Mariculture
Few proposals
have yet been made to conduct aquaculture activities in federal waters
off the Massachusetts coast. Such activities would require a Section
10 permit (Rivers and Harbors Act) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
and, depending on the nature of the project, a federal consistency review
by the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Office to determine consistency
with the policies of the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Program.
In August
of 1992, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers granted Section 10 authorization
under the Massachusetts Programmatic General Permit (PGP) to the Glouceter
Aquaculture Project for shellfish aquaculture activities, including
the deployment of gear, at 15 locations around Cape Ann, Jeffereys Ledge,
and Stellwagen Bank.
For the
sites within the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, a research
permit was granted in September 1995 pursuant to the National Marine
Sanctuaries Act and regulations. Permit SBNMS-09-95 issued to the Glouceter
Aquaculture Project grants "permission to conduct research activities
within the Sanctuary for the purpose of investigating various aspects
of so-called 'transient aquaculture' of the sea scallop Placopectin
magellanicus." The research permit incorporates by reference the
terms contained in the PGP granted by the Corps of Engineers as well
as those in an August 17, 1995 letter from NMFS resulting the informal
consultation conducted under Section 7 of the Endandered Species Act.
The research permit prohibits the permittee from receiving any financial
profit from the portion of the reseach conducted in the Sanctuary, e.g.,
grown out scallops from the cages in the Sanctuary may not be sold).
The research
permit allows placement of scallop aquaculture cages within the Sanctuary
and periodic maintenance, removal and substitution of the cages. There
permit allows for no more than three 8' X 8' X 4' cages per site. The
locations within the Sanctuary where permitted activities can be conducted
are identified as:
Location
Approximate Loran C Bearings - 9960-Y 9960-W
Jeffrey's Ledge, southern side, southern end 44330-5 13720-30
Stellwagen Bank, north of "NW Corner" 44255 13790-800 Stellwagen
Bank, east of "NW Corner" 44245 13770, Stellwagen Bank, east
of southern end" 44170 13765
The cages
sit on the sea floor and contain 12 shelves each spaced three to six
inches apart. Cages will be stocked with sea scallops of two different
sizes and at three different densities. Cages will be installed in the
fall and left for one year. The cages will be raised bimonthly in the
winter and monthly in the summer for cleaning and for measuring and
weighing the scallops.
The New
England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) has jurisdiction over aquaculture
sited in federal waters, but a clear administrative process for authorizing
private use has not yet been developed. The NEFMC has formed a new aquaculture
subcommittee for the purpose of developing a management plan for aquaculture.
At this time, it has not begun to meet regularly.
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