Program Administration
Nuweetooun School students learn about Narragansett Bay as part of Rhode Island Sea Grant Diversity Initiative
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In March, Rhode Island Sea Grant hosted students from The Nuweetooun School at The Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum in Exeter, Rhode Island as part of our Diversity Initiative. Dr. Padma Venkatraman, coordinator for graduate diversity, arranged for the students to attend the NOAA broadcast that the Office of Marine Programs (OMP) at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography makes available to Rhode Island schools and the public. The students were able to participate in a live broadcast hosted by Robert Ballard, URI oceanographer, featuring the undersea exploration of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. The students also enjoyed an interpretive program, "Rhode Island Seashores," by marine educator George Klein from OMP.
Klein brought buckets with a variety of Bay creatures, including lobsters, stone crabs, and starfish. He described plankton and its vital role in the ecosystem.
"The stuff you can't even see plays some of the biggest role that sustains the marine environment and consequently us," Klein said. He discussed one of the more common and visible types of fisheries in the state-lobstering- and demonstrated the ways in which a lobster trap functions and some of the tools of the trade. Next, Klein delved into the natural history and biology of the animals themselves, focusing on conservation with the live animals.
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Students also examined many different types of shellfish from local waters, from mussels to steamers, which interested many of the students who liked to eat shellfish.
Klein also showed the students a variety of crabs, beginning with the invasive species the Japanese shore crab. This is a natural bridge that allows students to see an invasive species first hand, and gets them to start wondering how a crab traveled half way around the world to end up in Narragansett Bay.
"The asian crab was really, really, really awesome because it walked sideways. I also like the colors on it," said Laurel Spears, a student at Nuweetooun School.
Klein also showed the students, a rock crab, which is a native species and important in the commercial fishing industry.
Periwinkles are the most common snail locally, and Klein showed the students how to have them emerge from their shells by holding them gently. This brought a lot of giggles from the students.
The grand finale was none other than the lobster, which the students particularly enjoyed seeing.
"What I always like to stress is how important it is to conserve these animals, and consequently, the environment in which they live. Concepts of stewardship, respect, reverence. Stuff like that. I think it provides for a more enriching experience, more than just a funky show and tell, if the kids can come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world around them," Klein said.
In May, Venkatraman hosted some of the older students for a workshop on the chemistry of the oceans, with an interactive question and answer session and experiments in separating chemicals. This month, Rhode Island Sea Grant will sponsor another visit from The Nuweetooun School in which students will visit the rocky shore of Jamestown at Fort Getty with Klein.
"We are interested in examining new relationships with the Narragansett Indian Tribal Nation in research, outreach, extension, and education" said Barry Costa-Pierce, Rhode Island Sea Grant director, who added that Rhode Island Sea Grant is committed to promoting diversity.
For more information on the education programs offered by the Office Of Marine Programs, please visit their website at http://omp.gso.uri.edu.
NOAA chief of staff to convene Rhode Island roundtable on marine issues
Later this month, Scott Rayder, NOAA chief of staff, will be meeting with Rhode Island executives involved in economic development, aquaculture, agriculture, and environmental management to discuss local issues associated with natural hazards, ocean observing systems, and aquaculture. The meeting will be held at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown.
Following the roundtable, tentatively scheduled for Monday, June 25, Rayder will host a forum for a broader group of invited participants, followed by light refreshments. While the forum is by invitation only, due to space limitations, those interested in attending may contact Tracy Kennedy at (401) 874-6800 to be added to the list, space permitting.
Rhode Island aquaculture: A growth industry
Rhode Island oysters appeal to high-end market
Rhode Island, the state whose aquaculture industry was once in last place in the nation, is seeing dramatic increases, particularly in oyster aquaculture, which represents 97 percent of the total harvest, which is entirely shellfish. According to a report by the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC), which regulates the state’s aquaculture industry, in 2006:
- The farm gate value of Rhode Island aquaculture products rose 81 percent.
- For the first time, the total value of Rhode Island aquaculture exceeded 1 million dollars.
- The number of farms in Rhode Island increased by three to 28.
- The total acreage under cultivation in Rhode Island rose to 99 acres.
- Regulatory agencies charged with responsibility for aquaculture continued to make progress in streamlining the permitting process.
Rhode Island Sea Grant
In cooperation with the CRMC, the Rhode Island Sea Grant College Program has administered the approximately $1.4 million Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative.
Research projects funded by the initiative will be completed and the program closed this September. An issue of 41°N dedicated to the Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative will be published later this year. Among other efforts, Barry Costa-Pierce is supervising a URI graduate student who is researching the effects of pea crabs on blue mussels and how that affects aquaculture production possibilities in Rhode Island waters. Rhode Island Sea Grant also hosted an international workshop for the World Wildlife Fund to develop a white paper on the “Impacts of Nutrients from Salmon Aquaculture on Water Column Ecosystems.” Costa-Pierce presented the findings from the workshop/white paper at the World Aquaculture Society conference in San Antonio, Tx., in February. As part of the Sustainable Seafood forum, Costa-Pierce attended the Boston Seafood Show and presented a paper on sustainable shrimp.
For more information on the Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative, visit http://www.crmc.state.ri.us/riai/.
Future efforts
CRMC will be leading a strategic planning process to address the growth of the aquaculture industry. Rhode Island Sea Grant will be assisting the process with facilitation and other efforts to help CRMC develop the plan.
To view the entire 2006 aquaculture report, visit http://www.crmc.state.ri.us/.