NOAA Fisheries FishNews – June 17, 2021

JUNE 17, 2021 Spice Up Your Summer with Seafood Before the temperatures rise too high outside, bring the heat to your menu! Grab a cold beverage and try out one of these red-hot recipes—Spicy Redfish Tacos, Spicy Tuna Salad, and Spicy Thai Basil Clams. For more great seafood recipes, check out FishWatch. Highlights Sea Turtle Week 2021 Sea turtles are a key part of marine ecosystems worldwide, and they face many threats today. NOAA works to protect and conserve six sea turtle species found in U.S. waters. All are threatened or endangered. 7 Sea Turtle Facts for the Ocean Lover More fascinating facts about these much loved marine reptiles. Nominations Sought for Positions on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee NOAA Fisheries is seeking nominations to fill vacancies on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee. MAFAC advises the Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce. The Committee researches, evaluates, and provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary and NOAA on the development and implementation of agency policies. Ask MRIP: Answering Your Questions About Recreational Fishing Data Collection Saltwater anglers, for-hire captains, and other members of the recreational fishing community often ask how we collect recreational fishing data, and how we use that data to estimate total recreational catch. Our new web series, “Ask MRIP,” answers your questions about the science and statistics that support sustainable fishing.  Alaska Central Gulf of Alaska Marine Heatwave Watch Temperatures are above the long-term average, but remain below marine heatwave conditions. These conditions are wavering near conditions observed in 2017 and 2018 for this season. West Coast Agricultural Land Donation Promotes Salmon Recovery in the San Joaquin River A farming family in California’s Central Valley donated land to help recover threatened Chinook salmon. The NOAA Fisheries recovery plan for this threatened, keystone species depends in part on reintroduction into their historical habitat. Local Divers Plunge into Puget Sound to Count Endangered Rockfish In Puget Sound, recreational divers are bringing their intimate knowledge of dive sites and the patterns of their denizens to help collect rockfish data. 2021 Commercial Halibut Season Is Set to Open The first 3-day commercial halibut fishing season of 2021 in federal waters off the West Coast begins next Tuesday, June 22, at 8am and ends on Thursday, June 24, at 6pm. NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement will be conducting patrols throughout the season, along with our partners. Pacific Islands Monk Seal Pup “Lōliʻi” to Be Moved to Less Populated Location NOAA Fisheries and our non-profit partner Hawaii Marine Animal Response will move the monk seal pup P02, also known as Lōliʻi, to a remote shoreline area after he has weaned. This move is for the safety of the pup and the public. Southeast Sawfish Search 2021 Last month NOAA scientists Dr. Andrea Kroetz and Dr. John Carlson returned to Everglades National Park and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge to resume sampling for endangered smalltooth sawfish in their critical habitat area. NOAA scientists have been monitoring the relative abundance, distribution, and habitat use of juvenile smalltooth sawfish there since 2009. Engaging Anglers to Improve Catch and Release Practices and Restore Reef Fish in the Gulf NOAA’s Deepwater Horizon restoration partners at the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission selected three new partners to conduct studies on reef fish restoration in the Gulf of Mexico. The partners were chosen through a competitive process, and the awards total approximately $690,000. Get My Drift? Using Drift Studies to Understand Sea Turtle Stranding Patterns Every year, dead sea turtles wash up on U.S. beaches. A new study shows how weather patterns, oceanic conditions, and scavenging greatly influence documented seasonal sea turtle stranding patterns. Greater Atlantic Fishing Memories: Meet Mike Pentony, Regional Administrator, Greater Atlantic Region In honor of National Fishing and Boating Week, Mike Pentony, regional administrator for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, shares his fondness for recreational fishing. CSI: Chemistry–Cool Science Instruments in Marine Chemistry Catch a glimpse of some of the technology that chemists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center have used to investigate marine environments. Upcoming Deadlines July 12 Tribal Coronavirus Response and Relief Funding from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 View more news and announcements. Upcoming Events June 14 - 18 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting June 21-24 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Meeting June 21-24 West Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting June 21-26 and 28-30 Pacific Fishery Management Council 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.  Send corrections or technical questions to the FishNews Editor at editor.fishnews@noaa.gov. www.fisheries.noaa.gov

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