United States Leads Push for Strong Measures to Protect Sharks and Sea Turtles

The 17th special meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) ended today with successes in some important areas and room for improvement in others. The United States met many of its important objectives this year, including the adoption of measures to address the bycatch of endangered sea turtles,...

NOAA Closes 4,200 Square Miles of Gulf Waters to Royal Red Shrimping

Out of an abundance of caution, NOAA has closed 4,213 square miles of Gulf of Mexico federal waters off Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to royal red shrimping....

Secretary Locke Criticizes Escalation of Icelandic Whaling

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke issued the following statement on Iceland's decision to resume international trade in fin whale meat, and its escalation of commercial whaling outside of the control of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Iceland killed 273 endangered fin whales in the last two years....

Federal Interagency Group Issues Peer-Reviewed 'Oil Budget' Technical Documentation

The Federal Interagency Solutions Group, established at the request of the U.S. Coast Guard and authorized under a directive from the National Incident Commander (NIC), is releasing today a peer-reviewed report that details the scientific calculations of the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil Spill "Oil Budget Calculator" response tool announced last August....

NOAA's Enforcement Actions in the Gulf of Mexico Help Ensure Safe Seafood

Eight shrimp trawlers have been charged by NOAA with allegedly fishing this summer in the area of the Gulf of Mexico that was closed due to the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill. The notices of violation and assessment (NOVAs) were issued as part of NOAA’s effort to help ensure the seafood reaching America’s dinner tables was safe – and to protect the...