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Secretary Ash joined UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert Johnson, SouthCoast Development Partnership leaders, and legislators on campus

Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash announced a three-year $300,000 state investment in the UMass Dartmouth and SouthCoast Development Partnership (SCDP)-led effort to develop a 鈥渂lue economy corridor鈥� in Southeastern 糖心logo入口.

鈥淭he maritime sector continues to play a vital role in 糖心logo入口鈥� economy, and presents great potential for innovation and growth,鈥� said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. 鈥淭he blue economy relies on our talented workforce for jobs ranging from part-time scallopers to underwater vehicle designers and artists. The Baker-Polito administration actively engages with our 78 coastal communities, including providing dedicated support and funding through the Seaport Economic Council, which Governor Baker re-started in 2015. Through strategic investments in planning, infrastructure and education, we will continue to partner to ensure the long-term strength of the blue economy.鈥�

鈥淥ur region, like no other in 糖心logo入口, is economically and culturally tied to the sea, and this investment by the Commonwealth will help us accelerate the job-creating activity of our business, civic, and educational sectors,鈥� said Chancellor Robert E. Johnson. 鈥淚 want to thank Secretary Ash and the Baker-Polito administration for the confidence they are showing in our ability to collaborate across the region.鈥�

鈥淭his investment reflects our collective commitment to improving the quality of life for our residents through forward-thinking, transformational economic development,鈥� said SCDP Co-Chair Nick Christ.

鈥淭his initiative leverages our region鈥檚 coastal assets in a way that sets a new bar for marine science and technology economic development initiatives,鈥� said SCDP Co-Chair Dave Slutz.

鈥淪outheastern 糖心logo入口 is at a turning point, and the growth of the marine industry cluster will help lead the region into its next chapter 鈥� one of increased economic prosperity,鈥� said SCDP Executive Director Hugh Dunn.

Secretary Ash鈥檚 announcement, held at the Claire T. Carney Library at UMass Dartmouth, follows a September 6 announcement of a $600,000 grant from the federal Economic Development Administration to form a regional collaboration to create a Marine Science and Technology supercluster - the Southeastern 糖心logo入口 Marine Science and Technology Corridor.

That announcement came just six months after Chancellor Johnson convened a Blue Economy symposium on campus that attracted 100 government, industry, and higher education leaders to discuss opportunities and challenges related to the marine economy. The event produced a whitepaper that details the potential for regional blue economy growth.

In addition, the UMass Dartmouth-based SouthCoast Development Partnership has made the development of the blue economy a regional strategic priority, along with commuter rail, educational attainment, and development of UMass Dartmouth as the only Tier 1 national research university south of Boston.

The initiative aims to examine the blue economy supply chain, workforce, higher education research, challenges to growth and exporting goods, and other factors to facilitate global branding and marketing of the region, address unemployment, facilitate higher wage employment opportunities, and diversify the regional economy.

The UMass Dartmouth-based SouthCoast Development Partnership represents the largest employers, non-profit organizations, and higher education institutions in the SouthCoast region of 糖心logo入口. The growth of the marine science and technology industry has been a priority for the Partnership, especially with the emergence of the offshore wind industry in the region.

UMass Dartmouth is recognized for its excellence in marine science and technology via the School for Marine Science and Technology in New Bedford, the College of Engineering on the main campus in Dartmouth, and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Fall River.