NOAA Fisheries FishNews – July 22, 2021

Species Recovery Grants, Habitat Restoration Funding, and More

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. JULY 22, 2021 Keeping Your Seafood Safe So You Can Eat Seafood, America! Did you know the United States is one of the world's biggest suppliers of seafood? Our National Seafood Inspection Lab plays an important role in ensuring food safety and quality standards are met. Just one of the reasons you should Eat Seafood, America! Learn more about the lab and meet some of the experts who work there. Highlights 2021 Species Recovery Grant Awardees Announced NOAA announces the award of $6.3 million in funding to states and tribes through the Species Recovery Grant Program. These grants promote the recovery of species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. $8.3 Million in Funding Recommended for Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Projects NOAA is recommending nearly $8.3 million in funding to continue 23 ongoing habitat restoration projects through our Community-based Restoration Program. These projects will restore habitat for coastal and marine species in 13 states and territories and provide benefits for communities and the environment. More Habitat, More Fish: New Tool to Estimate Fish Production Within Nursery Habitats The number of fish and invertebrates that are born and survive each year depends a lot on habitat. A new interactive tool, Fish Production Calculator for Salt Marsh and Seagrass Habitats, can help us estimate how many juvenile fish or invertebrates are produced within these habitats in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Final Four of Freaky Sharks We put it to you to choose, and you picked the cookie cutter shark! National Academies Completes Draft Report on Recreational Fishing Data and Strategies to Support In-season Management The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has completed its draft report, “Data and Management Strategies for Recreational Fisheries with Annual Catch Limits.” NOAA Fisheries appreciates the hard work of the National Academies in conducting a comprehensive study and providing recommendations on a challenging and important topic. Alaska Low-Fat Diet Possible Culprit in Poor Survival of Young Pollock Born in 2013 A new NOAA Fisheries study explores what happened to the pollock born in 2013,  focusing on the interaction between juvenile fish and their prey. Results suggest that a diet high in low-fat food may have kept fish from gaining the weight they needed to survive over winter. Habitat Benefits from Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture The growing aquaculture industry has exciting implications for Alaska communities. Research shows aquatic farming provides many ecological benefits. Central Gulf of Alaska Marine Heatwave Watch The sea surface temperatures are the lowest experienced in the past 7 years, since before the severe marine heatwave that struck this region in 2014-2016. West Coast Shasta River Habitat Restoration Builds Salmon’s Resilience to Rising Temperatures Many species, such as salmon, rely on cool waters to survive during the hot summer months. But with temperatures rising due to climate change, these cold-water habitats are being threatened. In California’s Shasta River, a NOAA-supported habitat restoration project is helping to keep waters cool. Pacific Islands Back to the Field: NOAA Biologists Return to Papahānaumokuākea to Study and Protect Hawaiʻi Wildlife A team of biologists from NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center is setting off for a field season in the remote islands of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The team departed Honolulu on the M/V Kahana II on July 10, and the ship will return August 6. However, most of the biologists will stay behind for a season of work collecting data on some of the iconic threatened and endangered species of Hawaiʻi—Hawaiian green sea turtles and Hawaiian monk seals. Southeast Experts Collaborate on Mission to Document Protected Species Scientists from NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center recently completed the first leg of a mission to survey marine mammals and other protected species in waters off the southeast coast. They are locating, identifying, and counting marine mammals from both the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter and a NOAA Twin Otter aircraft. Greater Atlantic NOAA Fisheries Funding to Bolster Environmental Education Projects in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed NOAA has recommended 12 new projects to receive a combined total of roughly $1.48 million in FY 2021 funding as part of the Chesapeake Bay-Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program. The new projects are based in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, DC. Recommended Chesapeake B-WET FY 2021 funding, including support for projects continuing from previous years, totals more than $2.6 million. Work Continues toward Goal to Restore Oysters to 10 Chesapeake Tributaries by 2025 It’s a lofty goal: restore healthy oyster reefs in 10 Chesapeake Bay tributaries by 2025. But NOAA and our partners in the Chesapeake Bay Program are making solid progress. Their effort includes several of the world’s largest oyster restoration projects. Four Fisheries Research Projects to Connect Chesapeake Bay Fish, Changing Habitat NOAA Fisheries is pleased to announce that four projects have been recommended for a total of more than $850,000 in funding as part of the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries Research program. Upcoming Deadlines July 29 NOAA Fisheries is seeking nominations to fill vacancies on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee July 30 NOAA’s Draft Mitigation Policy Available for Public Comment through July 30 View more news and announcements. Upcoming Events 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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