Image credits: Flickr.com.

NOAA Releases Final Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

12/29/2024 - By noaa.gov. After years of devastating impacts to the marine environment in the Florida Keys, the long-awaited Restoration Blueprint for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will be published as a final rule in January, following today's release of the final environmental impact statement and management plan. The documents outline NOAA's regulatory… SEE MORE
Image Credits: Concept of smart buoys gathering ocean data. Ocean and Great Lakes data and information are essential for weather forecasting, ocean commerce, recreation, and more — things that affect the entire nation. These accelerators will seek new, innovative ways to gather that data and deliver it to users. (Image credit: Adobe Stock)

Biden-Harris Administration identifies 4 Business ‘Accelerators’ to Boost the Blue Economy

12/28/2024 - By noaa.gov. Ocean entrepreneurs to spur new technology, services that strengthen our coasts. The Department of Commerce and NOAA announced today that it is recommending awards totaling $54.3 million to four organizations to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Organizations will use these funds to bring to market solutions that will… 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
Wetlands provide a buffer from wave energy for shorelines and communities behind them. But sea level rise, storms, and other challenges are causing wetlands to erode. We’re working to restore these important habitats. Photo: Chesapeake Bay Program/Will Parson.

Protecting and Restoring Habitat in Virginia’s Middle Peninsula

11/19/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Healthy wetlands and oyster reefs support fish, wildlife, and communities. Virginia’s Middle Peninsula is a beautiful part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed—both on and off the water. But it faces challenges due to climate change, a lack of capacity to restore habitat, and rural coastal economic hardship. While the Middle… 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
The annual Seagriculture, USA Conference took place in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Connecting Aquaculture Enthusiasts from Across the World

11/16/2024 - By fisheries.noaa.gov. Ketchikan, Alaska hosts the third annual Seagriculture, USA International Seaweed Conference. Members of the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region Aquaculture team attended the international seaweed growing conference Seagriculture, USA Sept.11-12 in Ketchikan, Alaska. The 2024 conference marks the event’s debut in Alaska, an exciting distinction for the growing Alaska aquaculture industry. Participants… SEE MORE
Image Credits: Fisheries.noaa.gov.

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
Image Credits: fisheries.noaa.gov.

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