October Is National Seafood Month Join us all month long as we
celebrate the bounty of sustainable seafood! Check out our seafood feature stories, last
week’s leadership message from Chris Oliver, and a delicious video.
HIGHLIGHTS
Seafood Month: Spotlight on FishWatch.gov This month, we invite you to
explore FishWatch.gov, the nation’s database on sustainable seafood. FishWatch has
information on the status of more than 100 of the most of valuable marine fish
and shellfish harvested or farmed in the United States. It includes information
about stock assessments, economic impacts, and partnerships with commercial and
recreational fishermen to reduce bycatch and protect habitat. You can even find
tasty recipes for some of
your favorite seafood species.
Video: The
Coral Reef Economy Coral reefs contribute more than
$3.4 billion to the U.S. economy annually. A new animated video from NOAA’s Coral
Reef Conservation Program explains
how healthy coral reef ecosystems do everything from supporting millions of
jobs to protecting lives and coastal infrastructure. However, despite all they
do for us, coral reef ecosystems are threatened.
National Wetlands Awards – Call for
Nominations Sponsored by NOAA Fisheries and
other federal agencies, the National Wetlands Awards Program celebrates
individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, innovation, or
excellence in wetland conservation. Please submit nominations for the 2018 National
Wetlands Awards by December 22.
West Coast
Monitoring
Whale Health with Hexacopters A scientist from the Southwest
Fisheries Science Center, working alongside university and nonprofit partners,
used a small, unmanned hexacopter to collect exhaled breath condensate (blow)
from two populations of humpback whales. The researchers analyzed the blow
samples to characterize their respiratory microbial communities and gain insight
into population health.
Atmospheric
Rivers and the Russian River A new story map from NOAA’s
Climate Program Office explains “atmospheric rivers”—narrow bands of moisture
moving through the atmosphere—and their impacts on rainfall and water supply in
the western United States. It includes a case study on NOAA’s Russian River Habitat Focus Area
and the partnerships that have grown out of learning to predict and adjust to
atmospheric river events.
Pacific Islands
1,000th
Sea Turtle Released On September 22, the Pacific
Islands Fisheries Science Center released the 1,000th sea turtle
rescued and rehabilitated in the Hawaiian Islands. For more than 30 years, NOAA
Fisheries’ stranding program in Hawaii has responded to dead or injured sea
turtles, collecting important information about population threats and impacts.
October’s Monk
Seal of the Month The Monk Seal of the Month for
October is R1KU (or “Runku”), first seen on Niihau in 2014. One of her eyes was
damaged, so NOAA and partners brought her in for an examination and determined
that the eye needed removal. Veterinarians performed a successful surgery and
made sure she could still catch and eat live prey before releasing her back to
the wild.
Southeast
How NOAA
Responds to Hurricane Debris Marine debris is often an
unfortunate and unavoidable side effect of severe coastal weather. The past
couple months have been particularly difficult for the Gulf of Mexico,
Southeast, and Caribbean regions. Learn how NOAA’s
Marine Debris Program works to
respond to hurricane-caused debris.
September
2017 South Atlantic Council Update The South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council met in Charleston, South Carolina, last month to continue to
address snapper-grouper management issues. Read a summary of the Council’s
actions.
October 2017
Gulf Council Update The Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council met in Biloxi, Mississippi, this month to welcome new and
returning members and to discuss a number of fishery issues. Read a summary of
the Council’s actions.
Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Awards At their September meeting, the
South Atlantic Fishery Management Council presented the annual Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award to Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Lieutenant Bryan Lee. The
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council presented their 2016 Law Enforcement Office of the Year Award to Mississippi Marine Patrol Officer Roy Lipscomb at their
October meeting.
Greater Atlantic
You Spot An
Entangled Whale … Now What? If you’re out on the ocean and
spot a large whale entangled in rope, your first step should be to call NOAA’s
Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network, which operates a 24/7 hotline.
Learn more about the response efforts and meet GARFO’s Disentanglement
Coordinator, David Morin.
Omnibus Essential
Fish Habitat Amendment – Open for Public Comment By December 5, please submit your comments on the New England Fishery
Management Council’s Omnibus
Essential Fish Habitat Amendment 2. The
amendment would revise the essential fish habitat designations for all species managed
by the Council, add Habitat Areas of Particular Concern and establish two
Dedicated Habitat Research Areas, and make other adjustments.
Restoring
Oyster Reefs in Virginia’s Lafayette River Virginia’s Lafayette River in the
Chesapeake Bay watershed is rebounding from historic water quality problems.
NOAA has been a key partner in supporting oyster restoration efforts, including
reef construction, river mapping, and restoration coordination. Now, funding
from the National Fish and Wildlife Federation will help the tributary reach
goals for oyster restoration.
Copepods:
Cows of the Sea Zooplankton are tiny aquatic
animals that drift with the ocean currents. Copepods, a group of tiny
crustacean zooplankton, graze on phytoplankton—playing a similar food web role
as cows grazing on grass. These copepods—some of the most abundant animals on
the planet—also serve as a primary food source for North Atlantic right whales.
Safety a
Priority for New Observer Program Lead Meet Ken Keene, the new
Mid-Atlantic Area Fisheries Observer Program lead. Keene will be based at the
Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Howard Laboratory in his native New
Jersey. He will be working with the fishing industry in ports from New Jersey
to North Carolina as the point of contact for the observer program.
Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission News The August/September 2017 issue
of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s newsletter, Fisheries Focus, is now available
online. Read about recent and proposed management actions, upcoming meetings,
stock assessment updates, and more.
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