February 18, 2025 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries is continuing its mission funding critical shellfish and finfish research, approving $277,857 in funding for 2025. The five new projects funded by the Center will address research priorities that have been identified by members of the fishing industry, broadening our understanding of commercially important species and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of vital regional fisheries.

A project of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, SCEMFIS brings together leading researchers in the marine science community with participants in the fishing industry to support innovative fisheries research projects that will support the continued sustainability of their fisheries.

The research funded this year focuses on several new designs for dredge equipment to improve the efficiency of surfclam fishing vessels; using AI and other technologies to analyze seafloor habitat data; conducting additional surveys of commercially important species to provide regulators with more data; and collecting data on fisheries discards to improve surfclam management.

In addition to the newly funded research, SCEMFIS also committed additional funding to ongoing Center projects.

The following new research projects were approved for 2025:

Fishery-dependent acoustic data to estimate the biomass of Atlantic mackerel: 
Atlantic mackerel is an ecologically and commercially-important species that has exhibited signs of declining biomass in recent years. Fishery quotas have, accordingly, been reduced significantly as part of a stock rebuilding plan.  However, reports from the fishery indicate that mackerel biomass may be much higher than official numbers state, based on data from the echosounders used to locate mackerel when fishing. This study, from Dr. Mei Sato of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, assisted by Drs. Anna Mercer and Mike Jech from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, will partner with two mackerel fishing vessels to conduct acoustic surveys of mackerel schools during fishing trips to better quantify the number of mackerel that are being observed. An existing model, that correlates target strength with the size of mackerel, will be used to convert the acoustic signals into biomass estimates and compare the results with existing survey data. ($48,948 in funding)

Evaluating Discard and Mixed-Catch Protocols for Overlapping Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Stocks:
As surfclam habitats expand into deeper, cooler waters, fishing vessels are increasingly catching ocean quahogs alongside surfclams—yet current regulations prohibit landing both species on the same trip. This new project, led by Dr. Daphne Munroe at Rutgers University, aims to develop and scientifically validate practical methods for measuring discards and mixed catches at sea and in processing plants. By comparing fishing-crew data and volume measurements of sorted catch at processors to independent measurements made by project scientists, the study will determine how accurately the fishery can estimate catches of both species and will refine protocols to ensure reliable, accurate reporting. These validated methods will help prepare the fishery for regulatory changes to allow mixed-species landings, improving both operational efficiency and sustainability. ($81,772 in funding)
 
Efficiency Enhancement of Clam Dredge Systems:
Led by Dr. Daphne Munroe at Rutgers University, this continuing project builds on prior research supporting improvements in the surfclam fishery’s dredge technology. The newly funded work will gather critical flow-rate and pressure data from an experimental manifold with a slit nozzle, installed on a full-scale dredge. These measurements will validate and refine computational modeling tools previously developed by Dr. Spyros Kinnas (University of Texas at Austin), enabling reliable calculations of key design parameters—including pump size, hose diameter, and manifold type. By optimizing these parameters, fishers can achieve higher jet speeds and flow rates while minimizing required horsepower, helping to reduce fuel costs and associated emissions and improve dredge performance. Data from this study will inform a practical, industry-wide tool for selecting the best dredge configurations under various conditions. ($11,550 in additional funding)

Continuing Development of an Analysis Tool to Study and Improve Clam Dredge Systems: 
Building on earlier work to enhance the surfclam fishery’s operational efficiency, this ongoing project led by Dr. Spyros Kinnas at the University of Texas will receive additional support for conducting full-scale simulations of existing and newly proposed dredge manifolds. These simulations will refine computational tools used to design dredge systems, optimizing factors such as water flow and jet speeds while minimizing energy requirements. The added funding builds on previous allocations and will help translate modeling results into practical, cost-effective solutions for the fishery. ($5,488 in additional funding)

Underwater Optical Survey for Benthic Biomass and Sediments Assessment:
One of the largest, mostly untapped sources of information on the seafloor comes from the Habitat Mapping Camera (HabCam) database. HabCam is an optical camera system that has taken extensive seafloor photographs of Georges Bank and the Mid-Atlantic Bight; the HabCam picture database, which includes millions of pictures, has the potential to provide extensive data on the seafloor and the species that live there. This study, from Dr. Yi Hi at William & Mary, will analyze that database using AI tools, specifically an Object Detection, Recognition, and Segmentation (ODRS) model, to identify the species in the database, estimate their biomass, and provide insight into the composition of their habitats. ($30,000 in funding)

February 29, 2024 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) has approved 8 new research projects for 2024, allocating $198,000 in applied research funding. These projects will allow the Center to continue its mission to produce innovative shellfish, finfish and wind energy-development data, in cooperation with its industry partners.

