Tisbury selectmen have continued until early April a hearing on Noah Mayrand’s application to farm oysters in a one-acre portion of Lake Tashmoo. It marks the first aquaculture permit application in town.
Tisbury selectmen have continued until early April a hearing on Noah Mayrand’s application to farm oysters in a one-acre portion of Lake Tashmoo. Mr. Mayrand is the first to apply for an aquaculture permit in Tisbury, which finalized its permitting regulations late last year.
“These are new endeavors on the part of the town,” said Melinda Loberg, who chairs the board of selectmen, at the public hearing Thursday evening.
Mr. Mayrand said his oyster farm would help clean the water in the 270-acre estuary.
Sample testing by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission found increased levels of nitrogen pollution in Lake Tashmoo last year. Shellfish such as oysters and quahogs filter nitrogen out of the water.
“Several hundred thousand oysters, [each] pumping over 40 gallons a day, would greatly reduce our chances of the pond continuing an irreversible amount of damage,” Mr. Mayrand said.
Some town officials who spoke during Thursday’s hearing expressed reservations about the location of Mr. Mayrand’s proposed farm, in a mooring area popular with visiting boaters. Some Tisbury residents strongly opposed it.
Tisbury harbormaster John Crocker shows a map of Tashmoo to Mac Schilcher and Peter Cronig.
Tisbury harbormaster John Crocker shows a map of Tashmoo to Mac Schilcher and Peter Cronig.
“I’m not necessarily in favor of the area that he is proposing as it is a conflict among user groups,” town shellfish constable Danielle Ewart said. “It is highly populated with boats in the summer time. It is a destination spot for people to anchor. That is going to be an issue.”
Tisbury harbormaster John Crocker offered some suggestions for Mr. Mayrand should he receive permission to set up his oyster farm there.
“I can foresee that there will be conflicts with the gear and with people running through the gear and possibly anchoring in the gear,” Mr. Crocker said. “I would suggest Mr Mayrand make a sincere effort to be there on the weekends. . . and keep a positive attitude when he interacts with the other boaters.
“This is going to be an educational process,” Mr. Crocker added. “It’s not going to happen overnight.”
Strong opposition to Mr. Mayrand’s site plan came from Tisbury scalloper Glenn Pachico and boater Lynne Fraker.
“I can’t believe that they’re even considering letting it be there,” Glenn Pachico said. “There are 70 to 90 boats that come in there and anchor on weekends.”
Ms. Fraker agreed with Mr. Pachico that the site is unsuitable for aquaculture.
“It’s the only place in Tashmoo where the boating public has access to anchor,” she said.
Other speakers supported the application, including Tashmoo neighbor Ted Karalekas and Edgartown oyster farmer Jeremy Scheffer, for whom Mr. Mayrand has been working in recent years.
“I’d be willing to go out there and help Noah set up, for nothing, to see how it’s going to go,” Mr. Karalekas said.
“Give someone like Noah a chance and he’s going to use his time, his money and his effort to clean up your water,” Mr. Scheffer said.
Ms. Loberg and selectman Jeff Kristal voted to continue accepting public comments by mail and resume the hearing on Mr. Mayrand’s application at 5:30 p.m. April 7. Selectman James Rogers was absent.
Comments
The town should pay Noah or
Mike mayrand Aquinnah via TisburyThe town should pay Noah or anyone to clean the filthy ponds of vh the lagoon is dead Tashmoo is dead
You think it's better to have 100 boats from Falmouth defacate and spill fuel and sewerage and foul the lake Tashmoo then some organic oysters cleaning the ponds
So sad that Tisbury and some folks don't think a young person willing to use his own labor and money to try and make a living and clean the water if it's at all possible since both the lagoon
And tashmo are dead and polluted last thing you want is more boats and humans destroying the water from Falmouth ....
Your exaggeration of the
Lynne Fraker Vineyard HavenYour exaggeration of the conditions in that area is not helpful. There are not 100 boats, there is not pollution, except for noise. The Town will work with Noah to find an area that will actually help water quality
I'm not sure what blinders
Boater VHI'm not sure what blinders you're wearing. I'd guess 95% of the boaters there are day boaters. They party here and there is way more than your acknowledged noise pollution. More than a nuisance -- they dump their detritus in our waters and it contributes to the fouling of our waters. Your several responses show a bias and lack of understanding as to what is really going on.
