MARION — Tensions were high after Selectmen, in correspondence with the Harbormaster’s office, revoked two aquaculture permits from oyster farmer Shea Doonan at a meeting on Sept. 8.

According to Harbormaster Isaac Perry, Doonan made violations dating back to Oct. 2017, including five issues with boats of his, and nine instances of gear washing up on-shore, a hazard for other boaters in the harbor. 

One of the biggest offences was when he was spotted by the Harbormaster’s office on Aug. 14 unloading oysters into the back of his pickup truck in 85-degree weather that were not iced, tagged, shaded from sunlight or documented in his log book. 

According to Perry, the oysters looked market-sized, so there’s a chance he could have been going to straight to market with undocumented shellfish that could potentially give people food poisoning.

The state already revoked all his licenses and flagged his application for an oyster transaction permit, and he had been denied this permit since 2018.

Doonan came before Selectmen, Perry and Deputy Harbormaster and Shellfish Officer Adam Murphy to refute claims that Perry made. 

He said he was told he could get his permits back from the state if he worked out problems on the site, not that they were revoked. 

While Doonan admitted that he made a mistake in not icing the oysters, he said it was because of a confusion of the state’s rules over when to ice them (right when they’re caught versus within two hours of being caught.) 

He then went on to say that Murphy and Perry are “out to get him” and have been since he owned the farms.

“I haven’t acted in bad faith since I got this [land],” Doonan said. “They’re the ones acting in bad faith.” 

The oyster farmer said that the revocation could be the death knell for the $150,000 he invested into his business. 

As a response, Perry listed the offences when asked by Selectman John Waterman. On top of the list, Perry added that they have zero issues with other growers in Marion, and if the oysters Doonan sells gets people sick, all the growers in the area could face a shutdown.

“This has huge public health ramifications,” Perry said.

Selectmen unanimously revoked the two licenses.

Doonan now has 60 days to clean out the two sites.