Past Events

2019

Tour of Roger Williams University Aquaculture Hatchery, Nursery and Shallow Water Farm

Thursday, August 29, 2019
12:00 PM-3:00 pm

Join us as we tour Roger Williams University’s Aquaculture program. We will start at the hatchery/nursery, then on to the shallow water demonstration farm, followed by a boat ride out to the deep water farm, we will end back on the dock with a raw bar.  Space is limited due to boat capacity.

We have decided to add a NO BOAT option for this tour in order to accommodate as many people as possible. This option will be shorter 12:00-2:00.

Hiking Tour of a Jamestown Aquaculture Farm

Wednesday, July 31, 2019
1:00-3:00 pm
We will meet at Melrose Avenue School, Jamestown, RI

Hiking tours require moderate hiking and wading in water, be prepared to get wet!

2018

Walking/Wading Tour of Bay Aquaculture AND Clamming Demo

Tuesday, June 12, 2018
12:00-3:00pm
Spink’s Neck Beach, North Kingstown, RI

Hiking tours require moderate hiking and wading in water, be prepared to get wet!

Hiking Tour of Jamestown Aquaculture

Friday, August 10, 2018
12:30-4:00pm
Meet at Melrose Avenue School, Jamestown, RI

Hiking tours require moderate hiking and wading in water, be prepared to get wet!

Tour of Ninigret Pond Aquaculture Farms

Date/time to be determined

Hosted by the RI Coastal Resources Management Council, leaving from Ninigret Landing boat launch, Charlestown, RI

WEBINAR: Rhode Island’s Unique Commercial Shellfishing Industry

Thursday, May 3, 2018
2:00 – 3:00 pm
RECORDED WEBINAR

Shelllfishermen and science come together! Join Michael McGiveney, commercial quahogger and President of the RI Shellfishermen’s Association, and Conor McManus, Ph.D., shellfish biologist (Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management) for a webinar about the commercial shellfishing industry. Rhode Island supports a robust shellfishing industry — human, not machine, power is used to harvest over 28 million clams a year (2016). Learn about the unique ways in which the industry and state have partnered for years on research projects, clam population enhancement efforts that benefit recreational harvest, industry education and training innovations, and quahog stock assessments.

WEBINAR: Shellfish and the Environment: Restoration Efforts in Rhode Island

Wednesday, April 25, 2018
1:00 -2:00 pm

Shellfish have a job to do! Learn about the important ecological services shellfish naturally provide to our environment and the ways in which the state is restoring shellfish and enhancing habitat for fish, in partnership and collaboration with a host of public, private, and community partners. Join Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Marine Biologist Eric Schneider and The Nature Conservancy Coastal Restoration Scientist William Helt for a discussion describing the role of shellfish in the Rhode Island ecosystem and specific efforts underway in Narragansett Bay and the Rhode Island Salt Ponds to restore shellfish and enhance habitat for fish.

2017

PUBLIC MEETING: The State of Aquaculture in Rhode Island’s Salt Ponds

Thursday, June 29, 2017, 5:00-7:00 pm
Kettle Pond Visitor Center, Charlestown, RI

Agenda_The State of Aquaculture in the Salt Ponds
Aquaculture Fact Sheet
Summary Notes

The public is invited to attend an education program focused on the state of aquaculture in Rhode Island’s Salt Ponds.The program will feature experts who will provide different perspectives on this topic and will offer the community the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns about aquaculture.

Webinar: How to Harvest Your Own Clams in Rhode Island

Tuesday, March 27, 2018
2:00-3:00pm
RECORDED WEBINAR

Brush Up Those Clamming Skills: Ready yourself for summer by joining URI Coastal Resources Center/Rhode Island Sea Grant sustainable seafood specialist Azure Cygler and local quahogging legend Jody King for a webinar. King, host of a state-sponsored “Come Clam With Me” summer program for the public, will share the basics of recreational clamming – from where to go and what to bring, to tools of the trade and tips for delicious clam dishes.

Resources:
Shellfishing in RI for FUN checklist
Shellfish Recipes_2014
Powerpoint Clamming Basics with Jody King

2017

PUBLIC MEETING: The State of Aquaculture in Rhode Island’s Salt Ponds

Thursday, June 29, 2017, 5:00-7:00 pm
Kettle Pond Visitor Center, Charlestown, RI

Agenda_The State of Aquaculture in the Salt Ponds
Aquaculture Fact Sheet
Summary Notes

The public is invited to attend an education program focused on the state of aquaculture in Rhode Island’s Salt Ponds.The program will feature experts who will provide different perspectives on this topic and will offer the community the opportunity to ask questions and share concerns about aquaculture.

