Saltwater News

2024 Flatfish Biology Conference

2024-07-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Halibut | Credit: NOAA Fisheries

The 18th Flatfish Biology Conference will be held on November 13 and 14, 2024, at Water's Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Connecticut.

The Flatfish Biology Conference is a forum where a diverse community of national and international scientists, researchers, and students present research findings, and share their knowledge in a supportive and inclusive environment.

For more information, see: 18th Flatfish Biology Conference - 2024 (NOAA)

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Management Plan

2024-06-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Deep Sea Corals

In June 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NOAA Fisheries released the final management plan and environmental assessment for the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

The monument was established to protect and conserve unique and pristine habitats, historic objects and features of high scientific interest within its borders.

The plan provides the foundation for long-term collaborative management and community stewardship of the monument, according to NOAA Fisheries.

Under the management plan, USFWS and NOAA Fisheries will work as a monument management team to engage partners, conserve and protect the marine ecosystem, and establish stewardship, research, exploration, engagement and education programs that further understanding and connect people to the unique ecosystem and its inhabitants.

The final plan establishes long-term guidance to achieve monument goals and objectives, which are derived from the Presidential Proclamations, federal mandates and public input.

USFWS and NOAA Fisheries selected the preferred alternative (Alternative 2), which adopts the management plan and a permitting system that leverages the existing permitting programs of the joint management agencies.

The final management plan was prepared with input from public comments received during the 45-day public comment period from September 12 to October 26, 2023, including six public meetings held in-person and virtually.

The final management plan and environmental assessment can be found on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument website.

Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument Facts:

On September 15, 2016, President Barack Obama established the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument by Presidential Proclamation 9496 (81 FR 65159), under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906.

The Monument is located about 130 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and is approximately the size of Connecticut (4,913 square miles).

The Monument includes the waters and submerged lands within two Units – a Submarine Canyons Unit and a Seamounts Unit.

The Monument protects fragile and largely pristine deep-sea environments. The nutrient-rich monument is considered to be one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

The area includes a landscape of ancient volcanoes and deep canyons that supports deep-sea corals, an abundance of phytoplankton, and an array of seabirds, fish, squid and shrimp.

Marine life in the area provide a vital food source for whales, giant manta rays, leatherback sea turtles, and other marine creatures.

It is the first and only marine national Monument in the Atlantic Ocean.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NOAA jointly manage the Monument.

A marine national monument is an ocean area designated by a presidential proclamation under the Antiquities.

Related Information

Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary Public Input Sought

U.S. Continental Shelf Outer Limits Extended

2024-01-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

In December, the U.S. Department of State released the geographic coordinates defining the outer limits of the U.S. continental shelf in areas beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast, known as the extended continental shelf (ECS).

Under international law, the USA and other countries have rights to conserve and manage the resources and vital habitats on and under their ECS.

The U.S. ECS area is approximately one million square kilometers spread across seven regions. The Department of State led the ECS effort through the U.S. ECS Task Force, an interagency body of the U.S. Government composed of 14 agencies.

Determining the ECS outer limits requires data on the depth, shape, and geophysical characteristics of the seabed and subsoil.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were responsible for collecting and analyzing the necessary data.

Data collection began in 2003 and constitutes the largest offshore mapping effort ever conducted by the United States.

The United States determined its ECS limits in accordance with customary international law and the Scientific and Technical Guidelines of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, according to the Department of State.

The outer limits of the U.S. ECS and additional information are available in the Executive Summary posted on the Department of State website at state.gov/shelf.

source: U.S. Department of State

What is an eVDSD?

2024-01-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

In 2018 a new standard was developed by the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) for an SOS electronic visual distress signal device (eVDSD).

The RTCM SC13200.0 standard for eVDSDs was determined to be acceptable for use by CG-ENG Policy Letter 03-18, dated December 21,2018.

A wide range of eVDSDs are available to provide basic SOS communications for mariners during nighttime situations.

The U.S. Coast Guard apparently considers eVDSD technology to be a component of a wider safety strategy, stating:

"Any single distress signal should be considered only a part of a vessel’s complete distress system. Other communications, safety, and distress signal equipment should always be used as personal preparedness for a worse case distress situation."

USCG Guidance on Navigational Safety In and Around Offshore Renewable Energy Installations

2023-12-31T10:47:00.000-08:00

Block Island Wind Farm | credit: BOEM

With wind farm production ramping up along the Atlantic Coast, mariners are facing new navigational challenges.

To address the issue, the U.S.Coast Guard (USCG) has published Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 03-23: Guidance on Navigational Safety In and Around Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREI).

The document provides guidance when planning and undertaking voyages in the vicinity of offshore renewable energy installations (OREI) in U.S. waters.

The Coast Guard advises prudent mariners to review and utilize this NVIC to make an informed risk assessment prior to navigating within or in the vicinity of an OREI.

Important Maritime Safety Information (MSI) relating to OREIs is distributed by Local or Broadcast Notices to Mariners (LNM or BNM) promulgated by Coast Guard Districts.

Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIB) released by the local Captain of the Port (COTP) may be issued to provide supplemental information.

source: USCG Notice to Mariners

Related Information

South Fork Offshore Wind Project

International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Wrap-Up Symposium 2022

2022-07-02T12:21:00.001-07:00

The International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Wrap-Up Symposium will be held October 4-6, 2022 in Vancouver, Canada. 2022 is the final year of the International Year of the Salmon.

The Symposium will be held over three days in the heart of majestic Vancouver, Canada during the splendor of Fall.

The International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Wrap-Up Symposium will be held in-person and provide an opportunity for salmon scientists, managers, and knowledge holders to build connections after an extended period of limited travel and virtual meetings.

The Wrap-Up Symposium theme will be ‘Salmon in a Rapidly Changing World: Synthesis of the International Year of the Salmon and a Roadmap to 2030.’

