The Precision Marine Navigation program is working with other regions to start providing test S-102 data.

Vessel Pilots Transition to New Chart Format

11/23/2023 - By nauticalcharts.noaa.gov. NOAA’s Precision Marine Navigation (PMN) program aims to seamlessly integrate high-resolution bathymetry and high accuracy positioning and shoreline data with the forecast data of water levels, currents, waves, and weather forecasts. This information can be easily accessed and integrated into maritime electronic charting systems and other decision support… SEE MORE
By wdfw.wa.gov. Marine Area 7 consists of waters south of the Canadian border containing the San Juan Islands, Haro Strait, Rosario Strait, Bellingham Bay, the southern Strait of Georgia, and the northeastern portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Boat launches include Washington Park near the Anacortes Ferry Terminal and Cornet Bazy Marina at Deception Pass State Park (be advised these launches can be very busy and parking is limited), as well as public and private marinas in Anacortes, Burrows Bay, La Conner, Bellingham, and Blaine. Deception Pass and the San Juan Islands experience some of the strongest tidal currents on the West Coast. Depending on location, wind and tide direction, conditions can change quickly from calm seas to surging currents, tidally-influenced standing waves, or wind chop. Always review a local tide chart and weather forecast before hitting the water! With hundreds of rocky islands, underwater reefs and pinnacles, the San Juans and Bellingham Bay provide exceptional fishing for lingcod and cabezon during the spring and early-summer months; check out this blog post for tips. Halibut are found on deeper underwater banks and sloping dropoffs, particularly in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Strait of Georgia; visit this webpage for season details. The best fishing for these bottomfish species occurs around slack tides. Shrimping can be very productive during spring and early-summer openers. Crabbing typically opens in mid- to late-summer through early-fall. Due to its rich biodiversity, Marine Area 7 is renowned for SCUBA and freediving, though visibility varies depending on outflow from rivers. The San Juan Islands and nearby straits and bays provide numerous scenic locations to fish for Chinook salmon that are often teeming with baitfish given that Marine Area 7 sits at the confluence of several large bodies of water.  Continue reading at wdfw.wa.gov.

Where to Fish in the San Juan Islands

8/31/2023 - By wdfw.wa.gov. With hundreds of rocky islands, underwater reefs and pinnacles, the San Juans and Bellingham Bay provide exceptional fishing for lingcod and cabezon during the spring and early-summer months; check out this blog post for tips. Halibut are found on deeper underwater banks and sloping dropoffs, particularly in the Strait of Juan de… SEE MORE
Lsuff, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 512px-Deepsea via Wikimedia Commons

Farming Sea Scallops in Maine Offers New Opportunities and Builds Community Resilience

2/2/2023 - By fisheries.noaa.gov See how farming sea scallops in Maine is helping fishermen and coastal communities face new challenges and adapt. Fishermen lowers sea scallops into the water. Credit: NOAA Fisheries. Aquaculture of sea scallops in Maine has been steadily developing for about 20 years. This type of seafood farming offers… SEE MORE
Mfield, Matthew Field, www.photography.mattfield.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How Scientists Are Working to Restore Kelp Forests

7/15/2022 - By Elizabeth Devitt. Hidden beneath the waterline, the world’s kelp forests grow along more than one-quarter of all seacoasts, supporting a richness of biodiversity that naturalist Charles Darwin believed could rival that of tropical rainforests. But also unseen, these critical habitats are vanishing due to warming ocean currents, pollution, overharvesting… SEE MORE