NOAA News Releases

NOAA Imposes Fine and Penalty for False Reporting in Alaska Fishery

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 15:36:58 -0400

A hired master, vessel owners and permit holders of the Alaskan fishing vessel Trident have agreed to pay more than $18,000 in penalties and $241,000 worth of sanctions for falsely reporting areas fished by the vessel on five trips during 2006 and 2007.

Secretary of Commerce Names 30 to Fishery Management Councils

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:02:50 -0400

The Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 30 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils – important partners with NOAA’s Fisheries Service in determining how ocean fisheries are managed.

Susan Solomon Awarded Volvo Environmental Prize

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:55:03 -0400

The 2009 Volvo Environmental Prize Foundation has named NOAA Senior Scientist Susan Solomon as the recipient of its 2009 environmental prize.

Beyond CO2: Study Reveals Growing Importance of HFCs in Climate Warming

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:45:26 -0400

Some of the substances that are helping to avert the destruction of the ozone layer could increasingly contribute to climate warming, according to scientists from NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory and their colleagues in a new study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

NOAA and Partners to Conduct Survey of Civil War Ironclad USS Monitor

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:17:28 -0400

NOAA and partnering organizations are deploying scuba divers and state-of-the-art technology this week to study the current condition of the USS Monitor, a Civil War shipwreck protected by a NOAA national marine sanctuary.

NOAA Selects New Cooperative Institute to Study Climate and North Atlantic Ecosystems

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:10:31 -0400

NOAA’s Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and National Marine Fisheries Service, have selected a consortium of five universities for the new Cooperative Institute for North Atlantic Research (CINAR). The institutions will join NOAA to conduct ocean and climate research to better understand the correlation between climate change and variability, fishing practices and fish populations, and to develop an integrated capability to research emerging issues from an ecosystem perspective.

NOAA Forecast Predicts Large "Dead Zone" for Gulf of Mexico this Summer

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:58:13 -0400

A team of NOAA-supported scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Louisiana State University, and the University of Michigan is forecasting that the “dead zone” off the coast of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico this summer could be one of the largest on record. The dead zone is an area in the Gulf of Mexico where seasonal oxygen levels drop too low to support most life in bottom and near-bottom waters.

NOAA’s National Weather Service says “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors”

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:09:20 -0400

Our love of outdoor activities and the frequency of thunderstorms make summer the most likely time to be injured or killed by lightning, according to statistics compiled by NOAA’s National Weather Service. In order to reduce lightning injuries and fatalities, the National Weather Service is promoting Lightning Safety Awareness Week the last week of June.

Captain Michael S. Devany Takes Command of NOAA’s Atlantic Fleet of Scientific Research Ships

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:52:46 -0400

NOAA Captain Michael S. Devany has taken command of the day-to-day operations of the nine research and survey ships in NOAA’s Atlantic fleet controlled from the agency’s Atlantic Marine Operations Center in Norfolk, Va.

NOAA Report Finds Threats to California’s Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:56:00 -0400

A new NOAA report on the health of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary indicates that the overall condition of the sanctuary’s marine life and habitats is fair to good, but identifies several emerging threats to sanctuary resources.

New NOAA Satellite Reaches Orbit

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:21:50 -0400

NOAA and NASA officials announced a new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES), launched tonight, successfully reached orbit, joining three other GOES spacecraft that help NOAA forecasters track life-threatening weather and solar storms.

Grand Teton Recognized as First StormReady National Park

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:42:28 -0400

Add severe weather to the list of natural wonders Grand Teton National Park rangers are prepared to handle. On Thursday, June 18, NOAA’s National Weather Service will recognize Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming as the first StormReady® national park in the United States.

Federal Agencies Protect More Gulf of Maine Atlantic Salmon to Recover Imperiled Stocks

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:37:09 -0400

NOAA's Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today extended Endangered Species Act protection to more Atlantic salmon by adding fish in the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Androscoggin rivers and their tributaries to the endangered Gulf of Maine population first listed in 2000.

NOAA Scientists, Students to Study Gulf Coast Meteorology

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:31:35 -0400

This month as beachgoers and coastal residents enjoy gentle sea breezes, a group of NOAA scientists and students from Jackson State University will take a deeper look at what happens when the wind blows.

NOAA’s National Weather Service Declares BYU-Idaho StormReady

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:56:41 -0400

Brigham Young University (BYU)-Idaho, located in Rexburg, has earned NOAA’s National Weather Service StormReady® designation that shows the university is better equipped to prepare and warn its students and faculty of severe weather.

NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary to Host Youth Educational Summit

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:33:50 -0400

NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, headquartered in Savannah, Ga., will host 40 students from across the nation this month during the National Association of Black Scuba Divers’ (NABS) Youth Educational Summit. The program’s goal is to develop young leaders through marine science.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Seeks Public Comments on New Ways to Govern U.S. Swordfish, Bluefin Tuna Fishing

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 12:39:29 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is holding a series of public meetings this summer seeking comments on potential changes in the way commercial and recreational fishermen fish the U.S. quotas for swordfish and bluefin tuna in the Atlantic.

NOAA Takes Delivery of Pisces, New Fisheries Survey Vessel

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 16:59:56 +0000

NOAA today took delivery of Pisces, the third of four new fisheries survey vessels and a significant achievement in the agency’s efforts to modernize its fleet of fisheries, oceanographic, and hydrographic survey ships.

New Report Provides Authoritative Assessment of National, Regional Impacts of Global Climate Change

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:43:44 -0400

Climate change is already having visible impacts in the United States, and the choices we make now will determine the severity of its impacts in the future, according to a new and authoritative federal study assessing the current and anticipated domestic impacts of climate change.

NOAA, Army Corps of Engineers to Build Alaska Satellite Operations Facility

Fri, 5 Jun 2009 12:28:57 +0000

NOAA, working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has selected Alcan Builders Inc. of Fairbanks, Alaska, to construct a new NOAA satellite operations facility in Fairbanks. The 20,000-square foot facility will replace the existing Command and Data Acquisition Station building, which opened in 1961.

User Group Support for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Continues to Increase

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 14:40:11 +0000

Stakeholder support for management strategies and regulations of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary grew dramatically among key user groups over a 10-year period, according to a study conducted by researchers from NOAA, the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and Thomas J. Murray and Associates. The increase in support is particularly significant among commercial fishermen, the majority of whom were against the creation of the sanctuary.

