This year, our researchers spent more time at sea than ever - conducting field research, collecting imagery, and monitoring marine ecosystems across the North Atlantic.

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From days on the water to millions of data points, this work reflects the scale and commitment behind ocean science.

With over 500 days at sea for CFF researchers overall, our team spent that time conducting field research across the North Atlantic. These are the numbers.

At CFF, we’re passionate about more than just sea scallops. Our collaborative surfclam project with FV Tom Slaughter and FV Seafox in Hyannis collects vital data to monitor surfclam populations and their habitats...

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Researchers from the Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) recently documented an unexpected concentration of juvenile haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) during the November 2025 RSA Seasonal Scallop Survey conducted aboard the F/V Vigilance. This finding stands out because haddock are rarely caught in significant numbers in scallop survey gear, and such concentrations have not been observed in this area in prior surveys...

Sampling Zooplankton aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong.

In collaboration with WHOI and SMAST, CFF recently joined a Northeast Shelf Long-Term Ecological Research cruise aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong and learned a lot about new techniques for sampling zooplankton and larval fishes...

During a fishing trip aboard the FV Tom Slaughter in mid-September, research biologist Natalie Jennings and the vessel crew were surprised to see an unfamiliar, laterally compressed and heavily ridged shellfish come up in a surfclam dredge. Unlike other fishing trips, this trip was being conducted not only for the benefit of the vessel but also for a larger goal to understand seasonal changes on a productive surf clam fishing ground that is currently closed to a majority of the industry...

We have completed the second field season of our project to reduce seabird bycatch in the spiny dogfish fishery operating out of Chatham, MA. Working with our partners from the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, we completed 40 trips aboard five gillnet vessels to look at the impacts of different baiting methods on seabird bycatch and target dogfish catch. Bycatch of Great Shearwaters in the gillnet fishery has been high in years past when fishermen baited their nets to maximize dogfish catch during sets that were time-limited by a sandbar that made passage in and out of the cove by the Chatham fish pier impossible during low tides...

From Virginia to the Azores: four years and 3,000 miles apart!

In 2021, our team deployed one of the first pop-up satellite tags on a black sea bass (Centropristis striata) off Virginia Beach, testing new ways to study movement and habitat use.

This February, that same tag was found drifting off the Azores by marine scientist @fontes_ecodive and returned through @dr_nathan_robinson...

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New Bedford, MA - November 6, 2025 - The Coonamessett Farm Foundation (CFF) hosted the Fisheries Innovation and Technology Expo at The Launch operated by Moby Dick Brewing Company. The event brought commercial fishing industry partners, researchers, and vendors together to evaluate innovative tools shaping the future of sustainable fishing...

We were honored to take part in Massachusetts’ Seafood Day at the State House last month! The event was a wonderful opportunity to join fellow organizations in celebrating the Commonwealth’s vibrant seafood sector and coastal heritage. Thank you to all the legislators and staff who took the time to visit our table to learn more about our mission and the key issues affecting our coastal communities.