RI Sea Grant Seafood Cookoff

Wednesday, May 3, 3-5 PM
Chariho Area Career and Technical Center
459 Switch Road Wood River Junction, RI

Student teams from the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, the
Cranston Career & Technical Center, the Regional Career and Technical Center at
Coventry High School, Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, and the William M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School will be serving up their own original recipes for locally caught scallops. The audience will vote for their favorite preparation, and the winning team will have their recipe featured at Trio restaurant in Narragansett, RI. They will also win their choice of lunch or dinner at 22Bowen’s restaurant, courtesy of Chef Casey Riley and the Newport Restaurant Group, and other prizes.

The scallops for this event are generously donated by Wild Atlantic Seafood, 81 Point Avenue, Wakefield, RI.

Sponsors of the 2016 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-off are the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, the URI Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, and the URI Graduate School of Oceanography.

2016

WEBINAR:“Understanding the 5% Rule for the Coastal Salt Ponds”

Recorded live Wednesday, November 30,2016

WEBINAR VIDEO

Participate in this free, interactive Webinar, from your computer at home! Learn from those who were involved in shaping the 5% Rule for aquaculture in Rhode Island’s coastal salt ponds. The rule states that no more than 5 percent of the salt pond area can be used for aquaculture. Hear the details about the science, policy, and decision-making that was involved to set the rule – Ask questions of those who were involved to gain a clear understanding of why the rule exists. The intention is to allow an open forum of knowledge and experience sharing so as to be better informed about what the rule is and is not.

Supporting Information

WEBINAR: “Aquaculture 101 for the Public”


Recorded live Monday, October 24, 2016

WEBINAR VIDEO

“Aquaculture 101 for the Public” – Participate in this free, interactive Webinar, from your computer at home! Learn everything about aquaculture in Rhode Island – How many farms and acreage are in the state, a brief history and aquaculture’s beginnings, details about an aquaculture business and what it looks like on the farm, the different gear used, sound farm practices, ecological considerations, fun facts about shellfish, the policy around leases, the management process, the different agencies and groups involved, health and safety, and more. Learn also about some of the key science experiments underway in RI on aquaculture and hear future science needs and predications.

summary-of-aquaculture-101-webinar

Rhode Island’s Coastal Salt Ponds and YOU: A Public Education Series

PUBLIC MEETING: “The Power of Place: Historical Perspectives and Current Uses on Ninigret Pond”

February 22, 2016, Kettle Pond Visitors Center

Joint presentation by: Pam Lyons (Charlestown Historical Society); Sarah Schumann (author of Rhode Island’s Shellfish Heritage: An Ecological History); and Matt Behan (Behan Family Farms).

PUBLIC MEETING: “Our Salt Pond Ecosystems and Shellfish: A Portrait of Point Judith Pond”

March 9, 2016, Kettle Pond Visitors Center

Presented by Prentice K. Stout, author of A Place of Quiet Waters: The History and Natural History of Point Judith and the Harbor of Refuge.

PUBLIC MEETING: “Riparian Privilege: Legal Aspects to Living along the Shoreline”

March 30, 2016. Charlestown Library.

Presented by Dennis Esposito, Adjunct Professor at the Marine Affairs Institute and Director, Environmental and Land Use Clinical Externship Program at Roger Williams Law School.

2016 Speaker Biographies

WALKING TOUR: For Adventurers! A “Wading” Tour of Matunuck Oyster Farm

July 13, 2016

WALKING TOUR: Shellfish Research in Jamestown

August 15, 2016

CRMC Aquaculture Tours of Ninigret Pond
Ocean State Oyster Festival

September 17, 2016, 12-5pm, Providence, RI

The Ocean State Oyster Festival will be held in Providence, RI on September 17th, 2016 from 12-5PM. The Ocean State Oyster Festival aims to “raise awareness of, and celebrate, Rhode Island’s aquaculture industry.”

Purchasing a ticket “gets you a half-dozen locally sourced oysters, raw or restaurant prepared; a local micro-brew beer or glass of wine; live music & DJ; food trucks; shucking contest; ALL in a family-friendly environment along the river boardwalk with the scenic Providence skyline as a backdrop.”

