Saving Seafood

NASA joins SCEMFIS advisory board, bringing satellite data to fisheries research

March 10, 2026 — The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) has announced that researchers from NASA’s Earth Science Division have joined the center’s Industry Advisory Board, a move aimed at expanding the use of satellite-based ocean data in fisheries science.

The partnership is expected to strengthen collaboration between NASA scientists and the fishing industry while helping SCEMFIS integrate earth observation data into future research projects focused on commercially important species and ocean conditions.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NASA to provide satellite data for fisheries research in new partnership

March 10, 2026 — Under a new partnership with the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS), NASA will provide new advanced satellite data to support fisheries and marine science research.

As part of the partnership, researchers from NASA’s Earth Science Division have joined SCEMFIS as members of its Industry Advisory Board (IAB), enabling them to integrate satellite imagery into the center’s research and creating a more formal collaborative relationship.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NASA Earth Science Researchers Join Science Center for Marine Fisheries; Will Integrate Satellite Data Into Fisheries Research

March 4, 2026 — The following was released by the Science Center for Marine Fisheries:

The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) is pleased to announce that researchers from NASA’s Earth Science Division have joined SCEMFIS as the latest members of its Industry Advisory Board (IAB). The partnership will create new opportunities to integrate NASA’s Earth observations into future SCEMFIS research, allow for closer collaboration with NASA scientists, and further SCEMFIS’ mission to support groundbreaking marine science research.

For decades NASA’s satellites have measured the biological and physical characteristics of the global ocean, information that has been integral to Earth science research broadly, and fisheries research in particular. The temperature of the surface ocean, for example, can influence the distribution and potential health of commercially important species such as menhaden and illex squid.

Another measurement, termed ocean color, is a key indicator of ocean health and food availability to various fish species. Because different particles and organisms in the water absorb and reflect different frequencies of light, the color of the ocean can tell us the locations and prevalence of microscopic phytoplankton. As the tiny “plants” of the sea, phytoplankton directly or indirectly feed nearly all ocean life and provide up to half the oxygen we breathe.

NASA’s decades of phytoplankton and other ocean measurements have advanced our understanding of the biological activity and overall health of the ocean, information critical to supporting coastal economies and our seafood supply chain.

NASA recently expanded ocean observation capabilities in 2024, with the launch of its PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission. PACE can observe the ocean in a finer range of ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light wavelengths compared to previous missions. Seeing the ocean with hundreds of colors instead of 20 or 30 enables PACE to identify different types of phytoplankton across the globe each day, a capability unavailable on previous missions. Advanced phytoplankton measurements can help fisheries better respond to ever-changing ocean conditions and improve detection of phytoplankton that may be harmful to fish populations or seafood consumers.

By partnering with SCEMFIS, researchers at NASA will collaborate to apply this information to a new range of fisheries research projects. The partnership will allow for expanded commercial applications for existing NASA data and create a more formal collaborative relationship.

“Collaborating with NASA researchers to integrate these data into our future research will give us new insights into our oceans and the marine species that are important to us, and will benefit the finfish and shellfish fisheries and our industry partners,” said Joe Myers, Senior Director of Innovation & Sustainability at Sea Watch International, and the current chair of the SCEMFIS IAB.

“NASA Earth Science is a perfect fit for SCEMFIS’ mission, which is identifying and supporting the latest breakthroughs in marine science,” said Dr. Eric Powell of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory at the University of Southern Mississippi, and the Director of SCEMFIS. “The broad portfolio of ocean observations from NASA, and the advanced data from PACE in particular, will be an integral part of future SCEMFIS research.”

About SCEMFIS
The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS) brings together academic and industry expertise to address urgent scientific challenges facing sustainable fisheries. Through advanced methods, analytical tools, and collaborative research, SCEMFIS works to reduce uncertainty in stock assessments and improve the long-term sustainability of key marine resources.

