The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded USD 15 million (EUR 13 million) to a program designed to bolster the maritime economy in New England.
The NSF’s “Seafood Engine” is one of many of the foundation’s “Regional Innovation Engine” awards, which grants funding to teams that will build and scale innovation clusters to develop technology and prepare people for emerging jobs. This year, the NSF granted funding to 12 different innovation engines, and the NSF Seafood Engine in New England is the only one devoted to seafood and aquaculture.
The program will be led by the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Observing Systems (NERACOOS), a Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based nonprofit devoted to real-time ocean data. NERACOOS will also see participation from the seafood industry, tech sector, government, and research partners in the U.S. states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, with additional help from the University of New Hampshire.
“New Hampshire may only have about 18 miles of coastline, but we benefit tremendously from the seafood industry and our coastal economy,” New Hampshire Senator Jeane Shaheen said in a release. “I’m thankful the National Science Foundation recognized those benefits and also the immense potential of the maritime economy by selecting the Seafood Engine in New England as a new NSF Engine. This award will provide the resources to make the engine a success, strengthening fisheries and aquaculture throughout New England, creating good jobs, promoting innovation, and boosting our competitiveness in the world.”
The award comprises USD 15 million (EUR 13 million) given out over two years, and according to the NSF, that award has the potential to grow to USD 160 million (EUR 140 million) over 10 years. That funding will go toward creating an innovation cluster, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of fisheries and aquaculture in New England.
Among the projects it plans to work on are multiple research and development intiatives to build ocean intelligence using specialized sensors and an initiative to build a “consortium of regional seafood apprenticeship programs” for workforce development in those projects. It will also provide funding to companies in the blue technology space that have “passed the R&D phase” and need extra financial support to make the technologies they have researched viable.
“Built on the ingenuity and steadfast determination at the heart of America’s oldest commercial enterprise, the Seafood Engine is ready to confront key challenges facing the industry with bold innovation,” NERACOOS Executive Director Jake Kritzer, who will serve as the principal investigator for the Seafood Engine, said in a release.
The grant was given after a competitive selection process that saw almost 300 different organizations reach out for funding.
"New Hampshire's seafood industry is a cornerstone of our economy and our heritage, and this investment will help keep it strong for the future," New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte said. "The Seafood Engine will fuel innovation, support our fishermen and aquaculture businesses, strengthen our workforce, and create good-paying jobs while reinforcing New England's leadership in an important industry. I look forward to seeing this partnership deliver results for the Granite State."
