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NOAA Reports Sustained Seafood Levels
An annual report released by NOAA stated U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.6 billion pounds of fish and shellfish in 2012, valued at $5.1 billion, according to Fisheries of the United States 2012. The value and pounds of fish and shellfish caught remain higher than the average for the previous ten years of 9.2 billion pounds and $4.1 billion, although this represents a small decrease from the high level of landings and value in 2011.
Death Knell for NOAA Traditional Paper Nautical Charts
NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey has announced major changes ahead for mariners and others who use nautical charts. Starting April 13, 2014, the federal government will no longer print traditional lithographic (paper) nautical charts . NOAA will continue to provide other forms of nautical charts, including Print-on-Demand paper charts as well as electronic and digital formats. Since 1862, those lithographic…
Harris Helps Prepare NOAA GOES-R Extreme Weather Satellite
International communications and information technology company, Harris Corporation, has delivered a system that will help prepare National Oceanic and Atmospheric…
NOAA Identifies Lurking Environmental Threats
A new NOAA report that examines national oil pollution threat from shipwrecks has been presented to the U.S. Coast Guard. With as many as 20,000 recorded shipwrecks in NOAA’s database, the May 2013 report finds that just 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation’s coastal marine resources. Of those, 17 were recommended for further assessment and potential removal of both fuel oil and oil cargo.
NOAA Awards $967,000 to 11 Marine Debris Removal Projects
NOAA’s Marine Debris Program provided $967,000 through its Restoration Center to support locally driven, community-based marine debris prevention and removal projects. Eleven groups across the country received funding to remove derelict fishing nets, litter, lumber, tires and other harmful marine debris from shorelines and coastal waters. “Marine debris plagues coastlines all over the country, and these communities have the expertise and motivation to address it…
NOAA Updates Cobscook Bay Area Chart
Northern Maine vessels will be able to navigate more safely around the dangerous Cobscook Bay thanks to an updated version of the area's nautical chart issued by NOAA.
NOAA Finds Lost 19th Century U.S. Coast Survey Steamer
More than 153 years after it was lost in a violent collision at sea, government and university maritime archaeologists have identified the wreck of the ship Robert J. Walker, a steamer that served in the U.S. Coast Survey, a predecessor agency of NOAA. The Walker, while now largely forgotten, served a vital role as a survey ship, charting the Gulf Coast ‒ including Mobile Bay and the Florida Keys ‒ in the decade before the Civil War.
NOAA Seeks Hydrographic Panel Members
NOAA is seeking qualified candidates to apply for up to five voting member vacancies to serve on its Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) as of January 1, 2014.
NOAA Proposal Aims to Extend Reduced Whale Ship Strikes
NOAA Fisheries is seeking comments on its proposal to make permanent the rules it implemented five years ago to reduce the number of collisions between ships and North Atlantic right whales. Right whales are among the most endangered species in the world, and are highly vulnerable to ship collisions. The rules, part of NOAA's long-standing efforts to recover right whales, are currently scheduled to expire in December 2013.
Begich, Wicker, Schatz Introduce NOAA Corps Amendments Act
U.S. Senators Mark Begich, Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced legislation to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps as a national asset and improve its ability to recruit and retain talented candidates like other uniformed services. Begich is chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard. Wicker and Schatz serve on the subcommittee as well.
NOAA Report Examines Shipwreck Oil Pollution Threat
NOAA presented to the U.S. Coast Guard today a new report that finds that 36 sunken vessels scattered across the U.S. seafloor could pose an oil pollution threat to the nation’s coastal marine resources. Of those, 17 were recommended for further assessment and potential removal of both fuel oil and oil cargo. The sunken vessels are a legacy of more than a century of U.S. commerce and warfare. They include a barge lost in rough seas in 1936…
New NOAA ROV On Ocean Trials
The 6,000-meter-rated remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system will be tested from 'Okeanos Explorer' in the 2013 field season. Dave Lovalvo, project manager for the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research’s Deep Submergence Group and his team has built and will be testing the ROV during the 2013 field season. The vehicle will be operated from the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, America's only U.S. government ship that is dedicated to the sole purpose of exploring the world’s oceans.
NOAA Considers Effects of Arctic Oil and Gas Activities
NOAA is seeking comments on a supplemental draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for oil and gas activities in the Arctic Ocean. The draft, developed in collaboration with the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), includes analysis on how a broader range of potential offshore oil and gas activities could affect the environment, with a specific focus on marine mammals…
NOAA Ship's Annual Shakedown Cruise
The 'Okeanos Explorer' is conducting mapping operation in the Western North Atlantic as part of the annual ship shakedown. Multibeam and singlebeam mapping operations are being conducted 24/7 between Rhode Island and the U.S.-Canadian territorial boundary, while sub-bottom profile mapping is being conducted each day between the hours of 1000 and 1800 throughout the March 18, 2013, to April 5, 2013 cruise.
New Polar-Orbit Satellite Under NOAA Control
These satellites are critical for advanced warning of severe weather including tornado outbreaks, heavy snowfall, hurricanes, heat waves, floods, & wildfires. Data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) satellite will continue to strengthen NOAA’s ability to predict severe weather days in advance. Suomi NPP data are also used to generate dozens of environmental data products, including measurements of clouds, vegetation, ocean color, and land and sea surface temperatures.
Krill Systems Completes NOAA Contract
Krill Systems Inc. have installed their Vessel Fuel Measurement and Monitoring Systems (VFMMS) in 6 NOAA Fisheries survey vessels. Installations on NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada, NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson and NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler represent the final fittings of a multiple vessel NOAA contract awarded in a competitive bid, on an unrestricted basis, to Krill Systems to implement VFMMS (Vessel Fuel Measuring and Management Systems) within their fleet.
Arctic Nautical Charts: NOAA Plans Updates
Less sea ice and more ship traffic means new charts needed for safety. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey has issued an updated Arctic Nautical Charting Plan , as a major effort to improve inadequate chart coverage for Arctic areas experiencing increasing vessel traffic due to ice diminishment. NOAA plans to create 14 new charts to complement the existing chart coverage. For example, seven of the charts…
MSI to Train NOAA Officers
Maritime Simulation Institute to Provide Professional Maritime Training to NOAA Officers; Instruction to Include Critical Simulator Experience in Shiphandling at Institute Headquarters.
NOAA & US Power Squadrons Sign Agreement
NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey & US Power Squadrons sign a Memorandum of Agreement to improve cooperative charting program. Rear Adm. Gerd Glang, director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, recently sat down with John Alter, chief commander of the U.S. Power Squadrons (USPS) to sign up to a collaboration that began fifty years ago. The USPS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to safe boating through instruction in seamanship, navigation, and related subjects.
NOAA Satellites Aid in 263 Rescues in 2012
The same NOAA weather and climate satellites that accurately tracked Hurricane Sandy’s path in October also played a key role in rescuing 263 people in 111 emergencies in the United States and surrounding waters in 2012. Since NOAA’s seven operational satellites circle the globe or sit above the United States, they also carry instruments to detect distress signals from emergency beacons carried by downed pilots, shipwrecked boaters and stranded hikers.