About CFRF

The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) is a non-profit, private foundation dedicated to conducting research that assists in the achievement of sustainable fisheries through the generation of better information and effective technologies. Its work is for the benefit of individuals and businesses dependent on commercial fishing, consumers of seafood, and the public good.

The CFRF was founded in 2004 by a group of fishermen and others in the industry in order to establish an alternative process for supporting fisheries research that would be led by members of the commercial fishing industry. Initially, the Foundation’s work focused on supporting collaborative conservation gear engineering projects, specifically in the groundfish fishery. The aim was for fishermen and scientists to work together to develop new gear or modify existing gear to allow fishermen to fish more selectively for species in abundance while protecting those stocks in need of rebuilding. Since that time, the Foundation’s work has expanded to include research pertinent to all fishing sectors (shellfish, lobster, finfish, etc.) and all areas of research important to the commercial fishing industry based in the southern New England region.

We are based in Kingston, Rhode Island, and share an office building with The Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island, which is home to nonprofit commercial fishing organizations and serves as a headquarters for bringing fishermen, scientists, managers, and elected officials together to discuss issues. Learn more here: www.cfcri.org.