Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI)

GMRI’s Mission: 

To develop collaborative solutions to global ocean challenges.

Grant Project Goal(s):

To apply video monitoring technology to assess the fisheries habitat value of aquaculture farms in the Gulf of Maine.

Background:

Studies have shown that shellfish and marine algae farms can be beneficial to commercially important fish species by offering physical structure and refuge from predation, providing or aggregating food resources, and positively influencing substrate, hydrodynamics, and hydrology.

In the Gulf of Maine, several commercially important fish species that use inshore habitats as nurseries include Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), and Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus). These species are depressed or declining in abundance but would be expected to benefit from the types of habitat provided by aquaculture facilities.

Immediate Objective(s):

GMRI researchers will assess the abundance, species composition, and behavior of fish associated with oyster and mussel farms as well as on control plots along Maine’s coast using a custom underwater setup with GoPro cameras.

Researchers will build and test the custom video monitoring apparatus and test and refine their methods, as well as collect environmental data at each site such as current, temperature, and light.

Key Learnings:

In progress. 

Learn more at Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI)