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NOAA fisheries center wonโ€™t relocate to New Bedford

May 31, 2016 โ€” NEW BEDFORD, Mass. โ€” NOAA wonโ€™t be relocating its Northeast Fisheries Science Center from Woods Hole to New Bedford or anywhere off Cape Cod, the agency decided this week.

After 50 years in its location, the Science Center is bursting at the seams, and NOAA is seriously considering rebuilding it at another location.

Mayor Jon Mitchell and about 50 other community leaders wrote to NOAA earlier this year, stating that moving the researchers closer to the fishing fleet that relies on their work would go a long way toward repairing the damaged relationship that the fishermen have with their regulators.

Drew Minkiewicz, attorney for The Fisheries Survival Fund, a nonprofit scallop industry group, said, โ€œThey should have looked harder. It doesnโ€™t seem like they thought about it too much.โ€ He said that the city offers โ€œsynergies with places like SMAST (The UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology).

Bob Vanasse of the industry group Saving Seafood said, โ€œI do think the mayor was correct in moving the science center to a major seaport with the most economic value. It would have been a good move. It would have been good to have scientists in close proximity to the fishermen who rely on them.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not surprised, though. I thought it was a long shot,โ€ he said.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

MASSACHUSETTS: House budget includes money for SMAST

April 29, 2016 โ€” Next yearโ€™s state budget, passed by the House on Wednesday, includes increased funding for city public schools; money to expand fisheries research; and money for community programs.

โ€œThis is a big victory, I was able to secure most of what we asked for,โ€ Rep. Antonio F.D. Cabral, D-New Bedford, said Thursday. The budget awaits approval by the state Senate.

Notable funds set to come the cityโ€™s way include $450,000 for fisheries research conducted by UMass Dartmouthโ€™s School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST).

โ€œThis is critically important,โ€ said SMAST Dean Steven Lohrenz. โ€œFunds have been tight lately so this will allow us to continue to do the kind of pioneering work weโ€™ve been doing with our collaborative fisheries research.โ€

The research conducted by SMAST looks at ways to improve accuracy in fisheries data collection. Lohrenz said that the new funds will allow researchers to conduct new projects including video survey techniques of cod and other groundfish.

โ€œTheir progress with data collection is very important for our fisheries industry especially with federal regulations that could cut quotas for the next fishing cycle,โ€ Cabral said. โ€œWeโ€™re hoping down the road that they can do for ground fish what they did for the scallop industry.โ€

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

MASSACHUSETTS: New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center Leases Downtown Space

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. โ€” March 8, 2016 โ€” The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce its plans to lease space at 38 Bethel Street beginning on April 1st of this year. Located in the heart of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the 3000 square foot, handicap accessible space will accommodate changing exhibits, public programs, school groups, archives, and community gatherings.  Exhibits are under development with a public opening planned for late June.

โ€œThe commercial fishing community deserves a place to preserve and present its stories and artifacts, share its skills and knowledge, and educate the public about its rich traditions, heritage, and contemporary existence. We are excited to provide that opportunity.โ€ Executive Director, Laura Orleans.

During 2016 the Center will continue to present Dock-u-mentaries, its monthly film/speaker series and Something Fishy, its free summer camp program, in collaboration with the National Park and Whaling History Alliance. Weekly cruise ship programs and fishermen-led walking tours will be offered during the summer months.  A variety of public programs including author readings, talks, occupational demonstrations, and performances will be presented.  In addition, an interactive website with digital exhibits, an industry timeline, and standards-based curriculum materials will be launched in April. The Center is also working in collaboration with UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, and the New Bedford Public Library on a year-long initiative to create a digital archive of fishing community history.

The Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. The Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information visit www.fishingheritagecenter.org.

MASSACHUSETTS: NEW BEDFORD FISHING HERITAGE CENTER LEASES DOWNTOWN SPACE

March 2, 2016 โ€” The following was released by the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center:

The New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce its plans to lease space at 38 Bethel Street beginning on April 1st of this year. Located in the heart of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the 3000 square foot, handicap accessible space will accommodate changing exhibits, public programs, school groups, archives, and community gatherings.  Exhibits are under development with a public opening planned for late June.

โ€œThe commercial fishing community deserves a place to preserve and present its stories and artifacts, share its skills and knowledge, and educate the public about its rich traditions, heritage, and contemporary existence. We are excited to provide that opportunity.โ€ Executive Director, Laura Orleans. 

During 2016 the Center will continue to present Dock-u-mentaries, its monthly film/speaker series and Something Fishy, its free summer camp program, in collaboration with the National Park and Whaling History Alliance. Weekly cruise ship programs and fishermen-led walking tours will be offered during the summer months.  A variety of public programs including author readings, talks, occupational demonstrations, and performances will be presented.  In addition, an interactive website with digital exhibits, an industry timeline, and standards-based curriculum materials will be launched in April. The Center is also working in collaboration with UMass Dartmouth, UMass Boston, and the New Bedford Public Library on a year-long initiative to create a digital archive of fishing community history. 

