9/ 9 /2022

The first trip of the 2022 seasonal survey returned last week. This long-term project began back in 2011 with the goal of optimizing the harvest of scallops while minimizing impacts to flatfish stocks. The project has since grown to encompass many different aspects (find out more on our website!). Huge thanks to the captain and crew of FV Regulus for all their help!

8/26/2022

As part of CFF's work on leatherback sea turtles and bioacoustics, a combination of AMX tags affixed to the turtles and a sparker will be used to test the impact of impulsive sounds on leatherback at-sea behavior. The team, lead by Samir, went offshore recently to run the sparker to calibrate the hydrophones on the tags. Tags will be deployed on leatherbacks over the coming months - check back for updates!
Turtle/tag photo: @noaafisheries Heather Haas

8/18/2022

Our annual HabCam v3 survey recently wrapped up. The team, lead by research biologist Tasha O’Hara, managed to cover over 1200nm in the Mid-Atlantic from Block Island to the New York Bight Closure and in Georges Bank from Nantucket Lightship South, Southern Flank and Closed Area 2. They found strong recruitment and are looking forward to sharing their results at the upcoming PDT meeting later this month!

The team also made sure their gumby suits were in working order. And they looked great doing it! 🦞

8/11/2022

There was a great turnout at the Boston Seafood Festival this Sunday! Natalie, Emily and Taylor represented CFF at a booth giving out gators, stickers, pens and pencils. It was a great day despite the heat and we're looking forward to the next outreach event!

For more information about the festival, please check out this link: https://www.bostonseafoodfestival.org/

8/3/2022

Have you seen these cool license plates around the state? CFF is proud to be a grantee of the Massachusetts Environment Trust (MET) through Dr. Samir Patel's collaborative work understanding the health and distribution of sea turtles within MA waters. You can support the Trust and help preserve MA's water resources and environment. Click on the logo to order you own "Preserve the Trust" license plate and learn more about what your contribution can do to support the protection and restoration of natural resources.

6/24/2022

Research biologist Farrell Davis returned from a fast and furious 72-hour scallop tagging cruise this week.  Pictured above: CFF technician Tori Oriole assists Farrell with processing meat and gonad weights from a sample of scallops brought to the lab. While at-sea, thousands of scallops were tagged and released by CFF researchers in coordination with an intensive optical survey also being conducted by CFF from the Nantucket-Lightship Rotational Areas to Scallop Closed Area 2. We would like to thank Will Ligenza - F/V Small Stuff and Jose Correia - F/V Kathy Marie for their many hours of service and dedication to these projects.  

6/17/2022

This week CFF research biologists Tasha O'Hara, Luisa Garcia and     technicians Nathan Shivers and Tori Oriole have been onboarding in New Bedford for   Leg 1 of the our HabCam survey. Onsite coordination and services have been provided   by Jose Correia/Arnie Demello, F/V Kathy Marie and Quinn Fisheries. This optical survey of the seafloor is funded by the Research Set-Aside (RSA) Program managed by NOAA Fisheries. Funds to support research are generated through the sale of set-aside allocations of federally managed species like sea scallops and monkfish.      

6/10/2022

Special thanks to Rockland Trust Bank for their donation to the sea turtle research at CFF!  Sea turtle scientists at CFF and NEFSC recently completed a tagging trip in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. These efforts help scientists determine seasonal migration patterns and areas of high/low loggerhead population densities. Transmitters can also be used to monitor turtle dive behavior and certain oceanographic features. To view more images please visit: https://www.facebook.com/CFarmFoundation