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HHH Fisherman’s Forum
NJ State Assembly Recognizes HSRL with official resolution
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ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee reports favorably Assembly Resolution No. 153.
This resolution recognizes the scientific advancements made by the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory (laboratory) at Rutgers University.
The laboratory has been instrumental in the study and development of new oyster types for the benefit of aquatic environments and the aquaculture industry. The oyster strains developed and bred by the laboratory have shown strong to moderate resistance to the MSX parasitic disease and Dermo disease. Researchers at the laboratory invented a new type of triploid oyster that is renowned for high quality summer meat, as well as for its sterility and the size and speed of its growth. The new triploid oysters now represent 30-50% of oysters produced in the United States and France, making them a staple within the aquaculture industry.
In addition, the laboratory developed the Haskin NEH strain of oysters from the Northeastern oyster population, which shows improved survival rates in the Northeastern region. The laboratory also developed the Haskin DBX strain of oysters from the Delaware Bay oyster population, which has a higher tolerance for the low salinity regions of the lower Delaware Bay.
Talia takes her research to Hong Kong University
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Talia Barry, a Haskin Lab PhD candidate in oceanography, is working on a project at The University of Hong Kong this fall. She is exploring the oyster ecology and predator prey interactions of the Hong Kong oyster, Crassostrea hongkongensis with Dr. Rajan Vengatesen in the Hong Kong Oyster Hatchery and Innovation Research Unit.Talia is testing whether local predators like mud crabs can induce stronger shells in the Hong Kong oyster similar to how oyster predators induce thicker shells in our native oyster C. virginica. Read more here.
Ximing Guo receives 2026 Edison Patent Award!
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Meet HSRL’s newest grad students: Emory Barrett and Kristie Semanchik
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The Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory welcomes Emory Barrett and Kristie Semanchik to the Haskin Lab Family as new graduate students starting Fall 2026. Both return to pursue passions developed during NSF RIOS internships. Emory will work towards a PhD under Mike Acquafredda through the Graduate Program in Oceanography GPO) studying aquaculture and ecology of ribbed mussels for restoration. Kristie will work towards a masters degree also in GPO under Dave Bushek studying living shorelines. Welcome and good luck to both of you!
Congratulations to the RIOS 2026 cohort!
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The 10-week NSF-funded in-person summer marine science internship wrapped up August 7th with final poster presentations. We heard about their work ranging from shellfish larval and juvenile ecology, to feeding patterns in whales and flounder; from ocean alkalinity and algae blooms, to ocean physics. This group carried out highly varied and truly excellent research this summer!
Talia Barry receives TLCNJ Scholarship
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Talia Barry is one of ten recipients of the Russell W Myers Scholarship from The Land Conservation Network of New Jersey. These funds will help her expand her research from New Jersey to Dauphin Island in Alabama and The University of Hong Kong!
Well done Talia!
2026 HSRL Student Awards
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The Susan E Ford Endowment Memorial Fund
Paul Coyne is a PhD Candidate in Oceanography studying shellfish genetics under Professor Ximing Guo. Paul has devoted most of his research efforts to exploring the genetics and ploidy of bivalves. Paul says that receiving support through the Susan E. Ford Memorial Fund will allow him “to better characterize the underlying biomechanics of sterility and growth in the various ploidy states of shellfish”.
Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory Student Support Fund
Four students will receive support from the Student Support Fund to present their research at national or international conferences:
Hails Tanaka is PhD Candidate in Oceanography under Professor Daphne Munroe and has been studying juvenile surfclam recruitment patterns in New Jersey. Hails will use the funding to present his research at the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland during February 2026.
Henry Sun is a former Intern in Dr. Guo’s lab and is now in the PhD program at Duke. Henry says he has “had the great privilege to continue working and collaborating with the Haskin lab even after I started my PhD at Duke. This award makes possible my attendance at the [2026] NSA meeting [in Portland, OR] to report our progress regarding genomic selection for dermo resistance in oysters using AI-based approaches, and the meeting will provide invaluable feedback and new connections to inform my future research.”
Molly Honecker is a former RIOS intern and current seasonal worker at the Haskin Lab from Duke University. She has been working on verifying a PCR assay to distinguish subspecies and hybrids of the Atlantic surfclam with Professors Guo and Munroe. She also plans to use this funding to attend the annual meeting of the National Shellfisheries Association in Portland, Oregon in March where she will present this project publicly for the first time.
Alex Ambrose is a PhD candidate in Oceanography getting ready to defend her dissertation under Professor Munroe. Alex will use the funds to support her attendance at the 2026 National Marine Educators Association meeting in Cambridge, MD, where she will present a portion of her research in a talk titled “Developing Educational Tools Using Real Research Data: Investing Ecosystems”. This work examines student responses and interest in an educational exercise that was developed using her research data. Alex notes that “This meeting brings together marine educators, scientists, and students, making it a valuable opportunity to share my findings and network with peers”.
Congrats to you all and we wish you the best of luck in your research and presentations!
Haskin Scientists Prove Shellfish Can Be Farmed Far From Shore | Rutgers University
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A study led by marine scientist Daphne Munroe has shown that Atlantic surfclams can be successfully farmed in the open ocean.
Rutgers Coastal Campus students shine at Fisheries Society annual Chapter meeting
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Big congratulations to our graduate students and undergraduate interns who were awarded outstanding presentation awards at the MidAtlantic Chapter meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Dewey Beach, DE November 19-21, 2025. Best student talk awards went to Samantha Alaimo (3rd place) and Danielle Dyson (1st place, and best student poster awards went to former RIOS inters Fiona Farrell (runner up) and Maya Lopez (1st place). In total, Rutgers graduate and undergraduate students made 9 oral presentations and 6 poster presentations at this day-and-a-half long meeting. Well done students!!
