Pallone Announces Federal Funding to Rutgers for Studies on Impact of Climate Change on Fisheries
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that Rutgers University will be the recipient of significant federal grant funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for a study on the impacts of climate change on fish stocks and fisheries. Rutgers will lead or be involved with three of the seven projects, which will receive a total of $5 million.
“Commercial and recreational fisheries are integral to the New Jersey economy, and support millions of jobs and close to two-hundred billion dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Yet, the impacts of climate change, including warming oceans and sea level rise, can impact fisheries and fish stocks, and the businesses and communities that depend on them,” said Congressman Pallone. “The grant will not only provide research to better understand this critical component of New Jersey’s economy, it will help Rutgers University continue to be a leader, on the cutting edge of climate research and science.”
The three projects supported by the grant, in which Rutgers will lead or be involved, follow.
Rutgers University and NOAA Earth Systems Research Laboratory will conduct “A high-resolution physical-biological study of the Northeast U.S. shelf: Past variability and future change.” Dr. Enrique Curchitser of Rutgers University will be a Lead Principal Investigator for the study.
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council study “Climate velocity of the 21st century and its implications for fisheries management in the Northeast U.S.” will be led by Dr. Malin Pinsky of Rutgers University.
Rutgers University will team with NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, University of Delaware – MARACOOS, and University of Rhode Island to conduct a study on “Indicators of habitat “Indicators of habitat change affecting three key commercial species of the U.S. Northeast Shelf: A design to facilitate proactive management in the face of climate change.” Dr. Grace Saba of Rutgers University will be a Lead Principal Investigator for the study.
These projects and three others will support research to understand and respond to climate impacts on fish and fisheries in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem. The seventh will support a workshop focused on ecosystem tipping points in the North Pacific.