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["USE",null,"ELEMENT"]
["X","Farm Name:"]
["X","Farm Address:"]
["X","Phone Number:"]
["X","Responsible for BMP:"]
["X","Date of Latest Revision:"]
["X","Species Grown:"]
["X","Location of Farm"]
["X","Description of Basic Farm Process:"]
["X","CODE OF CONDUCT:","We endorse the ECSGA Code of Conduct for Molluscan Shellfish"]
["X","Shellfish farmers shall:"]
["X","• Conduct aquaculture operations in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, and acquire and maintain all pertinent permits."]
["X","• Make the best effort to produce and handle products of the highest quality and ensure product safety."]
["X","• Make a best effort to communicate early and openly with water based and land based neighbors about all facets of their operation."]
["X","• Work to benefit the local economy by patronizing local businesses and through employment and contributions to the tax base and infrastructure."]
["X","• Site, plan, develop and manage aquaculture operations in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts."]
["X","• Site, plan, develop and manage aquaculture operations in a manner that ensures the economic and social sustainability of the operation."]
["X","• Take all appropriate measures to avoid and contain disease outbreaks and report them quickly to the proper authorities if suspected."]
["X","• Dispose of culturing waste  in a manner that does not constitute a hazard to human health or to the environment."]
["X","• Consult and collaborate with government authorities, researchers, other producers and stakeholders for the development and implementation of regulations, technologies and standards to achieve environmentally, economically and socially sustainable shellfish culture when feasible."]
["X","• Encourage other growers to adopt the shellfish code of conduct and better management practices."]
[]
["X","BMP ELEMENTS"]
["X","PERMITS AND TITLES HELD"]
["X","We have all of the permits required by the state to operate a shellfish farm and to sell our product in-state and out-of-state."]
[null,"• Our farm site is leased from the state and we pay an annual fee to maintain this lease."]
[null,"• We have an aquaculture permit issued by the state."]
[null,"• We are a licensed shellfish dealer that allows us to sell our product in interstate commerce."]
[]
["X","THE FARM SITE"]
["X","It is important to have a farm site that will support good shellfish survival and growth, and at the same time avoid unnecessary conflicts with navigation, traditional fishing and protected habitats and species.  It is a state requirement to mark the farm site, and these markers also serve to keep recreational and commercial boat traffic away form the site to avoid damage to the boats and to the growing shellfish.  Site marking also serve to minimize inadvertent or intentional poaching.  A good farm site also need to be protected from future changes that could make the farm site unusable or less valuable, especially upland or upstream development that could negatively impact water quality or reduce access to the sites."]
["X","FARM SITING"]
[null,"- Our farm site and plan was reviewed in a public scoping session held in 1998."]
[null,"- Our farm site was chosen for characteristics necessary for good shellfish growth."]
[null,"- Our farm site is in a state-approved aquaculture zone."]
[null,"- Our farm site was chosen  to avoid sensitive habitats."]
[null,"- Our farm site chosen to avoid  submerged aquatic vegetation. "]
[null,"- Our farm site chosen to avoid interactions with protected species."]
[null,"- Our farm site was chosen to stay clear of navigation channels and areas traditionally used for fishing or recreational boating."]
["X","SITE MARKING"]
[null,"- Farm boundaries are marked according to state regulations."]
[null,"- Site marking is not required."]
[null,"- GPS is used to ensure that farm operations occur in the permitted location."]
[null,"- Damaged or missing boundary markers are replaced as soon as possible."]
[null,"- Marker buoy colors were chosen to be as unobtrusive as possible."]
[null,"- Marker buoys are bright colored to be more visible to recreational boaters."]
["X","SITE SECURITY"]
[null,"- We participate in programs to educate the public and other fishermen about the farm."]
[null,"- Farm personnel are instructed to take a firm but friendly approach with those suspected of doing harm."]
[null,"- Farm personnel notify marine police if illegal activity is suspected"]
[null,"- We will assist in the prosecution of known offenders."]
["X","ACCESS TO SITES"]
[null,"- Access to the farm site is by boat."]
[null,"- Farm personnel are instructed to avoid routes to farm sites that might damage submerged aquatic vegetation."]
[null,"- Farm personnel are instructed to avoid passing close to bird nesting areas."]
[null,"- Access to the farm site is by farm vehicle."]
[null,"- Farm personnel are instructed to use only public rights of way."]
["X","POTENTIAL CHANGES TO SITES AND SITE ACCESS"]
[null,"- We monitor and evaluate the potential effects of proposed development projects that might interfere with farm operations."]
[null,"- We participate in public hearings for projects that will negatively affect farm operations."]
[null,"- We look for opportunities, and when possible make presentations at public events in order to educate stakeholders about shellfish farming and its benefits."]
