Marine Collaborative

MARINE COLLABORATIVE

WHITE PAPER TEXT

by Whitey Willauer

This white paper presents the essential details to create the Nantucket Marine Collaborative (NMC) at the former U.S. Coast Guard boathouse located at Brant Point on Nantucket Island.
The NMC is designed to manage the Nantucket Scallop population so that the harvests are robust and sustainable. A robust and sustainable harvest will provide additional $8 to $10 million (with the trickle down effect) in revenue to the Island; enhance the shoulder season with recreational scallopers; provide steady winter employment to the fishermen; and deliver a predicable supply to the market. This ambitious program is in keeping with Nantucket traditions.
This White Paper presents an overview of the NMC designed to rapidly familiarize interested persons with the project. The White Paper is dynamic and will be modified as new data are acquired and old data are changed or discarded.

BACKGROUND
The waters of Nantucket support the largest wild Bay Scallop (Argopecten irradians irradiabs) fishery on the East Coast. Fishing for scallops and other shellfish provides an important source of income to Island residents from November to April. It is also an important recreational activity.
In 2007, the Marine Department issued 1,533 recreational shellfish permits of which 1,502 were Nantucket residents and 131 Commercial Scallop licenses.

HISTORY

In the early 1980’s (what year?) the U.S. Coast Guard ceased operations at the Brant Point boathouse. Subsequently, the Town was given permission to use the building for storage of navigational buoys and Marine Department equipment.
In 1989 a joint venture between the Town and the Nantucket Shellfish Aquafarm developed the Nantucket Marine Laboratory. Harborlife, a non-profit organization operated the Laboratory. It included a sizeable shellfish hatchery, marine science facilities, flowing water shellfish nursery, classroom, and public education space. The operation was funded partially (15%) through Town shellfish propagation funds, and mostly (85%) through grants and private fundraising.
In 1993, ownership of the Brant Point building was transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to the Town. The Coast Guard signed a twenty year lease (1993 through 2013) to the Town for the land under the building, stipulating that the building was to be used for “shellfish aquaculture”. The Nantucket Aquaculture Program was initiated and received a direct annual Federal appropriation of $250,000. The Aquaculture Program producing millions of bay scallop seed each year. In addition, water quality monitoring, marine science research, and education programs were established.
Federal funding was withdrawn after two years. This contributed to the closing of the Marine Laboratory in 1997. The Town took over the building and the facility was dismantled. The Boathouse is now used on a limited basis as a small marine research facility.

CURRENT ACTIVITIES

The Town operates two floating upweller seed nursery systems called FLUPSYs adjacent to the Brant Point dock. These FLUPSYs are used to grow quahog and oyster seed purchased from off-island hatcheries. The seed are released to augment the natural shellfish populations.
In April 2008, the Town delivered 100 Nantucket Bay Scallop to the Milford Lab for spawning. In early July 2008, 1.5 million bay scallops at 1-2 mm shell height were received from the Milford Lab. These scallops have been grown in FLUPSYs and Lantern nets and reached the target size (~ 25mm) by mid September. In consultation with the SHAB, it was determined that the 30 acres on the eastern half of 1st Bend would make an ideal sanctuary for these scallops.
As of October 7, 2008, the Marine Department has sold approximately 1,800 recreational licenses and approximately 199 commercial shellfish licenses. In the first week of recreational scalloping, approximately 150 to 200 bushels were taken. There was preponderance of seed. The divers were doing well. The number of recreational scallopers seemed low compared to the number of licenses.
Research is being conducting on Bay Scallop reproduction and physiology in the Boathouse facility. This research is being done in cooperation with the Town of Nantucket and with a small amount of funding from the Nantucket Shellfish and Harbor Advisory Board (SHAB), the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, and the Nantucket Shellfish Association (NSA).

NMC CONCEPT

The Nantucket Marine Collaborative (NMC) is intended as a consortium of individuals and organizations dedicated to preserving and enhancing Nantucket’s marine resources. The ultimate goal is to achieve robust and sustainable harvests of bay scallops on Nantucket.

