Saving Seafood

Whale entanglements were up sharply in 2024, NOAA says

September 23, 2025 — Incidents of large whales becoming entangled in fishing gear and marine debris rose in 2024 to 95 confirmed cases, up from 64 confirmed cases recorded in 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Sep. 18.

The news from NOAA Fisheries came with the release of its National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2024. The total is “also above the average annual number of confirmed entanglements over the previous 17 years, which was 71.4,” according to an agency statement.

“We will continue to analyze data from 2024 to understand what factors contributed to the increase and whether this increase is temporary or part of a longer term trend.”

Read the full article at National Fisherman

NOAA Fisheries Partners with Northeast Groundfish Industry to Update Key Data for Stock Assessments

September 22, 2025 — The commercial groundfishing industry has long been a cornerstone of New England’s coastal communities. For generations, fishermen have harvested species including Atlantic cod, haddock, and flounder, contributing significantly to local livelihoods and the food supply. NOAA Fisheries works to promote science-based management of these species, ensuring both the industry’s economic viability and the long-term health of marine ecosystems.

Why Weight Matters: Bridging the Gap for Accurate Assessments

Commercial fishery quotas and recorded catch are typically based on total fish weight, which is easy to measure in bulk. However, scientists use stock assessment models that require numbers of individual fish to accurately evaluate population trends and dynamics. To bridge the gap between total weight and number of fish, reported commercial catch weights must be translated into fish numbers using length-weight relationships and conversion factors derived from biological sampling data.

The length-weight relationship—a mathematical model to predict a fish’s weight based on its length—is a fundamental tool in fisheries science. Converting length to weight is more complex for species like Atlantic cod, which are typically gutted at sea. A critical step involves converting the fish’s dressed weight back to whole, or live, weight. This conversion is achieved by applying a ‘conversion factor’, which represents the ratio of the gutted weight to the whole weight.

“Conversion factors directly impact our estimates of commercial landings,” said Charles Perretti, a stock assessment analyst with NOAA Fisheries’ Population Dynamics Branch. “So getting those factors right is important. “Many of the existing conversion factors and length-weight relationships used for Northeast species are based on older data, some dating back to the 1960s. Over time, fish growth rates and body shape can change. Fishing practices also evolve along with technology and shifting market preferences. Stock assessment models benefit from up-to-date inputs including conversion factors and length-weight relationships.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

New Data Shows Healthy Numbers of Quillback Rockfish off California; Fishing to Resume

September 22, 2025 — New data collected with help from California fishermen has revealed more quillback rockfish off the California Coast than estimated earlier. These findings allow NOAA Fisheries to drop fishing restrictions meant to help rebuild the species.

The change frees commercial and recreational fleets to resume fishing, particularly in shallower federal waters, for many species of groundfish off California, including rockfish. These fisheries generated more than $150 million in landings in some years. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife relaxed limits in state waters in August. NOAA Fisheries has now done the same in federal waters off California, which was announced on September 18.

“This demonstrates the value of good data to support the science,” said Keeley Kent, chief of the groundfish branch in NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. “The industry stepped up and helped gather a lot more data, and that shows there is a healthy population of quillback out there.”

The first-ever stock assessment for quillback rockfish off California in 2021 was based on the limited data available at the time. It found that the lesser known species in that area was below a minimum stock size threshold. The Pacific Fishery Management Council took precautionary steps to reduce the harvest. NOAA Fisheries determined in December 2023 that the species was overfished. Sustainable fisheries regulations required NOAA Fisheries to develop a rebuilding plan, which further limited fishing for quillback and other rockfish that can be caught with quillback.

These limits hit in 2023 just as low salmon returns also shut down salmon fishing in California for the first of 3 years, said Tim Klassen, who captains charter trips for Reel Steel Fishing in Eureka, California. He’s also a member of the groundfish advisory subpanel for the Pacific Fishery Management Council. “The timing couldn’t have been worse.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

Aquaculture Opportunity Areas bolster America-First seafood production

September 19, 2025 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

As part of NOAA’s commitment to prioritizing American seafood competitiveness, the agency has identified 13 Aquaculture Opportunity Areas totaling more than 21,000 acres in U.S. federal waters of the Gulf of America and off the coast of Southern California. These areas will strengthen the nation’s seafood industry, reduce reliance on foreign imports, and create high-quality American jobs.

