<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><div style="border-style: solid none none; border-top-width: 1pt; border-top-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); padding: 3pt 0in 0in;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">From:</b> <a href="mailto:marinefisheries@listserv.state.ma.us" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">marinefisheries@listserv.state.ma.us</a> <<a href="mailto:marinefisheries@listserv.state.ma.us" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">marinefisheries@listserv.state.ma.us</a>> <br class=""><b class="">Sent:</b> Monday, August 26, 2019 2:10 PM<br class=""><b class="">To:</b> Marine Fisheries Mailing List <<a href="mailto:marinefisheries@listserv.state.ma.us" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">marinefisheries@listserv.state.ma.us</a>><br class=""><b class="">Subject:</b> Advisory: Public Comment Period & Public Meetings Scheduled to Solicit Preliminary Stakeholder and Public Feedback Regarding the Development of the Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative Strategic Plan<o:p class=""></o:p></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><i class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;" class="">MarineFisheries</span></u></i></b><b class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;" class=""> Advisory<br class=""></span></u></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;" class="">8/26/19<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 21.466665267944336px;" class="">Public Comment Period and Public Meetings Scheduled to Solicit Preliminary Stakeholder and Public Feedback Regarding the Development of the Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative Strategic Plan<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></b></p><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><hr size="2" width="100%" align="center" class=""></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">A comment period and four public meetings to solicit preliminary public and stakeholder feedback to inform The Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative (MSI) Taskforce’s Strategic Plan have been scheduled. <b class="">Anyone interested in participating in the development of a strategic plan focused on protecting public access to, and ensuring the sustainability of, the Commonwealth’s shellfish resources are encouraged to submit written comments and/or attend one of the four scheduled public hearings.<o:p class=""></o:p></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Written comments will be accepted starting August 26, 2019 and until 5pm on October 4, 2019. Public comments will also be accepted verbally at one of the four scheduled public meetings. Comments should directly address shellfish management in the Commonwealth or one or multiple MSI Strategic Plan thematic areas of interest:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="gmail-m-8803152515976751385gmail-m4839895864075479822gmail-m7369138308816847725m2262414278104496135msolistparagraph" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 23.05pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-indent: -23.05pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Building public and stakeholder capacity and support for shellfish.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="gmail-m-8803152515976751385gmail-m4839895864075479822gmail-m7369138308816847725m2262414278104496135msolistparagraph" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 23.05pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-indent: -23.05pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">2.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Management, research, and industry resource development.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="gmail-m-8803152515976751385gmail-m4839895864075479822gmail-m7369138308816847725m2262414278104496135msolistparagraph" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 23.05pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-indent: -23.05pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">3.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Supporting and promoting cultural and historical uses of shellfish.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="gmail-m-8803152515976751385gmail-m4839895864075479822gmail-m7369138308816847725m2262414278104496135msolistparagraph" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 23.05pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-indent: -23.05pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">4.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Supporting and promoting balanced and sustainable economic opportunities around shellfish.</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="gmail-m-8803152515976751385gmail-m4839895864075479822gmail-m7369138308816847725m2262414278104496135msolistparagraph" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 23.05pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-indent: -23.05pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">5.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Fostering communication and coordination between local, state and federal managers and developing improved guidance.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="gmail-m-8803152515976751385gmail-m4839895864075479822gmail-m7369138308816847725m2262414278104496135msolistparagraph" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 23.05pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 5pt; text-indent: -23.05pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">6.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Ensuring ecologically sound management/enhancement of shellfish resources and coastal ecosystems<b class="">.</b><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><u class="">Meeting Details</u></b><o:p class=""></o:p></p><div align="center" class=""><table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody class=""><tr style="height: 68.35pt;" class=""><td width="331" valign="top" style="width: 3.45in; border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 68.35pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">7pm–8:30pm<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">September 12, 2019</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">Massachusetts Maritime Academy<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class="">Admiral’s Hall<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class="">101 Academy Drive Buzzards Bay, MA 02532<o:p class=""></o:p></div></td><td width="301" valign="top" style="width: 225.75pt; border-top-width: 1pt; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-top-color: windowtext; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 68.35pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">7pm–8:30pm<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">September 23, 2019</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">DMF Gloucester Marine Station<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">30 Emerson Ave. Gloucester, MA 01930<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 58pt;" class=""><td width="331" valign="top" style="width: 3.45in; border-right-width: 1pt; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-left-width: 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-right-color: windowtext; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-left-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 58pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">7pm–8:30pm<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">September 18, 2019</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">Chatham Community Center<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="background-color: white;" class="">702 Main Street</span> <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="">Chatham, MA 02633</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div></td><td width="301" valign="top" style="width: 225.75pt; border-style: none solid solid none; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-right-width: 1pt; border-right-color: windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 58pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">7pm–8:30pm<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">September 30, 2019</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">Katharine Cornell Theatre, Tisbury Town Hall</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(33, 33, 33);" class="">51 Spring Street, Tisbury, MA 02568</span><span style="background-color: yellow; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> For more information and to submit written comments please email:<i class=""> </i><a href="mailto:roleary@maritime.edu" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="">roleary@maritime.edu</span></a><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; line-height: 16.866666793823242px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><u class="">Background</u>: The MSI is an initiative developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and shellfish stakeholders from across the State. The MSI is intended to bring state and local shellfish resource managers, commercial and recreational harvesters, aquaculturists, researchers, and the general public together to develop a strategic plan aimed at optimizing the economic, environmental, and social benefits of the Commonwealth’s shellfish resources. MSI is not a regulatory body and cannot change regulation or policies. Partial funding for the MSI has been provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. To learn more about the MSI please visit <a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.massshellfishinitiative.org%2F&data=02%7C01%7Caarcher%40barnstablecounty.org%7Cf84f2e24cb564085171308d72a50b90f%7C84475217b42348dbb766ed4bbbea74f1%7C0%7C1%7C637024398508551695&sdata=kBkgBaHN3qqqi7V5%2FtbUQgZl%2BivqMRWa%2FRPVsTvubSY%3D&reserved=0" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">http://www.massshellfishinitiative.org/</a><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;">. </span><o:p class=""></o:p></p><div class=""><span class="MsoHyperlink" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="">
<div>Stephanie Murphy<br class="">Woods Hole Sea Grant <br class="">Communications Director<br class="">o: 508-289-2271<br class="">c: 508-566-3055<br class="">e: <a href="mailto:samurphy@whoi.edu" class="">samurphy@whoi.edu</a><br class=""><br class=""><a href="http://seagrant.whoi.edu/" class="">http://seagrant.whoi.edu/</a><br class="">https://twitter.com/WoodsHoleSeaGnt<br class="">https://www.facebook.com/woodsholeseagrant/</div>
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