NOAA and National Park Service Urge Beach-Goers to Break the Grip of the Rip

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 14:25:15 +0000

With summer vacation on the horizon, NOAA and the National Park Service are alerting beach-goers to the threat of rip currents and how to prevent drowning from their strong and potentially fatal grip.

NOAA Unmanned Aircraft Helping Scientists Learn About Alaskan Ice Seals

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 18:40:27 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service scientists and their partners have launched an unmanned aircraft to mount the vehicle’s first search for ice seals at the southern edge of the Bering Sea pack ice during the Arctic spring, in an effort to learn more about these remotely located species.

NOAA Awards Grant to World Wildlife Fund To Support Innovative Ideas to Reduce Bycatch

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 16:58:09 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has awarded a $364,000 grant to the World Wildlife Fund in support of the 2009 Smart Gear Competition, which awards prizes for innovative gear designs that reduce fisheries bycatch.

NOAA Fisheries Issues Recovery Plan for Washington’s Lake Ozette Sockeye Salmon

Fri, 29 May 2009 18:30:56 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service has released its recovery plan for sockeye salmon in Washington's Lake Ozette and its surrounding watershed aimed at making these federally protected fish naturally self-sustaining, with enough fish to spawn in the wild and return year after year so they are likely to persist for the next century and beyond.

NOAA and Partners Seek Comment on Plan to Restore Lower Duwamish River

Fri, 29 May 2009 16:39:23 +0000

NOAA is seeking public comment on a draft restoration plan for the Lower Duwamish River, located in Washington state, on behalf of the river’s natural resource trustees.

NOAA Announces New Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites

Thu, 28 May 2009 16:26:17 +0000

NOAA scientists have teamed up with experts from the University of Maryland and North Carolina State University to form the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites. The new institute will use satellite observations to detect, monitor and forecast climate change, and its impact on the environment, including ecosystems.

NOAA Biological Opinion Finds California Water Projects Jeopardize Listed Species; Recommends Alternatives

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 19:05:00 +0000

NOAA released its final biological opinion today that finds the water pumping operations in California’s Central Valley by the federal Bureau of Reclamation jeopardize the continued existence of several threatened and endangered species under the jurisdiction of NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

Changes in Vessel Operations May Reduce Risk of Endangered Whale Shipstrikes

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:23:20 +0000

The rerouting of the commercial shipping lanes off Boston set for June 1 is expected to reduce the risk of shipstrikes to endangered right whales by 58 percent and to all baleen whales by 81 percent, according to more than 20 years of whale sightings catalogued by NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

NOAA Opens Public Comment on Potential Arctic Fishing Plan

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:58:12 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced today that they will open public comment on a proposed framework to manage fishing in the Arctic waters of the United States in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.

NOAA Seeks Public Comment on Proposal to Protect Threatened Green Sturgeon

Thu, 21 May 2009 18:03:39 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that generally prohibits acts that would kill or harm a distinct group of North American green sturgeon that spawn in the Sacramento River.

NOAA, National Association of Black Scuba Divers Explore Shared History

Thu, 21 May 2009 17:54:31 +0000

NOAA archaeologists will be in the Florida Keys this month training members of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers in underwater archaeology as part of a new education initiative to explore the maritime heritage of African-Americans and engage the community in marine resource conservation.

New NOAA Report Offers In-depth Look at Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Life, Ecosystems

Thu, 21 May 2009 17:38:16 +0000

A new NOAA report on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), protected by the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, provides the sharpest picture yet of the region’s marine life and ecosystems.

NOAA Predicts Near to Below Normal Central Pacific Hurricane Season

Thu, 21 May 2009 14:36:32 +0000

NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center today announced that projected climate conditions point to a near to below normal hurricane season in the Central Pacific Basin this year.

NOAA Selects Contractor to Develop GOES-R Ground System

Thu, 28 May 2009 16:27:49 +0000

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today that Harris Corporation – Government Communications Systems Division of Melbourne, Fla. has been selected to develop the GOES-R ground system, which will capture, process and distribute information from NOAA’s next generation geostationary satellite series to users around the world.

NOAA’s National Weather Service Declares Boston StormReady

Thu, 21 May 2009 14:19:15 +0000

The City of Boston today received NOAA’s National Weather Service StormReady® recognition, indicating New England’s largest city is better prepared for the nor’easters and other severe storms that periodically batter the region.

NOAA Expedition Hears Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales off Greenland

Wed, 20 May 2009 18:49:12 +0000

A team of scientists funded by NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research recorded the distinctive calls of endangered North Atlantic right whales in an area where it was believed that the historic resident population was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. Besides providing a better understanding of the whales, the discovery has implications for future shipping in the region.

New Web Site, PSAs Promote Boating Safety and Weather Awareness

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:04:43 +0000

NOAA's National Weather Service and the National Safe Boating Council launched a new Web site to help boaters stay safe this spring and summer.

Students Selected for 2009 NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarships

Mon, 18 May 2009 14:02:51 +0000

NOAA today selected 122 college students to receive scholarships as part of the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program. The scholarships are geared to encourage undergraduates to pursue study in NOAA fields, such as atmospheric and oceanic science, research, and technology.

NOAA Researchers: Blue Whales Re-establishing Former Migration Patterns

Mon, 11 May 2009 17:21:54 +0000

Scientists have documented the first known migration of blue whales from the coast of California to areas off British Columbia and the Gulf of Alaska since the end of commercial whaling in 1965.

Washington State Fish Broker Fined, Sentenced to Jail in False Seafood Labeling Scheme

Mon, 11 May 2009 16:22:07 +0000

A Washington state man has been fined $160,000 and sentenced to 30 days in jail for intentionally mislabeling 136,000 pounds of turbot from China as much higher priced U.S. halibut—one of the strongest sentences ever imposed for this type of violation, according to enforcement officials from NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement in Seattle.

NOAA: April Temperatures Slightly Cooler Than Average for U.S.

Fri, 8 May 2009 20:02:02 +0000

The April 2009 temperature for the contiguous United States was below the long-term average, based on records going back to 1895, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC.

