New hampshire sea grant intends to continue regional engagement with the national sea grant american lobster research program (sgalrp) and the regional lobster extension program (rlep)s sea grant…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the University System of New Hampshire a $228,579 cooperative agreement under the Sea Grant Support federal grant program (CFDA 11.417) from September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2026. Under this award, UNH will partner with other Sea Grant programs and stakeholders to continue regional engagement on issues related to the American lobster fishery. Key activities include supporting a fisheries roundtable series with New Hampshire lobstermen, engaging the lobster industry in extension and research projects through the American Lobster Initiative, and initiating a program with the Fisheries Knowledge Trust to include fishermen's knowledge in projects impacting the lobster industry such as offshore wind energy planning and right whale entanglement mitigation efforts. UNH will provide $30,000 in subawards to the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance to partner on the Fisheries Knowledge Trust program and $30,000 to the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems to assist with outreach, roundtables, and data collection for the proof of concept project with the Trust.

Activities

Specific activities will include supporting a 'fisheries roundtable' series in partnership with NH lobstermen, engaging the lobster industry in extension and participation within american lobster initiative research projects, and initiating and fostering a program that will engage fishers in the process of creating novel 'data trust' for effective inclusion of fishermen's knowledge in projects that affect the lobster industry (e.g. offshore wind energy planning and mitigation, right whale entanglement mitigation efforts). Expe