Last month, we successfully completed the peer review for the Atlantic herring research track assessment. Transitioning the assessment to the Woods Hole Assessment Model, or WHAM, was a major contribution to success. This model improves our scientists’ ability to incorporate environmental factors into the assessment and better estimate uncertainty. It also provides a robust way to evaluate stock dynamics and investigate population trends for Atlantic herring.

We continue to seek input from commercial and recreational fishermen, industry, state agency scientists, academic researchers, and interested members of the public to help guide the development of the June 2026 Management Track Assessments for:

• Atlantic herring
• Butterfish
• Georges Bank Atlantic cod
• Georges Bank haddock
• Longfin inshore squid
• Ocean quahog

The input form will close April 30, 2025.

Population Biology Research

Our Population Biology Branch investigates and documents the biology and ecology of fish in the western North Atlantic Ocean. This includes:

• Fish age and growth 
• Environmental DNA 
• Food web dynamics
• Fish reproduction and condition 
• Shark science

Learn more about how this branch puts biology and ecology into fishery stock assessments.

Environmental DNA Research

Environmental DNA—eDNA—is loose genetic material shed by organisms in the environment. This can include mucus, feces, and tissue particles. It can be collected from seawater, extracted, and compared to sequences in reference libraries to identify species or marine communities that were present where the water sample was collected. We can use a similar approach to reveal predator and prey relationships by analyzing DNA found in the feces or stomach contents of marine animals. This innovative technology is a game-changer and here’s how we’re using it to improve our ecosystems and habitat research, and fishery stock assessments.

Squid Study Helps Fill Knowledge Gaps

The shortfin squid fishery is a highly valuable and highly variable commercial fishery. Between 2012 and 2022, its annual value ranged from $1.1 million to $27.3 million. Despite the value of this fishery and the importance of this species, little is known about this squid’s life history and the ocean conditions and processes affecting their movements and migration. That’s why we've teamed up with commercial squid fishing industry members, federal and academic researchers, and managers to study how ocean conditions and processes drive the movements and migration of shortfin squid.

Surveys in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

We conduct several comprehensive surveys to better understand the interactions between the environment, marine life, and people living and working in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Data and information from our surveys provides science advice to policymakers. We examine the impacts of management actions on the individuals, businesses, communities in our region. Our surveys help support the Magnuson–Stevens Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and others.

On-Demand Fishing Gear Testing Update

In February, we started our 2025 on-demand fishing gear testing in state and federal waters when lobster and Jonah crab fishing using static vertical lines is restricted. As of April 11, participating fishermen conducted 430 hauls on 12 vessels. This is the third year of fully on-demand systems testing in restricted areas and the fifth year of testing on-demand gear more broadly across the Greater Atlantic. We’re collaborating with 70 commercial fishermen across both fixed and mobile gear fisheries. Our work testing on-demand gear systems with fishermen under actual fishing conditions is key to developing systems and modifications that can reduce whale entanglements without significant loss of fishermen’s target catch.

New Algal Culture How-to Videos Available

Two new algal culture how-to videos from the NOAA Fisheries Milford Lab explain how to prepare to receive your algal starter cultures and what to do after you receive your starter cultures. They are targeted toward hatcheries, shellfish growers, and researchers. The Milford Lab's microalgal collection includes more than 200 strains and serves as a resource for industry. Last year, our Milford Lab sent out nearly 400 algal starter cultures to about 100 U.S. hatcheries, shellfish growers, and researchers.

This month, science center scientists presented the 2025 State of the Ecosystem Reports for the Northeast U.S. Shelf to the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. The annual, collaboratively-produced New England report (PDF, 64 pages) and Mid-Atlantic report (PDF, 52 pages) inform the councils about ecological, oceanographic, and socioeconomic aspects of the ecosystem—from fishing engagement to climate conditions.

Highlights this year include:

• Cooler average annual sea surface temperatures than recent years, but still warm compared to long-term averages
• Well-established Mid-Atlantic cold pool
• Numerous observations of different spatial and timing patterns of several fisheries compared with recent years. 

There is a large amount of information in these reports and we welcome your observations to contribute to the 2026 report. 

These reports also represent our commitment to open science. All of the information is well documented and, in most cases, report data are available to everyone. Science center scientist Kimberly Bastille and others across NOAA published a peer-reviewed journal article describing the concept of open science and how it has improved the flexibility, reproducibility, and efficiency of the scientific workflows for those working in ecosystem science. Our Ecosystem Dynamics and Assessment Branch works hard to produce these reports and to make them useful to our regions’ fishery management councils and other managers and decision-makers.