Saving Seafood

Researchers find evidence of different sardine species off West Coast

October 28, 2024 — Gary Longo was looking for what he thought would be small genetic differences across a single species of small, ocean-dwelling fish: Pacific sardine.

But as he examined the early data, he suddenly got a sinking feeling. He was looking at what appeared to be two completely different species.

Pacific sardines are small but ecologically important fish. For fishery management purposes, they are usually grouped into three subpopulations: the northern stock, the southern stock and the Gulf of California stock.

Longo, a contractor with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center, was part of a group looking to see if the different sardine stocks were genetically distinct from each other.

Now, as he looked at the data, he thought he must have made a mistake. Maybe he’d accidentally swapped plates with different samples.

Gradually, he and Matt Craig, a research geneticist with the center, realized they were looking at a sardine, but a species of sardine they had never detected along the West Coast of North America before: Japanese sardine, thousands of miles away from home.

Read the full article at OPB

New NOAA calculator helps oyster growers quantify their environmental benefit

October 28, 2024 — Oyster growers can now prove and track how well their farms benefit the local water supply thanks to a new tool from NOAA’s Connecticut-based Milford Lab.  

The Aquaculture Nutrient Removal Calculator, which provides growers with a science-based estimate of how much nitrogen their farms remove from local waterways, will help farmers to demonstrate what scientists call the ecological services (nitrogen reduction capability) of their farms. The team behind the project, which included scientists from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, hopes that this will help farmers with the aquaculture permitting process.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Releases Survey on Marine Mammal Deterrents

October 28, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA’s Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC) has released a survey to gather knowledge and perceptions about the nature of marine mammal interactions and use of deterrents currently employed by commercial, recreational, and tribal fishermen; aquaculture farmers; and marina and coastal property owners and managers. Developed in response to a request from NOAA Fisheries, the data collected will be used to create an index to identify the relative effectiveness of different allowable deterrents used by various user groups nationwide to reduce the risk of expected losses from damage by marine mammals on various user groups nationwide. The ultimate goal is to help NOAA Fisheries identify and prioritize those marine mammal deterrents that should be tested for their effectiveness to safely deter marine mammals and protect fishing gear/catch and property. If you are an aquaculture farmer; commercial, recreational, or tribal fishermen; or a coastal property owner or manager, please take a few minutes and complete the survey linked HERE and below. The survey is open until November 22, 2024. For more information, please contact Katie Zanowicz at katie.zanowicz@noaa.gov.

ALASKA: Alaska fishing industry sees nearly 7,000 job cuts

October 25, 2024 — The Alaska fishing industry, long regarded as an economic engine and cultural cornerstone, is grappling with steep financial losses and structural challenges. A recent Alaska Seafood Snapshot economic report by NOAA Fisheries underscores the scale of the crisis, showing that the state’s seafood sector has been hit with nearly 7,000 lost jobs, shrinking profitability, and a $1.8 billion decline in revenues between 2022 and 2023.

The report is based on ex-vessel landings, processed products, and wholesale revenue data through 2022, alongside statistical projections for 2023. Analysts also spoke with fishermen, processors, and community members to better capture the social impacts of the downturn. While this report focuses on the commercial fishing sector, NOAA noted that future studies may explore the broader effects on recreational and subsistence fisheries.

As Robert Foy, director of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center stated in a press release, “The social and economic ramifications of Alaska’s losses have reverberated down the West Coast and across the country.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Science: The Secret Ingredient Behind Sustainable Seafood

October 25, 2024 — U.S. fisheries are among the largest and most sustainable in the world, thanks to strong science and a dynamic management process. Just as culinary experts transform sustainable ingredients into delicious dishes, fisheries management councils use NOAA science to develop sound fisheries management policies.

Locally sourced seafood restaurants are keenly aware of the important role fisheries science plays in their ability to fill our plates without depleting our ocean. That’s why a New England-based seafood restaurant group, Row 34, brought their staff on an educational visit to NOAA’s Woods Hole Lab in Massachusetts in September.

“Row 34 is, and always will be, about getting our teams and our guests as close to the source of where our food comes from as possible,” shared co-owner Shore Gregory. “Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the NOAA operations in Woods Hole helped deepen our understanding of the complexities of our oceans and how we can continue to be great stewards.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

New report shows increase in North Atlantic right whale population

October 25, 2024 — A new report shows that the endangered North Atlantic right whale species may be making a comeback. However, scientist say there is still much more to be done.

The right whale population is making a slight rebound. According to the latest report from NOAA, the current population is estimated at 372, which is an increase from last year’s data of 360 whales.