· It is proposed to establish a world-class marine laboratory that will benefit Nantucket’s waters, shellfish, students and community.
· Nantucket and visiting researchers will conduct studies on our marine ecosystems, water quality, water circulation, shellfish, eelgrass, and natural resources.
· Professional aquaculturists will assist in providing healthy, locally produced shellfish seed for population studies, fisheries enhancement, and aquaculture enterprises
· Students will learn marine science in a real world setting while participating in research using Nantucket waters and NMC as a classroom.

NMC FACILITY

The NMC facility will include:
· Shellfish Hatchery
· Wet and dry labs for research activities
· Classroom space for educational activities
· Access for public tours
· Administrative Offices

NMC Programs will include:
· Shellfish seed production
· Marine research
· Educational programs at all levels
· Public Access

Primary Activities will focus on:
· Seed production to enhance the local shellfishery
· Water quality and habitat monitoring and research
· Shellfish population studies
· Educational programs for local students and the community.

The facility will offer space for collaborating researchers and outside academics. A close relationship with outside researchers will increase NMC’s ability to attract additional funding and to expand its services.

RATIONALE

· Nantucket has historically had a strong shellfish industry and enjoyed good water quality.
· With the rapid population growth on the Island over the past few decades, water quality and shellfish harvests have declined.

During the ‘07/’08 fishing season 16,110 bushels of scallops were harvested. The ‘05/’06 fishing season harvest was the worst on record, approximately 5,490 bushels. The season prior, 32,500; and five years prior to that there was an average of approximately 15,000 bushels landed each year.

· A first class marine lab will provide an opportunity to study the factors leading to the decline and promote remediation efforts.
· As an island, Nantucket offers unique opportunities for researchers to study a marine ecosystem that is protected from most outside influences and is of a manageable size.
· Research undertaken in this controlled environment can be applied to larger ecosystems in other areas.
· A first class facility will attract marine researchers and academics adding expertise and capability to NMC

BENEFITS

· Presently, Nantucket purchases shellfish seed from off-island sources using our native scallops as brood stock.
· The importation of seed from outside waters increases the risk of unknowingly importing shellfish disease and invasive non-native species.
· The establishment of an on-Island shellfish hatchery will eliminate this risk.
· The most compelling reason for not importing shellfish from other places is that when mixed with Nantucket stock, it could alter the unique genetic makeup of Nantucket’s shellfish.
· Hatchery capability will allow Nantucket to conduct research that will impact shellfishery enhancement efforts in a positive manner.

Seed Production and Propagation
· Local seed production ensures biosecurity eliminating the risk of introducing disease, invasive species, or other harmful organisms in Nantucket waters.
· A shellfish hatchery allows Nantucket to control seed production and will maximize shellfish enhancement efforts.
· The ability to produce shellfish seed in multiple quantities at various times (sets) offer the scientists increased research opportunities to better understand our shellfish population and the environmental effects on shellfish.
· The hatchery will facilitate the timing of sets to minimize the impact of predators and maximize the survival of the spat to maturity.

§ The harbor has a diversity of crab species. Other predators of include oyster toadfish, cunner, tautauog, and conch. Of special interest is the invasion of European green crab and Asian crabs. Green and Asian crabs do not bury into the sand and mud like native species and are more susceptible to mortality from extreme cold temperatures. Green crabs decimate scallop populations. The full impact of Asian crabs is not known. The Marine Biologist conducts a weekly predator monitoring program in order to determine the special and temporal distribution of scallop predators.
§ The belief is that the native crabs actually strengthen the scallop population by culling out the weak, injured and less healthy individuals. Crab species offer an invaluable service to the recycling of biological matter that would otherwise foul the ecosystem.

Research
· The ability to conduct and control research related to our marine resources provides a direct benefit to our community and natural environment.
· There are only occasional opportunities for off-Island funding, such as the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Estuaries Program. These opportunities are few and far between. They often do not allow local input into the research program’s goals and objectives..
· The NMC will provide the laboratory facility, field sites, expertise and base funding to conduct relevant, leading edge research on a continuous basis.
· Research opportunities include:
§ Water quality and circulation
§ Nitrogen input
§ Shellfish population dynamics
§ Habitat studies
§ Ecosystem modeling
· A first class facility will attract first class researchers and the funding opportunities that follow.

