Ed Dutton

BARS Founding Member and Its First President

Ed Dutton, along with his buddy, Dave Kicilinski, were the first volunteers for the Town of Barnstable’s Shellfish Volunteer program. He and Dave attended one of Natural Resources’ first “Learn to Shellfish” classes, where town employees of the shellfish program brought interested license holders to an area where quahogs that had been relayed to clean waters, and had just been opened to shellfishing. Little did we know, Ed and Dave knew how to rake for quahogs—they were just looking for a new sweet spot for harvesting quahogs.

After that first encounter, Ed and Dave offered to help with the shellfish propagation program, becoming Natural Resources’ first volunteers. When they asked questions about shellfish habitat and water quality, the discussion evolved into a meeting at Andre Sampou’s home where interested folks decided to form a nonprofit, the Barnstable Association for Recreational Shellfishing (BARS), to support the Town’s shellfisheries and advocate for water quality and habitat preservation. Looking for someone to head up this new nonprofit, Dave ambushed his friend, Ed, and nominated Ed as BARS’ first president, back in 2001.

Ed loved the camaraderie and the jovial structure of this new non-profit that has continued until today, 22 years later. Finding a shared value of Barnstable’s shellfish, many BARS members have become personal friends and Ed was a friend to many of BARS members, past and present. There will never be another Ed Dutton and we wish him peace since he passed away in August, 2023 at age 97. Ed’s family has requested that in lieu of flowers that memorial contributions be made in Ed’s memory to BARS, PO Box 57, West Barnstable MA 02668.*

—Kris Clark, Town Councilor, Precinct 11, West Barnstable
Kris Clark was the Town of Barnstable, Marine and Environmental Affairs Department Shellfish Propagation Technician / Deputy Shellfish Constable from 1996 to 2009, and was a great motivational force for shellfish volunteers and BARS during the time she was working for the town in this capacity.

*Ed’s obituary in the Cape Cod Times can be viewed here, but the address for donations is incorrect. Please use the address above instead.