Public Comment Period for Economic Scope of Work

As we continue to progress on this important initiative, we are pleased to present to you the draft Economic Scope of Work for your review. The scope of work describes a market analysis study of the shellfish industry. The study will examine trends in supply and demand, and will consider factors such as seasonal and annual fluctuations, varying prices paid to fishermen and by consumers, and the role of locally harvested product versus farmed or imported products. The study will focus on quahogs and oysters initially, but the study may be expanded to include other species in the future.

The public comment period is open through Friday, March 8th, 2013. Your comments are welcome and should be sent to: SMP@etal.uri.edu.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, with support from the University of Rhode Island (URI) are developing a Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan.

This comprehensive plan will include natural resources, restoration, and commercial and recreational harvest. The Shellfish Management Plan will facilitate management and research coordination, establish strategic priorities, promote active participation amongst stakeholders, and follow a transparent and public process. For more information, please visit the project’s web site — http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/projects-2/shellfish-management-plan/.

As always, please feel free to contact us with any thoughts, questions, or concerns.

Update: The public comment period was concluded on March 8th, 2013. Thank you to those who provided comments; public input is invaluable to the SMP process.