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Home My WebLink AboutDMF Comment Letter NOI JMS Holdings LLC to ConcomThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 251 Causeway Street, Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114 p: (617) 626-1520 | f: (617) 626-1509 www.mass.gov/marinefisheries MAURA HEALEY KIMBERLEY DRISCOLL REBECCA TEPPER RONALD S. AMIDON DANIEL J. MCKIERNAN Governor Lt. Governor Secretary Commissioner Director April 10, 2023 Barnstable Conservation Commission 200 Main St Hyannis MA 02601 Dear Commissioners: The Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DMF) has reviewed the Notice of Intent (NOI) by JMS Holdings LLC to replace a partially seasonal post supported structure with a permanent pile supported structure at 134 South Bay Road within West Bay in the Town of Barnstable. The entire structure is proposed to remain within the same existing footprint. The project was reviewed with respect to potential impacts to marine fisheries resources and habitat . The project site abuts salt marsh vegetation. Salt marsh provides a variety of ecosystem services, including habitat and energy sources for many fish and invertebrate species [1 -2]. The project site lies within mapped shellfish habitat for bay scallop (Argopecten irradians), northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria), and softshell clam (Mya arenaria). Waters within the project site have habitat characteristics suitable for these species. Land containing shellfish is deemed significant to the interest of the Wetlands Protection Act (310 CMR 10.34) and the protection of marine fisheries. A shellfish survey conducted by Megalodon Environmental LLC in September and December 2021 found quahogs within the project area. Land containing shellfish is deemed significant to the interest of the Wetlands Protection Act (310 CMR 10.34) and the protection of marine fisheries. West Bay acts as winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) spawning habitat. Winter flounder enter the area and spawn from January through May; demersal eggs hatch approximately 15 to 20 days later. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has designated winter flounder spawning habitat as a “Habitat Area of Particular Concern” (HAPC). In the previous stock assessment, the winter flounder stock was classified as overfished with spawning stock biomass in 2019 estimated to be only 32% of the biomass target [3]. Spawning stock biomass in 2021 was estimated to be 101% of the biomass target based on a new recruitment stanza focusing only on the past twenty years [4]. Given the new status of the winter flounder stock, every effort should be made to protect the species and its spawning habitat. The project site lies within a horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) spawning area and the species has been recorded nesting on nearby Sampson Island. Horseshoe crabs deposit their eggs in the upper intertidal regions of sandy beaches from late spring to early summer during spring high tides. Adult crabs congregate in deep waters during the day while they wait to spawn on nearby beaches at night. Eggs hatch approximately two to four weeks later. The 2019 benchmark stock assessment indicates that the New England horseshoe crab stock status has shifted from poor to neutral [5]. Continued efforts should be made to protect the species and facilitate further stock improvement. MA DMF offers the following comments for your consideration: • A time of year (TOY) restriction should be observed to protect sensitive life stages of horseshoe crabs from beach construction activities on potential nesting beaches. Construction on the beach could bury and crush spawning adult crabs and nests. No in- water construction activities should take place from May 1 – June 30th of any year to protect spawning habitat [6]. • Repair of the structure should be within the same footprint as the existing structure. Any expansion of the footprint into tidal waters of the Commonwealth will result in the loss of shellfish habitat. • MA DMF recommends that all staging and storage of construction equipment and material be located on the upland side of the project site • Construction activity, including staging of construction material and equipment as well as equipment transit to and from the construction site, should avoid intertidal habitat to the greatest extent practicable. As much work as possible should be conducted from the upland portion of the project site to minimize impacts and avoid compaction of sediment in mapped shellfish habitat. Any work in the intertidal zone should be limited to low tide such that work is conducted in the “dry” • Any activities requiring a barge should be restricted to 2 hours before and after high tide to prevent barge grounding in mapped shellfish habitat. • Fuel spills from refueling of construction equipment will adversely impact sensitive resource areas. Impacts to resource areas can be avoided by prohibiting all land -based equipment from being refueled on-site. If equipment is refueled on-site, adequate containment and clean up material should be required to minimize impacts . Questions regarding this review may be directed to Amanda Davis in our New Bedford office at Amanda.davis@mass.gov. Sincerely, Amanda Davis Environmental Analyst MA Division of Marine Fisheries cc: Arlene M. Wilson, A.M. Wilson Associates, Inc. John Logan, Emma Gallagher, Maggie Leary, Matt Camisa, MA DMF Robert Boeri, CZM eg/AD References: 1. Boesch, D.F. and R.E. Turner. 1984. “Dependence of Fishery Species on Salt Marshes: The Role of Food and Refuge.” Estuaries 7(4):460-468. https://doi.org/10.2307/1351627. 2. Deegan, L.A., J.E. Hughes, and R.A. Rountree. 2000. “Salt marsh ecosystem support of marine transient species.” In: M.P. Weinstein and D.A. Kreeger, eds. Concepts and Controversies in Tidal Marsh Ecology: Kluwer Academic Publisher, The Netherlands. pp. 333-365 3. ASMFC. 2020. Southern New England Mid-Atlantic Winter Flounder 2020 Assessment Update Report. http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/6008bd822020_SNE- MA_WinterFlounderAssessmentUpdate.pdf 4. ASMFC. 2022. Southern New England Mid-Atlantic winter flounder 2022 Management Track Assessment Report. Compiled June 2022. https://apps- nefsc.fisheries.noaa.gov/saw/sasi.php 5. ASMFC. 2019. 2019 Horseshoe Crab Benchmark Stock Assessment and Peer Review Report. Prepared by the ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Stock Assessment Review Panel pursuant to NOAA Award No. NA15NMF4740069. http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5cd5d6f1HSCAssessment_PeerReviewReport_May20 19.pdf 6. Evans, N.T., K.H. Ford, B.C. Chase, and J. Sheppard. 2011. Recommended Time of Year Restrictions (TOYs) for Coastal Alteration Projects to Protect Marine Fisheries Resources in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Technical Report, TR-47. https://www.mass.gov/doc/time-of-year-recommendations-tr- 47/download