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EXPERIMENTAL LEASE APPLICATION

1. APPLICANT CONTACT INFORMATION Applicant: Keith Miller Ben Stendel Applicant Contact (If corporate applicant): Keith Miller Address: 11 Eagle Quarry Road City: St. George County: Knox State: Maine Zip: 04859 Telephone: 207-691-9308 Email Address: Bendel2@yahoo.com, jlc.crimp@gmail.com

Note: If applicant is a corporation or a partnership, the “Corporate Applicant Information Document” available at: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/aquaculture/forms/experimental.html must also be completed. 2. PROPOSED LEASE SITE INFORMATION

Location of lease site Town: St. George County: Knox Water Body: Wheeler Bay Additional description: West of Elwell Island (e.g. south of B Island) Total acreage requested (4-acre maximum): 4 acres Is any portion of the proposed lease site above mean low water? Yes No Note: If you selected yes, you will need to complete the permission requirements included on page 20 of this application. 3. WATER QUALITY (Go to http://www.maine.gov/dmr/shellfish-sanitation-management/closures/pollution.html for water quality information.) Pollution Area (e.g. “19-A”): __27-A__ Pollution Area Section (e.g. “B.2”. or “none”): __None Water Quality Classification (i.e. approved, restricted, etc.): Approved

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4. GENERAL LEASE INFORMATION

Type of culture (check all that apply): _____Bottom (no gear) ___X Suspended (gear in the water and/or on the bottom) _____Net Pen (finfish)

Name of species to be cultivated (include both common and scientific

names):

Name and address of the source of seed stock, juveniles, smolts, etc., to be

cultivated: 1. Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima),

Skinny kelp (Saccharina latissimi forma angustissima), Winged Kelp (Alaria esculenta), Horsetail Kelp (Laminaria digitata), Dulse (Palmaria palmata), Irish moss (Chondrus crispus), Laver (Porphyra)

Ocean Approved 89 Industrial Park Road Saco, ME 04072

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5. VICINITY MAP Note: You may embed the maps within the document, or attach the maps to the end of your application. If you attach the maps, please label them according to the instructions provided below. If you attach the map, please label it: ‘Vicinity Map’. Directions: Using a NOAA Chart or USGS topographic map, show the area within a minimum of one-half mile of the proposed lease site. The map needs to display the following:

• The waters, shore lands, and lines of mean high and mean low water within the general area of the lease

• An arrow indicating true north • A scale bar • The approximate lease boundaries

6. BOUNDARY DRAWING Note: If you attach a drawing, please label it ‘Boundary Drawing’.

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Directions: Depict the boundaries of the proposed lease site. Provide a drawing with all corners, directions, and distances labeled. Provide coordinates for each corner as follows:

• Coordinate Description Provide geographic coordinates for each corner of the lease site in latitude and longitude as accurately as possible (e.g., to the nearest second or fraction of a second). Identify the datum from the map, chart, or GPS unit used to develop these coordinates. The datum will be shown on the map or chart you are using. The Coordinate Description may be provided separately from the Boundary Drawing.

NW: 43° 59.356'N, 69° 9.706'W NE: 43° 59.362'N, 69° 9.670'W SE: 43° 59.198'N, 69° 9.599'W SW: 43° 59.192'N, 69° 9.636'W

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7. RESEARCH PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS Directions: If you are cultivating more than one species, you will need to provide information for each species. Please attach a separate page if needed. 1. Type of study (check one): Scientific Research Commercial Research Please note: a) Scientific research is not kept confidential. b) Experimental leases for commercial research are not renewable. Results of commercial research are kept confidential. 2. What is the purpose of the study? If scientific, please include a detailed study design.

The purpose of this study is to determine the viability of a commercial seaweed operation at this proposed lease site. This includes determining the best setup for cost-effective installation and removal of gear each season, determining growth rates, and evaluating methods of harvesting seaweed. 3. Describe how each species will be cultured. String with attached growing sporophytes will be wrapped around larger long-lines extending horizontally in the water column, seven feet below the ocean’s surface. These sporophytes will take up local nutrients and sunlight to grow over the fall, winter, and spring before being harvested in the spring. 4. What months will the proposed activities (i.e. seeding, tending, and harvesting) occur?

Setting out gear and seeding lines occurs between October and December. Longlines will be checked one every two weeks during the winter months to evaluate growth, but little activity will take place on the site between seeding and harvest. Harvesting and removal of longlines occurs between late March and June, and will likely require 10 days on site. All horizontal longlines will be removed and will not be present at the site from mid-June at the latest through the start of October at the earliest. Moorings and mooring lines will remain in place year-round. 5. How often will you be at the site during seeding and harvesting periods? Seeding will take place over about three days. Harvesting will take place over roughly 10 days spread out over the course of the spring. 6. How frequently will you visit/tend the site for routine maintenance (i.e. flipping cages, etc.)? Longlines will be tended to roughly once every two weeks for routine maintenance.

