Saving Seafood

Coastal Marsh Restoration in the Mid-Atlantic: Aligning Habitat Objectives to Maximize Project Benefits

September 11, 2024 — Tidal Wetlands Are a Seafood Powerhouse

Estuaries are some of the most ecologically productive ecosystems in the world. They support diverse coastal economies, tourism and recreation, marine transportation and construction, and fisheries. Many commercial and recreationally important fish use coastal wetlands as habitat for at least part of their lives.

But these marshes face challenges, some driven or amplified by human activities. For example, ditches created in the marsh for mosquito control or agriculture have been shown to diminish the health of tidal marsh vegetation.Tidal constrictions, such as culverts or tide gates, can also restrict the natural flooding cycle necessary to support a healthy marsh. Finally, sea-level rise is and will continue to drive loss and degradation of substantial areas of coastal marsh.

Addressing Threats Through Holistic Planning

NOAA is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other partners to address these challenges. We have developed a guidance document focused on coastal marsh restoration in the mid-Atlantic region. It highlights our common goals, provides guidance for partners, and addresses some potential issues of concern. It marks a step forward toward scaling up effective coastal marsh restoration in the face of many challenges. We recognize that an integrated approach, prioritizing overall ecosystem function above species-specific needs, is the best way to ensure coastal marsh persistence in light of an uncertain future.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Under Pressure to Restore Deep-Sea Corals

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

For 3 weeks this summer, a team of experts set out on C-Innovation’s M/V Island Intervention to support the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities restoration projects. This effort aims to restore vital seafloor habitats damaged by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This operation, which took place within and around the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, involved a unique combination of data collection methods, as well as some competition akin to the 2024 Olympic Games!

The mission objectives were to:

  • Install new mooring buoys to prevent anchor damage to the seafloor in the sanctuary
  • Collect samples of mesophotic and deep-sea coral species for lab rearing and propagation
  • Collect additional biological, sediment, and water samples
  • Remove invasive lionfish and large marine debris
  • Complete habitat transect surveys
  • Execute coral transplants to test propagation and outplanting methods
  • Deploy equipment such as benthic landers and Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures

The Pressure is On—Literally

Working at depth—in this case, several hundred feet below the ocean’s surface—takes some unique methodologies. Often, restoration teams deploy specialized equipment such as remotely operated vehicles to collect samples or observations deep in the ocean. In other cases—as with this mission—we also employ some good old-fashioned humans to get the job done.

Due to our specific needs on this expedition, we partnered with saturation divers from the Navy Experimental Diving Unit. These divers are expertly trained to work quickly and nimbly underwater for long periods of time. Saturation diving involves divers being at depth long enough to bring all the body’s tissues into equilibrium with the pressures of the compressed breathing gas in their tank. Most recreational and scientific diving requires divers to spend hours decompressing before returning to the surface after each dive. Saturation diving saves time by keeping the divers under pressure the whole time (cue: Freddie Mercury vocals).

This method requires specialized equipment and techniques to get the job done safely. While the divers live on deck between dives like everyone else, they have to stay within a pressurized chamber on board to ensure the pressure in their tissues remains consistent throughout the mission. Then, when it’s time to dive, the divers enter a diving bell that is lowered by a crane onboard the ship. Once lowered to the seafloor, the divers step out into the underwater realm and get to work.

NOAA fishery councils prepare to adapt to climate change

September 10, 2024 — Shifts in marine species migration and population concentrations are forcing NOAA Fisheries to rethink its regional administrative maps to reflect the new realities of changing ocean habitats.

In guidance released Tuesday, the agency’s Office of Sustainable Fisheries established a framework for when and how regulation of a species should be handed off from one regional fishery management council to another based on shifting species population dynamics. The guidance does not specifically mention climate change, but the effects of warming water on fish migration have been widely acknowledged by NOAA Fisheries, also called the National Marine Fisheries Service, and other experts.

“In anticipation of an increasing number of fish stocks shifting in geographic distribution, new fisheries emerging, and other demographic shifts in fisheries, the National Marine Fisheries Service has identified a need for guidance on determining the geographic scope of fisheries and on how to determine which regional fishery management councils will be responsible for preparing and amending new [and] existing fishery management plans for fisheries that extend or have moved beyond the geographical area of authority of any one council,” the agency said in the guidance document.

Read the full article at E&E News

Fishermen look to kill NOAA at-sea monitoring rule following Supreme Court victory

September 9, 2024 — Following their Chevron deference victory at the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, commercial fishermen are seeking to finally kill a NOAA Fisheries rule requiring them to pay for at-sea monitors out of pocket.

