Senator Reed officially launched the Rhode Island Shellfish Initiative to protect shellfish and other seafood resources in the state. The initiative is an alignment between the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP), facilitated by the URI Coastal Resources Center and RI Sea Grant in collaboration with multiple partners, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Shellfish Initiative. The SMP provides comprehensive policy guidance regarding management and protection measures for shellfish, such as quahogs and oysters, located in state marine waters. The new state initiative will keep the focus and momentum on shellfish resources, industries, and local seafood promotion in the state as well as generate new opportunities for effective shellfish management. Senator Reed is a strong advocate for shellfish growers and the state’s sustainable aquaculture industry. Since 2002, Reed has secured over $3.6 million in federal funding to hatch and support the Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative, which has increased the breadth and depth of the local aquaculture industry, and to help oyster farmers create jobs, restore the health of the Bay, and promote ecologically sustainable development. As a result, the state’s aquaculture industry now serves as a model for other coastal states.
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