NOAA: Mild Solar Storm Season Predicted

Fri, 8 May 2009 18:18:14 +0000

Although its peak is still four years away, a new active period of Earth-threatening solar storms will be the weakest since 1928, predicts an international panel of experts led by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and funded by NASA. Despite the prediction, Earth is still vulnerable to a severe solar storm.

New NOAA System Improves Safety and Efficiency of Ships in Lake Charles

Thu, 7 May 2009 18:14:23 +0000

Mariners can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for the Port of Lake Charles, La., from a new NOAA ocean observing system at the port.

World’s Large Marine Ecosystems Heating Up, Altering Fisheries Catches

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:09:05 +0000

A new United Nations report, with key contributions from NOAA, found that 61 of the world’s 64 large marine ecosystems — large coastal ocean waters adjacent to continents — show a significant increase in sea surface temperatures in the last 25 years, contributing to decreasing fisheries catches in some areas and increasing catches in others.

NOAA, USFWS Study Finds Potential Disease Threats to Washington Sea Otters

Tue, 5 May 2009 16:29:59 +0000

Many of Washington State’s sea otters are exposed to the same pathogens responsible for causing disease in marine mammal populations in other parts of the country, according to a study published by researchers from NOAA’s Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and their partners.

NOAA Report: Four Fish Stocks Declared Fully Rebuilt

Tue, 19 May 2009 15:29:05 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service reported to Congress today that four stocks — Atlantic bluefish, Gulf of Mexico king mackerel and two stocks of monkfish in the Atlantic — have been rebuilt to allow for continued sustainable fishing. This is the largest number of stocks to be declared rebuilt in a single year since the fisheries service declared the first stock successfully rebuilt in 2001.

NOAA FY 2010 Budget

Mon, 11 May 2009 21:42:58 +0000

The NOAA FY 2010 Budget "blue book" Web site, which offers detailed highlights of the agency's $4.5 billion budget request and helpful one-page fact sheets, is now available online from NOAA's Budget Office.

NOAA: Fifth Warmest April for Globe

Mon, 18 May 2009 14:20:02 +0000

The combined average global land and ocean surface temperatures for April 2009 ranked fifth warmest since worldwide records began in 1880, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

New NOAA Online Handbook Helps Teachers and Community Groups Create an Oral History of the Fishing Culture

Mon, 4 May 2009 16:07:13 +0000

A new handbook published online today by NOAA’s Fisheries Service gives teachers, community groups, and the public a detailed roadmap of how to design and conduct oral history projects that celebrate the people, history and culture of our nation’s coastal and Great Lakes fishing communities.

Network of Research Buoys in Indian Ocean to Improve Monsoon Prediction

Mon, 4 May 2009 15:28:39 +0000

A new array of moored buoys in the Indian Ocean will provide critical climate and ocean data to help scientists predict the dramatic variations between seasonal monsoon rains and droughts.

NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard: New Ocean Current Data to Improve Search and Rescue Activities

Mon, 4 May 2009 15:27:25 +0000

A new set of ocean observing data that enhances the ability to track probable paths of victims and drifting survivor craft should improve search and rescue efforts along the U.S. coast. The data comes from the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®), part of a joint effort among NOAA, the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Four Hurricane Names Retired From List of Storms

Fri, 1 May 2009 20:12:22 +0000

Three hurricane names in the Atlantic and one in the eastern North Pacific were retired from the official name rotation by the World Meteorological Organization’s hurricane committee because of the deaths and damage they caused in 2008.

Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council to Hold Public Meeting in North Carolina

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:43:25 +0000

The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will hold a public meeting May 19, 2009, at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, N.C. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a public comment period at 11:30 a.m. NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries manages the sanctuary.

NOAA, NASA Select Contractor to Build GOES-R Series Satellite

Thu, 7 May 2009 17:36:22 +0000

NOAA and NASA officials announced Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. has been selected to build two satellites for NOAA’s next generation geostationary satellite series, GOES-R. The new series, poised to begin launching in 2015, will double the clarity of today’s satellite imagery and provide more than 20 times the information.

NOAA’s "EstuaryLive" Webcast Takes Students on Virtual Field Trip

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:19:33 +0000

Students of all ages will have an opportunity on May 1 and May 15 to take a virtual field trip in the marshes and bays of four estuaries as part of NOAA’s "EstuaryLive" webcast.

NOAA Hurricane Team Embarks on Atlantic Coast Awareness Tour

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:18:17 +0000

NOAA hurricane experts will visit five East Coast cities aboard a NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft to raise awareness about storm threats and the danger of being caught without a personal hurricane plan. The five-day tour begins May 4.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Proposes Federal Protection for Three Georgia Basin Rockfish Species

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:43:24 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today proposed to list three populations of rockfish in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia for protection under the Endangered Species Act. A final decision on the three will be made a year from now.

National System for Marine Protected Areas Launched by U.S. Departments of Commerce and Interior

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:56:41 +0000

In an effort to conserve critical natural and cultural marine resources, the U.S. Departments of Interior and Commerce are partnering with federal, state and territorial agencies to form a National System of Marine Protected Areas (MPA).

Greenhouse Gases Continue to Climb Despite Economic Slump

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:22:01 +0000

Two of the most important climate change gases increased last year, according to a preliminary analysis for NOAA’s annual greenhouse gas index, which tracks data from 60 sites around the world.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Extends 2008 Disaster Declaration Due to Poor Salmon Returns

Fri, 1 May 2009 12:05:58 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke said today he was extending the 2008 West Coast salmon disaster declaration for California and Oregon in response to expected poor salmon returns to the Sacramento River, which have led to management reducing commercial salmon fishing off southern Oregon and California to near zero. Locke also announced that he would release $53.1 million in disaster funds to aid fishing communities.

Environmental Educator Selected to Sail Aboard NOAA Ship

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:07:50 +0000

NOAA has selected California educator Taylor Parker to join scientists aboard the 224-foot research vessel, NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette, as part of its Teacher at Sea program to bridge science and education.

NOAA: March 2009 Tenth Warmest on Record for Global Temperatures

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:30:45 +0000

The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for March 2009 was the 10th warmest since records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

NOAA Announces Emergency Rule to Protect ‘Threatened’ Sea Turtles

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:55:56 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced an emergency rule to protect threatened sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico.