The Fishing Heritage Center is dedicated to preserving and presenting the story of the commercial fishing industry past, present, and future through exhibits, programs, and archives. The Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information visit www.fishingheritagecenter.org. 

Fishing Heritage Center Executive Director and members of the Board pose in front of the space they will lease in downtown New Bedford. (from the left: Phil Mello, Kirsten Bendiksen, Laura Orleans, Cassie Canastra, Madeleine Hall-Arber, and David Martins. Not pictured: Ann Jardin-Maynard, Stephanie Rafael-DeMello, and Jeff Pelletier)

University of Massachusetts scientists improving cod counting technology

February 11, 2016 โ€” A new video system designed by UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) scientists to assess the population of cod has passed its first major test, giving the researchers confidence that they can use this new approach to help improve the accuracy of future scientific assessments of this iconic species. Recent stock assessments indicate that the Gulf of Maine cod population is low and struggling to recover. Members of the fishing industry contest those results, suggesting the stock is much healthier than depicted in recent assessments.

โ€œOur goal is to provide all stakeholders in this issue with trustworthy science that leads to smart management of the Gulf of Maine cod fishery,โ€™โ€™ said Dr. Kevin Stokesbury, whose team conducted the test. โ€œWe are pleased with the initial results and are looking forward to scaling up our work.โ€

The Baker-Polito Administration provided $96,720 in capital money through the state Division of Marine Fisheries to fund research tows recently conducted on Stellwagen Bank. This work builds on similar research that Dr. Stokesburyโ€™s team has conducted on yellowtail flounder, which is also facing difficulty. Of special note, Dr. Stokesburyโ€™s approach has been successfully used over the last sixteen years to measure the scallop population of the east coast resulting in improved assessments integral to sustaining that fishery and keeping New Bedford the top-ranked fishing port in the U.S.

โ€œThe work by UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology will complement work done by our federal partners by providing additional scientific data that will help us better understand what is happening to the cod stocks in New England,โ€ said Governor Charlie Baker. โ€œImproving the data used to make informed decisions is critical to preserving the economic viability of the Commonwealthโ€™s fishing industry.โ€

The new video system uses an open-end fishing net with video cameras mounted on its frame to capture images of the fish passing through the net. Researchers then review the video to count the different species, and estimate the size of each fish.

The current practice of counting cod involves catching the fish in a net and hauling them onto the deck of the vessel, then counting, weighing and measuring them. Dr. Stokesbury believes this practice is less efficient because the nets are only left in the water for a short period of time (20-30 minutes), while the open-end net can be left underwater for hours at a time collecting a greater amount of data on fish populations across a larger portion of the ocean. In addition, the traditional survey method kills most of the fish that are caught, while the new open-net video method causes no damage to the fish.

The tests were conducted on Stellwagen Bank January 7 -9 aboard the F/V Justice, a New Bedford-based commercial fishing boat captained by Ron Borjeson. Dr. Stokesbury was joined on the excursion by graduate students Travis Lowery and Nick Calabrese, and technician Christa Bank.

The objectives of the test were to determine whether the video camera system design functioned properly; whether the video fish counts matched on-deck fish counts; and whether the system could be used to measure the population of cod in the area.

Eleven 30 minute tows with an open net were conducted, while seven half hour tows were made with a closed net. For closed net tows, the fish were carefully brought onto the boat, counted, measured, weighed, and returned to the sea. Fish survival was high due to the care shown by the research team.

A total of 6,423 fish, representing 21 species, were collected during closed tows, with the three most abundant species being haddock (2,062), yellowtail flounder (1,444) and Atlantic cod (1,096). Cod ranged from 28 cm (10 inches) to over 80 cm (32 inches). Numbers and size of each species observed during open net tows are currently being derived from video footage.

Biological samples of cod were collected for two collaborative research projects related to the genetics and evolution of cod. SMAST, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, University of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute are participating in these studies.

โ€œThis experiment was successful beyond what I had hoped for,โ€ Dr. Stokesbury said. โ€œI was impressed with the abundance of cod and other species, particularly yellowtail flounder, winter flounder, and haddock.โ€

Read the story from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

NOAA Issues Climate Warning for Scallops

February 9, 2016 โ€” NEW BEDFORD โ€” โ€œSea scallops have a high vulnerability ranking,โ€ reads a Feb. 3 announcement from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, which operates in Woods Hole under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). โ€œNegative impacts are estimated for many of the iconic species in the ecosystem including Atlantic sea scallop, Atlantic cod and Atlantic mackerel.โ€

The NOAA study, formally known as the Northeast Climate Vulnerability Assessment, said Atlantic sea scallops have โ€œlimited mobility and high sensitivity to the ocean acidification that will be more pronounced as water temperatures warm.โ€

Water temperatures in Buzzards Bay have risen 4 degrees over the past two decades, for example, according to a recent study by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Buzzards Bay Coalition.

