Our Cooperative Research Branch will host the 2026 Northeast Cooperative Research Summit on February 26, 2026, in Riverhead, New York. Gear up for a full day of shared knowledge, innovation, and partnership. This annual event convenes our region's fishermen, scientists, managers, and fishing community representatives. The summit will communicate new and ongoing cooperative studies and inspire collaboration to address emerging research priorities. Network with like-minded peers, explore fresh research avenues, and be part of shaping the future of cooperative research in the Northeast! Registration required. The extended deadline to register is November 30, 2025.

We recently published the results of our collaborative experiment in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences on the impact of using restrictor ropes on the catches of commercially important species in the region. The findings indicate minimal or subtle effects of the restrictor rope treatment on total catches or catch-at-length for the species studied. This research provides valuable insights for standardizing gear performance using restrictor ropes. The success of this research was largely due to the collaboration with the Northeast Trawl Advisory Panel.

Our scientists contributed technical expertise and survey data to a new benchmark assessment that provides the status of American lobster stocks. The assessment was peer-reviewed by an independent panel of experts and recently approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission for management use. We successfully integrated water temperature data into the assessment model as temperature influences lobster life history, population dynamics, and survey catch. The assessment also proposed climate-driven changes in ocean circulation patterns are driving the decrease in the number of young lobsters joining the population in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. 

Our Woods Hole Science Aquarium would like to thank everyone who wished our beloved harbor seal, Bubba, a "bon voyage!" in September. Bubba successfully transitioned to his new home at the Fort Wayne Zoo in Fort Wayne, Indiana! Bubba can now be found exploring his exhibit with a small group of pinnipeds, including two female California sea lions and another male harbor seal. We could not be happier to see Bubba thriving in his new home. His new care team has been learning his personality and giving our team progress updates. The Woods Hole Science Aquarium is temporarily closed. Construction to repair its foundation is underway and estimated to last 8 months. We will share updates on our website and social media channels as things progress.

Sharks in our region are more likely to wash ashore during winter. If you see a stranded shark, please take a few photos and report it by calling 401-782-3281. Details on what kind of information to report can be found here. Scientists from our Apex Predators Program collect important data and biological samples from reported sharks that help us better understand shark biology and ecology.

Speaking for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, we are glad to be back to pre-shutdown operations. A lot of work was paused and we certainly missed some deadlines. I know that this will affect our management partners and people who depend on our science. The impacts of this shutdown cannot be remedied quickly. We are currently analyzing what we missed and reforming our priorities for fiscal year 2026. This will take some time.

That said, we were able to get significant work done including all of our planned surveys and observer deployments and training. There is a lot of uncertainty, but our science center remains committed to providing exceptional science and service in a changing Atlantic.