NOAA Fisheries FishNews – May 26, 2022

MAY 26, 2022

Highlights Six Endangered Marine Animals You Might Not Know For Endangered Species Day, we want to bring awareness to some endangered marine species that you might not know about. In an ecosystem, each species plays an important role, whether it’s as small as a coral polyp or big as a whale. So when a single species is in danger of extinction, it can affect the entire ecosystem.

Alaska Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program and Citizen Science The Alaska Beluga Monitoring Program offers opportunities for volunteer citizen scientists to bolster monitoring efforts for the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population. The volunteers collect important data on beluga distribution and habitat use in nearshore waters of the inlet while building working relationships with professional scientists. “A Species like Goldilocks”: Discovering the Temperature Limits of Pacific Cod with Ben Laurel Living in a lakeside cabin in Minnesota as a kid, Ben Laurel became interested in fishing at a young age. He learned that some lakes were generally warmer and some were colder and, as a result, they held different species of fish. Now a NOAA Fisheries scientist, Ben explains how raising Pacific cod in a laboratory setting offers clues on how climate change is impacting this species.

West Coast Identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Federal Waters of the Southern California Bight Identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas is an opportunity for NOAA Fisheries to use science-based tools and strategies to help communities thoughtfully consider how and where to sustainably develop offshore aquaculture. We're seeking public comment to help shape what offshore aquaculture development could look like in Southern California.

Pacific Islands Observing for the Long Haul Growing up in Samoa, Mario Esera would spend weekends fishing on reefs with his father. With minimal supplies—not much beyond a cooler of water and ice—they would pass the days catching their fill of fish. During these trips, Mario learned to identify a range of marine species. That’s a skill he relies upon today as a fisheries observer for longline vessels based in American Samoa and Hawaii.

Southeast Surveying the Southeast: Diverse Ecosystems, Abundant Recreational Fishing, and Sharks The ocean ecosystems of the southeastern United States are many and varied. They encompass parts of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. Learn how the Southeast Fisheries Science Center supports them all.

New England/Mid-Atlantic Muskegon Lake Nears Recovery After Years of Restoration For decades, Michigan’s Muskegon Lake was considered one of the most degraded areas in the Great Lakes region. NOAA and the Great Lakes Commission have partnered since 2008 to restore habitat and improve water quality in the area. With much of this work nearly finished, Muskegon Lake could soon be removed from the list of Great Lakes Areas of Concern. This month, NOAA and other partners will celebrate a significant milestone where all management actions necessary to remove the AOC designation are now complete.

Upcoming Deadlines USDA DEADLINES July 20: Applications due for Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program grants July 21: America the Beautiful Challenge proposals due View more news and announcements.

Upcoming Events June 7–9: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Riverhead, New York June 8–14: Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Vancouver, Washington June 13–17: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Key West June 21: Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy Webinar (6pm EST) June 21–24: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting in Fort Myers, Florida June 21–24: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting (virtual) June 28–30: New England Fishery Management Council meeting in Portland, Maine June 30: Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy Webinar (7pm EST) July 19: Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy Webinar (4pm EST) Oct 23–27, 2023: ICES PICES Science Conference View more events.

Federal Register Actions Visit NOAA Fisheries' Rules & Regulations web page to learn more about recently proposed and finalized regulations in your region.

Send corrections or technical questions to the FishNews Editor at editor.fishnews@noaa.gov. www.fisheries.noaa.gov

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