Saving Seafood

Final Report Available: Scallop Enhancement Project

February 21, 2026 — The following was released by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

The Coonamessett Farm Foundation has released the final report for its
Evaluating the Key Factors that Influence the Efficacy of Transplanting to Supplement
Recruitment project. This report was submitted to NOAA Fisheries earlier this month and was
prepared under the 2022 Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program continuing more than a
decade of collaborative, industry-based research. The report summarizes scallop transplanting
efforts and the results from an industry-funded project conducted under an Exempted Fishing
Permit in 2020 and 2021 to evaluate dispersal, growth, and mortality of transplanted sea scallops
while comparing transplanted individuals with scallops in natural beds. This research indicates
that transplanting sea scallops from high-density, growth-limited areas to more favorable
environments can produce meaningful biological and economic gains.

More information about the project and the full report is available here

Starfish, moon snails and squid: Researchers work to give scallop boats new purpose

February 19, 2026 — On any given day, research assistant Kelly Alves’ car is full of moon snails.

The little-understood marine species is thought to prey on sea scallops, and that’s as good a reason as any for Alves and her colleagues at the Coonamessett Farm Foundation to learn more about the animal — and all the ways to catch, kill, and potentially market it as seafood. The work comes with hazards.

“One time in New Bedford, I picked them up and there were 100 pounds or so of moon snails in these boxes with holes at the bottom, so the slime just oozed all over the back,” research assistant Emily O’Toole said.

The scientists’ foray into moon snail research is part of a larger federally funded initiative to adapt New Bedford’s scallop fleet for potential new frontiers. Scallop trawlers spend over 300 days a year tied up at the dock. Coonamessett Farm Foundation’s research is working to get them back in the water — even if it means chasing some far-flung fish.

Senior research biologist Samir Patel leads the team of scientists pursuing a number of projects to repurpose or retool scallopers for new uses and markets. Some, like the moon snail project, involve exploring entirely new species these boats could fish besides scallops. Others involve developing new user-friendly research technology that can make scallop trawlers operate more like research vessels.

“We’re not trying to make scallopers more adaptable,” Patel said. “We’re trying to take advantage of how adaptable this industry already is.”

Read the full article at the The New Bedford Light

Seasonal Survey for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery on the Eastern Part of Georges Bank Project

February 12, 2026 — The Coonamessett Farm Foundation has released the final report for its
Seasonal Survey for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery on the Eastern Part of Georges Bank
project. The report was formally submitted in November 2025 and was prepared under the 2024
Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program, continuing more than a decade of collaborative,
industry-based research. The report summarizes findings from six research trips conducted
between August 2024 and June 2025, providing high-resolution seasonal data on scallop
biomass, spawning activity, meat yield, health condition, predator interactions, and bycatch
dynamics. Sampling focused on key SAMS areas within Closed Area II, the CAII Extension, and
the Southern Flank on eastern Georges Bank.

More information about the project and the full report is available here

AI used to understand scallop ecology

January 9, 2026 — The following was relased by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

A recent peer-reviewed study led by Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) demonstrates how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to analyze massive underwater imagery datasets, revealing new insights into the ecology and behavior of Atlantic sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus). Using AI models, CFF scientists analyzed over 1.3 million images collected during Habitat Mapping Camera (HabCam) surveys in 2019 and 2021 to investigate scallop habitat preferences and swimming behavior.

Read the full story on CFF’s website to learn more about HabCam surveys and AI tools used for analyzing underwater imagery. The new paper, entitled “Benthic habitat influences sea scallop distributions and swimming behavior based on underwater imagery and machine learning”, is available by following this link.

MASSACHUSETTS: Coonamessett Farm Foundation Showcases Advanced, Cost-Effective Technologies for Commercial Fisheries

November 18, 2025 — The following was released by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

The Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) hosted the Fisheries Innovation and Technology Expo at The Launch, operated by Moby Dick Brewing Company. The event brought commercial fishing industry partners, researchers, and vendors together to evaluate innovative tools shaping the future of sustainable fishing.

The expo showcased technologies under development through the Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) program, sponsored by the offices of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey, and Congressman Bill Keating. This federal grant program enables CFF and its partners to advance fisheries technology, strengthen data collection, and respond to a rapidly changing marine environment.

Attendees had the opportunity to interact with CFF technology partners currently advancing practical tools for fisheries research, including:

  • Acbotics Research, a Cape Cod–based engineering firm currently developing an electronic fishboard and castable Oceanographic Sonde
  • Lowell Instruments, creator of a Bluetooth-enabled conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data logger and integrated deck box
  • Saltwater Inc., provider of electronic monitoring systems

The event also highlighted CFF’s current fisheries and survey initiatives in collaboration with the offshore fishing fleet, including:

  • Plankton surveys that adapt sampling methods for outfitting commercial fishing vessels
  • Experimental fishing trials using Japanese jigging machines to target underutilized species such as neon flying squid
  • Predator control projects testing alternative gear
  • Seafood initiatives that establish new markets for species typically considered bycatch, like moon snails

Attendees were able to sample moon snails and neon flying squid, directly connecting marine research with culinary innovation.

