NEFSC Narragansett Lab (NA)

The Narragansett Laboratory is located on three acres of federally owned land and is part of the Bay Campus of the University of Rhode Island (URI). The facility consists of one main building and adjacent modular buildings. The Laboratory supports staff of ~50 staff and is adjacent to URI's Graduate School of Oceanography and the The Atlantic Ecology Division (AED) of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Laboratory supports a wide range of NOAA research and operations. Research is conducted on the effects of changing oceanographic and ecological conditions on the productivity and health of the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf ecosystem in relation to the recovery of depleted fish stocks and the conservation of protected species. Studies also are conducted on the demography and ecology of shark populations in response to oceanographic conditions to provide information for shark assessment and management. The Laboratory hosts the NOAA Cooperative Research Program which supports projects including fisherman and scientists to better understand the region's fisheries and to contribute to management. The lab also hosts the Office of Coast Survey Regional Navigation Manager for the Northeast, staff of the Northeast Regional Office Habitat Conservation Program, and staff of the NEFSC Social Sciences Branch. Overall, the Laboratory supports two major objectives of NOAAs Strategic Plan - Build Sustainable Fisheries and Sustain Healthy Coasts.