SouthEastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center (SEMAC)
Background
The history of the SouthEastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center begins in September of 1995 with the publication of the Massachusetts Aquaculture White Paper.
Among the recommendations of the paper were the following:
No. 4 - Bond monies should be directed to Strategic Plan priorities.
No. 47 - Fund a research and innovation center
No. 58 - Establish regional aquaculture demonstrations centers.
Within the Seaport Bond Bill, which passed in 1996, was language that called for the establishment of an aquaculture economic development initiative to be located in Barnstable County. A series of meetings were held at the then Cape Cod Economic Development Council Office (CCEDC) and at the County complex with the purpose to structure the initiative. Through these meetings, an aquaculture center concept evolved. Interest in other areas of the region resulted in the center's role extending beyond Barnstable County to include Plymouth, Bristol, Nantucket, and Dukes Counties; and in October of 1996 then Lieutenant Governor Paul Celluci and Senator Henri Raushenback announced that $100,000.00 would be available in the upcoming year to develop the center. The County Commissioners appointed the original thirteen (13) board members on February 7th 1997, and the first board meeting was held on February 18, 1997. The majority of the board is comprised of industry representatives, 5 shellfish, 1 finfish, and the President of the Massachusetts Aquaculture Association (MAA) or his designee. It also includes the Director of Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, the Director of the Economic Development Council, 1 education representative, 1 academic/research representative, 1 environmental representative, and 1 municipal shellfish officer. Three of the original members remain on the board to this day. SEMAC functions under the auspices of Barnstable County, and the Board meets at least twice a year. The budget is administered through the offices of Cape Cod Cooperative Extension.
Mission
The mission of SEMAC is to foster the sustainable development of private/public aquaculture endeavors within the southeastern region and throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by way of a coordinated effort including education, research, technical and economic assistance, best management practices and demonstration projects.
Where
While SEMAC is an agency of Barnstable County, the center supports the aquaculture interests in all of southeastern Massachusetts, including Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, and Plymouth Counties; and also works collaboratively with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, the Northeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center at Salem State College, the Western Center for Sustainable Aquaculture at University of Massachusetts Amherst to serve as an unbiased source of information and to promote technological development in support of the aquaculture industry throughout Massachusetts.
Present SEMAC Board Members**:
- William Clark, Co-Chair, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, Barnstable County
- Dr. Judith McDowell (alternate), WHOI Sea Grant Program
- Richard Karney, Co-Chair, Hatchery Director, Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group
- Dave Grunden (alternate)
- Gregg Morris, Shellfish Culturist
- Chuck Lawrence (alternate)
- Joel Fox, Shellfish Culturist
- Ed Baker, Finfish Culturist
- Dr. Wayne Miller (alternate)
- Conrad Caia, Shellfish Officer, Town of Yarmouth
- Steve Raneo (alternate)
- Dan Dray, Economic Development Council, Barnstable County
- Chris Gargiulo, Shellfish Culturist
- Richard Kraus, Hatchery Director, Aquacultural Research Corporation
- Scott Lindell, Marine Biological Laboratory
- Dr. Dale Leavitt (alternate)
- Stephen Wright, Mass. Aquaculture Association, Shellfish Culturist
- Andrew Cummings, Shellfish Culturist
** Education Seat is presently vacant.
Staff
- Heidi Clark, Administrative Coordinator, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
- Diane Murphy, Technical Coordinator, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, Woods Hole Sea Grant Program
- Josh Reitsma, Marine Program Specialist, Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, Woods Hole Sea Grant Program
Budget
The FY 2011 budget provided by the Massachusetts Dept. Of Agricultural Resources is $50,000.00 and is set aside in the following categories:
$15,000.00 - Mini-grant Program
$13,000.00 - Marine Water Quality Monitoring Program
$13,250.00 - Shellfish Research Farm Network
$ 3,000.00 - Disease Monitoring
$ 750.00 - Support for and booth space at the Northeastern Aquaculture Conference & Exposition
$ 5,000.00 - Administration
Click here to download the Winter & Spring issue of the SEMAC Tidings newsletter.
