For the past three years, Great Bay Coast Watch (GBCW) volunteers have provided the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Shellfish Program with significant assistance in performing tasks necessary in managing shellfish resources for human safety. This report describes a continuation of this mutually beneficial partnership

Reid, Ann S.

Wiley, Mark R.

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars'RepositoryPREP Reports & Publications Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space(EOS)12-27-2005NHEP Support for DES Shellfish Program 2005Mark R. WileyUniversity of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, mark.wiley@unh.eduAnn S. ReidNew Hampshire Sea GrantFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/prepPart of the Marine Biology CommonsThis Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS) at University of NewHampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in PREP Reports & Publications by an authorized administrator of University ofNew Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationWiley, Mark R. and Reid, Ann S., "NHEP Support for DES Shellfish Program 2005" (2005). PREP Reports & Publications. 197.https://scholars.unh.edu/prep/197 Great Bay Coast Watch        Support of DES Shellfish Program 2005  A Final Report to the New Hampshire Estuaries Project March 23, 2005 – December 31, 2005  Submitted by Mark Wiley and Ann S. Reid University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and  New Hampshire Sea Grant Durham, NH  03824   By Ann S. Reid, Candace Dolan, and Karen Diamond Photo by Ann S. Reid  December 27, 2005 The National Sea Grant College Program of the US Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration supported this report under NOAA Grant #NA16RG1035. UNHMP-AR-SG-06-04 This report was funded by a grant from the New Hampshire Estuaries Project, as authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to Section 320 of the Clean Water Act. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer. The University of New Hampshire, U.S Department of Agriculture and N.H. counties cooperating. 1 Table of Contents Executive Summary ..............................................................................................2 Introduction ...........................................................................................................2 Project Goals and Objectives................................................................................2 Activities................................................................................................................2 Results and Discussion.........................................................................................4 Conclusions ..........................................................................................................4 Recommendations ................................................................................................4Appendix..............................................................................................................................5  2 Executive Summary For the past three years, Great Bay Coast Watch (GBCW) volunteers have provided the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) Shellfish Program with significant assistance in performing tasks necessary in managing shellfish resources for human safety. This report describes a continuation of this mutually beneficial partnership. Introduction   GBCW was founded in 1990 as part of the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant citizen outreach and education program. The GBCW mission is to protect the long-term health of New Hampshire’s coastal environment through volunteer monitoring and education programs. GBCW is New Hampshire’s most wide-ranging program for direct citizen involvement in monitoring estuarine waters. The GBCW strives to involve citizens in conservation efforts aimed at the Great Bay Estuarine System, the Hampton/Seabrook Estuary, and the Atlantic Coast of New Hampshire. Citizens are also educated and encouraged to be aware of how activities in their own backyards affect these ecosystems. GBCW includes adults from many occupations, as well as teachers and students from local schools.                                                     Project Goals and Objectives The goal of this grant was to support NHDES /Shellfish activities through the existing GBCW volunteer network. Activities The objectives of this grant were to: • Send volunteer(s) on the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company ferry each week to collect the sample (When the ferry is not running, GBCW will send one volunteer to accompany NHDES staff on a department boat). • Transport the weekly paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) samples to Concord within Quality Assurance Project Plan prescribed deadlines. • As needed, prepare transplant samples (collect mussels in Hampton, pack in mesh cages, and transplant to Star Island). • As funds allow, participate in monitoring the Hampton PSP site (sample collection and/or sample delivery to Concord). • Send at least one press release to the Seacoast Newspapers and Foster's Daily Democrat describing the project. NHEP funding credit must be included in the press release. • Provide quarterly and final reports to NHEP as required. 3 These tasks were accomplished by combining them in a variety of ways. For instance, on one occasion volunteers transported for NHDES staff a combination of Star Island and Hampton PSP samples, and fecal coliform most probable number (FC-MPN) samples from Hampton and Great Bay to the state laboratory in Concord for testing.  The Isles of Shoals ferry, which had generously provided transportation to the GBCW volunteers in the past, discontinued its Star Island landings in 2005. Because of this, all Star Island PSP samples were collected via the NHDES boat. Volunteers accompanied NHDES staff out to Star Island on four occasions and assisted with ambient boat sampling in Great Bay and along the coast on seven other trips. GBCW volunteers also assisted NHDES staff by collecting, bagging, and delivering mussels to the Pease NHDES office for eventual transport to the Star Island PSP station three times. 4 Results and Discussion Because of the intense red tide event during May and June 2005, the NHDES boat/staff did more unscheduled sampling and transport than originally planned, sometimes making it difficult to schedule volunteers. Volunteers did however provide sample transportation to Concord on 18 occasions during this grant, driving a total of 2,045 miles and contributing 98 hours of volunteer time. To simplify reporting in the GBCW data base, whenever transporting was part of sample collection, the volunteers were listed as doing a “Transport” task, since much of the sample collection was also transporting the samples to the mainland. A news release documenting GBCW volunteer involvement and NHEP funding was sent through UNH office of media relations in December, 2005.The Seacoast Newspapers and Foster's Daily Democrat were included in the news release list (see appendix).Conclusions GBCW volunteers provided not only sample transportation but also on many occasions fulfilled the two person policy required by NHDES for staff working in boats. Volunteers also provided extra assistance to NHDES staff collecting samples during both coastal and estuarine water ambient sampling efforts.  Recommendations Continue to consider GBCW volunteers as a viable resource for assisting NHDES Shellfish Program personnel in their efforts. GBCW continues to receive calls for volunteer assistance for this program.14 Appendix:  News Release  GREAT BAY COAST WATCH HONORS LOCAL VOLUNTEERS Durham, NH - Several Great Bay Coast Watch volunteers have received awards for their service to the water quality monitoring program.  Johanna Hock of Newmarket received the Great Bay Coast Watch Blue Water Award for exemplary service in monitoring both water quality and phytoplankton during the 2005 season. Pam Sampson of Dover and Heather Hochuli of Nashua were also honored for their contributions. Claire Antaya of Hampton received the student volunteer of the year award. Awards were presented at the Chili and Chowdah Fest, an annual event that celebrates the more than 100 volunteers that donate their time to Great Bay Coast Watch. Sponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension and NH Sea Grant, Great Bay Coast Watch is a volunteer effort dedicated to protecting the long-term health of New Hampshire’s coastal waters and estuarine systems through monitoring and education projects. Founded in 1989, the Watch now monitors water quality at 21 sites and phytoplankton levels at six sites around Great Bay.  This year the New Hampshire Estuaries Project provided funding for Great Bay Coast Watch to assist the NH Department of Environmental Service s Shellfish Program in monitoring shellfish-growing areas for water quality and red tide. In addition, Great Bay Coast Watch received funding from the New Hampshire Coastal Program, the town of Greenland, and a number of small private donations. For more information about making donations or volunteering with the program, contact Great Bay Coast Watch coordinator Ann Reid (603-749-1565; ann.reid@unh.edu). 

