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RI Coastal Resources Management Council

...to preserve, protect, develop, and restore coastal resources for all Rhode Islanders

Regarding CRMC Application #2017-12-086 (Raso)

The CRMC has not approved the application from Mr. Perry Raso for an aquaculture lease in Segar Cove. The Council’s process for aquaculture applications is long and thorough and this application still has a number of federal and state regulatory steps before it before it reaches the CRMC Council in a public hearing.

Once all of the information is gathered, CRMC staff will write a report to synthesize that information and a recommendation will be made to the CRMC Council in the report. Once CRMC staff reports are complete, applications go into the queue for a public hearing. At the public hearing, the council reviews the report, hears testimony from the applicant, objectors, and supporters. The council then votes to either approve, approve with modification, or deny the application. The CRMC is likely a few months from scheduling a public hearing on this application from Mr. Raso, for the reasons stated above.

Aquaculture is one of the most-regulated activities in RI’s coastal waters. The RI Marine Fisheries Council, which serves in advisory role to the CRMC permitting process) is copied on every aquaculture public notice. All aquaculture applications are noticed to the town in which it is proposed (notices go to the town planner’s office – they then share with the waterfront advisory commission, harbormaster and town conservation commission or each town’s equivalent); DEM staff (Div. of Fish &Wildlife, Office of Water Resources, Office of the Director, Office of Law Enforcement); Dept. of Health; USCG, USACE (they share it with NOAA Fisheries or NMFS, EPA, others at DEM); NOAA Fisheries, RISAA, RISA, individual commercial shellfisherman who asked to be on the mailing list; all commercial fishing associations in RI; STB (multiple people); academia who have asked to be on mailing list; individuals who have asked to be on an aquaculture mailing list, as well as aquaculturists; the Ocean State Aquaculture Association; and East Coast Shellfish Growers’ Association.

Once again, Mr. Raso’s application is still pending before the CRMC and the Council has not yet decided on it. The public notice was done according to regulatory requirements.

 

Stedman Government Center
Suite 116, 4808 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879-1900
Voice 401-783-3370 • Fax 401-783-2069 • E-Mail cstaff1@crmc.ri.gov

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