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News Release Office of the Governor RI Department of Environmental Management 235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908 (401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462
CARCIERI, CHAFEE AND DEM COMMISSION THE JOHN H. CHAFEE, RHODE ISLAND'S NEW MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH VESSEL Governor Donald L. Carcieri, U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee, the Department of Environmental Management, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and members of the Chafee family took part in commissioning ceremonies Monday for the state's new 50-foot marine fisheries research vessel, the John H. Chafee. The event was held at DEM's Fort Wetherill Marine Fisheries Center in Jamestown, where the vessel will be docked."By dedicating this research vessel in honor of the late Senator John H. Chafee, we pay tribute to his unparalleled commitment to Narragansett Bay," said Carcieri. "Senator Chafee's vision and leadership helped secure federal funding for this vessel which will enable us to bolster our efforts in monitoring our Bay and our shellfish and lobster supply." "As Rhode Islanders we are entrusted with the stewardship of Narragansett Bay and the broad diversity of creatures that inhabit it," said Senator Lincoln Chafee. "The 21st century technology of this new research vessel will tell us whether we are on the right track, and what more we need to do to pass on a clean and healthy bay to future generations." The late Senator John H. Chafee secured major funding for the new vessel through a $625,000 federal grant from the National Marine Fisheries Service. An additional $285,000 in restricted state funds for boating purposes funded the project. Mrs. Virginia Chafee christened the vessel, named in honor of her late husband. DEM Acting Director Frederick Vincent said, "The R/V Chafee, in combination with the Department's marine fisheries laboratory at Fort Wetherill, will significantly enhance DEM's fisheries research capabilities. John Chafee cared deeply about the health of Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island's coastal waters, and we are most appreciative of the vision and generosity that he provided." Dr. Kenneth Sherman, Director of the Narragansett Laboratory of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration/National Marine Fisheries Service said, "NOAA looks forward to working with DEM from the deck of the new state-of-art Research Vessel Chafee, in monitoring the Bay's productivity, fisheries, and water quality as the State of Rhode Island moves forward in improving the health of the Bay, and protecting and sustaining its natural resources." The R/V Chafee replaces the venerable R/V Thomas J. Wright, a 42-foot boat built in 1975 for the former RI Department of Natural Resources. The R/V Chafee features a Wes-Mac Kevlar hull, a fiberglass foredeck, Wes-Mac wheelhouse, and a Caterpillar 3406, 700-horsepower diesel engine. The vessel holds 1,100 gallons of fuel in its tank, and about 300 gallons of hydraulic fluid. The new vessel is six feet wider than the Wright, giving it more deck space and a larger, safer work platform. At 15 to 16 knots, up from the Wright's 14 knots, it is faster and more efficient, allowing longer and further trips than those that were undertaken using the Wright. The new vessel also has more modern deck apparatus, including a hydrographic winch, allowing it to be used for a far wider variety of projects than was previously possible. The major role of the R/V Chafee is to continue and expand the monthly and seasonal fish trawl surveys, first begun in 1979 using the Wright, that are the basis for stock assessments and fish conservation measures in Rhode Island. Monthly icthyoplankton surveys will also continue to be done to monitor the abundance and distribution of larval and juvenile fish. The larger vessel will allow these studies to be expanded further offshore. The new vessel can easily work in Rhode Island and Block Island Sounds, and its range will enhance DEM's ability to accurately assess damages from oil spills. The R/V Chafee will also tow scientific data collection equipment to monitor conditions in Narragansett Bay as part of a monthly monitoring project that is currently conducted under contract with the Bay Window project. -30- |
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