High School Culinary Students Compete in Seafood Cook-off

Monday, May 9, 3-5 PM
Chariho Area Career and Technical Center
459 Switch Road Wood River Junction, RI

Student teams from the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, the Cranston Career & Technical Center, and William M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School will be serving up their own original recipes for local mussels. The audience will vote for their favorite preparation, and the winning team will have their recipe featured at Trio restaurant in Narragansett, RI. They will also win their choice of lunch or dinner at 22Bowen’s restaurant, courtesy of Chef Casey Riley and the Newport Restaurant Group, and other prizes.

Robert Rheault, executive director of the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, will speak to the audience about the economic importance and environmental benefits of shellfish aquaculture, including farm-raised mussels, for Rhode Island.

The mussels for this event are donated by American Mussel Harvesters of North Kingstown, RI.

Sponsors of the 2016 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-off are the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, the URI Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, and the URI Graduate School of Oceanography.

South County Oyster Festival

May 1st, 2016
12PM – 6PM

The South County Oyster Festival will take place on May 1st at the Towers in Narragansett.  The festival is sponsored by the Matunuck Oyster Bar to benefit Dylan Murano and Childhood Apaxia.

“The Oyster Festival will have a rock climbing wall from Rock Spot Climbing sponsored by BankRI.  There will also be a silent auction with many great items including a complete wedding package, signed Patriots items, and much more. To visit the GoFundMe page for Dylan Murano click here.”

For more information click here.

8th Annual Earth Day Beach Cleanup

Matunuck Oyster Bar is sponsoring the 8th Annual Earth Day Beach Cleanup at East Matunuck State, Potters Pond, and Succotash Salt Marsh.  The cleanup will last until 11:30 AM and refreshments will be offered after.

For more information click here.

Aquaculture and Recreation in Rhode Island’s Salt Ponds

The talk focuses on the Perceptions of Aquaculture and Coastal Recreation and Climate in the Coastal Lagoons of Rhode Island.

When: Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Time: 4:00-6:00p.m.
Where: Coastal Institute Auditorium

Light refreshments will be served.  Please RSVP to mmhaas@uri.edu or contact Rhode Island Sea Grant at (401) 874-6805 with any questions.

For more information click here.

Shellfish Harvesting Class

Starting in 2016, CRMC will be requiring all shellfish farming business owners to attend a harvester training class to meet new federal regulations.

The FDA and the interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference have recently mandated that states carry out periodic harvester training to ensure that all harvesters are fully aware of the regulations required to ensure that our shellfish are wholesome and safe.

The CRMC will be offering three sessions in 2016 and anyone holding an aquaculture lease or intending to apply for a lease should sign up to attend one of these sessions.  The sessions will address the specific requirements of aquaculture lease holders. The harvest of shellfish during the warm-weather months requires special attention due to the potential for food-born illness related to Vibrio bacteria.

Sessions will cover all of the federal and state shellfish harvesting regulations including tagging requirements, harvest area specifications, vessel design and maintenance regulations, and more.  Much of the course will focus on explaining the new state Vibrio Management Plan and the new harvest controls implemented in 2015. These restrictions are designed to protect shellfish from thermal abuse during summer months to prevent the post-harvest growth of Vibrio bacteria and ensure wholesome shellfish.

The courses are part of a collaborative effort between the Coastal Resources Center/Rhode Island Sea Grant at URI, the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, and Roger Williams University. The lead instructor will be Dr. Robert Rheault, an aquaculture industry expert. Work is funded by NOAA’s National Sea Grant program.

Vibrios are naturally-occurring bacteria that are common in warm sea water and can cause food-born illness in shellfish consumers. Shellfish harvesters and farmers need to understand the importance of keeping shellfish cool to prevent the proliferation of Vibrios to ensure that shellfish are safe.  This is particularly true for shellfish that are destined for raw consumption.  While it is also important for shellfish dealers, restaurants and consumers to keep shellfish cold, harvesters have a critical role in ensuring that Vibrios are controlled at the source.  It is important that harvesters and farmers understand the new Vibrio control regulations so we can protect public health and maintain the outstanding reputation of Rhode Island shellfish in the marketplace.

Courses are free and open to the public however space is limited so registration is encouraged. Drop-ins permitted as space allows. The course will be offered on three separate days; participants are only required to attend one of the days.

January, 28th, 2016, 6:00-8:00pm, URI/GSO Narragansett Bay Campus, Hazards Room, Coastal Institute building.  Click here to register for 1/28 class.

February 17th, 2016, 6:00-8:00pm, URI/GSO Narragansett bay Campus, Large Conference Room, Coastal Institute building.  Click here to register for 2/17 class.

