HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023 Barnstable Harbor Shellfish Habitat Rating Study ProtocolTown of Barnstable
Marine and Environmental Affairs Department
1189 Phinneys Lane, Centerville MA 02632www.town.barnstable.ma.usNatural Resources508-790-6272Derek Lawson, DirectorHarbormaster508-790-62
Office: 508-790-6273Animal Control508-790-6274
FAX: 508-790-6275Sandy Neck508-790-6272Gatehouse508-362-8300 (April – Nov)
TO:Amy Croteau (new participant), Thomas Marcotti, Kris Clark,David Ryan(new participant), Jake Angelo (new participant), Terri McDonald (new participant), Corey Hendricks (new participant),
Ken Aittaniemi, Mark Lazzari(new participant), Elizabeth Lewis (new participant).
FROM: Natural Resources
DATE:January26, 2023
Start typing below this line:
RE:Significant Shellfish Resource and Habitat Area Mapping Project for
Selected Embayments of the Town of Barnstable.
Your assistance is requested in completing questionnaire maps of northsideembayments of the Town of Barnstable. New individuals with expertise in local shellfish resources will replace
many of the original participants due to varying circumstances.
Background
During the year 2000, the Pier Committee requested Natural Resources to formulate a sub-committee to undertake the task of mapping significant shellfish resource and habitat areas in
the Three Bays Area. The sub-committee was comprised of individuals with wide ranging expertise in evaluating the Town’s shellfish resources. Listed below are the sub-committee participants:
Doug Kalweit, Supervisor, Natural Resources, Town of Barnstable;
Thomas Marcotti, Shellfish Biologist, Natural Resources, Town of Barnstable;
Kris Clark, Shellfish Farm Manager, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
Darcy Karle, Conservation Agent, Conservation Division, Town of Barnstable;
Neil Churchill, Marine Biologist, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries;
John Nawoichik, Commercial Shellfisherman/Aquaculturist, Town of Barnstable;
Norman White, Commercial Shellfisherman, Town of Barnstable.
Ken Aittaniemi, Commercial Shellfisherman, Town of Barnstable;
(replaces Les Hemmila, Commercial Shellfisherman/Aquaculturist,
Shellfish Committee Member, Town of Barnstable)
Kirsten Friedrich, Recreational Shellfisherwoman
(replaces Paul Caruso, Marine Biologist, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries);
Chris Freeman, Commercial Shellfisherman
(Replaces Robert Lister, Commercial Shellfisherman, who replaced TiastoRanta, (former) Supervisor, Natural Resources, Town of Barnstable)
Meetings of the sub-committee were held on July 27, 2000 and August 2, 2000. Each participant of the sub-committee contributed to determining significant shellfish resource and habitat
areas along the shoreline of the Three Bays Area. The criteria used to determine significance by each individual was subjective analysis as to where each harvested shellfish on a recreational,
commercial, scientific, management or other basis, in a current and/or historical context. Town and State governmental agencies staff assessed areas on their particular knowledge of
the resource areas. Present standing shellfish resource populations did not weigh heavily in the determination of significant shellfish resource and habitat areas due to periodically
depleted stocks or absence of current shellfish recruitment in an area. All the individual maps were combined and by consensus a final map was determined. Shellfish Relay Areas were
determined by the Natural Resources staff. The maps were produced by Natural Resources staff and Geographical Information Systems Department staff.
At the August 21st, 2000 meeting, the Pier Committee requested that the designated areas determined and mapped to be significant shellfish habitat by the sub-committee be rated by collective
determination. Any one area as defined on the map would be assigned a number value according to the total number of participants that determined that area to be significant shellfish
habitat. Number values and maps illustrating these values for the Three Bays Area were generated for this purpose.
During 2005 the Natural Resources Sub-Committee to the Year 2000 Pier Committee completed a study of significant shellfish habitats in other Southside embayments of the Town of Barnstable
outside of the Three Bays.
Once again, during 2015 the Conservation Commission requested Natural Resources to request the sub-committee to undertake the task of reviewing the significant shellfish habitat areas
along the designated shorelines of the Southside embayments of the Town. The Conservation Commission and the Natural Resources Office determined that the current methodology of determining
significant shellfish habitats should remain mostly consistent with the methodology practiced by the year 2000 Natural Resources Sub-Committee to the Pier Committee. Natural Resources
has tried to get the participants of the original year 2000 Natural Resources Sub-Committee for the current study, and again for the 2016 study, but most members have been replaced by
new members over this time due to various circumstances.
Current Request
Natural Resources is requesting your assistance in reviewing the significant shellfish habitat areas along the designated shorelines in Barnstable Harbor for the 2022/2023 assessment.
Directions for Determining Significance and Completing Shoreline Maps
On the maps that you will receive, use your own individual knowledge, to the best of your ability, to determine if each designated shoreline area is “significant” or “not significant”
as shellfish habitat. For the purposes of this study, consider the substrate and marine environment significant for shellfish in any portion of, or all of, the intertidal shoreline area
between approximately 200 feet landward and the subtidal shoreline area approximately 200 feet seaward of the mean low water line (MLW) for each mapped area. For each overlapping area,
consider the shorter distance up to the intersection point where other shoreline area distances overlap, such as in narrow rivers. (i.e., Centerville River).
The areas are highlighted in yellow and red only to illustrate where a designated section of the shoreline to be evaluated begins and ends. On each map put a check in the appropriate
category box for each shoreline section demarcated and labeled on the map. If you have no knowledge of any particular area please put a check in the “not familiar with area” category
box for that area.
As a note, the concept of “significant” shellfish habitat is not definitively defined in research studies by the leading scientific and regulatory agencies and institutions that study
and manage marine shellfisheries. So, use your subjective opinion to determine if any particular area is significant based on your unique use of, or historical knowledge of an area.
Special Note: Any areas that you mark as unfamiliar count as “not significant” in the overall rating. Please only use this if you truly do not know the area or do your best to familiarize
yourself with it.
Your Participation
Please follow the directions above for the enclosed maps (2). Read carefully and do not hesitate to call with any questions. Please complete and return by Wednesday,March 1, 2023 at
4:15PM. Your knowledge and help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your efforts in these matters,
Elizabeth Lewis
Shellfish Biologist
Marine and Environmental Affairs
Town of Barnstable
508-790-6272
Elizabeth.lewis@town.barnstable.ma.us