Saving Seafood

Cape Cod’s Coral Gardens (Yes, We Have Corals Here) Are in Trouble

July 25, 2024 — If you were to picture coral right now, your mind’s eye would surely see tropical reefs with crystal-clear turquoise water. But that image is incomplete: the temperate seas around the world are full of corals clinging to the walls of trenches, rocky cliffs, and seamounts, and the waters around Cape Cod are no exception.

The deep waters of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank are home to a vast array of corals. Previous research has revealed their diversity, ecological value, and adaptations. Now, a three-year-long National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) initiative is aiming to shed more light on these animals, which are facing a barrage of threats from human activity that could wipe them out before we even get a chance to understand them.

Read the full article at The Provincetown Independent 

World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project to Open 420 Miles of Salmon Habitat in Klamath River This Fall

July 25, 2024 — For the first time since 1918, an astonishing 420 miles of salmon habitat in the Klamath River watershed in California and Oregon will be fully connected by September. This results from the world’s largest dam removal effort, the Klamath River Renewal Project. The amount of habitat opened up on the Klamath is equivalent to the distance between Portland, Maine, and Philadelphia-a journey through seven states.

PacifiCorp, the previous owner, agreed to remove the aging dams after they determined removal would be less expensive than upgrading to current environmental standards. The dams had been used for power generation, not water storage. The Copco No. 2 Dam on the Klamath was removed last year. The deconstruction of the Iron Gate, Copco No. 1, and JC Boyle dams is underway and running ahead of schedule.

“I think in September, we may have some Chinook salmon and steelhead moseying upstream and checking things out for the first time in over 60 years,” says Bob Pagliuco, NOAA marine habitat resource specialist. “Based on what I’ve seen and what I know these fish can do, I think they will start occupying these habitats immediately. There won’t be any great numbers at first, but within several generations-10 to 15 years-new populations will be established.”

There’s more good news for Klamath salmon and steelhead. NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation recommends an $18 million award to the Yurok Tribe to restore and reconnect cold-water tributaries that will open to migratory fish after dam removal. Another roughly $1.9 million award is recommended to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to begin evaluating options for improving fish passage at Keno Dam. The Keno Dam sits upstream of the dams currently being removed. Nearly 350 miles of additional salmon habitat lie upstream. Both awards are funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

“The Yurok people are extremely happy to be witnessing the beginning of the Klamath River’s rebirth,” says Yurok Tribe Fisheries Department Director Barry McCovey. “The dams caused a tremendous amount of damage to the Klamath over the last century. Through the decommissioning project and holistic restoration, we are confident that we will see the Klamath’s salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey runs recover.”

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com

WASHINGTON: Washington secures $28M for salmon habitat restoration projects

July 23, 2024 — U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) announced on Monday more than $28 million in funding for three projects in Washington state aimed at restoring habitats for threatened salmon species.

The grants, awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Program, were secured through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Read the full article at FOX 13

NOAA Partners Create Jobs, Train Future Leaders to Advance Habitat Restoration Across the Country

July 23, 2024 — For more than 30 years, NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation has supported habitat restoration efforts across the country. We’ve reopened rivers in New England, rebuilt coral reefs in the Pacific Islands, restored coastal wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico, and more. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, we’re continuing our work to support fisheries, endangered species, and coastal communities. Many of our partners are helping to build capacity for current and future habitat restoration. Their efforts include workforce development programs, job creation, internships and educational opportunities, support for project planning, and engagement with community members.

Read on to learn more about how several of our partners are helping build capacity for habitat restoration efforts.

Recycling Oyster Shells on the Gulf Coast

Restore America’s Estuaries is coordinating with partners across the Gulf of Mexico to expand oyster recycling efforts and restore oyster reef habitat. They’re also working to engage more community members in the oyster recycling and restoration process.