The International Year of the Salmon (IYS), a five-year initiative established in 2018 and governed by the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) and North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), has explored the conditions necessary for the resilience of salmon and people in a changing world.

The IYS is bringing together participants from academia, government, industry, NGOs and Indigenous organizations to consider the progress made by the IYS, and discuss the actions necessary to enable progress towards these conditions over the next decade.

The IYS Synthesis Symposium: ‘Salmon in a Rapidly Changing World: Synthesis of the International Year of the Salmon and a Roadmap to 2030’ is the culmination of over 13 workshops and symposia, three historic High Seas Expeditions and over 80 associated events across the North Atlantic and North Pacific basins.

The IYS Synthesis Symposium will have a strong focus on forward looking perspectives, with the ultimate goal of developing a Roadmap for the resilience of salmon and people through to 2030.

Presentations will be organized under five of the IYS themes:

Status of Salmon
Information Systems
Salmon in a Changing Salmosphere
New Frontiers
Human Dimensions

The synthesis papers and the presentations given during the Symposium will be used to identify critical knowledge or method gaps and potential solutions.

The Symposium will be hosted by The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (nasco.int) and The North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (npafc.org).

For more information, visit: yearofthesalmon.org

Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary Public Input Sought

2022-06-17T08:45:00.003-07:00

Deepwater Coral

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries recently announced that the agency will seek public input, the first step in the process to potentially designate a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of New York and New Jersey.

Stakeholders include recreational and commercial fishermen, researchers, and others.

The public can comment on the proposed Hudson Canyon sanctuary designation until August 8, 2022, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov. The docket number is NOAA-NOS-2022-0053.

In addition, NOAA will host public meetings during which members of the public can offer oral comments.

A detailed description of the proposed sanctuary, additional information about opportunities to provide comment, and information about the public meetings can be found at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/hudson-canyon/.

Hudson Canyon is the largest submarine canyon along the U.S. Atlantic coast and is one of the largest in the world.

Beginning approximately 100 miles southeast of New York City, Hudson Canyon extends about 350 miles seaward, reaches depths of 2 to 2.5 miles, and is up to 7.5 miles wide.

Hudson Canyon's diverse structure includes steep slopes, firm outcrops, diverse sediments, flux of nutrients, and areas of upwelling.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Hudson Canyon is an ecological hotspot for a variety of marine wildlife. The deepwater canyon is home to numerous fish species including sharks, tuna, billfish, swordfish, blackbelly rosefish, tilefish, flounder, hakes, pollock, monkfish, and black sea bass. Invertebrates include red crabs, lobsters, and squids.

Some species live only in shallower depths on the shelf while others live deep in the canyon, which starts about 100 miles southeast of New York City on the continental shelf and runs some 300 miles into very deep water.

Several NGOs have endorsed the designation. The Wildlife Conservation Society submitted a nomination for a Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary in November 2016, noting that the area provides a wide range of benefits to New York and New Jersey residents such as clean air, fresh water, recreation, and food.

In June, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation released a statement commending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for initiating the designation process of Hudson Canyon, off the coast of New York City, to become a new national marine sanctuary.

Related Information

Hudson Canyon Marine Life

Flatfish Biology Conference 2022

2022-06-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

The 17th Flatfish Biology Conference will be held November 15 to 16, 2022, at Water's Edge Resort and Spa in Westbrook, Connecticut.

Presentation and poster title submissions have been extended until July 15, 2022. Abstracts are due by September 12, 2022.

Presentations will last around 15 minutes with 5 minutes for questions.

For more information, visit: 17th Flatfish Biology Conference | NOAA Fisheries

National Working Waterfront Network Conference 2022

2022-06-09T08:19:00.003-07:00

The 2022 National Working Waterfront Network’s Conference will take place from July 19th to July 21st, 2022 in Boston, MA at UMass Boston’s oceanfront campus.

The National Working Waterfront Network’s Conference is the only national event that brings together people from across North America to connect with one another and showcase (and initiate) initiatives that protect and promote working waterfronts.

Working waterfronts include waterfront lands, waterfront infrastructure, and waterways that are used for water-dependent activities, such as ports, marinas, small recreational boat harbors, and fishing docks.

By design, the conference moves around the country to highlight the diversity of the nation’s working waterfronts; to foster a cross-fertilization of ideas, knowledge, and solutions; and to generate strategic partnerships.

The National Working Waterfront Network will be partnering with the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston to host the 2022 conference.

Conference Sessions

Plenary Sessions, which will feature leaders and keynote presenters from the working waterfronts and waterways community.

Traditional Concurrent Sessions, which will include 15-20 minute speaker talks accompanied by PowerPoint presentations. Concurrent sessions will be arranged from individual abstracts submitted on similar topics.

Breakout “Panel” Sessions, which will include 90-minute breakout sessions with a panel of speakers on topics related to a specific theme.

Roundtable Discussions, which will include 90-minute breakout sessions of a facilitated and interactive discussion with engaged attendees on specific topics.

Formal Poster Session, which will feature all NWWN Conference poster presentations.

Creative Communication Installations, includes an individual or team presentation, discussion or performance of art, media, film, poetry, etc.

Field Trips

As a part of this conference, the NWWN has planned various field trips on the second day Wednesday, July 20th. In addition, there will be full-day field trips happening prior to the conference on Monday, July 18th as well.

The National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) is a nationwide network of businesses, industry associations, nonprofits, local governments and communities, state and federal agencies, universities, Sea Grant programs, and individuals dedicated to supporting, preserving, and enhancing America’s working waterfronts and waterways.

For more information, visit nationalworkingwaterfronts.com

When is National Maritime Day?

2022-04-05T05:14:00.001-07:00

In the USA, National Maritime Day is celebrated each year on May 22. Throughout the USA, ceremonies and celebrations recognize National Maritime Day and the people that work in the trade.

