Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Announces Harvest Limit Increases for Northeast Fishermen

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today announced that he is raising fishing limits on several fish stocks based on new scientific analysis, delivering on a commitment he made to Northeast fishermen and members of Congress....

NOAA Sanctuary Exploration Center Breaks Ground in Santa Cruz

Officials from NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the City of Santa Cruz broke ground today (July 12), on the 12,000-square-foot Sanctuary Exploration Center. Located in Santa Cruz’ famed beach area, the center will function as the sanctuary’s premier interactive interpretive facility....

NOAA: No Status Review Needed for Porbeagle Shark

NOAA’s Fisheries Service today said it would not initiate a status review of the porbeagle shark in response to two petitions to list the species as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. The finding published today in the Federal Register....

Scientists Find Rising Carbon Dioxide and Acidified Waters in Puget Sound

Scientists have discovered that the water chemistry in the Hood Canal and the Puget Sound main basin is becoming more “acidified,” or corrosive, as the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These changes could have considerable impacts on the region’s shellfish industry over the next several decades....

NOAA, U.S., Brazilian Partners Send Ship to Study Corals, Water Column for Gulf Oil Spill Response

A science team on the research vessel Seward Johnson departs Fort Pierce, Fla. today for the eastern Gulf of Mexico to gather baseline data against which to measure change if oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill reaches the area. The expedition will use a submersible, a remotely operated vehicle and other technology to assess and record conditions...