Current Projects

Brayton Point Station, Somerset, Ma. - Marine Research conducts biological studies of Mount Hope Bay in the upper northeast corner of Narragansett Bay for  U.S. Gen New England, Inc.'s Brayton Point Power Station.  Programs are designed to evaluate the effects of New England's largest fossil fuel plant on the ecology of the Bay. Studies include water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, ichthyoplankton, and fisheries work.  Various phases of the monitoring program have been conducted continuously since 1971. 

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, Plymouth, Ma. - MRI has been conducting entrainment and impingement studies for Pilgrim Station since 1974.  At times studies have included extensive plankton surveys in Plymouth Harbor, Kingston, Duxbury Bay and in Cape Cod Bay.  More recently we have completed area-swept population surveys for adult and juvenile winter flounder in western Cape Cod Bay and are involved in a study to assess the role that hatchery raised winter flounder might play in stock enhancement. 

Manchester Street Station, Providence, R.I. - MRI has been conducting studies for U.S. Gen New England, Inc. at their Manchester Street Station since 1975.  When the Station was repowered in 1994-1995 the program was expanded to address phytoplankton, periphyton, epibenthos, zooplankton, water quality, and fisheries issues in the Providence River.  Entrainment and impingement programs were added or enhanced and included impingement survival studies.  Mapping of the thermal plume was also completed. 

Taunton River Desalinization Project -  A fish survey was conducted in the Taunton River for Bluestone Energy Services, Inc. and Epsilon Associates, Inc. in support of the permit process to help supply clean drinking water to communities in southern New England.  

Sakonnet River Bridge Replacement - In conjunction with Commonwealth Engineers and Applied Science Associates Marine Research biologists assessed possible impacts of bridge reconstruction on local fish and shellfish habitat. Completed for the Rhode Island Dept. of Transportation this project considered several possible alternative designs and included assessing the affects of  potential blasting, pile removal from an old railroad bridge, and loss of habitat through causeway removal.  The project required divers to complete an underwater fish survey to determine the potential impact of removing the railroad bridge. 

Newington Power Facility - This is a new project under construction on the Piscataqua River which forms  the southern border between New Hampshire and Maine.  As part of the Station's NPDES permit Marine Research is conducting ichthyoplankton, lobster larvae, and benthic surveys in the River for ConEdison and TRC Environmental.  Benthos monitoring includes video surveys of the bottom to document any changes associated with installation of the station's discharge diffuser particularly in regard to lobster habitat.    

Fish Feeding Habits - MRI has completed analyses of fish stomach contents for the National Marine Fisheries Service on and off since 1974.  At the present time we are working on samples from Georges Bank and a special program focused on Atlantic cod.  Over the years the total has reached some 58,000 samples.  

Kendall Square Station, Charles River - Studies of fish populations in the Charles River are currently being conducted in association with TRC Environmental Corp. for Mirant's Kendall Square Station repowering project in Cambridge. Data collection includes water quality, ichthyoplankton, fisheries, and benthos programs.  Studies are focused on river herring and yellow perch and include sonic tracking phases to  learn additional information about the movements of these fish around the Station's thermal discharge.  During the spring 2002 spawning migration we used hydroacoustic equipment to determine depth of travel and density of fish moving through the locks at the Charles River Dam.

Winter Flounder Stock Enhancement - MRI is working with Entergy and Llenocco, Inc. of Chatham, Ma. to transport and release large numbers of hatchery-reared juvenile winter flounder.  Young flounder marked with visible implant elastomer tags were released in early summer and subsequently sampled by beach seine and beam trawl into the fall. 15,000 to 25,000 marked fish were released and others were held in pens to monitor survival, growth, and feeding.  

Winthrop Shore Reservation Restoration Program - MRI is participating in the environmental impact analysis of a large-scale beach replenishment program for Winthrop beach, MA in conjunction with Parsons Brinckerhoff and Applied Coastal Research Engineering.  MRI is currently conducting pre-construction monitoring of biological communities at the project site.

Macroalgae Impacts On Nursery Habitat Of Young-Of-The-Year Flounder -  MRI biologists are conducting a study of the ecological characteristics of macroalgae in Mount Hope Bay to access its potential impact on the nursery habitat of young-of-the-year winter flounder.  This study includes distribution surveys of macroalgae paired with fish collections and monitoring of habitat quality in macroalgae beds.

Weaver's Cove Energy Dredging Project - Our biologists completed a study of benthic populations in areas proposed for dredging in the Fall River, MA. shipping channel.  Plans are underway for a liquid natural gas terminal which will accommodate world scale ships carrying as much as 140,000 m3.  MRI also assisted with an essential fish habitat review for the project.

Shellfish Surveys - MRI biologists complete a number of shellfish surveys each year for waterfront homeowners seeking to receive permits for piers, ramps, and floats. Larger projects are also completed for full-service marinas planning expansion or renovation.