The projects will focus on how to best use shellfish hatcheries and new seeding methods to mitigate the potential impacts of offshore wind development; how best to develop standards to improve the sustainability of Gulf menhaden; developing new dredging techniques to better harvest surfclams and ocean quahogs; examining the reasons for variations in Atlantic surfclam size; studying the growth of Atlantic surfclams off the Delmarva peninsula of the US East Coast; and organizing an industry/science summit on longfin squid harvests and ecology, in conjunction with a developing Federal stock assessment.

SCEMFIS is part of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, which brings together marine science researchers with members of the fishing and wind energy industries, to identify and fund important fisheries research to reduce uncertainties around the sustainable use of the ocean environment. These projects are the last approved by the Center under its final year of Phase II NSF funding. SCEMFIS was recently reauthorized for NSF’s Phase III funding, which allows the Center to expand its scope and continue its scientific mission for an additional 5 years, with the first funding cycle to begin in April 2024.

The following research projects were approved for 2024:

• Hatchery and nursery siting to support Atlantic surfclam stock enhancement – The development of offshore wind farms off the US East Coast is expected to limit access to some Atlantic surfclam fishing grounds, potentially raising costs and reducing overall revenues for the fishery. This study, from Andrew Scheld at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, will examine the best ways to site new surfclam hatcheries in the Mid-Atlantic, to increase the availability of harvestable surfclams, and reduce any potential losses to the Atlantic surfclam fishery. ($19,730 in funding)
   
• Design of a clam seeder for the planting of seed on the ocean floor – With the development of offshore Atlantic wind power, one proposed way to mitigate potential loss of Atlantic surfclam grounds is seeding grounds outside of wind lease areas with surfclams. This study will fund the design of a custom clam seeder to better disperse Atlantic surfclam seed in areas designated for stock enhancement. ($8,250 in funding)
   
• Implementing a harvest control rule for the Gulf Menhaden fishery – As part of its Marine Stewardship Council sustainability certification, the Gulf menhaden fishery is required to have a harvest control rule, which ensures that the fishery is managed in a way that considers the ecological role of Gulf menhaden. This project, from Robert Leaf of the University of Southern Mississippi, will take several steps to ensure the fishery is in compliance with this requirement, including updating management dashboards with up-to-date data on the fishery, conducting simulation testing on potential alternative control rules, and working with regulators and fishery participants on implementing the control rule. ($43,651 in funding)
   
• Why clam maximum size varies: a literature survey – A unique feature of Atlantic surfclams is that their maximum size is variable across regions, a feature that is important to understand for a fishery that harvests based on size limits. This study, from Eric Powell at the University of Southern Mississippi, Daphne Munroe and Sarah Borsetti at Rutgers University, and Roger Mann at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, will review the existing data and studies examining this variation, as well as consider how these differences could be affected by climate change. ($36,157 in funding)
   
• Examination of density-dependent growth in Atlantic surfclam in the Delmarva region – Recently, Atlantic surfclam populations have expanded off the Delmarva area of the Mid-Atlantic. However, the surfclams there are on average smaller, which may be the result of increased density of surfclams in the area. This study, from Sarah Borsetti at Rutgers University, will use assessment reports, surveys, and other primary data to examine southern surfclam growth to determine if surfclam density is impacting growth. ($25,100 in funding)
   
• Design of a dry dredge for collection of Surfclams and Ocean quahogs – Current Atlantic surfclam harvesting methods include the use of dredges, pumps, and hoses that, as a drawback, can blow sand into the meat of the surfclam. As a result, there is demand for a dredge system that does not use high-pressure water. This study will fund the design of a dry dredge to collect surfclams and ocean quahogs without having to use water. ($8,250 in funding)
   
• Efficacy of a Novel Dredge Manifold and Varying Hose Sizes – This project, from Daphne Munroe at Rutgers University, is a continuation of a 2023 SCEMFIS-funded project to develop and test a new design for a dredge manifold for surfclam vessels. The project will test the design, which was developed with industry input, in real fishing scenarios on actual surfclam fishing grounds. ($13,112 in funding)
   
• Develop, host, and report on a 2024 Longfin Inshore Squid Population Ecology and Fishery Summit – This project, from Dr. John Manderson at Open Ocean Research, would develop and host a summit in the spring of 2024 with fishermen and fishery researchers to discuss the upcoming stock assessment for Longfin inshore squid. The summit will bring together experts in the industry, academia, and government to discuss the upcoming research track assessment and other ongoing, collaborative research efforts. The summit will produce a working paper that will be provided to the assessment work group and to the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. ($44,550 in funding)

January 17, 2024 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) begins 2024 by entering Phase III of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) Program. This new phase of NSF funding will allow SCEMFIS to further expand its mission of conducting innovative and in-demand marine science research, in cooperation with our fishing industry partners.

