Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, Kim Damon-Randall, shares a message inviting everyone to learn about the types of technology we use to study whales, how to watch whales responsibly, and how you can help whales. 

Scientists at NOAA Fisheries attach electronic tags to individual whales to safely and remotely collect powerful data. Marine animal telemetry allows the scientists to monitor the movement and behavior of a tagged whale and learn how whales use their ocean habitats. 

A new real-time messaging network uses a well-established maritime navigation safety technology—the Automatic Identification System—to reduce the risk of vessel strikes involving North Atlantic right whales. 

In 2025, NOAA and the Alaska North Slope Borough successfully completed a survey to count bowhead and beluga whales in the U.S. and Canadian Beaufort Seas and Amundsen Gulf. This international, multi-agency, multi-species project will directly contribute to continued food security of Iñupiat and Inuvialuit communities in villages of the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic.

A new study sheds light on why some beaked whale species are more detectable than others using passive acoustic monitoring. Researchers examined how differences in species-specific diving and echolocation behaviors affect the ability to detect beaked whales using underwater listening devices.  

February is American Heart Month. Studies show that regular seafood consumption can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. We’re excited to share great ways to add some heart-healthy seafood to your diet. It’s both sustainable and delicious!

We have a special place in our hearts for farm-fresh seafood. It’s hard not to fall for savory mussels, steaming salmon, and succulent seaweeds at first sight! This Valentine’s Day, NOAA experts share their seafood love stories and show their love for American-grown seafood. 

NOAA Fisheries announced the release of the 2023 editions of Fisheries of the United States and Fisheries Economics of the United States. These reports provide detailed information on commercial landings, recreational catch, trade, and economic Impacts. U.S. commercial fishing, seafood, and recreational fishing industries continue to have a broad, positive impact on the economy, collectively generating $319 billion in sales and supporting 2.1 million jobs in 2023.

Pacific cod populations in Alaska have declined in recent years. The downward trend is likely linked to recent marine heat waves, and early life stages seem to be the most impacted. A new molecular study examined larvae to understand why heat wave temperatures and ocean acidification might cause larvae to die at high rates. 

NOAA Fisheries biologists confirmed that last year’s northern fur seal deaths on St. George Island were due to saxitoxin, a potent neurotoxin produced by a harmful species of algae. As the Arctic Ocean ecosystem warms, harmful algal blooms are becoming more frequent, stronger, and spreading over larger areas. NOAA Fisheries and the communities of St. George and St. Paul islands are continuing to monitor the health of marine mammals in the Pribilofs. 

Passive acoustic-equipped gliders offer a powerful complement to shipboard surveys—filling data gaps and expanding coverage opportunities. During a unique 2-week challenge in Hawaiʻi this month, NOAA researchers are leading a rigorous assessment of gliders equipped with passive acoustic sensors to demonstrate their capabilities in studying marine mammals and their ecosystems. 

By March 10, please submit your comments on applications for red snapper Exempted Fishing Permits from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The permits are designed to test new data collection methods and strategies for state-led management of the recreational red snapper fishery. This comment opportunity represents a major collaborative step toward boosting red snapper recreational fishing opportunities in the South Atlantic.

By March 9, please submit your comments on proposed changes in the West Coast groundfish fishery. The proposal would allow bottom-fishing gear to use only one vertical line to the surface and require the lines to be clearly marked. The actions would give fishing crews more leeway to adjust their gear to conditions and reduce the risk of lines entangling marine life.