Shellfish Commission - Minutes - 03/07/2023

Town of Waterford Shellfish Commission
Regular Meeting Minutes of Tuesday, March 7, 2023
7:00 p.m. – Waterford Town Hall
1. Call to Order
Chairman Lawson called the regular meeting of the Waterford
Shellfish Commission to order at 7:00 p.m. after establishing a
quorum.
2. Pledge of Allegiance
All in attendance stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. Roll Call
Present were Commissioners Lawson, Francolino, Drennen, Jamroga
and Porter. Absent were Commissioners Calkins and Healy.
Commissioners Lawson and Calkins were re-appointed by the Board
of Selectman, both with terms to expire January 5, 2027.
4. Approval of the February 7, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes
Motion made by Commissioner Francolino, seconded by
Commissioner Drennen to approve the February 7, 2023 meeting
minutes as filed and reviewed. Voice vote; 5-0, all in favor, motion
carried.

5. Correspondence
Chairman Lawson stated he will continue to forward all
correspondence to the Commissioners in between meetings to keep
everyone up to date throughout the month and in between
meetings.
Commissioner Drennen reviewed the emails between himself and
the Connecticut Department of Agriculture Bureau of Aquaculture
regarding revisions he proposed to the recreational shell fishing
maps that will better clarify the areas that are open and closed to
recreational shell fishing. He stated he has forwarded all of the
emails to the Commissioners for review. Once the revisions are
made the map will be available to anyone who is purchasing a
permit to harvest shell fish in the recreational shell fishing areas.
6. Treasurer’s Report
Commissioner Francolino reviewed the treasurer’s report generated
by the Finance Department through February, 2023 and dated
March 7, 2023.
Motion made by Commissioner Jamroga, seconded by
Commissioner Porter to approve the Treasurer’s Report as reviewed.
Voice vote, 5-0, all in favor, motion carried.
7. Monthly Monitoring and Sampling Report
Chairman Lawson stated the recreational shell fishing areas are
administratively closed until April 1, 2023 or until satisfactory meat
and water samples are returned. He explained to the Commission
that APC (Adverse Pollution Conditions) sampling is mandated by
the State of Connecticut and Federal agencies even when the
recreational shell fishing areas are administratively closed.

8. New Business
The Commission does not have anything to discuss under New
Business this month.
9. Old Business
a. Discussion regarding Updates to the Shellfish Resource
Management Plan
Chairman Lawson stated he has not received anything further
regarding the update to the Plan but would like to forward the
revised recreational shell fishing map to those working on the Plan
once it is revised by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Aquaculture.
b. Discussion Regarding Re-stock for the 2023 Season
Chairman Lawson stated he has been in contact with suppliers and
although there is still a shortage of certified little neck clams he is
hoping to secure at least thirty bags to start the season. The clams
can be distributed into the waters after the water is consistently
over fifty degrees. He will continue to look for more with the hopes
of restocking the areas several times the 2023 recreational shell
fishing season.
A discussion was held regarding permit sale locations for the 2023
recreational shell fishing season.
c. Discussion regarding progress to the FY 2024 Waterford Shellfish
Commission Proposed Budget
Chairman Lawson stated he has not received notification as to when
the next meeting will be held for the Waterford Shellfish

Commission but when he does he will forward the information and
added that at least one member of the Commission is required to be
in attendance to answer questions the Board of Finance may have in
regards to the proposed budget.
d. Continuation of the Discussion Regarding the CT-DEEP Pre-
application Review Request for a Dock Project Application for 15
Division Street on Jordan Cove.
The Commission members reviewed the proposal and discussed
potential if any impacts the proposal will have to the recreational
shell fishing beds and it was determined that the dock proposal
does not negatively impact any open beds or recreational shell
fishing areas governed by the Waterford Shellfish Commission.
Motion made by Commissioner Francolino, seconded by
Commissioner Drennen to authorize Chairman Lawson to sign off
on the CT-DEEP application review indicating the proposal does not
negatively impact the open beds or recreational shell fishing areas
governed by the Waterford Shellfish Commission and to forward the
signed document to the applicant. Voice vote, 5-0, all in favor,
motion carried.
10. Public Input
No one was present to address the Commission at this meeting.
11. Adjournment
Motion made by Commissioner Francolino, seconded by
Commissioner Jamroga to adjourn the meeting at 7:30 p.m. Voice
vote, 5-0, all in favor, motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted by:

Audrey Ulmer, Recording Secretary for the Town of Waterford
Shellfish Commission