November 5, 2026 — A NOAA Fisheries analysis shows increased depredation by sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and the Southeast Atlantic.
The analysis looked at data from the Southeast Fisheries Science Center’s Bottom Longline Survey, which focuses on sharks, red snapper, yellowedge and red grouper, and golden tilefish from Brownsville, Texas, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
October 20, 2026 — Depredation, the removal of or damage to hooked fish or gear by sharks or other marine predators, is a growing concern among fishing communities. Depredation results in increased mortality for managed fish stocks, economic loss, and degraded fishing experiences.
NOAA Fisheries biologists Dr. William “Trey” Driggers and Dr. Walter Ingram recently analyzed data from the Southeast Fisheries Science Center’s Bottom Longline Survey. Their goal: to determine trends in depredation rates over the past two decades. This is one of the first fishery-independent analyses of shark depredation—most research has been conducted in the fishery. The data confirm what anglers are seeing on the water: increasing trends in depredation by species like sandbar, blacktip, bull, and tiger sharks.
The annual Bottom Longline Survey, which started in 1995, samples U.S. waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of America, from Brownsville, Texas, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Scientists use these data to monitor trends in abundance of federally managed sharks and other fish species like red snapper. It provides fishery-independent indices of abundance for numerous federal stock assessments in the Southeast region. When the survey protocol was standardized in 2001, Dr. Driggers recognized the importance of collecting data on depredation events. He added it as a standard data collection metric for the survey.
Since 2005, the survey has collected data on:
This has resulted in a standardized record of depredation events for all survey longline sets for more than two decades.
December 11, 2025 — A puzzling stranding drew NOAA Fisheries experts to Panama City Beach, Fla. On Nov. 21, an 11.4-foot female shortfin mako washed ashore in the early morning hours.
According to NOAA, strandings of “large pelagic species like the mako shark are relatively rare for this area,” prompting an immediate response from the Southeast Fisheries Science Center to secure the shark and conduct a full necropsy- an animal autopsy.
August 13, 2021 — Another eruption of red tide on the southwest Florida coast has brought fish kills and public health advisories to beaches, and commercial fishermen are pitching in the help scientists map out the effects.
Fishermen who work offshore of the Tampa Bay region are providing oceanographic data to NMFS’ Southeast Fisheries Science Center, as part of the center’s ongoing collaboration with the Florida Commercial Watermen’s Conservation.
The non-profit group is dedicated to science-based water quality testing and marine stewardship, founded and operated by commercial fishermen in response to devastating red tide blooms of the last five years.
The group trains and outfit fishermen with water monitoring kits, for its mission ‘to quantify the environmental and oceanographic conditions before, during, and after red tide blooms to better understand their dynamics and provide timely decision-support to increase the resilience of fishermen and fishing communities on the west coast of Florida to red tide events.”
July 19, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Scientists from NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center recently completed the first leg of a mission to survey marine mammals and other protected species in waters off the southeast coast of the United States. They are locating, identifying, and counting marine mammals from both the NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter and a NOAA Twin Otter aircraft.
The data they collect will be used to assess the abundance, distribution, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds throughout the U.S. Atlantic. These data are also critical for updating the Atlantic stock assessment reports required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
Usually, we conduct these marine mammal surveys annually but were not able to collect data in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The beginning of this trip has also had some challenges—two tropical storms have made for rough seas and grounded flights.
In spite of these challenges, the ship-board team has logged 325 marine mammal sightings—a single leg record for the team—since departing Newport, Rhode Island on June 12 and arriving in Charleston, South Carolina on July 3. Notable sightings included two large Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) sightings, a Gervais’ beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus) sighting, and multiple false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) sightings. Scientists were also towing a hydrophone array to collect passive acoustic data—underwater sounds from whales and dolphins. They collected 76 recordings, 16 of which were from sperm whale groups.
July 19, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries is accepting comments on an application for an exempted fishing permit from NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Fisheries Science Center Panama City, Florida Laboratory. The objectives of this project are to (1) use underwater video to collect size and abundance data and describe benthic habitats of deep-water reef fish species off the western, northeastern, and southeastern coasts of Puerto Rico and (2) collect biological samples to determine reproductive cycles, growth estimates, and the age and size at sexual maturation of commercially important deep-water snapper species.
The Caribbean Fishery Management Council has ranked investigations into deep-water snapper fishing at the highest priority level for deep-water research in their region. The applicant is currently authorized to conduct similar deep-water snapper research under an exempted fishing permit issued on July 30, 2020, which is valid through August 1, 2021.
Project Description:
NOAA Fisheries finds this application warrants further consideration, and is seeking public comment on the application. A final decision on issuance of the permit will depend on NOAA Fisheries’ review of public comments received, the Caribbean Fishery Management Council’s recommendations, consultations with the affected states and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as a determination that it is consistent with all applicable laws.
