Another aquaculture permit request in the vicinity of Meadow and Planting Islands was met with opposition at the Marion Selectmen meeting on Tuesday night.

Chris Bryant, who already has a half-acre oyster farm in Jobs Cove with his brothers, was seeking approval to move forward with another half-acre site to the east of the tip of Planting Island. Ben Bryant, speaking for his brother, said there is a 200-foot wide channel between Planting and Meadow Islands and that they hoped to put an oyster farm just south of that.

In October, the Selectmen voted 2-1 to deny a permit request from Shea Doonan to put an oyster farm in Planting Island Cove.

Ben Bryant stressed that he and his brothers had no intention of impeding on navigation or recreation in that area.

“There’s plenty of room to maneuver around the site,” he said. “There is no permanent structure.”

However, he also insisted that despite residents’ fears of commercial activity in the cove, he and his brothers have the right for aquaculture in public waterways.

“Fishing is a historical right,” Ben Bryant said. “It’s a right in terms of the waterways.”

Selectman Steve Cushing said he looked at where the site was marked off and was a little skeptical about the spot.

“Maybe moving it might be beneficial,” he said. “I know there are very few areas in Marion left to put a commercial aquaculture site that meets requirements set forth by the state, but my big question is, can it be moved a little bit away from that navigable area?”

Aquaculture sites can only be in places where there is no eel grass or native shellfish populations.

Selectman Steve Gonsalves said he liked the idea, but agreed that the site location might need to be adjusted.

“I feel like moving it would definitely be something that I’d like to see,” he said. “I’m not against these things, but I just hope everything works out not only for you, but for the residents.”

William Barry said he sails through the cove almost on a daily basis and that he thinks putting the farm in that location would impede navigation through the area.

“The channel and wind are very tricky in that area, and the buoys are placed in a prime navigational area,” he said. “The buoys now make that channel longer and more narrow in an area where the wind is already tricky. It could be a real problem.”

Jeff Holmes also pointed out an issue he thought hadn’t been taken into consideration yet.

“At the very end of the island, the sandbar changes from year to year,” he said. “So when we talk about navigating that course, the position that you need to take your boat through is always different.”

After hearing from residents, Ben Bryant said that he realized navigation is the big issue and that he and his brothers would look into moving the site slightly south. However, he also added that he wasn’t sure even fixing that problem would be enough to appease residents.

“We know there were also comments made on the private use of the area,” he said.

Gonsalves acknowledged the tough decision and said that he understood that the Bryants had a right to the waterway, but noted that he also felt he needed to listen to what the majority of Planting Island residents were saying.

“It’s the right of three men versus the rights of how many people on Planting Island?” he asked. “I’m just looking at it that way…My gut isn’t really feeling this right now. I’m totally for what you do, but doesn’t majority rule?”

Ben Bryant argued that that wasn’t a fair way of looking at it, as there would never be a scenario in which he and his brothers would outnumber the people of Marion. He also said that the right to using waterways for private business was a right repeatedly held up in court in Massachusetts.

Selectmen Chair Jody Dickerson said his only concern was about navigation, which prompted Ben Bryant to ask if anyone from Planting Island would be willing to work with him and his brothers to find a spot that would make everyone happy.

Ultimately, the Selectmen decided to have the Bryants work with residents from Planting Island and then come back to the board. The public hearing was continued until Jan. 17.