In a sympathetic move, Selectmen sided with a Marion man in danger of losing his commercial shellfish license for six months.

In December, Nicholas Carnazza earned three citations from the town’s Shellfish Officer Isaac Perry. According to Perry, Carnazza had received numerous verbal warnings since earning his license in 2012.

The recent citations were issued for violations that happened on Dec. 11 and Dec. 13. Perry said he warned Carnazza not to take shellfish seed to market, a request he allegedly disobeyed.

Perry recommended on Tuesday that Selectmen suspend Carnazza’s license for six months.

“I have a long track record with Mr. Carnazza,” Perry said. “He just doesn’t get it. I don’t think three $25 citations will really hammer home the point.”

Carnazza said he is currently enrolled in online classes. Collecting and selling shellfish help pay the bills, he said.

Selectman Jon Henry took that information into consideration. As a father of five, he said young people should be allowed to learn from their mistakes.

“A six month suspension is a harsh punishment,” he said. “It should be something significant. I was thinking of shortening it to 90 days because of the hardship being imposed on the individual financially.”

Selectman Stephen Cushing agreed; however, he made it clear to Carnazza that people with commercial licenses are held to a higher standard.

“What you’re being accused of is kind of a black eye for commercial fisherman," he said. "You’re holding a torch that a lot of people are looking at.”

Both Cushman and Henry said if Carnazza received another violation they would vote to revoke his license.

Chair Jody Dickerson disagreed with his fellow Selectmen and voted against the motion that reduced the suspension from six months to 90 days.