Salazar and Locke Restore Scientific Consultations under the Endangered Species Act to Protect Species and their Habitats

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:56:21 +0000

Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced that the two departments are revoking an eleventh-hour Bush administration rule that undermined Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections. Their decision requires federal agencies to once again consult with federal wildlife experts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – the two agencies that administer the ESA – before taking any action that may affect threatened or endangered species.

NOAA Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Celebrates Opening of New Learning Center

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:01:39 +0000

NOAA officials joined two U.S. senators, state, and local community leaders today at the grand opening of the Sanctuary Learning Center for the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

NOAA Brings Great Lakes to Google Earth

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:20:26 +0000

NOAA is helping Americans peer beneath the surfaces of the five Great Lakes by providing Google Earth with data that now includes detailed three-dimensional mapping of Lakes Huron, Ontario, Erie, Superior and Michigan.

Department of Commerce Upholds NY State Objection to Broadwater LNG Project

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:28:34 +0000

The Department of Commerce today issued a decision upholding New York State’s objection to the proposed construction and operation of a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and subsea pipeline that would be located in the New York waters of Long Island Sound.

NOAA: March Temperature Near Average for the U.S.

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:55:47 +0000

The March 2009 temperature for the contiguous United States was near the long-term average, based on records going back to 1895, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Heavy precipitation last month also pushed the Red River, along the Minnesota-North Dakota border, to record levels, triggering major floods.

Groundbreaking Restoration Brings Innovative Approach to Chesapeake Bay

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:26:52 +0000

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco visited Jug Bay this Earth Day to celebrate its groundbreaking restoration. After a decade-long effort, nearly 80 percent of the vital habitat has been restored. Lubchenco applauded the public and private partnerships and research initiatives at Jug Bay that are helping scientists better understand climate change.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Office for Law Enforcement Starts Re-accreditation Process

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:30:08 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Office for Law Enforcement will begin a formal review on April 26 to retain its accreditation with the International Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Greenhouse Gases Continue to Climb Despite Economic Slump

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:34:45 +0000

Two of the most important climate change gases increased last year, according to a preliminary analysis for NOAA’s annual greenhouse gas index, which tracks data from 60 sites around the world.

NOAA Administrator Renews America’s Commitment to Science

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 19:12:54 +0000

Vice President Joe Biden today presided over a ceremonial swearing-in ceremony of Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, in recognition of the agency’s role in providing sound and open science as the foundation for environmental and economic strength.

Red River Will Crest Again in Fargo-Moorhead in Late April

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 15:05:30 +0000

Warming temperatures in the Red River of the North basin will begin melting ice and snowpack, setting the stage for a dangerous second crest in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn., later this month, according to forecasters with NOAA’s National Weather Service.

NOAA Dedicates New Chesapeake Bay Research Vessel

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:17:04 +0000

NOAA today christened a new state-of-the-art research vessel, R/V Bay Hydro II, which will collect oceanographic data in the Chesapeake Bay region – data critical to safe navigation and environmental protection in the nation’s largest estuary. The dedication took place in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, featuring a ceremonial breaking of a champagne bottle over the bow and a cannon salute from the USS Constellation.

National Tornado Experiment to Begin in May

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 17:29:49 +0000

collaborative nationwide project exploring the origins, structure and evolution of tornadoes will occur from May 10 through June 13 in the central United States. The project, Verification of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment2 (VORTEX2 or V2), is the largest and most ambitious attempt to study tornadoes in history and will involve more than 50 scientists and 40 research vehicles, including 10 mobile radars.

NOAA Reports Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Reef Ecosystems in Good Condition

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 21:36:27 +0000

Marine life and habitats at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument are in good overall condition, but face emerging threats, according to a new NOAA report on the monument’s health.

Ice-Free Arctic Summers Likely Sooner Than Expected

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 17:35:10 +0000

Summers in the Arctic may be ice-free in as few as 30 years, not at the end of the century as previously expected. The updated forecast is the result of a new analysis of computer models coupled with the most recent summer ice measurements.

Jane Lubchenco Confirmed as NOAA Administrator

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 15:17:33 +0000

Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., was confirmed by the U.S. Senate this evening as the under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. In this capacity, she will serve as the ninth administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the nation’s top science agency for climate, oceans, and the atmosphere. Dr. Lubchenco is the first woman and the first marine ecologist to lead NOAA.

NOAA Announces Revised Regulations for California National Marine Sanctuaries

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:44:30 +0000

New regulations for NOAA's four national marine sanctuaries in California are now in effect, providing greater protection for the sanctuaries' valuable marine resources and habitats.

NOAA Ship Nancy Foster Returns to Puerto Rico to Conduct Coral and Fish Habitat Research

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:45:59 +0000

The NOAA Ship Nancy Foster is returning to Puerto Rico this week to continue a multi-year effort to study coral reef ecosystems and fish habitat in the commonwealth’s near-shore waters.

NOAA Commits $16 Million to Assist the Northeast Fishing Industry to Ease Transition to New Management of Groundfish

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 14:16:41 +0000

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced today it will allocate $16 million of its current fiscal year 2009 budget to assist the Northeast fishing industry with the transition to management of the fishery by sectors and catch shares. On Monday, NOAA announced the interim rules to reduce overfishing and rebuild Northeast Groundfish stocks.

NOAA Report Shows Rich Diversity Across U.S. Fishing Communities

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:13:17 +0000

A new report by NOAA’s Fisheries Service detailing the diverse demographics of 222 American saltwater fishing communities will help the agency design management strategies that will lead to more sustainable fisheries.

NOAA Submits Proposed Recovery Plan to Congress

Tue, 7 Apr 2009 15:06:13 +0000

NOAA has submitted to Congress its proposed Recovery plan to create jobs, strengthen the economy, and restore our environment. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act , NOAA was provided $830 million.

