The Northeast Regional Office of NOAA Fisheries developed the Cooperative Research Partners Initiative (CRPI) to formalize and expand collaborative research among New England's commercial fishing industry, marine science and fishery management communities. Through this initiative, CRPI partners are collaborating with the New England Fishery Management Council in setting research priorities to meet management and fishing industry needs. CRPI also works closely with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Study Fleet Project Partners
CRPI has contracted Perot Systems Government Services' Environmental Science Division to manage many aspects of the Study Fleet Project.

Additionally, three groups were contracted to manage the various fishing fleets that are participating in the Study Fleet Project. The Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association (CCCHFA) manages the small hook and gillnet vessels. The Gulf of Maine Research Institute manages the medium-sized trawlers and gill-netters. The Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences manages the larger offshore trawlers.

Industry-Based Survey Partners
The Industry-Based Survey is a partnership between the Maine Department of Marine Resources, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, NOAA Fisheries, and the fishing industry to collect data pertinent to Gulf of Maine cod and Southern New England yellowtail flounder stocks.

Northeast Regional Cod-Tagging Partners
The Northeast Regional Cod Tagging Program consists of a partnership among Island Institute, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST), and the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen's Association (CCCHFA).

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMA) is serving as the central coordinating organization for the five local cod tagging projects and will provide program consistency, maximize the return tags, and compile and make data readily available.

Research Grants
CRPI works with many partners in the research grants portion of the initiative. Some of these partners are listed below:

• University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• New England Aquarium
• University of New Hampshire
• University of Rhode Island
• Massachusetts Fishermen's Partnership
• Island Institute
• Cape Ann Fisheries Institute
• Marine Biological Laboratory
• University of Massachusetts/Boston
• Groundfish Group of Associated Fisheries of Maine
• University of Maine
• Phoel Associates
• Versar Inc.
• Captain Bill Lee, F/V Ocean Reporter
• Captains Joseph and Sam Novello, F/V Capt. Novello