POINT JUDITH, RI – May 16, 2011 – U.S. Senator Jack Reed today joined local fishermen, officials from the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF), and the captain, crew, and researchers of the Darana R to discuss collaborative fisheries research and the latest efforts to collect more accurate fisheries data along the northeastern United States.
The work being done onboard the Darana R matches up scientists with fishermen who have the local knowledge and expertise to conduct a survey of Rhode Island waters that will develop data that can help inform management decisions.
The Darana R is a 90 foot trawler operated by the Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) and staffed by a team of researchers from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The NEAMAP survey work is an integrated, cooperative state-federal data collection program where fishermen work with scientists to conduct at-sea survey work to help the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in their stock assessments. This project has value for Rhode Island’s fishing industry because it augments NMFS survey work conducted by the 209-foot NOAA survey ship, Henry B. Bigelow.
“Rhode Island’s fishing industry is a vital part of our economy and our traditions. Our commercial fisherman do some of the most dangerous work there is, and I am pleased to have secured federal funding to boost collaborative research between fishermen and researchers to address challenges facing Southern New England fisheries. The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation deserves great credit for bringing together a broad range of stakeholders to develop practical solutions. This NEAMAP survey provides one more data set that can help inform fishery management decisions,” said Reed.
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation recently issued a $191,000 sub-award for the second year in a row to this team to cover the costs of doing the survey work in southern New England waters. The CFRF’s ability to do this is directly attributable to Senator Reed’s past efforts to secure over $3.4 million in federal funding for cooperative fisheries research for the CFRF to administer since 2008.