“Shellfish has changed from a commercial fishery with recreational fishing a benefit for residents and visitors alike to a much more modest approach in recreational fishing, a booming commercial Aquaculture industry due to the commercialization of hatcheries and an almost defunct commercial fishery. Meanwhile, the development of the land, on the waterfront and inland, has resulted in excess nutrients mainly from individual septic systems reaching and degrading the water quality of the estuaries. Correcting that imbalance has been challenging and towns are struggling with what to do. My part was one of many people looking at the environment as an important component of what makes the Cape so special and figuring out ways to address the issues.”

Sandra Macfarlane is an author and expert in coastal resource management. She is a longtime friend of the Cape Cod Maritime Museum and a member of our Advisory Board. Her work is based on a lifetime of observations and over 35 years of experience in coastal resource and watershed management, shellfish aquaculture, community shellfish restoration, and industry-wide Best Management Practices, focusing on human interactions at the intersection of land and sea.