The legal battle stems from a 2020 NOAA Fisheries requirement forcing some commercial fishermen to pay for at-sea monitors out of pocket, with costs rising higher than USD 700 (EUR 640) per day. The fishermen sued but were quickly stymied by the courts’ use of the Chevron deference, a 40-year-old legal precedent that instructs judges to defer to federal agencies – in this case NOAA Fisheries – in interpreting Congressional statutes.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

North Carolina Oyster Restoration Project Trains the Next Generation of Marine Scientists

September 9, 2024 — The North Carolina Coastal Federation is taking a new, transformational approach to restoration. They are partnering with the state Division of Marine Fisheries to construct more than 100 acres of oyster reef habitat in the Pamlico Sound. They’re also preparing science students to tackle the country’s conservation and coastal resilience challenges. NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation awarded the Federation $14.9 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act for this work.

They are partnering with North Carolina State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) and North Carolina Central University (NCCU), a Historically Black University. These partnerships are expanding opportunities for underrepresented students.

“With climate change, sea level rise, and all the other things the environment is experiencing, we need to train the next generation of restoration practitioners,” says Dr. Dave Eggleston, Director of CMAST. “We also know that the more diverse the workforce, the better the ideas generated.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

NOAA inches closer toward establishing marine sanctuary along California coast

September 9, 2024 — NOAA has completed another milestone toward achieving U.S. President Joe Biden’s goal of establishing a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of central California, releasing the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary.

“Today, our administration is taking a critical step toward designating the first Indigenous-proposed National Marine Sanctuary,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement. “As a senator, I was proud to support efforts to create the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off California’s coast to honor our commitments to Indigenous communities and promote natural spaces. President Biden and I will continue to protect, conserve, and restore lands and waters in communities across our nation.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Biden-Harris Administration invests more than $23 million to remove marine debris

September 6, 2024 —  Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA recommended more than $23 million in funding to support marine debris removal and interception efforts for 13 multi-year projects across 10 coastal U.S. states, three territories and the District of Columbia. This funding is provided by NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts initiative under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

The Climate-Ready Coasts initiative is focused on creating climate solutions by storing carbon; building resilience to coastal hazards such as extreme weather events, pollution and marine debris; restoring coastal habitats; building the capacity of coastal  communities; and supporting community-driven restoration.

“The Biden-Harris Administration is funding critical projects like these that will help remove and address harmful marine debris that can significantly impact water quality, habitats and economic prosperity in coastal communities across the nation,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These investments, made possible thanks to President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help improve coastal communities for decades to come by making sure they have the necessary resources to protect their ecosystems and local economies from the impacts of marine debris, which are exacerbated by climate change.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Biden-Harris Administration invests $101.5 million for ocean observing systems

September 5, 2024 — Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $101.5 million in funding across 12 awards to expand equitable service delivery and support the modernization of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Regional Associations. U.S. IOOS supports ongoing data collection in U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes waters and develops infrastructure and tools to make that data accessible. These funds are made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“Thanks to President Biden and Vice President Harris’ ambitious climate agenda, we are giving communities, particularly frontline and underserved communities, the tools and information they need to build resilience to devastating weather and climate disasters,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “With this $101.5 million investment, NOAA’s IOOS will be able to improve and deliver critical information and tools to help coastal communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

Quiet Sound’s Voluntary Ship Slowdown Reduces Underwater Noise Reaching Killer Whales

September 5, 2024 — The arrival of endangered Southern Resident killer whales in Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound in September will trigger a voluntary slowdown for large commercial vessels. Last year, the slowdown reduced by half the underwater noise reaching the whales.

The Voluntary Large Commercial Vessel Slowdown is an initiative of Quiet Sound, a program of Washington Maritime Blue. It’s driven by a leadership committee composed of ports, agencies, tribes, and other groups collaborating to reduce threats from large commercial vessels to killer whales and other marine mammals. You can help by reporting whale sightings. The Whale Report Alert System will relay the sightings to mariners so they know when and where to watch for the marine mammals.

NOAA Fisheries named Quiet Sound a Partner in the Spotlight in 2023 after they successfully launched the first trial slowdown period in the fall of 2022. “The collaboration with our partners and industry is what makes this work,” said Gretchen Hanshew, acting branch chief for the Protected Resources Division in NOAA Fisheries’ Seattle office. “Quiet Sound saw measurable improvements last year, so I am optimistic that we may see even larger noise reductions this year. We know that makes a meaningful difference for the whales by reducing how much energy they have to spend each day to survive.”

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

NOAA: pile driving can be adverse to marine species

September 5, 2024 — The federal government is now saying that pile driving for the Vineyard Wind project is likely to have an adverse impact on marine life, although it won’t be a detriment to the population of the endangered North Atlantic right whales.

An announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in late ugust reads that the agency concluded the proposed pile driving for the installation of 15 remaining monopiles will “adversely affect, but is not likely to jeopardize, the continued existence” of whales, sea turtles, or fish listed in the Endangered Species Act.

“It will have no effect on any designated critical habitat,” the announcement reads. “NOAA Fisheries does not anticipate serious injuries to or mortalities of any Endangered Species Act listed whale including the North Atlantic right whale.”

The full biological opinion by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is not publicly available yet. NOAA spokesperson Andrea Gomez told the Times on Tuesday the new opinion will be available on the agency’s library website “any day now.”

Read the full article at MV Times