In 1933, Congress declared National Maritime Day to commemorate the American steamship Savannah’s voyage from the United States to England, marking the first successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean with steam propulsion.

The U.S. Merchant Marines help power the world’s largest economy and strengthen ties with trading partners around the world.

Container Ship Onloading

Merchant Marines also support U.S. military forces by shipping troops and supplies wherever they need to go.

During World War II more than 250,000 members of the American Merchant Marine served their country, with more than 6,700 giving their lives, hundreds being detained as prisoners of war and more than 800 U.S. merchant ships being sunk or damaged.

For more information, visit www.maritime.dot.gov.

South Fork Offshore Wind Project

2022-02-28T05:14:00.002-08:00

U.S. offshore wind turbines - credit: BOEM

In February 2022, a groundbreaking ceremony celebrated progress of the South Fork wind energy project. South Fork is the second commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project approved for federal waters in the United States.

The South Fork project will be located offshore Rhode Island and New York and have a capacity of 130 megawatts of wind energy.

In November 2021, the Department of the Interior announced the approval of the construction and operation of the South Fork wind project.

The South Fork project is expected to directly support approximately 165 jobs over the two-year construction period and approximately 10 long-term jobs during the operations and maintenance period. The project will also support jobs in the supply chain and service industries.

South Fork Wind Project Highlights:

On January 4, 2021, BOEM released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project was published on August 16, 2021.

On January 18, 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Construction and Operations Plan for the South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project.

South Fork's offshore wind turbines will be located offshore Rhode Island and New York and have a capacity of 130 megawatts of wind energy.

Offshore Wind Power Facts

In 2022, the U.S. Federal government set a national offshore wind energy goal to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

BOEM expects to complete the review of at least 16 plans to construct and operate commercial offshore wind energy facilities by 2025.

BOEM expects to hold lease sales in the New York Bight and offshore the Carolinas and California in 2022.

The U.S. Federal government is actively working with states, Tribes, ocean users, and key stakeholders to explore wind potential in the Gulf of Maine and in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as offshore Oregon and Hawaii.

In 2020, the U.S. offshore wind energy project development and operational pipeline grew to a potential generating capacity of 35,324 megawatts (MW). Capacity increased by 24% 2020, up from 28,521 MW in 2019

As of 2022, two U.S. offshore wind energy projects are in operation: the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) and the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project (12 MW).

In the New England Region, Vineyard Wind 1 is fully approved, has received all permits, an offtake contract to sell the power, and an interconnection agreement to deliver it to the grid.

The U.S. offshore wind industry has the potential to generate more than $100 billion in revenue to businesses in the supply chain over the next decade.

The United States Wind Turbine Database (USWTDB) provides the locations of land-based and offshore wind turbines in the United States, corresponding wind project information, and turbine technical specifications.

Offshore wind power turbine platforms provide habitat for fish and marine life.

Rotating wind turbines are known to pose a hazard to birds. Proposals have included locating marine wind power components along important bird migration routes.

Offshore wind power infrastructure can conflict with existing marine activity. Commercial fishermen and other mariners complain that wind power facilities can block or restrict access to prime fishing areas.

Tall Ships America Conference 2020

2020-01-13T04:01:00.001-08:00

47th Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships
Tradewinds Island Resorts
St. Pete Beach, Florida
February 17 - 20, 2020
www.tallshipsamerica.org

Tall Ships | credit USCG

The 47th Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships will be held February 17- 20, 2020 at the Tradewinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

At the conference, hundreds of ships’ masters, crew members, program administrators, educators, environmentalists, port representatives, festival managers, and others will gather for an information-packed three day conference.

Conference sessions will address vessel operations, regulatory issues, coast guard licensing, administration and management, educational programming, safety at sea, media relations, marketing, funding, and port event organization.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit:

https://www.tallshipsamerica.org/event/47th-annual-conference-on-sail-training-and-tall-ships/

NOAA Paper Nautical Charts To Be Discontinued

2019-11-24T05:27:00.002-08:00

Vintage Chart Chesapeake Bay - Cape Henry to Thimble Shoal Light 1970 | credit:

NOAA Historical Map & Chart Collection

NOAA is initiating a five-year process to end all traditional paper nautical chart production. A public comment process is also underway.

According to the NOAA Office of Coast Survey, production will ultimately be shut down for all raster chart products and services associated with traditional NOAA paper nautical charts, including:

Print-on-demand (POD) paper nautical charts
Full-size chart PDFs
NOAA raster navigational charts (NOAA RNC®)
BookletChart™ PDFs
NOAA RNC tile service
Online RNC viewer

NOAA expects the cancellation of these product and services to start in mid to late 2020 and be completed by January 2025.

More detailed information regarding this transition is explained in the document Sunsetting Traditional NOAA Paper Charts: End of Paper and Raster Nautical Chart Production and Introduction of NOAA Custom Charts (https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/raster-sunset.pdf).

Public Comments

Chart users and other stakeholders can help shape the manner and timing in which the product sunsetting process will proceed by submitting comments to NOAA.

More information concerning public feedback is available via the Federal Register Notice (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/15/2019-24807/sunsetting-of-raster-nautical-charts) published on November 15, 2019.

Comments may be submitted through NOAA’s online ASSIST feedback tool (https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/customer-service/assist).

source: NOAA Office of Coast Survey

Related Information

NOAA Office of Coast Survey

NOAA Historical Map and Chart Collection

NOAA Arctic Surveys 2019 (Preliminary Findings)

2019-11-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

NOAA Fisheries recently released preliminary findings from its 2019 surveys in the Arctic.