SCEMFIS is one of the many research centers in the NSF’s IUCRC program, which brings together leading academic researchers, and members of their collaborating industries, to identify and conduct needed scientific research. NSF provides funding for IUCRCs in five-year phases, with the Centers receiving more funding as they complete each phase and gain more industry members. The Centers that are able to make it to Phase III have exceptional levels of industry support and a proven track record of successful scientific research.

“Moving up to Phase III is a reflection on both the quality of research SCEMFIS regularly produces, and on the successful collaborative relationships that we have developed with our partners in the fishing industry,” said Dr. Eric Powell of the University of Southern Mississippi. “Entering this new phase will give us more resources to continue our mission to produce groundbreaking finfish and shellfish research, and engage in research, on the horizon, focusing on coexistence between commercial fishing and offshore wind development.”

In recent years, SCEMFIS researchers have published studies on finfish and shellfish resource constraints and opportunities, which have improved our scientific understanding of these key commercial species, and will help both the fishing industry and fishery managers ensure our fisheries remain sustainable. Studies have looked at how climate change has increased the growth rate of ocean quahogs, one of the longest-lived species in the ocean; how to reduce scientific uncertainty in managing Atlantic surfclams; and how to improve the accuracy of Atlantic menhaden assessments. The Center has also done acoustic survey work to locate previously uncounted adult menhaden schools during the winter.

In addition to its academic research, the Center has also dedicated its resources to providing NSF internship and research opportunities for many students, helping to develop the next generation of marine scientists who are interested in a future with food from the sea.

“Our partnership with SCEMFIS, over the past 10 years, has led to scientific research that has vastly expanded our members, and the public’s understanding of the commercial species we care most about and depend upon,” said Jeff Kaelin, representing Lund’s Fisheries as Chair of the SCEMFIS Industry Advisory Board. “This new five-year phase of funding will present us with even more opportunities to conduct the important research that will keep our fisheries productive and sustainable. We greatly appreciate the confidence that our NSF partners have in the work that our Center has accomplished over these past years.

April 6, 2023 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

Researchers with the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) are continuing their efforts to provide the latest and most up-to-date research on Atlantic surfclams, and to support the sustainable management of the surfclam fishery. A recently published study looks at how current surfclam management deals with uncertainty, and whether this uncertainty affects future sustainability.

The surfclam fishery is sustainably managed; it’s not overfished and overfishing is not occurring, nor have either of these issues arisen since the first fisheries management plan was adopted. The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) in collaboration with the surfclam fishery has implemented a conservative catch limit on the fishery, but significant uncertainty remains over some key estimates, such as the natural mortality rate and the spawning stock biomass, which measures the reproductive capacity of the surfclam population. Both are key indicators of the health of the stock. The study evaluates the likelihood that this conservative management strategy still could lead to unsustainable fishing.

The study, published in the Journal of Shellfish Research, uses a series of statistical simulations to model how uncertainty about the stock affects the risk that the stock may be overfished with current quotas in place; whether the current risk policy is appropriate; and the extent to which the future economic viability of the surfclam fishery is affected.

To do this, the study used the stock assessment models from the MAFMC’s surfclam assessment, and ran simulations with different values for natural mortality and the steepness of the stock-recruitment relationship, which measures how the rate of recruitment in a fished population reacts when the spawning stock is reduced. The study then examined whether any of the range of values used, when run through the assessment model, would lead to overfishing of the stock. This analysis also examined how harvest levels would affect surfclam density, a critical factor in maintaining a viable surfclam fishery.

Through these simulations, the study finds that the existing surfclam population is “robust to overfishing across a variety of management strategies,” and that “the surfclam stock is unlikely to become overfished or experience overfishing from currently implemented management strategies”.