NHEP Support for DES Shellfish Program 2005

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars'
Repository
PREP Reports & Publications Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space(EOS)
12-27-2005
NHEP Support for DES Shellfish Program 2005
Mark R. Wiley
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, mark.wiley@unh.edu
Ann S. Reid
New Hampshire Sea Grant
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/prep
Part of the Marine Biology Commons
This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS) at University of New
Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in PREP Reports & Publications by an authorized administrator of University of
New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Wiley, Mark R. and Reid, Ann S., "NHEP Support for DES Shellfish Program 2005" (2005). PREP Reports & Publications. 197.
https://scholars.unh.edu/prep/197
 
Great Bay Coast Watch  
      Support of DES Shellfish Program 2005 
 
A Final Report to the New Hampshire Estuaries Project 
March 23, 2005 – December 31, 2005 
 
Submitted by Mark Wiley and Ann S. Reid 
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and  
New Hampshire Sea Grant 
Durham, NH  03824  
 
By Ann S. Reid, Candace Dolan, and Karen Diamond 
Photo by Ann S. Reid 
 
December 27, 2005 
The National Sea Grant College 
Program of the US Department of 
Commerce’s National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration supported 
this report under NOAA Grant 
#NA16RG1035. 
UNHMP-AR-SG-06-04 
This report was funded by a grant from 
the New Hampshire Estuaries Project, as 
authorized by the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency pursuant to Section 
320 of the Clean Water Act. 
The University of New Hampshire 
Cooperative Extension is an equal 
opportunity educator and employer. 
The University of New Hampshire, U.S 
Department of Agriculture and N.H. 
counties cooperating. 
1 
Table of Contents 
Executive Summary ..............................................................................................2 
Introduction ...........................................................................................................2 
Project Goals and Objectives................................................................................2 
Activities................................................................................................................2 
Results and Discussion.........................................................................................4 
Conclusions ..........................................................................................................4 
Recommendations ................................................................................................4
Appendix..............................................................................................................................5
 
