Tisbury Waterways, Inc. has announced its 2020 contributions towards improving the environmental health of Island waterways.

The non-profit awarded $3,000 to the Tisbury Shellfish Department in order to continue enhanced monitoring of activities on Lake Tashmoo. The funds enable an additional staff person to check in with boaters and shellfishers to inform them about the regulations of the town of Tisbury, according to the announcement. 

An additional $3,000 was awarded to the Martha's Vineyard Commission to enable water resource planner Sheri Caseau to hire an intern to assist with including water sampling and other water quality activities. 

Earlier donations went to the MV Shellfish group, to support shellfish propagation and research efforts and to the Tisbury School seventh-grade Water Studies program, whch is currently on hold due to coronavirus restrictions. The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Science Fair used a $500 donation to support the James Porter Awards, honoring a Tisbury Waterways founder who designed catchment basins in Tisbury to improve the health of the town's harbor and ponds.

The 2020 Tisbury Waterways, Inc. Environmental Studies Scholarship was awarded to Islander Mackenzie Luce, who plans further study at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.