Today’s release of two final programmatic environmental impact statements for the Gulf of America and Southern California identifies prime locations that may be suitable for developing multiple commercial aquaculture projects, fulfilling President Trump’s 2020 Executive Order “Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth” and supporting the 2025 Executive Order “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness”. These orders champion a robust, America-first seafood industry that puts U.S. workers and consumers first.

Each year, Americans eat roughly $15 billion in seafood farmed and imported from foreign countries, where labor and environmental standards often fall short of America’s rigorous standards. By expanding domestic aquaculture to complement wild-harvest fisheries, NOAA is driving an America-first approach that creates jobs, supports coastal communities, and ensures  high-quality, homegrown seafood for American families.

“The U.S. leads the world in aquaculture science and technology, yet we rank 20th globally in marine aquaculture production,” said Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, acting assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA Fisheries assistant administrator. “By growing our domestic aquaculture industry, we will strengthen American health, create good-paying jobs, and drive sustainable, long-term economic growth for our nation.”

The final documents released today are grounded in 19 scientific support products and incorporate robust public input, building on draft documents released last year. These efforts reflect NOAA’s commitment to transparency and American-driven decision-making.

In Southern California, NOAA experts identified 10 prime locations for potential aquaculture development –  eight in the Santa Barbara Channel and two in Santa Monica Bay – ranging from 500 to 2,000 acres, totaling 16,500 acres. NOAA found these areas may be suitable for seaweed, shellfish, and finfish aquaculture.

In the Gulf of America, three locations off the coast of Texas were identified, each ranging in size from 500 to 2,000 acres, totaling 4,500 acres. NOAA found these areas may be suitable for seaweed, shellfish, and finfish aquaculture. NOAA is also investing in baseline environmental surveys in the Gulf to provide valuable data to prospective farm applicants.

The Aquaculture Opportunity Areas will be finalized with two decision documents following this announcement. The selected areas are just the beginning of unlocking the vast potential for aquaculture in U.S. waters, paving the way for more jobs, thriving coastal economies, and an increased abundance of high-quality American-raised seafood on Americans’ plates.

More information on the final PEISs for Southern California and the Gulf of America is available on the NOAA Fisheries website. 

Genomics Help Uncover Mysteries of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

September 19, 2025 — The Slope Sea may hold a key to better understanding Atlantic bluefin tuna. 

This summer, scientists journeyed to the Slope Sea on two exploratory surveys to examine how Atlantic bluefin tuna use this area for reproduction (also known as spawning). The first survey was a cooperative longline survey to look for spawning fish. The second survey followed closely on their heels to look for the results of that spawning—larval, or baby, bluefin tuna.

The objective was to document the potential contributions of spawning between the Slope Sea and other spawning areas like the Gulf of America. Next they will analyze DNA from both larval and adult bluefin tuna to estimate the population (stock) size. Atlantic bluefin tuna has been managed as having two primary stocks—one that spawns in the Mediterranean Sea (the eastern) and the other in the Gulf of America (the western). Recent research suggested the Slope Sea could be a major spawning ground comparable to the Gulf of America. Genetic research has shown the two stocks are interconnected. This year’s survey aims to clarify remaining uncertainties about bluefin tuna stock structure and spawning dynamics.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

New Test Measures Toxin from Tires in Marine Life, Helping Understand Risk to Marine Species and Ecosystems

September 18, 2025 — Scientists at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center helped pioneer the study of an automobile tire toxin found to kill salmon when it runs off highways in stormwater and into streams. Now they have found a way to measure the toxin, 6PPD-quinone, directly in marine life, including fish, shellfish and marine mammals.

The new method can help scientists better understand how the toxin affects different species, and how it reaches and moves through marine ecosystems. It can help assess effects on more species in less time. That may, in turn, help managers find ways to reduce the risk it poses to salmon and other species. This will allow the fish to continue to support economically important tribal, commercial, and sport fisheries, bringing economic and environmental value to the region.

“Without being able to measure it, we won’t be able to answer questions about its impacts on species,” said Li-Jung Kuo, who led research by the Science Center’s Environmental Chemistry Program to develop the new method.“We need to have a better understanding of 6PPD-Q distribution in the environment, including aquatic species. The capability to directly measure the 6PPD-Q body burden in aquatic species is a step forward, as it is essential for exposure assessment.”

