East Coast Shellfish Growers Association

Annual Meeting

January 28^th, 2006 at 11:00AM

Roland E Powell Convention Center, Ocean City, MD

President Bob Rheault called the meeting to order at 11:10 AM. Approximately 20 members were present.

The minutes from the 2005 annual meeting were accepted as printed without further discussion. (Leonard/Leggett).

Treasurer Gef Flimlin read and distributed the treasurer’s report and noted a slight error in the written report attributing an actual expenditure of a donation to the National Shellfisheries Association to the National Aquaculture Association. The treasurer’s report was accepted as amended. (Leggett/Bowes) and is attached to these minutes.

Committee Reports There were no committee reports as committee chairs were not present.

Old Business Under Old Business, Bob Rheault summarized the accomplishments of the organization in 2005 and noted issues that we are still working with. Major accomplishments in 2005 included: - the establishment of the Congressional shellfish caucus, now with 6 co-chairs and more than 30 members. - ECSGA activities opposing the ESA petition to list the American oyster that has been recently withdrawn, including organization of a letter-writing campaign, testimony at a House hearing and before the Technical Review Team. - four visits by ECSGA member to D.C. for the annual “Walk on the Hill”, for the ESA hearings, for post-hurricane support for the Gulf industry and the establishment of the shellfish caucus, and for a Pentagon meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers on their incursion into shellfish regulation. - participation in 3 major oyster-tasting events on Block Island, at the Nantucket Wine Festival and at the Milford Oyster Festival.

Some items from the most recent Board meeting were highlighted. The Board established an ECSGA travel policy capping annual travel at $4000. The Board also voted to contribute $2000 to the upcoming Hill event in D.C. The Board also voted to become a co-sponsor for the Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition in Mystic, Connecticut in December 2006.

The new on-line membership services provide by Count-Me-In were discussed. The CMI system is up and running and members were urged to use it to renew their dues online.

New Business The slate of officers nominated by the Board of Directors to serve for two years was presented. All of these officers are finishing their first 2-year terms. The nominated slate was: President – Bob Rheault Vice-President – Tommy Leggett Secretary – Karen Rivara Treasurer – Gef Flimlin Ex-officio Board members – Rick Karney and Leslie Sturmer Dealer/distributor delegate to the Board – Tom Kehoe Equipment supplier delegate to the Board – Brian Bowes

Vacancies in the ECSGA Board for Virginia and Maryland were noted. Shawn Stickler from Virginia and Steve Gordon from Maryland “volunteered” for these positions, and the respective state industry members will be polled to confirm their Board membership.

It was announced that the Board voted to hold the ECSGA next annual meeting in conjunction with the Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition in Mystic, Connecticut in December 2006.

A Virginia member expressed the opinion of some Virginia growers that some public statements by President Rheault seemed to indicate that ECSGA was willing to separate the Chesapeake from the rest of the east coast in dealing with the petition to list the American oyster under the Endangered Species Act. This member indicated that some growers were withholding their 2006 dues over this issue. President Rheault responded by saying that he thought that his statements were misinterpreted and that he fully supported the growers in the Chesapeake area but recognized a problem with the management of the wild oyster fisheries. Executive Director Rhodes explained the broader ECSGA strategy which was to treat all oysters from Canada to Texas as one species and to, therefore, maintain and utilize the resources of our all-coasts alliances, and especially that of the Gulf Oyster Industry Council. A suggestion to have Rheault or Rhodes or both participate in the Virginia growers meeting organized each year by Mike Oesterling will be acted on as a way to further resolution of the issue.

The annual meeting was adjourned at 12:10PM on a motion by Brian Bowes and a second by Shawn Stickler.

The annual meeting was followed by an ECSGA shellfish seminar session organized principally by John Ewart.