NOAA Fisheries FishNews—December 12th

DECEMBER 12, 2024 Celebrate Corals Week Coral reefs are the most diverse habitats on the planet. Despite their great economic and recreational value, corals are severely threatened by rapidly worsening environmental conditions and human activity. Join us in celebrating this diverse group of invertebrate animals and the reef habitats they create. Highlights $100 Million Available for Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience NOAA is seeking proposals for transformational projects that will restore coastal habitat and strengthen community resilience under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Applications are due by April 16, 2025. Global Extinction Risk for Sharks and Rays Is High, United States May Provide Haven NOAA Fisheries and partners examined the global extinction risk and biodiversity loss of sharks and rays. While they’re in bad shape globally, countries with sustainably managed fisheries—like the United States—may provide a safe place to survive. Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention Program Awards Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law With support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the William and Mary's Batten School and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science announced $1.4 million for 11 marine debris removal projects. They were selected under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention Program. The projects will detect and remove derelict fishing traps across nine coastal states and the Freely Associated State of Palau. Alaska 47-Foot Fin Whale Found Washed Ashore Near Anchorage On the evening of November 16, the NOAA Fisheries Alaska Statewide 24-hour Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline received a report of a dead whale. We worked with our partners to collect information about the whale and determined it was a female fin whale, estimated to be less than 2 years old. New Study Will Improve Abundance Estimates for Bearded, Ribbon, and Spotted Seals in Alaska New research on ice seal haul-out behavior helps to more accurately estimate the number of ice seals in the Arctic, and improve our efforts to conserve and monitor their populations. A Few Surprises in Alaska’s Marine Environment in 2024 NOAA Fisheries releases their annual Ecosystem Status Reports, including a new report card for the northern Bering Sea which shares some promising news about sea ice conditions. Science Blog: A Voyage Through the Arctic Post #9 Mabel Baldwin-Schaeffer, the Tribal Research Coordinator for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, writes about the pivotal role of educators, parents, communities, and mentors in shaping our future. West Coast Annual Ocean Indicators Point to Varied Conditions for Pacific Salmon A strong El Niño was a major driver of ocean conditions and changes to the food web last  winter. Four Pacific Salmon and Steelhead Retain Threatened Status in Reviews of Recovery Progress NOAA Fisheries has completed 5-year reviews of the recovery progress and prospects of four salmon and steelhead species in Northern California and Southern Oregon. We found that all four should remain threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Southeast Science Blog: A Shift in Our Mission and an Unexpected Visitor The team changed focus to collect passive acoustic monitoring instruments, then had record-breaking days of marine mammal and bird sightings and observed a species native to the Pacific. New England/Mid-Atlantic Science Blog: Searching for Right Whales During Our Annual Research Survey Marine mammal observer Alison Ogilvie shares a few memorable highlights from this year’s North Atlantic Right Whale Shipboard Survey. Science Blog: Breathing in Climate Change: International Collaboration to Study Sea Scallops in a Changing Environment Two Northeast Fisheries Science Center scientists visited their Canadian counterparts to measure oxygen consumption in baby sea scallops exposed to ocean temperatures and pH levels expected in the future. Celebrate Winter with Four New Paper Snowflake Designs Craft yourself a wondrous winter wonderland with our new paper snowflake designs! This year’s designs highlight four of our Woods Hole Science Aquarium residents: black sea bass, northern sea robin, planehead filefish, and short big-eye. Upcoming Deadlines December 13: Pre-proposals due for Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program funding December 23: Nominations due for the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee December 31: Applications due for Marine Fisheries Initiative February 10: Applications due for Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants February 27: Applications due for Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants March 4: Applications due for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund March 31: Applications due for Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants April 16: Proposals due for transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects View more news and announcements Upcoming Events December 16–18: Western Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting January 1: NOAA Fisheries Reduces Fee For Existing Buyback Loans Associated with the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fleet January 1: NOAA Fisheries Reduces Fee For Existing Buyback Loans Associated with the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Non-Pollock Groundfish Fleet January 23: Educator Webinar on Stories from Three Division Environmental Literacy Plans February 6–10: North Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting February 11–12: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting February 24: Educator Webinar on Integrating Social Studies into Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences 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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