Look forward to seeing this epic adventure on TV in October.

Andrew Durgin, a conservation law enforcement alum, is Freeport’s new marine resource conservation officer – the town’s first — patrolling clam flats along the Harraseeket River to enforce shellfish harvesting licenses. The Freeport Shellfish Conservation Commission on Jan. 8 recommended that the shellfish warden’s position should henceforth be called the “Marine Resource Officer,” later inserting the word “Conservation,” and that the duties of the person who holds the job should involve more resource protection and less enforcement.

According to town statute, the marine resource conservation officer is responsible for defining, developing, implementing and coordinating projects and activities in support of Freeport’s marine resource conservation and shellfish programs. The officer is charged with developing, implementing and overseeing a conservation program “that satisfies standards of modern shellfish management.”
“Right now, in the summer, I’m doing about 75 percent patrol, paperwork and testing water quality,” Durgin told the Tri-Town Weekly as he made his rounds on a misty morning recently.
“I’ve got a diverse background, which helps,” Durgin said. “The job itself fits right into the things I want to do. I get to work outside, and in the natural resources field. It’s not just strict law enforcement.”

Friday, September 04, 2015