Soooo, Tisbury has
Gar-board MvSoooo, Tisbury has “reservations” about an operation that will greatly improve water quality and are at the same time
Supportive of the expansion of MV Shipyard, that is guaranteed to adversely affect water quality?
This is unbelievable, must be
Don Edgar Oak BluffsThis is unbelievable, must be a misprint. People think its better to have 70 to 90 boats here instead of a oyster farm. Give him the farm and cut the boat numbers down, way down.
Those boats that anchor there
Shane EdgartownThose boats that anchor there contribute little to no revenue to the town and probably just cost the town money. Tisbury has a hometown kid trying to make a living farming oysters that clean the water and people are saying what about the Falmouth boaters? Let them go to Tarpaulin and let Noah farm some delicious oysters and clean the waters of Tashmoo. Check your watches VH, you’re only twenty years late on Aquaculture.
I'm not sure why the town is
R Scott Patterson EdgartownI'm not sure why the town is overly concerned about a group of users that come over from the mainland, anchor for the day and then head back to the cape? They aren't spending any $ in the town at all as far as I can tell. Seems to me a bunch of oysters cleaning the pond and generating job/revenue is a much better use of the resource. Just my 2 cents.
Lake Tashmoo has been a party
Eric VHLake Tashmoo has been a party spot for boaters from Falmouth for years and it shows, trash found in the water and on the shore lines, noise, public lewdness, public drunkenness and a abusive behavior on display every weekend while the sun shines during summer. I do not know of any monies being realized by local business or town by this activity, please edification is requested on this subject if I am incorrect.
Garboard. Guaranteed is very
Confused MvGarboard. Guaranteed is very strong word. Where is the proof to guarantee your position?. Regardless of that. I find this very interesting that they have shut down the head of the West end due to a Marina having more than 10 boats in the water year round, but are supportive of the 100 boats that are coming in on a transient basis to anchor into the lagoon. As if those 100 boats pose less of a risk or even equal risk than seasonal slip customers that are barely present on their boats. This is rediculois and totally self serving of the people opposing these great projects
Why does the town care about
Scott EdgartownWhy does the town care about these transient users that are an additional burdon on the ponds fragile eco system. Let the farmer invest time, resources into the town's economy and also help clean up the pond. Let's champion working islanders reinvesting into their community.
If you look at the proposed
Lynne Fraker Vineyard HavenIf you look at the proposed location right at the opening, it's clear that this will not contribute to improved water quality in Tashmoo. At the conclusion of the meeting, the recommendation was for Noah to work with those who know the ponds to find an area where his work and investment will actually help the water quality in the ponds. Move further into the pond. Where the amazing oysters can do their job.
I appreciate all the
Noah mayrand Vineyard havenI appreciate all the wonderful support and discussion on this topic. Thank you. I will encourage anyone who supports me in this endeavor to please write a letter to the selectmen of your point of view so that it can be on record for the selectmen.
Lynn ; I’m not sure if you know how tides work but the entire pond empty’s it’s water twice a day through the opening then takes it back in. The outside and the inside water also needs to be cleaned for the pond to stay healthy. I choose this place for the grant for a number of reasons. One of them is because I want to be serving oysters to people that are not from a completely polluted part of the pond. That would be illegal, and as a raw bar shucker, I would not want to serve that to my customers. If the town would like to foot the bill of an oyster farm so I wouldn’t have to worry about selling my oysters then and only then I could put them in a polluted water way. I’ll tell my kids about your “not in my backyard, I’d rather have more boats” argument if I am denied and the entire pond become closed in the near future. All the best
Instead of privatizing an
WMD Vineyard HavenInstead of privatizing an area for ONE person (Noah) to benefit from, Tisbury Shellfish Dep should spread oyster seed in specific areas in tashmoo and lagoon. Let them grow to become a resource for commercial and recreational/family fishing. All while cleaning the ponds. This is happening with great success in Senge. Put the grants in the outer harbor where there is no conflict of interest. Worked in oak bluffs with cottage city oysters.
The point is that this
COH EdgartownThe point is that this activity is not only for ONE person's benefit; instead, ONE person's work and investment will benefit ALL VINEYARDERS who care about the health of our island and our ponds.
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