The Push Is On To Move NOAA Science Center To New Bedford

For all of you folks on the Southcoast, the Research Vessel, "Neil Armstrong," is launching today in Woods Hole. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is considering a renovation of its long-standing Cape Cod science facility in Woods Hole, prompting some to encourage it to move to the fishing hub of New Bedford.

According to ABC 6, "the federal government has located a marine research facility at Woods Hole, in Falmouth, since 1871. Today, NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center operates in the hamlet in a facility built in the 1960s."

Right now, NOAA is in the early stages of considering a renovation plan for the facility, which is aging and is located in a crowded space. Local and state officials from the New Bedford area are lobbying for the facility to move to the city.

Jon Mitchell says "the move would bring regulators and fishermen closer together and build trust."

With additional reporting by Sal Lopez