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The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has awarded the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and F/V Darana R team with the contract to conduct phase 1 of the Pilot Regional Industry-Based Bottom Trawl Survey (RIBTS). The proposal review committee included several members of the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel working group, including fishing industry representatives. After extensive discussion and deliberation, they determined that the VIMS/Darana R team had the best experience and capabilities to achieve the goals of the research.
The pilot survey will be used to define the operational requirements for a full scale, shelf-wide, multispecies, industry-based bottom trawl survey that will complement our federal Bottom Trawl Survey conducted aboard the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow.
The VIMS/Darana R team will conduct field work off the coast of southern New England to:
- Collect catch, biological, and oceanographic data
- Assess operational requirements
- Produce documentation of best practices
The pilot survey will begin in this fall or spring 2026.
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