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Forging cooperative research partnerships in the Bering Sea
What We Do
We work to provide a means for industry members, fisheries managers and crab scientists to interact and work cooperatively to conduct scientific research to expand our scientific knowledge to improve the sustainability and management of fishery resources of the Bering Sea. The goal is to protect and preserve while producing a sustainable yield. Our research to date has focused on commercially important crab resources in the Bering Sea.
How We Work
The BSFRF conducts its business through a Board of Directors with most segments of the Bering Sea fisheries being represented. All research and funding decisions are reviewed and voted on for approval by the Board. The BSFRF has no employees but contracts to NRC to manage the business of the Board and oversee its research projects. The Board also seeks the advice of independent scientists. Transparency is a guiding principle where the Foundation strives to share information - with Board approval - in a timely and appropriate manner. Our research projects are mostly fully integrated collaborative efforts and the scope of research and array of scientific partners has continued to grow each year. Extensive cooperation on research priorities, project design, planning, methodology, field research, analyses and reporting are coordinated among multiple research partners. Funding to support the BSFRF is voluntarily provided by Bering Sea crab processors, crab vessel owners, and fishery communities and organizations. Some of the research projects have been funded in part by research grants from the North Pacific Research Board and in many cases have benefitted by collaboration with federal and state scientists.
Research Activities
- Bering Sea Trawl Surveys for Crab
- (vessel charter and full surveys out of Dutch Harbor)
- Stock Assessment/Modeling Support
- (coordination with crab biologists at NMFS/ADFG)
- Crab Tagging/Migration Research Support
- (vessel support and funding of scientific equipment/tags)
- Shellfish Management Review/Support
- (review/summary of management reports/meetings/survey results)
- Presentations to Industry and Public
- (summary of annual research to Bering Sea crab industry members)
- Present Research Summaries at Agency Management Meetings
- (summary of annual research to NPFMC/Crab Plan Team/SSC/ADF&G)
- Host Crab Research Workshops/Informal Meetings
- (project-specific scientific peer review of annual research)
- Other Crab Research Funding
- (UofA bairdi size study, BBRKC rebuilding, WWU ocean acidification/crabs)
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