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Martha's Vineyard Surfcasters
Martha's Vineyard
Surfcasters Association
P.O. Box 3053
Edgartown, MA 02539
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By dbalon on 4/3/2013 7:16 PM

Fishing Pier update

After some confusion over the specifications for some of the materials, the state has now completed a second bidding process and has awarded a contract to Atlantic Support Installations, Inc. out of Hopedale, Massachusetts.  There hasn’t been any discussion of moving the due date back so we’re still hopeful that by June 30 there will be a new fishing pier on the Oak Bluffs waterfront. 

By dbalon on 2/21/2013 4:55 PM

Bid Opening for OB pier postponed

    The State Office of Fishing and Boating Access had to postpone the bid opening scheduled for last Thursday. The reason was apparently due to the discovery that steel mills are only rolling type A252 steel at the present time.  The state’s specification was for type A690 steel (highly resistant to corrosion) so with the lack of steel pipe suppliers  able to provide contractors with a quote for A690 steel pipe they needed to postpone.  Doug Cameron reported that he is working with their consultant to determine an alternate pile type so that the bidding can be reopened with revised specs for that particular requirement.  Once that is determined he will be able to set a new bid opening date.  Hopefully, the completion date of June 30 won’t be impacted.

By dbalon on 2/8/2013 1:13 PM

“Pier project proceeding on track"

On Wednesday the 6th, an on-site bidders meeting was held at the future site of the Oak Bluffs fishing pier by the Office of Fishing and Boating Access. Doug Cameron, Asst. Director, began the meeting with a brief overview of the project and a review of the bidding procedures.  The bid package is about 2” of diagrams, specifications, instructions, copies of various permits and various governmental rules on everything from insurance and Workman’s Comp to bid parameters.   Whether a sign of the economy or just general interest in the project, 8 or 9 companies were represented at the meeting.  According to Doug, that was a very good sign that they will receive good competitive bids.

There was very little discussion about the project specifications and it looked like everyone was enthusiastic about the project.  There were general comments about the state’s choice in selection of materials, the cross bracing design for the pier, damage sustained by the SSA dock during our two recent storms, and rest of the work proposed for that waterfront area. Bids will be opened in another two weeks and they are still projecting a completion date of June 30 of this year.

    A variety of competitive bids will be a good thing from a cost perspective but Doug commented that the shortfall from the original bonded amount will be made up primarily by saltwater fishing license funds and this will be only the second project to use that money.  The first project was a handicap accessible pier installed on the Bass River last season.  Everything remains on track for this project.”

By dbalon on 1/29/2013 11:05 AM

Pier progress continues!

(Special thanks to Dave Nash for this update.)

The state Office of Fishing and Boating Access recently announced in a “Notice to Contractors” that they are accepting bids for a handicap accessible fishing pier in Oak Bluffs MA.   Bids will be accepted until 11:00 a.m. on Thursday Feb. 14 at which time they will be publically opened and read.  They have updated their estimate of the value of the project to $900,000.    Bids are also required to include a deposit equal to 5% of the total value of the bid.  It also states that no bid will be awarded to any contractor who is not able to complete the work by June 30, 2013.   A pre-bid meeting will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Feb. 6 at the proposed site of the pier.   This is all nothing but good news for this project. Doug Cameron at OFBA reported to me previously that the slight shortfall in funding locked in a couple of years ago would be made up by funds taken in thru the saltwater fishing license program so I would expect the state is very excited about this project on several levels.  More to come as we hear updates.

By dbalon on 10/4/2012 9:28 PM
The following was reported by Dave Nash:

State of Massachusetts Office of Fishing and Boating Access has announced that they will commence construction of the Oak Bluffs fishing pier in 2013.   They will be going out to bid for construction services by the end of December and the bid award will call for completion by June 30, 2013.  We will have a kids’ fishing pier for next summer! 

There is also a great article in the MV Times by Nelson Sigelman, called "Pierfect" (October 3, 2012). You can link to that articel here and it is about half way down the web page.

Click here to go to the MV Times "Pierfect" article.

Thanks to all the MVSA members and anyone else that supported this project .
Special thanks need to be given to Dave Nash who was a leader in getting this project back in the mainstream. Without his determination and relentless perserverance this may not have happened. Great job Dave!!!!
By dbalon on 6/14/2012 1:29 PM
Check out the Martha's Vineyard Times article where Hawkeye was presented with a cell phone from the MV Derby Committee for saving a driver from the water. This was a great recognition of Hawkeye and his quick thinking. Great going Hawkeye!


