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H 8210Conservation

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

Appropriates $2.3 million to the DEM to transplant quahogs into Narragansett Bay and establish a nonprofit-run shellfish hatchery program.

Held for study
Population
Affected
30
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Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Finance

Plain-English Summary

This joint resolution appropriates $2.3 million to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) for the fiscal year 2026-2027 to support and revitalize the state's iconic quahog fishery. The funding is divided into two main initiatives aimed at combating the severe decline in shellfish harvests, which has been exacerbated by climate change and reduced nutrient levels from wastewater treatment plants.

First, $300,000 is allocated for the transplantation of quahogs from polluted waters to cleaner areas, such as Greenwich Bay. This relocation process allows the clams to naturally flush out contaminants, making them safe for future commercial harvesting. Additionally, moving the quahogs helps them spawn and spread larvae to repopulate Narragansett Bay. Currently, this relocation effort is largely voluntary and underfunded, making state support critical for its success.

Second, the remaining $2 million is dedicated to establishing a long-term shellfish hatchery program. The DEM will select a nonprofit entity through a competitive bidding process to administer the hatchery, which is mandated to have an annual production capacity of 500 million pieces. The program will operate strictly for the public benefit of the wild shellfish industry. The DEM will oversee the operations, produce specifications for bids by September 1, 2026, and establish all related rules and regulations to ensure the program's success.

For younger readers

This bill gives $2.3 million to the state's environmental department to help save Rhode Island's clams, called quahogs. Some money will be used to move clams to cleaner water so they can grow safely. The rest of the money will help build a hatchery to grow millions of new baby clams every year.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Shell fishermenRhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM)Nonprofits in the environmental and aquaculture sectorsSeafood consumersCommercial fishing industry

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

Low. The legislature has the clear authority to appropriate funds and direct state agencies to establish programs.

Estimated cost
$2,300,000
Estimated revenue
Not specified

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Supports environmental conservation and ecosystem restoration in Narragansett Bay.
  • Mitigates the negative impacts of climate change on local marine life.
  • Protects the livelihoods of local shell fishermen and the traditional wild shellfish industry.
  • Utilizes a nonprofit model for the hatchery, ensuring public benefit over private profit.
  • Allocates $2.3 million of state funds that could potentially be used for other pressing social programs.
  • Relies on a nonprofit entity rather than keeping the hatchery fully state-run, which could reduce direct public accountability.
For Conservatives
  • Supports local small businesses and the commercial fishing industry by boosting future harvests.
  • Outsources the hatchery operation to a nonprofit entity rather than expanding the state bureaucracy.
  • Preserves an iconic Rhode Island industry and cultural staple.
  • Spends $2.3 million of taxpayer money on a program that previously relied on voluntary efforts and environmental violation revenues.
  • Intervenes in the free market by subsidizing the wild shellfish industry.
  • Creates new regulatory oversight and rule-making responsibilities for the DEM.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

WHEREAS, For decades, the quahog fishery has been in decline, with yearly harvests significantly lower year after year due in part to climate change and reduced nutrients from wastewater treatment plants; and

WHEREAS, Recently, Rhode Island shell fishermen have been moving tens of thousands of pounds of quahogs from polluted waters to the cleaner waters of Greenwich Bay in order to reverse the decline in Rhode Island’s shellfish harvests and boost future harvests through revenue collected by DEM from environmental violations; and

WHEREAS, The relocation helps the clams to flush out any contaminants and be healthy for harvesting in the months to come and to spawn and spread larvae that will help repopulate Narragansett Bay; and

WHEREAS, Funding the project to replenish quahog populations and support the struggling quahog fishery falls under the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; however, funding for this essential project is extremely limited and is currently scheduled as a voluntary effort, and not expected to draw many participants; and

WHEREAS, An allocation of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) to the DEM is necessary to help save the iconic hard-shelled clam from Narragansett Bay and its environs; and

WHEREAS, Two million dollars ($2,000,000) of the appropriation to the DEM would be used to establish a long-term shellfish hatchery program that would be administered by a nonprofit entity chosen by the DEM, and would only be utilized for the public benefit of the wild shellfish industry; and

WHEREAS, The hatchery would have a production capacity of five (5) hundred million (500,000,000) pieces annually; and

WHEREAS, On or before September 1, 2026, and every five years thereafter, the DEM would produce specifications to receive bids from nonprofits to conduct the proposed operation of programs to fulfill these requirements; and

WHEREAS, The DEM would supervise the program and promulgate rules and regulations related to the operation of the hatchery program; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2026-2027, the sum of two million three hundred thousand dollars ($2,300,000) to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for the transplantation of quahogs into Narragansett Bay, and two million dollars ($2,000,000) of which would be to establish a shellfish hatchery program; and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw their orders upon the general treasurer for the payment of said sum, or so much thereof as may be from time to time required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers. EXPLANATION BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF JOINTRESOLUTION MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $2,300,0 TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (DEM) TO TRANSPLANT QUAHOGS INTO NARRAGANSETT BAY AND ESTABLISH A SHELLFISH HATCHERY PROGRAM *** This joint 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.