Category: Ocean Awareness

Why Are Corals So Colorful? Understanding Reef Health Indicators

1/4/2026 - By Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, whoi.com. For harbor communities and coastal areas that depend on healthy reef ecosystems, understanding coral coloration provides valuable insights into reef health. Coral reefs protect harbors from wave action, support commercial and recreational fisheries, and indicate overall marine ecosystem conditions—making the science behind coral color… SEE MORE

waves crash over the breakwater at high tide, boston skyline in distance

U.S. Coastal Sea Level Rise Rate Doubled in Past Century, New Study Finds

12/24/2025 - By Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, whoi.edu. For harbor operators and coastal infrastructure planners, accurate sea level data is essential for making critical decisions about dock elevations, bulkhead construction, and long-term facility planning. A new scientific study highlighting significant acceleration in U.S. coastal sea level rise has important implications for harbors… SEE MORE

A drone carries a suction-cup tag toward a humpback whale. A successful deployment attaches cleanly near the dorsal fin, allows the whale to continue natural behavior without disturbance, collects high-quality data, and later releases for recovery. Photo: Ed Lyman/NOAA Permit #25754

Practice Makes Perfect: Drone Operations in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

12/18/2025 - By sanctuaries.noaa.gov, Published in sanctuaries.noaa.gov. A well-placed multi-sensor tag on a humpback whale allows researchers to track its underwater movements and observe its behavior. But how do whale researchers practice dropping these suction cup tags from a drone onto the back of a massive ocean animal? With a surfboard, of… SEE MORE

Project team staff operate a water cannon to distribute oyster shells across the project area. Credit: Justine Lundsted/NOAA

New Jersey Exceeds Goals for Shell Recycling Program Expansion

12/16/2025 - By coast.noaa.gov, Published in coast.noaa.gov. Despite rising water temperatures, disease, and other challenges, an oyster reef in New Jersey’s Mullica River holds fast as one of the last self-sustaining populations along the state’s Atlantic coast. Historically abundant on the East Coast, oysters have experienced a major decline in the last… SEE MORE

Derelict Fishing Gear: A Growing Hazard for Whales and Boaters Alike

12/6/2025 - By Norris Comer, Published in best4boats.com. The tragic recent stranding of a young humpback whale on Oregon's coast has renewed attention on the widespread problem of derelict fishing gear—an issue that affects not only marine mammals but recreational and commercial boaters navigating U.S. coastal waters. For anyone who has cruised… SEE MORE

Close-up view of bacterial communities thriving at the vent site. The distance between the two green laser points is 9 cm, providing a scale for the dense microbial structures visible on the seafloor. (Photo by EXTREME25)

Arctic Ocean Discovery Reveals New Methane Source Using Advanced Marine Sensors

12/4/2025 - By Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, whoi.edu. Marine research technology continues to advance our understanding of ocean chemistry, with implications for Arctic navigation and environmental monitoring that affect commercial shipping routes and harbor operations throughout the region. According to a November 21, 2025 press release from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: An… SEE MORE

Porites cf. lobata is a key reef-building coral that provides habitats for numerous species, including feather stars (comatulid crinoids) and fish. (Photo by Kharis Schrage, ©Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Palau’s Rock Islands Harbor Heat-resistant Corals

11/15/2025 - By Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, whoi.edu. Heat-Resistant Corals Discovered in Palau's Rock Islands As marine heatwaves increasingly threaten coral reefs worldwide, new research from Palau offers promising insights for harbor and coastal communities that depend on healthy reef ecosystems for shoreline protection, fisheries, and maritime navigation safety. The discovery of… SEE MORE

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category Fishery Closes Through November 30

11/14/2025 - By fisheries.noaa.gov., Published in fisheries.noaa.gov. The commercial Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery has been temporarily suspended through the end of November, affecting fishing operations at harbors along the Eastern Seaboard from North Carolina to Maine. This closure represents another quota management action in what has proven to be a challenging year… SEE MORE

Toxic Algae Bloom Overwhelms California Marine Rescuers as Sea Lions Fall Ill

10/19/2025 - By Dawn Anderson, Published in best4boats.com. A severe harmful algal bloom along Southern California's coast is creating hazardous conditions not only for marine mammals but also for boaters and beachgoers who may encounter disoriented or aggressive sea lions. The crisis highlights growing concerns about ocean health along one of America's… SEE MORE

Thomas Piecuch flips floating oyster bags on his farm (Credit: Holy Ground Oyster Company).

Celebrating Aquaculture Week: Farming from Tide to Table

9/25/2025 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Aquaculture Week 2025 offers a chance to learn how marine aquaculture—or farmed seafood—is vital for supporting our nation’s seafood production and jobs on the water, enhancing coastal resilience, and more. National Aquaculture Week celebrates increasing access to fresh seafood while protecting coastal resources. Seafood farming, if done responsibly… SEE MORE