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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNarrativeProposal for Aquaculture Project in Yarmouth Waters in Lewis Bay Joel Bois (508)364-3914 joel_bois@hotmail.com February 2021 Summary: Due to the growing demand for shellfish in local fish markets and restaurants, coupled with quahog’s ability to provide high quality protein with minimal input, I think a commercial quahog farm in Lewis Bay is commercially viable. Quahog aquaculture has not been found to negatively impact delicate ecosystems. Aquaculture in Lewis Bay will not conflict with commercial fisherman and won’t disrupt any recreational activities common to the area. I would like the town of Yarmouth to grant me access to practice commercial aquaculture on a plot in Lewis Bay in Yarmouth as permitted by Massachusetts general law 130 section 57. I grew up in Yarmouth, and chose to stay in Yarmouth and raise a family. I have made a career working on the water. I grew up in a fishing family contributing at an early age to all aspects of the business. I graduated from Mass Maritime Academy with a degree in Marine Transportation and sailed deep sea most of the way around the world over the course of thirteen years attaining the rank and sailing as Chief Mate Unlimited. I own and operate a successful lobster business and have worked in most aspects of the fish and shellfish business including fish markets, unloading trucks, and boats, working on several fish draggers and scallopers,including owning one and oyster grants. Throughout all of this I have had a long history of interest in aquaculture, and see it as a personal way forward considering what is happening with the lobster industry, ropeless fishing and right whales. Scope: The project would require approximately three acres of Lewis Bay bottom located entirely within the town waters of Yarmouth. The proposed area is in the northeast corner of Lewis Bay along the undeveloped shore of Pine Island, in between Dunbar Aquafarms and Ed Janus’s grant. On Neil Morris’s abandoned grant. The proposed grant is an approximate three acre rectangle, well away from the marked channel from Englewood Beach boat ramp to greater Lewis Bay. The grant area is of course flexible if prohibiting factors are determined. The proposed method of growing would be subtidal quahog plots covered with quarter inch protective netting. If sourced seed quahog are too small for immediate broadcast directly on the proposed bottom under nets, Floating Flow N Grow nursery cage systems would be anchored them in place. These cages would hold typical plastic mesh oyster bags. The majority of the aquaculture gear could be sunk and left to overwinter, rather than removed seasonally. I would like to have the ability to grow a large variety of products on the farm with the primary focus being on quahog production. Location: NW corner: N2694215 NE corner: N2694032 E998363 E998752 SW corner: N2693938 SE corner: N2693719 E998301 E998766 The Proposed area is lined in blue below: Benthic Characteristics: The entirety of the proposed area is coarse sand or “sugar sand”. Knowing that eelgrass is a major environmental concern throughout the state, it’s important to note that there is no eelgrass in the proposed area or adjacent to it. There are approximately 34 abandoned / derelict oyster cages left on site that I plan to remove to the yarmouth transfer station. Proposed Species: The primary focus of the aquaculture project would be to grow Quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria). I would like the option to experiment with the successfulness of Bay Scallops (Argopecten irradians), Blood Clams (Anadara ovalis), Eastern Oysters (Crassostrea virginica), or other species having local success. Operational Plan: All work on the project will be conducted by me, the farm owner/manager, in accordance with local and state policies. The float gear will be deployed and handled by my carolina skiff that will be launched daily from the Englewood boat ramp a quarter mile from the proposed area. Work on the grant would consist of a weekly retrieval of each oyster cage, removal of the bags, cleaning of the bags and the cages, and replacement of the bags in the cages and cages in the water on the long line. The protective netting will also need to be scrubbed to reduce growth. The oyster bags will require periodic replacement as the clams and oysters grow to ensure maximum mesh size and optimal flow rates. In the first year I would like to order 150,000 seed quahogs and 50,000 oyster seed in the R-8 size or greater. The second year, if growth and survival are doing well I would like to purchase an additional 200,000 quahog seed and 100,000 oyster seed. Third year is a long way out, but the same as second year or greater. I’m planning on 10ft X 20ft protective nets with each covering 10,000 juvenile quahogs. That would mean 10 nets being used the first year, and 30 nets for the second year and 50 nets the third year. The oysters would be growing in 6 bag floating racks. At first a dozen racks would be able to hold the initial 50,000 seed oysters. More racks would be used as the seed requires more spacing and room. Commercial Viability: I think the grant is viable commercially for a few reasons. (1) First, based on other grant activity in the area and good water flow across the proposed site, I think quahogs would do well in the sugar sand on site under the protection of protective clam netting.. This would maximize the likelihood of developing a successful healthy product. (2) The purchase price of quahog spat, which can be bought at 2-5 cents and the market value of little necks can reach 30 cents a piece, making for a solid profit margin (3) The proximity to the ramp at Englewood Beach would make it reasonable to work the area, allowing for easy access with minimal disturbance. I think based on the relative quietness of this part of the bay I wouldn’t expect damage or disruption to the grant. (4) Lastly, I believe this site would provide sufficient habitat to grow shellfish in a commercially profitable quantity due to the shellfish density possible using floating cages and bottom netting aquaculture techniques, providing both an opportunity to build income but also increase commerce within the town of Yarmouth.