A significant component of the Suffolk County Aquaculture Lease Program (ALP) Ten Year Review Project was public outreach. The following meetings were open to the public and conducted in conjunction with the ALP Ten Year Review Advisory Group Meetings.

Ten Year Review: Town Informational Meetings

The Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning participated in a series of Public Information Meetings in early stages of the Suffolk County Aquaculture Lease Program (ALP) Ten Year Review Project. These Public Informational Meetings were hosted by each of the five east end towns that surround Peconic Bay and Gardiners Bay and were conducted in each of the respective townships: East Hampton/East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton/Southampton and Southold/Southold. The purpose of these meetings was to educate the Town, Town Trustees, residents and the general public on the status of ALP and inform them of the Ten Year Review Project that was being conducted by the Department to review the Lease Program and Shellfish Cultivation Zone. All meetings were open to the general public. Relevant meeting information for each of the Town Informational Meetings is posted in the table below.

Ten Year Review: Focus Group Meetings

In addition to the Informational meetings that were conducted in each of the five east end towns and the nine Ten Year Review Advisory Group Meetings that the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning (Department) conducted; the Department also convened four Focus Groups, which targeted specific stakeholders that frequent and/or utilize Peconic and Gardiners Bays for work or recreation.

The following four Focus Groups were established: 1. Environmental/Conservation Organizations; 2. ALP Leaseholders/Aquaculture-related Interests; 3. Yacht Clubs, Marinas, Boat Trades and Other Recreational Users; and 4. Commercial and Recreational Fishing. The goal for each of these meetings were to identify and document the overall views, concerns, and issues specific to each stakeholder group. While the meetings were targeted to these specific stakeholder groups, all meetings were open to the general public. Relevant meeting information for each of the Focus Group Meetings is posted in the table below.