Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association

Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association

Cooperative Research

Cooperative Research, which can be defined as fisheries research which involves direct participation by commercial and recreational fishermen, is not a new idea. Fishermen and their vessels have been teaming up with scientists to improve understanding of marine resources and ecosystems since the 1800’s. However, the far reaching changes in the industry brought about by the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the Sustainable Fisheries Act have created a new groundswell of opportunities for research partnerships between fishermen, scientists and managers. This legislation mandates that fisheries management decisions be based on the best available science, and there is also a growing awareness in the industry of the importance of accurate and timely data. Today the skill, empirical knowledge and equipment of commercial fishermen are in high demand for research projects. Fishermen are coming to the table with their own ideas, hypotheses and projects in areas ranging from conservation engineering to stock assessments. The CCCHFA is excited about the opportunity to build bridges of understanding between our industry members and other fishermen, and the scientific and management communities. The CCCHFA is expanding our current research programs and identifying the need for long term studies.

OUR PROGRAMS

For more information on any of the programs, click the program’s title in the table below.

Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting

Local fishermen are working with NOAA personnel to design, install, evaluate and troubleshoot new electronics which will allow near real time reporting of their location and catch.

Tagging the Cape's Cod

 Fishermen and scientists worked together to improve our understanding of Cod populations by tagging over 100,000 fish in New England and Canadian waters, in both inshore and offshore locations.

Western George's Bank Cod Habitat Study

 CCCHFA staff and fishermen and MBL scientists joined forces to track progeny of spawning Western Georges Bank cod by gathering physical data and also conducting experiments with modern population genetic techniques.

Discard Mortality of Sublegal Cod

 Benthic longline fishermen are working to improve our understanding of the survival mortality of released sublegal cod on Georges Bank according to depth and season.

Fabricated Bait Study

Fishermen and scientists collaborated to produce and test a fabricated bait to select for haddock and reduce bycatch of cod with the hope to expand their fishing grounds and increase their haddock catch in a sustainable manner.

Cooperative Haddock Tagging

This cooperative tagging project will test existing assumptions about haddock stocks and migrations in and out of closed areas in New England waters, as well as gather data on haddock sizes, sex and age profiles.

Spiny Dogfish Mortality Study

Benthic longline and rod n' reel fishermen are working to improve our understanding of the survival mortality of released spiny dogfish.

Electronic Video Monitoring: Phase 2

CCCHFA and local hook and line fishermen are working to design and implement innovative video-based electronic monitoring systems to supplement human observers.

Haddock SAP Demonstration Project

Hook and line fishermen are testing alternative longline baits in closed areas to catch a healthy haddock resource without catching the depleted cod population and hope to influence management decisions.

 

The CCCHFA received our first Cooperative Research grant for the Cooperative Research Cod Tagging Project in 2002. Since then, we have contributed over $1.1 million in supplemental income to CCCHFA fishermen.

For the 2006 fishing year, we are pleased to be participants in four cooperative research projects. Past and current funding for cooperative research comes from a number of sources including the Cooperative Research Partner’s Program (CRPP), a joint effort of NOAA Fisheries and the New England Fisheries Management Council, funded and managed by the NMFS Northeast Regional Office; the Northeast Consortium (NEC), a collaboration of four research institutions to administer NOAA funds; the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET), a grantmaking organization aimed at protecting and restoring water resources and their related ecosystems throughout the Commonwealth; the Northeast Observer Program (NEOP), part of the New England Fisheries Science Center’s Fishery Observer Program and the Moore Foundation .

The CCCHFA has been contracted to work with Northeast Science Center (NESC) on the Electronic Vessel Trip Reporting Project. The NEC has also funded two CCCHFA- cooperative research projects: the Northeast Consortium Cooperative Haddock Tagging Project and Spiny Dogfish Discard Mortality Study. The Moore Foundation is funding the second year of the Video Monitoring Project.

The CCCHFA is excited about our current involvement in cooperative research and future opportunities on the horizon. We look forward to forging new partnerships between scientists, fishermen, policy makers and government agencies based on a common goal of pursuing the best available science. Please feel free to Email Tom for more information.

                             

 
Tom Rudolph   Lara Slifka
Cooperative Research Director   Cooperative Research Program Coordinator
Teaching technicians how to tag cod    Watching the sunrise on a tagging haddock trip

Past Project Links:

Study Fleet Project

Spiny Dogfish Genetics

Electronic Video Monitoring Pilot


Last updated: May 16, 2006

Today's Catch


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The perfect beach read: three centuries of fishing in Chatham

 

Beyond the Bar: The Perilous Journey
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HAVE YOU CAUGHT A TAGGED HADDOCK OR COD?

Report the tagged fish and receive a prize!

If you catch a haddock or cod with a tag:

  • Record
Tag #
Fish length
Spawning condition
Date and time
Location
Water depth and temperature
Gear used
Fate of fish (released or landed)

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