NOAA Fisheries FishNews—March 14

MARCH 14, 2024

Seal and Sea Lion Week It’s Seal and Sea Lion Week! Learn more about the many different species we manage, protect, and study. Find out why seals are sentinels for ocean health and climate change and learn about NOAA’s conservation efforts and methods. Podcast: Hawaiian Monk Seal Pupping Season This is a special time of year in the Hawaiian Islands—it's pupping season for Hawaiian monk seals! Hear from our Hawaiian monk seal research and stranding response experts as they give a status update on some of the pups that have already been born this season. They also share the logistics of working with a network of partners across the Hawaiian Islands to monitor and protect monk seals on busy public beaches. Some Research Takes a Lifetime—Like the Northern Elephant Seal For more than 50 years, NOAA Fisheries has issued permits for research under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to improve our management and understanding of marine mammals in the United States. A group of seal biologists from the University of California Santa Cruz have spent over five decades tracking thousands of northern elephant seals at Año Nuevo, a state park south of San Francisco, California. Find out what data they collect, what they learn, and the benefits of this long-term research. Life on an Active Volcano: Fur Seals Adapt to a Changing Landscape on Bogoslof Island In August 2023, marine mammal biologists from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center returned to Bogoslof Island—an active volcano—for the first time in 4 years. When they returned, they found that the island and the distribution of northern fur seals on it was radically different. Read both parts of this series to find out why.

Highlights Women's History Month March is Women's History Month. To celebrate, we're showcasing some of our colleagues who contribute to NOAA Fisheries' core missions every day. Learn more about their career journeys, day-to-day jobs, and what Women's History Month means to them. NOAA Fisheries Official Financial Services Portal Available NOAA Fisheries administers programs to improve access to capital, reduce fishing overcapacity, reduce the effects of conflicting uses and fisheries resource disasters, and provide fisheries research and development grants. To create transparency and availability of information for current financial services stakeholders, we’ve modernized the financial services system to allow for online access to account information. The Fisheries Financial Services Portal is now available for all current account holders to view their account information.

Alaska New Study Sheds Light on Detection Range of Environmental DNA Scientists are increasingly using environmental DNA to detect species in the marine environment. However, in the ocean, physical variables including temperature, depth, salinity, currents, and tides can all affect the dispersal of this DNA and makes it difficult to determine the location of animals. In a recent study, scientists examined the influence of distance and tides on the distribution and concentration of environmental DNA from chum salmon in net pens in southeast Alaska. Enhancing Wild Red King Crab Populations Through Hatchery Rearing Programs Our scientists examined the effects of release timing and size at release on the survival of hatchery-reared red king crab. Their results showed that releasing red king crab as early as possible after they are reared in a hatchery may improve young crab survival and save operational costs.

West Coast Klamath River Reshapes Itself as Flushing Flows Move Reservoir Sediment Downriver The Klamath River is reshaping itself after recent precipitation by removing decades of sediment accumulated behind dams now slated for removal. The next few months offer the river its best opportunity to move the sediment that had built up behind the dams over the past 60 to 100 years. This will jump-start recovery of the once-prolific salmon-producing river’s natural configuration and channels. California Current Ecosystem Shows Resilience to Strong El Niño The California Current ecosystem is a vital ocean system stretching from Washington to Baja California. It is facing a strong 2024 El Niño event—a cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean. However, the latest information from NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment program suggests the ecosystem is better positioned to weather these changing conditions than previous El Niño events. Marine Heatwaves Reshape the Northern California Current Ecosystem Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense in our oceans, disrupting ecosystems and impacting everything from plankton to fish. A new study highlights the complex and cascading effects of marine heatwaves on marine ecosystems. While some species may benefit from these changes, others are likely to struggle. Diverse Habitats Help Salmon Weather Unpredictable Climate Changes Results from a new study show that restored salmon habitat should offer fish diverse options for feeding and survival so that they can weather various conditions as the climate changes.

Pacific Islands Deaths of Young Dolphin, Humpback Calf Highlight the Importance of Responsible Boating In February 2024, NOAA Fisheries and partners responded to a dead spinner dolphin yearling and a dead humpback whale calf in Hawaiʻi. Examinations revealed their deaths were likely due to vessel strikes.

Southeast Meet Joy Merino, Fisheries Biologist As part of the Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center series, Joy Merino shares her background, her work for the science center, and advice for those interested in a career at NOAA Fisheries. Meet Skyler Rose Sagarese, Research Ecologist Skyler reflects on her childhood love of sharks and family vacations to the Florida Keys, which led her to pursue a career working at our Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Meet Erin Pickett, Research Associate Erin grew up in Hawaii on the island of Kauaʻi and spent most of her childhood in and on the water. She shares the story of her career path, which spanned a few oceans and a multitude of marine species leading up to working at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center.

New England/Mid-Atlantic Welcome Back, Winter Ecosystem Monitoring Survey Winter survey season is not for the faint of heart! Research fishery biologist Katey Marancik participated in the winter 2024 Ecosystem Monitoring Survey and shares the literal ups and downs of trying to get to the survey vessel and out to sea. Photos: 2024 Ecosystem Monitoring Survey Survey scientists get to see all kinds of interesting things while working at sea. Here are some of the sights and scenes they experienced during the 2024 Ecosystem Monitoring Survey season.

Upcoming Deadlines 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 1: Applications due for the Fiscal Year 2024 Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Projects April 5: Deadline for Public Comment on National Aquaculture Development Plan April 10: Pre-proposals due for National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Coastal Resilience Fund April 12: Applications due for established Regional Ocean Partnerships funding opportunity April 15: Applications due for United States Department of Agriculture Special Research Grants Program Aquaculture Research April 26: Applications due for the Alaska Indigenous Engagement Program Grants April 30: Applications due for the Department of Transportation’s Port Infrastructure Development Program funding opportunity View more news and announcements

Upcoming Events March 18–22: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council March 2024 Meeting  March 20: Public Listening Sessions for the Future of Aquaculture at NOAA Fisheries (National) March 27: Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting March 28: Public Listening Session for the Atlantic Tunas Harpoon Category Fishery April 4–16: North Pacific Fishery Management Council April 2024 Meeting April 5–11: Pacific Fishery Management Council April 2024 Meeting April 8–11: Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council April 2024 Meeting April 9–11:  Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council April 2024 Meeting April 16–18: New England Fishery Management Council April 2024 Meeting May 18: Ocean Fun Days 2024 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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