Category: Science

AI to Combat Illegal Fishing and Enhance Vessel Tracking

12/2/2024 - By Paul Molyneaux. In the past, when a fishing vessel disappeared over the horizon, that was it. Only the captain and crew knew what happened as gear was set and hauled. But as global landings have flatlined, illegal fishing has increased, sparking a need to track fishing vessels in an… SEE MORE

How to Produce Hydrogen Gas as Cleanly as Possible

11/26/2024 - By Brian Owens. Green hydrogen? More like electrification with extra steps. As humanity works to slash greenhouse gas emissions and stem the pace of planetary warming, scientists, governments, and industry leaders are looking for low-carbon alternatives to fuel the future. Alongside renewables such as solar and wind energy, hydrogen gas… SEE MORE

Helicopter fitted with cameras for aerial mapping. The cameras are in the gray box mounted to the underside of the cockpit in front of the landing skids. Credit: Atlantic Salmon Federation/Valerie Ouellet

Where Do Atlantic Salmon Go to Beat the Heat?

11/25/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. As a key river habitat warms, researchers race to protect cold water patches critical to salmon survival. Researchers have successfully used cameras operated from a helicopter to map surface water temperatures in Maine’s Narraguagus River. This is an important step toward habitat conservation for endangered Atlantic salmon and… SEE MORE

Image Credits: The Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Marine Weather Forecasts Are Getting an AI Upgrade

11/24/2024 - By Vanessa Minke-Martin Machine learning systems—powered by new data—are taking some of the guesswork out of maritime safety. Jake Spink fished British Columbia’s craggy coast for four decades. Now, as the president of the British Columbia Coast Pilots—an association of highly trained captains that guide thousands of tankers, cruise ships,… SEE MORE

Listening In on the Mysterious Marbled Murrelet

11/21/2024 - By Moira Donovan. Applying machine learning to forest soundscapes helps researchers pinpoint rare and threatened birds. The marbled murrelet is an elusive creature. At sea, the stubby seabird dives at the first sign of predators. On land, it lays its eggs high in the mossy branches of the Pacific Northwest’s old-growth forests—a… SEE MORE

Sardine collected on the 2023 Coastal Pelagic Species Survey. Pacific and Japanese sardine look so similar that they can only be distinguished by genetics. Genomic analysis later revealed that the catch contained both species. Photo Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Kelsey James

Surprise! Japanese Sardines Astonish Scientists by Crossing the Pacific to the West Coast

11/18/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Next generation genomic sequencing of Pacific sardine reveals not one, but two species of sardine in the California Current in 2022 and 2023. When research scientist Gary Longo first saw the results of his genomic analysis of sardines, he thought he must have mixed up his samples. Besides… SEE MORE

New Calculator Helps Oyster Growers Measure the Water Quality Benefits of Farms

11/15/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. The new tool provides a science-based estimate of how much nitrogen oyster farms remove from local waterways. It generates a report that can be used in the aquaculture permitting process. When it comes to removing excess nutrients from waterways, shellfish are a powerhouse. The NOAA Milford Lab in Connecticut studies… SEE MORE

New Clues Reveal Genetic Diversity among Alaska’s Harbor Porpoises

11/14/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Powerful tools reveal hidden structure of harbor porpoise population. Harbor porpoises are shy, elusive creatures that live in Alaska's coastal waters and are vital parts of the marine ecosystem. But how these animals are distributed and connected across the vast Alaskan waters remains a mystery. A new study published in the… SEE MORE

A newly acquired Makah trawling vessel in Neah Bay, being made ready to fish in the tribal whiting fishery. Credit: J.L. Ise/NOAA Fisheries

New Science Plan Outlines Research Priorities on Effects of Offshore Wind Development Along the West Coast

11/13/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. NOAA Fisheries seeks to further build its expertise in this emerging ocean use. Offshore wind energy may represent the most significant new commercial use of the ocean seen in many decades. As new offshore wind technology emerges off the U.S. West Coast, NOAA Fisheries has developed a strategic… SEE MORE

A fisherman unloading their catch at dock. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Looking to the Future, Living in the Present: Supporting a Thriving and Resilient Seafood Industry

11/12/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Fall is a good time to pause and reflect—not just on the past, but also on what lies ahead. Assistant Administrator, Janet Coit, shares her thoughts on how NOAA Fisheries is working to ensure a bright future for the seafood community. October is National Seafood Month, and the… SEE MORE