Tag: Science

The Rise and Fall of Genetically Engineered Salmon

1/18/2025 - By Paul Molyneaux. After 35 years, the genetically engineered salmon saga has ended. AquaBounty has closed its genetically modified salmon production facilities after losing millions of dollars trying to market a product for which there is no demand. The AquAdvantage fast-growing salmon was initially developed in 1989 at Memorial University in Newfoundland,… SEE MORE

The Science Behind Tsunamis

12/30/2024 - By noaa.gov. A tsunami is a series of waves generated by a large and sudden displacement of the ocean. Large earthquakes below or near the ocean floor are the most common cause, but landslides, volcanic activity, certain types of weather and meteorites can also cause tsunamis. Tsunamis radiate outward in… SEE MORE

First Nations and Scientists use AI to Restore Salmon Runs

12/6/2024 - By Paul Molyneaux. Out in the rainforests of northwestern British Columbia, salmon runs are essential to First Nations communities that rely on fish for subsistence and income. After years of declining runs, several Nations have joined forces with scientists from Simon Fraser University, researchers from the Wild Salmon Center in Portland, Oregon,… SEE MORE

AI-Powered Marine Camera for Navigation and Safety

12/5/2024 - By Carli Stewart. Look out, an artificial intelligence (AI) pioneer in marine safety, revolutionizes marine navigation by launching the LOOKOUT camera system, designed to detect hazards beyond human capability. Built by a team of leading AI researchers, video game developers, 3D designers, and hardware engineers, the LOOKOUT camera system uses… SEE MORE

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

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 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