NOAA Forecasters: Red River Will Crest Again in Fargo-Moorhead in Late April

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 17:47:26 +0000

NOAA Announces Interim Rules to Reduce Overfishing and Rebuild Northeast Groundfish Stocks While Balancing Economic and Conservation Concerns

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 17:31:38 +0000

NOAA today announced interim fishing measures that protect the Northeast groundfish stocks most in trouble, while still allowing the fishing industry to target some healthy stocks as the fishery rebuilds. The new rules, which take effect May 1, balance economic and conservation concerns, and are an important step toward ending overfishing by 2010 as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

NOAA Report Calls Flame Retardants Concern to U.S. Coastal Ecosystems

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 18:59:34 +0000

NOAA scientists, in a first-of-its-kind report issued today, state that Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), chemicals commonly used in commercial goods as flame retardants since the 1970s, are found in all United States coastal waters and the Great Lakes, with elevated levels near urban and industrial centers.

NOAA to Test Tsunami Warning Communications in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino Counties

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:29:28 +0000

Federal and state officials in the coastal areas of northern California will conduct a test of the tsunami warning communications system between 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25.

Alaska Tsunami Warning System Test Scheduled

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:10:57 +0000

NOAA and its emergency management partners will be conducting a statewide test of the tsunami warning communications system on Wednesday, March 25 at 9:45 a.m.

NOAA Recognizes Jefferson County as TsunamiReady™

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:34:20 +0000

Jefferson County, Wash., has earned the NOAA National Weather Service TsunamiReady™ designation, better equipping emergency managers to prepare and warn its citizens about tsunamis.

NOAA Seeks Proposals That Will Restore Coastal Habitat, Create Jobs, Stimulate Economy

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:56:09 +0000

NOAA has begun accepting proposals for coastal habitat restoration projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The effort will foster healthy and resilient American communities while generating and protecting jobs for the thousands of people whose task it will be to restore valuable coastal and marine habitat.

NOAA - Emergency Managers to Test Atlantic/Gulf Tsunami Warning and Response

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:11:20 +0000

Residents and visitors along the Atlantic coasts of the United States and Canada, the Gulf of Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands should not be alarmed when they hear tsunami test messages broadcast over their televisions and radios on Thursday, April 2, 2009.

NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Seeks Participants for Youth Working Group

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:42:23 +0000

NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking people between 14 and 17 years of age to provide input to its advisory council and superintendent on ocean conservation issues and how this next generation views ocean issues.

NOAA Recognizes Yakutat, Alaska, as TsunamiReady and StormReady

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:41:07 +0000

Yakutat, Alaska, has earned the NOAA National Weather Service TsunamiReady and StormReady designations, better equipping the town to handle severe weather and tsunamis.

New Guide Aims to Improve Public Climate Literacy

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:45:31 +0000

A guide is now available to help individuals of all ages understand how climate influences them -- and how they influence climate. A product of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program, it was compiled by an interagency group led by NOAA.

NOAA Launches Online Game that Encourages Students to Learn About Estuaries

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:05:29 +0000

NOAA's National Ocean Service launched a new educational online game ”WaterLife: Where Rivers Meet the Sea” today at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association in New Orleans, La.

Hurricane Forecasters Bring Preparedness Message to Bahamas, Mexico and Caribbean

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:13:05 +0000

NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Reserve will host a series of public events the week of March 22 in five coastal communities in the Bahamas, Mexico and the Caribbean to urge residents to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.

NOAA: Ninth Warmest February for Globe

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:49:38 +0000

The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for February 2009 was the ninth warmest since records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Proposes Listing Pacific Smelt as Threatened Species

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:34:30 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service said today it is proposing to list Pacific smelt as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Final action on the proposal could come as soon as a year from now.

NOAA Study: Contaminant Levels Near Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet Similar to Other Parts of San Francisco Bay Area

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:33:22 +0000

NOAA scientists measuring contaminants in the vicinity of the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay, Calif., during a year-long environmental study found metals, PCBs and other compounds at levels comparable to those at other locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Their findings are detailed in a new report.

NOAA Holds Public Hearings on Proposed Rule to Identify and Certify Nations Whose Vessels Fish Illegally

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:11:39 +0000

NOAA will hold the first of five public hearings on Mon., Mar.16, in Boston, to receive comments on a proposed rule to identify and certify nations with vessels engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing or bycatch of protected species, such as marine mammals and sea turtles.

“Don’t Feed Wild Dolphins” Says New Public Service Announcement

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:54:08 +0000

“Just stop feeding me!” says an animated dolphin in a new public service announcement released today that highlights the dangers of dolphins getting hooked on human handouts. The PSA was produced by a coalition of government agencies and private organizations.

Atmospheric ‘Sunshade’ Could Reduce Solar Power Generation

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:29:25 +0000

The concept of delaying global warming by adding particles into the upper atmosphere to cool the climate could unintentionally reduce peak electricity generated by large solar power plants by as much as one-fifth, according to a new NOAA study. The findings appear in this week’s issue of Environmental Science and Technology.

Inspector General Finds NOAA Provides Best Available Science for New England Groundfish, but Recommends Improving Communication with Fishing Industry

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 16:25:19 +0000

NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Mass. advises fishery managers with the best available science to set catch limits in the groundfish fishery, according to a recently released report by the Department of Commerce Office of the Inspector General.

NOAA Report Uncovers Why Some People Don’t Heed Severe Weather Warnings

Mon, 9 Mar 2009 15:00:50 +0000

NOAA’s National Weather Service has issued a report that analyzes forecasting performance and public response during the second deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history. The report, Service Assessment of the Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak of February 5-6, 2008, also addresses a key area of concern: why some people take cover while others ride out severe weather.

NOAA and Partners Recognize Newest Business to Join Dolphin SMART Program

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 22:10:38 +0000

NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA Fisheries Service and their partners today accepted the fourth charter operator into a program created to help protect wild dolphins in the Keys. Sea Bear Aquatic Adventures officially joined the Dolphin SMART program after successfully meeting standards that promote responsible viewing of dolphins in the wild.

NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Seeks Applicants for Advisory Council Seat

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 14:29:54 +0000

NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill one seat on its advisory council, which ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

NOAA Encourages Bay Area Boaters to Watch Out for Whales

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 20:17:47 +0000

NOAA's Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary advises San Francisco Bay Area boaters to steer clear of whales, which migrate through the San Francisco Bay Area in large numbers during the spring. Gray whales are at a particularly high risk of collisions with vessels, as they often travel near shore and may even wander into the bay itself.

