NOAA Fisheries FishNews—January 4

JANUARY 4, 2024

Highlights Calling All Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassadors! Are you a young person passionate about the ocean and the natural environment? Apply to the new NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador Program! The program helps young people aged 13 to 18 develop the skills to be an ocean conservation leader. Ambassadors will build their knowledge of NOAA, marine protected areas, marine ecosystems, and environmental issues. We are looking for enthusiastic youth with new ideas and a unique perspective to learn more about America’s underwater treasures and to share their passion with others. Applications are due by January 5, 2024.

Alaska Warming in the Bering Sea Impacts Phytoplankton Bloom Type New research suggests that warming of the Bering Sea Shelf affects algae blooms and the food web that relies on them. This is particularly true of the recent, unprecedented, and widespread warming during 2018–2019. Understanding the impacts of the timing of the bloom and its association with sea ice is essential to predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. Integrating Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Information into Fisheries Management NOAA Fisheries is committed to using ecosystem-based management as our most powerful tool to maintain productive, resilient fisheries in a changing climate. This approach balances tradeoffs between ecological, social, and economic needs. A new tool, the Ecosystem and Socioeconomic Profile, integrates ecosystem and socioeconomic factors into the stock assessment process to help resource managers make decisions.

West Coast New Funding Reinvigorates Efforts to Recover Upper Willamette River Chinook Salmon and Steelhead With $27 million in funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, NOAA is supporting four major projects to bring threatened salmon and trout species back to Oregon’s Willamette River watershed.

Pacific Islands Must-Read Pacific Islands Stories of 2023 We’ve shared many great stories throughout 2023. From Hawaiian monk seal matriarchs to engaging stories about conservation narrated in Hawaiian language, find out which of our stories you read the most and which ones we highly recommend. A Night in the Life of a Seagoing Marine Ecologist What is it like going to sea as a marine scientist? Join our NOAA scientists studying baby fish across Hawaiʻi for a night on the job!

New England/Mid-Atlantic Reliable Shark Taggers Make Citizen Science Program Possible The Cooperative Shark Tagging Program started in 1962 with fewer than 100 volunteer fishermen eager to help out with scientific research. Since then, thousands of fishermen, both in the United States and internationally, have contributed. The program has evolved into a significant source of shark data that informs our knowledge on Atlantic shark movements and distribution while promoting conservation through catch and release fishing. The program owes much of its continued success to its volunteers who follow NOAA Fisheries’ tagging standards. Surprising Sights and Wondrous Wildlife in the Gulf of Maine Field biologist Emma Fowler shares some of the surprising sights and wondrous wildlife she and the rest of the bottom longline survey team were treated to this fall. Some special guest appearances include a huge Atlantic cod nearly as long as Emma is tall, some fine feathered friends, curious pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, and more! Public Comment Requested on Proposed Incidental Take Regulations for Maryland Offshore Wind Project NOAA Fisheries is proposing incidental take regulations, pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, to govern the incidental harassment of marine mammals related to the Maryland Offshore Wind Project. The public comment period will be open January 4 to February 3, 2024. 2023 Field Fresh Blog Photo Gallery Our observers, interns, and scientists share their field experiences through their blog photos. We had a lot of amazing photos taken by our bloggers in 2023—check out a few of them.

Upcoming Deadlines January 5: Applications due for NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador program January 31: Highly Migratory Species Art Contest submission deadline. February 5: Applications due for NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay Watershed Education and Training Program February 5: Public comments due for proposed incidental take regulations for Maryland Offshore Wind Project February 13: Applications due for NOAA’s Climate Ready Workforce Funding Opportunity February 13: Applications due for NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge Funding Opportunity February 14: Proposals due for Ruth D. Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grant funding February 16: Applications due for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Program February 20: Applications due for NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training Program March 4: Applications due for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund funding opportunity March 20: Full proposals due for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program 2024 Funding Opportunity View more news and announcements

Upcoming Events January 8: Workshop for Educators: Climate Resources for Supporting MWEEs January 9: Workshop for Educators: Maryland Environmental Literacy Framework January 16: Nominations due for the National Fish Habitat Partnership Board January 29–February 1: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council January 2024 Meeting January 30–February 1: New England Fishery Management Council January 2024 Meeting February 5: Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Research Summit February 6: Workshop for Educators: Creating a District Environmental Literacy Plan  February 6-8: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council February 2024 Meeting February 8-12: North Pacific Fishery Management Council 2024 Meeting March 5: Workshop for Educators: Connecting Students to Climate Solutions March 5–7: North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Risk Reduction Technology Workshop 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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