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7. RESEARCH PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS CONTINUED

7. Describe the harvesting techniques you will use. If you plan on using a drag, please provide the dimensions.

Once grown out, the seaweed will be harvested into the applicant’s lobster boat by lifting the longlines to the surface and cutting the seaweed off the longlines by hand using a small knife. 8. Describe any overwintering or “off season” plans for the site. For example, will you remove gear from the site and/or deploy gear in different areas within the proposed site? Please include where gear or product will be located if moved from the site. Horizontal longlines will be removed from the site once harvest is complete in the spring. Longlines will be stored onshore until the following season. 9. What type of machinery (e.g. generator, drag, grading equipment, etc.) will you be using on the site? When and how often will the machinery be used?

No machinery other than a lobster boat and a mid-sized skiff will be used on site.

10. What is the maximum amount of gear that will be deployed on the site (i.e. 200 cages, 100 lantern nets, etc.)?

The maximum amount of gear at the site will be 13,000 feet of seeded longline.

11. What is the maximum number (or biomass) of organisms you anticipate being on the site? Between 50,000 and 75,000lbs of seaweed. 8. EXISTING USES Directions: Describe the existing uses of the proposed area. Please include the amount of activity, the time of year the activity occurs, frequency, and proximity to the lease site. Commercial Fishing:

Lobster fishing takes place at the site from June through early October, but almost no fishing

occurs at the site at the time the seaweed would be growing. Conversations with lobstermen

have confirmed this. No scalloping occurs at the site.

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Recreational Fishing: No recreational fishing has been observed at the lease site over many years of observation

Boating activities (please also include the distance to any navigable channel(s) from your proposed site at low water): The channel between Eagle Island and Elwell Island is sometimes used for boat passage, but it is primarily for not nearly as used as the primary channel further to the west. Boat traffic that does exist is primarily boats with less than 5’ draft that can travel directly over the farm. Very little boat traffic occurs at this area during the time the farm will be in place. The nearest commonly navigated channel is approximately 800’ to the west. Other uses (kayaking, swimming, etc.): While kayaking may occur at the site in the summer months, very little if any traffic would be present during the growing season. Are there moorings within 1,000 feet of the proposed lease site? Yes No If you answered yes, please describe and include approximate distances: Occasionally one mooring is located off the north end of Eagle Island. This mooring is over 100’ from our southern-most buoy and we would not come in contact with any boat moored there. Are there docks or other access points within 1,000 feet of the proposed lease site? Yes No If you answered yes, please describe and include approximate distances:

There is one small dock located on Elwell Island approximately 800’ from the site.

Are there public beaches within 1,000 feet of the proposed lease site? Yes No If you answered yes, please describe and include approximate distances: ______________________________________________________________________________

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Please describe your existing operations, if any. Will you continue to operate other leases and/or licenses if the current proposal is granted?

Keith has 4 LPAs currently in use at the site that he will disband if this lease is granted. Ben has

4 LPAs approximately 2000’ to the east of the site that will not be renewed for 2020. Both

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applicants together have an experimental lease approximately 2,000’ to the east of the proposed

site that we will continue to operate regardless of whether this lease is granted.

9. EXCLUSIVE USE If your lease is granted, what activities would you request be prohibited from the lease site? In your answer please address commercial and recreational fishing, boating activities, and other activities you listed in the ‘Existing Uses’ section of this application. As long as longlines are in place, generally no more than October 15 through June 15, I request the prohibition of lobster traps, dragging of any kind, or any other form of commercial fishing that has the potential of entangling or otherwise harming the gear design and seaweed growing at the site. I would also request the prohibition of travel through the lease by boats that draw over 5’. For the rest of the year, I would welcome any activity, as long as it did not interfere with end moorings left in place at the site.

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10. ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION Directions: Using your knowledge of the area, describe the environment of the proposed lease site. Be sure to include units of measurement in your answers (i.e. feet, cm/s). 1. What are the approximate depths at mean low water? 30’ 2. What are the approximate depths at mean high water? 40’

3. Provide the approximate current speed and direction during the ebb and flow.

The current travels at a rate of 1-2 knots, and the tide moves approximately from the

southeast to the northwest.

4. The following questions may be answered in writing or by submitting a clear and

decipherable video of the bottom of the proposed lease site and the surrounding shore land. If you plan to submit a video please contact the Department for guidance.

a. What are the bottom characteristics (mud, sand, gravel, rocky, ledge or some mix,

etc.)? The site has a completely muddy bottom.

b. Describe the bathymetry (flat, steep, rough, etc.).

The site bottom is relatively flat.

c. Describe marine organisms by species or common names. Are they abundant,

common, or rare? Lobster are common at the site during the summertime, and small crabs and flounder may be present year-round in low quantities. Very few if any urchins are present.

d. Describe the presence and extent of submerged aquatic vegetation, i.e. eelgrass, within the proposed lease area. Please include the date of this observation along with the method of observation. If submerged aquatic vegetation is observed, please also describe the abundance below and sketch the limits of the beds in the vicinity map.

