Conduct research on populations of waterfowl and waterbirds in rhode island coastal ponds and narragansett BAY and how those populations are affected by disturbances resulting from shellfish…

This is a $2,003,055 Formula Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education program (CFDA 15.611). The grant's purpose is to conduct research on populations of waterfowl and waterbirds in Rhode Island coastal ponds and Narragansett Bay, and how those populations are affected by disturbances from shellfish aquaculture operations. Key activities include research on waterfowl and waterbird populations, developing a decision support tool to evaluate the potential effects of new aquaculture facilities, and characterizing the spatial ecology of common eider in relation to aquaculture. Expected outcomes include an improved understanding of the effects of aquaculture on waterfowl and waterbirds in Rhode Island, and a tool to help managers comment on future aquaculture project applications. The grant was awarded to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, which will collaborate with partners such as the University of Rhode Island to execute the project. The period of performance is from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029.

Conduct research on populations of waterfowl and waterbirds in rhode island coastal ponds and narragansett BAY and how those populations are affected by disturbances resulting from shellfish aquaculture operations. Activities include research on waterfowl and waterbird populations, developing a decision support tool for evaluating the potential effects of new aquaculture facilities, determining how aquaculture operations affect the space use, energetic costs, responses to habitat selections and the importance of inland water sources to american black ducks, and characterizing the spatial ecology of common eider in relation to aquaculture. Expected outcomes include an improved understanding of the effects of aquaculture disturbance on waterfowl and waterbirds in rhode island, and a tool to help managers comment on applications for future aquaculture projects. Beneficiaries include wildlife managers who will be better informed about the effects of aquaculture on wildlife, and the general public, whose resource managers are responsible to steward and protect.