How to Comment on the Application:
The comment period is open now through July 30, 2021. You may submit comments by electronic submission or by postal mail. Comments sent by any other method (such as e-mail), to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA Fisheries.
Application information: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/commercial-fishing/noaa-nmfs-panama-city-lab-2021
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public comments via the e-Rulemaking portal.
Mail: Submit written comments to Sarah Stephenson, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
June 24, 2021 — The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA) reports that 19.1 million pounds of shrimp were landed across the Gulf of Mexico through the first five months of 2021, up from 17.0 million pounds over the same time period in the last two years. However, landings of shrimp in the Gulf this year have been 23 percent below the nineteen-year historical average of 24.9 million pounds, SSA notes.
Landings data are reported monthly from the Fishery Monitoring Branch of NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Fisheries Science Center. The Alliance provides context and historical perspective on the numbers for their members, the domestic shrimp industry in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
June 16, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Where did you grow up?
My parents emigrated from South Vietnam and settled in Abbeville. It is a small town near the central coast of Louisiana, where I was born and raised.
How did you come to work at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center?
Prior to working at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, I attended University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a major in Business Systems Analysis Technologies for 3 years. Circumstances forced me to leave college and continue the family shrimping business. I continued to work as a commercial shrimper in Louisiana for the next 10 years. During a routine TED check, I met Mr. Dale Stevens from the science center’s Gear Monitoring Team and during our interaction learned more about NOAA. I was intrigued at all the research and ingenuity done with the turtle excluder devices, something I have personally worked with throughout my years as a shrimper. When a position within the Gear Monitoring Team became available, I knew I would be a perfect fit for the role. I had a unique skill set, I’m bilingual in Vietnamese and English, and had 15 years of working with TEDs. In 2016, I got the opportunity to work with NOAA and I have been part of the Gear Monitoring Team since.
What do you do at the Science Center?
I am a Fisheries Methods and Equipment Specialist and Gear Monitoring Team Leader. My work consists of providing TED outreach to the shrimping industry. For the community I conduct at-sea and dockside courtesy inspections and building workshops. I also conduct inspection training for federal and state law enforcement along the entire Southeast region.
Canh is featured in this short video discussing the importance of turtle excluder devices, how they work, and compliance.
June 7, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Where did you grow up?
I’m a lifelong resident of the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Biloxi).
How did you come to work at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center?
I was born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and have been a lifelong resident of South Mississippi. I grew up with a passion for anything outdoors, especially fishing and shrimping with my family. I have been a member of the Gear Monitoring Team for 4 years. Before working for NOAA Fisheries, I supported NOAA Office of Marine & Aviation Operations as a contractor since 2008. I provided production oversight during the construction of the Fisheries Survey Vessels including the NOAA Ships Bell M. Shimada and Pisces. After that, I was acting Port Engineer for Pisces successfully executing major dockside and dry-dock repair periods. I addressed several critical casualties during the sailing season, ensuring the ship was available to complete her missions. While performing these duties, I interacted with a lot of people working for NOAA and quickly realized that NOAA Fisheries was the place for me! I was selected for the position and haven’t looked back.
What do you do at the Science Center?
As a member of the Gear Monitoring Team, I provide commercial shrimp fishermen and industry members with education, outreach, and training of Turtle Excluder Device rules and regulations. Our team provides law enforcement training to state and federal agencies. We also conduct courtesy TED inspections during “at sea” patrols and dockside in order to maintain compliance requirements. As a dive team member I participate in the testing of TED design, efficacy, and determining exclusion rate.
June 4, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Key Message:
NOAA Fisheries is working to improve the quality of information available for the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery. This bulletin provides federal shrimp permit holders with an overview of the new changes occurring with the Cellular Electronic Logbook Program.
Having appropriate and current data enables the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council and NOAA Fisheries to carry out responsive and timely fisheries management. Since the implementation of the shrimp permit moratorium in 2007, NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center continues the required data collections through fishing regulations.
What is New to the Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Permit (SPGM) Cellular Electronic Logbook (cELB) Program:
While NOAA Fisheries explores options for the replacement of the current 3G units, we will continue to send, and ask you to install replacement SD cards. The swap of SD cards allows the permit holder the ability to comply with the SPGM reporting requirement associated with this program. The information collected from the SD card returned to NOAA Fisheries will allow us to determine whether your unit is working properly or if you may need a new antenna or unit.
Thank you for your past and future cooperation with these data collection efforts. The information is critical for more responsive and timely management of the fishery. All individual information provided is confidential. These data collections are mandated by the final rule to implement actions in Amendment 13 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico