FishNews – March 15, 2018

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NOAA Fish News

March 15, 2018


HIGHLIGHTS

 

Kristen Koch

NOAA Appoints Kristen Koch as New Southwest Fisheries Science Center Director
NOAA has selected Kristen Koch to be the permanent director of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center. As director, Ms. Koch will continue to develop and manage a multi-disciplinary research program studying marine resources in the California Current, California’s freshwater ecosystems, the broader Pacific Ocean, and the Southern Ocean off Antarctica. Ms. Koch has previously served as Acting Director and Deputy Director for the Center.

 

Fisheries Information System

Fisheries Information System Funding Available
The FY 2019 Fisheries Information System Program request for proposals is now open. The competition supports national observer and catch shares program projects. The Fishery Information System manages an annual competitive request for proposals to advance fishery-dependent data for quality management and continuous improvement; electronic reporting; electronic monitoring; and Fishery Information Network improvement. Pre-proposals are due April 6.

 

HMS Tournament Reporting

Improved Reporting for Atlantic HMS Tournaments
NOAA Fisheries is working to improve the registration and reporting process for Atlantic highly migratory species tournaments. Tournament data play a key role in informing management decisions for these species. The changes are intended to make the system more efficient for tournament operators and scientists alike.


Incidental Take Authorization

Incidental Take Authorization for the U.S. Navy – Open for Public Comment
By April 26, please submit your comments on a proposed rule to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to upcoming Navy activities in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing Study Area over a 5-year period 2018–2023.



West Coast

 

Drift Gillnet Fishery

Limited Entry Permit for the California/Oregon Large-Mesh Drift Gillnet Fishery
NOAA Fisheries announced a final rule implementing the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s recommendation to create a Federal Limited Entry Permit for the California/Oregon Large-Mesh Drift Gillnet Fishery. The permit will streamline management of the fishery by bringing all aspects under federal authority.


Ocean conditions report

West Coast Ocean Conditions Return to Normal, but Salmon Lag
A new NOAA report finds that, after an extreme marine heat wave from 2014 to 2016, ocean conditions off most of the U.S. West Coast are now returning roughly to average temperatures. However, the impact of the warm “blob,” which drove down juvenile salmon numbers, will likely continue to show in fish populations for a few years.

 

Veterans Habitat Restoration

Veterans Restore Habitat in California Watershed
A new video showcases one of NOAA’s Veterans Corps programs, this one focused on habitat restoration in California’s Eel River watershed. The yearlong program provides opportunities for veterans to build skills and gain work experience while helping conserve endangered salmon and steelhead.

 

Washington Habitat Restoration

Habitat Restoration Benefits Fish and Communities
RDML Timothy Gallaudet, NOAA’s Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, recently toured the Qwuloolt Estuary restoration project in Washington. The 350-acre habitat restoration project reconnects a former marsh to provide critical habitat for salmon and other wildlife, while also allowing local communities access to the area via a trail system.

 


Pacific Islands

 

Hawaiian Monk Seal on beach

Latest Status for Hawaiian Monk Seals
NOAA Fisheries released a status update on the Hawaiian monk seal population for 2017, with some positive signs for recovery as well as some persistent threats. Celebrated as “The Year of the Monk Seal,” 2017 brought a surge of community involvement in monk seal stewardship, which is an encouraging sign for the species’ conservation.

 


Southeast

 

Red Snapper illustration

Recreational Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permits – Open for Public Comment
By April 2, please submit your comments on five exempted fishing permits submitted by each of the five Gulf of Mexico states. The permits would allow each state marine resource agency to set the seasons for recreationally caught red snapper from state and federal waters that are landed in each state for 2018 and 2019. The purpose of the pilot projects would be to test the effectiveness of state management and data collection.


South Atlantic Council logo

South Atlantic Council Seeks Scientific Advisors
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council seeks scientists interested in serving on its Scientific and Statistical Committee. Membership is open to any qualified scientist, regardless of affiliation or geographic location. Applications are due April 25.

 


Greater Atlantic

 

North Atlantic right whale

Changing Voices of North Atlantic Right Whales
Researchers have found that North Atlantic right whale calls, much like human voices, change as individuals age. A recent study of nearly 1,000 call recordings from 49 individual right whales found that as animals matured their calls became clearer and lasted longer.

 

Salmon Egg Planting

Field Dispatch: Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Gravel Bed!
Each winter from mid-February to early March, NOAA biologists and their state and tribal partners embark on a collaborative effort to “plant” Atlantic salmon eggs into gravel-bottomed Maine rivers and streams. Planting fertilized eggs, collected from hatchery adults, directly into the streambed is an alternate stocking method in efforts to restore and conserve this endangered species.


Fratantoni photo

Women’s History Month Interview Series
March is Women’s History Month, and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center has asked five scientists to share their science journeys and advice for the next generation of women in science. This week, meet Paula Fratantoni, who leads the Center’s Oceans and Climates Branch. She works with scientists from a range of disciplines to understand how the ocean influences marine resources on the Northeast U.S. Shelf.

 

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Mid-Atlantic Council Seeks Advisory Panelists
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council solicits applications for open seats on its advisory panels. Advisory panels provide information and recommendations to the Council during the development of fishery management plans, specifications, and measures. Individuals serve 3-year terms. Applications are due April 10.

Events


March 15
Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop in Fort Pierce, Florida.

March 15–April 18
Six public scoping meetings on bluefin tuna bycatch management measures, to be held in five states and online.

March 15–16
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Honolulu.

March 15–April 19
Five public scoping meetings on North Atlantic shortfin mako shark measures, to be held in Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and online.

April 4–23
Three free Protected Species Safe Handling, Identification, and Release workshops in New Jersey, North Carolina, and Massachusetts.

April 5
Free Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop in Norfolk, Virginia.

 

Announcements


March 16
Applications due for open seats on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Reef Fish and Shrimp Advisory Panels.

March 30
Applications due for 2018 student summer programs at Woods Hole Science Aquarium.

April 6
Pre-proposals due for FY 2019 Fisheries Information System funding.

April 10
Applications due for Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s advisory panels.

April 13
Nominations due for 2018 Climate Adaptation Leadership Award for Natural Resources.

April 25
Applications due for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee.

April 26
Applications due for 2018 Chesapeake Bay Office Fisheries Science grants.


Federal Register Actions

Visit regulations.gov for a list of only those actions open for public comment. Scroll search for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

For a list of all daily actions, check the Federal Register online.


Corrections or technical questions should be sent to the FishNews Editor at editor.fishnews@noaa.gov.