Tying Science to Management for Sustainable Solutions
Our Company
Fishery Applications Consulting Team, LLC is an independent, woman-owned small business specializing in science-based solutions for sustainable fisheries management. Established in 2020, the company draws on years of experience, engagement, and expertise of its consulting team.
We specialize in integrating best available scientific products into fisheries management and policy. Our extensive background in collaborative fisheries research and stakeholder engagement serves as a foundation towards finding sustainable solutions for the fishing, science, and management communities. Understanding the challenges posed by regulatory requirements, competing marine user groups, and new scientific initiatives in a changing climate gives us a unique perspective to identify holistic and interdisciplinary solutions.
We offer services to members of the fishing industry and fishing organizations, offshore wind industry, academic and research institutes, private and non-profit organizations, and local, state and federal agencies and organizations.
Our Team
Cate O'Keefe, PhD, Principal Consultant
Cate O'Keefe is the founder and Principal Consultant for Fishery Applications Consulting Team, LLC. She has over 20 years of experience in the fishery science and management fields, including employment in local, state, and federal agencies, academia, and non-profit organizations. Throughout her career, she has focused on the interface between science and policy, relying on strong partnerships with members of the fishing industry to bring unique perspectives to the management arena. Cate is formally trained and has hands-on experience with stock assessment methods, public policy applications, and science communications. She has worked extensively with the fishing industry in New England, both at sea and on land, exploring science-based solutions for challenging issues.
Currently, Cate is the Vice Chair of the New England Fishery Management Council's (NEFMC) Scientific and Statistical Committee. Previous appointments include NEFMC's Scallop Plan Development Team, Herring, Monkfish, and Skate Oversight Committees and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Atlantic Herring Management Board. Cate has participated in several Northeast Fisheries Science Center and International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) stock assessment working groups and review panels. She has taught graduate level courses in fisheries management, ocean policy, and scientific communications.
Cate received her PhD from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) focused on developing a bycatch avoidance program for the US sea scallop fishery. She currently serves as Adjunct Faculty to SMAST's Department of Fisheries Oceanography and holds a Master's degree from Boston University. Cate is the President of the American Institute of Fisheries Research Biology, having previously served as Treasurer, and is a member of the American Fisheries Society. She is a member of the New Bedford Ocean Cluster Board of Directors, UMass Dartmouth Alumni Association Board, New Bedford Port Society Ladies Branch, and the Society for Women in Marine Science (SWMS).
Steve Cadrin, PhD, Consultant
Steve Cadrin is a Professor at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST). He is currently the Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Institute. He has been a stock assessment scientist for over 30 years, previously with the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
Steve's accomplishments include the advancement of stock assessment methods for a wide range of invertebrate and finfish species, fishery management advice for regional, national and international fisheries, and global leadership in evaluating geographic stock structure and modeling spatially complex populations. He has chaired several regional, national and international working groups and committees and has convened workshops, symposia, and conferences for the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, National Marine Fisheries Service, New England Fishery Management Council, and the American Fisheries Society. His teaching and research agendas focus on population modeling, stock identification, fisheries management, collaborative research with fishermen, and application of advanced technologies for fishery science.
Steve has a PhD in Fisheries Science from the University of Rhode Island, a Master's degree in Marine Biology from the University of Massachusetts, and a Bachelor's degree in Marine Science from Long Island University. Steve was the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Mentoring Award from the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, and currently serves as an Editor of Fisheries Research journal and a member of the Atlantic cod and yellowtail flounder Research Track Assessment Working Groups.