HomeMy WebLinkAbout571 Old Post, Bluefield LLC Shellfish Survey 1
TO: Conservation Commission
FROM: Natural Resources, Town of Barnstable
DATE: February 11, 2025
RE: APPLICATION: To permit a proposed seasonal ramp and float
APPLICANT: Bluefield, LLC
19 Indian Pipe Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
LOCATION: 571 Old Post Road
Cotuit, MA 02635
REPRESENTATIVE: John O’Dea
Sullivan Engineering & Consulting, Inc.
711 Main Street, P.O. Box 659
Osterville, MA 02655
SHELLFISH SURVEY RESULTS: A shellfish survey was performed at 571 Old Post
Road, Cotuit, from 10:40AM to 11:20AM on Wednesday February 5, 2025 by Shellfish
Biologist Elizabeth Lewis and Shellfish Technicians Cecelia Dunham and Amanda Lee of
Natural Resources. Low tide occurred at 11:33 AM and was -0.1ft. The proposed project
was not staked so we used the current stairs as a reference point. Sample sites along three
transects spaced 10 feet apart run from north to south starting at the stairs at 0ft out to 40ft.
The center transect is perfectly in line with the center of the stairs.
Stairs
0ft. A B C
10ft 10ft
10ft.
20ft.
30ft.
40ft.
Town of Barnstable
Marine and Environmental Affairs Department
1189 Phinney’s Lane, Centerville, MA 02632
Derek Lawson, Director
508-790-6273 / Fax 508-790-6275
www.townofbarnstable.us
Animal Control 508-790-6274 Natural Resources 5 08-790-6272
Harbormaster 508-790-6273 Sandy Neck 508-790-6272
Marinas 508-790-6273 Sandy Neck Gatehouse 508 -362-8300
Moorings 508-790-6273
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The sediment changed as depth increased. At 0ft. and with no water, the sediment had a
fair amount of rocks and cobble stone. This was located right next to the salt marsh. Here,
a healthy population of ribbed mussels were present on the marsh grass. The area was still
dry at 10ft. with small rocks and large grain sand. At 20ft., we had six inches of water and
there was more large grain sand with a silty layer on top. At 30ft. (end of the float would
be at 31ft.) there was nine inches of water 30 minutes before low tide. Here the sediment
was mixed with small rocks, organic material, and large grain sand. We continued to go
out to 40ft., past the project location, to find more depth of water and at 11inches of water,
the sediment remained consistent with what we found at 30ft.
No shellfish was found from 0-20ft. Nine large, chowder sized quahogs (3+inch),
Mercenaria mercenaria, were present in the six, three meter squared plots at 30ft. and 40ft.
Please refer to the attached data sheet for specifics. This area of Cotuit Bay is also rated a
10 out of 10 based on the 2016 Habitat Rating Study conducted by Natural Resources. The
proposed project area is also open all year and in approved status. It is regularly harvested
by the commercial fishery.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: The habitat in the proposed footprint is significant and
conducive to the settlement and recruitment of shellfish. Though no softshell clams were
present on the day of the surveys, this is exactly the type of habitat that softshells would
settle in. 10/10 rated habitat should be protected even from seasonal structures. Though
there is not a very large number of quahogs currently present in the footprint of the
proposal, the habitat can support a significant population of quahogs. The area has also
been open to shellfishing, so it is unknown what the populations are from time to time.
This is only a snapshot of the quahog population present. This is an area that if were able
to grow even more quahogs in the Three Bays, the propagation team would plant more
quahogs along this shoreline. It is something that is always considered based on
propagation populations from year to year.
One of the main points that needs to be stressed is the discrepancy between the depths on
the site plan provided by Sullivan Engineering and the depths taken on site. 30 minutes
before low tide on a -0.1ft tide (almost your average mean low water), the float will have
only between six and nine inches of water beneath it. Taking this into consideration, half
of all low tides will have less water than that. It is a relief that float stops are considered as
part of the plan, but it seems unnecessary to have a pier and float at all for such little water.
One would still have to walk out from the end of the float to put in even a kayak, defeating
the purpose of the pier altogether.
With 10/10 rated habitat and very little water even for a non-motorized vessel, Natural
Resources cannot support this proposed project. Even with a seasonal pier, the cost to the
environment and shellfish habitat is too high to have any structure in place.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth A. Lewis, Shellfish Biologist
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