[null,"- We take the time to talk to the owners of homes adjacent to the farm site in order to keep relations friendly."]
[]
["X","GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY"]
["X","We recognize that even though we took care to properly site our farm that there are still some cases where we need to take extra care to be good neighbors.  The following are some of the things we do to be good neighbors."]
["X","NOISE"]
[null,"- We operate boats and machinery to minimize noise."]
[null,"- We seek to minimize noise from the farm when it might bother neighbors."]
["X","ODORS"]
[null,"- We are aware of potential odors coming from the gear we remove from the water."]
[null,"- We clean gear before storage to minimize foul odors."]
[null,"- We dispose of material we clean off our gear efficiently to minimize offensive odors."]
[null,"- We store gear at an industrial site to keep potential odors away from populated areas."]
["X","RECREATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL BOATING"]
[null,"- Our submerged farm gear has a minimum of 4 feet of water over it so that recreational boats can freely pass over the area."]
[null,"- Our submerged farm gear is exposed at low tide, and the farm area is clearly marked with buoys to keep recreational boats away from the area."]
[null,"- Farm gear is regularly inspected for damage caused by boats"]
["X","UPLAND GEAR STORAGE AREAS"]
[null,"- Our gear storage area chosen to be as unobtrusive as possible."]
[null,"- Gear is usually cleaned before it is brought to storage area."]
[null,"- A safety fence has been installed to prevent children from entering and injuring themselves."]
[null,"- Gear is stored in a neat and orderly fashion."]
[]
["X","SEED SOURCING"]
["X","One of the most important aspects of good management on the farm is the selection of seed and its source.  Good seed will grow faster and stay healthier.  And choosing seed from reputable hatcheries lessens the possibility of introducing diseases and unwanted organisms into our environment.  For these reasons we:"]
[null,"- We use only native species on the farm."]
[null,"- We purchase seed from reputable hatcheries."]
[null,"- We purchase seed from out-of-state hatcheries that are approved by state officials."]
[null,"- We have all seed from out-of-state hatcheries certified to be disease free by a competent testing laboratory."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: ON-SHORE NURSERIES"]
["X","We use an on-shore nursery to grow seed to a planting size."]
[null,"• We have installed a security fence around our on-shore facilities."]
[null,"• We have a discharge permit for our on-shore nursery."]
[null,"• Gear is washed in an area that drains into the municipal sewage system."]
[null,"• Employees are trained to use minimal amounts of detergent and bleach to avoid contaminating receiving waters."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: IN-WATER NURSERIES"]
["X","We operate an in-water nursery to grow seed to a planting size."]
[null,"• Our floating nursery that is located under a dock which we own."]
[null,"• Our floating nursery under a dock which we rent."]
[null,"• Our floating nursery is located on a site which we lease for this purpose."]
[null,"• Our floating nursery is located under a public dock for which we have permission."]
[null,"• We take care to service our floating nursery to have minimum impact on other users of the dock."]
[null,"• We clean our floating nursery frequently to minimize the amount of material entering the water."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: FOULING CONTROL"]
["X","One of the most difficult tasks on our farm is keeping the gear and the shellfish free of fouling organisms.  The task is similar to that land farmers face with weed control.  And as with land farming, if we allow the fouling organisms to get out of control they will choke our crop and reduce yields."]
[null,"• We clean our in-the-water gear frequently to minimize the amount of material entering the water."]
[null,"• When fouling is heavy we remove gear from the water and clean it at our on-land facility."]
[null,"• Fouling material from our on-land facility is brought to the municipal land-fill daily."]
[null,"• Fouling material from our land-based facility is disposed of properly to avoid odors."]
[null,"• All of our in-the-water gear cleaning is done by hand or with a power washer."]
[null,"• When fouling is heavy we use brine (saturated salt) dips to control it."]
[null,"• When fouling is heavy we use air-drying to control it."]
[null,"• When fouling is heavy we use fresh water dips to control it."]
[null,"• We never use chemicals that could harm the environment at our farm site."]
[null,"• Some of our farm gear is coated with an anti-fouling compound approved for use in the marine environment."]
[]
[null,"OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: PREDATOR CONTROL"]
["X","There are a number of predators that prey on shellfish and in some cases can occur in significant numbers and cause a lot of damage to the crop.  It is important for us to recognize predators that can cause harm, and either keep them away from our crop through exclusion or directly eliminate them by other means."]
[null,"• The cages we use keep most predators away from our crop."]
[null,"• When predators are found in the cages we remove and release them."]
[null,"• When predators are found in the cages we remove them; minor species are killed and important species are released."]
[null,"• We use predator netting over our clam crop."]
[null,"• We use predator netting over our clam crop for the first year when they are vulnerable to predation."]
