October 31, 2024

Source: Innovation Institute at MassTech

SANDWICH, Mass. – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced $1,999,982 to the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance through Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech’s) Innovation Institute to support ocean monitoring and data collection that will aid search and rescue operations, support marine transportation planning, and study the impacts of a changing climate on commercially harvested species of fish.

“Coastal communities across Massachusetts are wrestling with an uncertain future and will need to respond to challenges brought on by the impacts of climate change,” said Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. “The equipment deployed through this investment will expand our understanding of how rising temperatures are impacting our blue tech economy and coastal resiliency.”

“This project is an entry point for monitoring and leveraging data to better understand our oceans,” said Innovation Institute Director Pat Larkin. “This project advances technology for our coastal communities and provides them with a better understanding of the ocean ecosystem that we all rely upon.”

The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance project builds on the Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps and Large Trawlers (eMOLT) program, which distributes low-cost sensors to lobstermen throughout New England and has been collecting data since the late 1990s. The lobstermen extract information about the waters they fish and record millions of measurements that informed fish stock assessments that resulted in a model for the changing environment off the New England coastline.

The funds announced today will enable Lowell Instruments, eMOLTS long-time technology development partner, to equip 150 commercial fishing vessels with wireless devices to record temperature, conductivity, depth, and dissolved oxygen, creating the largest cooperative network of fishing boats and environmental sensors in the United States. In addition to providing fisherman with data collection equipment, this project will support workforce training opportunities by enabling cadets at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) to be trained on the use of the equipment. Project partners will also develop a new curriculum for Massachusetts high school students to understand how the equipment works and what it is used for. This expansion of the eMOLT program will also provide bluetech companies with  access to affordable ocean observing technology.

“I want to make sure we have a sustainable fishery for years to come, so the next generation, whether it be my daughter or anyone else, can make a life on the water,” said Captain Mike Rego, a local fisherman participating in the eMOLT program, who has seen drastic changes in the ocean and in the fisheries over the last 40 years.

“The need for additional observations and better forecasts is compounded by the rapidly changing climate, which can cause massive economic impacts on commercial fisheries. For example, the value of the $200 million Alaska snow crab fishery has evaporated in recent years due to a population crash followed by regulatory shutdown. New research indicates that the population crash in the Bering Sea was caused by subsurface marine heatwaves, something that has been difficult to measure in real time,” said Melissa Sanderson, chief operating officer, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. “Massachusetts fishermen that used the first generation of these sensors report improved catch rates, ability to reduce bycatch, avoidance of spawning stocks and pro-actively moving gear to avoid ‘dead zones’ with low oxygen levels.”

“Our Internet of Things (IoT) system is a low-cost, easy-to-use system for commercial fishermen to record high-quality data that would be otherwise prohibitively expensive to collect using traditional oceanographic methods,” said Nick Lowell, president, Lowell Instruments LLC. “The Commonwealth's investment in these systems will position Lowell Instruments (and our partner organizations) to grow into national and international markets as demand for affordable ocean observing increases.  We are excited that Massachusetts Technology Collaborative has made this investment in the Massachusetts blue economy.”

“Tools for understanding ocean processes include complex mathematical models as well as ocean observing, the practice of using sensors to record physical, chemical and biological measurements of marine systems,” said George Maynard, eMOLT program coordinator, NOAA Fisheries’ Northeast Fisheries Science Center. “Commercial fishermen are on the water year-round, while our oceanographic surveys only capture snapshots of time. This technology gives fishermen additional tools to help their business decision making and provides taxpayers a cost-effective way to collect critical subsurface data that isn’t available from other sources.”

About the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech)

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) is a quasi-public economic development agency that strengthens the competitiveness of the tech and innovation economy by driving strategic investments, partnerships, and insights that harness the talent of Massachusetts.

The Innovation Institute is the division of MassTech created in 2003 that advances innovation and cluster growth across the state in four ways:

• Conducts research and analysis that improves the state’s understandings of unmet needs and opportunities in the innovation economy
• Serves as convener and key strategic broker within various sectors
• Manages high-value projects on behalf of the state
• Makes strategic investments in support of innovation-based economic development

For more information, visit https://innovation.masstech.org/.

About the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance

The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance (CCCFA) is fishermen, community members, public officials and scientists working together to build creative strategies, advocate for improved marine policies, protect the ocean ecosystem, and ensure the viability and future of Cape Cod’s fisheries.

CCCFA believes that a healthy marine environment is essential to the success of Cape Cod’s fishing economy, and knows that better ways to manage our fisheries are needed to protect them. CCCFA is taking action now to make sure there will be a future for fish and fishermen by:

• Working towards a healthy ocean environment with sustainable fishing practices.
• Supporting the small boat independent fishing fleet by making sure they have a voice at the local, state, and federal level.
• Engaging in fishermen-driven science and research to inform sensible and forward-looking fishing regulations.
• Investing in fisheries to provide opportunities for today’s fishermen, and future generations, to build successful businesses.
• Connecting the community to commercial fishermen to educate consumers on the history of the industry, the current challenges they face, and to create a connection to the food on their plates.

For more information, visit: https://capecodfishermen.org/.