The job description for Mattapoisett’s harbormaster is getting overhauled.

“Our objective is to get a job description that fits all the duties and functions that we expect a harbormaster will do in the future,” said Town Administrator Mike Gagne.

Interim harbormaster Horace Field and Marine Advisory Board Chair Alan Gillis presented the new job description to the Selectmen on Tuesday.

“The harbormaster’s job is huge,” said Gillis. “We spent a lot of time on the descriptions of what he should be able to do.”

Gagne said that in area communities new responsibilities and tasks have been added to the harbormaster’s position and Field’s efforts to improve the harbor have upped the ante.

With additions such as the launch service, moorings and new aquaculture laws, Field has already taken on an ambitious job and one that is currently only part-time.

Selectmen Chair Jordan Collyer commended Field for his work and said, “Almost nine years ago, I didn’t think the harbor would be in the state it is now. We’ve had a great year.”

Besides added responsibilities, the Selectmen are also looking to have more say in evaluating the harbormaster.

Gagne said that state law restricts a town’s control over its harbormaster.

“Right now they basically have to commit a crime to be removed as the harbormaster,” he said. “I think there should be some rule made by the Massachusetts Harbormaster Association to modify that."

In the meantime, the Selectmen plan to seek a home rule petition from the state that would give the town the ability to tie a harbormaster’s compensation and benefits to their performance. The process could take over six months.

The Selectmen did not have an exact time frame for when the new job description would take effect or when they would begin looking for a new person to fill the position.

But Gagne said Field wouldn’t be going anywhere any time soon.

“Horace is going to stay on with us and be a tremendous resource. We’ve got some pretty good plans we want to do.”