Southold to expand farm advisory committee to include aquaculture

Southold will merge its inactive shellfish advisory committee into its agricultural advisory committee in the wake of Suffolk County passing the “working waterfront” bill.

The committee advises the Town Board and other boards on matters related to the agricultural industry to promote the continued viability of farming as a local economic engine. It was created in June 2002 and meets about once a month. 

The town’s shellfish advisory committee hasn’t been active for several years, Supervisor Al Krupski told The Suffolk Times, “so the idea was to merge the two together so that aquaculture was under the agricultural advisory.” The committee went to the wayside as wild shellfish harvesters decreased and the town worked on water quality to work increase shellfishing opportunities.

Membership on the committee would increase from nine to 11 members. The committee would include up to seven land-based Southold agricultural farm operators or owners, up to two members with “substantial and proven experience in the agricultural, aquacultural or maricultural industries”, and up to two members who are “otherwise qualified” to represent the interests of those industries.

“I think their voice should be heard and should be recognized as aquaculture production,” Mr. Krupski said. 

All members are appointed by the Town Board and serve three-year terms without compensation.

The changes to Southold’s Chapter 71 code would add recognition of the importance of “aquaculture and mariculture operations” and its connection to the local “marine culture” to the committee’s outlined purpose. 

The revisions would also authorize the committee to make recommendations to Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and other relevant board and committee decisions affecting aquacultural industries. Those recommendations would relate to any changes in town policies and rules as they relate to the economic viability of agricultural, aquaculture, and mariculture operations and industries in Southold.

The committee would also review local, county, state and federal legislation affecting the aquaculture and mariculture industries, and report their effect to the Town Board. It already does so for the agricultural community at large.

The “working waterfront” bill, signed by County Executive Ed Romaine in Greenport last September, established conservation easements to preserve commercial maritime properties — including aquaculture operations — from development pressures. The legislation protects industries including shellfish farming, commercial fishing, marine repair and recreational boating.

A public hearing regarding the proposed committee changes will be held at Southold Town Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 6 p.m. The Town Board could choose to vote on the changes following the public hearing.