 
2 
Executive Summary 
For the past three years, Great Bay Coast Watch (GBCW) volunteers have 
provided the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) 
Shellfish Program with significant assistance in performing tasks necessary in 
managing shellfish resources for human safety. This report describes a 
continuation of this mutually beneficial partnership. 
Introduction   
GBCW was founded in 1990 as part of the University of New Hampshire 
Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant citizen outreach and education program. The 
GBCW mission is to protect the long-term health of New Hampshire’s coastal 
environment through volunteer monitoring and education programs. 
GBCW is New Hampshire’s most wide-ranging program for direct citizen 
involvement in monitoring estuarine waters. The GBCW strives to involve citizens 
in conservation efforts aimed at the Great Bay Estuarine System, the 
Hampton/Seabrook Estuary, and the Atlantic Coast of New Hampshire. Citizens 
are also educated and encouraged to be aware of how activities in their own 
backyards affect these ecosystems. GBCW includes adults from many 
occupations, as well as teachers and students from local schools.                                                     
Project Goals and Objectives 
The goal of this grant was to support NHDES /Shellfish activities through the 
existing GBCW volunteer network. 
Activities 
The objectives of this grant were to: 
• Send volunteer(s) on the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company ferry each 
week to collect the sample (When the ferry is not running, GBCW will send 
one volunteer to accompany NHDES staff on a department boat). 
• Transport the weekly paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) samples to 
Concord within Quality Assurance Project Plan prescribed deadlines. 
• As needed, prepare transplant samples (collect mussels in Hampton, pack 
in mesh cages, and transplant to Star Island). 
• As funds allow, participate in monitoring the Hampton PSP site (sample 
collection and/or sample delivery to Concord). 
• Send at least one press release to the Seacoast Newspapers and Foster's 
Daily Democrat describing the project. NHEP funding credit must be 
included in the press release. 
• Provide quarterly and final reports to NHEP as required. 
3 
These tasks were accomplished by combining them in a variety of ways. For 
instance, on one occasion volunteers transported for NHDES staff a combination 
of Star Island and Hampton PSP samples, and fecal coliform most probable 
number (FC-MPN) samples from Hampton and Great Bay to the state laboratory 
in Concord for testing.  
The Isles of Shoals ferry, which had generously provided transportation to the 
GBCW volunteers in the past, discontinued its Star Island landings in 2005. 
Because of this, all Star Island PSP samples were collected via the NHDES boat. 
Volunteers accompanied NHDES staff out to Star Island on four occasions and 
assisted with ambient boat sampling in Great Bay and along the coast on seven 
other trips. GBCW volunteers also assisted NHDES staff by collecting, bagging, 
and delivering mussels to the Pease NHDES office for eventual transport to the 
Star Island PSP station three times. 
4 
Results and Discussion 
Because of the intense red tide event during May and June 2005, the NHDES 
boat/staff did more unscheduled sampling and transport than originally planned, 
sometimes making it difficult to schedule volunteers. Volunteers did however 
provide sample transportation to Concord on 18 occasions during this grant, 
driving a total of 2,045 miles and contributing 98 hours of volunteer time. To 
simplify reporting in the GBCW data base, whenever transporting was part of 
sample collection, the volunteers were listed as doing a “Transport” task, since 
much of the sample collection was also transporting the samples to the mainland.
 
A news release documenting GBCW volunteer involvement and NHEP 
funding was sent through UNH office of media relations in December, 2005.
The Seacoast Newspapers and Foster's Daily Democrat were included 
in the news release list (see appendix).
Conclusions 
GBCW volunteers provided not only sample transportation but also on many 
occasions fulfilled the two person policy required by NHDES for staff working in 
boats. Volunteers also provided extra assistance to NHDES staff collecting 
samples during both coastal and estuarine water ambient sampling efforts.  
Recommendations 
Continue to consider GBCW volunteers as a viable resource for assisting 
NHDES Shellfish Program personnel in their efforts. GBCW continues to receive 
calls for volunteer assistance for this program.
14 
Appendix:  News Release 
 
GREAT BAY COAST WATCH HONORS LOCAL VOLUNTEERS 
Durham, NH - Several Great Bay Coast Watch volunteers have received awards 
for their service to the water quality monitoring program.  
Johanna Hock of Newmarket received the Great Bay Coast Watch Blue Water 
Award for exemplary service in monitoring both water quality and phytoplankton 
during the 2005 season. Pam Sampson of Dover and Heather Hochuli of Nashua 
were also honored for their contributions. Claire Antaya of Hampton received the 
student volunteer of the year award. 
Awards were presented at the Chili and Chowdah Fest, an annual event that 
celebrates the more than 100 volunteers that donate their time to Great Bay 
Coast Watch. 
Sponsored by UNH Cooperative Extension and NH Sea Grant, Great Bay Coast 
Watch is a volunteer effort dedicated to protecting the long-term health of New 
Hampshire’s coastal waters and estuarine systems through monitoring and 
education projects. Founded in 1989, the Watch now monitors water quality at 21 
sites and phytoplankton levels at six sites around Great Bay.  
This year the New Hampshire Estuaries Project provided funding for Great Bay 
Coast Watch to assist the NH Department of Environmental Service s Shellfish 
Program in monitoring shellfish-growing areas for water quality and red tide. In 
addition, Great Bay Coast Watch received funding from the New Hampshire 
Coastal Program, the town of Greenland, and a number of small private 
donations. For more information about making donations or volunteering with the 
program, contact Great Bay Coast Watch coordinator Ann Reid (603-749-1565; 
ann.reid@unh.edu). 


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NHEP Support for DES Shellfish Program 2005

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