There are obstacles when it comes to sharing marine space, infrastructure, and resources in Rhode Island, a recent study found. With the usage of the state's coastal and offshore waters increasing, University of Rhode Island professor of marine affairs David Bidwell wanted to understand what current and potential marine multi-use opportunities might exist.

So he, along with Tiffany Smythe, associate professor of maritime governance at the Coast Guard Academy, and Di Jin, senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Marine Policy Center, put together focus groups consisting of small-scale business owners from commercial and recreational fisheries, aquaculture, marine educators, and tour boat operators, as well as surfers, kayakers, sailors, and boaters.

What they found, Bidwell said, was that "There wasn't a lot of clamoring for, 'Oh, we love multi-use, and here are these opportunities.' It was mostly this idea of, 'Well, we deal with multi-use because we have to.'"

But the researchers found that lack of parking and other shoreline access issues are an obstacle to multi-use of coastal waters in Rhode Island.

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