June 24, 2013 — A Plymouth Town Meeting vote to rebuild a deteriorating T-Wharf in historic downtown may also create opportunities for building a local aquaculture industry.
The method of seafood farming can augment local commercial fishing endeavors and brings with it environmental benefits, according to aquaculture supporters, but it has been slow to catch on in the region. Plymouth's vote in April, intended to mitigate overcrowding at another town wharf, could help the town grow aquaculture business by creating more wharf space to deal with shellfish harvests.
"The town sees it as a complement to the fishing industry, something that we'd like to see continue to grow," said David Gould, director of Plymouth's Department of Marine and Environmental Affairs.
Town Meeting approved $1.25 million to rebuild T-Wharf, which is currently closed to vehicles because of its condition. That money would be a local match to a grant Plymouth applied for a year ago with the state Seaport Advisory Council to fund the $4.5 million project.
"It sort of depends on when we hear back from the Commonwealth," Gould said, regarding the timeline for the project, the first phase of which would rebuild T-Wharf and extend the town pier.
Currently, Plymouth has issued six licenses for four-acre aquaculture sites on Commonweatlh tidelands, and a seventh license is in the application process. The Duxbury-based Island Creek Oysters was approved at the June 11 selectmen's meeting to start the permitting process to farm on 10-acres of private tidelands, Gould said.
In addition, he said, there are 50 people on the waiting list for a permit.
Read the full story at the Southcoast Business Bulletin