Kelp farming has the potential to become a cottage industry on Martha’s Vineyard, a winter experiment has concluded.

Regular removal of phragmites is an effective and efficient way to improve the health of coastal ponds, a study has found.

Rep. Dylan Fernandes and Sen. Julian Cyr visited the Island late last week to dole out funds for two key Island programs.

Popular lore has it that oysters are an aphrodisiac. This will be put to the test, literally, on Saturday at the Harbor View Hotel as part of the annual Romancing the Oyster event.

The hatchery on Lagoon Pond that has spawned a valuable shellfish industry on the Vineyard will be renamed the Richard C. Karney Solar Hatchery.

On Saturday, the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group is throwing their annual benefit party at the Chilmark Community Center.

In January after over 40 years with the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, I will be stepping down as its director.

Rick Karney, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, announced that he will shift to part-time status beginning Jan. 1.

The Vineyard Gazette will donate $9,000 to the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, the result of a successful subscription promotion drive that called attention to the plight of the Island’s coastal ponds.

The Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group on Friday accepted a $135,693 federal grant that will allow it to continue studying the invasive wetland grass phragmites, which it believes could play a role in reducing the amount of nitrogen in coastal ponds.