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DECEMBER 1, 2023

NOAA Updates

On November 21, countries across the globe celebrated World Fisheries Day—a day recognizing the integral role fisheries have in sustaining human lives and ensuring healthy ocean ecosystems. Read a message about World Fisheries Day from Alexa Cole, Director of NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce, here.

Seraina Rioult-Pedotti, a 2022 Hollings scholar spent her summer looking at Pacific halibut and black rockfish diets at the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Homer, Alaska. Hear about her experience in: Food for thought: Learning from an internship project on diets of harvested Alaskan fish.

A recent humpback whale entanglement response was a success thanks to the Metlakatla Indian Community Team. Learn about how these tribal partners trained to use specialized equipment to disentangle whales in this new article.

Events

December 8 at 2 p.m. eastern: The Smart Sustainable Shellfish Aquaculture Management group is hosting a webinar on water quality monitoring and environmental sensing for shellfish aquaculture with emerging technologies. Matt Gray, Ph.D., from the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science will present.

January 17 at 9 a.m. eastern (free and virtual): The University of Rhode Island is hosting the eighth annual Rhode Island Food System Summit. Join government, academic, business, and community partners as we discuss how we can employ innovative practices within our food system to support greater environmental stewardship.

January 22-24 (in-person in Corpus Christi, Texas): Texas A&M is hosting a conference focused on overcoming barriers to expanding aquaculture in Texas. The meeting aims to foster exchange between all stakeholders with a vision to develop a roadmap to sustainable expansion of aquaculture in Texas.

Job and Funding Opportunities

• Apply by December 4: Santa Monica College is accepting applications for a Project Manager of Biotech & Aquaculture.
• Apply by December 14: The National Working Waterfront Network has selected 3 exciting applied research projects focused on advancing resilience in commercial fishing communities, and they are currently seeking graduate student interns.
• Apply by January 6: University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant have an opening for a Seafood Extension Specialist that will be based on the coast.

Tools for All

• A new reef taking shape in Lake Calcasieu, Louisiana, offers new habitat for oysters and fish, and commercial and recreational harvesting for oyster lovers. Learn more in: Eighteen Barges, for 18 Acres … of Louisiana Oysters.
• Meet the people growing food, cleaning Long Island Sound’s waterways, and building community in the NOAA Fisheries storymap: Long Island Sound's Shellfish Growers are Citizen Scientists.
• Abalone are in decline in South California due to a multitude of factors. With funding from an oil spill settlement, NOAA and partners are working on restoration efforts to address this problem. Learn about the project in: Abalone Restoration to Help Boost Dwindling Populations in Southern California.

About NOAA's Community of Practice for Aquaculture Literacy

U.S. aquaculture provides safe, sustainable seafood and creates jobs and business opportunities in coastal communities. Through a collaboration between NOAA Fisheries, the National Sea Grant Office, and NOAA's Office of Education, the Community of Practice for Aquaculture Literacy (CoPAL) works to enhance public understanding of sustainable aquaculture and seafood. CoPAL hosts events, shares resources, and coordinates partnerships across education, aquaculture industry, and research communities.

Learn more about CoPAL