MassCOAST: A NEW SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE SITING AND PERMITTING TOOL FOR MASSACHUSETTS

Siting and permitting of shellfish aquaculture operations is a key hurdle that prospective growers must overcome to start or expand operations. Permitting in Massachusetts is particularly difficult, as shellfish aquaculture licensing is under municipal jurisdiction, and growers must obtain a range of additional federal, state, and local approvals. The Massachusetts Coastal Oyster Aquaculture Siting Tool (MassCOAST) was developed to assist prospective growers with the siting and permitting process. This GIS-based, online tool provides key environmental and legal data for consideration by prospective growers, local officials, and state regulators, as well as a step-by-step explanation of how to use these data during site selection. This presentation will introduce the tool and consider how it may be a useful model for other states, regions, and industry sectors.