NSF launches $15 million Seafood Engine in New England

UMass Dartmouth is a core partner in the initiative to strengthen the U.S. seafood industry

UMass Dartmouth is a core partner of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Seafood Engine in New England that recently received $15 million in NSF funding. Led by the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS), the Seafood Engine brings together the region's blue technology sector, seafood industry leaders, academic researchers, and government agencies to strengthen every level of the seafood supply chain. This initial investment will fund the Seafood Engine for two years, with the potential for up to $160 million in support over the next decade. 

UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) Dean Kevin Stokesbury is on the Seafood Engine leadership team with a focus on research and development of new technologies that enhance the information available to fishers and fisheries managers. One of those technologies is a cutting-edge camera system designed by SMAST researchers that allows fishers to see what's in their trawls in real time. Paired with AI software, the cod end camera system also captures and securely stores critical data on environmental conditions and fish species captured on video.   

"UMass Dartmouth's partnership with the Seafood Engine reflects our longstanding history of working closely with industry," said Stokesbury. "By collaborating directly with experienced fishers, we can bring research and innovative solutions to the challenges they face, helping support healthy marine ecosystems and the coastal communities and economies that depend on them." 

The university's record of leveraging advanced technology to bolster vital seafood industries dates back to 1999 when Stokesbury developed a novel drop-camera survey technology that was pivotal in revitalizing New Bedford's scallop fishing enterprise. This year, UMass Dartmouth announced a $1.2 million project that will deploy smart sensors, autonomous vehicles, and predictive artificial intelligence to create a digital twin for the Massachusetts shellfish industry. And, SMAST's Spring 2026 Gulf of Maine video trawl survey yielded encouraging results for a cod fishery that has been in decline for decades.  

The Seafood Engine provides an opportunity to build on that work by connecting SMAST researchers with fishers, technology developers, and other industry partners to bring new tools and information into the hands of those working on the water.