Woods Hole Sea Grant Program

The Woods Hole Sea Grant program, based at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), supports research, education, and extension projects that encourage environmental stewardship, long-term economic development, and responsible use of the nation’s coastal and ocean resources. It is part of the National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a network of 32 individual programs located in each of the coastal and Great Lakes states. Together, these programs form a national network of over 300 participating institutions involving more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, educators, students, and outreach experts.

Sea Grant’s legislative charge is to “increase the understanding, assessment, development, utilization, and conservation of the nation’s ocean and coastal resources by providing assistance to promote a strong educational base, responsive research and training activities, and broad and prompt dissemination of knowledge and techniques.”

Locally, Sea Grant’s affiliation with WHOI began in 1971 with support for a number of individual research projects. In 1973, WHOI was designated a Coherent Sea Grant Program and, in 1985, was elevated to its current status as an Institutional Sea Grant Program. The Woods Hole Sea Grant Program has made great strides to channel the expertise of world-renowned ocean scientists toward meeting the research and information needs of users of the marine environment. Public and private institutions throughout Massachusetts, and the northeast region, participate in the Woods Hole Sea Grant Program.

During the 2008–2010 funding cycle, the Woods Hole Sea Grant Program will support 10 concurrent research projects and several smaller “new initiative” efforts aimed at taking the first steps into promising new areas. Together, these projects fit into the following theme areas: (*) Estuarine and Coastal Processes, (*) Fisheries and Aquaculture, and (*) Environmental Technology.

Many of these projects address local and regional needs, while others have national or even global implications.

In addition to research, Woods Hole Sea Grant supports a marine extension program and an outreach and education program. During the 2008–2010 biennium, the program will support additional research efforts funded under peer-reviewed regional and national competitions. Major by-products of these projects include publications, workshops, and lectures. Since 1971, programmatic support has resulted in over 800 publications, including journal articles, theses, books, maps, fact sheets, pamphlets, posters, newsletters, and web-based products.

Research and outreach efforts involve the following academic institutions, as well as private industry:
(*) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
(*) Marine Biological Laboratory
(*) Boston University
(*) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(*) Bridgewater State College
(*) University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth
(*) Roger Williams University
(*) University of California at Davis
(*) University of Ottowa (Canada)
(*) Roskilde University (Denmark)
(*) University of Lisbon (Portugal)
(*) U.S. Geological Survey
(*) Northeast Massachusetts Aquaculture Center
(*) Southeast Massachusetts Aquaculture Center
(*) Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group
as well as numerous federal, state, and local agencies and partners, and private individuals.