April 8, 2026 — Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant has awarded $1.6 million to four new research projects that will investigate pressing concerns related to Massachusetts’ vital aquaculture and fisheries industries, including oysters, soft-shell clams, and black sea bass. The awards are the result of WHOI Sea Grant’s 2026 to 2027 biennial research competition.

“Each of these projects addresses a question we’re hearing directly from those working on the water: how to keep shellfish beds open, how to manage emerging fisheries, how to improve aquaculture practices, and how to restore oyster reefs more effectively,” said WHOI Sea Grant Director Matt Charette. “This is science driven by real needs, with outcomes that will directly benefit coastal communities.”

Over the next two years, these projects will generate new tools and data to support species economically and environmentally important to coastal Massachusetts. The Commonwealth-based researchers will also share this work with the people who will directly benefit from the findings. The projects reflect a coordinated effort to address several pressing challenges facing Massachusetts’ coastal waters and communities.

Read the full article at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution