NOAA News Releases

NOAA Administrator Takes Action on IG Report on Fisheries Enforcement

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 16:50:36 -0500

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco today instructed the agency’s head attorney and its top fisheries manager to take immediate and long-term actions to improve the agency’s enforcement and legal operations and enhance its relationship with the fishing community.

NOAA's Sea Grant Awards Eight 'Climate Engagement' Mini-Grants

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 10:45:36 -0500

Coastal residents, businesses and decision-makers around the country will consider how their communities can adapt to climate change through eight newly awarded NOAA National Sea Grant College Program grants.

NOAA Takes Delivery of New Fisheries Survey Vessel

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 12:14:36 -0500

NOAA has taken delivery of Bell M. Shimada, the agency’s newest high-tech fisheries survey vessel.

President Proposes Key Investments in NOAA 2011 Budget

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 14:00:00 -0500

President Obama today released the 2011 proposed budget for NOAA, requesting $5.6 billion for the nation’s oceanic and atmospheric agency. The request includes investments to strengthen NOAA’s science, promote economic development, strengthen energy and security, sustain oceans and coasts, and protect lives and livelihoods.

NOAA Responds to GAO Decision on Marine Operations Center-Pacific Lease

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:29:45 -0500

NOAA notified the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in a letter sent today that, consistent with GAO’s recommendations, NOAA will conduct an assessment of whether there was a practicable alternative to awarding a lease to the Port of Newport, Ore., for the NOAA Marine Operations Center-Pacific.

Stratospheric Water Vapor is a Global Warming Wild Card

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:27:05 -0500

A 10 percent drop in water vapor ten miles above Earth’s surface has had a big impact on global warming, say researchers in a study published online January 28 in the journal Science. The findings might help explain why global surface temperatures have not risen as fast in the last ten years as they did in the 1980s and 1990s.

Commerce Department Proposes Establishment of NOAA Climate Service

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:27:26 -0500

Individuals and decision-makers across widely diverse sectors – from agriculture to energy to transportation – increasingly are asking NOAA for information about climate change in order to make the best choices for their families, communities and businesses. To meet the rising tide of these requests, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced the intent to create a NOAA Climate Service line office dedicated to bringing together the agency’s strong climate science and service delivery capabilities.

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco Unveil Landmark Climate.Gov Portal to Climate Information

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:26:28 -0500

In a press conference earlier today, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco unveiled a new Web site that will serve as a single point-of-entry for NOAA’s climate information, data, products and services. This climate portal will provide information about the impacts of climate on nearly every aspect of our lives from agriculture and energy to transportation.

NOAA Award to Support Community Efforts to Protect Pacific Coral Reefs

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:02:07 -0500

NOAA awarded the University of Hawaii at Manoa Kewalo Marine Laboratory a $199,996 grant to address the effects of land-based sources of pollution on coral reefs in the Pacific. The money will fund the first year of a five-year, $1 million dollar project.

NOAA and Fishermen Cooperate on Research into Monkfish Migration

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:38:00 -0500

Researchers are working with commercial fishermen to put electronic tags on hundreds of monkfish (Lophius americanus) in the waters of southern New England and the Gulf of Maine to track where the commercially important fish goes during its lifetime, and to answer other questions about its biology.

Emissions of Potent Greenhouse Gas Increase Despite Reduction Efforts

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:40:12 -0500

Despite a decade of efforts worldwide to curb its release into the atmosphere, NOAA and university scientists have measured increased emissions of a greenhouse gas that is thousands of times more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide and persists in the atmosphere for nearly 300 years.

Picture This: NOAA, Google Join Forces to Visualize Scientific Data

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:23:38 -0500

NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and Google have signed a cooperative research and development agreement outlining how they will work together to create state-of-the-art visualizations of scientific data to illustrate how our planet works.

NOAA Administrator and Regional Partners Break Ground on Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:32:09 -0500

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco was on hand today to mark the start of construction on NOAA’s Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Ala. The facility will be the regional home to the agency’s Office of Response and Restoration - the NOAA organization charged with responding to oil spills, hazardous material releases, and marine debris.

NOAA: December Global Ocean Temperature Second Warmest on Record

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:29:31 -0500

The global ocean surface temperature was the second warmest on record for December, according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Based on records going back to 1880, the monthly NCDC analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides. Scientists also reported the combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the eighth warmest on record for December.

NOAA Takes Steps to Improve Fisheries Law Enforcement

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:20:03 -0500

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco has directed the agency’s enforcement and legal offices to take steps to promote greater transparency in law enforcement, ensure fairness in penalties, and improve lines of communication with commercial and recreational fishermen.

NOAA Gives Navy Marine Mammal Protection Measures for Exercises off the Gulf Coast

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:00:47 -0500

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 naval exercises off the Gulf of Mexico coast. The regulations require the Navy to implement measures designed to protect and minimize effects to marine mammals.

Study Links Springtime Ozone Increases Above Western North America to Emissions

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:42:44 -0500

Springtime ozone levels above western North America are rising primarily due to air flowing eastward from the Pacific Ocean, a trend that is largest when the air originates in Asia. These increases in ozone could make it more difficult for the United States to meet Clean Air Act standards for ozone pollution at ground level, according to a new international study. Published online today in the journal Nature, the study analyzed large sets of ozone data captured since 1984.

NOAA Scientist Finds Clue to Predicting Solar Flares

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:36:21 -0500

For decades, experts have searched for signs in the sun that could lead to more accurate forecasts of solar flares — powerful blasts of energy that can supercharge Earth’s upper atmosphere and disrupt satellites and the land-based technologies on which modern societies depend. Now a scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center and her colleagues have found a technique for predicting solar flares two to three days in advance with unprecedented accuracy.

Tsunamis May Telegraph Their Presence

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:17:39 -0500

Tsunamis send electric signals through the ocean that appear to be sensed by the vast network of communication cables on the seabed, according to a new study led by Manoj Nair of the University of Colorado and NOAA.

NOAA Satellites Help Rescue 195 People in 2009

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:14:24 -0500

NOAA’s fleet of satellites played a vital role in the rescues of 195 people during life-threatening situations throughout the United States and its surrounding waters in 2009. In each incident, NOAA satellites pinpointed these downed pilots, shipwrecked mariners, or stranded hikers by detecting a distress signal from an emergency beacon and relaying the information to first responders on the ground.

NOAA Celebrates Wetlands Restoration in San Francisco Bay

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:49:43 -0500

NOAA joined federal, state, and local groups on Wednesday in Alviso, Calif., on the shores of San Francisco Bay to view the breaching of an earthen levee at a South Bay salt pond, an important step in the $7.6 million Recovery Act project to restore 2,000 acres of wetlands.

Nation’s First Marine Debris Action Plan Implemented in Hawaii

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:23:14 -0500

Today, NOAA and several partners in Hawaii announced a comprehensive long-term plan to actively assess and remove plastics, derelict fishing gear, and other human sources of marine debris from coastal waters and coral reefs along the island chain.

NOAA: U.S. December Wetter and Colder than Average

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:00:50 -0500

NOAA’s State of the Climate report shows the December 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was 30.2 degrees F, which is 3.2 degrees F below average. Last month’s average precipitation was 2.88 inches, which is 0.65 inch above the 1901-2000 average.

NOAA and California Officials Agree to Remove Large Concrete Dam to Eliminate Safety Hazard and Restore Steelhead Habitat

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:24:10 -0500

NOAA joined state and local officials today in a pledge to remove the San Clemente Dam to eliminate a threat to the lives and property of those along California’s lower Carmel River, and help restore the watershed for federally protected steelhead trout.

NOAA Director and UCSB Chancellor Break Ground on New Ocean Science Education Building

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 11:57:13 -0500

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco and the University of California, Santa Barbara Chancellor Henry T. Yang broke ground today on the new 15,000-square foot Ocean Science Education Building on the east side of the UCSB campus. The project brings together the university’s Marine Science Institute and NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

NOAA Ranks December Snowstorm a Category 3 on the Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale

Fri, 8 Jan 2010 10:27:00 -0500

To the surprise of no one affected by the Dec. 18-20, 2009 system that dumped heavy snow from the mid-Atlantic to southern New England, NOAA has rated the storm a Category 3 or "Major" winter storm on NOAA’s Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale, also known as NESIS.

NOAA Considers Listing Atlantic Sturgeon as Endangered or Threatened

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 10:48:56 -0500

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced that it will consider listing Atlantic sturgeon as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. The agency received a petition from the Natural Resources Defense Council in October 2009, requesting that the species be listed throughout its range.

NOAA Proposes Critical Habitat Revisions for Leatherback Sea Turtles

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 10:16:54 -0500

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a proposed rule to expand critical habitat for the endangered leatherback sea turtle by designating more than 70,000 square miles in three areas in the Pacific Ocean off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington.

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center to Provide Greater Lead Time in Watches and Warnings

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:32:40 -0500

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami will issue watches and warnings for tropical storms and hurricanes along threatened coastal areas 12 hours earlier than in previous years. According to NHC experts, advancements in track forecasts are making it possible for forecasters to provide greater lead time.

NOAA Dispatches High-Tech Research Plane to Improve Winter Storm Forecasts

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:56:51 -0500

NOAA’s Gulfstream IV aircraft, known for investigating Atlantic hurricanes, will begin flying over the North Pacific Ocean to fill gaps in atmospheric observations, which will enhance forecasts of winter storms for the entire North American continent through improved computer modeling.

Nation’s Ocean Observing System Completes Year-Long Data Standardization

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:37:13 -0500

As of this month, mariners, coastal managers, and many other users seeking timely and tailored ocean and Great Lakes conditions are now able to access standardized data sets across all U.S. regions. This marks the completion of a milestone in a national effort to link federal and non-federal sources of ocean and coastal observations and forecasts, to include water level, salinity, temperature and wind and wave data.

NOAA Proposes Rule to Deny Port Entry to Illegal Fishing Vessels

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:20:37 -0500

NOAA is seeking public comment on a proposed rule that would allow the NOAA assistant administrator for fisheries to deny a vessel entry into a U.S. port or access to port services if that vessel has been listed for engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing by one of the world’s international fishery management organizations.

Dec. 26, 2009 Marks Five Years Since Sumatra Indonesia Tsunami Killed 230,000

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:07:23 -0500

In December 2004, lack of an effective international warning system contributed to unprecedented loss of life when a tsunami devastated countless communities around the Indian Ocean and stunned the rest of the world. Through NOAA, the United States accelerated preparation for a potential tsunami along the U.S. coastline and efforts to build partnerships for an international warning program.

NOAA Announces Proposed Northeast Groundfish Management Measures

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:47:35 -0500

NOAA today announced details of proposed measures developed by the New England Fishery Management Council intended to end overfishing and continue the rebuilding of Northeast groundfish.

Highway Barriers Stifle Sound, Sight, and Soot

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:15:02 -0500

Highway barriers erected along roadways to block the sound and sight of traffic for the adjoining neighborhoods may also be reducing the amount of pollutants, such as soot from diesel exhaust, reaching area residents.

Winter, Nighttime Tornadoes Pose Greatest Risk, National Weather Service Warns

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:10:02 -0500

Shrouded in darkness, nighttime tornadoes can be deadly, especially during the winter season when people are not accustomed to such severe weather. Given the dangers, forecasters with NOAA’s National Weather Service are increasing efforts to alert people of a potential threat in their area before they go to sleep.

NOAA Assesses Post-Tsunami Marine Debris in American Samoa

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:01:21 -0500

A NOAA team has begun a survey of marine debris generated by the devastating September 29 tsunami in American Samoa. The team is carefully measuring the amount and impact of debris such as roofing and domestic goods in coral reef habitat near villages severely affected by the tsunami.

Tom Karl, Director of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center Answers Questions About Climate Science

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:13:40 -0500

On Friday, Dec. 11, Tom Karl was the guest for a live webchat with Washington Post readers about the science of climate change.

National Saltwater Angler Registry Opens on New Year’s Day

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:52:11 -0500

Saltwater recreational fishermen have long expressed concerns about the data used to estimate the effects of recreational fishing on ocean resources and the nation’s economy. The National Saltwater Angler Registry, which launches on Friday, will help address that concern by providing a comprehensive list of the nation’s saltwater anglers that will be used to improve surveys of fishermen.

Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Recovering

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:40:47 -0500

A recent scientific update on Gulf of Mexico red snapper shows that fishermen may be able to catch more fish next year. This news shows that when fishermen follow management measures based on science, they lead to rebuilding of fish populations and increased opportunities to fish.

Scientists Discover and Image Explosive Deep-Ocean Volcano

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:03:34 -0500

Scientists funded by NOAA and the National Science Foundation recorded the deepest erupting volcano yet discovered, describing high-definition video of the undersea eruption as “spectacular.” Eruption of the West Mata volcano, discovered in May, occurred nearly 4,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, in an area bounded by Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

NOAA Amendment Removes Swordfishing Restrictions After Study Finds Most Sea Turtle Interactions Non-lethal

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:11:06 -0500

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today removed restrictions on the number of gear deployments by the Hawaii swordfish fleet after four years of study found sea turtle protections are working and most interactions between the fleet and loggerhead and leatherback sea turtles are non-lethal.

NOAA Reminds You to Give the Gift of Safety This Holiday Season

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:29:37 -0500

When searching for that special gift this holiday season, consider giving a potentially life-saving NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio. These radios sound an alarm when NOAA’s National Weather Service issues a warning for severe weather, such as a tornado or flash flood, and can relay civil emergency messages.

NOAA Approves Western and Central Pacific Bigeye Tuna Catch Limit

Wed, 9 Dec 2009 13:16:16 -0500

NOAA has established a catch limit for bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the U.S. pelagic longline fisheries in the western and central Pacific Ocean for each of the calendar years 2009, 2010, and 2011, having determined that the species’ Pacific Ocean population is subject to overfishing.

Dr. Lubchenco Responds to Questions About Stolen Climate Emails

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 18:19:02 -0500

Last week on Dec. 2 NOAA Administrator, Jane Lubchenco, testified before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming in a hearing called "State of Climate Science." Many of the questions were related to the climate emails stolen and released from East Anglia University.

Glider Completes Historic Ocean Crossing: New Technology Advances Climate Understanding

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 12:21:48 -0500

The first-ever 7,300-mile Atlantic Ocean crossing by an unmanned underwater glider is opening up a new world of ocean technology. A ceremony on Dec. 9 in Baiona, Spain, will celebrate the partnership effort among the U.S. interagency Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) through Rutgers University, NOAA, Puertos Del Estado (Spanish Port Authority), the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, and other European partners.

North American 2008 Cooling Attributed to Natural Causes

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 12:33:34 -0500

Cooler North American temperatures in 2008 resulted from a strong natural effect, and the overall warming trend that has been observed since 1970 is likely to resume, according to university and NOAA scientists.

NOAA Announces Temporary Fishing Rule to Protect South Atlantic Red Snapper

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 15:01:03 -0500

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has announced an interim rule that will prohibit commercial and recreational fishing for red snapper in federal waters off North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and the Atlantic coast of Florida.

NOAA Encourages Use of Catch Shares to End Overfishing, Rebuild Fisheries and Fishing Communities

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:42:00 -0500

NOAA released today for public comment a draft national policy encouraging the use of catch shares, a fishery management tool that aims to end overfishing and rebuild and sustain fishing jobs and fishing communities. In doing so, NOAA recognized that catch shares are not a panacea or one-size-fits-all solution, but are a proven way to promote sustainable fishing when designed properly at the fishing community level.

NOAA Deactivates GOES-10 after 12 Years of Tracking Storms

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 15:35:27 -0500

NOAA officially deactivated its Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-10 today after 12 years of service. GOES-10 tracked some of the most memorable tropical cyclones in history, including Hurricane Mitch, which devastated parts of Central America in 1998; and Hurricane Katrina, which ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2005.

NOAA Proposes Critical Habitat for Cook Inlet Beluga Whales

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 11:27:18 -0500

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a proposal that identifies more than a third of Cook Inlet in Alaska as critical habitat for the remaining approximately 300 endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales.

NOAA Installs System to Improve Safety and Efficiency of Ships along the Cherry Point Reach in Washington State

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:59:51 -0500

Ship captains and pleasure boaters can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for Cherry Point, Wash., from a newly installed NOAA ocean observing system that makes piloting a ship safer and more efficient.

NOAA: 2009 Global Temperatures Well Above Average; Slightly Above-Average for U.S.

Tue, 8 Dec 2009 10:56:27 -0500

Global surface temperatures for 2009 will be well above the long-term average, while the annual temperature for the contiguous United States will likely be above the long-term average, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The analysis is based on global records, which began in 1880 and U.S. records beginning in 1895. The NCDC analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides.

NOAA: Combined Global Surface Temperature Was Sixth Warmest for October

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:12:39 -0500

The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the sixth warmest October on record, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Based on records going back to 1880, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides.

When it Comes to CO2, What Goes Up Isn’t Always Coming Down

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:54:57 -0500

The ocean and the land are natural sponges, or sinks, that absorb carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the atmosphere. But a group of international scientists, including two from NOAA, have found that the emissions are outpacing the ability of the sinks to soak up the excess CO2.

Significant Ozone Hole Remains Over Antarctica

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:50:32 -0500

The Antarctic ozone hole, which fluctuates throughout the late winter and spring in the southern hemisphere, reached its 2009 peak circumference in late September, according to measurements by NOAA researchers. Slightly smaller than the North American continent, the ozone hole covered 9.2 million square miles, according to NOAA satellite observations. This ranks as the 10th largest since satellite measurements began in 1979.

NOAA Releases Expanded World Ocean Database

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:29 -0500

NOAA today released the World Ocean Database 2009, the largest, most comprehensive collection of scientific information about the oceans with records dating as far back as 1800. This product is part of the climate services provided by NOAA.

Washington State Toxic Algae Threatens Razor Clam Harvesting and Coastal Economy

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:48:32 -0500

A year-long shutdown in recreational razor clam digging, a major tourist attraction and local tradition in Washington state, could potentially result in as much as $22 million in lost revenue to coastal counties, according to a new report by NOAA and the University of Washington. Reduced lodging, transportation, and dining sales would also translate to a direct loss in labor income of $13.3 million to residents of affected areas, including a small commercial fishery.

New Study Uncovers Key Role of Bacteria in the Formation of ‘Red Tide’ Algal Blooms

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:03 -0500

According to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, NOAA and NOAA-funded university scientists are closer to understanding why “red tides,” called harmful algal blooms form. These toxic harmful algal blooms threaten marine ecosystems, human health, and cost local and regional economies millions of dollars annually through fishery closures, recreation and tourism losses.

Statement by Dr. Lubchenco on the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:04:23 -0500

Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, provided the following statement following a federal court hearing on the on the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion.

NOAA Deploys New ‘Smart Buoy’ off Annapolis

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:28:14 -0500

NOAA deployed the seventh in a series of smart buoys to monitor weather conditions and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay today. The buoy, located at the mouth of Severn River near Annapolis, Md., will be used by commercial and recreational boaters to navigate safely and provide data for educators and scientists to monitor the Bay's changing conditions.

NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco and Senior NOAA Climate Scientists Contribute to COP-15 Conference

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 18:58:32 -0500

Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, will be in Copenhagen as part of the U.S. Delegation from Dec. 13-16. As a member of the president’s science team and head of NOAA, Lubchenco is one of the senior administration officials attending the conference, including President Barack Obama and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.

United States Pushes for Strong Measures to Protect Bluefin Tuna

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:40:57 -0500

Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator issued the following statement urging the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to heed the scientific advice and adopt measures that will end overfishing in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and put bluefin tuna on the path to recovery. The ICCAT is scheduled to meet this week in Brazil.

NOAA Commissions New Fisheries Survey Ship and Dedicates New Fisheries Service Building in Pascagoula, Miss.

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:21:28 -0500

Senior NOAA officials today commissioned NOAA Ship Pisces, the nation’s most advanced fisheries research vessel, and dedicated a new fisheries laboratory in Pascagoula, Miss.

NOAA Scientists Fly to the Ends of the Earth to Measure Greenhouse Gases

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:20:09 -0500

NOAA scientists took off Saturday on the second phase of a mission that, when complete, will provide a detailed view of how carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are distributed globally. Monitoring the increasing levels of greenhouse gases and black carbon aerosols in the atmosphere is crucial to understanding human-caused climate change.

NOAA Awards $2.4 Million to Refine Management Strategies for the Northern Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:35:52 -0400

Scientists researching the causes and impacts of the dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico have been awarded more than $2.4 million for the first year of an anticipated $12 million multi-year NOAA research investment.

NOAA and Smithsonian Project to Improve Chesapeake and Delaware Bays’ Nearshore Habitat Management

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:34:49 -0400

NOAA has awarded the Smithsonian Institution’s Environmental Research Center and several partner organizations $946,000 for the first year of an anticipated five-year, $5 million collaborative project to study the degradation of nearshore coastal habitats in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.

NOAA, The Nature Conservancy Address Coral Reef Threats

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:48:31 -0400

NOAA and The Nature Conservancy have entered into an agreement to protect the health of the nation’s valuable but increasingly vulnerable coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.

NOAA and Partners Announce South Atlantic Alliance

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:15:42 -0400

Representatives from NOAA and the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, announced the formation of a partnership to better manage and protect ocean and coastal resources, ensure regional economic sustainability, and respond to disasters such as hurricanes.

NOAA Issues Statement on ICCAT Annual Meeting

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:49:06 -0500

NOAA issued a statement about the outcome of the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The ICCAT meeting concluded last night in Brazil.

NOAA and FDA to Combine Resources on Seafood Inspection

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:59:33 -0400

NOAA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled an interagency agreement today to strengthen seafood inspection and improve seafood safety and quality.

NOAA: U.S. Posts Third Coolest-Highest Precipitation for October on Record

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:03:08 -0500

The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA’s State of the Climate report issued today. Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services provided by NOAA.

Changing Arctic Affecting Air, Ocean, and Everything in Between

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:26:41 -0400

Despite the fact that summer 2009 had more sea ice than in 2007 or 2008, scientists are seeing drastic changes in the region from just five years ago and at rates faster than anticipated. The findings were presented today in the annual update of the Arctic Report Card, a collaborative effort of 71 national and international scientists.

Dr. Susan Solomon Wins Prestigious Award

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:25:10 -0500

A Senior Scientist at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, Dr. Solomon accepted the 2009 Volvo environment prize for her pioneering scientific contributions and subsequent impacts on environmental policies.

NOAA Seeks Comments on Proposed Authorization for Navy Sonar Operations off the Coast of the Mariana Islands

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:04:39 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comments now through November 19 on its proposed rule to authorize impacts to marine mammals during Navy training exercises around the Mariana Islands. The NOAA proposal includes protective measures designed to minimize effects on marine mammals.

Indiana School Welcomes Home NOAA ‘Teacher at Sea’ from Arctic Voyage

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:37:16 -0400

Today, students from Carmel Middle School in Carmel, Ind., welcomed home Christine Hedge, a seventh-grade science teacher who spent six weeks in the Arctic Ocean on board the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy as part of a multi-year, multi-agency effort to collect seafloor mapping and oceanographic data along the North American Extended Continental Shelf.

New NOAA System Improves Safety and Efficiency of Ships on the Lower Mississippi River and Port of New Orleans

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:03:29 -0400

Ship captains and pleasure boaters can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for the lower Mississippi River from a new NOAA ocean observing system that makes piloting a ship safer and more efficient.

NOAA: El Niño to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 15:11:09 -0500

El Niño in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean is expected to be a dominant climate factor that will influence the December through February winter weather in the United States, according to the 2009 Winter Outlook released today by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Such seasonal outlooks are part of NOAA’s suite of climate services.

NOAA Will Not List Two Spotted Seal Populations as Endangered or Threatened

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:44:35 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced that two of three populations totaling more than 200,000 spotted seals in and near Alaska are not currently in danger of extinction or likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. The announcement follows an 18-month status review.

Statement from Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, Announcing Support for Listing Atlantic Bluefin Tuna on International Trade Endangered Species List

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:17:52 -0400

The United States today announced that it will seek the strongest possible management for the conservation of Atlantic bluefin tuna, a fish which is in serious trouble.

NOAA Scientists Study Historic ‘Dust Bowl’ and Plains Droughts for Triggers

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:22:27 -0400

After analyzing historical records and climate model data for two major U.S. droughts in the 1930s and 1950s, NOAA scientists found two very different causes, shedding new light on our understanding of what triggers drought.

NOAA: September Temperature Above-Average for the U.S.

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 11:46:47 -0400

The average September temperature of 66.4 degrees F was 1.0 degree F above the 20th Century average. Precipitation across the contiguous United States in September averaged 2.48 inches, exactly the 1901-2000 average.

NOAA Announces $9 Million in Ocean Education Grants to National Aquariums

Mon, 5 Oct 2009 13:13:21 -0400

NOAA today announced 11 grants totaling more than $9 million that will create new education projects in aquariums across the nation. The projects will educate visitors about the ocean and encourage better stewardship of the marine environment.

NOAA Reports Health of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 11:45:51 -0400

A new NOAA report on the health of California’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary indicates that the overall condition of the sanctuary’s marine life and habitat ranges from good (highest rating) to fair (moderate rating), but identifies several threats to sanctuary resources, such as growing coastal populations, agricultural and urban runoff, vessel traffic and marine debris.

2009 Winter Outlook

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:30:00 -0400

El Niño to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather

NOAA: Global Surface Temperature Was Second Warmest for September

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:39:24 -0400

The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the second warmest September on record, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

NOAA Gives Great White Sharks More Protection in Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 10:49:46 -0400

New regulations to protect the great white shark are now in effect in NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, a marine protected area just west of San Francisco.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Issues Recovery Plan for Mid-Columbia Steelhead

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:52:14 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today released its recovery plan for Middle Columbia River steelhead, a fish that was first given protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1999.

New Research to Improve Management of Toxic Red Tides in the Gulf of Maine

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:03 -0400

NOAA has awarded $457,000 in competitive grant funding to support three projects to better track and manage outbreaks of toxic red tide algae that threaten public health and New England’s shellfish industry.

NOAA Awards Funds to Improve Toxic Algal Bloom Predictions in the Western Gulf of Mexico

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:13:04 -0400

NOAA is awarding $178,358 for the first year of a project to improve predictions of toxic algal blooms in the western Gulf of Mexico as part of an evolving national ecological forecasting capability. NOAA anticipates a nearly $1 million investment in this large-scale regional project over the next four years. The project is funded by the interagency Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms, or ECOHAB, program.

NOAA to Close Recreational Fishery for Black Sea Bass for Six Months Due to Overharvest

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:58:11 -0400

NOAA announced today the temporary closure of the black sea bass recreational fishery in federal waters north of Cape Hatteras, N.C., for 180 days in response to recent landings data that showed recreational fishermen may catch more than double their annual quota by the end of the year. The closure will commence Monday, October 5, 2009.

Unusual Arctic Warmth, Tropical Wetness Likely Cause for Methane Increase

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:55:58 -0400

Unusually high temperatures in the Arctic and heavy rains in the tropics likely drove a global increase in atmospheric methane in 2007 and 2008 after a decade of near-zero growth, according to a new study. Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, albeit a distant second.

NOAA Announces $13.1 Million Contract to Vigor Marine to Repair Survey Ship

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:59:14 -0400

NOAA has awarded a $13.1 million contract to Vigor Marine, LLC, in Portland, Ore., to perform major repairs and upgrades to the NOAA hydrographic survey vessel Rainier.

NOAA Awards Contract for Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:13:38 -0400

NOAA announced a $4.4 million award to Complete Building Corporation from Charleston, S.C. for construction of NOAA’s Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Ala. The facility will be the regional home to the agency’s Office of Response and Restoration — the NOAA organization charged with responding to oil spills, hazardous material releases, and marine debris.

World’s Largest Marine Protected Areas Sign Partnership Agreement

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:00:53 -0400

Today two of the world’s largest marine protected areas announced a historic alliance to enhance the management and protection of almost 300,000 square miles of marine habitat in the Pacific Ocean.

NOAA Scientists Catch Rare Giant Squid

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:55:42 -0400

Scientists from NOAA’s Fisheries Service have captured a giant squid while conducting research off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. This is only the second known giant squid obtained from the Gulf of Mexico – the first was collected in 1954 off the Mississippi Delta where it was found floating dead at the surface.

NOAA and Partners Complete Restoration Project in Hempstead Harbor

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:03:35 -0400

Today, NOAA and its partners celebrated the successful completion of a multi-year project to compensate the public for hazardous waste released into Hempstead Harbor, N.Y. The project restored salt marsh and coastal shoreline, and created important habitats for spawning, nursing and foraging fish and other wildlife.

NOAA Announces an Experimental Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast Bulletin for Lake Erie

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:54:17 -0400

Predicting harmful algal blooms, or HABs, in the Great Lakes is now a reality as NOAA announces an experimental HAB forecast system in Lake Erie.

New Project to Forecast Toxic Algal Blooms on Pacific Northwest Beaches

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:19:02 -0400

NOAA and the National Science Foundation have awarded $824,225 in competitive funds for the first year of an anticipated four-year $2.8 million project to develop early warning forecast models for toxic harmful algal blooms, or HABs, on Pacific Northwest beaches.

NOAA and Partners Gather at Hunt’s Mill Dam to Celebrate $3 Million Rhode Island River Restoration Projects

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:05:36 -0400

NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco joined today with federal, state and local officials and volunteers at Hunt’s Mills Dam on the Ten Mile River in East Providence, R.I., to celebrate a $3 million American Reinvestment and Recovery Act project, restoring a migratory fish passage that will eventually accommodate 400,000 herring and shad along both the Ten Mile and Pawcatuck rivers.

New Research Aims to Unravel How Nutrients Drive Toxic ‘Brown Tides’ on the East Coast

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:39:36 -0400

NOAA has awarded Massachusetts-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution $120,000 as part of an anticipated three-year, nearly $500,000 project, to determine how nitrogen and phosphorus promote brown tides on the East Coast. Funds were awarded through the interagency Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) program.

Oceanographer to Lead NOAA Great Lakes Laboratory

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:33:54 -0400

A physical oceanographer who worked with satellites to generate climate, weather, and water products for operational and research use, will be the director of NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. Marie Colton, Ph.D., who has been acting director since January, takes the permanent position on October 11.

NOAA, Partners Launch Effort for Tour Operators to Protect Whales

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:32:58 -0400

NOAA has joined with private industry and conservation groups to launch Whale SENSE, a new voluntary program that encourages whale-watch tour operators from Maine to Virginia to practice responsible viewing. The program will also recognize businesses that discourage the harassment of whales in the wild and promote good stewardship.

Students Selected for NOAA Class of 2009 Graduate Sciences Program

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:19:41 -0400

Nine exceptional graduate students have been selected by NOAA to participate in the agency’s 2009 Graduate Science Program. The GSP students are pursuing graduate degrees in atmospheric, environmental, or oceanic sciences or remote sensing technology – scientific fields that are integral to NOAA’s mission.

Obama Administration Officials Release Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Interim Report

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:22:48 -0400

Obama Administration officials today released the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Interim Report for a 30-day public review and comment period. The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, consists of 24 senior-level officials from Administration agencies, departments, and offices. The report provides proposals for a comprehensive national approach to uphold our stewardship responsibilities and ensure accountability for our actions.

NOAA Administrator Comments on Release of Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Interim Report to the President

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:19:01 -0400

“Today is a historic day. For the first time, we as a nation say loudly and clearly that healthy oceans matter."

NOAA Locates U.S. Navy Ship Sunk in World War II Battle

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 17:51:49 -0400

A NOAA-led research mission has located and identified the final resting place of the YP-389, a U.S. Navy patrol boat sunk approximately 20 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC, by a German submarine during World War II.

Climate Effects of Atmospheric Haze a Little Less... Hazy

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 14:28:03 -0400

Scientists have used a new approach to sharpen the understanding of one of the most uncertain of mankind’s influences on climate—the effects of atmospheric “haze,” the tiny airborne particles from pollution, biomass burning, and other sources.

