Saving Seafood

Fewer fish, worse health: The climate effect

March 2, 2024 — Over the next 25 years, reduced intake of marine food resources due to climate change will likely have a negative impact on the cardiovascular health of First Nations on Canada’s Pacific coast, a new study suggests.

According to modeling based on climate projections, the reduction in  can be expected by 2050 to increase the risk of heart attack in this population by 1.9 to 2.6% for men and 1.3 to 1.8% for women.

For people aged 50 or over, the increase would be between 4.5 and 6.5%.

These numbers come from a recent study that used data from the First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES), a joint project of the Assembly of First Nations, Université de Montréal and the University of Ottawa.

The study was published in the journal FACETS.

Read the full article at PHYS.org

Climate change found to be reducing fish weight

February 28, 2024 — Fish weight in the western North Pacific Ocean dipped in the 2010s due to warmer water limiting food supplies, according to a new study at the University of Tokyo. The work appears in Fish and Fisheries.

The researchers attributed the first period of weight loss to greater numbers of Japanese sardines, which increased competition with other  for food. During the 2010s, while the number of Japanese sardines and chub mackerel moderately increased, the effect of climate change warming the ocean appears to have resulted in more competition for food, as cooler, nutrient-dense water could not easily rise to the surface.

These results have implications for fisheries and policymakers trying to manage  under future climate change scenarios.

Whether it’s sushi, takoyaki (traditional octopus pancake balls), or grilled mackerel, seafood is an iconic and important part of Japanese cuisine. Japan’s seafood self-sufficiency has, however, been gradually declining for several decades. Local fisheries face multiple challenges, from reduced sales and lower prices to labor shortages, changing consumer preferences, and soaring costs. But perhaps one of the biggest threats comes from global warming.

Japan’s eastern coast is bordered by the western North Pacific Ocean, a highly productive marine area. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2019, the western North Pacific accounted for almost a quarter of the global total of fish caught and sold. However, results of new research at the University of Tokyo show that during the 1980s and 2010s, fish weight in the region changed dramatically.

Read the full article at PHYS.org

Climate Change Efforts Forge Ahead Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act

February 24, 2024 — Read the full release at NOAA Fisheries:

As we proceed into 2024, we want to make sure you’re caught up on our efforts toward mitigating climate change. In 2023, we received historic funding under the Inflation Reduction Act, which has allowed us to prioritize and tackle several critical areas impacted by climate change. A major priority for NOAA Fisheries is accelerating the pace of our response to rapidly changing oceans. The infusion of these funds allows us to focus on several critical areas.

North Atlantic Right Whales ($82 Million)

This funding, coupled with supplemental funds appropriated in FY23, provides us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address the North Atlantic right whale crisis with new technologies and new approaches. Human impacts, including climate change, continue to threaten the survival of this species.

Learn more about the North Atlantic right whale funding

Recently announced:

Red Snapper ($20 Million)

We will improve state and federal recreational fisheries surveys for red snapper and other reef fish in the Southeast. Our plans for red snapper are focused on improving recreational catch and discard estimates from federal and state surveys. Changing oceans will require enhancing data collection and monitoring efforts to better track the distribution and abundance of important species like red snapper.

Learn more about red snapper investments

Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage ($484 Million)

We continue our work to support fisheries and coastal communities across the country impacted by climate change through large-scale competitive funding opportunities and expert technical assistance.

Explore more about habitat restoration under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act

Tribal Fish Hatcheries ($300 Million)

Tribal initiatives include funding to support hatcheries across the West Coast. Funding will address deferred maintenance and repairs to hatcheries that produce Pacific salmon and steelhead in partnership with federally recognized tribes.

Learn more about the Columbia River Basin Hatcheries maintenance under the Mitchell Act

Regional Fisheries Management Councils ($20 Million)

Support to the councils will assist regulatory responses to current climate challenges. We need to implement more timely dynamic fishery management measures and increase fishing community resiliency to fishery changes caused by anticipated climate impacts.

Learn more about working with regional fisheries management councils to respond to climate change

Pacific Salmon ($42 Million)

We are enhancing our efforts to conserve, restore, and protect Pacific salmon in the face of climate change. Part of the funding for Pacific salmon will go to the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (announced in 2023). Part will go to science and research that supports transformative modeling to identify and prioritize high-impact restoration.

Learn more about the Pacific salmon science investment we just announced

Expect More in 2024

Data Acquisition and Management ($145 Million)

We will invest in advanced technologies, modern data systems, and infrastructure that expand and modernize stock assessments to account for climate change. This will increase the number and types of observations we can make, which will move us toward the greater sampling required to manage the nation’s large marine ecosystems.

Recently Announced:

Climate, Ecosystems, and Fisheries Initiative ($40 Million)

A cross-NOAA effort that will develop predictive capabilities of our oceans and associated ecosystems in support of actionable climate-informed advice to decision-makers.

Inflation Reduction Act Headlines Recap

April 2023

June 2023

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

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December 2023

January 2024

February 2024

Biden-Harris Administration invests $3.9 million for Ocean-based Climate Resilience Accelerators through Investing in America agenda

February 24, 2024 — Read the full release at NOAA Fisheries:

The Ocean-based Climate Resilience Accelerator program will invest in a network of novel business accelerators, which are organizations that support the development of innovative early to mid-stage small businesses through training, resources, mentorship and often seed funding, aimed at bringing products to market. Once operational, these accelerators will support businesses developing ocean observation technologies and information services, such as forecasts and digital apps, to enhance climate resilience.

“The impacts of climate change are visible in communities across America every day,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D. “This ocean-based accelerator program connects the government, the private sector, academia, tribes and stakeholders to innovate and produce new ocean, coastal and Great Lakes technologies at a pace that supports the urgent need for resilience nationwide.”

The program is structured in two phases: design and development. The Phase 1 awards announced today provide approximately $250,000 in development funding to each of the 16 proposed business accelerators, equaling a total investment of $3.9 million.

Alaska

  • Alaska Oceans 2075: Accelerating a Resilient Future, Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation, $249,540.

California

  • Activate Oceans Fellowship, ACTIVATE GLOBAL Inc., $202,431.
  • StartBlue Climate Ocean Resilience Accelerator Launchpad (CORAL), University of California San Diego, $250,000.

Florida

  • Catching the Blue Wave: Accelerating America’s Ocean Economy, Tampa Bay Wave, Inc., $250,000.
  • The Upwell Collaborative Accelerator, Seaworthy Collective, $249,848.

Hawaii

  • HITIDE Studio: Guiding the Commercialization Voyage of Ocean-Based Climate Resilient Technologies, University of Hawaii, $250,000.

Louisiana

  • CLIMATEx Accelerator Program, The Idea Village, Inc., $250,000.

Maine

  • OceanVista: Advancing Ocean Data for Climate Resilience, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, $250,000.

Massachusetts

  • VentureWell Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerator, VentureWell, $249,810.
  • Accelerating Climate & Ocean Resilience with Bluetech Innovation, SeaAhead, Inc., $249,299.
  • Accelerating Resilience: Linking Research, Industry, and the Public Across the Value Chain, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, $225,480.

New York

  • The National Ocean Renewable Power Accelerator – Ocean RePower, National Offshore Wind Research & Development Consortium, $249,991.

Virginia

  • OpenSeas Data Accelerator, Old Dominion University Research Foundation, $249,816.
  • NOAA Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerator, FedTech, $176,799 (full recommended funding: $249,844).

Washington

  • Washington Maritime Blue Ventures for Ocean-based Climate Solutions, Washington Maritime Blue, $248,403.

Wisconsin

  • Great Lakes Resilience Accelerator, gener8tor Management, LLC, $250,000.

Later this month, all Phase 1 awardees will be invited to apply to Phase 2 of the Ocean-based Climate Resilience Accelerators program, which will award up to a total of $55 million for the implementation of up to five proposed accelerators.

Visit NOAA’s Inflation Reduction Act website to learn about current and future funding opportunities.

 

 

Media contact

Kimberly Rodgers, kim.rodgers@noaa.gov, (771) 233-3988.

Study shows how local fishers respond to climate challenges

February 22, 2024 — When it comes to protecting a crucial resource in the face of changing conditions, it’s important to know how the humans reliant on that resource have organized themselves. Especially if there isn’t a lot of government supervision.

A new study of small-scale fisheries in Mexico’s Gulf of California has found that the fishers’ response to a changing climate can be strongly influenced by what they fish for and how they’re organized. The work appears in the January 2024 issue of Global Environmental Change.

“When we study climate change adaptation, we haven’t paid nearly enough attention to how those fishers, these farmers, these water irrigators are organized,” said Xavier Basurto, the Truman and Nellie Semans/Alex Brown & Sons Professor of sustainability science at the Duke Marine Lab and senior Co-Principal Investigator of this research project.

Their organization, or self-governance, turns out to be key.

Read the full article at SCIENMAG

Why are fish getting smaller as waters warm? It’s not their gills, finds study

February 22, 2024 — A collaborative team of scientists led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently found that there is no physiological evidence supporting a leading theory—which involves the surface area of fish gills—as to why many fish species are “shrinking” as waters grow warmer due to climate change. Known as the Gill Oxygen Limitation (GOL) theory, it has been proposed as the universal mechanism explaining fish size and has been used in some predictions of future global fisheries yields.

However, the researchers, representing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, the University of California Davis as well as UMass Amherst, conducted a series of long-term experiments on brook trout and found that though increased temperatures do lead to significantly decreased , gill surface area did not explain the change. The results of the study were recently published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

“We know that global  is happening and our oceans and rivers are getting warmer,” says Joshua Lonthair, lecturer in biology at UMass Amherst and the paper’s lead author. “And we know that many animals—not just fish—are growing to smaller adult body sizes under . We even have a name for this, the Temperature Size Rule. But despite decades of research, we still don’t understand why size decreases as temperature increases.”

In both marine and freshwater , rising water temperatures have a critical effect on metabolism, reproduction and other life functions, but a critical factor that most of the models underlying  rely on is fish size. Commercial fisheries are often regulated by tonnage, and when fish shrink, it takes more of them to fill out a ton. Lower weight is also linked to reduced reproduction. Altogether, this means that managers need to adjust their models for our changing world.

Read the full article at PHYS.ORG

ALASKA: Biden-Harris Administration announces $1 million to support climate resilience in remote Alaska communities as part of Investing in America agenda

February 21, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced the availability of $1 million for multi-year funding opportunities that will be distributed through the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Indigenous Engagement Program to support remote Alaska communities. This investment — funded by the Inflation Reduction Act — will help NOAA Fisheries advance efforts to promote climate resilience and food security in remote Alaska communities, strengthen collaboration with tribal governments and Indigenous communities and engage Indigenous Knowledge holder voices in NOAA Fisheries science. The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in climate resilience and adaptation, including more than $50 billion from the President’s Investing in America agenda.

“This opportunity will enable entities working to benefit Indigenous Knowledge holders, including tribes and Alaska Native community members to advance equity and environmental justice — including just treatment, equal opportunities and environmental benefits for all people and communities and respect for tribal sovereignty,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Through this effort we hope to support research projects that address community concerns while enabling NOAA Fisheries to meet its research mission through collaborative and co-produced research.”

Up to $500,000 will be available in fiscal year 2024, with remaining funding potentially available in future years for continuation of work. Under this funding opportunity, projects will address one of three priority areas:

  • Support and collaborate with existing Indigenous Knowledge networks to build capacity in remote Arctic communities in line with the NOAA Fisheries Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy.
  • Incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into existing science, where possible, to build climate resilience in communities on the front lines of climate change in the Arctic. This requires NOAA services in the form of partnerships, internships and education opportunities.
  • Conduct collaborative and co-produced research providing opportunities for the co-development of research and knowledge needs with academic, international and Indigenous partners at the Inuit Circumpolar Council. 

“NOAA Fisheries recently produced its first Equity and Environmental Justice Policy with a goal of better serving all communities more equitably and effectively,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “Through this funding opportunity, we hope to put that policy into practice by supporting efforts that build partnerships and promote knowledge sharing to advance climate adaptation and planning for Alaska communities on the frontlines of climate change.”

This multi-year funding opportunity aims to provide crucial support for 5-15 innovative projects per year, with individual project funding ranging from $15,000 to $50,000. In an effort to foster impactful and diverse projects, NOAA encourages project proposals within the specified funding range. 

In December 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a first-of-its kind Indigenous Knowledge guidance on incorporating Indigenous Knowledge in federal research, policy and decision-making at the Tribal Nations Summit. The Biden-Harris Administration formally recognizes Indigenous Knowledge as one of the many important bodies of knowledge that contribute to the scientific, technical, social and economic advancements of the United States and our collective understanding of the natural world.

Interested organizations are invited to submit their applications by Friday, April 26, 2024. To access detailed guidelines and submit a proposal, please visit the NOAA Fisheries website. Questions regarding this funding opportunity may be directed to Laura Hoberecht via phone (206) 526-4194 or email Laura.Hoberecht@noaa.gov. NOAA Fisheries will also host public webinars to answer questions regarding this funding opportunity. 

As part of NOAA Climate-Ready Fisheries, NOAA is committed to bolstering the nation’s $370 billion fishing industry and the states, communities and tribes who rely upon it. In addition to the funding opportunity outlined above, NOAA will invest $145 million to address NOAA Fisheries’ data acquisition priorities. More details about this funding will be coming soon. 