SCEMFIS is an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center supported by the National Science Foundation. Industry organizations join SCEMFIS through an Industry Membership Agreement with one of the center’s site universities and contribute both financial support and valuable expertise to help shape research priorities.

Its university partners include the University of Southern Mississippi (lead institution) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary. The center also collaborates with scientists from a broad network of institutions, including Old Dominion University, Rutgers University, the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, the University of Maryland, and the University of Rhode Island. These researchers bring deep expertise in finfish, shellfish, and marine mammal science.

Demand for SCEMFIS’ services continues to grow, driven by the fishing industry’s need for responsive, science-based support. The center provides timely access to expert input on stock assessment issues, participates in working groups, and conducts targeted studies that lead to better data collection, improved survey design, and more accurate modeling-all in service of sustainable, science-driven fishery management.

MAINE: UMaine taps into satellite data to help oyster farmers

March 4, 2026 — The University of Maine is rolling out a free satellite-driven model to help oyster farmers predict when their crop will reach market size, bringing high-tech precision to the hunt for the best tidal sites along the state’s coast.

Using satellite data from NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey and the European Space Agency, the model is the foundation of a January research study in the journal Aquaculture. The accuracy was verified by testing it against oyster growth rates at five Maine oyster farms.

The online dashboard is coming out at a time when Maine’s oyster sector is booming.

Between 2015 and 2024, the value of Maine’s wild and farmed oysters jumped from $4.5 million to $14.9 million, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources. According to the department’s most recent landings data, oysters are now Maine’s third-most valuable fishery, behind lobsters and soft-shell clams. Ninety-five percent of those landings are farmed oysters; wild oysters make up the rest.

Read the full article at Portland Press Herald

NASA utilizing molecular “fingerprints” to collect data on oceanic debris

February 2, 2026 — The Jet Propulsion Laboratory within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is mirroring the same successful sensor data system used at the International Space Station (ISS) for use in marine environments that hold an estimated 8 million tons or more of plastic a year.

In late 2025, NASA scientists were able to successfully detect concentrations of plastic pollution on land for the first time, using a technology called “Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT)” sensors aboard the ISS. According to NASA, strong winds can blow mineral rock dust across continents, as dust trapped in the air can simultaneously heat or cool the Earth’s atmosphere. Mineral dust can also affect atmospheric chemistry, disrupting sunlight absorption and accelerating melting. It also affects human health and visibility.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NASA satellite detects tiny red plankton that keep endangered whales alive

December 19, 2025 — Far off the New England coast, whales swim slowly with their mouths wide open, swallowing clouds of tiny red plankton, Calanus finmarchicus, that provide their sustenance. One of NASA’s satellites have just learned to spot from hundreds of miles above.

The North Atlantic right whale, a critically endangered baleen whale that skims plankton at the surface, now numbers only about 370 animals worldwide. That is fewer living whales than passengers on a single large jet.

Importance of Calanus finmarchicus

Zooplankton are tiny drifting animals that move with currents and cluster in enormous underwater patches, and right whales rely on them for food.

Among zooplankton, scientists focus on Calanus finmarchicus, a rice-sized red crustacean that drifts in surface waters and fuels marine food webs, because it packs whales’ dense fat reserves that power long migrations.

The work was led by Rebekah Shunmugapandi, a satellite oceanographer at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in Maine.

In the Gulf of Maine, dense layers of Calanus finmarchicus create an energy-rich buffet for whales, fish, and seabirds. Lose Calanus in this region, and you weaken almost everything that feeds higher up the food chain.

Until recently, scientists tracked Calanus finmarchicus using research boats that towed fine-mesh nets through the water and counted each sample by hand.

Those surveys give rich detail, but they are slow, expensive, and cover only a tiny slice of the ocean at any time.

Read the full article at Earth.com

Tool Uses NASA Data to Take Temperature of Rivers from Space

December 3, 2025 — New research uses more than 40 years of data from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Landsat satellites to help dam operators improve the health of salmon fisheries.

The Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest contain nearly 20 dams, which provide flood control, hydroelectric power, and water for irrigation. But they also change the way the rivers flow. For the study, researchers tracked temperature up and downstream of dams using surface temperature data from Landsat satellites. Data from these satellites support our nation’s agricultural industry, including farmers and food production. Researchers found warm water downstream of dams stressed salmon, making them swim faster. The scientists developed a tool called THORR, or Thermal History of Regulated Rivers, to perform this research.

“NASA’s focus on advancing our understanding of Earth’s freshwater resources is reflected in tools like THORR, which leverage decades of satellite data to improve water management strategies,” said Erin Urquhart, program manager, Earth Action Water Resources Program at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. “By making this information accessible and useful, NASA is ensuring its science directly benefits the communities and industries that depend on these resources.”

The recent study, funded by NASA, provides regularly updated information about river temperature that dam operators can use to fine-tune their operations. Faisal Hossain, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Washington and one of the study authors, explained that when water spills over the dam from the top layer of the reservoir, the water tends to be hotter, as it was warmed by the Sun. That warmer water can stress and even kill salmon, while water that’s discharged through the turbines cools the river downstream. Strategically discharging water from lower levels of the reservoir could help salmon thrive, saving dam operators time and other, costlier interventions, Hossain said.

Read the full article at NASA

FLORIDA: Nets torn ‘all to hell’: Port Canaveral fishermen worry about increasing rocket launches, debris

July 28, 2025 — Every rocket launch from Florida’s Space Coast triggers hours of varying maritime-vessel security and danger zones offshore of Port Canaveral, with fishermen warned to avoid those areas.

Rockets continue lifting off at an unprecedented rate. The Cape remains on track to surpass 100 annual orbital rocket launches for the first time this year. And looking ahead, SpaceX seeks environmental and regulatory approvals to soon add up to a whopping 190 additional rockets to the Eastern Range manifest per year — including enormous Starship-Super Heavy two-stage tandems.

That’s why the Southeastern Fisheries Association and other groups recommend that Congress and/or SpaceX establish a space-operations compensation program “for all domestic fishers, processors, and distributors who suffer economic losses or equipment damage.”

Read the full article at Florida Today

The ocean is changing colors, researchers say. Here’s what it means.

June 20, 2025 — Warming waters are causing the colors of the ocean to change — a trend that could impact humans if it were to continue, according to new research.

Satellite data shows that ocean waters are getting greener at the poles and bluer toward the equator, according to a paper published Thursday in the journal Science.

The change in hue is being caused by shifting concentrations of a green pigment called chlorophyll, which is produced by phytoplankton, Haipeng Zhao, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the paper, told ABC News.

Phytoplankton are photosynthetic marine organisms. As algae, phytoplankton has photosynthetic pigments, which reflect green light and cause the waters around it to appear primarily green, Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-author of the paper, told ABC News. Where phytoplankton are absent, the water appears blue.

Read the full article at ABC News

Scientists warn that the ocean is growing greener at poles

June 20, 2025 — The ocean is turning greener at the poles and bluer at the equator, and researchers say the small but mighty change in color spells danger, and fisheries will likely take the hit.

A tracked increase in vegetation cover, also known as greening, has been consistently recorded on land by scientists since the 1990s — meaning the average leaf cover across the planet’s surface has grown steadily, likely due to rising temperatures.

Using satellite images, the phenomenon has also been seen in the ocean, but inconsistent data on chlorophyll production thanks to the ocean’s sheer depth means studying greening rates sea-side is harder.

From 2003 to 2022, NASA satellite MODIS-Aqua traveled the entire Earth every two days, measuring light wavelength and gathering data nonstop.

Researchers at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, conducted an ocean greening analysis, published June 19 in the journal Science, on the data in search of changes in the amount of chlorophyll, which signals the presence of aquatic ecosystem fundamental phytoplankton.

Read the full article at Courthouse News Service