FREEPORT – The Freeport Shellfish Commission is being urged to hire a regional shellfish coordinator to help solve problems that are threatening the area’s clamming industry.

The Maine Clammers Association has proposed a regional shellfish coordinator, who would work in the interest of fishermen in Casco Bay. Chad Coffin, president of the clammers association, will present the proposal for a regional shellfish coordinator, which would be a paid position, at the commission’s upcoming meeting. A meeting scheduled for Feb. 13 was postponed due to snow. Nora Healy, chairwoman of the shellfish commission, said on Monday that the next scheduled meeting is March 13, at 6:30 p.m., at the Freeport Community Center. She is unsure if an additional meeting would be held any earlier than that.

Healy said last week that problems such as water quality and the impact of invasive species such as green crabs are issues “that are broader than Freeport.”

Coffin said he will refer to a report from Sara Randall, an environmental consultant the clammers association hired to collect data and to develop a job description and a budget.

The Freeport Shellfish Commission must decide if it wants to go along with a regional concept, instead of municipal shellfish warden, Coffin said. The clammers have been asking the town to make this conversion for years, he said.

“The Shellfish Commission in Freeport, and I see it everywhere, is frustrated the Town Councils and selectmen are resisting transitioning,” Coffin said. “Town government can’t do it. Clammers are seeing the resource disappear. We’re actually in a major crisis right now.”

Clammers have said they want lobstermen to join in the effort to combat green crabs. Coffin agrees.

“I’ve got a cousin who lobsters, and he pulled traps out of deep water a couple weeks ago, and they were full of green crabs.

There are several items on the commission’s upcoming agenda, including consultant Brian Beal’s final report to the Town Council regarding a town-funded study on green crabs, which are threatening the region’s clam fishery. Commission members also will discuss of survey of the town’s clam flats.

Regarding Beal’s final report, Coffin said it is noteworthy what the report didn’t contain.

“Fishermen have learned more than what the final report indicated,” Coffin said. “Namely, one misconception was on trapping female crabs. It’s more related to season, and the final report didn’t indicate that.”

Traps didn’t contain many female crabs until September and October, Coffin said.

“It’s all related to the mating season,” he said. “I didn’t get a full grasp of that reading this report. They mate in August, then the females are voracious in September and October. The traps were full in those months.”

The final report also did not indicate trapping success as it relates to “soak time,” or the amount of time traps are in the water, Coffin said. Six hours in the water works better than overnight, he said.

“Once they consume the bait, then they exit the traps,” he said. “Pull your traps up more often and do it in September or October.”