvesting. A gentler dredge also needed. Harlyn Halvorson asked if days at sea apply? Cliff Goudey responded that they would use set aside funding for the council as proposed last year was favorably reviewed. This is a collaborative project and suggestions are welcome. Jay Johnson pointed out the that exists between using a dredge that does environmental damage, and the advantage of a rotational system that promises higher takes with less damage. This led to a general discussion of the proper approach. Philip R Michaud Jr. noted that trading 10 days for $10,00 last year does not make as much sense this year. He suggested $15,000 instead. Rick York suggested approaching this by analyzing the total area dragged by the total scallop fleet and comparing this with collection from previously closed areas. Cliff Goudey expected the council to consider this.

Plans for Sea Scallop Web Page - Harlyn Halvorson reported that Richard Taylor is developing a Web Page for better exchange of information on Sea Scallops. This page will contain, among others, records from SSWG, GIS maps for spat settlement areas and NEFMC decisions on sea scallop management. Contact Richard Taylor.(Tel 978/281-2718) or email: rtaylor@cove.com.

General Discussion of Sea Scallop Management Procedures for Massachusetts Philip R Michaud Jr noted the advantage of the area closure system using bottom friendly dredges. Cliff Goudey asked if he could find areas in the bay with seed for future collections. The response was yes. Differences in shells can be detected, and the changes in seed occur every 1/4 to 1/2 mile as the type of bottom changes. Rick York noted that there were similar areas for sea clams. The experience of fishermen shows there are a variety of species in the bay. Harlyn Halvorson noted that one of the cooperative goals was to do DNA sequencing to quantitate the biological diversity of sea scallops. There was general agreement about the desirability for management. Philip R Michaud Jr said when the scallops come back; all fishermen will be scallopers. In 1997 there was a big scallop harvest. Within 1 1/2 years the scallops were gone. At the present time there is no difficulty in getting a licensee. The interest of fishermen in having closed areas in Cape Cod Bay is very controversial. If an area is closed there is the worry that it will not reopen. Any decision here has to be set up the beginning. Difficulties in establishing inside and outside contour lines for enforcement were noted. Jay Johnson agreed that closing and rotations are the best economic solution for the industry in either federal or state waters. In the latter case the state needs a limitation program to set it up. Since legislators change, reopening may be a concern, and a whole plan should go before the legislature to areas this. At the federal level the FMC's are not made up of people who think like farmers. Councils change every three years. Security of investment provides the best protection in the councils. The federal aquaculture plan which provides 25 year leases is before OMB. The Interior Dept. dos not want to support aquaculture at the same time Atlantic Salmon may be listed as an endangered species.

Michael P. O'Malley suggested using Cape Cod Bay as a model system for elsewhere. Ed Baker suggested we sit down with state officials. Cliff Goudey noted that the area outside the sanctuary of Cohasset is a good area that is deep enough to set seed. He asked whether there was enough industry interest in seeding, and returning later for collections. This led to a discussion of Town / State responsibilities and motivation. Rich York said this was a Town by Town decision. Environmental pressures have led the state to watch fisherman's catch per unit effort very carefully. Towns have the mechanism in place to handle this. Dale Leavitt reminded the group that the state regulates sea scallops. Leo Byrnes argued that the effort was in Town's waters and that is defined in State's statutes. In Massachusetts there are no areas outside the jurisdiction of a Town. The State can exercise jurisdiction if the Town refuses to do so. This is a potential problem. State aquaculture grant can be given where the Town's are willing to cooperate. A legal system could be set up where only the "privates" have the legal rights. Rich York commented that Towns could do the same thing as "privates". There is State money to do this. Jay Johnson thought that to conduct experiments it would be easier to deal with Federal waters. To develop further strategies for SSWG, the group agreed to invite Mike Hickey and Jim Fair to our next meeting to discuss nearshore rotations in state waters with members of SSWG and with scallop fishermen.

Marine Aquaculture and the Environment: A meeting for stakeholders in the Northeast - Harlyn Halvorson stated that the objective of this conference is to establish a spirit of collaboration between seemingly divergent interests to help ensure a sustainable future. A two and a half-day workshop is planned in which four working papers will be prepared and distributed in advance of the workshop organized around the following topics:

1. Impact on habitats: determining what is acceptable. Dr. Bill Silver, Bedford Inst. Oceanography, Nova Scotia., and Mr. Chris Heinig, Interetide Corporation, Maine.

2. Interactions of cultured and wild species. Dr. Kjetil Hindar, Norwegian Inst. Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway.

3. Mechanisms for stakeholders consensus building. Dr. Harald Rosenthal. Inst. Fur Meereskunde, Univ. Kiel, Germany

4. Effects of other wild life: Marine Animals, Birds, Invertebrates. Dr. Thurman Booth. Wild Life Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Dr. Inka Milewski, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Canada.

An opening plenary session will involve roundtables, followed by four breakout sessions on the aforementioned topics. A plenary session will follow to hear results of breakout sessions and permit open discussion. The final product will be a publication from the workshop.

These same topics would then be the basis for breakout groups, which would follow. Each breakout session will follow the same roundtable on that topic to provide each attendant an opportunity to participate in all four topics and to have the discussions in the breakout sessions shortly after the presentations on that topic. This format would ensure that a broad representation of stakeholders was present in each breakout group. To keep the breakout sessions to a manageable size, each group will be limited to 25 individuals chosen to provide a mixture of stakeholders in each. Each breakout group will be chaired by two facilitators and a recorder to prepare minutes of the session. Each roundtable will have 5 invited speakers (15 minute presentations) representing the main stakeholder groups. All SSWG members are invited. More details later.

Next Meeting 9:30 AM, May 30th, at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

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Dr. Harlyn Halvorson
Director PCTMB
(508)-540-5441 (FAX)
(508)-540-1030
April 3, 2000