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Shellfish program seeks season extension after ice losses; volunteers recruited for herring counts
Summary
The Shellfish Committee heard seasonal updates from Jordan, who reported five commercial permits sold, about four weeks of lost harvest due to ice and plans to request a select-board extension; the committee set herring-count training and noted ORV- and dump-sticker issues.
Jordan, the committee’s shellfish presenter, told the Shellfish Committee on March 18 that commercial shellfish permits are on sale through March 31 and that five had been sold so far this year. "We sold 5 so far this year," Jordan said, and added she will attend the Shellfish Officers Association meeting next month and bring an update to the committee.
Jordan said the town lost roughly four weeks of the shellfish season at West Stennis because of ice and plans to ask the select board for a season extension. "We lost about 4 weeks of harvest at West Stennis due to the ice," Jordan said, and added she intends to request an extension to reclaim lost effort.
The committee heard practical preparations for monitoring and harvest work: Jordan said she is prepping the upweller and moving overwintered oysters back into it once water is turned on. She announced herring-count training will be held next Tuesday at 10:00 in the committee room, with formal herring counting to begin about a week later. Jordan described the planned count schedule as running April 1 through June 15, with nine counts per day; she calculated that schedule would amount to 675 total counts and asked for volunteer help.
Jordan also briefed the committee on ORV (off-road vehicle) access and sticker sales. She said the ORV gate is open following removal work and that ORV stickers "will go on sale 04/01/2025" and that 2026 stickers expire on April 30, as stated at the meeting. One attendee reported a separate issue at the transfer station: staff could not find a record of an ORV sticker for a resident at the dump, which generated discussion about how dump stickers and ORV stickers are recorded.
Why it matters: The committee’s request for a season extension and the logistics of counting and upweller work affect local harvesters and volunteers who track spawning and resource levels. The committee asked for volunteer support for the herring counts and signaled staff will seek administrative approval to recover lost harvest days.
What’s next: Jordan said she will go to the select board next Tuesday to request a season extension and will report back at the next committee meeting. The committee set herring-count training for the following Tuesday and asked members and community volunteers to sign up.