The surveys include:

Ice Seal and Polar Bear Aerial Survey Test
Groundfish, Crab, Bottom-Dwelling Species Survey in Southeastern Bering Sea
Arctic Larval Fish and Plankton Community Survey
Aerial Survey of Bowhead Abundance
Groundfish, Crab, Bottom-Dwelling Species Survey in Northern Bering Sea
Arctic Ecosystem Assessment
Aerial Survey of Arctic Marine Mammals
Surface/Mid-water Column Community Survey
Ecosystem Surveys in Bering Sea
Passive Acoustic Whale Monitoring

The entire Alaska Fisheries Science Center Surveys in the Arctic: 2019 Preliminary Findings report is available here:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/science-data/alaska-fisheries-science-center-surveys-arctic-2019-preliminary-findings

source: Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Canada Marine Protected Areas Update

2019-11-17T12:19:00.001-08:00

In 2019, Canada announced that the nation had surpassed its marine conservation target of 10 percent protection of marine and coastal areas.

The progress is the result of collaborative efforts with indigenous peoples, all levels of government, marine industries, and stakeholders.

To date, Canada has established 14 MPAs under the Oceans Act, three National Marine Conservation Areas, one marine National Wildlife Area, and 59 marine refuges. These areas protect 13.81% of Canada’s marine and coastal areas.

Projects include:

2019

Establishment of the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area (MPA). This MPA contributes 5.55 percent towards Canada’s marine conservation targets and encompasses an area of 319 411 km2.
Amendments to the Oceans Act enabling the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to designate interim MPAs to provide protection to vulnerable areas while further scientific research and consultation take place.
Adoption of new protection standards for federal MPAs and other effective area-based conservation measures to better conserve sensitive and important parts of oceans.
Establishment of 2 Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas.
Banc-des-Américains MPA.
Laurentian Channel MPA.
Announcement of 8 new marine refuges in Howe Sound, between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

2018

Establishment of Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area off Vancouver Island.
Announcement of the Canada-Quebec Collaborative Agreement to Establish a Network of Marine Protected Areas in Quebec.

2017

Announcement of 51 marine refuges; representing approximately 275,000 km2 and 4.78% of conserved marine territory.
Establishment of 2 Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas
Hecate Strait/Queen Charlotte Sound Glass Sponge Reef MPA
St. Anns Bank MPA
Announcement of the final boundary for the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in the High Arctic.

2016

Establishment of Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam Marine Protected Area in the Beaufort Sea, Northwest Territories.

Future Projects

The Government of Canada remains committed to carrying out the work set out under the five-point plan, including the protection of large offshore areas such as the Offshore Pacific Area of Interest, identified in May 2017, west of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

source: Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Related Information

New Canada Marine Refuges (Nunavut - Newfoundland and Labrador)

Canada Inuit Nunangat Arctic Region

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans

East Coast Marine Life Survey - AMAPPS III

2019-10-02T16:32:00.001-07:00

Atlantic Right Whale | photo credit NOAA

The Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS) is a federal multi-agency program designed to study how many marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds are in U.S. waters, where they are located at different times of the year, and how they may be changing over time.

AMAPPS, allows researchers to put all the information about abundance, distribution, ecology and behavior of protected species - from whales, dolphins, and seals to marine turtles and seabirds - into an ecosystem context so resource managers can use it for conservation measures and decision-making.

The primary funders of AMAPPS are NOAA, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Navy. One of the goals of the program is to develop models and related tools to provide distribution patterns and density estimates by season and location that includes habitat characteristics of marine mammals, turtles and seabirds along the U.S. East Coast.

The next five-year program, AMAPPS III, runs from 2019 to 2023. During AMAPPS III, in addition to continuing the above data collection, plankton (in particular larval tuna) samples will be investigated.

As part of AMAPPS activities in 2019, NOAA Fisheries scientists for the Northeast and Southeast Fisheries Science Centers conducted spring aerial surveys covering waters from Florida to Maine from the coastline to more than 200 miles offshore during April 1 to June 30 using NOAA Twin Otter aircraft.

The Northeast Fisheries Science Center also collects oceanographic and environmental data on its own shipboard survey cruises throughout the year, such as the Ecosystem Monitoring survey, which also hosts AMAPPS marine mammal and seabird observers.

One product of the program to date has been the Marine Mammal Model Viewer, which displays the data on a map of the East Coast showing the predicted abundance and distribution of a specific marine species in different seasons of the year, based on the data scientists collected during this project. Sightings of the 17 most common whale, dolphin and porpoise species are included, with more species to be added.

Wind-energy lease areas are marked on the maps, which can be viewed on computers as well as on mobile devices. A user can draw a box around an area of interest, investigate in more detail the density patterns within that box, then download the density data for use in other analyses.

The AMAPPS sightings data have also been used in other density models. For example, they have been used in mammal, turtle, and seabird maps available on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal.

Following the successful AMAPPS project in the western North Atlantic Ocean, similar projects have been initiated in the Gulf of Mexico (GoMMAPPS) and the Pacific Ocean (PacMAPPS).

Puget Sound Marine Waters 2017 Report

2019-02-09T04:24:00.002-08:00

Chinook Salmon | credit USFWS

A new report finds that Puget Sound’s unusually warm water temperatures that prevailed throughout the West Coast since 2014 finally returned to normal in 2017. Although water temperatures recovered, life within those waters has not.

In general, biological observations within Puget Sound revealed that the abundance of many marine animals throughout the food web are still lower than usual. In addition, the region experienced both the wettest spring and driest summer ever recorded in 2017.

The Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program’s Marine Waters Work Group, who authored the report, has been tracking the health of Puget Sound since 2011. This work group includes scientists from federal, tribal, state and local agencies, academia, nonprofits, and private and volunteer groups.

The work group looked at a number of environmental indicators, including plankton, water quality, climate, and marine life that when, considered together, provide both a long-term view and current assessment of the Sound’s health.

