On May 14, we hosted a remembrance ceremony in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to honor the life of Jada Samitt, a NOAA Fisheries observer. She was one of seven individuals lost when the commercial fishing vessel F/V Lily Jean sank off the coast of Massachusetts on January 30. The tragedy also claimed the lives of Captain Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short, and Sean Therrien. The ceremony provided an opportunity for reflection and remembrance. 

Last month, the Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program joined us in hosting our fourth Northeast Cooperative Research Summit in Riverhead, New York. It was the largest gathering to date and focused on building partnerships between the fishing and science communities to address science and management needs. The Summit is held annually and is the only one of its kind. There are no other events—in our region or nationally—that specifically focus on bringing scientists and fishermen together to actively build research partnerships. What are participants saying about this year’s Summit? Read their reflections and insights in our latest feature.

This month, we partnered with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and F/V Darana R team to complete Phase 1 of the Pilot Regional Industry-Based Bottom Trawl Survey (RIBTS). The team conducted a full suite of oceanographic, catch, and biological sampling from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, to Block Canyon off the coast of New York. We’ll use the results from the pilot survey to define the operational requirements for a full scale, shelf-wide, multispecies, industry-based bottom trawl survey. This will complement our federal Bottom Trawl Survey conducted on NOAA research and survey vessels.

Scientists from our Social Sciences Branch will be visiting ports in our region to conduct a survey assessing the social and economic well-being of commercial fishing vessel crews and hired captains. Crew members and hired captains are an important part of the fishing industry and we need to know how management and environmental change affect them. The survey is voluntary, takes about 10 minutes, and responses are anonymous and confidential. This survey helps inform decision makers about potential social and economic impacts of fisheries management decisions.

Georges Bank’s iconic yellowtail flounder have faced a rocky road over the last few decades. In a recent paper, our scientists provide new insight into the collapse, recovery, and collapse of this important fishery. Results suggest that fishing caused the initial 1994 collapse and international collaboration and strict management successfully rebuilt the stock by the early 2000s. A second collapse started in 2010 despite continued strict management rules. Researchers now identify warming bottom water temperatures as the primary hurdle for recovery. While the stock can rebound under current environmental and management conditions, it likely won't support historic fishing levels. Ultimately, this case study shows that fishery collapses can have different causes, making it vital to understand the impact of both fishing and environmental changes.

The nineteenth Flatfish Biology Conference in November 2026 is now accepting submissions for posters and oral presentations. The deadline to submit is July 1. The Flatfish Biology Conference strives to provide a forum where a diverse community of scientists, researchers, and students come together to present their findings and share knowledge in a supportive environment.

What draws people to the ocean and fishing? Field scientist Hannah Ciarametaro recently asked the captain and crew of the F/V Miss Trish II that very question while working with them on a groundfish cooperative research project. Her new blog shares their stories of family duty, pride, peace, money, and the toll it takes on them and their loved ones.

We began our spring Bottom Trawl Survey aboard the NOAA Ship Pisces on March 9, from Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island. For more than 15 years, this survey has been conducted from the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow. To improve readiness, prepare for the Bigelow’s mid-life repair to extend its service life, and plan for our future, we worked with NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations to shift this year’s spring survey onto the Pisces, the Bigelow’s sister ship. This included retrofitting the vessel with all the necessary lab, gear, and workstations to replicate Bigelow operations.

While the spring survey faced some weather and mechanical challenges, the Pisces and our science team have done a great job finding workable conditions and solutions to keep our survey moving forward. We completed Leg 3 on May 13, and are preparing to begin Leg 4 on May 18. Leg 4 will focus on the remaining Gulf of Maine stations. We greatly appreciate all the work by the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations and our staff.

Our Bottom Trawl Survey monitors fishery stock abundance and distribution on the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf—from the Scotian Shelf off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, to Cape Lookout, North Carolina. This survey collects fish and oceanographic data that are used in stock assessments for more than 40 species. The data are also used in ecosystem assessments that help us understand oceanographic and environmental change.