Tag: public involvement

2015 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-off

High school culinary students to compete in

2015 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-off

Seafood Cook-off May 6: Come, Taste & Vote

NOTE: RSVP required

RICHMOND, R.I.—Local high school culinary students will be competing in the 2015 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-off, hosted by the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, on Wednesday, May 6, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and the public is invited to attend.

Student teams from the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, the Warwick Area Career & Technical Center, the Cranston Career & Technical Center, and William M. Davies, Jr. Career & Technical High School will be serving up their own original recipes for Rhode Island’s state appetizer, calamari. The audience will vote for their favorite dish, and the winning team will have their recipe featured as an appetizer at the Mariner Grille, 142 Point Judith Road, Narragansett. They will also receive seafood cookbooks and a gift certificate for lunch at the Capital Grille restaurant. The event will also include a speaker from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management who will discuss the importance of Rhode Island-landed seafood in the local food economy.

“We think this is a great opportunity not only for our students to show what they can do, but to work under pressure, create an original seafood recipe that appeals to consumers, and to learn from other students from around the state,” said Linda Musch, chef instructor, Chariho Culinary Arts, “And we look forward to inviting the public in to see what our programs have to offer.”

“Seafood offers a number of health benefits, but people aren’t always sure how to prepare it,” said Lori Pivarnik of the University of Rhode Island Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Rhode Island Sea Grant, “This cook-off gives students the chance to come up with new preparations for a locally caught seafood that’s economically important to Rhode Island, and we hope it will give the audience some new ideas for making calamari at home.”

The event is free to attend, but RSVPs are required. Please call Rhode Island Sea Grant at (401) 874-6800 or email studentrisg@gmail.com. The Chariho Area Career & Technical Center is located at 459 Switch Road, Wood River Junction in Richmond, R.I.

The calamari for this event is being donated by The Town Dock, Narragansett. Town Dock is the largest supplier of calamari in the U.S.

Sponsors of the 2015 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-off are the Chariho Area Career & Technical Center, Rhode Island Sea Grant, the URI Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, and the URI Graduate School of Oceanography.

 

A special thank to RI Shellfish Management Plan publication contributors.

On behalf of the SMP Team, we’d like to thank you for a successful and fun Final Event Celebration!

On Nov.17th, many gathered at the URI Bay Campus to celebrate the newly-released R.I. Shellfish Management Plan (affectionately called the SMP), a hallmark effort to improve management and science around shellfish in the state. With over 100 people in attendance, including Governor Lincoln Chafee, Senator Sosnowski, and dignitaries from our state agencies and universities, as well as the valuable presence of industry groups and citizens alike, it was an event to remember. The event was intended to be celebratory, to appreciate the monumental efforts of many individuals and groups who shaped the plan and its management and science recommendations. Good vibes and words were shared by all.

But one thing was missing from the festivities: A proper thank you to a few individuals who really were the glue behind the SMP. Unfortunately, in an attempt to keep comments brief and allow plenty of time to mingle and share kind words, we did not properly acknowledge these few individuals – As a backdrop, it is important to emphasize that behind the scenes, almost weekly for the last two years, have been five people who have helped sort through what we hear, what issues arise, what needs surface, and what actions should be taken. These individuals were Dale Leavitt (RWU), Jeff Mercer (DEM), Dave Beutel (CRMC), Monique LaFrance (GSO) and Jen McCann (CRC/RI SG). What some may not realize, which I want to impress upon you all now, is that without these folks, the SMP and all its early successes would not have happened.

It was Dale’s knowledge, experience and ability to see opportunity in any concern or issue that helped bring this SMP to life, infusing science and real-world application which lent validity, perspective, and integrity to the process and outcomes. Jeff has offered intense time and efforts on the SMP, showing industry that DEM has been listening and translating tough policies and decisions.—Jeff’s ability to work across multiple sectors of the shellfish community has brought tangible benefits to management and science.—Dave’s thoroughness in assuring a sound aquaculture management process in this state in conjunction with his belief and willingness to reach over agency lines to collaborate on important topics, has proven fruitful; Dave has been a steady island in a sea of positive changes for aquaculture, keeping people on firm ground during tough processes.—Monique’s integral efforts throughout the SMP on work such as the use maps and critical writing, has helped ensure the outcomes make sense and are tractable. And it is through Jen’s support and sound leadership that the SMP process remained true to its principles and vision of openness and broad stakeholder involvement.

And a special thank you to those in the industry – wild harvest and aquaculture – who continue to donate their time and experience to not only the SMP process, but to management overall, lending real-world knowledge and creative thinking to make this a truly democratic process.

At the event, a few individuals were recognized and received awards for giving 110% to the SMP process. Congratulations to: Mike McGiveney, Robert Rheault, Jody King, Katie Eagan, Art Ganz, Jim Arnoux, and the Rhode Island Shellfishermen’s Association for their exceptional service and contribution to shellfish.

And shout outs to all the many who made this Plan possible – THANK YOU!

Without all these folks meeting and giving their hearts and souls these last two years, we would simply be where we started in 2013: Wanting reform but with no road to get there. So thank you SMP Team – Your energy and skills are invaluable to this state!

