Tag Archives: Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation.
Scientists and Fishermen Agree About Uncertainty of Offshore Wind’s Impact
Newport’s Energy and Environment Commission hosted a panel discussion on Aug. 8, “The Effect of Climate Change and Offshore Wind on Fisheries and Ocean Ecosystems,” where representatives from NOAA, the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, The Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, and the Kingston -based Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation responded to a series of prompts posed by commission Vice Chair Emily Conklin. A Q&A session followed, with about 60 people gathered at City Hall to participate. Many in attendance brought strong opinions both for and against the large- scale offshore wind development projects being built off the coast of Newport and Little Compton. Fred Mattera, a retired commercial fisherman who now serves as the president of the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and the executive director of the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, gave voice to some of the skepticism felt by local commercial fishermen about the nature and scale of offshore wind development in New England. “I’m tired of the deceitfulness and this driven agenda of ‘it has to be done yesterday,’” he said. “We don’t want to look at hydrogen, we don’t want to even consider nuclear, the cleanest and best way to do it, but it’s all going to be offshore wind.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:31
Newport Rhode Island’s commercial fishing industry faces challenging times
“Different? How are things different? Just look at it.” Gazing out over the water toward downtown Newport from a dock on Long Wharf, Denny Ingram, the burly captain of Blue Moon, is answering my question with a question. “Nothing’s the way it used to be. Nothing.” We’re standing on the last remaining pier dedicated to the city’s commercial fishing industry. The view is crowded with pleasure boats, mid-rise condos and high-end hotels. When Ingram started fishing nearly 40 years ago, the scene was quite different. Today, all of the businesses serving the commercial fishing industry have evaporated. You can’t even get ice locally. >click to read< 17:21
In Memory of Norbert Stamps
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and fishing community grieve the passing of our beloved friend and board member, Norbert Stamps. Norbert had a love for the ocean, the environment, and the people who made their living from the sea. Even in his final year of life, Norbert was able to see his ban of mass balloon release come to fruition. Fair winds and following seas captain! We will miss you! Please keep Norbert’s family in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this difficult time. >click to read< 11:17
Here comes that “tracking your activity science”! URI researcher to map commercial fishing activity to help reduce conflict between fishing, wind industries
“I’m exploring a new way of improving spatial planning for offshore wind,” said URI Associate Professor Thomas Sproul. “One of the biggest sources of delay in the regulatory process for offshore wind has been because of the conflicts with commercial fishing.” Sproul said. Partners include the Massachusetts Fishermen’s Partnership, the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, and the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island. Julia Livermore, a supervising marine biologist for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, is also collaborating on the project. >click to read< 09:30
2019-2020 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Awards Announced
Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC) have selected 13 projects for awards through the Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program. The awards are expected to generate more than $14 million; $2.8 million to fund research, and $11.4 million to compensate industry partners who harvest set-aside quota.,,, Among the research projects that will be supported this year are automated image annotation for optical scallop surveys, testing different scallop dredges for efficiency and performance, and development of a high-resolution model to assess the potential impact of offshore wind resource facilities on the regional fishery industry.>click to read<16:42
New England lobster fishermen are asked to keep an eye out for tagged lobsters
New England’s lobster fishermen are being asked to keep an eye out for tagged lobsters that are part of a survey of the valuable crustaceans. The lobsters are tagged with green bars that say “SNECVTS” and black acoustic tags. They are part of a tagging program that’s part of a southern New England lobster study being conducted from May to November by Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and the University of Rhode Island. >click to read< If you find a lobster with a green “SNECVTS” t-bar tag behind the carapace or a black acoustic tag on the carapace, please contact: Michael Long at (401) 515-4892 or [email protected] >click to read<08:33
Black sea bass surge off R.I.
