CORD Leads a Comprehensive Evaluation of $15M NSF Seafood Engine in New England

The NSF Seafood Engine strategy is mobilizing technological innovation across the seafood supply chain “from bait to plate.”

The Seafood Engine in NE is a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine designed to strengthen New England’s seafood industry, building an ecosystem of multi-sector partnerships to engage and elevate blue tech companies to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity across the supply chain.  The Engine’s initial $15 million award spans two years, with potential to grow to $160 million over a decade.  Partnering with RTI International, the evaluation involves a comprehensive mixed-method evaluation of the region’s seafood-related economy and workforce base examining team and ecosystem development, partnership formation, workforce development,  R&D project development, translation, and early impacts. 

The Engine strengthens New England’s fisheries and aquaculture through multi-sector partnerships in the seafood industry with scientists, and technology firms from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to advance innovation, workforce development, and a more competitive seafood supply chain. The stakes are national: the region accounts for 25% of U.S. seafood value, and the country runs a $20 billion annual seafood trade deficit. The evaluation provides an evidentiary resource to both strengthen the Engine and provide summative evidence of its early and on-going accomplishments and impacts.

(Lead: Julia Melkers Professor and CORD Director; Co-Leads Danbi Seo CORD Fellow/Assistant Professor; Jennifer Ozawa, RTI Senior Economist; Evaluation Team Members: Maribel Guerrero, Professor, School of Public Affairs, ASU and Elisa Bienenstock, Research Professor, CORD and School of Public Affairs, ASU; Nicolas Ferraiuolo and Jae-Ah Chung, PhD Students ASU)