East Coast Shellfish Growers Association

Annual Meeting

January 19th, 2008 at 2:10PM

Carteret Community College, Atlantic Beach, NC

Call to order

President Bob Rheault called the meeting to order at 2:10 PM.  He noted that he had been informed that North Carolina is not considered to be in the South by those living in Georgia or Florida, so we may have to schedule an annual meeting further south to be truly true to the spirit of the by-laws.

Roll call

It was determined that there were two voting members and the President present.  There were also four non-voting members and several members of the North Carolina Shellfish Growers Association and one PCSGA member present.

Minutes of previous annual meeting

Minutes from 2007 annual meeting in Mystic, Connecticut were not available for discussion.

Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Gef Flimlin read and distributed the treasurer’s report.  We have a balance of $20,719.08.  The treasurer’s report was accepted. (Swartzenberg/Loring) and is attached to these minutes.

Committee Reports

Membership.  The relatively high cost of membership was discussed.  The suggestion was made that the way to get more member is to bug the heck out of people.  Potential members can be identified by each state’s agencies.  We should encourage members to encourage their friends and colleagues to join.  We get more members at high visibility events.  The impact of the ECSGA with congress and with Federal agencies is directly proportional to the number of members we can count.  The balance between the cost of membership dues and membership numbers was also discussed.

Old Business

Bob Rheault summarized the accomplishments of the organization and noted our current list of priority issues. Our membership in NFI has been very beneficial.  Major accomplishments of the association have included: the annual Walk on the Hill with our partner organizations, PCSGA and GOIC; the Congressional shellfish caucus now has co-chairs from all coasts and more than 30 members; two years ago the ECSGA successfully opposed the petition to list the American oyster under the ESA; last year we opposed the proposal by the ACOE to consider oyster shell as “fill,” a pollutant under the clean water act; and we worked to oppose the ruling by the EPA to allow sewage “blending”; in 2007, we established the East Coast Shellfish Research Institute and raised $686,000 from Congress to support our research priorities which include the effects of bottom culture and mechanical harvesting of shellfish, rapid tests for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and analysis of east coast shellfish for heavy metals.  Bob also indicated that the ECSGA has written numerous letters in support of various academic projects from many institutions.  The growers present were encouraged to join ECSGA and let the organization know what issues are important to them.

ECSRI President, John Kraeuter, spoke about the newly formed institute.  The research plan is based on the Pacific Coast Institute’s document. 

New Business

The slate of officers nominated by the Board of Directors to serve for two years was presented.  A move to elect the slate was made by Dick Loring and was seconded by Jim Swartzenberg.  The vote was unanimous.  The elected slate is: 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.  All of these officers are finishing their second 2-year terms and will not be eligible to serve in their current capacity after this term expires.

Gef Flimlin described the schedule for the Best Management Plan workshops as funded by NRAC and the plan to extend the process to Virginia and southward with NOAA funding.  Dick Loring mentioned that he supports the idea of BMPs for shellfish aquaculture and the Massachusetts BMP manual.  Bill Dewey (PCSGA) talked about the importance of implementation of any BMP. 

Adjournment

The annual meeting was adjourned at 2:53 PM on a motion by Jim Swartzenberg and was seconded by and a second by Dick Loring. We then took off trying to beat the snow that was falling in Raleigh.

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Treasurer’s Report