The Puget Sound Marine Waters 2017 Report can be accessed at: https://pspwa.box.com/shared/static/xzvxtmxv0lpomphceiotcwmr77ul75q7.pdf

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) supports the conservation and management of living marine resources and their habitats in the Northeast Pacific Ocean.

source: Northwest Fisheries Science Center

New Canada Marine Refuges (Nunavut - Newfoundland and Labrador)

2019-01-21T04:46:00.004-08:00

Newfoundland and Labrador

In January, 2019, The government of Canada announced the establishment of seven new marine refuges off the coasts of Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The new marine refuges will contribute an additional 145,598 square km of protected ocean area to Canada’s coasts. This represents an additional 2.53% of protected ocean, bringing Canada’s current total to 7.75%.

New Canadian Marine Refuges:

The Davis Strait marine refuge off the coast of Nunavut will conserve significant concentrations of corals, sea pens, and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities (where fishing gears are designed to come into contact with the seafloor).

The Disko Fan marine refuge off the coast of Nunavut will conserve significant concentrations of coral and minimize impacts on food sources in a habitat used by Narwhal during the winter. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities.

The Hatton Basin marine refuge is located off the coasts of Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador. It will conserve significant concentrations of corals and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities.

The Hopedale Saddle marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will contribute to long-term conservation of biodiversity by protecting corals and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom-contact fishing activities.

The Hawke Channel marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will conserve seafloor habitat important to Atlantic cod. It will prohibit bottom trawl, gillnet and longline fishing activities.

The Funk Island Deep marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will conserve seafloor habitat important to Atlantic cod. It will prohibit bottom trawl, gillnet and longline fishing activities.

The Northeast Newfoundland Slope (formerly known as Tobin’s Point) marine refuge off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador will contribute to long-term conservation of biodiversity by protecting corals and sponges. It will prohibit all bottom contact fishing activities.

Earlier this year, Canada announced plans to establish a national advisory panel that will provide the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard with advice on minimum standards of protection within future Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Canada’s waters.

source: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Related Information

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Canada Commercial Fishing

Marine, Fisheries, and Science Acronyms

2019-01-13T11:47:00.001-08:00

This post lists popular acronyms that are related to oceans, estuaries, marine life, commercial and recreational fisheries, biology, government regulations, and other subjects.

Science - Research

ESA - Endangered Species Act
GMRI - Gulf of Maine Research Institute
MMSN - Marine Mammal Stranding Network
NRDA - Natural Resource Damage Assessment
ONC - Ocean Networks Canada
UME - Unusual Mortality Event

Fishing - Fisheries - Seafood

IFR - integrated fisheries reporting AOTTP - Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program
ACCSP - Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program
APAIS - Access Point Angler Intercept Survey
AFS - American Fisheries Society
BAYS - Atlantic bigeye, northern albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas
FIS - Fisheries Information System
GLFC - Great Lakes Fishery Commission
HMS - Highly migratory species
IFQ - Individual Fishery Quota
ICCAT - International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
IATTC - Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
IPHC - International Pacific Halibut Commission
IUU (fishing) - illegal, unregulated, and unreported
MRIP - Marine Recreational Information Program
NEAFC - North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission
NAFO - Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
PAFC - North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission
RFMO - Regional Fisheries Management Organisation
SAFIS - Standard Atlantic Fisheries Information System
WCPFC - Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
WPacFIN - Western Pacific Fisheries Information Network

U.S Regional Fishing Councils

ASMFC - Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
NEFMC - New England Fisheries Management Council
MAFMC - Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
SAFMC - South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
CFMC - Caribbean Fishery Management Council
GMFMC - Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
NPFMC - North Pacific Fishery Management Council
PFMC - Pacific Fishery Management Council
WPFMC - Western Pacific Fishery Management Council

Organizations (other)

AMCC - Alaska Marine Conservation Council
IWC - International Whaling Commission
SWIFT - Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow

Government Agencies

DFO - Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada)
BOF - Board of Fisheries (Alaska USA)
NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS - National Marine Fisheries Service
NPFMC - North Pacific Fishery Management Council
USCG - United States Coast Guard
USFWS - United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Laws and Regulations

MSA - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (USA)

Related Information

Commercial Fishing Associations - Organizations (USA)

International Associations - Organizations

Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)

2019-01-13T04:34:00.000-08:00

In January, 2019, Canada announced it will provide $12.6 million in funding over four years to Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), a national network of ocean observation systems based at the University of Victoria.

The investment will strengthen high-quality, real-time data on the marine environment to support the work of scientists throughout Canada and around the world, According to Canadian officials.

In particular, this investment will build on ONC’s ocean noise monitoring program and will expand its monitoring of sea surface currents in Pacific waters.

killer whales | photo credit NOAA photo library

The data will augment Canada's efforts to protect the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale while improving navigation and emergency response.

Southern resident killer whales (SRKW) represent the smallest of four resident communities within the Northeastern portion of North America Pacific Ocean.

In Canada the SRKW are listed as endangered on Species at Risk Act Schedule 1. In the USA, SRKW is the only killer whale population listed under the Endangered Species Act by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).

A Government of Canada’s $3.5 million contribution from its Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund was highlighted by the official opening of the University of Victoria’s recently opened Ocean-Climate Building.

The new $9.5 million facility also includes investments of $5.15 million from the University of Victoria and $850,000 from the Province of British Columbia.

The nearly 30,000-square-foot building provides an interdisciplinary, collaborative space for the University of Victoria’s ocean, climate change, and data management research programs.

The new facility is occupied by more than 200 researchers, co-op students, scientists, and staff, who will conduct research into the effects of changing oceans and climate.

The Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund provides funding to help modernize facilities at Canadian universities and colleges, as well as improve their energy efficiency and reduce their impact on the environment.

source: Government of Canada

Deep Sea Coral Report to Congress 2018

2019-01-09T13:58:00.003-08:00

In December 2018, NOAA Fisheries released the Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program 2018 Report to Congress.

