This past week at The Town Dock, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) leaders and directors located throughout the country came to visit our offices in beautiful Narragansett, Rhode Island. Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries, and Daniel Costa, Rhode Island DEM State Port Manager, led the group through The Town Dock as part of a large tour of the Port of Galilee and the NOAA offices in Narragansett. The tour at The Town Dock included a look at our facilities, a presentation of retail and food service calamari, and a discussion of current events developing in the Port of Galilee.
Today, the Port of Galilee is a major hub for many charter fishing vessels. The 12th highest raked port by landings value nationwide, the Port of Galilee is a crucial economic driver for Rhode Island. The Town Dock has a public-private partnership with NOAA, allowing us to work together on projects such as the study of Northern Shortfin Squid and Longfin Inshore Squid. During our tour, we further discussed the importance of The Squid Electronic Size Monitoring Pilot Project. You can read more about this initiative here: https://www.towndock.com/news/the-town-dock-helps-noaa-study-squid
How did the Port of Galilee become such an influential resource for Rhode Island? The success of the fishing industry in the Port of Galilee all began in the 19th century. By the early 1900s, numerous construction projects gained development approval, and the port in Narragansett would shortly be known as the Port of Galilee, named because of its location across the harbor from the fishing village of Jerusalem, Rhode Island. Long-term leases were created for docks and location sites, allowing business and trading to begin to flourish. The Port of Galilee drew large fishing boats that previously docked in Newport, Rhode Island, or New Bedford, Massachusetts. Due to the larger docking facilities, these fishing boats preferred to dock in Narragansett, bringing more business into the Port of Galilee.
The core value of NOAA is to advance a mission of science, service, and stewardship. NOAA works to protect marine life and provide essential knowledge about the change in oceans to the community. Their unwavering commitment to advancing science, providing invaluable services, and the overall work they conduct for our marine ecosystems is commendable. Their goal of protecting our marine life and sharing vital knowledge about the changing oceans with the world is crucial in ensuring a sustainable future. NOAA's research and scientific expertise provide valuable insights into the potential economic impacts within the aquaculture sector. With their extensive knowledge, NOAA empowers decision-makers and stakeholders in the fishing industry to make informed choices that will lead to a more sustainable and resilient future.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) works to restore Rhode Island lands and waters to conserve wildlife and marine resources. The DEM protects our state's resources to strive for a better future for Rhode Islanders. In the past year, the DEM has proposed a new development project to provide better working environments for local fisheries. This investment is providing projects that are designated to replace docks, and bulkheads and raising bulkhead caps to protect the port against the sea level rise. Other projects that will be funded by this budget will include roadway, stormwater, sidewalk, and parking improvements. Further projects will include water line removal and replacement, new fire hydrants, electrical upgrades, and installation of security cameras.
The Town Dock would like to thank Janet Coit and Daniel Costa for including The Town Dock on the NOAA tour of Narragansett. This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase The Town Dock's calamari, the importance of the public-private partnership among The Town Dock, NOAA, and the RI DEM, and the importance of sustainable fishing. We are proud to be in alliance with NOAA. Together, we can work towards a future where our communities benefit from the sustainable use of our aquatic resources!