October 23, 2014 — The Town of Dartmouth was recently able to procure 40,000 seed quahogs from a private aquaculture venture in Dennis, and used the windfall opportunity to help jump-start the effort to replenish the shellfish beds in several sites in Apponagansett Bay.
Early season storm-related damages left viable shellfish seed in short supply this year, but a last-minute cancellation from another municipality presented this unexpected opportunity to buy 60 pounds of quahog seed, said Dartmouth Harbormaster Steve Melo, who doubles as the town's shellfish warden.
The harbormaster said he was able to obtain the necessary propagation license from the State Division of Marine Fisheries in an expedited manner, and immediately planted the seed stock into Apponagansett Bay with the help of Assistant Harbormaster Steven Camara.
The seed was broadcast into a mix of sandy bottom areas in "both the inner and outer harbor area," Melo said, where it will be available for future harvest by recreational and commercial license holders, either by hand-digging or by boat access, once the seed stock matures.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times