Coonamessett Farm Foundation

10/28/2026

There’s nothing quite like watching a sea turtle return to the ocean.

These are some of our favorite moments from CFF’s sea turtle research: releasing turtles back into the ocean after collecting valuable scientific data.

Our sea turtle research contributes to a better understanding of these remarkable animals, their movements, habitats, and the challenges they face. But this work requires significant time, resources, and support.

With the holidays approaching, we’re inviting you to make a difference through CFF’s Sponsor a Sea Turtle program!

Through a symbolic sea turtle sponsorship, you can directly support our ongoing research and conservation efforts while giving a meaningful gift to someone who loves the ocean.

Sponsorships are available at four contribution levels, starting at just $30, and each includes a special thank-you gift bundle.

Whether you’re looking for a unique holiday gift or simply want to support marine conservation, your contribution helps make this research possible.

🐢 Sponsor a sea turtle today!
https://www.coonamessettfarmfoundation.org/turtle-sponsorship

10/19/2026

Please join us in welcoming Sierra Koerber-Marx to the CFF team!

Sierra graduated from Boston University in 2026 with a B.A. in Biology and Marine Science. While at BU, Sierra earned her scientific diver certification and used this to research the population dynamics and thermal tolerance in New England Sugar Kelp. Additionally, she conducted a study on the community ecology of coral reefs in Belize and ran experiments on the effects of heat stress on coral species.

Outside of school, Sierra completed an internship at Mote Marine Laboratory working in the Grazers lab to rear Caribbean King Crabs and study their potential in clearing macro algae to restore degraded reef ecosystems.

Sierra joined CFF as a Research Assistant and At-Sea Technician and is excited to contribute to research that fosters marine conservation in collaboration with fishermen.

We’re excited to have her on the team. Welcome aboard, Sierra!

Learn more about Sierra and the CFF research team at the linkinbio.

10/16/2026

Today is World Food Day.

To mark it, we’re resharing a clip from our 2016 documentary, where CFF founder, Ron Smolowitz, speaks about our food system and why small-scale, local food production matters, in farming, fishing, and aquaculture alike.

10 years apart, and CFF remains committed to scientific research that supports sustainable fisheries operations, local small-scale agriculture and aquaculture, and renewable energy sources for the benefits of the public.

Watch the full documentary and learn more about our research at the link in bio.

Curious to support research like this? - Become a member with CFF to support research that strengthens farming, optimizes fishing practices, restores fisheries, and helps communities adapt to a changing climate through research-backed results.

coonamessettfarmfoundation.org/membership

10/15/2026

Join us on Thursday, October 15, at the New Bedford Ocean Economy Conference!

CFF’s Senior Research Biologist, Samir Patel, will be a panelist for “The Smart Fishing Vessel: Technology at Sea,” exploring how new technologies are improving safety, efficiency, data collection, monitoring, and decision-making in commercial fishing.

Hosted by the New Bedford Ocean Cluster, this year’s conference series brings together research, industry, and public-sector leaders to explore innovation and technology across the regional ocean economy.

The October 15 event focuses specifically on commercial fishing, with discussions on technology at sea, seafood processing, and new opportunities for the fishing industry.

We hope to see you there!
📍 Waypoint Event Center, New Bedford, MA
🕑 Samir’s panel: 2:00–2:50 PM

The event is open to the public, with paid registration required. Learn more and register: https://nboc.org/new-bedford-ocean-economy-conference/

OceanTechnology

10/15/2026

Join us next Thursday, October 15, at the New Bedford Ocean Economy Conference!

CFF’s Senior Research Biologist, Samir Patel, will be a panelist for “The Smart Fishing Vessel: Technology at Sea,” exploring how new technologies are improving safety, efficiency, data collection, monitoring, and decision-making in commercial fishing.

Hosted by the New Bedford Ocean Cluster, this year’s conference series brings together research, industry, and public-sector leaders to explore innovation and technology across the regional ocean economy.

The October 15 event focuses specifically on commercial fishing, with discussions on technology at sea, seafood processing, and new opportunities for the fishing industry.

We hope to see you there!
📍 Waypoint Event Center, New Bedford, MA
🕑 Samir’s panel: 2:00–2:50 PM

The event is open to the public, with paid registration required. Learn more and register: https://nboc.org/new-bedford-ocean-economy-conference/

OceanTechnology

10/14/2026

10/09/2026

More data means more effective fisheries management.

In collaboration with Saltwater Inc. and supported by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, we’ve been piloting electronic monitoring (EM) in the Atlantic sea scallop fishery, using onboard cameras to help expand the data available for research and management.

This short clip brings together footage from our two-year pilot. Six commercial vessels from New Bedford, Barnegat Light, and Cape May have taken part, recording over 62 trips and more than 5,000 reviewed hauls to date. While EM is already used in fisheries globally, it has not been systematically tested in the U.S. sea scallop fishery until now.

Explore the full project on our website. Link in bio.

These data and related items of information have not been formally disseminated by NOAA, and do not represent any agency determination, view, or policy.

10/08/2026

CFF researchers Andrew Corso and Cassie Tillotson recently attended the 2026 ICES Annual Science Conference, joining 742 participants from 33 countries.

Read more about their time at ICES and the theme session in our latest news article at the link in our bio.

10/07/2026

And where they’re hiding might surprise you ⬇️

Over the years, our HabCam RSA sea scallop stock assessment imagery has captured increasing numbers of American lobster (Homarus americanus). 

These images reveal just how adaptable lobsters are, occupying a wide range of habitats, from rocky habitats to their own created shelters, tucked into holes, shelly nests, and depressions in the seafloor. 

We even find them making use of human-made materials, including discarded ladders and tires!

Lobsters play an important role in marine ecosystems as both predators and prey, helping shape seafloor communities and food-web dynamics. 

They are also a cornerstone of New England’s coastal economy and fishing communities, making it especially important to understand their distribution, abundance, and habitat use as marine ecosystems change.

Learn more about CFF’s HabCam research and how this imagery helps us better understand life on the seafloor at the linkinbio. 

10/01/2026

An underwater look at a wreck, and black sea bass habitat.

Take a look beneath the surface at an underwater wreck—one of the types of structures black sea bass are known to congregate around.

In 2024, CFF researchers published results from the first deployments of pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) on the species, testing a method for collecting depth and temperature data from black sea bass in offshore waters.

The study also included underwater footage of local habitat, offering another look at the environments these fish occupy.

Read the full study, The first deployments of pop-up satellite archival tags on black sea bass (Centropristis striata): Link in bio