NERACOOS Updates

What’s happening in the office and around the region.

In July, we announced that the NSF Seafood Engine in New England, led by NERACOOS, won a $15M U.S. National Science Foundation award to strengthen fisheries and aquaculture. Along with this exciting news came big changes for our small team.

Today, we’re delighted to share the news that Jackie is taking the helm as Executive Director at NERACOOS, as Jake steps into the position of CEO at the NSF Seafood Engine of New England.

Jackie, who most recently served as Strategy Director, will oversee the direction and implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System in our region, from Long Island Sound through the Gulf of Maine. During her 13+ years with the organization, she successfully led strategic initiatives to advance and expand integrated ocean observing in the Northeast, with a strong commitment to building effective partnerships in ocean science.

Jake has served as Executive Director of NERACOOS since 2020 and has been integral in developing the NSF Seafood Engine as lead PI. In his new role as CEO, he will lead the Engine’s regional coalition, whose mission is to leverage advanced technologies to reduce the national seafood deficit and strengthen every level of the seafood supply chain—from bait to plate.

The NSF Seafood Engine in New England will sit within the NERACOOS portfolio, and our teams will work closely together to advance ocean science to meet the needs of our stakeholders.

Please join us in congratulating Jackie and Jake on their new positions!

Portsmouth, NH, July 14, 2026 – The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced a major new award to bolster the American seafood industry through the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program within the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (NSF TIP). The NSF Seafood Engine in New England, led by the Portsmouth-based non-profit NERACOOS, is a collaboration of seafood industry, tech sector, government, and research partners across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. This innovation ecosystem aims to revitalize the seafood sector through cutting-edge technology. This award will position New England to lead the nation in meeting the goals outlined in the Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness.

“NSF Engines investments in critical technologies and future industries will transform America’s innovation infrastructure for decades to come,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “The NSF Seafood Engine will leverage cutting-edge resources including AI, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, robotics and more to strengthen the New England seafood supply chain, from harvesting to consumer delivery, supporting businesses up and down the coastline.”

The Seafood Engine will initially receive an award of $15 million over two years, with the potential to grow up to $160 million over ten years as it works to build an internationally competitive technology and innovation cluster. This core funding from NSF creates an unprecedented opportunity to leverage additional resources from public, private, and philanthropic sources to expand the partnership and scale its outcomes. The NSF Engine strives to enhance the competitiveness of fisheries and aquaculture, a pillar of New England’s economy that accounts for 25% of the nation’s seafood value. The technological solutions can be rolled out nationwide, propelling the American seafood industry to a stronger position within the global market.

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