NOAA Fisheries FishNews — June 15th

JUNE 15, 2023

Swim into Sea Turtle Week Sea turtles are a key part of marine ecosystems worldwide, but they face many threats today. NOAA works to protect and conserve six sea turtle species found in U.S. waters. All six species are threatened or endangered. Sea Turtle Week 2023: Reflecting on Sea Turtle Recovery A message from the Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, Kim Damon-Randall, for Sea Turtle Week June 12–16, 2023. Podcast: Protecting Leatherbacks Across the Globe On this episode of Dive In With NOAA Fisheries, we'll hear about efforts to recover the Western Pacific leatherback sea turtle from Dr. Alexander Gaos and Ann Marie Lauritsen. Dr. Gaos is a NOAA Fisheries research biologist with the Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. Ann Marie is a program officer for the Marine Turtle Conservation Program in International Affairs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Video: Tagging Leatherback Turtles Scientists in the Florida Panhandle capture leatherback sea turtles and apply satellite tags to them. Scientists tag leatherbacks to learn where they are and how they use the water so we can better protect them from bycatch and other threats. Video: Decoding the Mystery of Turtle Genomes Researchers examined the genetic differences between green and leatherback sea turtles to see which species might be more resilient to climate change.

Alaska NOAA Fisheries Announces Selection of the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Members In response to historic declines of salmon runs on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, Congress passed the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act and President Biden signed it into law in December 2022. The act requires the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, to convene an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. The task force will identify data gaps and produce a coordinated science plan 1 year after coming into force.

Pacific Islands  Return to Lalo: Turtle and Seal Biologists Deploy to Papahānaumokuākea for the 2023 Field Season NOAA researchers on Oʻahu return to Lalo (French Frigate Shoals), a remote atoll in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, to monitor Hawaiian monk seals and green sea turtles. Monitoring at the Lalo field camp will include counting and identifying seals and turtles at islands across the atoll. Dr. Charles Littnan Appointed New Science and Research Director for the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center NOAA named Dr. Charles Littnan as the new Science and Research Director for the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center. Dr. Littnan is a marine biologist with 20 years of experience in marine mammal and sea turtle science and research.

Southeast Embarking on Research to Study Pantropical Spotted Dolphins The Gulf Pantropical Spotted Dolphin Stock Structure study is one of several marine mammal surveys the Southeast Fisheries Science Center is conducting this year. The primary goal is to collect samples that can be used to inform population assessments of the pantropical spotted dolphin in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Threatened and Endangered Species of the Southeastern United States Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act by getting to know some of the threatened and endangered species found in the waters of the southeastern United States. Meet Tralee Chapman, Communications Intern As part of the Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center series, meet Tralee Chapman. Meet Melissa Cook, Research Fishery Biologist As part of the Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center series, meet Dr. Melissa Cook.

New England/Mid-Atlantic NOAA and the University of Rhode Island Partner to Explore Effects of Offshore Wind Energy Development NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the University of Rhode Island have signed a 5-year formal partnership agreement to research how offshore wind energy development will affect marine ecosystems and the people who live near or work on the ocean. The partnership will help offshore wind energy operations occur in a healthy, functioning ocean ecosystem. Peer Review Paves Way Toward Improving North Atlantic Right Whale Risk Assessments In late January 2023, a peer review panel convened to examine our decision support tool, used to inform management options related to endangered North Atlantic right whales. The reviewers’ summary report is now available.

Upcoming Deadlines July 3: Comments due for draft Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Essential Fish Habitat 5-Year Review July 6: Comments due for Petition to Establish Vessel Speed Measures to Protect Rice’s Whale July 10: Comments due for Incidental Take Authorization: Park City Wind, LLC Construction of the New England Wind Offshore Wind Project off of Massachusetts July 19: Applications due for USDA's Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program July 24: Pre-proposals due for FY 2024 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity August 18: Grant applications due for Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program September 12: Comments due for Proposed Rulemaking to Revise the Guidelines for National Standards 4, 8, and 9 View more news and announcements

Upcoming Events June 15: Informational webinar on FY 2024 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity June 20–27: Pacific Fishery Management Council June 2023 Meeting June 21–22: Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Education Conference June 26–29: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council June 2023 Meeting June 27–29: New England Fishery Management Council June 2023 Meeting 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.

Questions? Visit our website for national and regional contact information

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