The Tiverton Aquaculture Issue
Original Article published in Patch.com by David Rose on July 6
The Tiverton Harbor Commission and The Aquaculture Issue
The current batch of proposals for perpetual fixed location aquaculture along the Sapowet/Seapowet coast (it can be spelled two ways) appear to have serious flaws in their presentations. I believe neither should have been approved by the Tiverton Harbor Commission. Both are now at RI Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) for final approval.
I am writing as a farmer and third generation landowner of property located directly behind the site of a proposed bay floor lease - CRMC 2021-02-054. The bulk of this letter addresses same.
The applicants are Bradly Boehringer and Travis Lundgren of South Kingstown, RI. (Sapowet North).
With an apparent misunderstanding for riparian rights, this proposal consists of (2) 900' long rows of both floating and bottom "cages" to grow shellfish, and blocks seaward access along the frontage of several properties.
Approx. 1/2 mile south, a second contentious proposal steaming toward final CRMC approval was introduced by John and Patrick Bowen, brothers from Little Compton RI. It is CRMC 2020-04-037 (Sapowet South). This second proposal is raising similar concerns for other Tiverton residents.
While both proposals are troublesome, and both appear to share the same lack of effective public notice, today I will address the northern 2021-02-054 application of Boehringer / Lundgren:
All aquaculture proposals start at the office of CRMC Aquaculture Coordinator. There, the application gets reviewed, the applicants get feedback and can adjust the plans to satisfy the aquaculture coordinator's concerns. It's as if the state provides free consulting for the business owner's application package.
Once deemed as complete, all applications for Tiverton go to public presentation at the Tiverton Harbor Commission (THC) for public input and THC member review.
If approved by THC, the proposal returns to CRMC for public comment and a vote by the CRMC.
If approved by RI CRMC, the public process ends, the lease is issued, and may be renewed infinitely without further public input.
During THC meeting(s) the applicants made false or misleading statements to the Harbor Commission members, who may have taken them at face values.
Imagine if building officials did this when your neighbors applied for a permit!
This may be construed as:
A pro aquaculture RI CRMC promoting the PERPETUAL LEASE of public trust land, then also serving as the body who votes to approve the lease.
Dubious and ineffective notice to area stakeholders, who are also Rhode Island Residents, and due equal representation by RI CRMC.
Add to this mix that the applicants seem to feel that doing actual research and due diligence as to who and what may be affected is too much trouble.
To my eye, it's a mess and a miscarriage of the intended democratic process.
Here's some of what happened when the THC heard from applicants Brad & Travis (CRMC 2021-02-054):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8m7R09LRe0
12/07/2020 Tiv Harbor Commission Meeting
10:35 Brad extols his choice of site
10:44 Brad says "the beach right there is not a place that anyone can walk onto or access because its a shoreline that I think is protected for the birds"
Its actually private property.
10:55 Brad :"there's no properties directly in front of the lease.
Same private property.
11:05 Brad: "there's a farm there and then there's Audubon Land to the south of our lease application" . (RI Audubon does own land at "Jack's Island" about 1/3 mile NORTH of the proposed lease.)
Same Private Property (farm) and RI DEM Sapowet Mgt Area (aka" Seapowet Beach")
13:40 Travis : "very little user conflict …"
Not true: They visited the site in October 2020. See 48:05. When the recreational boating season was over and boats were back in storage at this time of year. The area is quite popular with kayakers, power and sail boaters, kite surfers, etc, during the summer.
15:00 (prob) Harbor Master (off screen) seems confused about the actual location.
16:30 (prob) Harbor Master (off screen) asks if the installation will block off access the "the Audubon area there?"
22:10 Question raised because the coordinates and map provided by applicants are in conflict.
The CRMC Aquaculture Coordinator then provided a newer version of the map.
29:08 Confusion over proposed location seems to arise with references to "Sapowet Cove " and "Jack's Island" as one and the same location.
The cove is south of the proposed lease. Jacks Island is north of the proposed lease site!
48:05 Travis talks about going out in October 2020 to review the proposed lease site.
Beach and boating season is over - of course it looks quiet - like a ski area in July!
49:52 The harbor master raises concerns about the installation being a hazard to navigation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vby3Q8P39rk
Tiverton Harbor Commission Meeting 3/1/21
2:10 THC member refers to the location of the proposed installation as "A little bit west of Jacks Island"
Jacks Island is 1/3 mile north of the proposed lease site!
37:05 Brad says his proposed installation is a hazard to boaters.
39:27 CRMC's Aquaculture Coordinator explains his perception of land use patters and how in his view this area is compatible for aquaculture.
Based on a google earth picture.
50:24 harbor master (?) reports problems with existing lease held by Carl Berg: gear on shore by jetty; Berg not available b/c he is working as a commercial fisherman.
This appears to be a common problem: industrial shellfish gear breaking free and littering the shore.
I'm confident that the Tiverton Harbor Commissioners are genuinely concerned about fate the the Tiverton shoreline. I urge you to urge them to RECALL THESE PROPOSALS FOR A PUBLIC PRESENTATION, AND VOTE ON SAME BASED ON ACTUAL FACTS AND ACTUAL PUBLIC INPUT!
Please urge the Tiverton Harbor Commission to correct these deficiencies, and make the process transparent and public for all future proposals!
The bay belongs to ALL RHODE ISLANDERS and should not be leased for a few short dollars so a couple of guys can make money for generations to come!!!
Search both applications by file number: http://www.crmcpermitdatabase.org/PADS/CrmcApp/IndexApp
Thanks for reading!
David Rose