ACFHP project featured in Rhode Island Recreational Saltwater Fishing

ACFHP project featured in Rhode Island Recreational Saltwater Fishing 

Rhode Island Recreational Saltwater Fishing recently published an article featuring ACFHP’s work to restore fish habitat around boat moorings in Jamestown, Rhode Island. The article, written by ACFHP’s Vice Chair, Chris Powell, can be found here.

Traditional boat mooring systems create a halo (loss of habitat, in this case, eelgrass) around the mooring anchor or block caused by the sweep of the chain along the bottom with shifting winds and tides.

In an effort to reduce this impact the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provided grants to fund the retrofitting of traditional mooring systems with conservation mooring technology. ACFHP has partnered with the Rhode Island Division of Fish & Wildlife, Town of Jamestown Conservation Commission, Clarks Boat Yard, Conanicut Marine Services, Inc., Jamestown Boat Yard and the Aquidneck Mooring Company to replace four traditional boat mooring systems, which will then be monitored to evaluate the recovery of eelgrass habitat to the impacted area. The increase in eelgrass will not only benefit the fish and invertebrate communities, it will benefit all who enjoy this wonderful resource, Narragansett Bay.