Back to Weir River Estuary Park Committee Meeting Minutes
January 25, 2011, at Estuary Center, Hull
Present: Dick Avery (Cohasset)--SCRIBE
Faith Burbank (Hingham)
Amy May, Judeth Van Hamm, Scott Plympton (Hull)
Guests: Kurt Bornheim (Hull Harbor Master), Ken Corson (HIngham Harbor Master), Mary Ellen Dever (Hingham Journal)
Absent: Charlie Higginson (Cohasset), Jim Rodgers (Hingham)
1. Meeting began at 7:15 P.M.
2. Introductions were made and a brief history of WREP and the reasons for the night's meeting were explained vis a Resource Management Plan for the ACEC. Amy May agreed to take notes of the discussion as input to the draft of a plan.
3. Concerns and Issues from the viewpoint of Harbor Masters
(a) Neither Hull nor Hingham harbor patrol boats fit under the George
Washington Blvd. bridge; so, patrolling the inner estuary is not possible.
Jet skis can only be accosted when they depart the inner estuary
Likewise the no wake zone regulation is hard to enforce
(b) Problems that the harbor masters deal with include:
Fishing from the GWB Bridge leads to trash and garbage.
Worlds End TTOR rangers are not present at night
Dumping of sanitary waste is hard to monitor as boats depart Hingham Bay
Lost kayakers
(c) Both towns do have resources for mitigation of pollution; e.g. pump out boats
and oil containment booms.
(d) Shellfish -- Commercial harvesting is allowed since use of cleaning facilities
in Ipswich is required and enforceable. Clams aid in cleansing seabeds.
(e) Piers and floats:
No new piers are allowed within the ACEC
Floats up to 400 sq. ft. are allowed but can present a nuisance
(f) Suggestions garnered:
WREP Committee should talk with Bare Cove Park Committee (also ACEC)
Requirement for salt water fishing licenses is an opportunity to educate
Materials are needed that explain what and why behind "no wake", where
to launch, where camping is allowed, how to properly catch and release
fish, etc.
When considering an overland route to the peninsula in Straits Pond, be
mindful of opening up new issues such as camping and teenage drinking
4. Next Meetings:
February 15, 2011 Meet with Hingham Harbor Dev. Com. and Bare Cove Park
March 22, 2011 Meet with CZM -Jason Burtner DCR -Liz Sorenson
April 26, 2011 Meet with Fisheries and Fish and Game
Adjourned by 9:00 P.M.