HIGHLIGHTS
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 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.
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 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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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 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
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.
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.
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
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.
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