Foundation Research Projects

• "Testing of a Low Profile Excluder Dredge for Winter Flounder Bycatch Reduction"

"The intent of this project is to test and refine prototype systems for the retrieval of lobster
pot trawls and gill net strings. The retrieval systems are for hauling fishing gear designed with
lower breaking strength connections located at or near the sea floor. These low breaking strength
connections are part of a program to reduce the risk of entanglement of right whales in bottom
set fishing gear."

"Three days of largely empirical land testing of gill net modifications were
conducted to examine potential means to reduce whale entanglement. More than two
dozen trials were conducted in which loads were recorded on each end of the float line
and lead line as well as the simulated whale loading. Weak link devices tested included
knotted line, light line, plastic links, and "Chinese fingers". The breaking strength of 6.5
and 7.0 inch, 14 gage, monofilament webbing was also tested."

"The Seastead Project has been a three year effort to demonstrate sea scallop, Placopecten
magellanicus, resource enhancement off the coast of Massachusetts. The objective of this project was to enhance sea scallop production using the existing Massachusetts fishing industry base by developing a)means to transport scallops live, b) methods to grow-out transplanted scallops on the bottom and in the water column, c) criteria for managing scallop grow-out areas, and d) means to identify potential grow-out areas. The emphasis was to develop and demonstrate the technology to enhance sea scallop production, on a sustainable and environmentally sound basis, using the existing New England fishing industry and infrastructure."

"The commercial fishing vessel Perseverance, operating out of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, conducted nine exploratory fishing trips for unexploited oceanic squid resources east of the continental shelf waters of New England and the Mid-Atlantic. The vessel was outfitted with lights and electronic jigging machines. The objective was to determine the economic feasibility of a commercial fishery on oceanic squid, using existing large offshore vessels, by assessing species availability, distribution, and economic return. The results indicate a potential resource of neon flying squid, Ommnestrephes bartramii, may exist in the region."

"Three modifications to standard sea scallop dredges were tested to determine their effects on incidental catches of commercial finfishes. The modified dredges were compared to standard dredges at 140 stations of paired tows during 6 trips to Georges Bank. Catch data were recorded for scallops, yellowtail flounder, "other flatfish," monkfish, skates, cod and "other fish." Results were evaluated with t-tests of paired comparisons and indicate that an eight inch square mesh twine top significantly reduces the catch of flatfish and cod. Square root transformations of catch data did not yield statistical results inherently superior to those of untransformed data. An economic evaluation of the impact on fishermen of excluding finfish from scallop dredges was conducted. The analysis revealed that the proposed modification will have no direct impact on fishing vessel income."

"A number of technological solutions to bycatch problems have been identified that can be applied to European fisheries. However, illegal practices are so common place in European waters, it is difficult to conclude that technical measures will succeed. The fishermen have to believe that it is in their best interest to resolve particular bycatch problems."

"This handbook is a first attempt at putting together, in one place, a summary of what has
been studied regarding commercial fishing gear and its environmental impact. The document, at
this stage, is very incomplete and thus not uniform in its coverage. Initial emphasis was placed on
older literature with plans to bring the document up to date with the the latest studies. The idea is to put together a framework that can be continually expanded and modified, as appropriate, in
order to serve the needs of the Greenpeace fisheries campaign."

"A plastic coated hoop style greenhouse, 17' x 96 ' (5m X 29 m), was constructed for
growing salad mix on a year-round basis. The salad mix in this project is a blend of young and
mature leaves of lettuce and greens. The greenhouse was sprayed with shading compound and
mechanically ventilated for summer production. The soil beds were warmed by bottom heat
supplied by buried water tubes for late fall, winter, and early spring production. Lighting was
provided over a portion of the growing area during the winter. The production within this
greenhouse was compared to an equivalent area in a nearby field as well as a conventionally
heated greenhouse of the same size. The report presents details of construction and production
techniques. An economic evaluation is included."

"Coonamessett Farm personnel have been working on methods of culturing native crayfish
species in an economically viable manner. Culturing has been successfully accomplished for
similar species of crayfish in other geographic locations. During this project it was demonstrated
that crayfish can be successfully cultured as an additional crop in conjunction with other farm
crop production activities. Crayfish culture can be accomplished with minimal investments and
might be economically worthwhile if high value local live-markets can be developed in which to
sell the crayfish."