Scientists tell us that some fish will be winners and others losers as oceans warm. In Rhode Island, count lobster, silver hake and winter flounder among the losers, their numbers plummeting as climate change drives water temperatures higher. On the list of winners so far are squid, summer flounder, butterfish. And black sea bass. The population of the dusky-colored fish with striking blue accents has historically been strongest off the mid-Atlantic Coast, but over the past decade or so its numbers have spiked off New England and it is becoming a more important catch for the region’s fishermen. How they are managed will have important implications not only for those fish but for lobsters and other key species in the ocean ecosystem. >click to read<12:30
INVITATION: RI Seafood Strategy Meeting
YOU ARE INVITED! RI Food Strategy: Fisheries & Seafood Session Thursday, March 23rd, 2-3PM Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation Commercial Fisheries Center, Building #61B URI East Farm Campus, Kingston, RI This event will provide an opportunity for fisheries/seafood stakeholders to learn about and provide feedback on a draft of the RI Food Strategy. The RI Director of Food Strategy, Sue AnderBois, will present an overview of the Rhode Island Food Strategy, focusing on the fisheries and seafood components. This RI Food Strategy is a five-year action plan that envisions a sustainable, equitable food system that builds upon traditions, strengths, and history while encouraging innovation and supporting the regional goal of 50% of the food eaten in New England be produced in the region by 2060. The Executive Summary (attached) and full draft of the RI Food Strategy are available at: www.relishrhody.com. Please RSVP to Anna Malek Mercer at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you there! Click here -The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation www.cfrfoundation.org 10:20
New Effort Underway To Study Black Sea Bass In Southern New England
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation is kicking off a new project to collect data on black sea bass, a species that has moved north in search of cooler water. Catch limits for black sea bass in New England are a small compared to the Mid-Atlantic states, where the fish are typically found, according to Anna Malek Mercer, the foundation’s executive director. That means New England fishermen are throwing back very large quantities of black sea bass, she said. And it’s a highly valuable species. “So this will fetch at the dock between $4 and $7 a pound,” said Malek Mercer. “It’s super important in that way. Really could begin to fill some of this economic void caused by the downturns in things like ground fish and southern New England lobsters. ” The project will enlist Rhode Island fishermen to collect data on black sea bass. Read the story here 16:29
Fishermen, Scientists Collaborate to Collect Climate Data
Fishermen plying the waters off the southern New England coast have noticed significant changes in recent years. Though generations of commercial fishermen have made their livings on these highly productive waters, now, they say, they are experiencing the impacts of climate change. “The water is warming up, and we see different species around than we used to,” says Kevin Jones, captain of the F/V Heather Lynn, which operates out of Point Judith, Rhode Island. To help understand the ongoing changes in their slice of the ocean, Jones and other fishermen in the region are now part of a fleet gathering much-needed climate data for scientists through a partnership with the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). Video Read the rest here 10:02
Southern New England Lobstermen Dispute Finding That Lobsters Are At Record Lows
It’s been months since the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission released its latest report on how lobsters are faring in the Atlantic Coast. But it’s still a hot topic among fishermen in the Ocean State. The latest lobster stock assessment found lobsters in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank are doing well; but lobsters in southern New England are not. Most southern New England fishermen disagree with that assessment, according to David Spencer, president of the and a lobster fisherman. Read the rest here 08:22
Study: Offshore wind’s impacts on fisheries unclear; federal report calls for more research
Advocates for regional fishing industries and marine life are concerned about the impacts of offshore wind turbines as deep-pocketed, experienced developers eye construction in ocean waters south of Martha’s Vineyard. The offshore wind industry has been touted as a key piece of New Bedford’s economic future, but advocates’ concerns are reflected in a federal report that says little is known about how turbines could affect fish populations. State Rep. Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, is sponsoring energy legislation that includes intended to boost turbine development. Read the article here 17:27
Rhode Island-based Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation awarded $399,870 of S-K Grant Funding
Rhode Island fishermen are to receive up to $475,000 in federal funds to support research aimed at improving sustainability of local fisheries. The CFRF will put the funds toward its On-Deck Data Program, which allows local lobstermen to use tablet computers and electronic calipers to collect and transmit real time data about their catch and share it with researchers studying the lobster and Jonah crab populations. The Rhode Island Natural History Survey will use the funds to develop a climate change adaptation blueprint for Rhode Island commercial fisheries. Read the rest here www.cfrfoundation.org 18:05
Scientist study the potential of marine material typically tossed overboard by the Scallop Fishery
When you think about sea scallops you likely picture them either pan-seared or fried. But researchers at the University of Rhode Island may be changing the way we think about scallops, with new discoveries about their beneficial uses in medicines or as a tasty new ingredient in fish food. more@ecori 10:39
R.I. fishermen turn to digital tools to help survey of lobster catches
Thick fog obscures all but the lower towers of the Claiborne Pell Bridge as Al Eagles throttles down the Catherine Ann and drifts up to one of his pink buoys on this August morning. He’s about to do what he’s been doing since he was 10 years old: pull on a line until a lobster trap sitting on the bottom is up on the gunwale with the day’s catch. Over the years, Eagles, 63, has gone from a 14-foot skiff and hand-hauled single wooden traps he fished as a boy to a 43-foot boat with a motorized winch to bring aboard sets of 20 plastic pots strung along trawl lines. more@providencejournal 03:28
