Conservation & Environment

April 29, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries scientists released the findings of two research projects that shed light on how climate change may affect some Arctic marine species.

Click here to read more.

 

April 27, 2015 — A week ago, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration officials hailed as a success the proposal to take the majority of the world’s humpback whale population off the endangered species list.

And while Jooke Robbins, director of humpback whale reserach for the Center for Coastal Studies, agrees that the whales are not in danger of going extinct tomorrow, she worries about their possible future off the list — and how the public’s perception of the whales could change as a result.

“As far as it being a success story, that I’m not so sure about,” she said. “I’m not saying they shouldn’t be delisted, but that doesn’t mean they’re recovered.”

NOAA proposes to split the world population of humpback whales, which are collectively considered endangered under the Endangered Species Act, into 14 distinct populations. Of the 14 populations, 10 would be delisted, two would be listed as threatened and two would be considered endangered. With delisting of populations that are doing better, NOAA says they will be better able to help the weaker populations.

“The return of the iconic humpback whale is an ESA (Endangered Species Act) success story,” said Eileen Sobeck, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries in a prepared statement when the proposed change was announced. “As we learn more about the species — and realize the populations are largely independent of each other — managing them separately allows us to focus protection on the animals that need it the most.”

Read the full story at the Cape Cod Times

 

April 24 2015 — State and federal shellfish and health officials told an audience of oyster farmers and shellfishermen Thursday that their efforts toward controlling bacterial contamination of oysters, as well as increased research and technical help from the state and federal governments, had paid off.

Known as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the bacteria are naturally occurring in the shallow waters where oysters are raised or flourish in the wild. They reproduce quickly in summertime temperatures and can sicken, and in rare cases kill, a person who eats an oyster that has been allowed to warm up to the point where the bacteria proliferate. Eating a contaminated oyster can cause gastrointestinal distress with vomiting, cramping and diarrhea.

Read the full story from the New Bedford Standard-Times

April 23, 2015 — The following was released by SeaWeb:

The SeaWeb Seafood Champion Awards recognizes individuals and companies whose outstanding commitment to sustainability has led to positive change in the seafood industry.

Nominations for the 2016 Seafood Champion Awards are now open and will close on World Oceans Day, June 8, 2015. The winners will be announced and the awards presented at the SeaWeb Seafood Summit, 1-3 February 2016 in St. Julian's, Malta.

Nominations are welcomed on behalf of individuals, companies or organizations whose accomplishments demonstrate outstanding commitment to advancing seafood sustainability in the fishing, aquaculture, seafood supply and distribution, retail, restaurant and foodservice sectors, as well as conservation, science, academia and the media.

Award Categories:
An award will be presented for each of the following four categories. Nominators will be required to select one of these categories when completing the Nomination Form.

Seafood Champion Award for Leadership:
An entity or individual who displays leadership by organizing and convening seafood stakeholders in an effort to impact and improve the sustainability of seafood or ocean health.

Seafood Champion Award for Innovation:
An entity or individual who identifies and applies new solutions that meet or exceed the highest standards or requirements to address ecological challenges, existing market needs, or barriers to sustainability.

The Seafood Champion Award for Vision:
An entity or individual who provides a clear, distinctive, and specific vision of the future that significantly advances the sustainable seafood community and may be related to technology, policy, products, markets or conservation tools.

Seafood Champion Award for Advocacy:
An entity or individual who positively promotes sustainability or uses the media to raise the profile of sustainable seafood, effectively works to strengthen public policy and resource allocation decisions, or influences public discourse and engages key stakeholders by publicly championing advances in sustainable seafood.

Nomination Deadlines:

– Nomination forms must be submitted no later than midnight on World Oceans Day, 8 June 2015, U.S. Eastern Time
– Winners will be announced at the SeaWeb Seafood Summit in St. Julians, Malta, 1-3 February 2016

Review guidelines and SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION HERE >>

For more information including past winners, interviews, photo and video gallery, and media kit, please visit: www.seafoodchampions.org. 

Questions? Please contact us at: nominations@seafoodchampions.org.

April 22, 2015 — On Monday, federal officials proposed removing most of the world's humpback whales from the endangered species list, noting their recovery after 45 years of protection and restoration efforts is a remarkable achievement.

"To be able to bring a species to a point where their population is doing well and they no longer meet those requirements to be on the endangered species act, I think that is a really important success for us as a nation," said Donna Weiting, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's protected resources office.

