Page 3 - CFRF Newsletter #19_November2022_Final_digital_Neat

Project Update: Whelk Research Fleet CFRF BOARD OF
The latest installment of the Research Fleet DIRECTORS
model, the Whelk Research Fleet, has been well
underway and sampling since the spring fishery Fred Mattera
kicked off this year. The Whelk Fleet consists of President
eight commercial whelk fishing vessels spread Commercial Fisheries Center
across southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island of Rhode Island
and includes vessels from Martha’s Vineyard, Mid
-Cape, New Bedford, and throughout Narragansett John Kennedy
Bay. Fleet Members randomly sample pots out of Vice-President
three strings of fishing gear, on three trips, The Washington Trust Company

throughout each month fished. Specifically, Fleet Christopher Lee
Members speciate and record shell width and Treasurer
height for every whelk caught in the randomly Sea Fresh USA, Inc.
selected pots. In just the short few months since
the spring fishery began, the Whelk Fleet has Katie Almeida
already recorded data from over 2,000 whelk from The Town Dock
the commercial fishery. Ultimately this data will
feed back into both states’ management effort for Donald Fox
the combined knobbed and channeled whelk Blue Harvest Fisheries

fishery as we continue to work collaboratively Jeffrey Grant
with state fishery departments, and the whelk Commercial Fisherman
fishing industry across Southern New England.
Please visit the project webpage for more Jonathan Knight
information. Superior Trawl

New Project: Removing Ghost Gear From Rhode Island Waters Michael Marchetti
F/V Mister G
Fishermen report piles of lost fishing gear, also
known as ghost gear, near Rhode Island fishing Christopher Roebuck
ports and coastal waters. This project begins to F/V Karen Elizabeth
implement a plan to remove this ghost gear from F/V Yankee Pride

these areas. The project will train fishermen to Mark Sweitzer
safely remove gear, combining best practices
with local knowledge and skills. All retrieved F/V Erica Knight
fishing gear will be sorted at shore and owners Jon Williams
of any tagged gear will be contacted, with all Atlantic Red Crab Co.
efforts made to recycle retrieved gear. For this Narragansett Crab Co.
pilot removal project, we will focus on
fishermen-identified and camera-confirmed CFRF STAFF
locations within Narragansett Bay. We will also
maintain and share a database of retrieved ghost N. David Bethoney, PhD
gear on the project webpage. The removal and Executive Director

disposal of retrieved ghost gear will begin Terry Winneg
during the first quarter of 2023, and potentially Business Manager
continue through 2024. Visit the project
webpage here for public meeting announcements Steve Arnott, PhD
and outreach materials. Research Associate

Aubrey Ellertson
New Board Member: Jon Williams, Research Biologist
Atlantic Red Crab & Narragansett Crab
Thomas Heimann
We are excited to publicly welcome our newest board Research Biologist
member, Jon Williams. Jon started his career as a
Maine fisherman and is now the president of both the Susan Inglis, PhD
Atlantic Red Crab and Narragansett Crab companies. Research Associate

Founded in 1996 and based out of New Bedford, MA, Michael Long
the Atlantic Red Crab Company has a processing Research Biologist
facility and a fleet of approximately 14 vessels that fish
for red crab and other benthic species. The company has Noelle Olsen
long been an industry leader in promoting sustainable Research Biologist
harvesting practices including self-imposed harvesting
guidelines that can be more restrictive than those Hannah Verkamp
directed by the New England Fisheries Management Research Biologist

Council. In 2021, Jon expanded his operations to Rhode Katie Viducic
Island when he opened the Narragansett Crab Company in Point Judith. We look forward to Research Biologist
Jon’s guidance and working with him on matters related to sustainable fisheries research.

Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation November 2022 Newsletter
www.cfrfoundation.org