Saving Seafood

US promises $240 million to improve fish hatcheries, protect tribal rights in Pacific Northwest

July 26, 2024 — The U.S. government will invest $240 million in salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest to boost declining fish populations and support the treaty-protected fishing rights of Native American tribes, officials announced Thursday.

The departments of Commerce and the Interior said there will be an initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization made available to 27 tribes in the region, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska.

The hatcheries “produce the salmon that tribes need to live,” said Jennifer Quan, the regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region. “We are talking about food for the tribes and supporting their culture and their spirituality.”

Some of the facilities are on the brink of failure, Quan said, with a backlog of deferred maintenance that has a cost estimated at more than $1 billion.

Read the full article at the Associated Press

Biden administration announces USD 220 million for coastal habitat restoration, resilience

July 26, 2024 — The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has recommended USD 220 million (EUR 203 million) in spending on coastal resilience and habitat restoration projects, with much of the money supporting salmon recovery efforts.

“These transformational projects will restore healthy coastal ecosystems across the country,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit said. “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.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NOAA proposes protection for 10 giant ocean-dwelling clams

July 26, 2024 — NOAA Fisheries has proposed Endangered Species Act listings for 10 giant clams, saying five of the marine species are in danger of extinction throughout the entirety or a significant portion of their ranges with five others losing habitat at alarming rates.

The clams — which can weigh as much as 500 pounds and have shells as long as 4.5 feet — have been decimated by “pervasive harvest for subsistence and domestic sale, and several periods of short-lived but intensive commercial harvest have severely depleted giant clam populations throughout their respective ranges,” the agency said in a Federal Register notice Thursday.

The proposed rule, which is open for public comment through Oct. 23, arrives eight years after biologist Dwayne Meadows petitioned NOAA to protect the giant clams whose range includes parts of the Pacific and Indian oceans, including Hawaii and the Marshall Islands.

Read the full article at E&E News

US Senate committee recommends fully funding NOAA Fisheries, setting up fight with House

July 26, 2024 — The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has voted to fully fund NOAA Fisheries’ USD 1.1 billion (EUR 1 billion) 2025 budget request, setting it at odds with the U.S. House Appropriations Committee’s plans to slash the agency’s budget by 22 percent.

The Democrat-led committee voted to allocate USD 1.2 billion (EUR 1.1 billion) for NOAA Fisheries’ operations, research, and facilities budget, roughly USD 53 million (EUR 49 million) more than the agency requested. Most of the additional funding was split roughly evenly between the protected resources science and management budget and the fisheries science and management budget. USD 5 million (EUR 4.6 million) was added to the habitat conservation and restoration budget.

Read the full article SeafoodSource

NOAA to provide $54 million for marine debris cleanups

July 25, 2024 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it has up to $54 million in new funding to pay for marine debris cleanup. Two grant offerings are aimed at the usual large-scale collection of debris – and “installation, monitoring and maintenance of proven marine debris interception technologies,” according to the agency.

The funding is part of NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative. “Marine debris threatens the health, productivity and overall economic viability of coastal communities throughout the nation,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in announcing the funds. “These new funding opportunities, made possible thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, will strengthen our coastal infrastructure, keep debris from entering our waterways, and help protect our public health and marine ecosystems.”

Read the full article at WorkBoat

Innovative Technology Helps Scientists Better Estimate Ages of Long-Lived Rockfish

July 25, 2024 — Scientists demonstrate that an innovative technology to scan fish otoliths (ear stones) coupled with trained computer models can determine rockfish ages as well as humans, and even more quickly.

This technology, Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy, examines the unique vibrations of molecules in otoliths, especially the way they absorb near-infrared light, to gather detailed chemical information related to fish age.

In this study, NOAA Fisheries scientists used this near-infrared technology in combination with a type of machine learning called deep learning. This is a method of artificial intelligence that teaches computers to process data in a way that is inspired by the human brain. Deep learning models can recognize complex patterns in pictures, text, sounds, and other data to produce accurate insights and predictions. In this case, scientists used the technology on fish otoliths and integrated it with information on fish length, fish sex, otolith weight, and geographic coordinates to predict rockfish ages.

In the Age and Growth lab, a common method to determine the age of a fish is to extract otoliths from fish and use various techniques. This includes cutting, burning or baking, to make the growth rings in the otoliths more prominent. Scientists then use a microscope to count the rings to estimate the fish’s age. However, using near-infrared technology with deep-learning to estimate fish ages improves precision. It also enhances efficiency compared to ages generated by humans.

Read the full article at NOAA Fisheries 

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