JOINT RESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $2,300,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (DEM) TO TRANSPLANT QUAHOGS INTO NARRAGANSETT BAY AND ESTABLISH A SHELLFISH HATCHERY PROGRAM (This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $2,300,000 to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for the transplantation of quahogs and the establishment of a shellfish hatchery program.)

Plain-English Summary

This resolution would direct $2.3 million in state funding to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) for two related projects aimed at restoring shellfish populations in Narragansett Bay. The first part of the funding would be used to physically relocate and transplant quahogs — a type of hard-shell clam native to the region — into areas of the Bay where their numbers have declined. The second part would go toward creating a shellfish hatchery program, which would raise young shellfish in a controlled environment before releasing them into the wild to help rebuild natural populations.

The bill would affect several groups in Rhode Island. Commercial and recreational fishermen could benefit from healthier shellfish populations in the Bay over time, potentially improving harvests. Residents and visitors who use Narragansett Bay for recreation or rely on it economically could also see long-term benefits. Additionally, quahogs are natural water filters, so increasing their numbers could help improve the overall water quality of the Bay, which benefits the broader environment and surrounding communities.

Currently, the resolution has been introduced and sent to the House Finance Committee, where lawmakers will review the proposed spending before it can advance further. No final action has been taken yet.