March 14th, 2016, 6:00-8:00pm, Roger Williams University, Room 200 in the Marine and Natural Science Building.  Click here to register for 3/14 class.

For more information, please contact Dr. Rheault (bob@ecsga.org) or Azure Cygler (azure@crc.uri.edu).

Perspectives of Life – past and present – on Point Judith Pond

Rhode Island author, Prentice Stout, will present perspectives of life – past and present – on Point Judith Pond. Join him on Wednesday, March 9th at the Kettle Pond Visitors Center in Charlestown, from 5:30PM-7:00PM. Refreshments will be served – Please rsvp to Azure@crc.uri.edu or 401-874-6197.

Prentice has devoted his entire career to teaching, filming and writing about nature. His travels have taken him and wife, Patty, from Antarctica to the Galapagos. However, his real love of place has always been Point Judith Pond, a spot he calls “A Place of Quiet Waters” which also serves as the title for his 2006 book. Prentice has served as an enthusiastic educator at Camp Fuller and greatly enjoys seeing young adults learn and thrive as they come to deeply understand the pond’s many assets and ecosystem.

2015

2015 Clamming Series

Come Clam With Me…July 30th, August 20th & September 16th

The RI Shellfish Management Plan is pleased to sponsor RI Department of Environmental Management’s 2015 Clamming Series.

Have you ever wondered how those littlenecks end up behind the seafood window of your local grocery store? Did you know that as a Rhode Island resident you can harvest your own clams recreationally in designated areas without a license? Here is your chance to learn how to dig for clams, the equipment needed, and the management strategies that have kept Rhode Island in the quahogging industry for so long. Commercial quahogger Jody King will be introducing people, young and old, to the ins and outs of recreational clamming.

For information on 2016 clamming events, please contact: Kimberly Sullivan via e-mail  kimberly.sullivan@dem.ri.gov or phone: (401)539-0019.

Website: http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/fwevents.htm

RI Shellfish Management Plan Stakeholder Meeting

Thursday,June 25, 2015

Meeting included updates on the progress since the launch of the SMP in November, including work on implementing the SMP recommendations, more shellfish research money available for 2016, clamming classes hosted by DEM, what you need to know/do to keep your shellfish safe for consumption, and a feature presentation on the ins and outs of shellfish restoration in Rhode Island.
Agenda | Presentation |Matt Griffin Restoration Efforts in RI | Marie Vasta Thesis agritourism

Coastal State Lecture:  Developing Disease Resistant Oysters

March 23, 2015

Discussion of the role probiotics may play in protecting juvenile oysters from harmful bacteria.Guest speaker Dr. David Rowley of the University of Rhode Island has been studying the effects of probiotics, “good bacteria,” for reducing mortality in larval oysters, and will discuss the results from his most recent work and the potential implications for Rhode Island’s shellfish industry.

2014

RI Shellfish Management Plan Celebration

November 17,2014
Reception to celebrate the creation of the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan — a milestone public, private sector and community effort to protect and enhance the state’s shellfish resources and industry.


Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan Public Meeting

September 29, 2014
Public meeting to discuss and get input on the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan currently out for public comment. Click here to view the document.

Shore digging at Spink Neck Beach, North Kingstown

August 12, 2014
Participants took part in a short clam-digging lesson by native Rhode Islander and professional quahogger, Jody King.106


Shore digging at Point Judith Pond

July 11, 2014
Participants took part in a short clam-digging lesson by native Rhode Islander and professional quahogger, Jody King.


Shore digging at North Kingstown Town Beach

June 12, 2014
Participants took part in a short clam-digging lesson by native Rhode Islander and professional quahogger, Jody King.

 

Stakeholder Meeting & Public Lecture: The Lay of the Land: Understanding Quahog Management in Rhode Island 

May 19, 2014
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental shellfish experts Jeff Mercer and Mark Gibson presented on current regulations for the wild harvest of one of our state treasures, quahogs and the audience was invited to give input on the role the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan should continue to play in shellfish management decision-making. The RI SMP team provided updates on the plan and Rhode Island Sea Grant funded researchers also presented on their research focusing on local shellfish resources.