Economically, the study found that “the fishery is not constrained by the current quota and unlikely to pursue fishing at such volumes that would decrease profit margins,” and the conservative quota cap adopted by the industry “has likely contributed to the sustainability of the Atlantic surfclam stock.”

While making these conclusions, the study also raised concerns about the effects of climate change on these estimates, and that the rapidly warming northwestern Atlantic may have a future impact on surfclam population dynamics. Because surfclams are highly sensitive to rising temperatures, this is a factor that may influence uncertainty in future assessments.

January 3, 2023 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) has awarded $235,000 in new research funding for 2023. The funding, which covers four new projects, was approved by the Center at its annual fall meeting, and is a $109,000 increase in funding from the $126,000 approved by the Center in fall 2021.

These projects were chosen for funding by the members of the the Center’s Industry Advisory Board, and address some of the highest priorities in finfish and shellfish science. This year’s projects research new methods to chart the habitat overlap between ocean quahogs and surfclams; test better ways to analyze the diets of important predator species in the Gulf of Mexico; examine the financial impact of wind farm development on Northeast fisheries; and design a new, experimental clam dredge.

SCEMFIS is part of the National Science Foundation’s Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers program, and brings together researchers and academics in marine science with members of the fishing industry to identify and fund commercially important fisheries research.

The following research projects were approved for 2023: 

• Clam resource distribution, a GIS summary – As the waters off the U.S. coast continue to warm, surfclams continue to move into deeper, formerly colder waters, causing an overlap in habitat with ocean quahogs, creating a problem for fishermen and regulators as two formerly separate fisheries begin to overlap. This project, led by Dr. Roger Mann at the Virginia Institute for Marine Science, will develop GIS information charting this overlap using historical survey and fishing data, use temperature data to determine the influence of climate change over time, and use these data sets to project future surfclam migration ($19,719 in funding).
   
• Metabarcoding the gut contents of predatory fish in coastal Louisiana – There is contradictory information available on the degree to which predator species in the Gulf of Mexico rely on various forage fish species, particularly Gulf menhaden. Current methods, which rely on analyzing stomach contents, have the potential to misidentify diets; techniques such as DNA sequencing is more likely to produce an accurate result. This study, led by Drs. Justine Whitaker and Chris Bonvillain of Nicholls State University, will collect DNA samples from selected stomach contents from Gulf fish, and analyze these DNA samples to correctly catalog the contents of the diets of these fish ($60,428 in funding).
   
• Assessing stranded capital and capital devaluation in the seafood industry due to offshore wind energy development – Large-scale offshore wind power development is anticipated to negatively impact the commercial fishing industry. New wind farms in the Northeast will reduce fishable area and landings, impacting both upstream and downstream businesses in the seafood economy. This has the potential to devalue the physical capital used in seafood production, such as fishing vessels and shoreside processing infrastructure, which is often highly specialized and may have limited alternative uses. This project, led by Dr. Andrew Scheld at the Virginia Institute for Marine Science, will assess the potential for stranded capital and capital devaluation in the seafood industry by conducting a literature review, collecting information from a sample of seafood businesses to evaluate asset risk exposure, and developing models to assess exposure of vessel capital ($44,856 in funding). 
   
• A clam dredge with an integrated pump – One of the fundamental challenges in operating a hydraulic clam dredge is that, the deeper the dredge goes, the worse it will perform, due to the distance between the dredge on the sea floor and the dredge pump on the vessel. This project, led by Dr. Roger Mann of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, will make a modified dredge design with the dredge pump on the dredge itself, and run comparison tests with a regular dredge to measure potential improvements ($110,000 in funding).

About SCEMFIS
SCEMFIS utilizes academic and fisheries resources to address urgent scientific problems limiting sustainable fisheries. SCEMFIS develops methods, analytical and survey tools, datasets, and analytical approaches to improve sustainability of fisheries and reduce uncertainty in biomass estimates. SCEMFIS university partners, University of Southern Mississippi (lead institution), and Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, are the academic sites. Collaborating scientists who provide specific expertise in finfish, shellfish, and marine mammal research, come from a wide range of academic institutions including Old Dominion University, Rutgers University, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, University of Maryland, and University of Rhode Island.

The need for the diverse services that SCEMFIS can provide to industry continues to grow, which has prompted a steady increase in the number of fishing industry partners. These services include immediate access to science expertise for stock assessment issues, rapid response to research priorities, and representation on stock assessment working groups. Targeted research leads to improvements in data collection, survey design, analytical tools, assessment models, and other needs to reduce uncertainty in stock status and improve reference point goals.