"So I think it's quite a big deal," she said at a news conference.

The agency is proposing dividing humpback whale populations into 14 categories and removing 10 of them from the endangered list. Of the remaining four categories, two would be listed as threatened, and the other two would stay on the endangered list.

But just because the animal could be taken off the endangered list doesn't mean there soon will be hunting seasons again.

All the whales remain protected under the Marine Mammals Protection Act, and the United States is still an active member of the International Whaling Commission, which banned commercial whaling in 1966, said Angela Somma, chief of NOAA Fisheries' endangered species division.

Read the full story from the Associated Press here

April 20, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA:

NOAA Fisheries proposed today to reclassify the humpback whale into 14 distinct population segments under the Endangered Species Act, providing a more tailored conservation approach for U.S. fisheries managers. Protection and restoration efforts over the past 40 years have led to an increase in numbers and growth rates for humpback whales in many areas.
 
The humpback whale is currently listed as endangered throughout its range. The proposed rule finds that ten of those 14 populations (see below) do not warrant ESA listing.

While commercial whaling severely depleted humpback whale numbers, population rebounds in many areas result in today's larger numbers, with steady rates of population growth since the United States first listed the animal as endangered in 1970.
 
Also under the proposal, two of the other four populations would be listed as endangered and the remaining two would be listed as threatened. If the proposal is finalized, the humpback whale populations that would no longer be listed under the ESA would remain protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

More information:
Press release
Complete web story
Federal Register Filing
Humpback Whales: Fact and Fiction
 
The public comment period for this proposed rule is open until July 20, 2015. You can submit comments online through the Federal eRulemaking Portal beginning tomorrow, or mail your comments to:
 
Office of Protected Resources
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
 
Questions? Contact Jennie Lyons, 301-427-8013 or email jennie.lyons@noaa.gov.

 

April 2, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Protecting estuarine shorelines from erosion due to wind and wave energy has traditionally been accomplished through the use of hardened structures such as vertical sheet bulkheads, stone revetments, groins, and sills. But for more than a decade, a softer, more ecologically beneficial approach has been gaining popularity in the Mid-Atlantic region with both public and private waterfront property owners.

Living shoreline projects use a variety of structural and organic materials, such as wetland plants, submerged aquatic vegetation, oyster reefs, sand fill, and stone. In the right setting, a living shoreline can not only provide shoreline protection, but also help improve water quality and habitat for a variety of terrestrial and aquatic plants and animals.

Read our new online story about living shoreline projects from our Habitat Conservation Division.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or email Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov

 

April 2, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Protecting estuarine shorelines from erosion due to wind and wave energy has traditionally been accomplished through the use of hardened structures such as vertical sheet bulkheads, stone revetments, groins, and sills. But for more than a decade, a softer, more ecologically beneficial approach has been gaining popularity in the Mid-Atlantic region with both public and private waterfront property owners.

Living shoreline projects use a variety of structural and organic materials, such as wetland plants, submerged aquatic vegetation, oyster reefs, sand fill, and stone. In the right setting, a living shoreline can not only provide shoreline protection, but also help improve water quality and habitat for a variety of terrestrial and aquatic plants and animals.

Read our new online story about living shoreline projects from our Habitat Conservation Division.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or email Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov

 

April 2, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA Fisheries announces that a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA) has been established in Rhode island Sound to protect an aggregation of four right whales sighted in this area on April 1, 2015.

This DMA is in effect immediately and remains in effect through April 16, 2015. Mariners are requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or less.

This DMA is bounded by the following coordinates:
41 37N
40 56N
071 39W
070 44W

ACTIVE SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS (SMAs)
Mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less (50 CFR 224.105) are in effect in the following areas:

Cape Cod Bay U.S. SMA (through May 15, 2015)
Mid-Atlantic U.S. SMAs (through April 30, 2015)
Great South Channel U.S. SMAs (through July 31, 2015)
Southeast U.S. SMA (through April 15, 2015)

Download the Whale Alert App for iPad and iPhone:
stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whalealert.html

For an automatic return email listing all current U.S. Dynamic Management and Seasonal Management Areas, please send a blank message to:
nmfs.gar.rightwhale@noaa.gov
 
Details and graphics of this and all other ship strike management zones currently in effect:
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike
 
Approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law. Please report all right whale sightings to: 866-755-NOAA (6622)