Watch on-line: http://new.livestream.com/universityofrhodeisland/quahogmanagement

Presentations:

The Lay of the Land: Understanding Quahog Management in Rhode Island

 

A Geospatial Inventory and Preliminary Valuation of Human Uses of Rhode Island Coastal Ponds
Nitrogen Cycling Processes Across an Oyster Aquaculture Chronosequence
A model for understanding public support for aquaculture & estimating social carrying capacities in RI waters

Handouts:
Sea Grant funded research 2014-2016

 

Stakeholder Meeting & Public Lecture: Where the Wild Quahogs Are: Looking at Quahog Larval Supply and Distribution in the Upper Narragansett Bay

April 14, 2014
The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) and Rhode Island Sea Grant researchers shared results of sponsored research at this meeting and the RI SMP team provided updates on the project work underway and chapters of the plan available for public comment. View presentations below and click here to download the meeting notes.

Feature Presentation by the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation:
Where the Wild Quahogs Are: Looking at Quahog Larval Supply and Distribution in the Upper Narragansett Bay

Rhode Island Sea Grant Research Presentations
Quahog Laval Dispersion and Settlement in Narragansett Bay
Developing Information and Local Capcity to Manage the Rhode Island Whelk Fishery
Could Disease in Blue Mussels Affect Commercial Culture in the Northeast Region

Rhode Island Seafood Challenge

April 4, 2014
Johnson & Wales University culinary student teams competed in a chowder cookoff, with the audience sampling the chowders and voting on the winners, who will be featured on Channel 10’s “Cooking with Class” with Chef Frank Terranova.

2013

12th Annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium:  The Future of Shellfish in Rhode Island | November 12th-13th, 2013

The 2013 Baird Symposium was coordinated in partnership with representatives from the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, University of Rhode Island, Roger Williams University, R.I. Department of Environmental Management, R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council, The Nature Conservancy, East Coast Shellfish Growers Association, and the local shellfishing industry.
Agenda | Presentations |Notes

Follow-up Discussion on Commercial Shellfish Licensing | October 8th, 2013

This public meeting was a follow-up discussion on commercial shellfish licensing and provided an opportunity to delve into the issues of the current licensing structure in more depth. The SMP invited the public to share their opinions, suggestions, issues, concerns regarding shellfish licensing to discuss these with the SMP team and others interested in the topic.
Meeting Notes

Clamming 101 at North Kingstown Town Beach | September 19th, 2013

This was our last clamming class on the season. Thanks to everyone who joined us for our clamming classes. To see photos from the events, please visit the RI Sea Grant Facebook page, or visit the SMP Flickr album. Be sure to sign up for our email list-serve to get the latest information about RISMP events.

Seafood Cooking Demonstration | September 18th, 2013

Renowned local chef and cookbook author Normand Leclair demonstrated mouthwatering preparations for bluefish and summer flounder, with samples for the audience. For 33 years, Chef Leclair was the chef-owner of the Red Rooster Tavern in North Kingstown, R.I. His cookbook Culinary Expressions, which includes stories from his over 50 years in the food industry, will be available for purchase, or visit http://www.amazon.com/Culinary-Expressions-Normand-J-Leclair/dp/1880603055.

September Stakeholder Meeting: Shellfish Licensing in RI | September 17th, 2013


This meeting provided baseline information on the structure and purpose of RI’s licensing program, as well as status and trends, with particular focus on commercial and recreational shellfish licenses.  The session is intended to both inform and set the stage for a follow-up session at which major policy issues associated with RI’s commercial and recreational shellfish licensing program will be discussed.
Agenda | Polling |Notes | Summer Events Photos
Licensing Information Presentation | SMP Summer Update Presentation

Ocean Farming: Aquaculture in the RI Tour of Matunuck Oyster Farm | September 13th, 2013


The session provided a first-hand look at what ocean farming – or aquaculture – is all about. Participants toured a licensed aquaculture lease, saw how the operation works, the benefits it offers to the environment, and the tasty critters it produces.

Clamming 101 at Point Judith Pond| August 22nd, 2013

A fun and informative clamming lesson taught by veteran quahogger Paul Kennedy. This session was part of the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) project, an effort to bring together stakeholder groups – from government, to industry, to community organizations – to collectively plan how Rhode Island can best manage its shellfish resources so they can serve the needs of many over the years to come.

Clamming 102 in Warwick | August 16th, 2013

Particpants learned bull-raking from a professional quahogger, learned techniques, preparation tips, recipes, and hear stories of the commercial fishing way of life. Taught by Jody King who is a native Rhode Islander and has been a commercial shellfisherman for over 20 years. Jody has brought students from Brown University on his boats in the summer for 13 years to learn about his trade and even hosted Bobby Flay, world-renowned chef, on his boat for the day.

