<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><b class=""><font size="4" class="">Notice of Public Comment Period and Virtual Public Meeting</font></b></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><font size="4" class=""><b class="">Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative – Review of DRAFT MSI Strategic Plan</b></font></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">At the request of the Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative (MSI) Task Force, the MSI Strategic Plan working group has developed a draft MSI Strategic Plan for public comment. The draft plan is the product of an iterative and collaborative process initiated with the goal of enhancing the economic, environmental, and social benefits of shellfish resources to the Commonwealth of </span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Massachusetts and its residents. Recommended actions included in the draft Strategic Plan were developed to address the growing and competing demands and management challenges associated with the Commonwealth's shellfish resources, and were derived from information included in the</span><a href="http://www.massshellfishinitiative.org/documents.html" class=""><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px; color: rgb(17, 85, 205);">MSI Scoping and Assessment Reports</span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">.</span></a></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">The MSI Task Force encourages the public to review the draft Strategic Plan and to submit comments related to the proposed recommended actions and/or comments related to additional actions that may support the established MSI goals and objectives. Comments will be reviewed by the MSI Strategic Plan Work Group prior to the submission of a final draft to the </span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">MSI Task Force.</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">The draft Strategic Plan document is available online: <span class="" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; color: rgb(17, 85, 205);"><a href="https://bit.ly/3jGredq" class="">https://bit.ly/3jGredq</a></span></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal;"><b class="">Public Comment Period and Public Meeting Schedule</b></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br class=""></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">T<span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">he MSI Task Force will accept written public comments through 5 p.m. on Friday March 5,</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">2021.</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Please address all written comments to MSI Chairman Daniel McKiernan.</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Written public comment may be submitted one of two ways:</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; color: rgb(17, 85, 205);"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">1) Online, via google form link: </span><a href="https://forms.gle/3FZNCakmfS9Cj1D56" class="">https://forms.gle/3FZNCakmfS9Cj1D56</a></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">2) E-mailed under the subject “Public Comment on MSI Strategic Plan” and sent to</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; color: rgb(17, 85, 205);"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="mailto:MassShellfishInitiative@gmail.com" class="">MassShellfishInitiative@gmail.com</a></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">There is also a virtual public meeting of the strategic plan work group scheduled for Monday </span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">February 22, 2021 at 6 p.m.</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">The public meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. A brief overview of the draft Strategic Plan </span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">will be presented, followed by time for the public to ask questions and make comments on the </span><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">document.</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">To attend the virtual public meeting, please use the link or call in information provided below.</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">On Feb 23rd, a recording of the meeting will be published to the <span class="" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 205);"><a href="http://www.massshellfishinitiative.org" class="">MSI website</a>.</span></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Public Meeting Login Information</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Login Link:</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; color: rgb(17, 85, 205);"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82325439903?pwd=WlN4WWdCNjRiRDhseTdyTXZsVzROUT09" class="">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82325439903?pwd=WlN4WWdCNjRiRDhseTdyTXZsVzROUT09</a></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Call In Number: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 436 2866</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Webinar ID: 823 2543 9903</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">Passcode: 004581</span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">For more information on the Massachusetts Shellfish Initiative visit the <span class="" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 205);">MSI website.</span></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;"><br class=""></span></div><div class="" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="" style="font-size: 14px;">If you have any questions, email <span class="" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 205);"><a href="mailto:MassShellfishInitiative@gmail.com" class="">MassShellfishInitiative@gmail.com</a></span></span></div></div><br class=""></body></html>