A major focus of the event was CFF’s Fishing for Data: Massachusetts Cooperative Fisheries Research initiative, a research and development project supported through CDS funding. This 3‑year project will provide captains and crew with oceanographic and fisheries data collection skills and expand fishing and research opportunities through technology development and on-site and at-sea training sessions.

Through the program, CFF has outfitted a dedicated training facility with specialized equipment to support hands-on skills development in oceanographic sampling, experimental fishing, and data collection. Participating vessels will be outfitted with advanced sampling equipment to collect oceanographic and fisheries-specific data, giving vessel crews hands-on experience while contributing valuable data to the scientific community.

By leveraging fishermen’s expertise, this collaborative effort aims to fill gaps in ocean data collection, generate robust data sets for management and research, and promote the long-term sustainability of marine ecosystems while creating new training and employment opportunities within the fishing industry. As the future of CDS funding remains uncertain, continued support will be essential to advancing these innovative programs and ensuring that fishermen and researchers alike can continue building a competitive and versatile fishing industry.

“This was a great event. I learned a lot from the scientists and vendors and enjoyed the conversations,” said Harold Meyers, vessel owner from Point Pleasant, NJ. “Fishermen need to be involved in research, it’s that simple. There were many good ideas presented today.”

Special thanks to all participants, partners, and elected officials for making this event a success and for their continued collaboration on this project.

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About CFF

Coonamessett Farm Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing expert research services for more than twenty years. Whether independently or in partnership with leading research institutions, our work contributes to informing management decisions and the development of best practices in sustainable fishing, farming, renewable energy, and aquaculture in the region.

CFF is led by a diverse and dynamic team of scientists who excel in their respective fields, supported by a Board of Directors with decades of experience in engineering, science, and education. Operating within a strong collaborative culture, CFF regularly partners with the commercial fishing industry, government agencies, leading academic, and private sector professionals across a wide range of disciplines.

Unusual Juvenile Haddock Aggregation Observed During the November 2025 Scallop Research Set-Aside Survey of Eastern Georges Bank

November 14, 2025 – Researchers from the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF)
recently made an unexpected discovery during their November 2025 scallop survey on
Georges Bank: 76 juvenile haddock caught at several stations aboard the F/V Vigilance.
Haddock are rarely found in such numbers in scallop dredge surveys, making this
observation particularly noteworthy.

The finding, part of CFF’s long-term Seasonal Scallop Survey, underscores the
importance of consistent monitoring efforts that not only support scallop management
but also reveal broader ecosystem patterns across Georges Bank. The CFF seasonal
survey is unique in the region because it operates six times per year, collecting data
during months when other surveys used for fisheries management are not active.

Read the full story at Coonamessett Farm Foundation

Coonamessett Farm Foundation awarded contract for at-sea monitoring training

February 15, 2022 — The following was released by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

The Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Inc. (CFF) located in East Falmouth, MA was recently awarded a 2-year contract through the Atlantic States Fisheries Marine Commission, in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), to provide supplemental At-Sea Monitoring training sessions. These classes are critical to increasing the groundfish monitoring coverage rate to 100%, as stipulated under Amendment 23 of the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. CFF, a recognized leader in sustainable fisheries and cooperative industry research, employs highly skilled instructors on staff that will begin training at-sea monitors for at-sea deployment by the NEFSC.

The At-Sea Monitoring Groundfish Program began in 2010 when the Northeast Fisheries Management Council and NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Office finalized the creation of the sector quota management system for federally permitted groundfish vessels. There are 13 commercially viable fish stocks such as Atlantic cod, redfish, haddock, and winter flounder that are managed as part of the Northeast species complex through sector allocations. Currently, based on geographical location within federal waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, there are 20 recognized stocks that make up the groundfish complex.

Employed by observer/monitor service providers, certified at-sea monitors work directly with groundfish vessel captains and crews throughout the Northeast region and serve as NOAA Fisheries contractors. They are an important and vital link between industry, stock assessment biologists, and federal managers. Monitors are instructed in species identification, with core training components related to collecting haul level catch data of kept and discarded species; verification of area fished; and gear types used. During training, monitors undergo 3 days of instruction in vessel emergency and safety with hands-on field exercises to prepare them for working aboard commercial fishing vessels that range in size from 35 and 95 feet.

With guidance from training and data quality staff at the NEFSC, CFF plans to lead several trainings during the 2022-2023 season. In class training will be led by CFF ASM trainers, Tanner Fernandes and Taylor Irwin, former monitors and observers who joined CFF in 2021 to support this program. The NEFSC will advise on the need for additional training classes and provide ongoing support to CFF throughout this contract.