The identification of and research on 6PPD-quinone illustrates how hidden threats can lurk in our everyday lives. From the water we drink to the rivers and oceans that sustain countless species, our lives are intricately connected to aquatic environments. This vital connection means that our daily actions, both big and small, can have a profound impact on water quality and the health of its inhabitants. One such emerging concern stems from something as common as vehicle tires, specifically 6PPD-quinone, which is proving to be a silent killer for some species.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

NOAA Fisheries Partners with Smithsonian to Archive Marine Specimens for Genetic Research

September 17, 2025 — The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center recently archived more than 700 fish and squid specimens at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Science Center researchers collected the specimens during research surveys. This collaborative effort will support genetic research efforts for generations and help scientists better understand and sustainably manage marine species in the Pacific.

Collaboration

In June 2025, Dr. Matt Girard, a zoologist and visiting scientist from the Smithsonian, collaborated with NOAA’s Dr. Jonathan Whitney and research scientists from the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu. The center houses a vast collection of marine specimens, including fish and cephalopods, collected over decades through research surveys and NOAA’s Observer Program. To support long-term preservation and enhance genetic reference libraries, the Smithsonian offered to take custody of select specimens from the collection.

Specimens Taken to the Smithsonian

The collection included:

NOAA Fisheries staff, interns, and volunteers carefully processed, preserved, and packaged the specimens. They then shipped them to the Smithsonian. Many have already been cataloged into the National Collections and will serve as the genetic standard for their species in our region.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

ALASKA: Mapping Alaska’s Wild Kelp Beds with Farmers

September 17, 2025 — Alaska’s coastline holds vast, untapped potential for seaweed aquaculture—but knowing exactly where wild kelp grows is critical for sustainable expansion. A new mapping project, led by NOAA Fisheries in collaboration with Alaska Sea Grant and local farmers, is working to locate these wild kelp beds. This will help:

  • Source healthy kelp for farming
  • Assist farmers in meeting state permitting requirements
  • Support NOAA’s Aquaculture Opportunity Areas identification process

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Steep decline in landings show imports’ impact, US shrimpers say

September 16, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries landings data for 2024 show sharp declines in U.S. Gulf and South Atlantic catches. That trend is likely an indicator of the impact competition from inexpensive imported shrimp is having on the U.S. domestic market, according to the Southern Shrimp Alliance.

The U.S. landings “confirm the incredible damage caused to the U.S. shrimp industry by the massive influx of cheap, farmed shrimp imported into this country over the last four years,” the alliance said in its analysis issued Sept. 15.

NOAA’s figures show 158.9 million pounds of shrimp were landed in the Gulf and South Atlantic last year with a total value of $257.9 million. “This is by far the lowest amount of shrimp harvested in these regions since 1961,” according to the alliance.

The industry group’s paper includes graphics generated from annual landings totals.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Where the Copepods Are: Prey Data Can Improve Right Whale Models

September 16, 2025 — A new peer-reviewed study in Endangered Species Research finds that incorporating maps of copepod aggregations into North Atlantic right whale density models could improve those models’ predictions. The study used data on aggregations of three copepod species collected 2003–2017 from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the Scotian Shelf in Canada. Scientists on the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Ecosystem Monitoring Survey collected that data.

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries studies marine mammals, including endangered North Atlantic right whales. We find ways to reduce risks posed to them by human activities and environmental change to recover and protect species.

Modeling Right Whale Distribution Supports Proactive Management

There are approximately 370 North Atlantic right whales remaining, including only about 70 reproductively active females. Right whales feed on copepods, a type of zooplankton. They forage off the Northeast coast of the United States and Canada in the winter and spring when copepods are most abundant there. Their foraging grounds overlap with shipping, fishing, and other human activities. This puts them at risk of entanglement and vessel strikes, the two primary causes of right whale deaths. Changes in climate and oceanographic conditions are shifting the availability of copepods and thus the distribution of whales. Modeling right whale distribution allows for effective management to prevent human-caused whale deaths and injuries. Examples of this include Right Whale Slow Zones and Dynamic Management Areas.

Scientists predict the distribution of these whales using density surface models based on visual data collected from aerial and shipboard surveys, along with acoustic data. For this study, scientists used aerial and shipboard survey data, which included 5,196 individual whale sightings by seven institutions from 2003-2017.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries