Against the vocal opposition of neighbors, Selectmen Tuesday night agreed to amend Robert Field's aquaculture license to include acreage used for aquaculture but not included in the original 1986 permit.

Robert Field’s operation in Brant Island Cove has been filed since 1986 as being 3.5 acres, but an Oct. 11 hearing revealed the operation had grown. Field said at Tuesday night’s hearing the current size is 4.94 acres. Field owns 6.2 acres of property, but according to Selectman Tyler Macallister, does not use 1.3 acres of that for aquaculture.

Field said at the Oct. 11 hearing he would reassess the size of the operation and pay past fees owed to the town, which Town Administrator Michael Gagne said was around $1100. The Selectmen agreed, at the Oct. 11 hearing, to renew the license pending a map from the Army Corps of Engineers showing the acreage.

Yet at Tuesday’s hearing, residents were unhappy with Field’s miscalculations and town’s job of regulating aquaculture.

“If something similar was done on land, it would not be tolerated,” said resident Lisa Winsor, in a written statement to the Board. “Now the town is being asked to approve an additional 44 percent. [These are] acres that have been used for several years, but they  are acres that were never granted to be used as indicated on each license issued by the town.”

Additionally, Winsor said in her statement that although the Selectmen have acknowledged the town’s poor job of regulation, “it does not excuse a grant holder from not knowing and following the letter of the law.”

Resident Edward Camara Jr. agreed.

“I don’t think the issue of acreage is the issue, but it goes further with lack of regulation,” Camara said. “It demands the Selectmen look closely at how this is structured in the future.”

Selectman Jordan Collyer acknowledged the matter had been mishandled.

“No matter how you slice it, there was a mathematical error,” Collyer said. “I think we have to step off on a new foot. We’ve been poor at it in the past.”

The Board approved to authorize the amendment to Field’s license after another peer review determining the size of the project was completed and the payback to the town in fees was finalized.

In other town business:

Town Administrator Michael Gagne said trails in Tinkham Forest will soon be marked. After meeting with representatives from the Bay Club and Friends of Tinkham Forest, Gagne said an engineer will be hired to use GPS to locate paths along the property.

After this, Gagne said, the town can have a map of the area by the start of next year.

Four resignations were brought forward to the Selectmen:

— Jim O’Dowd and Carmelo Nicolosi of the Conservation Commission.
— Deputy Harbormaster Graham O’Dowd
— Marine Advisory Board member Wayne Oliveira