The Edgartown selectmen this week voted to give two commercial fishermen until Friday to pay outstanding citation fees.
Shellfish constable Paul Bagnall said Michael Briggs and David Viera had two unpaid shellfish citations apiece, and the selectmen could suspend their licenses for one week if they decided to hold a public hearing on the matter.
According to documents provided by Mr. Bagnall, Mr. Briggs was cited in January and March of this year, once for being over the commercial bay scallop limit and once for fishing after hours. Mr. Viera was cited in October 2011 for hiding a half bushel of extra scallops in his engine well, and then in January of this year for hiding two extra bushels of scallops. Mr. Bagnall said neither ticket had been contested.
Members of the shellfish committee who came to the selectmen’s meeting said they felt a five-day license suspension was in order.
Mr. Briggs, who was at the meeting, said he wasn’t sure about some of the regulations and would now pay the fine. Mr. Viera was not at the meeting.
Selectmen Arthur Smadbeck and Margaret Serpa voted to give the two until Friday, April 5 to pay the fines, and if they were not paid by then a public hearing would be scheduled. Selectman Michael Donaroma was not at the meeting.
In other business, the selectmen signed a series of paperwork to complete the new Comcast cable contract for the town.
“Signing these represents an enormous amount of work by the town administrator [Pamela Dolby] and on behalf of the town I want to thank you because this is truly above and beyond the call of duty to represent us as well as you have,” Mr. Smadbeck said. “Along with my signature comes my thanks.”
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