Floating gear a go for now in offshore Provincetown-Truro shellfish grants
Fishermen who already hold grants in the Aquaculture Development Area in Provincetown and Truro may be as happy as clams with a recent decision by a state agency that allows them to use floating aquaculture gear — but those who want a lease and don’t have one are going to have to wait. “While the [state] Division of Marine Fisheries has longstanding concerns about the potential for whale and turtle entanglement in the ADA, we feel there would be public benefits to allow the controlled development of the use of ‘OysterGro’ devices in the water column in a ‘pilot program,’” Paul Diodati, of the DMF, wrote in a letter to Tony Jackett, who serves as Provincetown’s shellfish warden and Truro’s shellfish constable. “Given our concerns about the potential for entanglements of endangered species, DMF staff will work through you to develop safe, reasonable and effective permit conditions for these operations.” [email protected] 10:13