The report highlights the discoveries of never-before-seen deep-sea coral habitats and new species found during the past two years (fiscal years 2016 and 2017).

It also describes research activities funded by the Program to meet NOAA’s mandate to identify, study, and monitor deep-sea coral areas.

Mid Atlantic Coral | photo credit: NOAA

The deep sea is the largest habitat on Earth, and the least well known. Deep-sea coral habitats occur in every U.S. region, providing important ecological and fisheries benefits.

NOAA’s Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program was established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA §408), to identify, locate, and map deep-sea coral habitat in consultation with U.S. regional fishery management councils.

The MSA requires a biennial report to Congress summarizing the steps taken by NOAA to identify, monitor, and protect deep-sea coral areas, including the Program’s research activities and results.

The Program engages with the nation’s eight regional fishery management councils and collaborates on research with other federal agencies, international partners, and nongovernmental and academic scientists.

The Deep Sea Coral Research and Technology Program collaborates with other NOAA programs and offices, such as National Marine Sanctuaries, Ocean Exploration and Research, Fisheries science centers and regional offices, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, and the National Centers for Environmental Information.

For more information, visit https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/announcing-deep-sea-coral-research-and-technology-program-2018-report-congress.

source: NOAA Fisheries

NFWF Atlantic River Restoration Grants 2018

2019-01-05T16:03:00.003-08:00

In December 2018, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), along with with numerous federal, state, and local agencies, companies, and organizations announced funding for a variety of upcoming projects to protect and restore rivers, fisheries, and important habitat in the USA.

Funding for the projects originated from the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund (CBSF), Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF), and Bring Back the Natives program.

This summary includes projects that will impact rivers of Long Island Sound, the Chesapeake Bay, and Atlantic Coast. For the full list of NFWF funded projects, visit www.nfwf.org.

Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) Grants:

A Fishway for Pages Millpond Dam (CT)

Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound will construct a fishway opening 5.35 river miles and 4.25 lake acres of fish habitat for alewife, blueback herring, and American eel in North Branford, Connecticut. The project will complete the restoration of this riverine migratory corridor to Long Island Sound for the first time in 300 years.

A Fishway for the Railroad Pond Dam (CT)

The Town of Berlin will install a fishway at the Railroad Pond Dam in Berlin, Connecticut. The fishway will remove an impediment to passage and open a 12-acre pond and river for fish to pass to Long Island Sound including alewife, blueback herring, sea lamprey and American eel.

Planning for Two Fish Passage Projects in Southeastern Connecticut (CT)

Connecticut Fund for the Environment/Save the Sound will develop engineered designs for fishways at Whitford Pond Dam in Stonington and at Alewife Cove Dam in Waterford, Connecticut. The project will set the stage to provide 4.2 miles of access to spawning, rearing and refuge habitat along two riverine migratory corridors valuable to Long Island Sound diadromous and freshwater fish such as alewife, blueback herring, brook trout, American eel and American shad.

Shewville Dam Fishway Design Project (CT)

The Eastern Connecticut Conservation District will prepare an engineered plan for a fishway on the Shewville Dam and Shewville Brook in Ledyard, Connecticut. The project will set the stage for the installation of a fishway that will reconnect 4.3 river miles and 152 acres of lake for alewife migration to all historic upstream habitat along a river corridor of Long Island Sound.

Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund Grants

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will support projects aimed at restoration and conservation of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in six U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

The grants were awarded through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund (CBSF), a partnership between NFWF and the EPA’s Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grants Program (INSR Program) and Small Watershed Grants Program (SWG Program). Additional support is provided by other government agencies and the private sector.

Increase Collective Impact on the Elizabeth River through Strengthened Partnership (VA)

The Elizabeth River Project will recieve funding to further coordinated stormwater management and ecosystem restoration in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach, Virginia. The project will establish a leadership roundtable and summit to formally adopt a new watershed action plan, explore regional financing options, and improve coordination of green infrastructure projects at a variety of scales.

Formalizing and Growing the Middle and Upper James Riparian Consortium (VA)

The James River Association (JRA) will formalize an existing multi-party partnership structure designed to improve coordination and delivery of riparian conservation programs and practices in the middle and upper James River watershed. This project will utilize a consortium model to build individual organizational capacity of partners, coordinate project prioritization, and implement 200 acres of riparian buffers.

Envision the Choptank: Expanding and Scaling-Up Regional Partnership (MD, DE)

Shorerivers will strengthen and expand the Envision the Choptank partnership by identifying specific locations for best management practices on agricultural lands, providing training and education on high impact restoration techniques, and expanding landowner partnerships and technical assistance offerings. Project will continue to build the partnership of 17 regional and state organizations while implementing 250 acres of best management practices in the Choptank watershed.

Stormwater Pollutant Mitigation and Green Infrastructure at the Science Museum of Virginia

The Science Museum of Virginia Foundation will help mitigate sewer overflow events by removing 3 acres of impervious surface, installing an advanced bioretention system, enhancing existing green stormwater infrastructure education and outreach, and developing a predictive model of future green site and stormwater management projects. Project will reduce nutrient and sediment loads discharging into the James River and will demonstrate effective stormwater management practices.

Restoration of the Eastern Oyster in the Lynnhaven River (VA)

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) will help establish 2.5 acres of new oyster reef, construct and plant 200 reef balls, and place 5.5 million young oysters in the Lynnhaven River. The project will be conducted in partnership with Lynnhaven River Now oyster reef construction, enhancing the population of native eastern oysters, and engaging approximately 500 volunteers in a wide array of hands-on oyster restoration activities.

