Web Stories & Web Content for NOAA Fisheries
Marin Water Biologists counting the number of coho salmon and steelhead smolts migrating to the ocean. Credit: Marin Water.
Collaborating to Identify Salmon Habitat Restoration Priorities in California Watersheds
NOAA Fisheries and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are implementing a collaborative process called SHaRP (Salmon Habitat Restoration Priorities) to identify priority actions for restoring California’s salmon and steelhead habitat.
Orca pod swims in the Puget Sound as a ferry transits in the background. Credit: Candice Emmons/NWFSC
New Voluntary Slowdown for Commercial Ships Aims to Quiet the Sound for Endangered Killer Whales
Human-caused underwater noise that affects endangered Southern Resident killer whales comes from a variety of sources. These include recreational boaters, whale watch vessels, and large commercial vessels that transit Puget Sound and the Salish Sea every day. Now, a new program called Quiet Sound aims to better understand and reduce the effects of large commercial vessels on the whales in Washington state.
Southern Resident killer whale in Puget Sound. Credit: Candice Emmons, NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center
New Actions Focus Efforts to Save West Coast “Species in the Spotlight”
This week NOAA Fisheries released new action plans to promote the recovery of its high-priority “Species in the Spotlight.” These nine species are in pressing need of attention to avoid extinction. Five of the species are native to the West Coast, tied together by biology, geography, and urgency.
Rehabilitated Guadalupe fur seal, W0369, photographed during release. Credit: Bill Hunnewell, The Marine Mammal Center under NOAA Permit #18786-04
West Coast Orange Tag Program
Rehabilitated pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) are marked with a heavy duty orange plastic tag on their flipper, which look similar to a livestock tag. These help our Network partners identify animals after they have been released back to the wild. Photographs and detailed reports of resights help our West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network and rehabilitation partners track the progress of their patients.
Share the Shore Image, NOAA Fisheries
Share the Shore: Watch Marine Mammals Responsibly
In the age of selfies and social media, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of being close to wildlife and sharing photos. Seals and sea lions come ashore to rest and nurse their young, often in busy beach areas. Share the shore with seals and sea lions. Bring your binoculars and enjoy them from a safe distance to protect their health, and yours.
A molting Black-footed Albatross reaches for bait during fishing operations. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
6 Ways U.S. Fisheries Reduce Albatross Bycatch
Seabirds often flock to fishing vessels attracted by bait meant for fish. Albatrosses spend up to 90 percent of their lives soaring above the ocean. They are particularly at risk of becoming bycatch by getting accidentally hooked or entangled in fishing gear. NOAA Fisheries’ National Seabird Program has made great strides in protecting and conserving seabirds, like albatrosses, by working with fishermen to develop solutions.
Humpback whales bursting through the surface with mouths open to catch fish to eat. Photo: A. Simonis
Encountering Giants: Inspiring Moments with Whales
Whales astonish us. Witnessing their behaviors has inspired careers in marine biology and energized action for ocean conservation. Many NOAA Fisheries scientists have had unique opportunities to spend time on and in the ocean, studying marine mammals like whales in their habitats. To celebrate Whale Week 2022 and World Whale Day, we asked our staff to recall a favorite moment with these incredible and majestic creatures. Read their personal recollections below.
Photo: Bernie Anulacion (front row - right) providing instruction to participants on how to necropsy fish, in a training course on marine environmental protection held in South Korea. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
From Bagoong of the Philippines to Korean Jogaetang, Seafood Connects NOAA Fisheries Staff
We asked NOAA Fisheries staff who identify as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander and who work in the West Coast region to share stories of their favorite seafood--from how it is harvested, prepared, or shared, to how it connects to their heritage.