Please visit http://www.rismp.org/the-plan/ to view the RI Shellfish Management Plan, Version II, and associated appendices. Please remember this is a living document and we encourage your feedback and comments. In 2015, CRC/RI Sea Grant will work with DEM and CRMC to develop an Implementation Plan, a Research Agenda, and activate on some of the recommendations in the SMP. We will also review and add new information to the SMP as it becomes available and will keep you updated through this listserv. Press and the SMP video will soon be posted on the website, so check back often.

Other information on the website:

If you would like to receive a copy of Rhode Island’s Shellfish Heritage: An Ecological History, available in 2015, please send an email to: smp@etal.uri.edu

Keep up the excellent work and dedication everyone – We look forward to working with you in 2015!

RSVP for Chart Chats–Informing Rhode Island Use Maps Meeting on June 13th

Chart Chats: Informing ‘User Maps’ with Your Activities on the Water

Thursday, June 13th, 2013, 5pm to 7pm
Warwick Public Library, 600 Sandy Lane. Warwick, RI 02889

Click here for Chart Chats Meeting Information in PDF format.

Please join team members of the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) during the Warwick Public Library’s Second Annual Quahoggers Jamboree. The SMP team will have an informal display of user maps. These maps were created in coordination with stakeholders through a series of public meetings over the past several months with the goal of illustrating the many different uses of our bays and ponds to minimize user conflict. Here’s your chance to view these maps, suggest changes or additions, and guide the next phase of the effort.

WHEN: Thursday, June 13th, 5pm-7pm (Open house–please drop in at any time!)
WHERE: Warwick Public Library, Small Meeting Room
Please RSVP to smp@etal.uri.edu and include the meeting date.

This meeting coincides with Warwick’s Second Annual Quahoggers Jamboree. The Jamboree, which is also at the Warwick Public Library on Thursday, June 13th, 2013 will run from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. You must register online for this event at http://www.warwicklibrary.org/.

SMP Stakeholder Mapping Meeting: May 6th

SMP Stakeholder Mapping Meeting
Monday, May 6th, 4-6 pm
Kettle Pond Visitor Center, Charlestown

Throughout the SMP, there has been a strong request for action to address user-conflict issues among all stakeholders. In response, the SMP team has been hosting a series of meetings to document human activities within Narragansett Bay and the Coastal Ponds. The next meeting will be held on Monday, May 6th from 4-6 pm at Kettle Pond Visitor Center in Charlestown. The address and directions can be found here: http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/what-to-do/hiking/2135/kettle-pond-visitor-center/

Specifically, this meeting will give us the opportunity expand upon our understanding of how Rhode Island’s waters are used, identify user-conflicts, and further document human activities. All user information is valuable – recreational and commercial shellfishing, fin-fishing, kite surfing, boating, diving, etc. Please RSVP for this meeting to smp@etal.uri.edu, and be sure to include the meeting date.

SMP Use Maps Update

Creating Use Maps for the Rhode Island Shellfish Management Plan (SMP)

Purpose
To help address user-conflict concerns and at the request of stakeholders during the SMP public scoping sessions, we are working to develop a comprehensive and accessible set of current “use maps” for Narragansett Bay and coastal ponds in Rhode Island state waters.

Goals
The collected information will be used to: 1) Better our understanding of water-related uses; 2) Add to and enhance the existing resources and tools available to managers to inform decisions about water-related uses; 3) Help managers understand the myriad of uses in our coastal waters and how important our waters are to a diverse group of people; and 4) Provide necessary information on uses to inform the discussion about how best to minimize use conflicts – perceived, current and projected.

Data Use
The intention is to include existing information from other projects or efforts, as well as new information collected as part of the SMP.
Existing Data:  As a first step, we will examine data on the RIGIS website (http://www.edc.uri.edu/rigis/). RIGIS houses a public database containing a wealth of spatial data about Rhode Island. Information previously gathered, including charts from past use mapping exercises, will be reviewed and updated. In addition to these existing resources, we hope to collect additional information, including:

  • Current aquaculture lease locations
  • Commercial and recreational fishing areas for shellfish, finfish and lobster
  • Restoration sites and activities and shellfish habitat types
  • Environmental data including soil types, temperature and water depth
  • Popular areas for recreational activities such as sailing and kayaking
  • Areas of historic significance
  • Observations of species distributions
  • Infrastructure such as marinas, moorings docks and yacht clubs
  • Transit or navigation routes
  • Rhode Island Department of Environment data, including shellfish closure maps, management areas and spawner sanctuaries

SMP Phases and Public Involvement

Phase I: Water activities data collection to update maps.  Information is needed about shellfish areas that are critical to people’s businesses, recreation and livelihoods. While proprietary information is respected and not sought, any general information about key and valued use areas is welcome – we appreciate the data already provided by users since January 2013.

Phase II: Map digitization. The maps produced through this process will be made publicly available for review and comment, and data collection will continue.

 Our SMP Principles

The SMP is focused on ensuring a fair and transparent process for all participants:

  • Information providers shall be heard and comments shall be collected both during and after map digitization.
  • Information shall be treated as valued reflections of people’s interests and uses.
  • Information shall be evaluated subject to the SMP public review process.
  • Information shall be gathered to identify generally how users value certain activities, rather than on assigning monetary values or restricting uses.

To provide data for Use Maps, or to find out more about this project, please contact:

Azure Dee Cygler
SMP Project Lead
Contact information:
azure@crc.uri.edu
(401)874-6197

  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email the SMP Team at smp@etal.uri.edu.