Please visit NOAA’s Inflation Reduction Act website for updates on current and future funding opportunities. 

Ocean Temperatures Keep Shattering Records—and Stunning Scientists

February 15, 2024 — FOR NEARLY A year now, a bizarre heating event has been unfolding across the world’s oceans. In March 2023, global sea surface temperatures started shattering record daily highs, and have stayed that way since.

You can see 2023 in the orange line below, the other gray lines being previous years. That solid black line is where we are so far in 2024—way, way above even 2023. While we’re nowhere near the Atlantic hurricane season yet—that runs from June 1 through the autumn—keep in mind that cyclones feed on warm ocean water, which could well stay anomalously hot in the coming months. Regardless, these surface temperature anomalies could be triggering major ecological problems already.

Read the full article at WIRED

Scientists Identify Ways to Account for Effects of Climate Change on Fish Stock Estimates

February 10, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Climate-driven changes in the timing of pollock spawning and migration can affect the timing of when fish aggregate in areas where surveys are conducted to monitor their abundance. This can affect survey estimates. It also complicates efforts to assess pollock stock status and sustainably manage fisheries because survey estimates are a data source for preparing annual stock assessments. However, NOAA Fisheries scientists have developed a new method to address climate-driven mismatches in survey timing and when fish gather to spawn. This has helped to improve the accuracy of Alaska pollock population estimates.

“Climate change is causing fish and other species to shift their distributions and behavior in response to warming ocean conditions all around the world,” said Lauren Rogers, fishery biologist and lead author of a new paper published today in ICES Journal of Marine Science. “We now have a new tool to support climate-ready fisheries management.”

Collaboration Across Scientific Disciplines Led to Success

From 2017 to 2019, scientists saw different trends in the pollock estimates collected in Alaska Fisheries Science Center surveys in the Gulf of Alaska. Some surveys showed declines in biomass, while one other—the Shelikof Strait acoustic-trawl survey—showed a steep increase. This annual winter acoustic-trawl survey is designed to measure pollock abundance when the fish gather to spawn.

Rogers teamed up with survey scientists and the scientist who produces the annual Gulf of Alaska pollock stock assessment. They explored what may be causing the differences in abundance trends in the surveys.

“We got talking and wondered if changes in spawn timing could be affecting the Shelikof Strait survey estimates,” said Rogers. “Together, we explored how to account for these changes and what could be done to ensure the accuracy of the assessment.”

This involved pulling together information about how spawning changes across years. The scientists looked at spring larval surveys and observations of spawning state in mature female pollock. They found that changes in spawn timing relative to survey timing explained a significant portion of recent and historical discrepancies between survey and model estimates of biomass.

They also found that estimates of biomass from the survey tended to be relatively higher when the survey was closer in timing to estimated peak spawning. From there, they were able to develop a time series of relative timing that could be incorporated directly in the stock assessment. In doing so, the assessment model fit to the winter acoustic survey data was significantly improved.

This work was informed by Rogers’ previous studies examining data collected during larval fish surveys over the past 30 years. She found that the timing of pollock spawning varies by as much as a month depending in part on ocean temperatures. For instance, when temperatures are warmer, spawning happens earlier.

“It’s particularly exciting to demonstrate the value of having long-term surveys to assess the abundance of larval and juvenile fish,” said Rogers. “As we are faced with challenges posed by ocean warming and marine heatwaves, having an understanding of fish abundance, trends, and climate-sensitivity across their life stages is invaluable for helping us proactively plan and prepare for an uncertain future.”

New England marshes and seagrasses have huge potential to combat climate change

February 8, 2024 — As states across New England rush to meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, a massive carbon reservoir sits just below the tide: reed marshes and seagrass beds.

Scientists call these coastal habitats “blue carbon,” because the plants, and importantly, the sediment underneath them, can sequester a lot of carbon — several times more than a terrestrial forest, for example.

At least 7.5 million metric tons of carbon are held beneath New England’s salt marshes and eelgrass meadows, tall grasses that grow beneath the water, according to a first-of-its-kind report published by the US Environmental Protection Agency last year.

The EPA’s findings were highlighted at an event celebrating a new temporary exhibit at the New England Aquarium on Wednesday. Massachusetts has by far the most blue carbon habitats in New England — more than 112,000 acres, or about half of the region’s total salt marshes and seagrass beds.

Read the full article at the Boston Globe