[null,"• We frequently inspect our clam plots and remove predators by hand."]
[null,"• We avoid any harrassment of protected species."]
[null,"• We work with NOAA and state officials to find methods to deter predation by protected species."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: SILTATION"]
["X","Silt or mud can build up on our farm site.  Although a small amount of silt doesn't require any maintenance on our part, larger amounts have to be removed to prevent the shellfish from suffocating, and our harvest methods can also re-suspend silt."]
[null,"• We harvest our shellfish at slack tide to minimize silt transport away from the farm site."]
[null,"• We are aware that some farm activities stir up silt and use methods to minimize the impacts from this."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: GEAR MAINTENANCE, DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING"]
["X","The gear we use to grow our shellfish represents a significant investment, and we do everything we can to make sure it stays in place and doesn't become a hazard or nuisance to others.  We are also committed to recycling as much material as possible when it is no longer usable."]
[null,"• We use robust anchoring systems for our gear to avoid loss in severe weather events."]
[null,"• We instruct employees to pick up loose gear as soon as possible."]
[null,"• We instruct employees to discard nothing into the bay where our farm is located."]
[null,"• We recycle much of our plastic material."]
[null,"• We cooperate with adjacent farms to pool recyclable materials."]
[null,"• We keep gear at our on-land site in a neat and orderly fashion."]
[null,"• We participate in community beach clean-up days."]
[null,"• We organize and lead a community beach clean-up each year."]
[null,"• We organize and pay the expenses of a boy scout and girl scout annual beach clean-up."]
[null,"• We participate in local “Earth Day” events."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: FUEL HANDLING AND FUEL SPILL CONTINGENCIES"]
["X","We know that considerable environmental damage can come from gasoline or oil spills. In our case some of the equipment we use in the field runs on gasoline.  It is important to us and to the environment to take precautions with fuels."]
[null,"• Farm employees are instructed in proper fuel and oil handling procedures to minimize possible spills."]
[null,"• Farm equipment is well-maintained to minimize fuel and oil leaks."]
[null,"• Farm boats and vehicles carry absorbent materials that can be used to clean up small fuel spills."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: HANDLING AND REPORTING DISEASE"]
["X","The shellfish we grow are susceptible to a couple of diseases caused by microscopic organisms.  These diseases do not effect the quality of our product nor do they pose any problems for people who consume them.  Keeping disease to a minimum on our farm is important and it is important for us to communicate farm diseases to other growers and to state authorities so that disease outbreaks can be contained as well as possible.  In order to control diseases on the farm:"]
[null,"• We use disease-resistant stocks to minimize disease effects."]
[null,"• We monitor our crops and if disease is suspected we will take samples and send them to a competent laboratory for analysis."]
[null,"• We will communicate confirmed disease events to appropriate authorities and neighboring growers."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES: PROTECTED SPECIES AND HABITATS"]
["X","Protecting vulnerable species and sensitive habitats is important to us and to the community."]
[null,"• The following species may occur in the area of my farm and I will work to minimize interactions with them and avoid doing harm to them:  Species 1; Species 2; Species 3; etc."]
[null,"• Eel grass is the major SAV in the farm area. I have made a map of the patches of SAV closest to the farm and will update this map on an annual basis."]
[null,"• If SAV appears on the farm site we report it's occurrence to the appropriate state agency as soon as it is detected."]
[]
["X","OPERATIONAL/MAINTENANCE ISSUES:  PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH"]
["X","Producing and selling a product that is safe to eat is critical to our business.  The National Shellfish Sanitation Program, working through our state authorities, sets the food safety standards by which we operate."]
[null,"• We comply with all state regulations that safeguard consumers who eat our products."]
[null,"• When we see or suspect sewage leaks we report them to state authorities."]
[null,"• When we see what may be a red tide, we report it immediately to state authorities."]
[null,"• Our company is a member of the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference, part of the National Shellfish Sanitation Program."]
[null,"• We get our shellfish under refrigeration immediately after harvest. "]
[]
["X","RECORD KEEPING - MONITORING THE CROP AND THE ENVIRONMENT"]
["X","As in any business, maintaining good records is a key part of good management.  Having good records of the environment and good data for our crops allows us to become more efficient."]
[null,"• We maintain detailed records of the physical environment."]
[null,"• We monitor our crops through careful observations of their condition, and by taking measurements and counts of the stock."]
[]
["X","RECORD KEEPING - KEEPING THIS BMP DOCUMENT CURRENT"]
["X","This Code and BMP document is a large part of our operations manual for our farm.  Keeping it current is important to our business."]
[null,"• We review and change our Best Management Plan to account for changes in farming practices."]
[null,"• We are members of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association and become aware of changes in regulations and farming practices through their communications."]
[]
["X","IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS AND CONTACTS"]

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