Scallops are vital to New Bedfordโ€™s fishing industry. NOAA Fisheries announced last October that New Bedford, for the 15th year in a row, was the No. 1 port in the country in terms of dollar value of its catch. Much of that value, which totaled $329 million in 2014, comes from scallops.

The money has big local impacts. Eastern Fisheries captain Christopher Audette, for example, told visitors at an annual buyersโ€™ tour in March 2014 that deck hands on his scallop boat had taken home more than $200,000 in 2013 โ€” and that he had made even more than that.

Harbor Development Commissioner Richard Canastra, who has been instrumental to the Whaling City Seafood Display Auction since 1984, said this week that the scallop industry โ€” and stock โ€” continues to boom in New Bedford.

โ€œThe biomass has been increasing over the last 10 years, and there is no sign of it depleting because of the warmer waters,โ€ Canastra said. โ€œTheyโ€™re talking a few degrees, and thatโ€™s not going to make much of a difference in terms of scallop population.โ€

Chad McGuire, associate professor of environmental policy at UMass Dartmouth, said that while the NOAA findings are not a surprise, they could be another โ€œwarning signalโ€ for the industry.

โ€œThis study suggests that if you care about one of the largest economic drivers for this region, then you need to care about climate change,โ€ said McGuire, whose work includes fishery management and climate change issues.

โ€œWe should be worried that this could greatly affect how many scallops weโ€™re taking in the future,โ€ he added.

Read the full story at New Bedford Standard-Times

โ€˜Counting Fishโ€™ takes a closer look at UMass Dartmouth teamโ€™s fishing industry research

November 16, 2015 โ€” NEW BEDFORD โ€” Gentle persuasion might best describe a new 50-minute documentary on fisheries research going on at the UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology.

Don Cuddy, program director for the Center for Sustainable Fisheries and a Mattapoisett resident, provides the narration, taking the viewer aboard the fishing vessel Liberty in May of 2015 to observe fish survey work.

There, one sees footage from eight days at sea, culled from seven hours, of Dr. Kevin Stokesbury of SMAST. He is the researcher who developed the โ€œdrop cameraโ€ for counting scallops on the sea floor, exposing faulty science, and helped create the highly profitable scallop industry known today.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is launching the new film, โ€œCounting Fish,โ€ on Harvest of the Sea Day, Nov. 22 at 1:30 p.m. in the museum theater, free to the public.

What viewers will see is a documentary that Cuddy agrees is small, done on a very tight budget.

But without lot of raised voices or a confrontational style, the film depicts SMAST scientists as conducting very serious survey work on fish populations. In between shots of nets being hauled up and fish being hand-counted on deck, Stokesbury and his crew explain carefully and in laymanโ€™s terms what they are doing and how they are doing it.

Read the full story at New Bedford Standard Times

MASSACHUSETTS: NOAA head visits New Bedford, tours harbor

October 28, 2015 โ€” NEW BEDFORD, Mass. โ€” The commercial fishing community had an opportunity to meet and discuss regulations on Tuesday with Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the first in person meeting between the NOAA administrator and local fishing community since 1993.

The closed-door meeting included a boat tour of the New Bedford Harbor and a discussion at the School for Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth with fishermen, city leaders, and other officials.

Sullivanโ€™s visit comes as the ground fishing industry prepares to take another hit with the cost of at-sea monitors shifting to the fishing boats. Estimates are it will cost fishing boats $710 or more each day to employ a person to count the fish that a boat takes in.

The meeting was meant to spark a conversation between the regulators and the commercial fishing community in New Bedford, which is considered the United Statesโ€™ top fishing port with annual landings valued at $379 million.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan to Visit New Bedford, Mass.

October 26, 2015 โ€” NEW BEDFORD, Mass. โ€” The following was released by Center for Sustainable Fisheries: 

Mayor Jon Mitchell will host a visit by NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan tomorrow, Tuesday, October 27, 2015. 

Administrator Sullivan and Mayor Mitchell, accompanied by other officials, will meet with local fishing industry leaders as well as tour New Bedford harbor and the SMAST campus (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology).

Following a lunch at SMAST, participants will be available to answers questions from the press at 12:45 P.M. (706 South Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford)

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is the federal agency charged with managing the nationโ€™s fisheries; NMFS is an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce.

New Bedford is the Americaโ€™s top fishing port for fourteen consecutive years with annual landings valued at $379 million.

UMass Dartmouth to break ground on $55m facility

October 22, 2015 โ€” UMass Dartmouth will break ground Friday on a $55 million expansion to its School for Marine Science and Technology.

The new 76,000-square-foot facility will be next door to the existing School for Marine Science and Technology, according to a university statement Wednesday. It is being built in collaboration with the state Division of Marine Fisheries.

The university hopes the expansion will create a more comprehensive marine science campus for education and research of commercial fishing, coastal preservation, ocean observation, and climate change.

Read the full story at The Boston Globe

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