Guide Offers Smart Growth Help for Coastal and Waterfront Planners & Developers

Wed, 9 Sep 2009 10:07:57 -0400

NOAA, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, the International City/County Management Association and Rhode Island Sea Grant, has released a guide to bring smart growth to coastal and waterfront communities.

NOAA-USDA Research Finds Fish-Killing Toxin Holds Promising Cancer Applications

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 16:09:11 -0400

A powerful fish-killing toxin could have cancer-killing properties as well, according to collaborative research led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s microbiologist Paul V. Zimba and NOAA chemist Peter Moeller.

NOAA: Warmest Global Sea-Surface Temperatures for August and Summer

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:35:22 -0400

The world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest for any August on record, and the warmest on record averaged for any June-August (Northern Hemisphere summer/Southern Hemisphere winter) season according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The preliminary analysis is based on records dating back to 1880.

NOAA Strengthens 2008 Columbia River Salmon Protection Strategy

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:22:40 -0400

Backed by sound science, strong stakeholder support and extensive outreach, the federal government today filed with a United States district court a strengthened plan to implement NOAA’s 2008 biological opinion governing operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System.

NOAA’s Powerful New Supercomputers Boost U.S. Weather Forecasts

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 12:24:21 -0400

NOAA has completed implementation of the final phase of a nine year, $180 million contract by installing the newest generation of IBM supercomputers for weather and climate prediction.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Cracks Down on Charter Boat Companies Operating Illegally

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 10:00:50 -0400

Charter boat companies feeling the sting of unfair competition have looked to NOAA’s Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement for help.

NOAA: Summer Temperature Below Average for U.S.

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:11:17 -0400

The average June-August 2009 summer temperature for the contiguous United States was below average – the 34th coolest on record, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. August was also below the long-term average. The analysis is based on records dating back to 1895.

Improving Engagement with the Recreational Fishing Community

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 10:33:17 -0400

Saltwater recreational fishing is among the most popular outdoor sports in America with anglers representing one of NOAA's largest organized constituencies. Not only are anglers stewards of our ocean, they contribute greatly to the economic vitality of our coastal communities. For these reasons, I believe it is in NOAA's best interests to adopt polices and practices that will protect ocean ecosystems and ensure one of America's most treasured pastimes endures for future generations.

Students Selected for 2009 NOAA Scholarships Honoring Dr. Nancy Foster

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 09:49:16 -0400

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has selected seven outstanding graduate students from around the nation to embark on a new and exciting phase of their academic career as participants in NOAA’s Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship program.

NOAA Report Explains Sea Level Anomaly this Summer along the U.S. Atlantic Coast

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:56:47 -0400

Persistent winds and a weakened current in the Mid-Atlantic contributed to higher than normal sea levels along the Eastern Seaboard in June and July, according to a new NOAA technical report.

NOAA, Japan Establish Navigation Satellite Ground Station in Guam

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:05:17 -0400

Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) unveiled a new ground station in Guam that will track spacecraft from JAXA’s upcoming Quasi-Zenith Satellite System.

NOAA Scientists Map Fish Habitat and Movements at Gray’s Reef Marine Sanctuary

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:18:15 -0400

Two related research expeditions by NOAA scientists to track the habitat preferences and movements of fish at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary may help managers protect overfished species such as red snapper and grouper. Research from the two expeditions appears in the current online edition of the peer-reviewed Bulletin of Marine Sciences.

NOAA Announces New Tilefish Catch Share Program in Northeast

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:17:40 -0400

The first catch-share program for the tilefish fishery was approved by NOAA’s Fisheries Service today, after its adoption was recommended by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

NOAA, Coast Guard Hunt for Alaska Methane, Carbon Dioxide Sources

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:02 -0400

Recent observations have suggested that the air above Alaska may already hold the first signs of a regional increase in greenhouse gas emissions that could contribute to climate change around the globe. To learn more about the region's emissions, NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., has teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard at Kodiak Island. The two partners are flying NOAA air-sampling devices aboard a Coast Guard C-130 aircraft conducting flights over the state through November.

Joint Federal and State Investigation Stops Illegal Fishing in Channel Islands Sanctuary

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:35:45 -0400

The owners and operators of the commercial fishing vessel Risa Lynn will pay a $10,000 civil penalty as a settlement for illegally fishing in a marine protected area off the Santa Barbara coastline in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

NOAA to Pursue National Policy for Sustainable Marine Aquaculture

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 13:37:08 -0400

NOAA today announced its intent to develop a comprehensive national policy for sustainable marine aquaculture in the coming months, providing a framework for addressing aquaculture activity in federal waters. Marine aquaculture is the cultivation of marine organisms, such as finfish and shellfish, that are consumed by Americans on a daily basis.

NOAA Report Finds Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Among the Healthiest Coral Reefs in Gulf of Mexico

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:09:21 -0400

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is among the healthiest coral reef ecosystems in the tropical Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, according to a new NOAA report.

NOAA and Oregon State University Map Oregon’s Seafloor

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:56:08 -0400

Surveyors and scientists from NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey and Oregon State University over the next two years will create the most detailed maps ever generated of the seafloor along Oregon’s coast. Using the latest technologies, they will measure water depth, search for navigational hazards, and record the natural features of coastal seabeds and fragile aquatic life. The images will help researchers and coastal managers protect coastal communities and marine habitat.

NOAA Announces New Catch Share Program in Gulf of Mexico

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:35:11 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Service will implement catch shares in the Gulf of Mexico commercial grouper and tilefish fisheries beginning January 1, 2010, in an effort to reduce overcapacity and improve profitability and working conditions for commercial fishermen of these species.

NOAA Study Shows Nitrous Oxide Now Top Ozone-Depleting Emission

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:48:39 -0400

Nitrous oxide has now become the largest ozone-depleting substance emitted through human activities, and is expected to remain the largest throughout the 21st century, NOAA scientists say in a new study.

‘Hydropalooza’ Provides Deeper Understanding of Alaska’s Kachemak Bay

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:57:17 -0400

NOAA ships and scientists have returned to Alaska’s Kachemak Bay to kick off year two of Hydropalooza — a NOAA-led project to develop the most detailed seafloor and coastline maps ever generated of the area.

Study: Better Observations, Analyses Detecting Short-Lived Tropical Systems

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:26:22 -0400

A NOAA-led team of scientists has found that the apparent increase in the number of tropical storms and hurricanes since the late 19th and early 20th centuries is likely attributable to improvements in observational tools and analysis techniques that better detect short-lived storms.

NOAA: July Temperature Below-Average for the U.S.

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:21:31 -0400

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

Joint Federal and State Investigation Stops Illegal Fishing in Channel Islands Sanctuary

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:55:19 -0400

NOAA and Partners to Survey Ships Sunk off North Carolina in World War II

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 12:07:00 -0400

NOAA will lead a three-week research expedition in August to study World War II shipwrecks sunk in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic.

Fisheries Service Proposes New Rules to Safeguard Puget Sound’s Killer Whales

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:03:15 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is proposing new rules on vessel traffic aimed at further protecting Southern Resident killer whales in Washington’s Puget Sound. These large marine mammals, the subject of intense curiosity from kayakers to tourists crowding the decks of commercial whale-watching vessels, were added to the Endangered Species list in late 2005.

Secretary of Commerce Announces $40 Million in Recovery Act Projects to Support Efficient Marine Navigation and Create Jobs

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:07:44 -0400

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced in Norfolk, Va. today $40 million for critical hydrographic survey and chart projects across the United States that strengthen the economy, create jobs, and support safe and efficient marine commerce and trade. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will allocate $32 million to utilize hydrographic surveying contractors to collect data in critical coastal areas which are used to map the seafloor and update nautical charts.

NOAA: Warmest Global Ocean Surface Temperatures on Record for July

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:11:18 -0400

The planet’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for July, breaking the previous high mark established in 1998 according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for July 2009 ranked fifth-warmest since world-wide records began in 1880.

NOAA Awards Nine NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowships

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:26:19 -0400

The 2009 class of nine NOAA's Fisheries Service/Sea Grant fellowships is the largest in the history of the program. Among the multi-year doctoral fellows, seven are studying population dynamics and two are studying marine resource economics.

NOAA Proposes Measures to Rebuild Blacknose and Other Shark Populations

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:08:41 -0400

NOAA’s Fisheries Serviceis proposing several measures to end overfishing and rebuild blacknose sharks and other shark populations. Nine public hearings will be held on the proposal, from New England to the Gulf of Mexico, in August and September.

NOAA Awards Emergency Funding to Aid New England Red Tide Response

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:11:55 -0400

NOAA is taking steps to respond to the New England red tide in the Gulf of Maine which has caused a near-complete shutdown of shellfish harvesting in Maine. Today the agency awarded $121,000 to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in partnership with the University of Maine to conduct research cruises to monitor the toxins. The information obtained will help managers determine how long the severe red tide conditions may last, if there are regions where the bloom is receding, and whether the bloom will expand to new areas.

NOAA Asks Mariners to Safeguard Pacific Data Buoys

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:17:33 -0400

NOAA’s National Weather Service is asking the marine community to help safeguard its offshore buoys — which provide meteorologists with critical data for weather and tsunami forecasts — following a series of incidents where buoys were damaged or cut from their moorings.

NOAA: Coral Bleaching Likely in Caribbean

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:37:56 -0400

Scientists from NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch Program say conditions are favorable for significant coral bleaching and infectious coral disease outbreaks in the Caribbean, especially in the Lesser Antilles. The forecast is based on the July NOAA Coral Reef Watch outlook, which expects continued high water temperatures through October 2009.

NOAA Joins Other U.S. Agencies and Canada to Survey the Arctic Continental Shelf

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:14:28 -0400

NOAA will join a multi-agency joint expedition that will bring together icebreakers from the U.S. and Canada to collect and share data useful to both countries in defining the full extent of the Arctic continental shelf.

NOAA Lowers Hurricane Season Outlook, Cautions Public Not to Let Down Guard

Thu, 6 Aug 2009 11:46:41 -0400

According to its August Atlantic hurricane season outlook, NOAA now expects a near- to below-normal Atlantic hurricane season, as the calming effects of El Niño continue to develop. But scientists say the season’s quiet start does not guarantee quiet times ahead. The season, which began June 1, is entering its historical peak period of August through October, when most storms form.

NOAA Report: Saltwater Angling a Sign of Coastal Vitality

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:04:08 -0400

Saltwater recreational fishing continued to provide important economic benefits to America’s coastal communities in 2008, bringing fishermen to the shore to reel in fish, book spots on charter and party boats, buy bait and tackle, stay in local inns and eat at local restaurants, according to a report issued this week by NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

NOAA Selects Newport, Ore., as New Home of Marine Operations Center-Pacific

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 13:35:08 -0400

NOAA has selected the Port of Newport, Ore., to be the new home of the agency’s Marine Operations Center-Pacific beginning in 2011 pending the signing of a 20-year lease.

Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska and New Bedford, Mass., Remain Top Fishing Ports

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:36:57 -0400

Commercial fishermen unloaded 612.7 million pounds of fish and shellfish at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, in 2008, mostly pollock, making it the country’s top port for the amount of fish landed for the 20th consecutive year, NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced today.

NOAA to Study Ocean Currents near Former Munitions Disposal Sites in Hawaii

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:58:32 -0400

NOAA will place ocean current monitoring sensors at two former military munitions disposal sites off Oahu this week as part of an ongoing effort to assess the potential impact of sea-disposed military munitions in Hawaii.

Smaller Than Expected, But Severe, Dead Zone in Gulf of Mexico

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:37:12 -0400

NOAA-supported scientists found the size of this year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone to be smaller than forecasted, measuring 3,000 square miles. However the dead zone, which is usually limited to water just above the sea floor, was severe where it did occur, extending closer to the water surface than in most years.

NOAA Issues Request for Proposals for New Fisheries Survey Vessel

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:41:08 -0400

NOAA has issued a Request for Proposals for construction of NOAA’s newest fisheries survey vessel, the fifth in its state-of-the-art Oscar Dyson vessels class designed for 40-day mission science deployments.

Extreme Weather Information Tip-sheet Available for Florida East Coast Residents

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:50:59 -0400

Emergency management and severe weather contact information for Florida’s Atlantic coast is now available in an easily read tip-sheet. Part of the popular NOAA Extreme Weather Information Sheet series, this one-page document contains critical phone numbers and Web site information residents can use during potentially life-threatening weather emergencies.

Scientists Report First Remote, Underwater Detection of Harmful Algae, Toxins

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:19:00 -0400

Scientists at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have successfully conducted the first remote detection of a harmful algal species and its toxin below the ocean’s surface. The achievement was recently reported in the June issue of Oceanography.

New Commander to Direct NOAA’s Aircraft Operations

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:56:31 -0400

NOAA Corps Capt. William B. Kearse assumed command of the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center in Tampa, Fla. The center, located on MacDill Air Force Base, is home to most of NOAA’s 14 research aircraft, including the NOAA WP-3D Orion “hurricane hunter” aircraft and Gulfstream-IV hurricane surveillance jet.

NOAA and Partners Restore More Than 2,000 Acres of Wetlands in Texas

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:29:35 -0400

More than 2,500 acres of coastal wetlands have been restored and enhanced in Port Arthur, Texas, as a result of a cooperative agreement between NOAA and its federal and state natural resource trustee partners.

NOAA: U.S. Temperature and Precipitation Near-Average for June

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:33:25 -0400

The June 2009 temperature and precipitation for the contiguous United States were 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.

NOAA and University of California Sign Ground Lease for New Fisheries Science Center

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 11:08:12 -0400

NOAA and the University of California have signed a 55 year ground lease clearing the way for construction next year of a new federal laboratory and office center at the University of California, San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus in La Jolla.

NOAA Reports Bay’s Crab Population Rebounds but Juvenile Numbers Remain Low

Tue, 7 Jul 2009 10:18:47 -0400

While the overall crab population in the Chesapeake Bay rebounded significantly last year, the number of juvenile crabs remained well below the historical average, according to a report published by the NOAA-chaired Fisheries Steering Committee.

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.

NOAA Releases Plans for Managing and Protecting Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:13:48 +0000

NOAA has released final revised management plans, regulations and a joint final environmental impact statement for Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay national marine sanctuaries. The plans include the expansion of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by 775 square miles to include the Davidson Seamount, one of the largest known underwater mountains in U.S. coastal waters and home to a wide variety of marine species.

NOAA Fisheries Research Ship Albatross IV is Retired

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:41:20 +0000

The NOAA research ship Albatross IV was decommissioned today, ending its distinguished 45-year career in service to the nation. The vessel sailed over 655,000 miles on 453 research cruises, primarily fisheries surveys off the northeastern coast of the United States. These surveys created the world’s longest continuous study of fish population data.

NOAA Finds Decline in Pollock; Recommends Catch Cut to Council

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:12:34 +0000

NOAA has released new scientific information showing a decline in the walleye pollock biomass that has the agency recommending a cut to the pollock catch for 2009 in the eastern Bering Sea.

NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary to Hold Meetings Seeking Public Input on Management Plan and Regulations

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:04:29 +0000

NOAA will conduct five public meetings in December to gather comments from individuals, organizations and government agencies on key issues relating to the management of Monitor National Marine Sanctuary.

Commerce and Interior Departments Announce Launch of National System of Marine Protected Areas

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:47:48 +0000

The U.S. departments of Interior and Commerce today jointly announced the availability of the final Framework for the National System of Marine Protected Areas of the United States, completing a cooperative, multi-year effort to provide a comprehensive approach to the protection of the nation’s natural and cultural marine treasures.

NOAA Announces Up to $2 Million for Sockeye Salmon Disaster Affecting Puget Sound Fishermen

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:45:47 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced that several Northwest Indian tribes and the state of Washington will be eligible for up to a total of $2 million to assist tribal and non-tribal communities affected by the commercial fishery failure in Fraser River sockeye salmon.

NOAA Announces Up to $5 Million for Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire for Red Tide Disaster

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:46:57 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced the states of Massachusetts and Maine will each be eligible for up to $2 million and New Hampshire will be eligible for up to $1 million in disaster aid to assist the shellfishing industries affected by this year’s closures due to the harmful algal bloom, commonly known as a red tide.

NOAA Announces Up to $20 Million for Blue Crab Disaster in Chesapeake Bay

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:47:57 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced that the states of Maryland and Virginia will each be eligible for up to $10 million to assist watermen who have been economically hurt by the commercial fishery failure in the soft shell and peeler blue crab fishery in Chesapeake Bay.

NOAA Announces Up to $47 Million for Hurricane Damage to Fisheries in Louisiana and Texas

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:48:54 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced the state of Louisiana will be eligible for up to $40 million and Texas will be eligible for up to $7 million in disaster aid to restore and rebuild the states’ fish habitats and fishing industries devastated by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

NOAA Biological Opinion on Pesticides Recommends Buffers to Protect Salmon

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:35:37 +0000

NOAA today issued a biological opinion to the Environmental Protection Agency that found three chemicals used in pesticides – diazonin, malathion, and chlorpyrifos - are likely to jeopardize 27 populations of salmon on the West Coast that are listed as either endangered or threatened. The opinion calls for buffer zones next to salmon streams where the chemicals are used.

Scientific Assessment Finds Expanding Use of Climate Forecasts Could Mean Better Water Management

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:05:20 +0000

Expanding the use of seasonal to interannual climate forecasts, especially in drought-prone and semi-arid parts of the United States, can assist decision makers in the management of water resources, 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 Charges Charter Operators with Illegal Fishing for Striped Bass

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:01:36 +0000

A joint undercover operation by NOAA's Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement and New York and New Jersey enforcement agents has uncovered evidence of alleged illegal fishing by two charter operators. The operators, Steven N. Forsberg and Viking Starship Inc. of Montauk, N.Y., and Jerome E. Hurd of Avalon, N.J., have been charged by NOAA with taking their patrons to catch striped bass in federal waters, where capture of the prized sport fish is prohibited.

Commerce Secretary Determines Red Tide Disaster in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:39:15 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today determined that the economic effects of closing some shellfish fisheries due to a harmful algal bloom, commonly referred to as a red tide, in ocean waters off Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine has caused a commercial fishery failure.

Commerce Secretary Determines Sockeye Salmon Disaster Affecting Puget Sound Fishermen

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:38:18 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today determined that there has been a commercial fishery failure due to a continued fisheries resource disaster in the sockeye salmon fisheries in Puget Sound and the northern Pacific coast of Washington.

United States, Canada Begin New Climate Data-Sharing Agreement

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:10:03 +0000

Officials from NOAA and Environment Canada announce a partnership to share weather and climate data, using high-tech monitoring stations located in their respective countries. The effort will improve the accuracy of each country’s data and give scientists a clearer, more accurate picture about climate change in North America.

Scientific Assessment Presents Status, Expectations for Ozone Layer

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:02:01 +0000

A new NOAA-led assessment of the global ozone layer says the U.S. has reduced by 97-98 percent the production of ozone damaging substances since the late 1980s. The assessment is one in a series of synthesis and assessment reports coordinated by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program.

NOAA Report Shows Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in Good Condition but Facing Emerging Threats

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:00:58 +0000

A new NOAA report on the health of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary indicates that the sanctuary’s marine life and habitats are in good overall condition but face emerging threats from potential oil spills, invasive species, commercial development, climate change and underwater noise pollution.

NOAA Advises Mariners to Watch for Migrating Right Whales

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:12:19 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service advises all mariners and fishermen to keep a sharp look out for North Atlantic right whales in southeast U.S. waters from Nov. 15 through April 15. Each year, pregnant female North Atlantic right whales migrate southward more than 1,000 miles from their feeding area off Canada and New England to the warm, calm coastal waters off South Carolina, Georgia, and northeastern Florida to give birth and nurse their young. These waters are the only known calving area for the species.

NOAA Names New Head of Princeton Laboratory

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:40:11 +0000

Venkatachalam Ramaswamy of Lawrenceville, N.J., has been named director of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J. GFDL develops prediction models, as well as conducts climate research. Ramaswamy is a NOAA scientist whose work has focused on natural and human influences on climate.

NOAA: Near Average Temperature and Precipitation in U.S. for October; West North Central Much Wetter than Average

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 19:38:29 +0000

October 2008 temperature and precipitation were near the long-term average for the contiguous United States, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., based on records dating back to 1895.

2008 Sees Fifth Largest Ozone Hole

Mon, 3 Nov 2008 20:03:11 +0000

The ozone hole over Antarctica, which fluctuates in response to temperature and sunlight, grew to the size of North America in a one-day maximum in September that was the fifth largest on record, since NOAA satellite records began in 1979.

NOAA Seeks Applicants for the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:42:58 +0000

NOAA is accepting applications for a scholarship program in honor of retired South Carolina Sen. Ernest F. Hollings who promoted oceanic and atmospheric research throughout his career. This is the fifth year this scholarship is being made available to students interested in pursuing degrees in ocean and atmospheric sciences and education.

Dick Clothier Honored for Contributions to National Weather Service Volunteer Observer Program

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:02:46 +0000

Recognizing more than 37 years of dedication, NOAA's National Weather Service has named Pocatello, Idaho, resident Dick Clothier as a 2008 recipient of the agency’s Thomas Jefferson Award for outstanding service in the Cooperative Observer Program. The award is the agency’s most prestigious, and only six are presented this year to deserving cooperative weather observers from around the country.

NOAA Issues Stronger Protections for Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals in Southeast United States

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:09:31 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service will increase its protection of threatened elkhorn and staghorn corals in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands through a new rule to prohibit activities that result in death or harm to either species. The new regulations take effect on Nov. 21.

Tropical Storm Paloma Weakening Rapidly

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:26:10 +0000

Check with NOAA's National Hurricane Center for the latest forecast for Paloma in the Caribbean.

NOAA to Monitor, Not Move, Shrewsbury/Navesink Dolphins

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:03:42 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service today announced a monitoring plan for 12 bottlenose dolphins in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers. The agency also announced that there will be no effort to force the dolphins out of the area at this time.

NOAA Announces 15-Year Plan to Upgrade its Fleet of Research Ships

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:25:28 +0000

NOAA has completed a detailed plan to modernize its marine operations by replacing nine research ships and refurbishing a 10th in the next 15 years.

Veteran Meteorologist Becomes Leader at NOAA’s National Weather Service Office in Milwaukee

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:15:23 +0000

Stephen Brueske, a meteorologist with 24 years of forecasting experience, begins his duties today as meteorologist in charge at NOAA's Milwaukee National Weather Service forecast office.

NOAA Completes White Abalone Recovery Plan

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:55:49 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service has made available the final recovery plan for white abalone, a marine mollusk listed in 2001 as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This recovery plan outlines reasonable actions which are believed to be required to recover and/or protect white abalone, and is required by the ESA as a guideline for the conservation and survival of ESA listed species. The primary goal of this recovery plan is to establish self-sustaining populations of white abalone in a number of locations throughout its historic range.

NOAA and NSF Commission National Study of Ocean Acidification

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:09:17 +0000

The first comprehensive national study of how carbon dioxide emissions absorbed into the oceans may be altering fisheries, marine mammals, coral reefs, and other natural resources has been commissioned by NOAA and the National Science Foundation.

NOAA Lists Cook Inlet Beluga Whales as Endangered

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:12:25 +0000

NOAA today announced that the Cook Inlet beluga whale population near Anchorage is in danger of extinction, and has been listed as an endangered species.

Annual Arctic Report Card Shows Stronger Effects of Warming

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:45:26 +0000

Temperature increases, a near-record loss of summer sea ice, and a melting of surface ice in Greenland are among some of the evidence of continued warming in the Arctic, according to an annual review of conditions in the Arctic issued today by NOAA and its university, agency, and international partners.

NOAA Seeks Comments on Measures to Protect Marine Mammals as Navy Conducts Sonar Operations off the Coast of Southern California

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:05:29 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comments through Nov. 13 on its proposed authorization for Navy training exercises off the coast of Southern California. The NOAA proposal includes protective measures designed to minimize effects on marine mammals.

NOAA Seeks Comments on Measures to Protect Marine Mammals

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:04:32 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comments through Nov. 13 on its proposed authorization for the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar Training (AFAST) to take place along the Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. The NOAA proposal includes protective measures designed to minimize the effects of the training on marine mammals.

NOAA Brings Conservation Internship Program to the Coasts

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:28:42 +0000

NOAA and the Student Conservation Association have signed an agreement that will pave the way for conservation interns to protect some of the most valued coastal natural resources, working with many of the nation’s premier marine scientists.

NOAA Ocean Temperature Forecast Helps Recreational Tuna Fishers Find Catch, Conserve Fuel

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:53:25 +0000

A NOAA-supported computer model using ocean temperatures developed at Oregon State University, is helping West Coast sport fishermen predict the best location for catching tuna.

Aquarius Mission First to Study Ocean Acidification From the Surface to the Seafloor on Florida Coral Reef

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:57:38 +0000

Scientists equipped with new technology will conduct the first “saturation” mission to study the effect of ocean acidification on coral reef ecosystems. Ocean acidification describes the changing chemistry of water that occurs as excess carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed from the atmosphere. The 10-day mission begins today.

NOAA: Above Average Precipitation in U.S. for September; South Much Cooler than Average, West Much Drier

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:09:54 +0000

September 2008 was the 49th warmest and 38th wettest on record for the contiguous United States, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., based on records dating back to 1895.

NOAA Coral Bleaching Monitoring Network Now Global

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 13:39:16 +0000

NOAA's Coral Reef Watch bleaching monitoring network has expanded its network of "virtual stations" from 24 to 190 locations worldwide. These stations warn coral reef managers when there is an elevated risk of coral bleaching, based on temperature data from NOAA's environmental satellites.

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Announces $900,000 in Education Grants to Pacific Northwest

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 16:23:52 +0000

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced $900,000 in NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants to five Pacific Northwest recipients.

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Announces $1.1 Million in Education Grants to New England

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 16:22:44 +0000

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced $1.1 million in NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants to five New England recipients.

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Announces $1.3 Million in Education Grants to the Gulf of Mexico

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 16:21:24 +0000

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced $1.3 million in NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) grants to five Gulf of Mexico recipients.

NOAA Expands International Reference Network Adding 43 GPS Stations

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 15:49:09 +0000

NOAA's National Geodetic Survey has recently incorporated 43 new GPS tracking sites into the Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) network, including 13 sites established by the Federal Aviation Administration as part of their Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS). Four of the new WAAS sites are located in Alaska, four in Canada, and five in Mexico.

NOAA Awards $3.8 Million to Louisiana, Oklahoma Universities for Climate, Drought Assessment, Planning Tools

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 14:11:55 +0000

Research funding totaling $3.85 million over five years has been awarded to the University of Oklahoma and Louisiana State University by NOAA's Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program. The funding will be used to assess the risks of climate and drought impacts in their regions, and to develop tools and resources for use by local and regional community managers in their long-range planning.

Nenana, Alaska, Receives NOAA’s 1,000th Weather Radio All-Hazards Transmitter

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 19:57:04 +0000

Federal Partners Announces Series of Open Houses on Potential Marine Conservation Areas

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 12:58:43 +0000

The federal government has organized a series of open houses to discuss the advisability of providing additional recognition or protection to the historic and scientific qualities of three specific marine areas in the Pacific. These public discussions were scheduled in response to President Bush’s memo to members of his Cabinet asking them to assess and recommend the appropriate future course in these three marine areas. The open houses are open to the press.

NOAA: Cook Inlet Beluga Population Holds Steady from 2007

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:06:40 +0000

The Cook Inlet beluga whale population has held steady from last year’s count of 375 animals, based on NOAA’s Fisheries Service latest annual survey.

NOAA and VT Halter Marine Launch Fourth Fisheries Survey Vessel

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:59:46 +0000

NOAA today launched the fourth of a series of new fisheries survey vessels designed to study fish quietly without altering their behavior.

Marco, this season's 13th tropical storm, to move into western Mexico on Tuesday.

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 12:29:30 +0000

Tropical Storm Marco moves into western Mexico.

Report to Congress Forecasts Shortage of Marine Scientists

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:14:12 +0000

The federal departments of Commerce and Education are forecasting a serious shortage of scientists trained to do the high-quality research required to rebuild fish stocks and restore marine species in the next decade.

Award-Winning Technology Improves Air-Drop Targeting

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:35:24 +0000

Wind-forecast software from NOAA that improves the target accuracy of an aircraft drop system up to 70 percent and is now being used in both Iraq and Afghanistan has won a federal technology transfer award for four scientists at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder.

NOAA Tracking Subtropical Storm Laura in the Atlantic

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:37:02 +0000

NOAA Tracking Tropical Storm Laura in the western Atlantic.

The Ocean Comes to the Mall

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:37:37 +0000

The Sant Ocean Hall — opening September 27 at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History — combines 674 marine specimens and models, high-definition video experiences, one-of-a kind exhibits, and the newest technology, enabling visitors to explore the ocean’s past, present, and future as never before. The hall is the museum’s largest renovation since opening in 1910.

NOAA and Nauticus Deploy "Smart Buoy” In the Elizabeth River near Norfolk, Va.

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:52:35 +0000

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office will deploy a “smart buoy” Sept. 26 in the Elizabeth River near downtown Norfolk to observe the river's changing conditions. The buoy, developed in partnership with the Nauticus museum, will be the southernmost buoy in NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS), a network that provides mariners, scientists and educators with real-time data about the Bay.

NOAA Administrator Announces Resignation

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:05:59 +0000

Retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, today announced his resignation, effective Oct. 31. Lautenbacher served as NOAA’s eighth Administrator for nearly seven years.

Commerce Secretary Determines Blue Crab Disaster in Chesapeake Bay

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:29:06 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today determined that a decline in the harvest of soft shell and peeler blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay is a commercial fishery failure. The declaration is an important step in making watermen and their communities eligible for economic assistance.

Federal Agencies Map Plans to Address Marine Debris

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:52:52 +0000

EPA, NOAA and nine other federal agencies announced today the completion of an interagency report that guides the strategies of individual federal agencies and of the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee (IMDCC) to prevent and reduce marine debris. The report also discusses marine debris efforts, recent progress and innovative ways to reduce the problem in the future.

Testimony Speaking Order Published

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:27:25 +0000

NOAA, an agency of the Commerce Department, has scheduled a public hearing on Sept. 22, 2008 in Del Mar, Calif. to receive public comments concerning a Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) consistency appeal filed by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA). The hearing will be held in O’Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, located at 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar, CA 92014. The hearing will begin at 10:30 a.m., and will continue until 8:30 p.m. PDT.

NOAA’s National Weather Service to Launch California Hazardous Weather Awareness Week

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:15:31 +0000

NOAA’s National Weather Service forecast offices in California will conduct the second annual California Hazardous Weather Awareness Week Sept. 22-27 to raise public awareness about the dangers of hazardous weather conditions in the state and provide information to help protect life and property.

NOAA Report Says Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary In “Fair-to-Good” Condition, But Facing Emerging Threats

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:45:15 +0000

A new NOAA report on the health of the Olympic Coast 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, such as potential oil spills, invasive species, commercial development, climate change, and underwater noise pollution.

NOAA Aids with Hurricane Ike Recovery

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:09:10 +0000

Responders from NOAA are on the move as residents and businesses in Texas and Louisiana recover from the effects of Hurricane Ike.

National Weather Service to Conduct Limited Tsunami Warning Communications Test Along U.S. West Coast

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:28:34 +0000

NOAA’s National Weather Service will conduct a limited communications test of the tsunami warning system in the coastal areas of California, Oregon, and Washington on Wed., Sept. 24, between 10:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Releases Disaster Aid to West Coast Salmon Fishing Industry

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:44:41 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced today that it is making $100 million of disaster-relief aid available to West Coast salmon fishermen.

NOAA Scientist Honored with Service to America Medal for Tsunami Detection and Forecast System

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:26:54 +0000

Eddie Bernard, director of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle has become the first NOAA scientist to be awarded a Service to America Medal for his work in establishing an international tsunami detection and forecast system.

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Declares Fishery Resource Disaster for Gulf of Mexico

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:49:59 +0000

U.S. Commerce Secretary M. Carlos Gutierrez today announced a formal determination of a fishery resource disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, due to the devastation following Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

NOAA Deploys "Smart Buoy” at Mouth of Susquehanna River

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:24:15 +0000

NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office will deploy a new edition of its series of “smart buoys” at the mouth of the Susquehanna River on Sat., Sept. 13, to monitor the bay's changing conditions.

NOAA: Above Average Temperatures in U.S. for August, Summer; Midwest Much Drier than Average in August, South Much Wetter

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:01:34 +0000

This June-August 2008 summer season was the 22nd warmest on record for the contiguous United States, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Also, last month ended as the 39th warmest August for the contiguous United States, based on records dating back to 1895.

Department of Energy to Provide Supercomputing Time to Run NOAA’s Climate Change Models

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 20:00:12 +0000

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science will make available more than 10 million hours of computing time for the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to explore advanced climate change models at three of DOE’s national laboratories as part of a three-year memorandum of understanding on collaborative climate research signed today by the two agencies.

NOAA Historical Hurricane Tracks Web Site Helps Users Prepare for Big Storms

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 17:48:33 +0000

As the U.S. coastal population continues to grow, so do the hazards when big storms approach. Now, an on-line tool, Historical Hurricane Tracks, helps users get a quick picture of coastal areas with the greatest frequency of hurricanes and tropical storms — and that historical “snapshot” can help community members and local emergency managers develop better plans for storm preparation and recovery.

NOAA Proposes Critical Habitat for Southern Population of North American Green Sturgeon

Fri, 5 Sep 2008 16:41:09 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a proposal that identifies critical habitat for a distinct group of North American green sturgeon that spawn in California’s Sacramento River but migrate along the west coast of Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Effects of Microplastics on Marine Environment Focus of International Workshop at UW Tacoma

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 13:08:58 +0000

Experts from the United States, Australia, Japan, Netherlands and the United Kingdom will gather at the University of Washington (UW) Tacoma Sept. 9-10 for the first-ever international workshop on the pervasive problem of microplastics in the marine environment. The workshop is sponsored by UW Tacoma and NOAA.

NOAA Awards Santa Barbara Area Environmental Education Grants

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 12:58:30 +0000

NOAA has announced the presentation of seven education grants totaling nearly $374,000 to Santa Barbara Channel area schools and non-profit groups. The grants, part of NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, will support environmental education projects focused on NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

NOAA Awards San Francisco Bay Area Environmental Education Grants

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 12:56:59 +0000

NOAA has announced the presentation of 15 education grants totaling $799,000 to San Francisco area schools and non-profit groups. The grants, part of NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, will support environmental education projects focused on NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries, which are located off the north-central California coast.

NOAA Awards Monterey Bay Area Environmental Education Grants

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 20:16:29 +0000

NOAA has announced the award of 13 education grants totaling nearly $658,000 to Monterey Bay area schools and non-profit groups. The grants, part of NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program, will support environmental education projects focused on NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which is located off the central California coast.

Federal Agencies to Propose Expanding Gulf of Maine Atlantic Salmon Population Protected by Endangered Species Listing

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 20:15:01 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to redefine the endangered Gulf of Maine population of Atlantic salmon to include fish found in other nearby areas.

Students Selected for 2008 NOAA Scholarships Honoring Dr. Nancy Foster

Tue, 2 Sep 2008 19:28:58 +0000

NOAA has selected nine scholars as national recipients of the Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarships as outstanding graduate-level scholars in the fields of marine biology, coastal resource management, and maritime archeology.

Commerce Department Re-Appoints Benigno Sablan to Fishery Management Council

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 16:27:25 +0000

The Commerce Department has announced the re-appointment of Benigno M. Sablan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, to the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council.

NOAA To Hold Public Hearing on Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency Federal Consistency Appeal

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:51:23 +0000

NOAA, an agency of the Commerce Department, has scheduled a public hearing for Sept. 22, 2008 in Del Mar, Calif. to receive public comments concerning a Coastal Zone Management Act consistency appeal filed by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA).

NOAA Honors Leader of New Hampshire Estuarine Reserve With Dr. Nancy Foster Award

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:32:24 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service chief science adviser Steven A. Murawski today presented the 2008 Dr. Nancy Foster Habitat Conservation Award to Peter Wellenberger, manager of the NOAA Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, for his three decades of commitment to stewardship, research and outreach concerning our nation's estuaries.

NOAA Announces New Southeast Marine Weather Web Site

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:19:50 +0000

NOAA has launched a one-stop Southeast Marine Weather Internet portal offering marine weather forecasts and real-time coastal wind and water condition information for the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and Alabama.

NOAA: Fifth Warmest July on Record for Globe

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:02:18 +0000

The combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for July 2008 tied with 2001 and 2003 as the fifth warmest July since worldwide records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

NOAA’s Oldest Ship, John N. Cobb, to be Retired

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:04:50 +0000

NOAA ship John N. Cobb, the oldest and only wooden hulled ship in the NOAA fleet, will be decommissioned today in Seattle after 58 years of service.

NOAA Names New Head of Global Monitoring Division

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:47:36 +0000

NOAA research chemist James Butler has been named director of the Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) division that monitors the Earth’s atmosphere.

Maritime Heritage Expedition Underway at Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:58:52 +0000

A 29-day research expedition is underway in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument through Aug. 28, 2008. Maritime archeologists from NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries will conduct survey work to identify and assess shipwreck sites for the purposes of management and preservation.

NOAA Research Expedition Seeks Details of Coral Disease Impacts in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:00:01 +0000

Scientists from NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and partnering research institutions will embark on a nine-day research expedition Aug. 8 aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster to monitor the health of coral reefs along almost 200 miles of the Florida Reef tract, the largest coral reef in the continental United States.

Students Selected for 2008 NOAA Scholarships Honoring Dr. Nancy Foster

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:08:47 +0000

NOAA: U.S. Temperature Above Normal in July

Fri, 8 Aug 2008 13:58:26 +0000

July 2008 was the 30th warmest July for the contiguous United States, based on records dating back to 1895, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The average July temperature — 74.9 degrees F — was 0.7 degrees above the 20th century mean, based on preliminary data.

Updated Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Mapping Web Site Now Available As Surveying Efforts Continue in Louisiana

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 18:22:11 +0000

In a continuing effort to improve maritime safety and commerce in the northern Gulf of Mexico, NOAA has revised the Gulf of Mexico Marine Debris Project Web site, an outlet for hydrographic survey data identifying risks posed by debris left in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Submerged marine debris is a threat to viable commercial fishing and shrimping activities in the northern Gulf of Mexico coastal zone.

“Dam Cam” to Capture Removal of New Hampshire’s Merrimack Village Dam

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 17:35:22 +0000

For more than 270 years, the Merrimack Village Dam in New Hampshire helped power saw mills, gristmills, a shoe factory and provided water for a chemical factory. No longer powering industry and scheduled for demolition, the dam has one last role to play — that of movie star. Beginning this week, NOAA, in partnership with the Conservation Law Foundation, will capture live on camera the removal of the dam, opening up 14 miles of the Souhegan River from Milford to Merrimack, N.H., providing extensive habitat for river herring, Atlantic salmon, American shad and American eel.

Interagency Report Aims to Reduce Impacts of Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 16:03:52 +0000

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Science and Technology Council released an interagency report today that presents a plan for minimizing the impacts of freshwater harmful algal blooms in the United States.

NOAA Announces Funding to Support Ocean Observing in Southern California

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:51:08 +0000

NOAA is awarding $853,785 to support ocean observing efforts in Southern California. The fiscal year 2008 funding is provided through NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program.

NOAA Announces Funding to Support Marine Observing in the Great Lakes

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:49:50 +0000

NOAA is awarding $750,000 to support marine observing efforts in the Great Lakes region. The fiscal year 2008 funding is provided through NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program.

NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Seeks Applicants for Advisory Council Seats

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:48:46 +0000

NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is seeking to fill four seats and four alternate positions on its advisory council, which ensures public participation in sanctuary management and provides advice to the sanctuary superintendent.

NOAA'S Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Seeks Applicants for Advisory Council Seats

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:49:48 +0000

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is seeking applicants for one primary position on the council’s conservation seat and one alternate position on its advisory council.

Report: Offshore Aquaculture Would Benefit U.S. Economy

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:18:28 +0000

Aquaculture shows significant economic potential and good prospects for success in the United States, according to a new report commissioned by NOAA. The report’s authors call for clear rules to be enacted to guide the development of an offshore aquaculture industry.

NOAA Offers Reward for Information on Sea Turtle Poaching

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:17:15 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of persons poaching endangered sea turtles in the Territory of Guam and in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands.

Study: Reefs may “Unglue” in Oceans with High Carbon Dioxide

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 20:59:04 +0000

Cements that bind individual coral skeletons and larger coral reef structures are predominantly absent in waters with naturally high levels of carbon dioxide, making these reefs highly susceptible to a wearing down of their physical framework, say scientists with NOAAs Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in Miami, Fla. and other institutions.

Scientists Use Naval Exercises to Learn More About How Marine Mammals React to Sonar

Tue, 5 Aug 2008 13:48:48 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service, in partnership with top international scientists and the U.S. Navy, has just completed a pioneering research effort in Hawaii to measure the biology and behavior of some of the most poorly understood whales on Earth. During the study, for the first time, scientists attached listening and movement sensors on marine mammals around realistic military operations.

Survey Cruise Records Second-Largest "Dead Zone" in Gulf of Mexico Since Measurements Began in 1985

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:36:36 +0000

NOAA-supported scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium found the size of this year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone to be 7,988 square miles, slightly smaller than the predicted record size of 8,800 square miles and similar to the area measured in 2007. Scientists think Hurricane Dolly’s wind and waves may have added oxygen to the zone to reduce its size.

Report: Number of Blue Crabs in Bay Remains Below Long-Term Average

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:27:45 +0000

The Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab population remained below the long-term average in 2007, according to a report approved by the NOAA-chaired Fisheries Steering Committee.

NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary Extends Public Comment Period on Draft Management Plan

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:06:18 +0000

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has extended the period for public comment on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment for Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to Oct. 3, 2008. The original 90-day public comment period, during which eight public hearings were held throughout New England, was scheduled to end on Aug. 4, 2008.

Northern Wildfire Smoke May Cast Shadow on Arctic Warming

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:09:25 +0000

The Arctic may get some temporary relief from global warming if the annual North American wildfire season intensifies, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado and NOAA.

NOAA Deploys "Smart Buoy” Near Mouth of the Rappahannock River

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:27:07 +0000

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office will deploy a "smart buoy" on Saturday at the mouth of the Rappahannock River to take observations of the Bay's changing conditions. A part of the Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System (CBIBS), this is the fourth interpretative buoy to mark the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.

NOAA Hosts Educators Climate Change Conference Event Features Presentations by Sally Ride, Susan Solomon

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:50:55 +0000

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, will join NOAA scientists in Silver Spring July 23-24 to teach K-12 educators how to integrate the science of earth’s changing climate into their classroom lesson plans.

Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, and New Bedford, Mass. Remain Top Fishing Ports

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:00:36 +0000

Commercial fishermen unloaded 777.2 million pounds of fish, primarily Alaskan pollock, at the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, making it the country’s top port for landings in 2007, NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced today. The port of New Bedford, Mass., claimed the top spot for value of landings, primarily due to sea scallops, bringing in $268 million in 2007. The total domestic commercial landings for 2007 were 9.2 billion pounds, valued at $4.1 billion.

Seafood Consumption Declines Slightly in 2007

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:53:14 +0000

The average American ate 16.3 pounds of fish and shellfish in 2007, a one percent decline from the 2006 consumption figures of 16.5 pounds, according to a NOAA’s Fisheries Service study.

Recreational Catch Down Slightly, Remains Second Highest Catch in Decade

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:45:28 +0000

Marine recreational anglers caught more than 468 million fish in 2007, down slightly from last year’s historic high of 475 million fish, but still the second highest recreational catch total in the last ten years.

NOAA and Louisiana Scientists Predict Largest Gulf of Mexico “Dead Zone” on Record This Summer

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:52:52 +0000

NOAA-supported scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and Louisiana State University are forecasting that the “dead zone” off the coast of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico this summer could be the largest on record.

Tracking Tropical Storm Bertha

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:14:20 +0000

Latest updates on Atlantic Tropical Storm Bertha.

NOAA Network Provides “Fuel” Data for Solar Car Race

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:54:23 +0000

Instead of pulling into pit row for fuel, at least one team racing a solar-powered electric car in the 2,400-mile North American Solar Challenge will be relying on information provided by NOAA’s Surface Radiation Network for vital information about solar energy reaching the Earth’s surface — and their car’s solar cells.

Pennsylvania State University Awarded NOAA Sea Grant Institutional Program Designation

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:36:09 +0000

NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program has designated Penn State University's Behrend College campus in Erie, Pa., as the Institutional Sea Grant Program for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Through this designation, Pennsylvania Sea Grant becomes the hub for marine and coastal sciences for the state and is responsible for long-term investments consistent with NOAA's national Sea Grant goals of environmental stewardship and responsible resource use.

National Weather Service to Upgrade Evansville Doppler Radar

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:39:59 +0000

NOAA’s National Weather Service Doppler radar covering Evansville, Ind., will be upgraded to make it compatible with the rest of the agency’s Doppler radar network.

NOAA Begins Tracer Experiment at South Central Outfall, Delray Beach

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:35:17 +0000

Scientists from NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory in Miami will conduct an experiment through Sunday that temporarily will color the water red along coastal waters off southeast Florida to investigate the plume emerging from the South Central Regional Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Plant ocean outfall.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Issues Biological Opinion to Protect Willamette Basin Salmon and Steelhead

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:45:13 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has issued guidelines and timetables for the three federal agencies involved in the management of 13 dams in northwestern Oregon’s Willamette River Basin that will allow the dams to be operated and maintained without threatening the continued existence of winter steelhead and chinook salmon, or harming their critical habitat.

NOAA Joins with International Commission to Restore Muskegon Lake

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 15:27:27 +0000

Representatives from NOAA and the U.S.-Canadian Great Lakes Commission joined Michigan’s Lt. Gov. John Cherry today on the banks of Muskegon Lake to launch a new partnership to restore fish and wildlife habitat in the Great Lakes Region.

New NOAA Coral Bleaching Prediction System Calls for Low Level of Coral Bleaching in Caribbean this Year

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:59:26 +0000

A new NOAA coral bleaching prediction system indicates that there will be some bleaching in the Caribbean later this year, but the event will probably not be severe. NOAA issued the first-ever seasonal coral bleaching outlook this week at the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

NOAA to Conduct Environmental Study of Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:42:24 +0000

NOAA will assess the potential environmental impact of more than 70 federally owned obsolete and decommissioned vessels moored in Suisan Bay, Calif., during a series of field tests in July and August.

Aerosol Toxins from Red Tides May Cause Long-Term Health Threat

Wed, 9 Jul 2008 14:23:15 +0000

NOAA scientists reported in the current issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives that an algal toxin commonly inhaled in sea spray, attacks and damages DNA in the lungs of laboratory rats. The findings document how the body’s way of disposing the toxin inadvertently converts it to a molecule that damages DNA. Human inhalation of brevetoxins produced by the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is an increasing public health concern.

NOAA Takes First Broad Look at Soot from Ships

Wed, 9 Jul 2008 13:34:34 +0000

Tugboats puff out more soot for the amount of fuel used than other commercial vessels, and large cargo ships emit more than twice as much soot as previously estimated, according to the first extensive study of commercial vessel soot emissions. Scientists from NOAA and the University of Colorado conducted the study and present their findings in the July 11 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

NOAA and Partners to Explore German Subs Sunk off North Carolina During World War II

Mon, 7 Jul 2008 17:39:53 +0000

NOAA will lead a research expedition July 7-26 to study the wrecks of three German submarines sunk by U.S. forces in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic.

