Chairman Wise reported on the recent acquisition by the Long Island Chapter of The Nature Conservancy of a large area of underwater bay bottom in Great South Bay formerly owned by the Bluepoints Company, a historic shellfish aquaculture firm on Long Island. He has been asked by The Nature Conservancy to chair a multi-agency group (the Bluepoints Bottomlands Council) who, with input from various stakeholder groups, will formulate a management plan for the area. Bluepoints owned about 13,000 acres in Great South Bay and eventually transferred all but 1,500 acres to The Nature Conservancy. Bluepoints will retain these 1,500 acres for continued use in their shellfish culture operations. The Council has about a year to prepare a proposed management plan. The initial thoughts of the group are focused on distinct use areas: areas designated as nature preserves; dedicated commercial aquaculture areas; areas open to public access and public shellfish harvesting; areas for education and research; and areas where active environmental restoration would be undertaken. The Council recently held a public information/community meeting on the project soliciting input from stakeholders and other interested parties. Chairman Wise stated that The Nature Conservancy has been very clear that it sees its ownership of some or all of this property as temporary. Once a management plan is put into place and implemented, The Nature Conservancy would consider divesting itself of the property to a governmental agency - - either the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County, or New York State. Any land transfer to a subsequent owner would contain a proviso binding the subsequent owner to the management plan’s principles. Mr. Wise said he would keep the Council informed as this project progresses.