Coonamessett Farm Foundation’s (CFF) mission is to conduct scientific research and educational projects that support sustainable fisheries operations, local small-scale agriculture and aquaculture, and renewable energy sources for the benefits of the public.
Updates On Exploratory Fishing For Oceanic Squid
June Research Trip
Earlier this month, our team headed out to sea for another trip in our exploratory squid fishing research in the Northwest Atlantic.
The most abundant species caught was the Northern shortfin squid, Illex illecebrosus, which could support a high-volume fishery in the Northwest Atlantic and is ecologically important forage supporting many species. Although this species occupies waters greater than 1,000 m, little information is collected on the oceanic component of the stock which lies beyond 200 m depth, making stock assessment difficult. On this survey, Illex were abundant in waters with depths of 1,000 m along Washington Canyon east of Maryland, northward to Veatch Canyon, east of Nantucket.
Although less abundant than previously found in the autumn, neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii) were caught in waters east of Veatch Canyon which recently received a Gulf Stream eddy. Those caught were of a small size class suggesting that this species recruits to shelf-edge waters from the Gulf Stream.
See the Squid Jigging in Action
July 9, 2026
250 Years of Commercial Fishing in Massachusetts
A Timeline of the Industry that Shaped this Coast
July 4, 2026
1,300 Miles Along the Seafloor
RSA HabCam June Cruise Report
July 1, 2026
Coonamessett Farm Foundation Launches New Membership Program
Help advance research and innovation
June 30, 2026
Our feature film, Sustaining Sea Scallops, is now available online! Watch the full documentary to learn how the collaborative research model embraced by CFF helped a flagging scallop fishing industry rebound.
Your donation powers hands-on research, community-driven education, and sustainable solutions across land and sea. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us protect ecosystems, inform policy, and support a more resilient future for people and the planet.