Supporting Community-Based Municipality Stormwater Retrofit Plans in Prince George’s County (MD)

The Low Impact Development Center will create partnerships and provide capacity to the 12 municipalities within the Anacostia Watershed to assist in meeting National Pollutant Dischare Elimination System permit requirements. Project will engage elected officials, community leaders, citizens, staff and businesses resulting in the planning, selection, and design of stormwater retrofit best management practices.

Restoration of the Eastern Oyster in the Lynnhaven River Western Branch (VA)

Lynnhaven River Now, in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation will construct a 3-acre oyster reef using crushed concrete substrate in the Lynnhaven River. Project supports an overall goal of 60 acres reef habitat in the Lynnhaven River.

Oyster, Shoreline and Stream Retoration in the Rappahannock Tidal Tributaries (VA)

Friends of the Rappahannock (FOR) will undertake projects in Carter’s Creek and Urbanna Creek implementing oyster restoration on the river bottom, living shorelines and grasses to reduce shoreline erosion, and green infrastructure to address polluted stormwater runoff. Project will engage schools and community volunteers in restoration work.

Engaging Local Landowners in Living Shorelines and Shoreline Management (VA)

The Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission will target landowners with contiguous repetitive loss properties to create a 500 to 700-foot stretch of living shoreline and develop rural coastal flooding resiliency plans utilizing sand from other dredging projects. The project will improve coastal resiliency and mitigation efforts, while simultaneously improving water quality and managing shoreline erosion and marsh loss.

Sustainable Streamside Buffer Establishment in the Upper Susquehanna (NY)

The Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District of New York will provide support to the Upper Susquehanna Coalition Buffer Program to plant additional riparian buffer acreage and facilitate management on riparian buffer practice acres. The project will enable riparian buffer stewards to evaluate and assess buffers throughout the watershed to determine plant survival and management needs and to facilitate management activities.

Stormwater Management in Shenandoah Towns (VA)

The Town of Woodstock will construct two biofiltration projects, incorporate permeable pavers into a retrofit of court square area, and foster broader adoption and better maintenance of stormwater facilities by the localities in the Shenandoah River Friendly Towns collaboration through a series of related outreach and training efforts. Project will demonstrate benefits of green infrastructure in Shenandoah localities.

Stream and Habitat Restoration in Kings Branch Flat Creek Greenway Natural Area (MD)
Grantee: South River Federation

Oyster Reef Restoration in the St. Mary’s River Shellfish Sanctuary (MD)

The St. Mary’s River Watershed Association will construct and install 5 acres of three-dimensional reef structures and traditional oyster restoration structures in the St. Mary’s River Shellfish Sanctuary. The project will engage 200 volunteers on site and an additional 600 STEM and public school students.

Trees for Public Health in the Harris Creek Watershed (MD)

Baltimore Tree Trust (BTT) will expand the urban tree canopy and remove impervious surfaces, focusing on planting trees along streets in neighborhoods identified as concrete-laden, with critically low tree coverage. The project will result in 275 newly planted street trees and the removal of 8,800 square feet of impervious surface.

Mircro-Bioretention at St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church (MD)

The St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Congregation will install three micro-bioretention facilities in St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church’s parking lot. The project will capture and treat stormwater and pollutants that run off from the parking lot into Jones Falls River and Baltimore Harbor.

Living Shoreline and Oyster Reef Ball Restoration in the Turnbull Community (MD)

A South River Federation (SRF) project on the the South River will stabilize 748 feet of shoreline through rock sills and oyster reef balls; reef balls will be placed along the bottom of rock sills and set with oyster spat to study oyster population success.

Leveraging Partnership and Data in the Nanticoke for Stormwater Best Management Practices (DE)

The University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center will use existing collaborative structures in the watershed to collect and analyze data about demographics and landownership to identify needed changes and gaps. The project will assist Nanticoke Watershed Alliance (NWA) in developing recommendations for stormwater management to increase participation in programs and implementation, meet total maximum daily load goals across regulated and unregulated parts of the region, and fit the communities’ financing capacity.

From Design to Construction: Scaling-Up to Meet Demand for Living Shorelines on the Lower Bay (VA)

Environmental Concern will increase the capacity of the Elizabeth River Project for in-house design and construction of living shorelines, rain gardens, wetlands, and other green infrastructure. The project will address a lack of available and affordable construction firms to meet an increasing demand for this work on the lower bay.

Reconnecting Floodplains and Stream Restoration in the Upper Sassafras (MD)

Shorerivers will produce a fully permitted stream and wetland restoration design that addresses an eroding 4,800 linear foot stretch of forested perennial stream in the headwaters of the Sassafras River. The project will result in designs for a stream that receives runoff from surrounding highways and a weigh station, as well as 370 acres of surrounding agricultural land.

Developing a Privately-Managed Upland Restoration Plan for Gwynns Falls (MD)

CityScape Engineering will perform green infrastructure audits and individual restoration site plans, providing a capital improvement planning tool for individual property owners, including anticipated costs for design, construction and maintenance of best management practices with recommended funding mechanisms.

Bring Back the Natives Program Grants

Restoring Stream Connectivity for Eastern Brook Trout in the Upper Rappahannock Watershed (VA)

This Piedmont Environmental Council project seeks to improve native eastern brook trout habitat in Virginia’s Upper Rappahannock watershed. In partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) the project will reconnect 2 miles of intact brook trout habitat and restore 200 linear feet of riparian habitat by replacing culvert structures with an open-span bridge.

Canada Inuit Nunangat Arctic Region

2018-11-13T07:02:00.001-08:00

Canada Arctic Region

In 2018, Canada announced the creation of a stand-alone Arctic Region inclusive of the four regions of Inuit Nunangat for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG).

According to DFO, the new region was created to address fishing, shipping, resource development, and other interests in light of the changing arctic climate.

The creation of the Arctic Region will be implemented in phases and has already begun with the hiring of new DFO Regional Director General, Gabriel Nirlungayuk and a new Assistant Commissioner of the Coast Guard.

