NOAA Fisheries FishNews – February 13, 2019

Whale Week, Atlantic Salmon Recovery Plan, Invasive Species Funding Opportunity, and More

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. February 13, 2019 HIGHLIGHTS Make Way for Whale Week 2019Join us as we celebrate Whale Week, February 11-15, and discover more about these awe-inspiring marine mammals and our work with partners to conserve and protect them. Check out NOAA Fisheries websitethroughout the week for whale-focused content. A Message from Donna WietingRead a leadership message from Donna Wieting, director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, about the challenges and progress in whale conservation. Video: Whale DisentanglementSarah Wilkin, NOAA Fisheries National Marine Mammal Stranding and Emergency Response Coordinator, explains how we help to disentangle whales all around the country. Sei, Beluga, Bowhead, BlueHow well do you know your whales? Learn more about various whale species and the latest in whale research. . 13th National Stock Assessment Workshop Report In May 2018, NOAA Fisheries brought together stock assessment scientists from across the country to discuss topics centered around two themes: model complexity and stability, and ensemble modeling. The workshop proceedings are now available online. Share Your Feedback on NOAA Fisheries’ WebsiteWe are still seeking volunteers for a 20-minute call at your convenience to learn how we can make the NOAA Fisheries website better for you. Your direct feedback will help us with new features and future updates. If you are interested in participating, please tell us a little about yourself by completing this online form. West Coast NOAA Offers Reward for Info on Sea Lion ShootingsNOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to a civil penalty or criminal conviction in the shootings of California sea lions in and around West Seattle. More than 12 sea lions have been confirmed shot in King and Kitsap counties since September. Southeast Study Indicates Fish in Deep Water Not Immune from Hurricane EffectsIn a recent paper, researchers at NOAA Fisheries’ Beaufort Laboratory and the Naval Postgraduate School show that fish occupying habitats as deep as 120 feet can be strongly affected by hurricanes.  Tuna and Swordfish Restoration Project Continues NOAA kicked off the third year of restoring important fish species impacted by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill through a multi-year partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and pelagic longline fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. The effort engages with a variety of stakeholders, including seafood dealers, and is seeing positive results. Tagging the Oceanic Whitetip Shark This month, NOAA Fisheries scientists joined researchers from partnering universities on an expedition to the Bahamas to study the reproductive biology of the oceanic whitetip shark, a species recently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Rare Bryde’s Whale Strands Off Florida On January 29, a 38-foot male Bryde’s (broo-dus) whale washed up along Sandy Key in the Florida Everglades. Scientists are working to determine how it died and whether it was a member of the rare Gulf of Mexico population. 50-Year-Old NOAA Message in a BottleLast month, a Texas couple found one of 7,863 bottles that were released in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico in 1962 and 1963 by scientists at NOAA Fisheries’ Galveston Laboratory. The releases were part of a study to determine the role of water currents in the movement of young shrimp. GulfCorps Initiative, Crew Member Win AwardsNOAA’s GulfCorps Initiative employs young adults from coastal Gulf of Mexico communities to help them develop skills in habitat restoration. Recently, GulfCorps was selected by The Corps Network as a 2019 Project of the Year and crew member Jasmine Poole was named Corpsmember of the year. Greater Atlantic Agencies Announce Atlantic Salmon Recovery Plan NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a final recovery plan for endangered Atlantic salmon in the Gulf of Maine—the only population that remains in the United States. The plan outlines strategies, timelines, and cost estimates for achieving recovery goals. Gulf of Maine Atlantic salmon are one of NOAA Fisheries’ eight Species in the Spotlight. Aquatic Invasive Species Funding Opportunity The Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species is hosting a small-grants competition to fund proposals to research, control/eradicate, or increase awareness of aquatic invasive species. Proposals are due March 11.   Final Rule for Blueline Tilefish NOAA Fisheries published a final rule revising the annual catch limit for blueline tilefish in the mid-Atlantic. Informed by the most recent stock assessment, the final rule increases the commercial and recreational blueline tilefish catch limits by 15 percent. Restoration Partners Highlight Work on the Hudson Buildings, businesses, and millions of people line New York’s Hudson River, but the estuary is also home to hundreds of fish species important to regional ecosystems. We’re working with our partners to clean up pollution and restore habitat for American eel, herring, Atlantic sturgeon, and other resources in this urban waterway. Events February 25–March 11 Three For-Hire Reporting Workshops hosted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council in Texas and Florida. February 28 International Year of the Salmon event at the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor. March 1 and 13 Free Protected Species Safe Handling, Identification, and Release workshops in New Jersey and Texas. March 4–8 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting on Jekyll Island, Georgia. March 6–7 Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. March 6–12 North Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Vancouver, Washington. March 18–21 Western Pacific Fishery Management Council meeting in Honolulu. March 28 Free Atlantic Shark Identification workshop in Fort Pierce, Florida. Announcements February 15 Nominations due for the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee. February 15 Applications due for Maryland Sea Grant’s Chesapeake Bay Research Experience for Undergraduates. February 19 Proposals due for 2019 New England Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants. February 20 Proposals due for 2019 Chesapeake Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants. March 2 Pre-proposals due for 2019 Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund grants. March 11 Proposals due for small grants from the Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species. April 1 Full proposals due for 2019 Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund grants. April 11 Proposals due for 2019 American Lobster Research 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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