NOAA Fisheries FishNews — March 23

March 23, 2023 Celebrate Seal and Sea Lion Week 2023 Join us for a week-long celebration of seals and other pinnipeds and get the scoop on NOAA's seal conservation efforts. From March 20 to 24, NOAA Fisheries highlights science, conservation, and management about seals and sea lions. Is It a Seal or Sea Lion? Seals and sea lions, along with walruses, belong to a group of marine mammals called “pinnipeds,” which means fin- or flipper-footed in Latin. Although seals and sea lions have similarities, they also have several distinct characteristics and adaptations that distinguish them from one another. Highlights Comment Period Extended on NOAA Fisheries Draft National Seafood Strategy NOAA Fisheries has extended the deadline for providing public comments on the draft National Seafood Strategy to March 31. Written comments may be submitted online. We encourage all interested members of the public to review and submit comments. Women’s History Month: Meet Dr. Martha Nizinski, National Systematics Laboratory In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re introducing you to Dr. Martha Nizinski, an expert on deep-sea coral communities and research zoologist with NOAA’s National Systematics Laboratory. NOAA Fisheries, Atlantic Coast Partners Release Plan to Improve Atlantic Recreational Fisheries Data The Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program and NOAA Fisheries have released a regional implementation plan that highlights priorities over the next 5 years for improving recreational fisheries data collection on the Atlantic Coast. “Our regional and state partners are essential to developing, executing and improving our national network of recreational fishing surveys that inform catch estimates,” said Evan Howell, NOAA Fisheries’ Director of the Office of Science and Technology. Alaska Changing Environmental Conditions on the Yukon River May Pose Challenge for Juvenile Salmon This new study looks at the timing and duration of the seaward migration from fresh to marine waters for juvenile coho, chum, and Chinook salmon. Since 2014, NOAA Fisheries and Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association scientists have been collecting data on young salmon. They want to better understand how environmental conditions affect them as they migrate out of the Yukon River. West Coast Inbreeding Contributes to Decline of Endangered Killer Whales The small size and isolation of the endangered population of Southern Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest have led to high levels of inbreeding. According to a groundbreaking new genome sequencing study, this inbreeding has contributed to their decline, which has continued as surrounding killer whale populations expand. Southeast Meet Research Fishery Biologist, Dr. Dionne Hoskins-Brown As part of the Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center series, meet Dr. Dionne Hoskins-Brown who currently conducts research on fisheries habitat with students at Savannah State University. New England/Mid-Atlantic Women's History Month: Talking with Catherine Foley Catherine Foley is a fishery biologist for the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Ecosystems Surveys Branch. Much of her research focuses on our ecosystem bottom trawl survey and applying novel technologies and methods to survey populations that are otherwise difficult to study. Women's History Month: Meet Sarah Bland, Deputy Regional Administrator for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office As Deputy Regional Administrator for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Sarah oversees internal operations and provides guidance for sustainable fisheries, protected resources, and habitat conservation programs. Researchers Investigate Innovative Way to Plant Oysters for Restoration The Chesapeake Bay is home to the world’s largest oyster restoration project, which will restore more than 1,800 acres of habitat. Restoration is a complex process, so NOAA and the U.S. Naval Academy has been researching the most effective and efficient ways to plant oysters for restoration, specifically a process called “direct setting.” Upcoming Deadlines March 31: Comment deadline extended for Draft National Seafood Strategy March 31: Comments due for National Nature Assessment March 31: Applications due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service for the expansion of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program  April 17: Comments due for NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement Draft Enforcement Priorities 2023–2027 April 24: Entries due for 2023 Greater Atlantic Region’s Marine Endangered Species Art Contest April 28: Applications due for 2023 Port Infrastructure Development Program Funding Opportunity April 30: Deadline for Atlantic Shark Art Contest May 2: Applications due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Local Agriculture Market Program to Expand Local Food Systems View more news and announcements Upcoming Events March 27–31: Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council 194th Council Meeting March 28–30: Protected Species Assessment Workshop III April 1–7: Pacific Fishery Management Council April 2023 Meeting April 3–6: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council April 2023 Meeting April 4–6: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council April 2023 Meeting April 6–11: North Pacific Fishery Management Council April 2023 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.  Questions? Visit our website for national and regional contact information

Stay Connected with NOAA Fisheries:

http://live.oysterradio.com/