NOAA Fisheries FishNews – August 16, 2017

August 16, 2017 HIGHLIGHTS Bigeye tuna at the Honolulu Fish Auction. Photo by Joseph Bennington-Castro. Improving Fisheries Through an International Exchange of Ideas In June, resource management delegates from the Philippines traveled to Honolulu to meet with NOAA staff, strengthening the collaboration between the United States and the Philippines on international marine resource management. The two groups spent the week sharing ideas and experiences about fisheries science, management, and enforcement. 2018 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Competition The 2018 Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant competition is now open. The S-K grant program funds projects that address the needs of fishing communities, support sustainable fisheries, and keep working waterfronts viable. Pre-proposals, which are required, are due October 10. Final Rule on Critical Habitat for Atlantic Sturgeon NOAA Fisheries is designating critical habitat for threatened and endangered Atlantic sturgeon. A formal critical habitat designation under the Endangered Species Act focuses conservation efforts and ensures federal agencies work with NOAA Fisheries to minimize impacts to important sturgeon habitat. Reminder: Comments due on Offshore Oil and Gas By tomorrow, August 17, please submit your comments on a new 5-year National Offshore Oil and Gas Leasing Program on the Outer Continental Shelf. Learn moreabout this program from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Alaska North Pacific right whale. Photo by A. Kennedy. Field Dispatch: Rare Right Whales Sighted Exciting news from the Eastern Bering Sea: scientists searching for critically endangered North Pacific right whales spotted not one, but two, of the rare animals. The researchers were able to capture images and collect important biological data. West Coast Fishermen See Science in Action on NOAA Ship This year, scientists conducting a survey of coastal pelagic species off the West Coast partnered with fishermen to expand their reach into nearshore waters. Part of this collaboration involved bringing two fishermen aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker to see first-hand how the survey is conducted. Adélie penguins in Antarctica. Photo by Grace Saba. Scientists Use Chemical Signatures to Track Antarctic Penguins A new study co-authored by NOAA’s Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division examined a new method of tracking the migrations of penguin populations. Researchers can analyze the chemical signatures in an adult penguin’s feathers to learn where the bird has been and what it has been eating—without capturing and tagging it. Pacific Islands Monk Seal Research Expedition NOAA Ship Hi’ialakai departs this month on a 19-day research expedition in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to support Hawaiian monk seal and green sea turtle research and recovery activities. The ship will also pick up biologists who have spent the summer encamped in the remote islands to study monk seals and sea turtles. RK-30 has also survived shark attacks and entanglements. Man Sentenced for Beating Hawaiian Monk Seal In April 2016, witnesses recorded and posted a video of a man beating a pregnant Hawaiian monk seal, and authorities made a quick arrest. This summer, following an investigation by NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement and Hawaii’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement, the perpetrator was found guilty and sentenced to prison. Southeast August 2017 Gulf Council Update The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council met in San Antonio this month to discuss a number of fishery issues. Read a summary of the Council’s actions. Greater Atlantic Photo credit: University of Georgia. NMFS Permit #1420 Species Recovery Grants for Greater Atlantic Last week, NOAA announced a total of $5.8 million in Species Recovery Grants to states and tribes around the nation. These grants included support for one new project and six continuing projects in the Greater Atlantic region. Atlantic Sturgeon Incidental Take Permit – Open for Public Comment NOAA Fisheries received an application from Dominion for a permit to incidentally take endangered Atlantic sturgeon in the course of activities associated with the Chesterfield Power Station along the James River in Virginia. Please submit comments on the application by September 13. NOAA Announces River Herring Status Review NOAA Fisheries is initiating a new status review of alewife and blueback herring. By October 16, please submit any information on the status, threats, and recovery of alewife and blueback herring that has become available since the last determination in 2013. Events August 17–30 Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Groundfish Assessment Port Meetings in four northeast states. August 19 Open House celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute in Juneau, Alaska. August 30 Public meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Consultative Committee in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Announcements August 16 Applications due for open seats on the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Advisory Panels. October 17 Applications due for FY 2018 John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grants. November 1 Applications due for FY 2018 Species Recovery Grants to States. November 1 Applications due for FY 2018 Species Recovery Grants to Tribes. Federal Register Actions Visit regulations.gov for a list of only those actions open for public comment. Scroll search for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. For a list of all daily actions, check the Federal Register online. www.fisheries.noaa.gov

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