Oyster harvesting will shift from Sengekontacket Pond to Edgartown Great Pond, and parts of Cape Pogue could reopen for commercial and family bay scalloping after approvals voted by the Edgartown selectmen Monday.
On the recommendation of the town shellfish committee, selectmen voted to close Sengekontacket to commercial oyster fishing at sundown on Friday, March 4. Shellfish constable Paul Bagnall said about half of the oysters produced through a pilot project over the past two years have been harvested.
Meanwhile, the selectmen voted to open the Edgartown Great Pond to commercial oyster fishing on March 7 at sunrise. The commercial limit is two 10-gallon baskets per day, and no dragging is allowed in the pond. The season will run through April 29. Family oystering is allowed in all ponds.
As for Cape Pogue, Mr. Bagnall said surveys showed a limited number of adult bay scallops in the water, on the western side of the pond in the areas of Shear Pen Pond, Simon Point and Whistler Point. Those areas will open, while the Cape Pogue Gut will remain closed to scalloping. Selectmen approved the proposal, pending agreement from the shellfish committee, which meets later this week.
Cape Pogue was closed to scalloping in early January because of an abundance of seed scallops too small to harvest.
“We’re looking really good for next year,” Mr. Bagnall said following the meeting. “But don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
Also Monday meeting, selectmen approved a new procurement policy for disposal of surplus supplies with a value of less than $10,000. Under the new guidelines, property valued at less than $500 can be sold by the department head without approval from the procurement officer. The town anticipates surplus property may be generated by the move from the town library, which is scheduled to close March 4 for a move to the new library near the Edgartown School.
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