Baird Symposium
Current Events
Past events
About
The annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium provides a forum for researchers, resource managers, and stakeholders to discuss the most current science in various areas important to Rhode Island coastal communities and coastal and ocean environments.
This forum was formed in 2002 and renamed in 2006 to honor former National Sea Grant Director Ronald Baird and his contributions and continued service to the Sea Grant mission as an advisor to the Rhode Island and National Sea Grant offices.
Recent Events
Climate Change Effects on
Recreational Fishing and Boating
2022
This two-part webinar series engages Northeast recreational anglers, boaters, and climate experts in discussions about how climate change is affecting these traditional uses–both good and bad– as well as strategies and actions that individuals, governments, and industry are taking to respond to these changes.
Speakers
Session 1 Speakers
Todd Corayer
Award-winning Fishing Writer, Kayak-fishing Sharpie and Fish Advocate
Willy Goldsmith, Ph.D.
Executive Director, American Saltwater Guides Association
Jon Hare, Ph.D.
Director, NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Joe Mariani
Regional Vice President, Safe Harbor Marinas
Pamela Rubinoff
Coastal Management and Climate Extension Specialist
University of Rhode Island/GSO – Coastal Resources Center (CRC) and Rhode Island Sea Grant
Abbie Schuster
Charter Captain and Fishing Guide, Fish Conservationist and Advocate
Capt. Greg Vespe
Executive Director, RI Saltwater Anglers Association
Mike Wade
Watch Hill Outfitters, Owner, Climate/Fish Advocate and Expert Fisher
Session 2:
“Climate Change Opportunities for Anglers and Boaters”
April 13
Speakers
Session 2 Speakers
Capt. Chris Willi
Block Island Fish Works
James Monti
Private recreational fisher
Capt. Richard Lipsitz
Angler and winner 2021 BI Inshore Fishing Tournament
Greg DeCelles
Chief Science Officer, Ørsted
Meredith Moore
Director, Fish Conservation Program, Ocean Conservancy
Chris McGuire
Director, Ocean Programs, The Nature Conservancy
Jonathan Stone
Executive Director, Save The Bay
Event Participants: University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography, Coastal Resources Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Ørsted, American Saltwater Guides Association, Ocean Conservancy, Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, and Safe Harbor Marinas.
Jennifer McCann is an organizer for the event series; her focus is coastal and ocean management policy and practice as Director of U.S. Coastal Programs at the URI Coastal Resources Center and Director of Extension for Rhode Island Sea Grant.
David Monti is a licensed charter captain serving in leadership roles on several marine- and fisheries-based boards and organizations, including the Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association and the Rhode Island Marine Fisheries Council; he writes about recreational fisheries issues for several publications, including The Providence Journal.
Past Events
2020
Offshore Renewable Energy in the U.S.
More Information
Rhode Island Sea Grant and the Coastal Resources Center are partnering with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Working Group on Marine Benthal Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED) and Venture Café & District Hall Providence to offer a 4-part webinar series to share lessons learned from offshore renewable energy development in the United States.
These webinars will explore key issues regarding the potential cause-effect relationships resulting from the construction and operation of offshore renewable energy installations and recommendations for minimizing impacts and promoting opportunities for positive biological outcomes.
Rhode Island Sea Grant and the Coastal Resources Center are partnering with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Working Group on Marine Benthal Renewable Energy Developments (WGMBRED) and Venture Café & District Hall Providence to offer a 4-part webinar series to share lessons learned from offshore renewable energy development in the United States.
These webinars will explore key issues regarding the potential cause-effect relationships resulting from the construction and operation of offshore renewable energy installations and recommendations for minimizing impacts and promoting opportunities for positive biological outcomes.
Lessons from Block Island:
Acoustical and Benthic Habitat Data
July 21, 2020
Presenters & Summary Notes
Researchers presented findings about acoustical and benthic habitat data from the area of the Block Island Wind Farm. Both kinds of information are important for building our understanding about how offshore renewable energy efforts may both impact and coexist with the marine environment upon which we depend.
Presenters:
Jennifer Amaral earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in ocean engineering from the University of Rhode Island and is currently studying towards her Ph.D. in the same discipline. Her doctoral research involves the study of impact pile driving sounds during the installation of offshore wind turbines. She is a lead scientist and engineer with Marine Acoustics, Inc. in Middletown, Rhode Island, where she implements modeling strategies and develops acoustic assessment tools to evaluate underwater sound propagation.
Monique LaFrance Bartley is marine ecologist with the National Park Service in the Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch. She earned an B.S. at the University of Rhode Island, majoring in marine biology and minoring in marine affairs and underwater archaeology. She continued her studies at the Graduate School of Oceanography at URI, earning her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in oceanography. Dr. LaFrance Bartley’s primary research focus is benthic habitat mapping to establish baseline conditions and monitoring to assess change over time, with the purpose of providing results that support real-world management applications.
Discussion Participants:
James Boyd is a coastal policy analyst for the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and has been with the agency for 20 years. He is primarily responsible for the development and implementation of the CRMC’s coastal policies and regulations, and he manages and develops the CRMC’s federal consistency decisions for offshore renewable energy projects. Prior to working for the CRMC, he was a commercial fisherman for a decade.
Dave Monti is a charter captain, fishing writer and fish advocate. He is vice chair of the RI Marine Fisheries Council, 2nd vice president of the RI Saltwater Anglers Association, a board member of the American Saltwater Guides Association and a member of the RI Party & Charter Boat Association. He is the Providence Journal’s fishing writer and writes for 12 other fishing related blogs, magazines, and newspapers often writing about climate change and its impact on fish, offshore wind farms, and fish policy at the state and national level. He can be reached at dmontifish@verizon.net.