NOAA Report States Half of U.S. Coral Reefs In "Poor" or "Fair" Condition

Mon, 7 Jul 2008 15:36:53 +0000

Nearly half of U.S. coral reef ecosystems are considered to be in "poor" or "fair" condition according to a new NOAA analysis of the health of coral reefs under U.S. jurisdiction.

NOAA and Partners Free Juvenile Dolphin from Life-Threatening Debris

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 16:26:27 +0000

Members of the Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Network successfully removed a black rubber strap Tuesday that was wrapped around the head of a juvenile bottlenose dolphin, averting a life-threatening injury.

Eastern Pacific Fishing Nations Fail to Conserve Tuna

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 17:39:58 +0000

Rodney McInnis, Southwest Administrator of NOAA’s Fisheries Service and U.S. Commissioner to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), today expressed disappointment that a few countries blocked the Commission’s plan to conserve depleted tuna stocks.

NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration Poised to Respond as Hurricane Season Starts

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 14:08:27 +0000

With the arrival of hurricane season, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) is prepared to respond quickly to hazardous material spill incidents resulting from severe storm events. OR&R scientists work with federal, state and local agencies to provide scientific support and assistance before, during and after hurricanes strike.

Shrewsbury Dolphins Need Room, Appear Healthy and Normal

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:59:33 +0000

NOAA experts are continuing to evaluate a group of bottlenose dolphins feeding in New Jersey’s Shrewsbury River. The biggest threat to them at the moment is the behavior of humans eager to commune with them, rather than lack of food, disorientation, entrapment in the river, or their apparent health.

New High-Tech Research Ship to Serve NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:25:00 +0000

Today, NOAA christened a new, state-of-the-art research vessel that will enhance the study and protection of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. The 83-foot R/V Manta will operate out of Galveston, Texas, where the sanctuary is headquartered.

Track the storms brewing in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific with NOAA's National Hurricane Center

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 15:07:46 +0000

Updates on Atlantic and Pacific storms.

NOAA: Seven Stocks Removed from Overfishing Lists, None Added

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:08:43 +0000

NOAA announced today that seven stocks have been removed from the overfishing list and no new stocks added in their annual report to Congress on the status of fishing stocks.

Department of Commerce Decides Two Federal Consistency Appeals

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:15:01 +0000

The Department of CommerceThe Department of Commerce today issued decisions on two appeals of state objections involving the proposed construction and operation of liquefied natural gas terminals in Maryland and Massachusetts.

Commerce Announces 2008 Ocean Fishery Council Appointments

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:13:55 +0000

The Commerce Department today announced the appointment of 21 members to the eight regional fishery management councils.

New Interactive Touch-Screen Kiosks Offer In-depth Look at NOAA’s Channel Islands Sanctuary

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:58:32 +0000

Santa Barbara and Ventura County residents and visitors can now explore Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary without getting their feet wet through new state-of-the-art touch screen NOAA kiosks located at four sites along the coast.

NOAA Scientists Among Finalists for Top Public Service Awards

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:07:05 +0000

Two NOAA scientists were selected by the Partnership for Public Service as finalists for the 2008 Service to America Medal. The scientists were selected for their life-saving and educational inventions.

NOAA Seeks Comments on Measures to Protect Marine Mammals as Navy Conducts Sonar Operations off Hawaiian Islands

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:41:40 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comments now through July 23 on its proposed authorization for Navy training exercises around the main Hawaiian Islands. The NOAA proposal includes protective measures designed to minimize impacts on marine mammals.

New NOAA Ocean Observing System in Gulfport Supports Safe, Efficient Navigation

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:28:55 +0000

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

NOAA Builds Framework for Future Beluga Hunts in Cook Inlet

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:16:18 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today released a final environmental impact statement for the management of Alaska native subsistence hunting for beluga whales in Cook Inlet.

NOAA Issues Rule to Prevent Overfishing of Atlantic Sharks

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:32:37 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today announced a new rule to lower significantly the fishing quotas for sandbar and porbeagle sharks in order to rebuild these depleted species. NOAA also will implement new regional quotas for the other large coastal sharks.

NOAA Announces $1.4 Million Grants to Museums for Earth Science Exhibits

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:40:07 +0000

NOAA’s Office of Education is providing funding to eight science education institutions for exhibits incorporating NOAA’s Science On a Sphere® or Magic Planet® and new Earth System Science information. These exhibits, composed of globe shaped screens that use computers and video projectors to display planetary data, give children and adults an exceptional view of our ever changing world.

Rapid Response to Coastal Ports a Key Hurricane Season Goal of NOAA’s Navigation Response Teams

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:54:14 +0000

With an active hurricane season forecast by NOAA's National Weather Service, planning and preparation is the message both to the general public as well as to key components within NOAA who respond with emergency services support following a storm's passage.

NOAA: Global Temperature Seventh Warmest for Spring, Eighth Warmest for May

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:07:46 +0000

The combined average global land and ocean surface temperatures for spring (March-May) ranked seventh warmest, while May was the eighth warmest since worldwide records began in 1880 according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

NOAA and Partners Restore Salt Marsh and Fish Passage on Cape Cod

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:08:32 +0000

NOAA and its local and national partners have successfully completed a $1.5 million multi-year project to restore a salt marsh and fish passage for migrating herring on Cape Cod.

NOAA Announces Funding to Support Ocean Observing in the Southeast

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:40:04 +0000

NOAA is awarding $1,984,535 to support ocean observing efforts along the Southeast coast of the United States. The fiscal year 2008 funding is provided through NOAA’s Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) program.

NOAA Selects Two Universities for Arctic and Climate Research Programs

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:07:08 +0000

NOAA announced today the competitive selection of collaborative research partners at the Cooperative Institute for Arctic Research (CIFAR) located in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the Cooperative Institute for Climate Science (CICS), in Princeton, N.J. The groups will join NOAA to conduct research in climate change, greenhouse gases, and changes to Arctic ice coverage.

NOAA Proposes Rule to Require Saltwater Angler Registration

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:56:14 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comment on a proposed rule that requires anglers and spearfishers who fish recreationally in federal ocean waters to be registered before fishing in 2009.

NOAA Launches Online Inventory of Marine Protected Areas

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:39:15 +0000

NOAA’s National Marine Protected Areas Center, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, has created a first ever online inventory of the nation’s marine protected areas (MPAs). This unique, comprehensive inventory catalogs and classifies marine protected areas within US waters, and was developed with extensive input from state and federal MPA programs, as well as other publically available data.

California Sea Lions Seizures May Come From Fetal Domoic Acid Poisoning

Mon, 9 Jun 2008 15:14:09 +0000

Scientists, reporting in the current issue of the online journal Marine Drugs, state that an increase of epileptic seizures and behavioral abnormalities in California sea lions can result from low-dose exposure to domoic acid as a fetus.

NOAA Confirms Caribbean Monk Seal Extinct

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 16:15:08 +0000

After a five year review, NOAA’s Fisheries Service has determined that the Caribbean monk seal, which has not been seen for more than 50 years, has gone extinct—the first type of seal to go extinct from human causes.

NOAA Study Shows Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean Dolphin Populations Improving

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 20:40:47 +0000

The numbers of northeastern offshore spotted and eastern spinner dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are increasing after being severely depleted because of accidental death in the tuna purse-seine fishery between 1960 and 1990, according to biologists from NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

NOAA Outlines Annual Catch Limits to End Overfishing

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 14:46:09 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today outlined a plan to establish annual catch limits designed to help restore federally managed marine fish stocks.

Tornado Season Could Be Record

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 13:53:00 +0000

This year may set records for tornadoes and tornado-related deaths. Only halfway through the season and there have already been 111 tornado-related deaths, making it the deadliest tornado season since 1998.

East Coast Trap/Pot Fishermen May Get More Time to Convert to Sinking Groundline

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 17:02:28 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service is proposing that East Coast trap/pot fishermen get six additional months to switch from floating to sinking groundline, a conversion that will help reduce the risk of entangling large whales in fishing gear.

Rip Current Awareness Week: June 1-7

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 14:48:18 +0000

NOAA is urging beachgoers to learn how to “Break the Grip” of rip currents before getting into the water. Rip currents are a deadly threat — accounting for more than 80 percent of lifeguard beach rescues.

NOAA Teams Up With Local Experts to Restore Alabama Shorelines

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 18:06:07 +0000

NOAA has announced plans to invest $1 million over three years to help restore Alabama’s Mobile Bay, partnering with local organizations and citizens to reverse the loss of wetlands caused by coastal development.

2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 17:24:43 +0000

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center projects a near normal or above normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this year, which starts June 1. Preparation and planning are key to storm survival and recovery.

Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Northwest Atlantic Loggerhead Sea Turtle Available for Review

Fri, 30 May 2008 16:29:55 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are seeking public input on the draft revised recovery plan for the northwest Atlantic population of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta). The species is listed globally as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

NOAA Scientist Elected to The Royal Society

Thu, 29 May 2008 17:12:07 +0000

NOAA Senior Scientist Susan Solomon, whose pioneering research has helped explain the cause of the ozone hole and for her leadership as co-chair of Working Group 1 for the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment report, has been elected as a Foreign Member of The Royal Society of the United Kingdom.

NOAA and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Address Potential Race Day Weather Hazards

Fri, 23 May 2008 19:29:49 +0000

Just in time for the 2008 Indianapolis 500, officials from NOAA's Indianapolis National Weather Service office and Indianapolis Motor Speedway have improved awareness, planning and communications for protecting race fans from severe weather.

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary Seeks Public Input on Management and Restoration of Bolinas Lagoon

Fri, 23 May 2008 17:51:55 +0000

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary will co-sponsor a workshop with the Marin County Open Space District on June 11 to present recommendations for the restoration and management of Bolinas Lagoon.

NOAA Approves Recreational Management Measures for Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass

Fri, 23 May 2008 15:41:39 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today approved fishing year 2008 management measures for summer flounder, scup and black sea bass recreational fisheries operating in the Atlantic waters from North Carolina to Maine to ensure overfishing does not occur.

NOAA Reduces Halibut Catch for Southeast Alaska Charter Anglers to Protect Stock

Fri, 23 May 2008 15:05:40 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service issued a new rule today that states starting June 1, charter vessel anglers in southeast Alaska will be allowed to keep one instead of two halibut per day.

International Scientists Find ‘Acidified’ Water on the Continental Shelf from Canada to Mexico

Fri, 23 May 2008 18:04:58 +0000

Evidence of corrosive water caused by the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) was found less than 20 miles off the west coast of North America during a field study from Canada to Mexico last summer. This was the first time “acidified” ocean water has been found on the continental shelf of western North America.

NOAA Predicts a Below-Normal Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season

Thu, 22 May 2008 16:43:33 +0000

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center today announced that projected climate conditions point to a below-normal hurricane season in the eastern Pacific this year.

New Study Finds Most North Pacific Humpback Whale Populations Rebounding

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:42:31 +0000

The number of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean has increased since international and federal protections were enacted in the 1960s and 70s, according to a new report funded primarily by NOAA and conducted by more than 400 whale researchers throughout the Pacific region.

NOAA Proposes Rule to Prevent Commercial Harvesting of Krill

Wed, 21 May 2008 21:17:50 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register to prohibit the future harvesting of krill between three and 200 miles of the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. Krill are a small shrimp-like crustacean and a key source of nutrition in the marine food web.

Government Lab Selected to Develop Key NPOESS Sensor

Wed, 21 May 2008 18:36:13 +0000

The NPOESS Integrated Program Office has selected the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to develop the microwave imager/sounder sensor planned for the next generation of polar-orbiting weather satellites. The sensor will bring improved data and imagery, paving the way for better weather forecasts, severe-weather monitoring and climate change assessment.

Jason-2 Satellite Data to Help NOAA Track Global Sea Level

Tue, 20 May 2008 15:37:54 +0000

A new satellite set to launch next month will monitor the rate of sea-level rise and help measure the strength of hurricanes, according to a leading NOAA scientist. At a press briefing today, Laury Miller, chief of NOAA's Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry, said NOAA will use data from the Jason-2/Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM) to extend a 15-year record from two earlier altimeter missions that currently show sea level is rising at a rate of 3.2 mm/year — nearly twice as fast as the previous 100 years. “This rate, if it continues unchanged over the coming decades, will have a large impact on coastal regions, in terms of erosion and flooding,” said Miller.

NOAA to Honor National Leaders in Sustainable Fisheries

Tue, 20 May 2008 14:32:07 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service announced today that it will honor seven people and two organizations for their efforts to enhance the understanding, protection, and sustainable use of U.S. ocean resources. This recognition is part of the agency’s third annual Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Awards program. NOAA’s leaders will present the awards at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 2.

NOAA Expects Slightly Below Average Central Pacific Hurricane Season

Mon, 19 May 2008 20:05:00 +0000

NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu expects three to four tropical cyclones in the central Pacific basin in 2008, a slightly below average season.

New NOAA Ocean Observing System in Pascagoula Aids Mariners; Keeps Shipping Safe

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:03:55 +0000

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

Monitor Sanctuary in Good Health Overall, but Historic Shipwreck Still Faces Threats

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:03:15 +0000

The natural resources of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary off the North Carolina coast are in good condition overall, but the wreck of the Civil War ironclad encompassed by the site is at risk from human activity and natural deterioration, according to a new NOAA report.

Dean, Felix, and Noel Retired From List of Storm Names

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:43:37 +0000

The names Dean, Felix, and Noel, three of the most devastating storms of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, were retired by members of the 30th Session of the World Meteorological Organization's Regional Association IV Hurricane Committee during its annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.

NOAA Offers Grants for California Schools to Become Ocean Guardians

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:02:48 +0000

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries announced today it is offering “Ocean Guardian” grants of up to $6,000 to a number of California schools whose students create a school or community-based conservation project that protects their local watershed and the ocean.

Navy Technology to Help NOAA Find Sunken History

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:13:34 +0000

U.S. Navy mine-hunting technology has a potential dual use to help NOAA find historic shipwrecks by allowing maritime archaeologists to “see” below the seafloor. With greater resolutions and access to deeper depths, maritime archaeologists can better understand submerged cultural and historic resources without disturbing those sites.

Students Selected for 2008 NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarships

Mon, 12 May 2008 14:05:55 +0000

NOAA has awarded scholarships to 111 students from 36 states through the agency’s 2008 Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship program.

Draft Management Plan for NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Released for Public Review and Comment

Tue, 6 May 2008 15:22:05 +0000

NOAA today released a comprehensive draft management plan and environmental assessment for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for public review and comment. Based on several years of scientific study and extensive public input, the plan recommends specific actions to address issues impacting the sanctuary.

NOAA's Fisheries Service Issues Far-Reaching Plans for Protecting Northwest Salmon

Mon, 5 May 2008 18:08:00 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service, the federal agency charged with protecting Northwest salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act, released today a trio of biological opinions that provide comprehensive, far-reaching plans for the protected salmon species.

Key Climate Sensor Restored to NPOESS

Fri, 2 May 2008 18:07:20 +0000

A sensor considered critical in monitoring global climate will be restored to the first satellite scheduled to fly in the National Polar-Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) top officials from NOAA, NASA, and the Air Force said yesterday.

Arctic, Antarctic: Poles Apart in Climate Response

Fri, 2 May 2008 16:04:20 +0000

While the Arctic and the Antarctic experience similar greenhouse gas levels and solar radiation, each region responds in a dramatically different way, especially in temperature and loss of sea ice, says an international team of scientists that includes a NOAA oceanographer. While the Arctic is warming, most of Antarctica is not, largely because of the ozone hole, but projections indicate that is likely to change.

“Fishery Failure” Declared for West Coast Salmon Fishery

Thu, 1 May 2008 16:37:43 +0000

Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez today declared a commercial fishery failure for the West Coast salmon fishery due to historically low salmon returns. Also today, NOAA’s Fisheries Service issued regulations to close or severely limit recreational and commercial salmon fishing in the area.

NOAA Begins Ocean Data Integration Effort

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:26:52 +0000

NOAA has launched a major initiative to link together a wealth of ocean observation data from a wide variety of federal and non-federal sources.

