​​​​​September 17, The Gambia- Kristine Beran, a first year Ph.D. student in Marine Affairs (M.M.A., 2014) focusing on value chain improvements in small-scale fisheries, traveled to the Gambia in August and September through the Coastal Resources Center at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography to help implement a pilot aimed at reducing post-harvest loss of sole at sea. The project is supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. The project introduces the use of ice and ice boxes on-board fishing vessels for sole to reduce post-harvest economic losses at sea, improve product quality and deliver economic benefits throughout the supply chain of sole, an export commodity. A traceability process is also being field-tested in parallel with the project. Both efforts aim to strengthen sustainability of the sole fishery, which is seeking Marine Stewardship Council certification.