NOAA Fisheries FishNews – August 23, 2017

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. August 23, 2017 HIGHLIGHTS Seafood Import Monitoring Program Webinars To increase industry awareness and compliance with the Seafood Import Monitoring Program's reporting and record-keeping requirements for traceability data, NOAA Fisheries is hosting additional public webinars. A webinar on August 24 will include a Japanese translation, and the August 29 webinar will include a Spanish translation. Petition to Ban Certain Imports from Mexico – Open for Public Comment By September 21, please submit your comments on a petition requesting an emergency ban on imports of all fish and fish products from Mexico that do not satisfy the requirements of the Marine Mammal Protect Act Import Provisions Rule as applied to the incidental killing or serious injury of vaquita. Draft List of Foreign Fisheries – Open for Comment By October 23, please submit your comments on NOAA Fisheries’ draft List of Foreign Fisheries, an essential component in implementing the import provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions Rule. The list identifies and classifies foreign commercial fishing operations based on the frequency of interactions with marine mammals in those fisheries. 2018 Atlantic Shark Commercial Season – Open for Public Comment By September 21, please submit your comments on a proposed rule that would establish quota levels, opening dates, and retention limits for the 2018 Atlantic commercial shark fisheries. The proposed 2018 quotas use landings data received as of July 14, 2017, and are subject to change in the final rule based on updated landings data as of October 2017. Alaska Beluga whales with calf. Photo by Paul Wade / NOAA Fisheries. Permit #20465 Field Dispatch: Cook Inlet Beluga Whales This summer, for the first time, NOAA scientists and state agency partners are using a hexacopter to collect aerial photographs of endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales. Scientists can collect important measurements about individual whales from these photographs. Cook Inlet beluga whales are one of NOAA Fisheries’ eight Species in the Spotlight. Spotted seal hitches a ride. Photo credit: Saildrone Inc. / NOAA Fisheries Field Dispatch: Of Seals and Saildrones For the second year, NOAA scientists are using a Saildrone to collect data on northern fur seals’ feeding habits. So far, mother fur seals appear to be taking longer foraging trips than they did last year. Meanwhile, it turns out NOAA scientists aren’t the only ones using the Saildrone—the onboard cameras caught a photo of an ice seal hitching a ride. Alaska Whale SENSE Hero Wendy Byrnes, Naturalist Alaska Whale SENSE Recognizes Heroes Whale SENSE is a NOAA Fisheries-sponsored program that promotes responsible whale watching. This year, Whale SENSE in the Alaska region recognized one boat captain and one naturalist for their outstanding efforts to promote marine stewardship. West Coast California Storms Help Salmon by Reviving Habitat Heavy rains and runoff from last winter’s near-record snows in California ended the state’s devastating drought. They also helped rejuvenate salmon streams. Swollen rivers have deposited a renewed supply of “woody debris”—downed trees and branches—that serves as an essential ingredient of healthy salmon habitat. Salmonid Monitoring Opportunity for Veterans NOAA and the California Conservation Corps are advertising paid opportunities for qualified military veterans to enter the Veteran Fisheries Corps. Veterans can gain science-based technical training and work experience during 1-year positions working with the Salmonid Habitat Monitoring Project. Pacific Islands New Tool Explores Hawaii’s Fishing Communities The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center has launched an online Community Snapshots Tool that describes 42 fishing communities throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Each snapshot provides data on fishing involvement and demographic characteristics, putting the fishing data in a human context. Southeast GulfFIN Releases Regional Implementation Plan The Gulf Fisheries Information Network (GulfFIN) recently completed its Marine Recreational Information Program Regional Implementation Plan, outlining regional priorities for improving recreational fishing catch and effort data from the Gulf of Mexico. A collaboration between state, regional, and federal partners, GulfFIN is the first regional entity to complete this regional planning process. Gulf Council Seeks Applicants for Advisory Panel The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has decided to replace its Ad Hoc Red Snapper Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Advisory Panel with one that incorporates both red snapper and grouper-tilefish IFQ fishermen and fish dealers.  The Council is currently accepting applications for membership on this Ad Hoc Red Snapper and Grouper-Tilefish IFQ Advisory Panel. Applications are due September 8. Events August 24 Public webinar on Seafood Import Monitoring Rule compliance at 8 pm ET, with Japanese translation. August 28–September 6 Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Groundfish Assessment Port Meetings in Rhode Island, New York, and New Hampshire. August 29 Public webinar on Seafood Import Monitoring Rule compliance at 1 pm ET, with Spanish translation. August 30 Public meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultative Committee in Gloucester, Massachusetts. September 6–7 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel meeting (and webinar) in Silver Spring, Maryland. Announcements September 8 Applications due for seats on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s Red Snapper and Grouper-Tilefish Individual Fishing Quota Advisory Panel. October 10Pre-proposals due for FY 2018 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grants. October 17 Applications due for FY 2018 John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants. November 1 Applications due for FY 2018 Species Recovery Grants to States. November 1 Applications due for FY 2018 Species Recovery Grants to Tribes. 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. www.fisheries.noaa.gov

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