Near Chappaquiddick Point lies an unassuming summer house with a big mission. Over the last summer, the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group has converted the two-bedroom home into a shellfish nursery complete with swirling pools of saltwater and millions of baby bay scallops. And although the project is not yet complete, the hatchery has already helped raise millions of tiny shellfish for distribution to the Island’s coastal ponds.
The land nonprofit has been the subject of considerable controversy recently as abutters, recreational beachgoers, and conservation officials dispute the Trustees’ management approach.
The Trustees of Reservations unveiled a new plan to manage its Chappaquiddick beaches Thursday, more than a year after it pulled a previous plan in response to backlash from residents and visitors.
Mike Carotta first cast a line into the Martha’s Vineyard’s surf after his freshman year of college. Fifty years later, he continues to return to the Island for a few weeks every spring. This year he arrived as both a fisherman and an author.
After releasing an initial draft of the plan last June, the Trustees spent the year gathering public feedback on topics such as oversand vehicle access, shorebird protections and pet regulations.
The Edgartown conservation commission conditionally approved The Trustees of Reservations application to sell OSV permits on Trustees property from Wasque to the Jetties.
After inspecting the Dike Bridge bulkhead this past weekend, the town of Edgartown has called for urgent repairs to the eastern, town-facing side of the bulkhead.