NOAA Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary Shipwreck Joffre Listed on National Register of Historic Places

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 17:14:52 +0000

The wreck of an early 20th century fishing vessel that represents technological changes in New England’s fishing industry has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 105-foot long Joffre shipwreck rests within NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

South Carolina Becomes Fourth State to Earn NOAA StormReady® Designation

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 16:35:37 +0000

NOAA's National Weather Service today recognized South Carolina as the fourth state to be StormReady®. Over the past seven years, each of the state's 46 counties has completed this rigorous program to strengthen the state’s ability to protect life and property during severe weather.

NOAA Releases Draft Management Plan for Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for Public Review and Comment

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:24:51 +0000

NOAA released the draft management plan for Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary for public review and comment today. The plan provides a framework for the sanctuary’s resource protection, education and outreach, and research programs.

Maritime Shipping Makes Hefty Contribution to Harmful Air Pollution

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:28:45 +0000

Globally, commercial ships emit almost half as much particulate matter pollutants into the air as the total amount released by the world’s cars, according to a new study led by NOAA and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Ship pollutants affect both global climate and the health of people living along coastlines.

NOAA Corps Commander John T. Caskey Takes Command of the NOAA Oceanographic Research Ship Hi`ialakai

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:34:07 +0000

Cmdr. John T. Caskey of the NOAA Commissioned Officers Corps took command today of the NOAA Ship Hi`ialakai, a ship dedicated to coral reef ecosystem research. He is the fourth to command the 224-ft. NOAA vessel, which was commissioned in 2004. The change of command ceremony was held on Ford Island, home port to three NOAA ships in Hawaii.

NOAA: Seventh Warmest January for Global Temperatures

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:40:27 +0000

The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for January 2009 was the seventh warmest since records began in 1880, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

Lake Michigan Fish Populations Threatened by Decline of Tiny Creature

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:29:56 +0000

The quick decline of a tiny shrimp-like species, known scientifically as Diporeia, is related to the aggressive population growth of non-native quagga mussels in the Great Lakes, say NOAA scientists. As invasive mussel numbers increase, food sources for Diporeia and many aquatic species have steadily and unilaterally declined.

New Report Shows Loss of Coastal Wetlands in Eastern U.S.

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:04:24 +0000

While the nation as a whole gained freshwater wetlands from 1998 to 2004, a new report by NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documents a continuing loss of coastal wetlands in the eastern United States.

Antibiotic Resistance: A Rising Concern In Marine Ecosystems

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:04:24 +0000

A team of scientists, speaking today at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, called for new awareness of the potential for antibiotic-resistant illnesses from the marine environment, and pointed to the marine realm as a source for possible cures of those threats.

Crews Work to Free Another Right Whale From Entangling Ropes

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:00:17 +0000

NOAA and its partners cut entangling ropes on another endangered North Atlantic right whale off the southeast United States earlier today – this time off northern Georgia.

NOAA National Weather Service Fire Weather Experts Assisting in Australia

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:28:33 +0000

Several fire weather forecasters from NOAA's National Weather Service are on duty in Australia providing crucial weather information to forecasters in the Australian Bureau of Meteorology as they battle wildfires ravaging southeastern Australia.

NOAA: Fetal Exposure to Two Toxins Can Increase Epileptic Seizures and Their Severity

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:25:23 +0000

Exposure to two environmental poisons—DDT and domoic acid--during brain development can increase the number of epileptic seizures and their intensity in a laboratory model for human epilepsy, according to a report by NOAA scientists.

NOAA Offers New Online Media Library Featuring Ocean-Related Photos and Videos

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:45:39 +0000

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has launched a new online multimedia library offering public access to thousands of high-resolution, ocean-related photos and videos taken by NOAA scientists, educators, divers and archaeologists.

No Evidence of Tampering in Last Year’s Sea Lion Deaths at Bonneville

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 21:44:59 +0000

An investigation by NOAA’s Fisheries Service into the deaths last May of six sea lions trapped on two floating cages below Bonneville Dam found no evidence of human intervention, either intentional or accidental, in the closing of the cage doors.

NOAA Says Prepare for Major Spring Flooding on Red River

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 16:08:33 +0000

NOAA is alerting residents in the Red River Valley, which separates North Dakota and Minnesota, of the potential for significant flooding in their communities this spring.

Explore NOAA during NOAA Heritage Week: Feb. 6-14 in Silver Spring, Md.

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 17:10:39 +0000

Explore NOAA during NOAA Heritage Week: Feb. 6-14 in Silver Spring, Md.

NOAA Simulation Model Helps Prepare Santa Barbara for Tsunamis and Coastal Floods

Wed, 4 Feb 2009 15:56:37 +0000

NOAA scientists have created a high-resolution digital elevation model, or DEM, of Santa Barbara, Calif., that simulates the effects of deadly tsunamis and coastal floods. The model enables scientists and emergency managers to develop life-saving plans to protect residents in Santa Barbara County and the nearby coastal communities of Ventura and Oxnard.

NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown Returns to Charleston After Four Months in Eastern Pacific

Mon, 2 Feb 2009 14:51:39 +0000

The NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown has returned to its homeport of Charleston, S.C., after spending four months in the eastern Pacific, most recently servicing an array of buoys which provide data for climate studies.

SARSAT Rescues 283 People in 2008

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:37:34 +0000

Last year, NOAA satellites helped rescue 283 people throughout the U.S. and its surrounding waters. NOAA satellites detect and locate distress signals from emergency beacons and relay the information to first responders on the ground.

Scientists Discover 'Hot Spot' for Toxic Harmful Algal Blooms Off Washington Coast

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:18:39 +0000

A new study funded by NOAA and the National Science Foundation reveals that a part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separates Washington state from Canada’s British Columbia, is a potential 'hot spot' for toxic harmful algal blooms affecting the Washington and British Columbia coasts.

NOAA Unveils New Alert System for La Niña and El Niño

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 15:38:45 +0000

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center today issued the first La Niña advisory under its new El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Alert System. Forecasters expect La Niña to influence weather patterns across the United States during the remainder of the winter and into the early spring.

NOAA Team to Train Fishery Observers in Senegal

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:48:46 +0000

NOAA scientists will travel to the west African nation of Senegal this week to train government officials and university students to be marine resource observers on fishing boats. The observers will collect scientific information about the health of fish stocks and the amount of incidental bycatch of marine mammals and other protected species.

