A researcher from the University of Rhode Island (URI) has advocated a cheap, and even profitable, way of cleaning coastal waterways - introducing a shellfish aquaculture. Michael Rice, Professor and Chairman of the URI Department of Fisheries, Animal and Veterinary Science announced on 16 February that the natural feeding method of bivalves like clams, mussels, oysters and quahogs serves as "an estuarine filter, increasing the clarity of coastal waters and facilitating the removal of nitrogen and other nutrients."