NOAA Fisheries FishNews – March 20, 2019

Fisheries and Climate Change, Priorities and Guidance Document, and More

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. March 20, 2018 HIGHLIGHTS Managing Fisheries in the Face of Climate ChangeChanging climate and ocean conditions are shifting marine species’ distributions and altering their productivity, posing numerous challenges to fisheries management. A new report makes recommendations on how NOAA can better detect, understand, assess, and manage the impacts to these fisheries. Thinking Big Picture: Engineering with Nature“Engineering with Nature” is a strategy that harnesses natural environmental processes to help maintain beaches, protect roads and structures, and restore habitats. Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, consulting with NOAA Fisheries, selected their Philadelphia District as a testing ground for this strategy, including beach restoration along Delaware Bay. Alaska New Techniques Provide Vital Data for EulachonNOAA Fisheries scientists are developing cutting-edge techniques to age eulachon, a key forage fish, by reading the history recorded in its otoliths (ear bones.) While counting the annual rings in otoliths is standard procedure for ageing many fish species, otoliths in eulachon are small and difficult to interpret, as not every ring represents a year. West Coast Idaho Plan Safeguards Wild Steelhead, NOAA FindsNOAA Fisheries has determined that Idaho’s Fishery Management and Evaluation Plan for their recreational steelhead fishery provides necessary protections for salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act. The plan includes a new framework designed to limit total impacts on steelhead from all fisheries in the Snake River Basin. Pacific Islands Story Map: Pacific Remote Islands Marine MonumentThe Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument is one of the largest marine protected areas in the world. A new story map takes viewers on a journey into the shared heritage of these widely distributed islands, highlighting the connectivity of the monument’s early historical and cultural landscape. Southeast DNA Confirms Rare Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s WhaleIn January, a 38-foot male Bryde’s whale carcass washed ashore along Sandy Key in the Florida Everglades. A recently completed genetic analysis confirmed that this specimen belonged to the extremely rare Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whale population. Recreational Amberjack, Gray Triggerfish ClosuresDetermining that annual catch quotas have already been met, NOAA Fisheries announced the closures of the recreational fisheries for gray triggerfish (starting May 11) and greater amberjack (ongoing) in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Both stocks are currently overfished (that is, their population abundances are too low), and the closures are needed to prevent overfishing. Florida Approves Final Restoration Plan 1The Florida Trustee Implementation Group approved its Final Restoration Plan 1, which selects 23 projects at a total estimated cost of $61 million. The projects will help restore habitat on federally managed lands, improve water quality, and enhance public access. Final Restoration Plan for Queen Bess IslandThe Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group released its Final Phase 2 Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for Queen Bess Island Restoration. Following public feedback, the plan will move forward with restoring bird habitat on the island. Barataria Restoration Plan DevelopmentThe Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group is developing the Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for Barataria Basin Marsh Creation, intended to be a component of the Barataria Basin Strategic Restoration Plan. Once the draft is complete, there will be an opportunity for public comment. Women’s History Month at the Panama City LabThe women of NOAA Fisheries’ Panama City Lab are involved in all aspects of fish and shark research in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Southeast Atlantic Ocean. Greater Atlantic Watch Out for Whales South of Nantucket NOAA Fisheries extended a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone previously established south of Nantucket to protect a group of right whales sighted in the area on March 13. This zone is now in effect through March 29. NOAA Fisheries Announces 2019 Monkfish QuotasNOAA Fisheries announced monkfish quotas for fishing year 2019, which begins May 1.  Part of a multiyear approach that must be formally implemented each year, the measures are the same as in 2017. Women’s History Month Featured InterviewsDuring March, Women’s History Month, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center is conducting a series of interviews with women scientists about their science journeys. Meet Yuan Liu, a biologist at the Milford Lab in Milford, Connecticut; and Katie Shelledy, a junior acoustician at the James J. Howard Lab in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Events March 21 Last day of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Honolulu. March 21 Public hearing via webinar on proposed Shrimp Amendment 18, hosted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. March 25 Public meeting for selected participants of the 2019 Shark Research Fishery. March 28 Free Atlantic Shark Identification workshop in Fort Pierce, Florida. April 1–4 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi. April 1–9 North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Anchorage. April 3 and 11 Two free Protected Species Safe Handling, Release, and Identification workshops in Florida and Rhode Island. April 8–11 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Avalon, New Jersey. April 16–18 New England Fishery Management Council meeting in Mystic, Connecticut. April 25 Free Atlantic Shark Identification workshop in Wilmington, North Carolina. May 21–23 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland. Announcements March 26 Letters of Intent due for Sea Grant’s Exploring New Aquaculture Opportunities funding. April 1 Full proposals due for 2019 Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund grants. April 2 Letters of Intent due for Sea Grant’s Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research Needs in Aquaculture funding. April 11 Proposals due for 2019 American Lobster Research funding. April 15 Letters of Intent due for Sea Grant’s Advanced Aquaculture Collaborative Programs funding. April 16 Full proposals due for 2019 Community-Based Habitat Restoration funding. 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. Corrections or technical questions should be sent to the FishNews Editor at editor.fishnews@noaa.gov. www.fisheries.noaa.gov

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