NOAA Fisheries FishNews – August 15, 2018

August 15, 2018 HIGHLIGHTS New Partnership for Restoring Oil-Damaged Habitats NOAA announced a new 5-year agreement with  Ducks Unlimited to restore habitats impacted by oil spills and the release of hazardous substances in habitats around the United States. An initial $1.8 million will support habitat restoration activities planned in coordination with the State of Texas. Impacts of Changing Oceans on Northeast Fishing Communities – Call for Proposals NOAA's Climate Program Office is partnering with NOAA Fisheries to announce a call for proposals for interdisciplinary research on the social and economic impacts of changing oceans on fishing communities along the northeast U.S. coast. The funding opportunity is part of NOAA’s joint Climate and Fisheries Research Program to better understand climate impacts on the nation’s valuable marine fish stocks and fisheries. Letters of intent are due September 10 and full proposals are due November 20. Nominations Sought for ICCAT Advisory Roles NOAA Fisheries is soliciting nominations for the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. We also seek nominations for Technical Advisors to the Advisory Committee’s species working groups. All nominations are due October 1. Tribal Species Recovery Grants - Call for Applications NOAA Fisheries is now accepting applications for the 2019 Federal Funding Opportunity for Section 6 Species Recovery Grants. NOAA recognizes the unique importance of many protected species to tribes and supports their ongoing efforts to conserve and protect species by providing assistance in the form of grants for conservation of endangered and threatened species and candidate or proposed species, as well as post de-listing monitoring of recovered species. Applications are due October 30. Taking on Tackle: Removing Derelict Fishing Gear To reduce the impacts to coastal habitats from derelict fishing gear, NOAA’s Marine Debris Program funds projects that remove and prevent the continued impacts of fishing debris. Learn more about ongoing efforts to remove abandoned lobster traps in Long Island Sound, lost crab pots in New Jersey bays, and derelict aquaculture gear off the coast of North Carolina. Alaska Seawater Reveals Clues about Harbor Porpoises Harbor porpoises are small and elusive. Scientists hope that using environmental DNA—discarded genetic material collected from soil, seawater, or even the air, rather than from the animal itself—can help them learn more about harbor porpoise populations in Southeast Alaska. Alaska Dispatches from the Field Stay up to date on what scientists from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center are working on in the lab and in the field with the latest science blog posts. Check out a Student’s Perspective on the Alaska Longline Survey; using “baited cameras” to study juvenile Pacific cod; and the latest data from the saildrones out exploring the Arctic Ocean. West Coast Latest Updates on Southern Resident Killer Whales Response teams, in partnership with NOAA Fisheries, have continued monitoring the emaciated female Southern Resident killer whale J50, or “Scarlet.” In the past week, biologists administered medication and attempted live fish feedings. Meanwhile, J35, or “Talequah,” has stopped carrying her deceased calf and appears to be in good health. Southeast Highly Migratory Species – Two Calls for Proposals NOAA Fisheries announces a call for proposals for two federal funding opportunities administered through the Southeast Regional Office: the FY 2019 Bluefin Tuna Research Program and the FY 2019 Cooperative Research Program. Proposals for each opportunity are due September 21. Sea Turtle Safe Handling and Release Gear Outreach NOAA Fisheries requires that sea turtle safe handling and release gear be on board federally permitted commercial and for-hire vessels in the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery. This month, we are hosting a series of outreach opportunities at marinas along Florida’s west coast to review the gear requirements and safe handling protocols. Council Invites Anglers to Report Catch via App The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council invites recreational fishermen to voluntarily report their catch through the MyFishCount website and smartphone app. The Council hopes that MyFishCount will complement current fishery monitoring programs and allow anglers to provide timely data to fishery scientists and managers. Greater Atlantic NOAA Announces Funding for At-Sea Monitoring Effective at-sea monitoring is essential to the sustainability of the Northeast groundfish fishery. With the FY 2018 appropriation from Congress, NOAA Fisheries will be able to cover all at-sea monitoring costs for Northeast groundfish sector vessels in fishing year 2018. NOAA will also provide additional reimbursement for at-sea monitoring costs incurred in fishing year 2017. Testing a New Tool for Ocean Exploration The Northeast Fisheries Science Center has partnered with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to develop a new instrument platform for ocean exploration called “Deep-See.” This month, researchers on board NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow will test the new platform’s ability to carry a variety of scientific instruments down to the “twilight zone” and transmit data back to the ship in real time. Black Sea Bass, Scup, Summer Flounder Measures – Open for Public Comment By September 10, please submit your comments on proposed revisions to the commercial accountability measures for summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. The proposed measures would determine whether pound-for-pound paybacks for annual catch limit overages due to higher-than-expected discards would be required. Events August 16 Last day of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. August 16 Public scoping webinar on yellowtail snapper accountability measures, hosted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. August 19–28 Nine outreach sessions on sea turtle safe handling and release gear at marinas along the west coast of Florida. August 20–23 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas. August 21 Free Protected Species Safe Handling, Identification, and Release workshop in Galveston, Texas. August 23 Free Atlantic SharkIdentification workshop in Ronkonkoma, New York. August 30–November 9 Top NOAA leaders will conduct public conferences around the nation about the Department of Commerce 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. September 5 and 19 Two free Protected Species Safe Handling, Identification, and Release workshops in Florida and Rhode Island. September 5–6 Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland. September 10–12 NOAA’s General Modeling Meeting and Fair in College Park, Maryland. September 10–27 Ten public hearings for the Summer Flounder Commercial Issues Amendment, hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Announcements August 15 Applications due for membership on the three regional Marine Mammal Scientific Review Groups. August 22 Applications due for open seats on South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Advisory Panels and System Management Plan Workgroup. August 24 Applications due for a Fishery Analyst/Economist positionwith the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. September 10Letters of intent due for funding to study impacts of changing oceans on Northeast U.S. fishing communities. September 20 Proposals due for the 2019–2021 Atlantic Herring Research Set-Aside Program. October 1 Proposals due for the 2019–2020 Atlantic Sea Scallop Research Set-Aside Program. October 1 Nominations due for advisors to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). October 30Applications due for 2019 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. Corrections or technical questions should be sent to the FishNews Editor at editor.fishnews@noaa.gov. www.fisheries.noaa.gov

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