Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery

Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery. . The Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery is operated by the Town of Nantucket and has been in operation since the summer of 2010. This facility underwent a full renovation in 2016-2017, becoming a fully integrated shellfish hatchery. This facility is one of the very few municipal shellfish hatcheries in the country that solely focuses on enhancing and restoring local shellfish populations in Town waters. The hatchery employs several full-time biologists and operates on a year-round basis. The hatchery mainly focuses on growing bay scallops, oysters, and quahogs as well as other native shellfish species. , , History of the Hatchery and Shellfishing on Nantucket , , 1600s European settlers discovered Nantucket was inhabited by Wampanoag tribes. Excavation and carbon dating of shell middens proved Indigenous people harvested shellfish here for thousands of years. , , 1800-1880 Bay scallops were harvested by settlers to use for bait and later as a food source using "cal" sailboats and dredges. , , 1800s-1900s Quahogs (i.e., hard clams were used as codfish bait for dory fisherman and then later harvested for human consumption. , , Mid 1800s Shift shell clams and sea clams were the most popular shellfish to consume. , , 1930s The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Boathouse was built. , , 1970s Welk (i.e., conch) became marketable for human consumption. , , 1980s Bay scallop landings peeked at 100,000 bushels, oyster aquaculture started, and USCG ceased operations at the Boathouse. , , 1900 The Boathouse name was changed to the Nantucket Marine Laboratory and used for shellfish propagation. , , 1993 The Town leased the Boathouse from USCG and gained ownership of the building in 2012. , , 2009 The Town hired a biologist to establish a hatchery, create an aquaculture program, and focus on shellfish production and stock enhancement efforts. , , 2012 A Shellfish Management Plan was adopted by the Town and approved by the State. , , 2016 The Boathouse underwent a $2 million-dollar renovation to become a state-of-the-art shellfish hatchery. , , 2017-2018 Nantucket's first oyster restoration project was implemented. , , 2020 Scallops are harvested seasonally in both Madaket and Nantucket Harbors while oysters are farmed in Nantucket Harbor year-round. There are commercial and recreational fisheries for quahogs, mussels, and whelks. Soft shell clams can only be fished recreationally. , (captions) , A shell midden is a dense heap of discarded shells and bones , , 1800s Clamming near Washington Street , , 1901 Brant Point Lighthouse was built 596 ft. to the east. , , 1915 Quahog dragged at Steamboat Wharf with a load of quahogs onboard. , , February 1940 Aerial view of Brant Lighthouse, the Boathouse, and a frozen Nantucket Harbor , , 1950s Scalpers unload a converted “cat” sailboat in Madaket Harbor , , 1960s View of Brant Point Lighthouse and the USCG Boathouse , , July 2020 View of Brant Point Lighthouse and the Town of Nantucket Brant Point Shellfish Hatchery Photo by Johnathan Roah , , Historic Photos Courtesy of The Nantucket Historical Association. , Information Sourced from The Town of Nantucket Shellfish Management Plan and NHA , Illustrations, Graphics, and Exhibit Design by Morgan Raith.