Connecticut Sea Grant and UConn Extension, in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries facilitated the Connecticut Shellfish Initiative. The CSI is a stakeholder-based effort to develop a Vision Plan for the future of Connecticut shellfish and shellfisheries. Beginning in 2014, the team convened citizens, shellfishermen, regulators and scientists to discuss and draft recommendations to grow the state's commercial, recreational and natural shellfish resources and increase public awareness about the importance of those resources.
The draft Vision Plan is available for public comment until July 29, 2016. Comments should be sent to: shellfish@uconn.edu.
Here are some questions you may want to consider.
Connecticut Shellfish Vision Plan
- Part 1. Background and Recommendations [entire document]
- Part 2. Subject Overviews and Appendices [entire document]
- Table of Contents
- Chapter 1. Connecticut’s Shellfish Heritage
- Chapter 2. Ecological Significance
- Chapter 3. Environmental Health
- Chapter 4. Natural Shellfish Habitats [in progress]
- Chapter 5. Recreational Shellfisheries
- Chapter 6. Commercial Shellfisheries
- Chapter 7. Shellfish Health
- Chapter 8. Consumers and Public Health
- Appendix 1. Outreach and Public Engagement
- Appendix 2. Roles of Regulatory Agencies [in progress]
- Appendix 3. Regulations and Key Policies
- Appendix 4. Public Meeting Participants
Timeline/Update
2016
- Shellfish issue of Wrack Lines Magazine (Wrack Lines, June 2016)
- Exhibits at Community Events in Fairfield, Madison, Greenwich, New Haven
- Exhibits at Milford, Norwalk and Mystic Seaport Oyster Festivals
- Revised recommendations (3rd round) to steering committee
- Revised chapter overviews
- Public comment period (Spring)
2015
- Revised recommendations (2nd round) to steering committee
- Revised chapter overviews
- Public comment period
- Public presentations on CSI included:
- Gathering of Connecticut Shellfish Commissions
- Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition
- Connecticut Conference on Natural Resources
- Annual Meeting of the National Shellfisheries Association
- Connecticut Northeast Organic Farming Association
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- Connecticut Department of Agriculture Shellfish Industry Meeting
- Connecticut Farm Bureau Association
- Sector workshops to prioritize recommendations
- Steering Committee Meeting to refine recommendations, start setting action items
- Exhibits at Milford and Norwalk Oyster Festivals
- Shellfish Knowledge Quiz (pilot study with 300 responses)
- Grant proposal funded (National Sea Grant Aquaculture Extension Competition) to cover outreach/extension objectives identified in draft Shellfish Vision Plan outline
- Chapter overviews initiated
- Steering Committee Members Submit comments
- Task Force began review of comments, minor revision
2014
- Thematic Areas for Plan. View List
- Connecticut Shellfish Initiative Conference (Feb 24, 2014)
- Shellfish issue of Wrack Lines Magazine (Wrack Lines, June 2014)
- Steering Committee Meeting to propose first round of recommendations in the outline for the Shellfish Vision Plan
2013
- Public meetings resulted in the identification of nearly 100 issues and opportunities View List
- Committee assembled with individuals from various shellfish interest groups. View Team.
- Produced an overview of the purpose, format, timeline for Connecticut Shellfish Initiative. View PowerPoint.
- A Vision for Connecticut Shellfish (Wrack Lines, Dec 2013)
