The Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group has gained more autonomy for the use of the state hatchery in Oak Bluffs after a bill passed allowing a long-term lease.

Tisbury shellfish constable Danielle Ewart had her boat loaded with 225,000 quahaugs. Fully grown, the hard-shelled clams would have weighed upwards of 40 tons.

A record quahaug spawn at the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group comes as a boon to Island towns this year where saltwater ponds are seeded annually as part of shellfish management programs.

Kelp farming has the potential to become a cottage industry on Martha’s Vineyard, a winter experiment has concluded.

Regular removal of phragmites is an effective and efficient way to improve the health of coastal ponds, a study has found.

Rep. Dylan Fernandes and Sen. Julian Cyr visited the Island late last week to dole out funds for two key Island programs.