The Rhode Island Fast Ferry will add a new vessel to expand service to Martha’s Vineyard and sightseeing cruises on Narragansett Bay this summer. more

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is slated to begin a series of hearings later this month to determine if river herring qualify as a threatened species, according to the Gloucester Times. more

The New England Fishery Management Council’s executive committee may cut the allowable cod catch for fishermen by up to 72 percent, the Gloucester Times reports. more

The University of Rhode Island has received roughly $2.5 million from the estates and bequests of URI alumni brothers John and David Parker, the University of Rhode Island Foundation announced Tuesday. more

As part of its 10th anniversary celebration, the Working Waterfront Festival is launching the Portholes Project, a series of free, monthly programs to spark conversation about issues facing working waterfronts. more

R.I. Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit has been named the John H. Chafee Boater of the Year by the R.I. Marine Trades Association. more

The Port of Davisville at Quonset Business Park had its third consecutive record-breaking year, according to Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee, who joined state officials and local business leaders on Wednesday to announce the port’s success. more

On Wednesday night, the New England Fishery Management Council voted to cut the catch limit on Gulf of Maine cod by 77 percent, a move the opposition claims is tantamount to shutting down the industry, The Gloucester Times reported. more

Three Rhode Island companies – J/Boats, C&C Fiberglass Components and Bluenose Yacht Sales – were honored in Bristol on Friday for earning recognition in Sailing World magazine’s Boat of the Year Awards. more

To understand why Rhode Island recently approved a set of local admiralty rules for disputes on the high seas, it helps to know the story of the British-flagged freighter M/V Lamma Forest. more