Author: parambhatia51

Southern Resident killer whales swim just off Seattle’s shore. NOAA experts anticipate that the West Coast and the Pacific Islands will feel the effects of the 2026–2027 El Niño event most directly. Credit: NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center; taken under NOAA permit #781-1824

How Will El Niño Affect Your Local Fisheries?

10/10/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. What does El Niño mean for U.S. fisheries and marine life? What can fishermen and coastal communities expect to observe and experience as this event continues and potentially intensifies? And what are scientists at NOAA Fisheries doing to track this natural phenomenon? The El Niño-Southern Oscillation is a powerful… SEE MORE

NOAA's flood inundation map (left) depicting the forecast for flooding extent in New London, Wisconsin, and a photo of flooded streets in New London (right), dated April 17, 2026. (Image credit: NOAA NWS)

NOAA’s flood mapping tool now covers nearly 100% of U.S.

10/7/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. NOAA’s National Weather Service announced today that Flood Inundation Mapping (FIM), a revolutionary tool for predicting river flooding, is now available on an experimental basis to nearly 100% of the U.S. population. This is a massive expansion from FIM’s prior coverage of 60% of the country. FIM… SEE MORE

Meet Hawaii Fish Company, Tilapia Farmers in Hawaiʻi

10/4/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. For husband and wife duo Ron and and Estralita Weidenbach, fish farming is a family business. The couple met in the 1970s while Ron was consulting at the East West Center in Honolulu and the World Bank, focusing on sustainable aquaculture projects in Asia. Estralita was a… SEE MORE

NOAA Fisheries and Sea Quester Farms partnered up to evaluate if kelp farms provide habitat for marine life in Alaska. Pictured here is one of Sea Quester’s farms in southeast Alaska near Juneau. Credit: Hatch Blue, Alaska Mariculture Cluster

Kelp Farms and Marine Life Co-Exist in Southeast Alaska

10/3/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Marine aquaculture, or mariculture, provides economic opportunities for coastal communities in Alaska through farming shellfish and seaweed. NOAA Fisheries continues to support Alaska’s growing aquaculture industry through policy and permitting—providing access to resources and research. A recent study highlights one of our newest aquaculture research collaborations. Through this… SEE MORE

Celebrate National Seafood Month

10/2/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. As we welcome autumn, we also celebrate National Seafood Month! Join us all month long to celebrate sustainable seafood with new feature stories, recipes, videos, and more. There's a lot to celebrate because—aside from being scrumptious—seafood is good for you, good for the economy, and good for… SEE MORE

A group of women aboard a boat hold large red snappers caught during a recreational fishing trip. Credit: Grayson Shepard

NOAA Announces 2026 Federal Recreational Red Snapper Season, Exempted Fishing Permits in South Atlantic

10/2/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. NOAA Fisheries announced today the 2026 federal recreational red snapper fishing season in the South Atlantic and the issuance of three exempted fishing permits (EFPs) to Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The federal recreational red snapper season will open for three days this year from October 9… SEE MORE

Olive ridley sea turtle near Seal Beach in Orange County, CA. Credit: Huntington Beach Fire Department

First-Ever Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Nested in California

Coastal News

9/27/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. An olive ridley sea turtle was observed digging a nest and laying eggs on the beach near Seal Beach, in Orange County, California on September 16, 2026. This is the first-ever recorded nest for any sea turtle species on the U.S. West Coast. The nesting female was discovered about 3 p.m.… SEE MORE

Large waves crash over a jetty as a large coastal storm bears down on the region on March 2, 2018 in Scituate, Massachusetts. A powerful nor'easter is bringing snow, rain and high wind to much of the U.S. Northeast. (Image credit: Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

Weekend nor’easter likely to bring damaging winds, coastal flooding

9/26/2026 - By noaa.gov, noaa.gov. Forecasters at NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS) are monitoring a powerful nor’easter bringing damaging wind gusts and dangerous coastal flooding to the Northeast this weekend. The New York City metro area and New Jersey may be especially impacted by this storm. A rapidly deepening storm along the… SEE MORE

Endangered insular false killer whale HIPc0280 with her new calf. Credit: Captain Zodiac/Andrea McCormick (NOAA Fisheries Permit #26596)

Seeing Double: Good News for Rare False Killer Whales in Hawaiʻi

9/24/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Research partners spotted two endangered main Hawaiian Islands insular false killer whale calves this year, and they’re starting to grow up! This is a rare and exciting discovery for this small, resident population of only about 140 individuals [caption id="" align="alignright" width="437"] Range of the endangered main… SEE MORE

A scientist captures thousands of digital images to build a 3-D reef model during the 2026 National Coral Reef Monitoring Program survey at Swains Island. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.

2026 Pacific Coral Surveys Complete

9/23/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. NOAA scientists returned from American Samoa and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument after conducting coral reef monitoring surveys. The team sailed south from Honolulu to Jarvis Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Kingman Reef, where they completed their suite of surveys. After a 2,000 kilometer transit down… SEE MORE