Finfish Shellfish Study - Friends of Barnstable Harbor

The Finfish Shellfish Study

Center for Coastal Studies‘ Owen Nichols and his team will collect an inventory of finfish and shellfish from Barnstable Harbor, with a focus on commercially and recreationally important species. Intertidal and subtidal fish and invertebrate sampling will be conducted for a yearlong period. Sampling methods will include beach seines, trawls, dredges, ventless lobster traps, passive collectors, and gill nets.

Our Seafloor & Habitat Mapping and the Finfish-Shellfish Study (FF-SF) will give us a physical and biological “snapshot in time”. This snapshot will provide invaluable data for the protection, preservation, and planning for the evolution of the harbor.

Our Seafloor & Habitat Mapping will join Benthic Habitat Mapping projects already completed by the Center for Coastal Studies for Provincetown, Truro, and Wellfleet Harbors, and will contribute essential information for the entire Cape Cod Bay ecosystem and coastal food chain.

The Finfish-Shellfish Study is projected to begin in the Spring of 2024. Fundraising will begin in earnest in the Fall of 2023.

Upon completion of the entire project, we will have an image of our harbor’s health, as well as be able to identify specific areas of concern. The utilization of drone technology and/or re-sampling will enable us to document and understand trends in our harbor system.

Your tax-deductible contribution to the Seafloor & Habitat Mapping Project/ Finfish-Shellfish Study will help to preserve and protect Barnstable Harbor. The resulting snapshot will be instrumental for guaranteeing that future generations will experience the same magnificent Barnstable Harbor that we enjoy, and that has been an economic and recreational centerpiece of Cape Cod’s north side for hundreds of years.

Friends of Barnstable Harbor is a 501c3 public charity non-profit corporation