In Florida, the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program will use funds provided through the Restore America’s Estuaries award to support an oyster shell recycling program driven by people ages 18 to 25. The Program has partnered with OysterCorps, a workforce development program managed by NOAA partner Franklin’s Promise Coalition. They will collect shells from participating restaurants and use them to create new oyster habitat in the Pensacola Bay area.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

US House committee proposes 22 percent cut to NOAA Fisheries budget in 2025

July 22, 2024 — Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have proposed a 22 percent cut to NOAA Fisheries’ 2025 budget, significantly scaling back funding for the agency charged with regulating America’s fisheries.

A 2025 funding bill recently approved by the House Appropriations Committee on a 31-26 vote includes just USD 865 million (EUR 795 million) for NOAA Fisheries’ operations, research, and facilities. That’s USD 248 million (EUR 228 million) less than Congress allocated for the agency in the omnibus 2024 spending bill passed in March 2024 and USD 239 million (EUR 220 million) less than the agency requested for 2025.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA recommends $18M to Yurok Tribe-led restoration project

July 19, 2024 — The NOAA‘s Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience program recommends $18 million for a Yurok Tribe-led restoration project.

The project aims to restore critically important segments of multiple Upper Klamath River tributaries.

This follows the progress of the Klamath River Renewal Project taking out four dams along the historic Klamath River.

Read the full article at KOBI

Offshore wind meeting nets few answers on sending energy to shore

July 18, 2024 — Of the four people who spoke at a virtual July 10 public meeting held by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the federal agency in charge of leasing offshore U.S. waters, three were concerned about energy transmission lines, cooling stations and standpipes during transmission to the mainland. But the meeting only addressed a draft environmental assessment issued June 21 over effects during the leasing and assessment process, so no answers were forthcoming.

The environmental assessment shows negligible to minor effects on the ocean environment, marine mammals and other ocean animals, navigation and vessel traffic, commercial and recreational fishing, recreation and tourism and cultural, historical and archaeologic resources. The assessment covers the “routine and non-route activities associated with lease and grant issuance, site characterization activities and site assessment activities with the wind energy area.”

A fourth comment came from ocean scientist David Dow of Falmouth, retired from NOAA Fisheries Woods Hole Laboratory in Massachusetts, who raised concerns over an ocean “degraded” by climate change by the time turbines start turning, around 2032, if offshore wind development progresses as planned.

Read the full article at Mount Desert Islander

Agency critics slam federal oversight of bycatch

July 18, 2024 — The agency that oversees the performances of federal agencies gave a sobering assessment of those tasked with monitoring bycatch in US fisheries.

That oversight falls to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), also called NOAA Fisheries, which agreed with the troubling performance outlined in a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

In a June report to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee titled “Efforts to Reduce and Monitor Unintentional Catch and Harm Need Better Tracking,” the GAO addressed four issues: measures used to reduce bycatch, coverage, and funding of fisheries observers, how bycatch estimates are developed and reported and how NMFS tracks its performance towards reducing and monitoring bycatch.

It added: “NMFS’ efforts to track its performance in reducing and monitoring bycatch do not align with key elements of evidence-based policymaking related to performance management.”

The GAO outlined numerous ways in which NMFS has failed to adequately tackle bycatch issues and blamed a lack of observer coverage overall. NMFS replied that it needs more funding to recruit and retain observers, but it hasn’t communicated that need to Congress.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

Reminder for Fishermen and Boaters: Avoid Trouble, Steer Clear of Bubbles!

July 18, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries reminds all fishermen and boaters to keep a safe distance from whales. Whales can get hooked in tuna rigs or tangled in monofilament lines. Recently, the Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network has received a number of reports of fishermen trolling their gear too close to humpback whales. This can result in injuries to both the whales and the people.

When fishing around whales, fishermen are reminded to:

  • Keep your distance: NOAA Fisheries recommends all fishermen and boaters to keep a safe distance from whales of at least 100-600 ft (and at least 1500 ft from endangered North Atlantic right whales, as required by federal law). 
  • Protect your gear and avoid entanglement: Don’t cast or troll near or around humpback whales or bubble clouds. If a bubble cloud appears while you’re fishing, pull up your gear, if possible. 
  • Slow down: In areas where you suspect whales will be present, slowing to 10 knots helps to prevent collisions by allowing both you and the whale time to react. 

