Scientists and the Fishing Industry Join Forces for Better Data and Management (Part 1)

While the Northeast Fisheries Science Center spent more than 300 days-at-sea monitoring and sampling from ships last year, no one spends more time out on the water than fishermen. Fishermen are in tune with the seasons and fish stocks, and contribute significantly to the economy and food supply. That's why we have a dedicated research team focused on working closely with the fishing community. Together, we collect and analyze data that helps answer big questions about fisheries and ocean ecosystems.

We bring the fishing community and scientists together to answer shared questions and improve management of Northeast fisheries. Cooperative research can take many forms, from outfitting fishing gear with oceanographic sensors to partnering with fishing vessels to design and execute fisheries surveys.

"We rely on the expertise of captains and crew in our region to get a more complete picture of fisheries and marine ecosystems," explained Cooperative Research Branch Chief Anna Mercer. "Many cooperative research projects start with fishermen sharing their observations and concerns. We work with industry members to develop research projects that address scientific uncertainties and harness the knowledge and expertise of the fleet."

Cooperative research provides opportunities for fishermen to document what they are seeing on the water with data that is useful to them and the scientific community. Working together allows us to better understand the ocean and the fish stocks that fishermen rely upon for their daily catch. It also builds lasting relationships and trust between the scientific and fishing communities. In many cases, the data fishermen collect are used to make stock assessments more accurate, improving fisheries management practices. NOAA Fisheries promotes science-based fisheries management, ensuring both the industry's economic viability and the long-term health of marine ecosystems.

You may have heard about our Cooperative Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey. It has been collecting data on species that prefer rocky habitats in partnership with two commercial fishing vessels since 2014. Our Study Fleet has been going strong since 2006. It includes nearly 50 commercial fishing vessels whose captain and crew collect detailed data on fishing effort and catch. Fisheries stock assessments rely on data from both the Bottom Longline Survey and the Study Fleet.

Our science center has many other cooperative projects actively engaging with the fishing community, supporting stock assessments, oceanographic models and forecasts, and enhanced understanding of fisheries species.

Fishermen Are Powering Better Ocean Forecasts

While satellites and oceanographic buoys collect data on sea surface temperatures, getting real-time bottom temperatures is more challenging. Many of our region's fisheries species use the ocean floor as habitat, including lobster, sea scallops, and Atlantic cod. Our Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps and Large Trawlers program, or eMOLT, outfits fishing vessels from Maine to North Carolina with sensors and computers. They collect and transmit bottom-water temperatures when they deploy fishing gear including traps and trawls. Last year, about 145 fishing boats collected data through eMOLT.

Bottom temperature data collected by fishermen is used in 72-hour ocean forecast models. These can help fishermen make decisions about where to fish or how often to check their lobster or crab traps. It also supports forecasts the U.S. Coast Guard uses to plan Search and Rescue Operations and flood inundation predictions through the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic Regional Associations of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems.

The eMOLT program also deploys dissolved oxygen sensors on lobster boats to monitor low oxygen conditions that can develop in the summer. Low oxygen conditions can affect fisheries. For example, lobsters will either move to avoid them or die if they are stuck in traps. Last year, the program deployed 70 sensors in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine. We used this data to create a data product showing how many days of low oxygen were detected around the region last year. This shows where additional monitoring may be warranted. The data product will be presented to the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils as part of the annual State of the Ecosystem Report.

"When I heard about eMOLT, I chimed right in and wanted to be involved. We put in 180 days a year at sea and I figured our input would help," explained Chris King of the F/V Donna Marie, based in Provincetown, Massachusetts. "We can find out where species will be, or where they won't be."

eMOLT began as a collaboration between the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation, several lobster fishing associations, and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. In recent years, the program has engaged with other fishing associations, non-profits, and academic institutions around the region. We have expanded coverage across different fisheries and geographic areas.

Making the data fishermen collect available to both the science and fishing communities in near real-time is a top priority. In collaboration with the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, we recently developed FishBOT. It combines environmental information collected by eMOLT participants with information collected by NOAA surveys and research programs at institutions including Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Rutgers University. FishBOT provides a more cohesive look at subsurface environmental conditions in our region. Our team is always working to update the data visualizations available to eMOLT captains in the wheelhouses of their vessels.

"We are always interested in feedback from the fishing industry. We make changes to the software to make it more user-friendly and useful to fishermen. For example, we added a summary from the haul when the data downloads so the captain can add it to their logbook," explained eMOLT Coordinator George Maynard. "That way the fisherman is the first to see the data."

Read more about eMOLT

Uncovering the Secrets of Shortfin Squid with the Squid Squad

Northern shortfin squid support an important but highly variable commercial fishery in the Mid-Atlantic region. Between 2012 and 2022, its annual value ranged from $1.1 million to $27.3 million. Despite the importance of the fishery, much of these squid's lives remain a mystery, including population size. Individual squid live less than 1 year, making the population highly dynamic. Squid migrate on and off the continental shelf based on changing oceanographic conditions, but their migration patterns do not overlap with our fisheries surveys.

To answer key questions about the life history and oceanographic drivers of squid, we formed the "Squid Squad." It's a collaborative team of industry partners and federal and academic researchers, including oceanographers, fisheries biologists and statisticians. In 2022, members of the Squid Squad embarked on a multi-year field sampling research effort. They wanted to simultaneously collect oceanographic and biological data in partnership with a commercial shortfin squid fishing vessel.

This project collects data to:

• Understand how squid movement and biology are related to oceanographic conditions
• Document the size, reproductive maturity, and age of squid that migrate onto the U.S. continental shelf at the start of the fishing season
• Develop protocols for deploying oceanographic instruments from commercial fishing vessels to collect high-quality oceanographic data

We are building upon ongoing squid research to expand and test novel data collection methods. This project will advance our current understanding of oceanographic drivers of northern shortfin squid populations.

Learn more about the Oceanographic Drivers of Shortfin Squid project