Mayor Calls for NOAA Lab in New Bedford Harbor

With the possibility of NOAA Fisheries relocating its Northeast Fisheries Scince Center out of Woods Hole, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell will happily welcome the new lab to the city's harbor.

"I believe strongly that, if you were to start from scratch and build a Northeast Fisheries facility anew right now, New Bedford would be hands-down the best place on the Eastern seaboard to do it," Mitchell said.

Mitchell believes the harbor can easily accommodate NOAA's research vessel Bigelow and will offer superior protection by way of the hurricane barrier.

"This is one of the most protected harbors in the United States with a hurricane barrier that can withstand 16 foot storm surges," Mitchell said. "This should be a significant consideration to the federal government."

The previous science center was destroyed by Hurricane Donna in 1960.

Possible locations, if moved to New Bedford, include the Eversource site where a casino was to be built and the former Revere Copper location.

The addition of the science center could also serve as a springboard for research study with collaboration with SMAST and the commercial fishing industry.

"The science center employs some 200 scientists and those kinds of jobs and that kind of activity would be hugely beneficial for a city like New Bedford, which doesn't have a large university presence and is striving to build one," Mitchell said.

A report on the current facility's needs is expected to be completed by the spring, but no immediate action is expected.

Mitchell said "this is no slam dunk," and noted the decision will be made by much higher levels of federal government. Still, he believes this is the time for the city to speak up and take a chance.