Remarks by VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., US Navy (Ret.) to Maryland Space Business Roundtable [PDF]

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:21:33 +0000

Remarks by VADM Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., US Navy (Ret.) to the Maryland Space Business Roundtable; April 29, 2008.

NOAA Recognizes Arlington County, Va., as StormReady®

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:31:23 +0000

Arlington County, Va., has become the fifth Washington, D.C., metropolitan county to become StormReady, making more than 63 percent of metro Washington D.C. StormReady.

NOAA Employing New Tools to Accurately Measure Climate Change

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:07:11 +0000

NOAA today announced it will install the last nine of the 114 stations as part of its new, high-tech climate monitoring network. The stations track national average changes in temperature and precipitation trends. The U.S. Climate Reference Network (CRN) is on schedule to activate these final stations by the end of the summer.

Carbon Dioxide, Methane Rise Sharply in 2007

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:28:23 +0000

Last year alone global levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the primary driver of global climate change, increased by 0.6 percent, or 19 billion tons. Additionally methane rose by 27 million tons after nearly a decade with little or no increase.

Draft Monument Management Plan Released For Public Review and Comment

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:37:35 +0000

In the spirit of Earth Day, Hawai‘i Governor Linda Lingle, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Lynn Scarlett, and retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, gathered at Washington Place today to announce the availability of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Draft Management Plan and associated Environmental Assessment for public review and comment.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Extends Decision on Cook Inlet Beluga Whale Listing

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:10:18 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service will extend the final decision on listing Cook Inlet beluga whales up to six months, which will give NOAA researchers time to prepare a 2008 population abundance estimate before the agency decides whether or not to list the population under the Endangered Species Act.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Outlines Measures to Prevent Overfishing of Sandbar and Other Sharks

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:10:43 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has outlined new measures to prevent overfishing and rebuild the number of sandbar and other shark species. The public may comment on the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) until May 19.

NOAA and Partners Offer Unprecedented Online Collection of Scientific Research from Northern California Marine Sanctuaries

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:29:03 +0000

NOAA and partners have launched a comprehensive, user-friendly online resource featuring the latest scientific research conducted within three West Coast national marine sanctuaries. The Web site, http://sanctuarysimon.org, integrates scientific monitoring data from Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Bank and Monterey Bay national marine sanctuaries — three contiguous, federally protected marine areas off California's northern central coast.

International Experts to Meet in Florida Keys to Discuss Climate Change Effects on Coral Reefs

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:51:58 +0000

Coral experts from the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Florida will gather at a NOAA-hosted workshop this month to share strategies for mitigating and managing the impacts of coral bleaching and climate change on reefs in the Caribbean and other regions.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Says Herring in Lynn Canal Not Endangered

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:36:29 +0000

Herring in Lynn Canal, near Juneau, Alaska, should not be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act since they are similar to other herring populations in the area that are being considered for listing, according to NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

Take a Virtual Tour of the National Hurricane Center

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 13:47:32 +0000

A tour of the NOAA National Hurricane Center is now as close as your computer with the inauguration of a new virtual online tour of the famous forecast center. The Web site, http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/nhctour.shtml, provides panoramic views of different areas of the facility, accompanied by audio and text descriptions.

NOAA Invests Record Funding to Clean Up Miami’s Biscayne Bay

Tue, 8 Apr 2008 14:43:47 +0000

NOAA announced today that it will invest $200,000 in Florida’s Miami-Dade County to expand the scope of Baynanza, an annual celebration and cleanup of Biscayne Bay. The funding — the largest NOAA contribution ever made towards a community marine debris cleanup project — will support the large-scale removal of marine debris, such as abandoned vessels, docks and pilings, and other large items that cannot be bagged by volunteers.

NOAA Aircraft to Probe Arctic Pollution

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:47:32 +0000

NOAA scientists are now flying through springtime Arctic pollution to find out why the region is warming — and summertime sea ice is melting — faster than predicted. Some 35 NOAA researchers are gathering with government and university colleagues in Fairbanks, Alaska, to conduct the study through April 23.

Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Designated a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 17:46:50 +0000

The fragile and unique marine ecosystems of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands encompassed by the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument will receive additional protection under a new internationally recognized designation announced today by NOAA.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Seeks Comments on Loggerhead Sea Turtles

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 14:02:29 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has determined that a petition to reclassify loggerhead turtles in the western North Atlantic Ocean as a distinct population segment with endangered status may be warranted, and is seeking comments on the petition action. Currently, loggerhead turtles are listed as a threatened species throughout the world.

NOAA Scientists Train African Team to be Fisheries Observers

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 14:01:20 +0000

A team of NOAA scientists traveled to Ghana this week to teach 40 government officials and university students to become trained marine resource observers, able to provide scientific data needed to manage their fish stocks.

NOAA Debuts "Nautical Charts" As New Elementary Multimedia Educational Tool

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:40:49 +0000

NOAA's National Ocean Service is launching today a new multimedia elementary educational program, Nautical Charts, at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association in Boston.

NOAA Studies Pollutants in Ice-Free Region of Arctic

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:52:50 +0000

A field study now under way is looking at the pollutants within the Arctic atmosphere – called “Arctic Haze” – including their sources, concentrations, and climate impact, in an ice-free region.

NOAA Ship Rude to Be Retired

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:11:02 +0000

A 90-ft. ship that helped bring closure to a grieving nation after two aircraft tragedies — the loss of TWA flight 800 in July 1996 and John F. Kennedy Jr.’s aircraft in July 1999 — will be decommissioned Mar. 25 after 41 years of service.

NOAA to Study Ice Seals for Possible Listing Under Endangered Species Act

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:32:54 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has accepted a petition from a California environmental group seeking protection under the Endangered Species Act for an ice seal called the “ribbon seal” that inhabits Alaska’s Bering Sea.

— Ribbon Seal Notice Filed with the Federal Register [PDF]

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:10:59 +0000

Commerce Department Appoints Members to Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:47:46 +0000

The Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Department of the Interior, has appointed 13 new members to the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee. The agency has also reappointed one member to a new two-year term.

Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Considered For World Heritage Site Designation

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:18:12 +0000

Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne has announced that the crown jewel of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary System, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, is one of two sites he is considering to officially nominate for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Opens Public Comment Period on Research Area Concept

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:54:39 +0000

The public is invited to provide input on the creation of a special research area in NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary during a comment period open through April 21. If established, the research area would dedicate a portion of the sanctuary’s waters to scientific investigation and exploration.

NOAA: Coolest Winter Since 2001 for U.S., Globe

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:10:48 +0000

The average temperature across both the contiguous U.S. and the globe during climatological winter (December 2007-February 2008) was the coolest since 2001, according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. In terms of winter precipitation, Pacific storms, bringing heavy precipitation to large parts of the West, produced high snowpack that will provide welcome runoff this spring.

NOAA to Test Humboldt County Tsunami Warning System on Mar. 26

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:31:15 +0000

NOAA’s National Weather Service, in collaboration with the California Office of Emergency Services and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s office, will conduct a test of the tsunami warning system in coastal Humboldt County, Calif., between 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Wed., Mar. 26.

NOAA Issues New Land Cover Assessment Showing Increasing U.S. Coastal Development

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:19:35 +0000

A NOAA survey of land use along U.S. coasts shows that 53 percent of the new development between 1996 and 2001 occurred along the Southeastern U.S. coast between Texas and North Carolina.

NOAA Fisheries Service Agrees to Review Petition to Protect Smelt

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:01:31 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service is formally accepting a petition from the Cowlitz Indian Tribe to list eulachon (smelt) populations in Washington, Oregon and California for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The tribe’s petition describes severe declines in smelt runs along the entire Pacific Coast, with possible local extinctions in California and Oregon

NOAA Considers Case to Protect Five Puget Sound Rockfish Species

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:23:43 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is assembling a team of biologists to examine the decline of five Rockfish specifies in the Puget Sound and determine if it should formally propose listings under the Endangered Species Act. The assessment follows the acceptance of a petition filed by a Washington citizen.

NOAA to Close NJ Tautog Fishery April 1

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:50:19 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service found that the State of New Jersey has failed to implement measures necessary to fulfill its responsibilities under the tautog interstate fishery management plan which are crucial for conservation of the salt water fish. As a result, NOAA will close New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fishery for tautog on April 1.

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Recognizes Student Scientist for “Fishy” Science Project

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:48:32 +0000

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary has awarded the Farallones Young Marine Scientist Award to seventh-grade student Noe Manley for her entry which compared a fish’s size to its breathing rate in the 26th annual San Francisco Middle School Science Fair.

Hurricane Forecasters Bring Preparedness Message to Mexico and Caribbean

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:51:05 +0000

NOAA and the U.S. Air Force Reserve will host a series of public events the week of March 23rd in five coastal communities in Mexico and the Caribbean to urge residents to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.

In New Effort, U.S. Army Divers Help NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Remove Marine Debris and Support Fish Research

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 21:36:10 +0000

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the U.S. Army Dive Company are joining forces this month to repair buoy moorings, remove trash from dive sites, and install listening devices to track fish in national marine sanctuaries off Florida and Georgia.

Changes in Ocean Conditions in Sargasso Sea Potential Cause for Decline in Eel Fishery

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 20:46:00 +0000

American eels are fast disappearing from restaurant menus as stocks have declined sharply across the North Atlantic. While the reasons for the eel decline remain as mysterious as its long migrations, a recent study by a NOAA scientist and colleagues in Japan and the United Kingdom says shifts in ocean-atmosphere conditions may be a primary factor in declining reproduction and survival rates.

Rare White Killer Whale Spotted in Alaskan Waters From NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 20:23:40 +0000

Scientists aboard the NOAA research vessel Oscar Dyson in the North Pacific have sighted a creature of great rarity and even myth: a white whale.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Releases New Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan

Wed, 5 Mar 2008 19:13:30 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service has published its new Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan to help restore the endangered population in western Alaska and provide further improvements to the threatened population across eastern Alaska.

Unfavorable Ocean Conditions Likely Cause of Low Salmon Returns Along West Coast in 2007

Mon, 3 Mar 2008 20:56:01 +0000

NOAA scientists are reviewing unusual environmental conditions in the Pacific Ocean as the likely culprit for the dramatically low returns of Chinook and coho salmon to rivers and streams along the West Coast of the United States last year.

Specialized Surface Wind Instruments Fly Onboard Nation’s Hurricane Hunter Fleet

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:21:19 +0000

For the first time, America’s entire fleet of aircraft that fly through hurricanes now have instruments that measure surface winds, giving forecasters at NOAA’s National Hurricane Center a better view of the intensity and the size of these powerful storm systems.

NOAA Helps Nat’l Coral Reef Institute to Grow Coral in Laboratory to Restore Damaged Reefs

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:21:40 +0000

Scientists at the National Coral Reef Institute are currently growing more than 400 corals from the larval stage as part of NOAA-funded research, and will transplant them to restore damaged coral reefs. "NOAA strongly supports research that will help managers develop new tools to address coral restoration," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "In this Year of the Reef, such innovative approaches may provide a new way forward to protecting these valuable resources."

NOAA, World Bank Join to Help Manage Water and Coastal Resources in Latin America

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:03:02 +0000

NOAA and the World Bank today announced that they have signed an agreement to work together to help developing nations manage water resources, combat drought, and measure changes in climate.

Innovative Technology to Bring NOAA Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to Classrooms Nationwide Mar. 2-7

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:04:18 +0000

NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program will use innovative Internet and satellite technology to transport students across the country to a scientific expedition in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The experience, which will feature the use of broadcasts from autonomous underwater vehicles, will be accessible on the Internet and telecast to a network of partner Boys and Girls Clubs across the nation via satellite from Mar. 2–7.

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Seeks Citizen Stewards for Beach Watch Program

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:35:52 +0000

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary is now recruiting volunteers for its Beach Watch shoreline monitoring program, which played a key role in the response to the 2007 Cosco Busan oil spill. Orientations and training will be held beginning this spring at several San Francisco Bay Area locations.

Volunteers Count Whales in NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:38:11 +0000

More than 700 volunteers gathered data from the shores of Oahu, Kauai, the Big Island, and Kahoolawe for Saturday’s annual Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count.

NOAA Partners with New Shellfish Research Institute to Examine Ecological Effects of Growing Shellfish

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:41:13 +0000

NOAA’s Milford Laboratory and the newly formed East Coast Shellfish Growers Research Institute have teamed up to study how growing and harvesting shellfish will affect the marine ecosystem. The partnership reaffirms the Bush Administration's support for a robust and healthy aquaculture industry, a focal point of President Bush's Ocean Action Plan.

Increased Hurricane Losses Due to More People, Wealth Along Coastlines, Not Stronger Storms, New Study Says

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:40:33 +0000

A team of scientists have found that the economic damages from hurricanes have increased in the U.S. over time due to greater population, infrastructure, and wealth on the U.S. coastlines, and not to any spike in the number or intensity of hurricanes.

Southern Ocean Cruise to Probe Climate-Relevant Gases

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:19:44 +0000

This month more than 30 scientists will embark on a research cruise to the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica, where they will be battling nature’s elements to study how gases important to climate change move between the atmosphere and the ocean under high winds and seas.

NOAA Announces Winners of Coastal and Ocean Management Awards

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:21:42 +0000

NOAA has selected the recipients of the 2008 Walter B. Jones Awards and NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management. These biennial awards recognize coastal stewards, graduate students, state and local government, and non-governmental organizations for their outstanding efforts in coastal and ocean management.

Oregon Researchers Study Widespread Areas of Low Oxygen off Northwest Coast

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:25:50 +0000

A team of scientists studying the California Current – a slow-moving mass of cold water that travels south along the coast from British Columbia to Baja California – are seeing increasing areas of water off Washington and Oregon with little or no oxygen, possibly resulting in the deaths of marine animals that cannot leave the low-oxygen areas.

January 2008: Cool and Wet West Contrasts a Warm Northeast

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:57:25 +0000

The average temperature across the contiguous U.S. during January 2008 was near average (ranking the 49th coolest) and the 31st warmest on record globally, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Temperatures throughout most of the western U.S. were cooler than average and warmer than normal in the Northeast.

NOAA and Shell Oil Company Launch Enhanced Ocean Observations Project in Gulf of Mexico

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:40:10 +0000

NOAA and the Shell Oil Company have signed a cooperative agreement to place meteorological and oceanographic observation sensors on seven Shell oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Once installed, the suite of observation equipment will become a vital component of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), providing valuable data for use in hurricane research, forecasting, and coastal resource management.

NOAA, California Resources Agency Honored for “Thank You Ocean” Campaign

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:14:02 +0000

The California Resources Agency and NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program have been honored for their joint “Thank You Ocean” campaign, which encourages Californians to learn about and respect the ocean.

NOAA Names Kyger to Manage Nation’s Climate and Weather Supercomputer

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:12:30 +0000

Ben Kyger has been selected to manage the day-to-day operations of the nation’s weather and climate supercomputers that give federal, private and broadcast meteorologists the latest forecasts and models for national weather, daily air quality, U.S. hazards assessments, drought, hurricane, and seasonal outlooks.

NOAA “Hurricane Hunter” Flies into Pacific Winter Storms Out of Oregon

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:29:02 +0000

In an effort to improve forecasts released 12 and 72 hours before a winter storm, NOAA is flying its WP-3D “hurricane hunter” aircraft into severe weather over the Pacific Ocean from a temporary base in Portland, Ore. The aircraft is acquiring atmospheric data from severe winter storms originating over the Pacific Ocean that will affect the continental United States.

NOAA Names Balsiger Acting Director for National Marine Fisheries Service

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:00:37 +0000

James W. Balsiger has been appointed as acting assistant administrator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, directing federal scientists and regulators responsible for managing commercial and recreational ocean fishing and the protection of marine mammals, sea turtles and their habitat.

NOAA Proposes Critical Habitat for Threatened Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 15:12:40 +0000

Elkhorn and staghorn corals, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in May 2006, will benefit from the designation of newly proposed critical habitat. NOAA is seeking public comment on its proposal, which identifies approximately 4,931 square miles of marine habitat in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as critical habitat for the threatened corals – a requirement of the ESA.