This article is by The Martha's Vineyard Times, June 13, 2012 and was wrritten by Nelson Sigelman.

Click here for the full article.
By dbalon on 6/11/2012 8:27 PM

MV Times Article, June 8, 2012 by Nelson Sigelman


Ashley Peters, 22, of Edgartown appeared in Edgartown District Court Friday morning, to be arraigned on charges of operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, and marked lanes violations. State Police Sergeant Thomas Medeiros told Ms. Peters she is fortunate to be able to appear in court.

Ms. Peters was behind the wheel of her 2006 Saturn Ion, driving from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown, when she drove off Beach Road just before Big Bridge, went across a dirt parking lot striking a sign, over a rock embankment, and plunged into Sengekontacket Pond just before 1 am, Friday morning.

Big Bridge spans one of two channels that allow an exchange of water between the pond and Nantucket Sound. At the height of the tidal flow, the current is a rushing torrent.

Bob "Hawkeye" Jacobs of Oak Bluffs is a late night fisherman. Friday morning he was fishing on Big Bridge when Ms. Peters went into the water.

Sergeant Medeiros said, "Mr. Jacobs immediately rushed to the vehicle and assisted Ms. Peters from the vehicle, which floated to the middle of the channel and submerged."

"Well, you never know what's going to happen when you go fishing," Mr. Jacobs told The Times in a telephone conversation.

To read the full Martha's Vineyard Times article click here.

By dbalon on 5/25/2012 9:34 AM
On The Water article, May 24th, 2012

Congratulations to Connecticut Capt. Blaine Anderson on landing a fish of a lifetime, a 57-inch striped bass estimated to weigh about 74 pounds! Blaine is no stranger to big fish – he has put clients on numerous 40 and 50 pound bass guiding on the waters of Long Island Sound around Niantic, Connecticut. This fish was caught on Blaine’s first trip out on the ocean to do some research for an upcoming charter. What a way to start the season!

Click here to see the full On The Water story and VIDEO!
By dbalon on 3/3/2012 10:32 AM

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Division of Marine Fisheries

251 Causeway Street, Suite 400

Boston, MA 02114

(617) 626.1520
Fax (617) 626.1509

February 28, 2012

MarineFisheries~Advisory


2012 MASSACHUSETTS SALTWATER ANGLER PERMIT SURVEY

The Division of Marine Fisheries (MarineFisheries)~is collaborating with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to collect information on the Commonwealth’s recreational saltwater fishery to measure its economic value. In addition to providing important information about the socio-economic value of saltwater fishing in Massachusetts, this federally funded study will help to validate frequently used economic evaluation methods by applying an innovative direct approach in which some saltwater permit holders are presented with a cash offer in exchange for giving up their permit and thus the right to fish in marine waters for the remainder of 2012. Other permit holders will receive a survey asking for either their willingness to sell their 2012 permit for a particular price or their willingness to have paid a different amount for their 2012 permit.MarineFisheries~is issuing this Advisory to attest to the legitimacy of this angler permit survey, including the cash offers that some individuals will receive, and to assure its constituents that~in no way will the information from the survey be used to modify fees~for Massachusetts’ recreational saltwater fishing permits.

Participation in the survey is voluntary; however,~MarineFisheries~highly encourages your response based on the important information that will be gathered. Past studies on the contribution of recreational fishing to the Commonwealth’s economy have considered the number of jobs and the amount of sales and incomes that are supported by the expenditures of saltwater recreational fishermen, but have not included the value that anglers place on being able to go saltwater fishing. This type of information holds great worth; for example, it would be necessary for a comprehensive estimate of economic losses to the recreational fishery if for some reason Massachusetts’ waters had to be closed to fishing.MarineFisheries~is maintaining a list of~Commonly Asked Questions~ ~about the 2012 Massachusetts Saltwater Angler Permit Survey under the recreational permit page of its website:~www.mass.gov/marinefisheries. General questions about~MarineFisheries’involvement can be directed to Nichola Meserve (nichola.meserve@state.ma.us). Technical questions regarding the study should be directed to Quantech, Inc., the statistical analysis and survey research firm contracted by NMFS to conduct the survey. Please contact Daemian Schreiber at 800-229-5220 ext 7831, or~mavs@quantech.com

By dbalon on 2/12/2012 8:29 PM
Please join us at the upcoming MVSA General Meeting in April. We have a special guest, Jack Creighton.

Jack Creighton will be at the April 11th meeting at the MV Rod and Gun Club at 7:00 p.m. sharing his experiences about fishing the Cape Cod Canal. Click here for more details or see our EVENTS section on the Home page.