Suffolk County is moving closer to a government-backed seafood processing facility, officials said, as it explores potential sites and the type of work to be done before putting a proposal out to public bid. At the New York Seafood Summit in Riverhead on Friday, County Executive Edward P. Romaine spoke in support of the idea and a separate panel led by the Cornell Cooperative Extension discussed the services it could offer from a list of potential locations, from Babylon to Montauk.Mark Harrington reports in NEWSDAY that a processing facility able to fillet fish, shuck and can shellfish, and process kelp could help create new markets for fish that are not economically viable to sell now, experts said. Mechanical fillet machines could help process and market more porgies, a highly abundant species. The market for bait would also get a boost. And processing could help a burgeoning market for sugar kelp, while creating new markets for shucked shellfish, including canned and frozen foods."We’re working on that," Romaine said at the summit, which presented findings from a survey of fishing interests across the county. A request for proposals is being drawn up by the county’s economic development team. Romaine also said Suffolk County is moving ahead with a planned Seafood Festival at Smith Point County Park in August.It is unclear how much a processing facility would cost and who would own and operate it."The feasibility study will present options for construction as well as future management configurations for the county’s consideration," Romaine spokesman Michael Martino said."What we found is that because there are so many things that are needed, such as filleting and ice, that you can’t just do it all in one building and say Yaphank," said Amanda Dauman, fisheries specialist at Cornell, who led a presentation that surveyed fishing interests about the plan. "You need to have it where the people who need it are."In addition to processing, most survey respondents emphasized the need for basic services at fishing ports, including more reliable electricity and fresh water, ice machines and proper lighting. Most commercial fishing docks are in need of repairs.Amanda Jones, director of operations at Montauk Inlet Seafood, said there’s a need for more ice houses and dockside fish processing. Right now the only icehouse is in Montauk, the state’s biggest fishing port, but could vanish after a recent sale of Gosman’s, which owns the ice facility. In addition, she said, the lack of dockside processing for squid, among other species, drives fishing boats to Connecticut and Rhode Island to land fish and fuel up."Without dockside processing we lose that business during squid season," she said. Inlet has requested permits for an icehouse in Montauk.***Felicia Thomas-Williams, a retired Brentwood educator, is Long Island's first new NYS Board of Regents representative in 20 years. Thomas-Williams, 56, of Wheatley Heights, starts in her new role today, replacing Roger Tilles, who will serve out the remaining year of a vacant, at-large position on the board. Darwin Yanes reports in NEWSDAY that those who have worked with Thomas-Williams say they have been impressed by her commitment to her students and her ability to advocate, on the state and federal levels, for funding and initiatives that will benefit them.Tilles, 78, said his move to an at-large position allows him to serve a shorter term, while giving Long Islanders a second voice who can commit to a five-year term. He called Thomas-Williams a "dedicated educator" and said “our mission as Regents is both excellence and equity, and as long as we keep that in mind — that both need to be fulfilled — that's going to be important." Thomas-Williams, who grew up in Suffolk County, is joining the board at a time when President Donald Trump's administration has vowed to shut...

Suffolk County moves towards government-backed seafood processing facility