Clamming 101 at Point Judith Pond | July 23rd, 2013

A fun and informative clamming lesson taught by veteran quahogger Paul Kennedy. This session was part of the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) project, an effort to bring together stakeholder groups – from government, to industry, to community organizations – to collectively plan how Rhode Island can best manage its shellfish resources so they can serve the needs of many over the years to come.

Chart Chats: June Use Maps Meeting| June 13th, 2013


This meeting was held at the Warwick Public Library in conjunction with the annual Quahoggers  Jamboree. Participants met to review and provide input on the SMP Use Maps. For more information about the Use Maps, please read the Update on Creating Use Maps.

May Stakeholder Meeting and Seminar Series Lecture | May 15th, 2013

This meeting included an update on the SMP and the third Seminar in our SMP Seminar Series entitled: “Room Enough For Everyone? Addressing User Conflicts in Narragansett Bay and the Coastal Ponds.” Meeting Agenda | Meeting Handout: SMP Vision, Goals, Objectives
Presentations: May 15th SMP Update (pdf) (Azure Cygler and Monique LaFrance), May 15th Seminar Series Lecture (pdf) (Tracey Dalton and Robert Thompson)

Stakeholder Mapping Meeting | May 6th, 2013

This meeting gave us the opportunity expand upon our understanding of how Rhode Island’s waters are used, identify user-conflicts, and further document human activities. Meeting Agenda

Seminar Series Lecture: You Are What You Eat–Health, Food Safety, and New Sanitation Requirements for Rhode Island Shellfish | April 24th, 2013


This seminar brought together a panel of experts to provide guidance on safe practices, health issues, allergy information, the latest on Vibrio, and sanitation requirements regarding the handling and consumption of shellfish. Presentations: Joseph Migliore, RI DEM Office of Water Resources | John Mullen, Rhode Island Department of Health | Lori Pavarnick, RI Sea Grant/CELS, University of Rhode Island | Martin Dowgert, Regional Shellfish Specialist USFDA

Stakeholder Mapping Session: Recreational Activities | April 11th, 2013

Throughout the SMP, there has been a strong request for action to address user-conflict issues among all stakeholders. In response, the SMP team has been hosting a series of meetings to document human activities within Narragansett Bay and the Coastal Ponds. This meeting expanded upon our understanding of how Rhode Island’s waters are used, helped us identify user-conflicts, and further document human activities. Meeting Agenda

Discussion of SMP Goals and Objectives | April 10th, 2013


This meeting gave us the opportunity to further discuss the SMP Goals and Objectives, address your comments, and ensure that all voices were heard. Meeting Agenda

March Stakeholder Meeting | March 20th, 2013

What: Shellfish Management Plan Stakeholder Meeting The purpose of the meeting was to provide an update of the SMP, including the Plan’s progress, on-going projects, proposed next steps; and present draft goals of the SMP for public review. Meeting Agenda | Handouts | Presentations: RI SMP Update (Azure Cygler), Water Quality Presentation (Angelo Liberti, Office of Water Quality, RI DEM)

RI SMP Public Forum: Use Maps | March 14th, 2013

What: Public Forum to discuss use maps In order to start addressing one of the prominent issues identified during the RI Shellfish Management Plan Scoping Sessions in January – use conflicts – we will be hosting several public Input Sessions throughout the state. At the request of stakeholders, we are working to develop a comprehensive and accessible set of current use maps for the Bay and ponds that includes aquaculture lease locations, commercial and recreational fishing areas, and restoration sites, to help minimize use conflicts. View the meeting summary.

Dealer Scoping Session |March 14th, 2013


Purpose: to inform RI Shellfish dealers about the SMP purpose and process to date, to better understand the needs and issues of shellfish dealers and how the SMP might address those concers, and to discuss how to involve the dealers in the SMP process. View meeting notes.

January Public Scoping Sessions | January 16th, 22nd,  & 24th, 2013


What: Public Scoping Sessions The public scoping sessions were an opportunity for stakeholders interested in the SMP to share the issues they felt most important to address in the process. Each session involved a voting process where stakeholders identified two issues most important to them and two issues most important to the industry. All votes were tallied and are indicated in parentheses of the notes below.

Aquaculture Issue Identification | January 16th Agenda
Commercial and Recreational Harvest Issue Identification | January 22nd Agenda
Restoration and Enhancement Issue Identification | January 24th Agenda

January Stakeholder Meeting | January 7th,  2013

What: Shellfish Management Plan Kick-off Meeting This meeting formally and publicly introduced this collaborative initiative. Download meeting materials: Agenda and Handouts|Presentation| Notes

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