The Channeled Whelk and Knobbed Whelk Research Fleet
Whelk Sampled to date:
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The southern New England whelk fishery includes landings of two species, channeled whelk and knobbed whelk, from nearshore state waters. There has been an increase in the value of this fishery along with a decline in landings in recent years. The sustainable management of the fishery has been hindered by a lack of fishery-dependent data. To help fill in this gap, the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation founded the Whelk Research Fleet in 2021. The objective of the project is to develop and implement a cost-effective method to collect critically needed data from the whelk fishery in Southern New England. Participant fishermen collect biological and fishery data from the nearshore state fisheries for whelk in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, and the south coast of Massachusetts, specifically in and around Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Sound. The overall goal of the project is to provide direct fishery-dependent data for inclusion in each respective state’s assessment and management process for the whelk fishery.
Project Goals:
Collect and communicate critically needed whelk data (catch, effort, and biological) in a cost-effective way using modern electronic technology and fishermen’s time on the water
Contribute to the improvement of whelk science and fisheries management in southern New England
Develop a model approach for fishery-dependent data collection that involves the commercial whelk industry through collaborative research
project team:
RI DEM Division of Marine Fisheries
M. Conor McManus
Martha's Vineyard Fishermen's Preservation Trust
Shelley Edmundson
Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation
Tori Thomas - Project Lead
N. David Bethoney
current Participant Vessels:
F/V Rock & Roll - Edgartown, MA
F/V Yes I Am - Warwick, RI
F/V Right Stuff, Menemsha, Martha’s Vineyard
F/V Little Feat, Menemsha, Martha’s Vineyard
F/V Sea Raven, Menemsha, Martha’s Vineyard
F/V Bad Habit - New Bedford, MA
F/V Johnny B - Newport, RI
F/V Little Tater - Newport, RI
F/V Peggy B II - Harwich Port, MA
F/V Ragged Edge - Point Judith, RI
PREVIOUS VESSELS That CONTRIBUTED TO DATA COLLECTION:
F/V Elisabeth Mae - Tashmoo, MA
data collection Strategies:
Research Fleet participants collect monthly data from a set number of commercial whelk trips
All data will be collected using a specially designed data collection application, On Deck Data, on tablets provided by the CFRF
Research Fleet members will also be asked to deploy a temperature logger on a string of commercial whelk gear and will assist the CFRF in the collection of the loggers at the end of the season