NOAA’s Fisheries Service Lists Oregon Coast Coho for Federal Protection

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 16:16:52 +0000

NOAA's Fisheries Service will list Oregon coast coho as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

New NOAA Weather Radio Transmitter in Idaho Increases Coverage Area

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 16:15:59 +0000

Residents and visitors in southeast central Idaho now have immediate access to weather information thanks to a new NOAA Weather Radio-All Hazards transmitter, recently installed at Mt. Baldy near Salmon, Idaho.

NOAA Cautions Public to Avoid Seal Pups on California Beaches

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:22:51 +0000

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary advises beachgoers against interacting with any seal pups they may find on the beach. Newborn harbor seal pups, born in late winter and spring, could suffer permanent harm if someone not licensed in marine mammal rescue were to move them.

Veteran Research Pilot to Head NOAA’s Aviation Weather Center

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:05:18 +0000

NOAA has named Robert Maxson director of the Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, the nation’s primary source of weather information for domestic and international flights. Maxson will leave his post as a research pilot with the National Science Foundation in Boulder, Colo. and begin his new duties at NOAA on Feb. 4.

Volunteers Count Whales in NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:55:21 +0000

More than 600 volunteers gathered data from the shores of Oahu, Kauai, the Big Island, and Kahoolawe for Saturday’s annual Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count on Jan. 26.

NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Extends Deadline for Applications for Advisory Council

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:02:15 +0000

NOAA’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary has extended the deadline to Feb. 10 for applications for the tourism alternate and Chumash Community member and alternate positions on its advisory council.

Veteran Marine Safety Expert to Head NOAA Office of Response and Restoration

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:36:18 +0000

David Westerholm, former chief of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Response, has been named the new director of NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration.

NOAA Administrator Expresses Concern over Satellite Contractor Delay

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:25:16 +0000

NOAA’s top official today expressed concern that a contractor’s slow development of a critical new sensor will delay its delivery for a scheduled launch of a precursor mission for the National Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS).

Warmer Ocean Could Reduce Number of Atlantic Hurricane Landfalls

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:33:35 +0000

A warming global ocean — influencing the winds that shear off the tops of developing storms — could mean fewer Atlantic hurricanes striking the United States according to new findings by NOAA climate scientists.

NOAA Funds $3.8 Million, Five-Year Project to Study, Manage Saginaw Bay Ecosystem

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:31:31 +0000

NOAA has awarded a regional consortium of Great Lakes area universities and research organizations $760,000 for the first year of a five-year, $3.8 million pilot project to develop a new approach to analyzing and managing the cumulative effects of climate change, land use, invasive species, and other environmental stressors on Saginaw Bay and its surrounding ecosystem.

Former Gray’s Reef Sanctuary Research Vessel Has Second Life as Home to Sea Creatures

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:08:51 +0000

A former Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary research ship sunk last year off the Georgia coast as an artificial reef is now home to a diverse array of marine fish and invertebrates after only four months on the bottom, according to NOAA scientists.

NOAA Considers Ways to Handle Sea Lions That Threaten Protected Salmon

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 19:57:51 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service is asking for public comment as it considers four alternatives to deter California sea lions from eating imperiled salmon and steelhead that congregate below the Bonneville Dam on the lower Columbia River as they head upriver to spawn.

Critically Endangered Porpoise is Focus of New Research Report

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:41:32 +0000

An international research team, including biologists from NOAA’s Fisheries Service, reported in the scientific journal Conservation Biology, that the estimated population of vaquita, a porpoise found in the Gulf of California, is likely two years away from reaching such low levels that their rate to extinction will increase and possibly be irreversible.

New NOAA Maps Show Big Island Has Most Live Coral of Main Hawaiian Islands

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:21:12 +0000

New coral reef maps released by NOAA reveal that the Big Island of Hawaii has the highest percentage of live coral of the main Hawaiian islands.

Fishermen Will Use New Ways to Avoid Snaring Endangered Seabirds

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:21:11 +0000

Fishing fleets from more than 30 countries on the high seas of the Atlantic and Pacific will now use new ways to avoid accidentally snaring seabirds going after bait on long lines.

NOAA Accepting Grant Applications for K-12 Environmental Literacy Project

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:19:47 +0000

NOAA's Office of Education is now accepting applications for environmental literacy projects to promote changes in K-12 education in effort to expand the amount of Earth system science taught in the classroom and improve student learning of the subject.

NOAA and Partners Recognize Newest Business to Join Dolphin SMART Program

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:02:05 +0000

NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and its partners today accepted the third charter operator into a new program created to help protect wild dolphins in the Keys. Key West Eco Tours officially joined the Dolphin SMART program after successfully meeting standards that promote responsible viewing of dolphins in the wild.

NOAA Determines White Marlin Not Threatened Nor Endangered

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:53:38 +0000

NOAA’s Fisheries Service announced today that the Atlantic white marlin, a billfish highly prized by recreational anglers, does not warrant listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Based on the biological status of the species and consideration of the ESA listing factors, the species is not in danger of extinction.

U.S. Climate Change Science Program Issues Revised Research Plan

Wed, 2 Jan 2008 21:03:41 +0000

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program Revised Research Plan Summary is available in the Federal Register and online for review and comment by the public.

Japan Agrees to Suspend Its Hunt of Humpback Whales

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:54:13 +0000

After negotiations with the chairman of the International Whaling Commission, Japan has agreed not to target humpback whales during its annual whale hunt that is underway in the seas off Antarctica.

NOAA and VT Halter Marine Launch Third Fisheries Survey Vessel

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:43:23 +0000

New NOAA fisheries survey vessel, launched on Dec. 19, in Mississippi, will be able to study fish quietly without altering their behavior.

NOAA, NASA Select Contractor for Satellite-Based Lightning Detection Instrument

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:28:39 +0000

NOAA and NASA today announced Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company of Palo Alto, Calif., has been selected for a $96.7 million (including options) contract award to design and develop a new instrument on the next generation of weather satellites.

Increase in Beluga Population Noted With Caution in NOAA Survey of Cook Inlet

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 19:27:49 +0000

NOAA Fisheries Service biologists estimate a beluga whale population of 375 in the Cook Inlet near Anchorage, Alaska, according to data collected during their annual survey in June. This population estimate is the largest since 2001.

NOAA Seeks Greater Protections for Threatened Elkhorn and Staghorn Corals

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:57:20 +0000

NOAA is proposing to extend most of the prohibitions of the Endangered Species Act - normally applied only to endangered species - to the threatened elkhorn and staghorn corals.

NOAA Breaks Ground for New Great Lakes Research Laboratory

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:59:25 +0000

Officials have broken ground for a new, larger NOAA Great Lakes research laboratory in Pittsfield Township, replacing the current Ann Arbor laboratory in mid to late 2008. The new building will provide twice as much space as the current location as well as updated wet and dry laboratories, and new conference capabilities including a lecture hall that can seat 150.

New Science Paper Says Carbon Emissions Threaten Coral Reefs

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:59:28 +0000

NOAA Coral Reef Watch coordinator Mark Eakin, and 17 fellow coral scientists from around the globe say corals could begin to disappear in 50 to 75 years due to steadily warming temperatures and increasing ocean acidification caused by carbon dioxide emissions.

NOAA Initiates Marine Debris Monitoring at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:16:08 +0000

NOAA has established a new monitoring program in Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary to collect data on the location and types of marine debris in the sanctuary.

Captain Michele G. Bullock Takes Command of NOAA’s Pacific Fleet of Scientific Research Ships

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 15:11:18 +0000

NOAA Captain Michele G. Bullock recently took command of the day-to-day operations of the 10 research and survey ships in NOAA’s Pacific fleet controlled from the agency’s Marine Operations Center-Pacific in Seattle.

NOAA Recognizes Custer County, Idaho, as StormReady

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 22:46:30 +0000

Custer County, Idaho, and the communities of Challis, Mackay, and Stanley completed the NOAA National Weather Service StormReady program, better equipping the county to handle severe weather. The Custer County emergency management team fulfilled a rigorous set of warning and evacuation criteria, including the development of a formal hazardous weather plan.

NOAA Releases Report on the State of Deep Coral Ecosystems in the U.S.

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:52:22 +0000

NOAA released a new report, The State of Deep Coral Ecosystems of the United States, called for in the President’s Ocean Action Plan on December 10. The peer-reviewed report, prepared by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program, provides a baseline for future research and management of these unique and vulnerable ecosystems.

Mary Glackin Named Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 14:26:47 +0000

Retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, announced today that Mary M. Glackin has been appointed as deputy under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere.

NOAA Helps Prepare East Coast Communities for Tsunami, Storm-Driven Flood Threats

Tue, 4 Dec 2007 01:25:22 +0000

A team of scientists took a crucial step forward in NOAA’s effort to prepare U.S. coastal communities, including Long Island, Atlantic City, and Daytona Beach for potentially deadly tsunami and storm-driven flooding. Scientists with NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, both based in Boulder, Colo., recently created high-resolution digital elevation models, or DEMs, for the three cities.

Study: Expanding Tropical Belt Could Affect Climate

Mon, 3 Dec 2007 17:29:52 +0000

The Earth’s tropical belt – approximately the area between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn – has widened over the past quarter century as the planet has warmed, and could change precipitation patterns that would affect ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources, according to research by a NOAA scientist and colleagues. The findings are published today in the first edition of the new publication Nature Geoscience.

NOAA PORTS® Ocean Observing System Installed in Mobile Bay

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:03:09 +0000

NOAA announced today that the Port of Mobile, Ala. has become the 14th location in the United States to install the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System. PORTS®, developed and operated by NOAA, provides accurate real-time oceanographic and meteorological data to mariners that can significantly reduce the risk of vessel groundings and increase the amount of cargo moved through the port. The system will become operational on Dec. 3.

NOAA Service Assessment on Enterprise Tornado Demonstrates Need to Build Hazard Resilient Communities

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:50:48 +0000

Enterprise (Ala.) High School officials and students followed appropriate safety measures prior to and during the March 1 tornado outbreak which killed eight students, but the event further demonstrated the need for such facilities to have hardened safe rooms, according to a NOAA National Weather Service assessment released today.

Sanctuary Sam the Sea Lion to Head NOAA’s New National Ocean Awareness Campaign

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:40:19 +0000

NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program announced the launch of a new national ocean literacy, education, and public awareness campaign featuring Sanctuary Sam, a California sea lion who will be the program’s “spokes-sea lion” from his SeaWorld-based home in Orlando, Fla.

NOAA Releases List of Fisheries that Interact with Marine Mammals

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:56:42 +0000

NOAA Fisheries Service today published its annual List of Fisheries that classifies each U.S. commercial fishery based on its level of interaction with marine mammals.

NOAA Researcher: 2002 Drought Left Millions of Tons of Extra Carbon Dioxide in Earth’s Atmosphere

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:57:32 +0000

A new NOAA study, appearing in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows how a prolonged drought in North America in 2002 cut the continent’s natural uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) in half, leaving more than 360 million tons more of the heat-trapping greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere.

October 2007 is Ninth Warmest on Record for Contiguous United States

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:29:36 +0000

Temperatures in October 2007 were the ninth warmest on record for the contiguous U.S., and especially warm in the Northeast, where five states had their warmest October on record. The January-October 2007 U.S. temperature was the seventh warmest since national records began in 1895, according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

NOAA and USDA Accepting Public Comment on Aquaculture Feeds

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:26:34 +0000

NOAA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are soliciting information and ideas on ways to lessen dependence on fish-based feeds in the aquaculture industry. This comment period is the first step of a broad, year-long program that will include research projects, scientific consultations and a national workshop aimed at developing new and effective ingredients for aqua-feed.

NOAA Seeks Applicants for the Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 19:25:51 +0000

NOAA is accepting applications for a scholarship program in honor of retired South Carolina Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, who promoted oceanic and atmospheric research throughout his career. This is the fourth year this scholarship is being made available to students interested in pursuing degrees in ocean and atmospheric sciences and education.

Government Science Panel Publishes Report on North America’s Carbon Budget

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:25:06 +0000

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program published a report today that quantifies North America’s net contribution of carbon to the atmosphere and catalogues sources and sinks of carbon on the continent.

Endangered Right Whales Headed South for Winter

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:42:56 +0000

To help protect the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale population, NOAA Fisheries Service is reminding mariners and fishers that the start of calving (birthing) season begins Nov. 15, and continues through April 15. Regulations and recommendations are in place to help protect these endangered whales during this critical period.

NOAA Proposes Limits for Three Fisheries to End Overfishing

Fri, 9 Nov 2007 18:56:56 +0000

NOAA Fisheries Service today proposed limits on fishing three key species in order to end overfishing and promote rebuilding of the stocks. The proposal is based on scientific analysis and recommendations of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

NOAA Scientist: Human Development is Important Indicator of Tidal Creek Health

Fri, 9 Nov 2007 13:52:19 +0000

A new NOAA study reveals that the level of human development activities, including roadways, sidewalks and roofs, in a watershed has a direct impact on the health of America's tidal creeks and may potentially threaten public health in those coastal areas.

NOAA, USGS Warning System to Help Protect Southern Californians

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 20:56:01 +0000

A debris flow and flash flood warning system developed jointly by NOAA’s National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey will help protect Southern Californians from potentially devastating debris flows, commonly known as mud slides, and flash floods in and around burn areas created by the recent wildfires

New NOAA Model Links Mississippi River Nutrient Outflow to Florida Red Tides

Wed, 7 Nov 2007 18:58:57 +0000

A new NOAA research model indicates nutrients flowing from the Mississippi River may stimulate harmful algal blooms to grow on the continental shelf off the west coast of Florida. The peer-reviewed hypothesis is being published in a special issue on Florida red tide in the journal "Continental Shelf Research."

Pilotless Aircraft Flies Toward Eye of Hurricane for First Time

Mon, 5 Nov 2007 19:38:16 +0000

A pilotless hurricane hunter is being flown by remote control into hurricane force winds for the first time to give researchers from NOAA and NASA a real time, low altitude look at a storm with hurricane category 1 winds hovering around 80 miles per hour.

NOAA Launches National Marine Debris Education Effort

Fri, 2 Nov 2007 21:14:37 +0000

NOAA today launched a comprehensive effort aimed at reducing dangerous marine debris. The Internet-based educational campaign for marine debris awareness and prevention answers President Bush's call to increase public awareness and understanding of the global problem of marine debris.

Antarctic Ozone Hole Returns to Near Average Levels

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 18:56:09 +0000

The size of this year's Antarctic ozone hole is slightly above the 10-year average in both depth and overall area, NOAA scientists announced today.

NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program Offers New Guide to Diving in America's Underwater Treasures

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 18:54:43 +0000

The NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program has developed a colorful new printed guide and Web page for scuba diving enthusiasts about diving in our nation's 13 national marine sanctuaries, home to some of America's most spectacular underwater sights.

NOAA Reports Record-Setting Tornado Outbreak for October

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 01:01:39 +0000

A total of 87 tornadoes were reported in the United States from October 17-19 – a new record outbreak for the month, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.

NOAA Initiates $1.4 Million Three-Year Project to Study Valuable Deep Hawaiian Coral Ecosystems

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:35:23 +0000

NOAA has awarded four Honolulu based organizations $500,000 for the first year of a three-year $1.4 million project to improve the understanding of deep water coral reef ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands.

NOAA Begins Funding Project to Develop Chesapeake, Delaware Bays Hypoxia Forecasting Models

Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:31:24 +0000

NOAA has awarded $330,000 to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, in a five-year $1.8 million NOAA project to help resource managers analyze and predict how hypoxia, water quality, and fishery production respond to nutrient loading and climatic factors in Chesapeake Bay and Delaware inland bays.

NOAA Initiates Three-Year $781,000 Project to Unravel Gulf Deadzone Mysteries

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:06:03 +0000

NOAA has awarded first-year funding of $284,000 to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) as part of a three-year $781,000 project to develop a better understanding of how nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River affects the large area of low oxygen water called the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. The project will also look at how the dead zone affects commercially and recreationally important fish and shellfish.

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