NOAA Fisheries FishNews—June 26, 2025

JUNE 26, 2025

Highlights   NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Charts Course to Strengthen Support for Marine Communities and Coastal Economies With a decades-long connection to our mission, new head of NOAA Fisheries Eugenio Piñeiro Soler sees opportunities to build on our successes at home and around the world. He introduces himself and lays out his vision in this new leadership message.

Alaska 2025 Alaska Research Surveys Photo Gallery Curious about Alaska research surveys? Dive into our photo gallery showcasing snapshots taken by field scientists during their 2025 research expeditions, including bottom trawl surveys of groundfish and shellfish stocks and the midwater acoustic-trawl integration surveys for Alaska pollock.

West Coast   Eastern North Pacific Gray Whales Continue Decline After Downturn During Unusual Mortality Event The eastern North Pacific population of gray whales that migrates along the West Coast has continued to decline, with reproduction remaining very low, according to two new Technical Memorandums from NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Scientists point to ecosystem changes in the Arctic feeding areas that the whales depend on as a likely cause. Blog: Georgia Teacher Sets Sail on Integrated West Coast Survey On June 11, Teacher at Sea Jenna Cloninger from Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, set sail from San Diego aboard NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. She joined scientists from the Northwest and Southwest fisheries science centers for the first leg of the new Integrated West Coast Pelagic Fisheries Survey. West Coast - Area 2A Directed Commercial Halibut Season Opens NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Law Enforcement is conducting patrols during the West Coast - Area 2A directed commercial halibut fishing season. The first opener was this week, and the second is scheduled for July 8 to 10.

Southeast StoryMap: Explore Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities Expeditions in the Gulf of America Since 2021, NOAA and partners have embarked on expeditions to implement restoration projects that aim to restore deep sea habitats injured by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A new StoryMap allows you to explore these Mesophotic and Benthic Communities restoration projects across the northern Gulf.

New England/Mid-Atlantic   NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed 2025-2027 Atlantic Herring Specifications By July 10, please submit your comments on proposed new 2025 and projected 2026-2027 specifications for the Atlantic herring fishery, consistent with recommendations by the New England Fishery Management Council. This action also revises the target rebuilding date for Atlantic herring from 2028 to 2031. The proposed action responds to updated scientific information from a 2024 management track assessment. Science Blog: Accordion’s New Calf is Music to our Ears In February, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s aerial survey team conducted a routine survey for North Atlantic right whales off the coast of New York City. Marine mammal observer Alison Ogilvie shares the team’s joy and excitement when they spotted a female North Atlantic right whale named Accordion and her first-ever calf. Science Blog: Student-Built Device Takes the Plunge Fish biologist and gear researcher Megan Amico helped a middle school robotics team test out their acoustically triggered underwater camera ahead of a national competition. The students shipped their project to Woods Hole, and Megan worked with lobsterman Rob Martin to field test the device on his vessel. The students went on to win their competition!

Upcoming Deadlines June 27: Applications due for U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service Local Agriculture Market Program July 1:Applications due for the Gulf Council’s Social Scientist position July 15: Applications due for U.S. Department of Transportation’s United States Marine Highway Program grants September 5: Proposals due for NOAA’s Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Marketing September 10: (deadline extended) Applications due for the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s 2025 Port Infrastructure Development Program View more news and announcements

Upcoming Events July 2: Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop in Ocean City, MD July 10: Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop in Virginia Beach, VA August 7: Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop in Vero, FL August 9: Woods Hole Science Stroll at NOAA Fisheries August 11–14: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting in Annapolis, MD August 21: Atlantic Shark Identification Workshop in Mount Pleasant, SC September 4: Safe Handling, Release, and Identification Workshop in Kenner, LA 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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