The Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation (CFRF) is seeking up to two commercial F/Vs to conduct a ventless trap survey in the Revolution Wind Farm (RWF) and two control areas May 2027 – November 2028.
The project will be conducted jointly between the CFRF and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST). This survey aims to collect post-construction data on the distribution, abundance and composition of lobster and crab species in the RWF and control areas. The map below displays the two RWF areas (black and purple outline) and two control areas (blue and grey outline) which will be sampled during the survey
Vessel Applications are due November 6, 2026! See below for details and the link to apply.
Participant Responsibilities:
Each F/V participant will charter one or two CFRF/SMAST biologists for three days per month from May-November in each year of the project
The first survey day each month will be dedicated to bringing all survey gear out to the survey areas, including baiting and setting 100 traps (10 trawls of 10 traps)
The second survey day will be devoted to hauling the gear, sampling catch, and resetting the gear
The third survey day will be devoted to hauling the gear, sampling the catch, and bringing all of the survey gear back to port
All survey days within a month aim to be five days apart to achieve a standardized soak time, with the intended trip schedule being the 1st, 6th, and 11th of each month
F/V crew will be responsible for setting and hauling all traps, and the CFRF/SMAST biologists will be responsible for sampling and data collection of all catch
All catch will be returned to the water, and no catch will be landed for sale
All survey gear will be set and hauled using on-demand EdgeTech 5112 Ropeless Fishing Systems and the EdgeTech Trap Tracker tablet app to set, mark, and haul all survey gear, no surface buoys will be used
All survey gear will be removed from the water and brought back to port after the last sampling trip each month
Participant Requirements:
Eligible for NOAA Letter of Acknowledgement; CFRF will apply for this with selected vessels
Current or recent experience lobster or crab fishing in or around the identified survey areas
F/V length greater than 40 feet with enclosed cabin
Dedicated crew members (captain and deckhand)
Captain, crew, and F/V must meet Orsted safety requirements or be willing to work with the CFRF to meet these requirements:
Captain must hold a 100 Ton Master Captain’s license (80 hours to obtain)
Captain must hold a valid STCW safety certification (40 hours to obtain)
All crew must hold a USCG-accepted safety training certification (10 hours to obtain)
Captain and crew must have passed a US Coast Guard Medical Exam in the last two years (3 hours to obtain)
Vessel compliant with Orsted Environmental Survey Vessel Checklist (4-hour inspection, with additional time needed to prepare or address concerns)
Proposed Compensation:
Daily charter rate for survey days will be $5,858 per day
Annual gear setup and breakdown days will be paid with two $2,929 stipends per year
Monthly gear setup and breakdown days will be paid with seven $2,495 stipends per year
Safety equipment and training fees will be covered by CFRF with minimal compensation for time spent at trainings.
Application Instructions: Complete the online application form by November 6, 2026
Contact Information: Please get in touch with Michael Long, CFRF Senior Research Biologist, mlong@cfrfoundation.org or 401-515-4892, with any questions.