Portfolio III: Fisheries and Seafood Production

Managing for Success

In order to sustain or improve the fisheries sector in Maryland, investments have to be made at all levels, from understanding trophic relationships to marketing and consumer issues. Maryland Sea Grant has a unique capability for bringing together expertise in the diverse areas that comprise a fishery, whether scientific, technical, economic or social.

Sea Grant has made choices that have built upon our resources in ways that complement efforts undertaken by other agencies and programs. For example, in addressing the management of commercial seafood harvests Sea Grant has taken advantage of its expertise in economics - specifically through the marine economic specialist in the Sea Grant Extension Program, who is uniquely qualified to work on these issues with State and Federal management agencies, an expertise that virtually exists nowhere else in the state. In addressing biological issues relevant to fisheries management, on the other hand, Sea Grant has invested in research targeted at linking traditional stock assessment (funded by government agencies) to ecosystem issues such as trophic dynamics and water quality, as noted above.

To address seafood processing issues in the state, Sea Grant taken an active role with a coalition of seafood processors and University of Maryland institutions to create, in 1995, a new Seafood Technology Specialist position in Extension. This position has been extremely valuable in providing key outreach to the seafood processing sector, including HACCP and seafood safety.

Finally, in addition to general education on fisheries issues through technology transfer efforts - such as remote setting of oysters (see oyster portfolio) or shedding of soft crabs - Sea Grant has partnered with key stakeholders as they work to improve how fisheries are managed in the state. For example, as described below, Sea Grant has worked very closely with the Chesapeake Bay Commission, helping to share vital information about crab economics and research. The Commission in turn has taken a lead role in advocating improvements to crab management Baywide, and continues to request the assistance of Sea Grant in both analysis and outreach.