East Coast Shellfish Growers Association - Starting Up

After several years of informal discussions there is a serious effort to start up a new organization to represent the interests of shellfish growers on the East Coast. Following an organizational meeting in Mystic, this spring, an internet discussion group of about 60 people has been batting around ideas on how to structure the new organization. Loosely patterned after the west coast PCSGA, the ECSGA will advocate for issues that impact shellfish growers on a national and regional level. Activities will include lobbying for favorable legislation, helping local growers deal with local siting and use conflict issues, public education, marketing assistance and directing research efforts.

The group has been working out structural issues such as deciding who should vote, what the dues should be and defining a mission statement, by laws and all the other elements needed to incorporate as a non-profit trade association. If you would like to participate see the related story on e-mail discussion lists below.

The ECSGA hopes to incorporate soon and we will have our first official meeting at the International Conference of Shellfish Restoration in Charlestown, SC in November. (see Upcoming Meetings). We should have a web site up and running in the near future to explain more about our goals and activities. We hope to be able to raise enough funds to hire an executive director to lobby for our needs and disseminate relevant information and aid marketing through a web site and a monthly newsletter.