Humpbacks create bubble clouds to corral their prey and then lunge through the center to swallow the small fish. Fishermen or boaters in these bubble patches run the risk of colliding with a massive 80,000-pound humpback whale as it rapidly approaches the surface. When a whale collides with a vessel, it can be gravely injured and die from its injuries. Collisions with whales have also thrown boaters from vessels, causing injuries and even death. 

In addition to the potential risk of a collision, the close proximity of a boat may cause a whale to stop feeding. All whales in U.S. waters are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it illegal for people to harm, injure, kill, chase, or harass whales or any other marine mammal. Harassment includes any activity that results in changes to the whales’ natural behaviors, such as feeding. Violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act can result in fines up to $35,000 and up to one year in prison.

Get more information on safe boating near whales.  

Biden-Harris Administration announces nearly $220 million for transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects

July 18, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is recommending nearly $220 million in funding, and an additional $66 million in future year funding, to support 32 transformational habitat restoration and coastal resilience projects as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. These funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act will build on decades of habitat work in priority watersheds and support innovative projects that implement cutting-edge restoration techniques and groundbreaking efforts that restore habitat in urban ecosystems to benefit underserved communities. 

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to an ambitious climate agenda that strengthens our coastal communities, combats the climate and nature crises, and makes our nation and economy more resilient. This historic investment, made possible thanks to President Biden’s commitment to investing in America, will help sustain our nation’s fisheries across our coastal communities by strengthening climate resilience and protecting ecosystems from the impacts of climate change,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

NOAA prioritized projects that demonstrated a broad base of partner and community support, inclusive practices and meaningful strategies to engage Tribal Nations and community groups, including underserved communities. 

“These transformational projects will restore healthy coastal ecosystems across the country,” said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “We’re proud to support projects that span a broad range of habitats and restoration techniques, from reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains, to outplanting corals to rebuild reefs to restoring salt marshes that will protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise.”

Funding — including future year funding — is going to partners in the following states and territories: Alaska ($1.5 million), California ($46 million), Connecticut ($4 million), Florida ($29.1), Georgia ($2.8 million), Hawaii ($14.8 million), Louisiana ($10 million), Maine ($9 million), Maryland ($10 million), Massachachusetts ($15 million), Michigan ($15 million), North Carolina ($23.9 million), Oregon ($16.6 million), Pennsylvania ($9.5 million), Puerto Rico ($5 million), Texas ($8.2 million), U.S. Virgin Islands ($2.5 million), Virginia ($17.5 million), Washington ($28.5 million), Wisconsin ($3.2 million), and a multi-state project across Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas ($12 million). The Yurok Tribe, and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians are also receiving funds. 

These projects were selected through the Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience funding opportunity, and build on the $285 million awarded from BIL/IRA funds for 38 projects during the first round of this funding opportunity in 2023.

This funding supports President Biden’s America the Beautiful Initiative, a locally led and voluntary, nation-wide effort to conserve, connect and restore 30 percent of lands, waters and wildlife by 2030. This is a program covered by the Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution 

NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation has a long history conducting habitat restoration by executing large-scale competitive funding opportunities and providing expert technical assistance through the Community-based Restoration Program. The program provides technical and financial assistance to partners across the country to develop high-quality habitat restoration projects that support our nation’s fisheries. Since its start in 1996, the program has helped implement more than 2,200 coastal habitat restoration projects — restoring more than 94,000 acres of habitat for fish and opening more than 4,400 stream miles for fish passage.

Please visit the NOAA Fisheries website to learn more about habitat restoration projects funded under the Bipartisan infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

Media contact:

James Miller, nmfs.pa@noaa.gov, (202) 579-4845