UMass Amherst to Celebrate New Investments in North Shore Blue Economy Initiative, Gloucester Marine Station with Top Regional Officials

UMass Amherst to Celebrate New Investments in North Shore Blue Economy Initiative, Gloucester Marine Station with Top Regional Officials

Chancellor Subbaswamy Will Host Congressman Moulton, State Sen. Tarr, State Rep. Ferrante and Gloucester Mayor Verga on Wednesday

DATE:            Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022

TIME:            2 p.m. 

WHERE:       UMass Amherst Gloucester Marine Station

                       Hodgkin’s Cove

                      932 Washington St, Gloucester, MA 01930

CONTACT:   Melinda Rose, melindarose@umass.edu

GLOUCESTER, Mass. – UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy and university researchers will join with leading federal, state and community officials to provide an update on the university’s Gloucester Marine Station and announce $400,000 in new state and federal investments in the station and its work to leverage sustainable economic development and research applications for the region.

The campus and its Marine Station have a longstanding connection to the blue economy, including research in fisheries, marine and life sciences, marine technology and climate change. Among the research and engagement efforts at the station is the North Shore Blue Economy Initiative, an effort to work closely with state, federal, nonprofit, business and research institutions to help develop a comprehensive, regional and resilient economic development strategy to capitalize on new and emerging opportunities in the blue economy.

The station’s fisheries and seafood system work has recently been funded to develop and test new lobster bait alternatives with Gloucester-based company, Neptune’s Harvest, along with the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association. The multi-state Salt Marsh Working Group, co-led by the Marine Station with MA Office of Coastal Zone Management, recently released Defining Priority Research for Resilient Salt Marshes with the collaboration of over 90 salt marsh researchers and coastal resource managers to inform research funding priorities

Six UMass Amherst faculty are conducting research at the Gloucester Marine Station. Two of the researchers will join with public officials to offer remarks on their research and activities:

• Adrian Jordaan, associate professor of fish population ecology and conservation, and director of the Gloucester Marine Station
• Katie Kahl, assistant extension professor of sustainable fisheries and coastal resilience

A tour of the research facility will also be offered to the press.