John Mihale of the NYS Commercial Hook and Line Association observed that there had been three different sets of recreational fluke regulations over the past three years. He felt that a better system would provide that regulations be set further in advance and/or kept in place for a number of years. Jon Semlear of the Southampton Baymen’s Association said that his group voted unanimously to oppose the legislation that would allow use of patent tongs, a type of mechanical shellfish harvesting gear, on selected public bay bottoms. The Association was concerned that allowing use of this equipment could produce an enormous expansion of the inshore molluscan shellfish industry, and the market was not ready to absorb increased production. Mr. Wise distributed a letter from Joe Gordon of the Southold Baymens Association also opposing the patent tong legislation. John Kotula, Shelter Island Baymen’s Association, also spoke against the patent tong legislation, expressing concern about damage to the marine habitat from mechanical harvesting. Robert Wemyss, North Shore Baymen’s Association, agreed that the environmental impact of allowing the use of mechanical shellfish harvesting gear such as patent tongs had not been considered. He also noted that the legislation as written would allow mechanical harvesting right up to the beach without any depth restrictions, which would put patent tong users in direct space and resource competition with shellfish rakers and tongers. Mr. Wemyss suggested that the primary user group to benefit from the patent tong legislation would be lobstermen with big boats, who were not now primary users of hard clams. He suggested that the Council defer discussion of this bill until DEC’s Shellfish Advisory Committee has commented on it. Councilor Relyea added that the Shellfish Advisory Committee had opposed patent tongs in the past. Joe Woronowicz, Brookhaven Baymen’s and Staten Island Shellfishermen’s Associations, added that patent tongs were essentially excavating equipment that would destroy the habitat for all marine life, while hand harvesting provided a sustainable harvest.