Federal Agencies and Industry Work Together to Restore New Jersey’s Passaic River

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:06:36 +0000

NOAA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have signed agreements with 23 companies to cooperatively assess the lower 17 miles of the Passaic River and develop and implement a restoration plan to restore damaged habitat.

NOAA Gives Navy Marine Mammal Protection Measures for Sonar Training off the Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:19:11 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has issued regulations and a letter of authorization to the U.S. Navy that includes measures to protect marine mammals while conducting Atlantic fleet active sonar training off the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. The regulations require the Navy to implement measures designed to protect and minimize effects to marine mammals.

NOAA Prepares to Launch New Polar-Orbiting Satellite for Climate & Weather

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:59:37 +0000

A new NOAA polar-orbiting environmental satellite, set to launch next month, will support NOAA’s weather and ocean forecasts, including long-range climate predictions for El Niño and La Niña and support U.S. search and rescue operations. The new spacecraft – NOAA-N Prime – is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Feb. 4, 2009 at 2:22 a.m. PST.

First Wintertime Observations Find Ozone Soaring near Natural Gas Field

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:25:46 +0000

During the past three winters, ozone—normally linked to hot-weather and urban pollution—has soared to health-threatening levels near a remote natural gas field in northwestern Wyoming. Now, scientists at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory have solved the problem of how ozone can form in cold weather at levels threatening to human health.

Scientific Assessment Presents Best Practices for Characterizing, Communicating and Incorporating Scientific Uncertainty in Climate Decision Making

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:38:29 +0000

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program has issued its final assessment product presenting a summary of methods and strategies to characterize, analyze, and deal with uncertainty as it relates to climate change and its effects.

NOAA Releases Plans for Managing and Protecting Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:58:26 +0000

NOAA has released the final management plan, regulations, and final environmental impact statement for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

Agencies Issue Revised Recovery Plan for the Northwest Atlantic Loggerhead Sea Turtle

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:27:09 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced today the availability of the final revised recovery plan for the Northwest Atlantic population of the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). The species is listed globally as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

NOAA Reports Northern Fur Seal Pup Estimate Decline

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:20:53 +0000

Researchers at the National Marine Mammal Laboratory of NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center have marked another decline in northern fur seal pup births in the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea, where most of the world’s population of northern fur seals gather in the summer to rest and breed.

NOAA Issues Final Guidance on Annual Catch Limits to End Overfishing

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:22:24 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service today issued final guidance on annual catch limits designed to help restore federally managed marine fish stocks and end overfishing.

NOAA Proposes Guidelines for Fishery Disaster Determinations

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:36:15 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comment on a proposed rule that outlines guidelines and procedures for initiating or responding to requests for fishery disaster determinations.

NOAA Grants Endangered Species Status to Black Abalone

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:55:28 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today determined black abalone, an edible marine mollusk, should be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The ruling takes effect on Feb. 13, and comes one year after the fisheries service proposed to list the species.

NOAA Proposes Interim Northeast Groundfish Rules

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:42:46 +0000

NOAA is proposing measures to govern Northeast groundfish fisheries beginning May 1, 2009, the start of the new fishing year. The measures strive to reduce overfishing, continue rebuilding of groundfish stocks, and provide more options for fishing businesses trying to mitigate the economic effects of the measures while the New England Fishery Management Council finalizes a major revision to the fishery management plan.

NOAA Declares Buffalo Bills as First StormReady® Supporter Team in NFL

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:02:36 +0000

NOAA is proud to announce the Buffalo Bills as the first National Football League team to become a StormReady® Supporter. With this designation the Bills are better prepared for severe weather and to make fans and spectators at Ralph Wilson Stadium aware of such events.

NOAA Will Work With Six Identified Nations to Address Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:11:42 +0000

NOAA today submitted the first ever report to Congress identifying nations – France, Italy, Libya, Panama, the People's Republic of China, and Tunisia – whose fishing vessels were engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in 2007 or 2008.

NOAA Establishes Eight Marine Protected Areas to Provide Safe Havens for Deep-Water Fish

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:01:45 +0000

NOAA has established eight separate marine protected areas encompassing a total of 529 square nautical miles in south Atlantic federal waters to shield deep-water fish species and their habitats from fishing.

Saltwater Recreational Fishermen Boon for Economy, Says NOAA

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:11:58 +0000

Recreational saltwater anglers pumped more than $31 billion into the U.S. economy in 2006, with Florida, Texas, California, Louisiana, and North Carolina receiving the largest share according to a new study issued by NOAA's Fisheries Service.

NOAA Twin Otter Aircraft to Support West Coast Ocean Research, Management

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:16:44 +0000

Senior federal officials today dedicated a specially equipped twin-engine NOAA aircraft that will support ocean research and management along the West Coast. The NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations is basing the plane and flight crew in Monterey, Calif., to meet the needs of NOAA programs and national marine sanctuaries.

NOAA Gives Navy Marine Mammal Protection Measures for Sonar Training off Hawaii

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:03:11 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has issued regulations and a letter of authorization to the U.S. Navy to impact marine mammals while conducting training exercises around the main Hawaiian Islands. The regulations require the Navy to implement measures designed to protect and minimize effects to marine mammals.

Coastal Land Preserved on 15th Anniversary of Major Oil Spill off Puerto Rico

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 21:41:19 +0000

On the 15th anniversary of a million-gallon oil spill that damaged the coastline of Puerto Rico, NOAA and partner organizations are celebrating the purchase of 152 acres to expand a coastal reserve near one of the areas hardest hit by the spill.

NOAA, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Award $2.2 Million for Coral Reef Conservation

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 15:41:08 +0000

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program announced today the funding of 15 grants totaling more than $2.2 million through the jointly managed Coral Reef Conservation Fund (Coral Fund). The grants will help prevent further negative impacts to coral reefs by educating local communities and improving management effectiveness.

New NOAA Great Lakes Laboratory Opens, New Acting Director Named

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 14:57:40 +0000

A larger facility to focus on Great Lakes issues opened today following a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Pittsfield Township, Mich.

NOAA and Partners Share Plan to Restore Delaware River from 2004 Oil Spill

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 16:35:44 +0000

NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware are seeking public comment on a restoration plan to repair and improve shoreline and habitats of the Delaware River damaged by a vessel oil spill in 2004.

