Our Location
The Ecosystems and Aquaculture Division operates out of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Milford, Sandy Hook, Narragansett, and Woods Hole facilities.
What We Do
Our division studies the interactions between the environment and marine life. This research supports sustainable wild and farmed fisheries as well as conservation of habitats and protected species in the Northeast Continental Shelf ecosystem off the United States.
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- Environmental factors for algae, shellfish and finfish aquaculture.
- Linking climate with responses of species and their habitats.
- Human influence on ecosystems.
Our research includes field surveys and laboratory investigations run by our five branches.
Our Branches
Aquaculture Innovation
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We study the technical effectiveness, compatibility with the environment, and long-term success of marine aquaculture practices. We develop methods and technologies to improve production of farmed seafood, supporting expanded shellfish aquaculture in the United States. With a team-based approach, we apply multidisciplinary science to high-priority projects. Local, national, and international collaborations support our research.
Learn more about our work at the Milford Laboratory
Aquaculture Systems & Ecology
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We conduct research to better understand the ecology of estuaries, coastal, and off-shore waters. Working with industry partners, we study the interactions between coastal habitats and aquaculture practices. We support development of technologies to culture species of commercial and recreational importance. We provide our scientific findings to the shellfish aquaculture industry and policy makers.
Learn more about our work at the Milford Laboratory
Fisheries & Habitat Research
The Fisheries and Habitat Ecology Branch of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, our research includes multi-disciplinary and multi-agency expertise, and encourages collaborations with managers, academic researchers, and industry partners.
Oceanography
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The Oceanography Branch collects and analyzes a comprehensive record of biological and oceanographic conditions in the marine waters of the northeast region. Our offshore ecosystem surveys have provided direct measurements of ocean conditions since the early 1970s. Our analysis of this long series of measurements allows us to document changes in the marine ecosystem that affect how we understand and manage our marine resources. For example, we’ve observed changes in continental shelf water temperature and acidification, changes to the locations of spawning and feeding habitat over time, and changes in planktonic communities that make up the major food sources of large whales and other fisheries species. By directly monitoring our ocean ecosystem, we gain an understanding of how the ecosystem worked in the past and how that might change in the future.
Learn more about oceanography studies in the Northeast
Our Leadership
Lisa Milke, Ph.D.
Director, Ecosystems & Aquaculture Division
Lisa is the director of our Ecosystem and Aquaculture Division, which consists of five research branches distributed along the northeast coast between Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Woods Hole, Massachusetts.