NOAA Fisheries FishNews—January 18th

JANUARY 18, 2024 Highlights Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Restoration Collection in the NOAA Institutional Repository The NOAA Institutional Repository’s Deepwater Horizon Collection was established last year as a way to provide easier access to NOAA’s assessment and restoration documents pertaining to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The collection contains NOAA-authored publications, peer-reviewed articles, tech memos, and studies documenting impacts from the oil spill. It also contains NOAA’s work to advance the science needed to fill data gaps and better target restoration or to advance our ability to monitor and evaluate progress toward recovery of NOAA trust resources. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Issues a Fishery Disaster Determination for the Squaxin Island Tribe Salmon Fishery The Secretary of Commerce determined that a commercial fishery failure due to a fishery resource disaster occurred in the 2020 Squaxin Island Tribe Puget Sound fall chum salmon fishery. The determination is in response to a request from Squaxin Island Tribe Chairman Kristopher Peters. This positive determination makes this fishery eligible for disaster assistance from NOAA. West Coast Unsettled Pacific Ocean Offers Few Clear Indicators for Salmon Success in 2024 Researchers at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center track key ocean indicators, such as seawater temperature and salinity, and the number and types of tiny crustaceans called copepods. These indicators correlate with juvenile salmon growth and survival—and how many adults will return to rivers to spawn. The ocean indicators of juvenile salmon survival reflect a rapidly changing ocean that is tough to predict. New England/Mid-Atlantic Closure of 2022 Maine Pinniped Unusual Mortality Event NOAA Fisheries has declared the 2022 Maine Pinniped Unusual Mortality Event over. This determination is based on analysis of stranding data and recommendations from the Unusual Mortality Event Investigative Team and the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events. The investigation determined that the cause of the UME was spillover events from the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 outbreak in 2021. The zoonotic disease was transmitted from infected wild birds to harbor and gray seals. The Unusual Mortality Event occurred from June 20 to July 20, 2022 and involved a total of 181 seals: 143 harbor seals, 28 gray seals, and 10 seals of unidentified species. Upcoming Deadlines January 31: Highly Migratory Species Art Contest submission deadline February 5: Applications due for NOAA Gulf of Mexico Bay Watershed Education and Training Program February 5: Public comments due for proposed incidental take regulations for Maryland Offshore Wind Project 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 14: Proposals due for Ruth D. Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grant funding February 16: Applications due for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education and Training Program February 20: Applications due for NOAA New England Bay Watershed Education and Training Program February 28: Applications due for the Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity funding opportunity March 4: Applications due for Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund funding opportunity March 15: Proposals due for the eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-grants Program March 20: Full proposals due for the Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program 2024 Funding Opportunity March 31: Applications due for the Rural Energy for America Program  Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement funding opportunity April 30: Applications due for the Department of Transportation’s Port Infrastructure Development Program funding opportunity View more news and announcements Upcoming Events January 29–February 1: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council January 2024 Meeting January 30: NOAA Fisheries Financial System Demonstration and Feedback Session January 30–February 1: New England Fishery Management Council January 2024 Meeting January 31: Informational webinar for those applying to the eeBLUE Aquaculture Literacy Mini-grants Program February 5: Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Research Summit February 6: Workshop for Educators: Creating a District Environmental Literacy Plan  February 6–8: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council February 2024 Meeting February 8–12: North Pacific Fishery Management Council February 2024 Meeting March 4-8: South Atlantic Fishery Management Council March 2024 Meeting March 5: Workshop for Educators—Connecting Students to Climate Solutions March 5–7: North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Risk Reduction Technology Workshop March 5-11: Pacific Fishery Management Council March 2024 Meeting March 18-22: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council March 2024 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

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