No eelgrass is mapped at the site, and none was observed within the proposed lease

site when dived upon in October of 2018 and multiple other dives in recent years.

e. Describe the general shoreline and upland characteristics (rocky shoreline, forested,

residential, etc.).

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The shorelines of the adjacent Eagle and Elwell islands is rocky and the upland is forested. There is a small summer home on Eagle Island and a summer home and a tent platform on Elwell island. 5. Will your operations discharge anything into the water such as feed (pellets, kelp, etc.) or chemical additives (therapeutants, chemical treatments, etc.)? Yes No If you answered yes, you must submit a video of the bottom using a method prescribed by the Department. The video must be filmed between April 1 and November 15. If a discharge is proposed you will also need to obtain a Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) discharge permit. For information on this permit please contact DEP’s Wastewater Licensing Program. Further sampling may be required by DMR, or DEP, depending on the characteristics of the site or the proposed activities.

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11. STRUCTURES (if applicable) If your operations require the use of cages, nets, ropes, trays, or any object (structure) other than the organism to be grown directly on the bottom or buoys to mark the corners of the lease site, you must submit an Overhead View and Cross-Section View of your gear plans. Note: You may embed the gear plans, or attach them to the end of your application. If you attach the plans, please label them according to the instructions provided below.

A) Overhead View (please label this “Overhead View”): Directions: All dimensions need to labeled with the appropriate units (i.e. 10ft, 10in)

• Show maximum layout of gear including moorings. • Show dimensions of entire gear layout • Show approximate spacing between gear. • Show lease boundaries and the location of proposed markers on all drawings.

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B) Cross-Section View (please label this “Cross Section View”):

Directions: The cross-section view must show the following: • The sea bottom • Profile of gear in cross-section as it will be deployed • Label gear with dimensions and materials • Show mooring gear with mooring type, scope, hardware, and line type and size • Water depth at mean high and mean low water

Note: Please include an additional Cross Section View, depicting the elements listed above, if there will be seasonal changes to gear layout (i.e. over wintering).

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C) Gear Description Directions: List each individual gear type that you will use in the table below.

Specific Gear Type (e.g. soft mesh bag)

Dimensions (e.g. 16”x20”x2”)

Time of year gear will be deployed

(e.g. Spring, Winter, etc.)

30x1,800lb Cement

Moorings 4’x4’x1’ Year Round

13 braded poly-dac longlines

1,000’ x ¾” in diameter Fall through Spring

30 Mooring lines 45’ x ¾” in diameter Year Round

30 Polyform Buoy Balls 2’ in diameter Year round

60 foam buoys 8” x 14” Fall through spring

60 longline stabilizing PVC

Pipes ½” x 7’ Fall Through Spring

60 x 10lb concrete weights 4”x8” Fall through spring

D) Gear Drawing (please label this “Gear Drawing”). Directions: Include a drawing of an individual piece of gear for each of the gear type(s) you plan to use. The drawing(s) needs to depict the length, width, and height of each gear type with appropriate units referenced (i.e. 10in, 10ft, etc.).

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Polyform buoy ball: 2’ in diameter

Dropper line: 7’ in length

Polydac line: ½” in diameter

Cement Moorings: 4’x4’x1’

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12. MARKING Will you be able to mark your site in accordance with DMR regulations, Chapter 2.80? Yes No If you answered no, explain why and suggest alternate markings. ______________________________________________________________________________

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Note: If a lease is granted, you will also be required to mark the site in accordance with appropriate US Coast Guard Regulations. If you have questions about US Coast Guard regulations contact: 1st Coast Guard District, Aids to Navigation Office.

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13. RIPARIAN LANDOWNERS AND SITE ACCESS

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: 1. Attach a labeled copy of a tax map(s) depicting the location of the proposed lease

site. The map(s) needs to include the following elements:

• Label the map “Tax Map: Town of (name of town).” • Legible scale • Tax lot numbers clearly displayed • The boundaries of the proposed lease • Distance from the proposed lease to the closest parcel • Certification by the tax collector or clerk of the municipality

If your lease is within 1,000ft of shorefront land (which extends to mean low water

or 1,650 ft. from shore, whichever is less):

2. Please use the Riparian Landowner List (included on the next page) to list the name and address of every shorefront landowner within 1,000ft of the proposed lease site. Have the tax collector or clerk of the municipality certify the list.

If you are proposing an intertidal lease:

3. Attach written permission from all landowners of the intertidal land on which the proposed lease will be located.

1. Do you plan to use private property to access the lease site? Yes No Note: If you selected yes, you will need to complete the landowner permission requirements included on page 20 of this application. 2. How will you access the proposed site?

The site will be accessed through a town wharf in Port Clyde at 10 Cold Storage Road, St.

George, ME

3. How will your proposed activities affect riparian ingress and egress?

The lease location allows plenty of room for navigation past it on all sides, and most boats will be able to travel directly over the site. Therefore, riparian ingress and egress should be unaffected.