Honoring the economic and cultural value of Rhode Island's shellfish
Check out North Carolina’s COASTWATCH Winter 2010 Issue for an interesting article about the country’s first Community Supported Fisheries efforts, how they made it work, and inspiration for other states.
Read more: North Carolina Sea Grant – Coastwatch Articles.
Dr. Mark Green, a researcher in Maine, looks at the effects of ocean acidification on clams. Read more: Professor’s pioneering research on effects of ocean acidification garners global attention and third science grant | Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.
Ocean acidification effects on the west coast of the U.S. drive an oyster hatchery business to move operations to Hawaii:
A Willapa Bay shellfish company is shifting some of its business to Hawaii because of ocean acidification that scientists believe is killing tiny oyster larvae in shellfish farms along Washington’s coast.
Read more: Willapa Bay oyster grower sounds alarm, starts hatchery in Hawaii | Local News | The Seattle Times
The beauty of the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project lies in the fact it is while helping preserve coastal ecosystems, it is also transforming lives—giving these marginalized women hope for their future and the future of their children.
From an article about the TRY Oyster Women’s Association, a group of poor women in The Gambia, Africa, who have developed a way to succeed from oyster harvesting.
Read more: Giving them pearls of hope in an oyster harvest | University of Rhode Island.
As we continue to progress on this important initiative, we are pleased to present to you the draft Economic Scope of Work for your review. The scope of work describes a market analysis study of the shellfish industry. The study will examine trends in supply and demand, and will consider factors such as seasonal and annual fluctuations, varying prices paid to fishermen and by consumers, and the role of locally harvested product versus farmed or imported products. The study will focus on quahogs and oysters initially, but the study may be expanded to include other species in the future.
The public comment period is open through Friday, March 8th, 2013. Your comments are welcome and should be sent to: SMP@etal.uri.edu.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, with support from the University of Rhode Island (URI) are developing a Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan.
This comprehensive plan will include natural resources, restoration, and commercial and recreational harvest. The Shellfish Management Plan will facilitate management and research coordination, establish strategic priorities, promote active participation amongst stakeholders, and follow a transparent and public process. For more information, please visit the project’s web site — http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/projects-2/shellfish-management-plan/.
As always, please feel free to contact us with any thoughts, questions, or concerns.
Update: The public comment period was concluded on March 8th, 2013. Thank you to those who provided comments; public input is invaluable to the SMP process.