“It’s not necessarily a sign of complete celebration and everything is well and this population is fully recovered, there’s still threats that this species is unfortunately facing,” said Oceans Campaigner for the Center for Biological Diversity, Ben Grundy.

Read the full article at Fox 22 

Marine Debris From Hurricanes Helene And Milton Could Take Years To Remove

October 24, 2024 — The recovery and cleanup process following hurricanes Helene and Milton will take months or even years to fully complete.

But the cleanup extends well beyond people’s homes and businesses. Marine debris has also found its way onshore, as well as into Florida’s canals and rivers, adding another layer to the cleanup.

“After hurricanes, they create a large pulse of debris in a short amount of time,” explains Ashley Hill, the Florida Regional Coordinator for NOAA’s marine debris program.

Hurricanes are so powerful that they are able to move large amounts of water. The water displacement, combined with the wind and storm surge, pushes trash, plastic and debris that has been floating around the Gulf of Mexico on the Florida coast and inland. All the trash now has to be picked up and removed.

What is marine debris?

Marine debris is any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material that intentionally or unintentionally ends up in our oceans or Great Lakes, according to NOAA.

“Anything human-made and solid can become marine debris once lost or littered in these aquatic environments,” says NOAA. “Our trash has been found in every corner of our ocean.”

Just one year after Hurricane Irma hit Florida in 2017, more than 250,000 cubic yards of marine debris had been reported removed at an estimated cost of $43 million, according to NOAA.

Hurricanes carry marine debris well inland

Hill explains that the marine debris removal following hurricanes Helene and Milton will take a very long time and is also very expensive.

“We’re finding things months, sometimes years after a particular hurricane,” said Hill. “A great example of that is we’re getting close to funding projects that will be removing some debris that we still have remaining from Hurricane Ian, which made landfall about two years ago.”

Read the full article at The Weather Channel

Weird Science: NOAA lab in Beaufort celebrating 125th year of research in eastern North Carolina

October 24, 2024 — The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science lab in Beaufort is celebrating its 125th year in November.

Waves lap at the shoreline of the shallow, calm waters of the Pamlico Sound in Beaufort, where the NOAA lab has stood for more than 120 years. It began as a U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries field station in 1899 — originally on Front Street — and moved to its current location on Pivers Island in 1902.

It is the second oldest federal marine laboratory in the U.S., after Woods Hole.

Dr. Larisa Avens is a sea turtle research biologist at the lab. Part of her work involves necropsies – autopsies on animals, often sea turtles that have died along the eastern North Carolina coast.

There are no outward signs of how old a sea turtle may be, so Dr. Avens uses a saw to cut into the humerus – a bone in the front flipper.

“The bones have growth rings in them that are similar to tree rings that we can count to estimate how old they are, and then, of course, each of those rings is related to a calendar year,” Avens explained.

Read the full article at Public Radio Coast

New Calculator Helps Oyster Growers Measure the Water Quality Benefits of Farms

October 24, 2024 — When it comes to removing excess nutrients from waterways, shellfish are a powerhouse. The NOAA Milford Lab in Connecticut studies the environmental benefits—also called ecosystem services—that shellfish provide. Nutrient removal is a particularly valuable ecosystem service.

Nutrients like nitrogen are essential to life, but often excess nutrients end up in coastal waters from human sources including lawn fertilizer and agricultural runoff. When this goes unchecked, algae can grow out of control. This can cause environmental problems including low dissolved oxygen, fish kills, and dead zones. Oysters and other bivalves—shellfish with two shells— help keep nutrients in check by filter feeding on algae. While they feed, these mighty shellfish improve water quality. This effect has been well documented by scientists, although it is not typically considered within the aquaculture permit review process.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries

ALASKA: Alaska lost almost 7,000 fishing-related jobs over 2022-2023

October 23, 2024 — The fishing industry in Alaska has been hit hard in recent years, but a recent economic report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries agency (NOAA Fisheries), shows that Alaska has lost almost 7,000 jobs in the fishing industry.

The report comes after concerned seafood industry members saw a downturn in profit in 2023 and requested NOAA Fisheries to conduct an independent analysis.

NOAA Fisheries said they compiled data from fishing boats, processors, and international trade databases for both state and federal fisheries in Alaska.

The report estimates the Alaska seafood industry suffered a $1.8 billion loss between 2022 and 2023, and the industry saw a 50% decline in profitability between 2021 and 2023.

Read the full article at Alaska News Service