New Economic Report Finds Commercial and Recreational Fishing Generated More Than Two Million Jobs

Tue, 6 Jan 2009 15:19:19 +0000

U.S. commercial and recreational fishing generated more than $185 billion in sales and supported more than two million jobs in 2006, according to a new economic report released by NOAA's Fisheries Service.

NOAA Names First Woman to Direct National Geodetic Survey

Mon, 5 Jan 2009 16:58:08 +0000

Juliana P. Blackwell has been named the new director of NOAA’s Office of National Geodetic Survey where she will oversee NOAA's responsibilities for the nation's spatial reference system. She is the first woman to head the nation's oldest federal science agency which was established by President Thomas Jefferson in 1807 as the Survey of the Coast.

NOAA and Partners Attempt Disentanglement of Right Whale off Florida

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 22:28:58 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service and its rescue team partners attempted a disentanglement of a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale earlier today.

Monument Agencies Release Papahānaumokuākea Management Plan

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:44:48 +0000

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the state of Hawai‘i has released the completed management plan and associated environmental assessments for Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the nation’s largest marine protected area.

NOAA Determines Ribbon Seals Should Not be Listed as Endangered

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:10:56 +0000

NOAA today announced that ribbon seals are not in current danger of extinction or likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future, and should not be listed under the Endangered Species Act.

NOAA Proposes Rule to Reduce Charter Halibut Catch

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:07:41 +0000

NOAA today proposed reducing the number of halibut that charter vessel anglers in southeast Alaska can keep, from two each day to one.

Department of Commerce Rules on Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency Consistency Appeal

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:39:41 +0000

The Department of Commerce today upheld the California Coastal Commission's objection to a proposal to construct a 16-mile toll road connecting California state Route 241 to Interstate 5 in southern Orange and northern San Diego counties.

NOAA: Jason-2 Satellite Data Now Available to Scientists

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:36:52 +0000

NOAA announced that scientists around the world now have access to valuable data from a new international satellite, the Jason-2/Ocean Surface Topography Mission. This information allows them to closely watch the rate of global sea-level rise and monitor changing ocean features around tropical cyclones.

Humans, Oceans Shaped North American Climate over Past 50 Years

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:05:43 +0000

Greenhouse gases play an important role in North American climate, but differences in regional ocean temperatures may hold a key to predicting future U.S. regional climate changes, according to a new NOAA-led scientific assessment. The assessment is one in a series of synthesis and assessment reports coordinated by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program.

NOAA’s Simulation Tool Prepares Oregon Coastal Towns for Tsunamis and Floods

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:28:51 +0000

NOAA scientists have created four high-resolution digital elevation models, or DEMs, of Oregon’s coastline that simulate deadly tsunamis and floods. These models will help emergency managers develop life-saving plans for communities in those locations.

NOAA Recognizes San Francisco as TsunamiReady™

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:14:35 +0000

San Francisco has completed NOAA's National Weather Service TsunamiReady™ recognition program, better equipping the city to prepare and warn its citizens for tsunamis. San Francisco is now the most populous city in the United States to achieve TsunamiReady™ recognition and joins more than 60 TsunamiReady™ communities throughout the country, including 14 in California.

NOAA Declares Nation’s First StormReady® Supporter High School

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:39:42 +0000

The teachers and students of John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington, N. C., are the first high school in the country to prepare an action plan and practice drills making them ready for a tornado or other severe weather. This preparation has earned them the designation as a NOAA National Weather Service StormReady® Supporter.

Nenana, Alaska, Receives Nation’s 1,000th NOAA Weather Radio Transmitter

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 21:57:01 +0000

Central interior Alaskan residents, visitors, barge captains and railroad operators now have access to weather information anytime, thanks to a new NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards transmitter recently installed on Toghotthele Hill in Nenana, the 1,000th of these transmitters installed by NOAA.

NOAA Charges Florida Dive Charter Businesses for Fishing Without Federal Permits

Thu, 4 Dec 2008 21:55:49 +0000

NOAA has charged two dive business owners in Pensacola, Fla., with illegally operating spearfishing charters without the appropriate permits in federal waters off the Florida panhandle.

NOAA, NASA Select Contractor to Build GOES-R Series Spacecraft

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 21:39:30 +0000

NOAA and NASA officials announced today Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, of Denver, Colo., has been selected to build two spacecraft for NOAA’s next generation geostationary satellite series, GOES-R. There are two options, each providing for one additional satellite. Scheduled for launch in 2015, the new satellites will provide more data in greater detail which is essential to creating accurate weather forecasts.

NOAA Satellite Conference Helps Users Prepare for Future

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 17:59:22 +0000

Weather and climate forecasters, emergency managers and other users of NOAA satellite information will meet with top NOAA officials in Miami, Dec. 8-12, to learn more about new equipment and software that will be needed to retrieve data from the next generation of NOAA satellites.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Releases an Additional $70 Million in Disaster Aid to West Coast Salmon Fishing Industry

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:33:08 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service announced today it is making an additional $70 million in disaster-relief aid available to West Coast salmon fishermen, completing a financial-assistance package announced in September, when the agency released $100 million in disaster assistance.

Seattle Group to Pay Nearly $450,000 Settlement for Alaska Fisheries Violations

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:06:30 +0000

NOAA's Office of the General Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation has announced a settlement agreement with the Fishing Company of Alaska and the captains and the owner of the F/V Alaska Juris for fisheries violations occurring from 2002 through 2004.

New Study Details Ocean Acidification in the Caribbean

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:55:09 +0000

A new study, which confirms significant ocean acidification across much of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, reports strong natural variations in ocean chemistry in some parts of the Caribbean that could affect the way reefs respond to future ocean acidification. Such short-term variability has often been underappreciated and may prove an important consideration when predicting the long-term impacts of ocean acidification to coral reefs.

NOAA Scientist to Receive Grande Medaille from French Academy

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:54:22 +0000

For her scientific achievements, including pioneering research that helped explain the cause of the ozone hole, and her leadership as co-chair of Working Group 1 for the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report, NOAA Senior Scientist Susan Solomon will receive the Grande Medaille from the Institute of France’s Academy of Sciences.