They will both work with Inuit and all Indigenous peoples, as well as residents of the North to define the borders of the new Region and its activities.

The new Region will enable DFO and the Coast Guard to work more closely with Inuit and all Indigenous Leaders, Indigenous organizations, stakeholders and all residents of the Arctic on innovative approaches to program and service delivery.

There will be 7 Fisheries and Oceans Canada regions once the stand-alone Arctic region has been established. Currently, the agency has 6 administrative regions: Newfoundland and Labrador, Maritimes-Scotia Fundy, Gulf, Quebec, Central, and Arctic and Pacific.

The Canadian Coast Guard will have 4 operational regions once the stand-alone Arctic region is established. CCG currently has 3 operational regions: Western, Central and Arctic, and Atlantic.

There are four Inuit regions in Canada, Nunatsiavut (Labrador); Nunavik (Quebec); Nunavut; and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories. Known collectively as Inuit Nunangat, the region encompasses 35 percent of Canada’s landmass and 50 percent of its coastline.

Related Information

Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Canada Commercial Fishing

November is Right Whale Month

2018-11-07T12:02:00.002-08:00

North Atlantic right whale | photo credit: NEFSC

In November, 2018, the City of Fernandina Beach Florida, by order of Proclamation, recognized the month of November as "Right Whale Month."

In November of 2019, Fernandina Beach will be the location of the 11th Annual Right Whale Festival.

The Right Whale Festival celebrates the annual return of endangered North Atlantic right whales to the warm coastal water off northeast Florida and Georgia, where they give birth to and nurse their young.

The annual festival raises awareness of the threats to right whales and how to aid in their recovery. The event highlights local efforts to protect these whales from extinction. The festival also features activities and exhibits that emphasize education and environmentally responsible practices.

The 2018 Right Whale Festival was held on Saturday, November 3 along Jacksonville Beach, FL.

Right Whale Facts

In 2017, NOAA confirmed 17 North Atlantic right whale deaths; about 4 percent of a population estimated at about 450 animals.

In August 2017, NOAA Fisheries declared the increase in right whale mortalities an "Unusual Mortality Event," which helps the agency direct additional scientific and financial resources to investigating, understanding, and reducing the mortalities in partnership with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and outside experts from the scientific research community.

In 2018, there have been two confirmed right whale mortalities.

There are currently only about 100 females of breeding age in the population and more females seem to be dying than males.

Births have also been declining in recent years, and no new calves were spotted in the calving grounds off Florida in 2018.

Every winter, many right whales travel more than 1,000 miles from their feeding grounds off Canada and New England to the warm coastal waters of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida's east coast.

Entanglement in fixed commercial fishing gear is a major threat to right whales. There are restrictions on where and how commercial traps, pot gear and gillnet gear can be set. These restrictions include seasonal closures and gear modifications such as sinking groundlines, weak links, and gear markings.

To reduce the risk of harassment or collisions between right whales and boats, federal law requires vessels and aircraft to stay at least 500 yards away from right whales.

Vessels 65 feet and longer are also required to slow to speeds of 10 knots or less in Seasonal Management Areas along the East Coast, including the calving and nursery area.

To report right whale sightings, especially dead, injured, or entangled whales, please contact NOAA Fisheries at (877) WHALE-HELP (877-942-5343) or the Coast Guard on marine VHF channel 16.

The public can also identify and help marine mammals in trouble by using their smartphone. Learn more about the Whale 911 app by visiting https://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/protected_resources/outreach_and_education/mm_apps/.

Related Information

Whale Smart Phone Apps

Basking Sharks Aggregations - North America Northeast Coast

2018-04-07T09:02:00.002-07:00

Groups of basking sharks, ranging from as few as 30 to nearly 1,400 animals, have been observed aggregating in waters from Long Island to Nova Scotia.

Individual basking shark sightings are fairly common, but large groups are not, according to NOAA Fisheries.

In a recent study reported in the Journal of Fish Biology, researchers analyzed aggregations of basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) recorded off the northeastern United States coast to learn more about the phenomenon.

During decades of aerial surveys for right whales, large basking shark aggregation events were recorded and photographed on several occasions.

Comparing this information with that collected in a number of satellite and oceanographic databases and by the NEFSC’s ecosystem monitoring (EcoMon) cruises in the same region, researchers obtained more insight into this behavior.

The researchers found the aggregations occurred in summer and fall when sea surface temperatures ranged between 55 and 75 degrees F (13 to 24 degrees C). In the largest event, data were available to indicate there was a high concentration of zooplankton prey present.

Ten large aggregations of basking sharks were identified between June 1980 and November 2013, ranging from 36 to at least 1,398 animals within an 11.5-mile (18.5-kilometer) radius of the central point in the aggregation.

Data on breaching, circular swimming movements, and/or apparent feeding behavior were recorded in seven of the ten largest aggregations.

The largest aggregation ever recorded on the aerial survey was at least 1,398 animals photographed on November 5, 2013 in southern New England waters.

Given the apparent presence of juveniles and an abundance of zooplankton on the continental shelf at the time of the event, the study authors say it is likely foraging played a role in the formation of that aggregation.

The study also suggests that the animals may be aggregating to draft off each other for more efficient feeding given the immense drag from having their mouths open.

Basking Shark Facts

Basking sharks are highly migratory, slow-moving fish. They are often sighted close to the surface with their large mouths open to filter zooplankton from seawater.

Reaching 32 feet or more in length and weighing more than five tons, the basking shark is the world's second largest fish. The whale shark, a close relative, is larger.

Basking sharks, whale sharks, and megamouth sharks are the only shark species that feed on plankton.

For more information, visit:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/basking-sharks-gather-large-groups-northeast-us-coast

source: NOAA Fish News