Water and Habitat Quality
· Nantucket’s water quality has degraded over the past decades due to the rapid increase in the Islands population.
· Because of local efforts stimulated by the desire to protect our scallops, Nantucket’s water quality is the best of all the many other estuaries in southern Massachusetts. We have no streams flowing into our harbors. Nantucket Harbor is one of the largest enclosed bays in SE Massachusetts. The West Jetty was constructed in the 1880s and the East Jetty in 1920. We exchange water with Nantucket Sound which in turn exchanges water with the Atlantic Ocean.
· It is important that we understand the process and act to remediate this degradation.
· Because of the desire to protect our scallops, much work has been done with improvements in the waste water treatment system, septic system inspection and upgrades, storm water drain improvements, boating community inspections, in 2008 pumped 19,000 gallons of waste from boats, holding tank tagging, PSP (red tide) and fecal coli monitoring program, pesticide prohibitions, fertilizer management, dewatering regulations, prohibition of road salting, and by pump out facilities on Nantucket and Cape for the Ferry Boats.
· Because of the recent economic crisis the storm water outlets for Children’s Beach and Ottison’s may be delayed.
· The NMC will provide the resources to increase monitoring, understanding of the human and animal impact on our water, and educational activities to improve our water quality.
· The Harbor Master has instituted anchoring regulations that prohibits vessels over 30 feet from anchoring beyond a line from 1st Point to Pimnys Point. This minimizes the impact on eel grass beds and productive shellfish habitat areas produced by anchor chains cutting the eel grass and propellers scouring the bottom.

Education
· Educational opportunities will be provided for all ages.
· Elementary students will be exposed to the marine world through hands-on activities such as seaweed collecting, identification, drying and mounting.
· Secondary level students will have the opportunity to conduct real research projects, learn shellfish biology, participate in water quality monitoring, and glimpse future career opportunities in science.
· University students will be able to earn college credits and work alongside professional research scientists.
· Graduate level students will conduct their own research projects at the laboratory or in the field..
· NMC will provide tours and educational programs for the public. An informed and educated public will support NMC activities and programs designed to improve our water quality, shellfish resources and marine habitat.

ORGANIZATION

The Nantucket Marine Collaborative will function as a 501-C-3 tax exempt corporation under Massachusetts Law. The Board of Directors will elect a President, Treasurer, and Clerk and be responsible for the general oversight of the Organization. The Board of Directors will appoint a General Manager who will oversee the NMC programs and activities. An Advisory Board for the hatchery, research, and education programs will be established.

NMC PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

Shellfish Hatchery
· The shellfish hatchery will be capable of producing multiple species and quantities of shellfish as required by program objectives.

It is estimated that a bushel of scallops contains 400 animals. A season of 15,000 bushels would require 6 million mature animals. A bushel of scallops yields between 7 and 8 pounds of meat. Recently the wholesale price of scallops has varied from $9 to $13 per pound. 15,000 bushels x 7 pounds x $11 per pound = $1,155,000. The trickle down effect for the scallop fishery has been estimated by UMass to be between 7 and 10 times. A 15,000 bushel year creates between $8M and $11M into the Nantucket economy.

The recreational scallopers are both local Nantucketers and seasonal visitors. In 1,800 recreational scallopers fish in the October shoulder season, keep their houses open, bring their friends to the Island, buy scallop equipment, and have a Nantucket experience.

· A shellfish hatchery consists of:
§ Seawater supply and treatment system
§ Compressed air supply system
§ Phytoplankton and larvae culture system
§ Brood stock “conditioning” system
§ Setting system where larval shellfish (spat) metamorphose into juvenile shellfish
§ A nursery system
§ Prep room for washing/sterilizing glassware and other hatchery equipment

· The operation of a hatchery requires:
§ Exceptional attention to cleanliness
§ Highly technical knowledge
§ Ability to control water temperature
§ Excellent water quality
§ Controlled surrounding environment

Wet Lab
· Wet lab will include running and recirculation of seawater systems with temperature and water quality control.
· Shellfish and phytoplankton culture systems
· Flexibility to accommodate various research objectives
· Allows researchers to conduct experiments relative to Nantucket ecosystem including:
§ Shellfish growth and mortality studies
§ Water quality/environmental impacts on shellfish
§ Phytoplankton research
§ Eelgrass research
§ Testing theories on water quality remediation
§ Testing theories on shellfish population enhancement
§ Basic marine science research

Dry Lab
· Dry lab functions as a counterpart of the wet lab and consists of:
§ Grade counters
§ Compound and dissecting microscopes
Allows inspection of shellfish, phytoplankton, and other organisms from wet lab or collected from the wild.
§ Sinks
§ Water analysis equipment
Allows increased water quality monitoring programs both in frequency and detail
§ Organism dissection equipment
§ Marine Science equipment
§ Basic research facilities
Provides space for on- and off-Island scientists and students

Classroom
· Classroom space will function as a group meeting room for student classes, public presentations, and small research meetings
· Classroom space will include:
§ Projection equipment
§ Small library
§ Informational brochures for the public
§ Video conferencing capability
· The exact size and functionality of the classroom space will be finalized during the design process

Public
· The facility will consider public access and tours.
· It is important to provide the public with the ability to view an operating shellfish hatchery and research facility.
· There will be a space dedicated to public education with information on the facility, its programs and Nantucket’s waters and marine resources.
· The exact size and functionality of the Public Space will be finalized during the design process

Administrative Offices
· The 3rd floor of the building will be renovated to provide office space for staff, researchers and academics.
· If possible, dormers will be installed to increase the usable space and to provide ambient light.

ACTION ITEMS

1. Establish Nantucket Marine Collaborative Organization
a non-profit organization charged with the task of building and operating the NMC. The Town needs a long term lease for the Boathouse from the U.S. Coast Guard in order to secure the necessary financial support.
2. Obtain a long-term lease from BOS for the building
· The current lease for the land upon which the building sits ends in 2013. Federal Legislation is required to renew the lease.
· Legislation has been submitted to the U.S. Congress under the U.S. Coast Guard appropriation bill
· The success of the NMC project depends on that lease renewal.
3. Initiate Fund Raising Activities
· Support current activities
· Estimated NMC Capital Expenditures (January 2006) $1,948,000. escalated by 20% for today is $2.4 million
· Estimated annual NMC Operating Expenses (January 2006) $484,600 per year. Escalated by 10% for 2008 is $550,000 per year. This would require an endowment of approximately $11 Million.
4. Obtain Permits
a. Building Permit
· A Town Building permit id required to renovate the existing building
b. Town Aquaculture License
· A Town aquaculture license is required for operation of the hatchery, nursery systems and grow out operations
· License application is made to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) after consultation with the Marine Superintendent to designate the grow out area.
c. State Aquaculture Permit
· A Massachusetts Aquaculture Permit is required to operate the hatchery, grow shellfish seed, to sell shellfish seed, or market product.
d. National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES)
· The NPDES permit is issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency through the MA DEP.
· Currently for NPDES permits are required for shellfish hatcheries in Massachusetts
· The MA DEP permit is fairly rigorous.
e. Army Corps of Engineers
· A general category aquaculture permit in required from the Army Corps of Engineers for grow out activities
5. Design
a. Building Permit for Hatchery
· The current building is 30 ft. X 58 ft. (1740 sq. ft) and has a small addition 8 ft. X 15 ft. containing a bathroom and workroom.
· There is potentially 3,500 sq. ft. total usable space on first two floors.
· An additional 600 to 800 sq. ft. may be available on third floor.

b. Renovation of Building
· General
· Construction will require major renovation
· Entire building requires insulation, rewiring, plumbing, interior walls and appropriate flooring.
· HVAC requirements are extensive for shellfish hatchery. Individual temperature control is required for each room
· Handicap Access may be required
· 1st Floor
· 1st floor ramp will have to be altered
· Wet Labs, Larvae Set Tanks, Nursery, Blood Stock Conditioning (what’s this?), HVAC system, Saltwater Treatment System, Classroom/Public space and work space will be located on 1st floor. Each activity requires separate spaces with particular construction requirements
· 2nd Floor
· Removal and rebuilding of 2nd floor is required to meet height restriction
· Dry Labs, Phytoplankton Culture, Larvae Culture, and Hatchery Prep Room will be located on 2nd Floor. Each activity requires separate spaces with particular construction requirements
· 3rd Floor
· Dormers should be installed on third floor similar to comparable Coast Guard boathouses.

6. Hatchery and Infrastructure Construction

7. Initial Hatchery Production

8. Wet and Dry Lab Construction

9. Full Research & Educational Activities

10. Full Scale Hatchery Production

11. Shellfish Rearing and Seeding of Public Beds