NOAA Fisheries FishNews—November 2

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Highlights ICCAT's Climate Change Meeting: a Milestone for Atlantic Tuna The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas oversees the conservation and management of many Atlantic marine species. The commission recently convened a forum dedicated to addressing the challenges of climate change on the species it manages. This was their first forum specifically dedicated to the issues of climate change.

Alaska Advancing Transparency in Fisheries Monitoring and Enforcement A new NOAA study takes a major step toward greater transparency, accountability, and efficiency in fisheries monitoring and enforcement. Researchers analyzed 21 years of reported violations to study trends in compliance and what drives them. Successful Effort to Rescue an Entangled Humpback Whale in Alaska This month, NOAA Fisheries received reports of a severely entangled humpback whale in coastal waters near Gustavus, Alaska. Through the combined efforts of planes, drones, and vessel- and shore-based support, a trained team of responders freed the juvenile whale. Glacier Bay National Park and NOAA Fisheries will continue to look for sightings of the whale to monitor its condition. Canopy Kelp Forests Persist in Coastal Alaska Despite Century of Climatic and Ecosystem Change Kelp forests that ring the Gulf of Alaska have remained stable and even increased over the past 100 years. Scientists from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center studied this phenomenon and found canopy kelp ecosystems to be dynamic and stable in nature, an important quality in a rapidly changing environment. West Coast Rare Juvenile White Abalone Spotted off California Raises Hope for Endangered Shellfish One of NOAA Fisheries’ Species in the Spotlight, the endangered white abalone, was recently spotted in the wild. NOAA Fisheries divers and partners found a juvenile white abalone off the southern coast of California. This rare find is one of only three juveniles observed in natural subtidal reefs along the California coast in the past 20 years. This discovery provides hope that restoration efforts in other areas will help rebuild their numbers.

Pacific Islands Restorative Aquaculture for Hawaiian Kūmū The kūmū (Hawaiian whitesaddle goatfish) population has been on the decline in the main Hawaiian Islands for decades. A researcher at Hawaiʻi Pacific University’s Oceanic Institute is trying to help the species using restorative aquaculture. In a NOAA Fisheries-supported project, he will try to raise kūmū in the Institute’s finfish hatchery, then work with local fishermen to release juveniles on the reefs around the main Hawaiian Islands. Local Talent and Indigenous Knowledge Key to Restoring Hawaiʻi Coral Reefs Threats to corals in Hawaii are increasing, and the involvement of the local community is imperative. With funding through NOAA’s underserved community grants, Kuleana Coral Restoration graduated their first cohort of local and Native Hawaiian ocean conservationists. Students received training on coral restoration and monitoring techniques, community outreach and education, career-building mentorship, and accomplished scuba certifications, which will help them further their careers in marine science.

Southeast U.S. Scientists Integral to Sustainable Management of Atlantic Tunas Last month, NOAA Fisheries scientists represented the United States at annual meetings of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas Standing Committee on Research and Statistics. The international collaboration will benefit communities around the Atlantic Ocean who rely on these species for livelihoods, recreation, and culture. New England/Mid-Atlantic Seal Ecology and Assessment Research in the Northwest Atlantic As sentinels of the marine environment, seals can provide insight into the state of a changing ecosystem. That's why scientists from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center are working with their Northwest Atlantic Seal Consortium partners to study gray seals from Maine to Virginia. This information will help us better understand the biology and ecology of gray seals, see if we're meeting Marine Mammal Protection Act recovery goals, and more.

Upcoming Deadlines November 6: Proposals due for Innovative Strategies to Reduce Red Snapper Discards in the South Atlantic November 8: Applications due for Tribal Priority Fish Passage Grants November 17: Applications due for Transformational Habitat Restoration Grants November 21: Applications due for 2024 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant competition November 22: Letters of Intent due for Fiscal Year 2024 Small Business Innovation Research Notice of Funding Opportunity  November 30: Letters of intent due for NOAA’s Climate Ready Workforce Funding Opportunity November 30: Submissions due for the ESA@50 Ocean Art Contest December 15: Pre-proposals due for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program 2024 Funding Opportunity December 18: Public comments due for the 60-day request for information on Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Alaska  December 18: Public comments due for proposed federal management of salmon fishing in Cook Inlet December 19: Applications due for Coastal Habitat Restoration Grants for Tribes and Underserved Communities  December 20: Applications due for Fiscal Year 2024 Small Business Innovation Research Notice of Funding Opportunity January 1: Applications due for NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay Watershed Education and Training Program February 13: Applications due for NOAA’s Climate Ready Workforce Funding Opportunity February 13: Applications due for NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge Funding Opportunity February 20: Applications due for NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training Program March 20: Full proposals due for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program 2024 Funding Opportunity View more news and announcements

Upcoming Events November 1–8: Pacific Fishery Management Council November 2023 Meeting November 4–5: 2023 Right Whale Festival November 14: Virtual public listening session on the 60-day request for information on Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Alaska  November 14–16: Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Meeting November 2023 Meeting November 15: Virtual public listening session on the 60-day request for information on Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Alaska  November 16: Rice's Whale Scientific Symposium in Washington, DC November 28: Webinar for Educators—Designing Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences for Special Education Learners December 4–8: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council December 2023 Meeting  December 5: Black Sea Bass: 2023 Research Track Peer Review Meeting December 5-6: Caribbean Fishery Management Council December 2023 Meeting December 5–7: New England Fishery Management Council December 2023 Meeting December 7–12: North Pacific Fishery Management Council December 2023 Meeting December 11–14: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council December 2023 Meeting December 12–13: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council December 2023 Meeting December 14: Webinar for Educators: Performance Assessments and MWEEs in Elementary School January 8: Workshop for Educators: Climate Resources for Supporting MWEEs March 5–7: North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Risk Reduction Technology Workshop 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.

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