ASMFC & NOAA Fisheries Select Coonamessett Farm Foundation to Conduct Components of the At-Sea Monitoring Training Program

August 24, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), has selected the Coonamessett Farm Foundation to conduct components of the At-Sea Monitoring (ASM) Training Program for NEFSC. Training will include identifying target and bycatch species in Atlantic groundfish fisheries, collecting and reporting fisheries-dependent data following federal guidelines, and instruction in offshore safety and survival.

At-sea monitors collect data aboard commercial fishing vessels that are used to manage and monitor annual catch limits in the Northeast groundfish sectors. A sharp increase in the required ASM coverage rate (up to 100%) and observer attrition during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in the need for approximately 140 new at-sea monitors. Coonamessett Farm Foundation will take on the majority of the training with support from NEFSC. ASM training by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation will start this year and extend at least through 2022.

To learn more about becoming an at-sea monitor, contact one of the companies that provides at-sea monitors to the NEFSC’s Northeast Fisheries Observer Program. A list is posted here:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/fisheries-observers/sea-monitoring-northeast

For more information on Coonamessett Farm Foundation ASM training award, please contact Tania Lewandowski (Tania.Lewandowski@noaa.gov), Tasha O’Hara (tohara@cfarm.org), or Quinn McWatters (qmcwatters@cfarm.org).

Coonamessett Farm Foundation Celebrates Women’s History Month

March 31, 2021 — The following was released by the Coonamessett Farm Foundation:

To close out Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting the dynamic, capable women at CFF who lead our research! These women help us carry out our mission of supporting sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and agricultural industries!

Luisa Garcia received a bachelor’s degree in Biology with concentration in Marine biology in 2009 from Universidad del Valle, Colombia. After graduating, she worked for four years as an Assistant Researcher in the Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras – INVEMAR (Colombia). In this position she participated in research trips and specialized in fisheries stock assessments and the reproductive biology of the main commercially harvested shrimp species (Litopenaeus occidentalis, Solenocera agassizi, and Farfantepenaeus brevirotris) in the Colombian Pacific. Luisa completed a master’s degree in Marine Affairs at University of Rhode Island in 2016. At CFF, Luisa leads a seasonal bycatch study researching changes in the distribution of bycatch species in the scallop fishery on Georges Bank. Luisa is interested in the distribution and prevalence of diseases in scallop and other important species, as well as lobster damage caused by different dredge configurations.

Natalie Jennings currently leads CFF’s surfclam research projects. Natalie received her bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology in 2011 from UNC Wilmington. She then graduated a master’s program at UMass Dartmouth’s SMAST in 2015 in Living Marine Resource Management specializing in fishing gear technology. Her project focused on reducing bycatch in trawl nets used in the groundfish fishery. She then worked for North Carolina’s state fisheries department first as an observer, then on their gillnet sampling and tagging program. Her primary interests lie in fishing gear and its interactions with living organisms and their associated ecosystems.

Sarah Whitman leads the CFF sea scallop enhancement project. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology in 2015 from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She then went on to receive her Master’s degree in Conservation Medicine in 2017 from the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, and is currently working towards her PhD. While pursuing her degrees she worked as an intern for multiple organizations, including two internships with the New England Aquarium conducting rehabilitation of sea turtles. She has also worked on multiple ecological research projects as both an undergraduate and graduate student on an array of different topics, including North Atlantic right whale fecundity and eyeshine in sea scallops. Prior to working at CFF she worked as a research assistant in the Marine Fisheries Field Research Group at SMAST conducting sea scallop research and assisting with their drop camera survey.

Read the full release here

Monkfish Research Awards to Improve Understanding of Monkfish Biology and More

July 31, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — NOAA Fisheries and the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils have announced three new cooperative research projects that will improve the understanding of monkfish biology, as well as how to reduce catch of skates in monkfish gillnet gear. 500 days-at-sea have been set aside by the councils to be awarded to projects that address monkfish research priorities.

Coonamessett Farm Foundation was awarded 296 monkfish Research Set-Aside (RSA) days-at-sea to conduct a 2 years study on determining sex and maturity stage in Southern New England monkfish. Coonamessett Farm Foundation will use ultrasound methods to determine sex and maturity stage. In addition, they will also be conducting hormone analyses to “create a reproductive profile based on sex and maturity stage of monkfish.”

Meanwhile, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County was awarded 303 monkfish RSA days-at-sea to conduct a 2-year experiment evaluating a modified gillnet designed to reduce skate bycatch. The University of New England was awarded 401 monkfish RSA days-at-sea to conduct a 2-year study on monkfish vertebrae and illicia.

This story originally was originally published in Seafood News, it is republished here with permission.