Sablefish farmed in net pens at NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Credit: Megan Ewald for NOAA Fisheries.

Managing Genetic Risk in Offshore Aquaculture

9/19/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Aquaculture can sustainably produce seafood to complement wild-caught fisheries. However, like all food systems, aquaculture requires sound science to ensure farmed species don’t harm wild species. Scientists at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center are working to understand the genetic risks in offshore aquaculture. NOAA has identified 21,000… SEE MORE
Deep-sea sponges and other invertebrates in a collection basket during a bottom trawl survey. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Nine Species of Deep-Sea Sponges Discovered in Alaska

9/18/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Scientists have discovered nine new species of sponges in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands. The specimens were collected during the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s long-standing annual bottom trawl surveys, which monitor the condition of groundfish and shellfish stocks in Alaskan waters. For these sponge studies, researchers… SEE MORE
Image Credits: Flickr.com.

Is Offshore Construction Noise Stressing New England’s Lobsters? WHOI Scientists Want to Know

9/8/2026 - By Kiran Johnson, whoi.edu. As offshore wind farms multiply along the New England coast, a question with real consequences for one of the region's most valuable fisheries is getting its first rigorous scientific investigation: does the noise from wind farm construction affect the American lobster? WHOI scientists are working alongside… SEE MORE
The future of fisheries-independent surveys will include traditional capture-based surveys as well as advanced technology such as acoustic, optical, and molecular tools deployed from survey vessels, uncrewed vehicles, and moored to the seafloor. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Su Kim

Charting the Future of Fisheries-Independent Surveys

9/7/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Fisheries-independent surveys operate on dedicated survey vessels and are the foundation of sustainable fisheries management. They provide the consistent data on marine resources we need to inform stock assessments. These data are collected using a scientifically rigorous sampling framework and are used to set catch limits. As… SEE MORE
Coastally-trapped Kelvin waves, a signature of El Niño, traveled north along the West Coast during the 1997/1998 El Niño, as shown in a map of sea surface height anomalies. Darker reds show sea levels higher than normal, while darker blues show heights below normal. Scientists are now watching for similar waves to move up the West Coast this fall. Credit: Dillon Amaya/North Carolina State University

Ocean Indicators Help Track El Niño’s Arrival on the West Coast

9/5/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. Has El Niño reached the West Coast? You might think it has. After all, the ocean off Southern and Central California is unusually warm. But that is from a recent marine heatwave predates the current El Niño. Much of the Pacific Coast is experiencing relatively normal conditions while still… SEE MORE
Docked fishing boats at Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon. Credit: iStock

Agency Reforms Aim to Restore American Seafood Competitiveness

9/3/2026 - By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. On July 2, 2026, NOAA Fisheries sent Regional Priorities guidance, providing the regional fishery management councils a clear roadmap of actions designed to reduce regulatory burdens and better support the health of the seafood industry, while maintaining the public trust duty to maintain stock and ocean ecosystem health.… SEE MORE