A few years ago, snow crab populations in Alaska collapsed. The decline of roughly 10 billion crabs hit fishermen hard and the entire industry was impacted—from distributors to processors, to consumers. In our new podcast episode, we hear how NOAA biologists cracked the case of the mysterious Alaska snow crab collapse.

Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, discusses how NOAA Fisheries is accelerating our response to climate impacts on marine resources thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.

The act of releasing balloons—deliberately or not—may seem harmless. But no matter how far they travel, balloons eventually return to Earth and wash up in our oceans, Great Lakes, and waterways. A small group of fishermen are making a big impact by catching more than just seafood on their fishing trips. They’re collecting any balloons they see while out on the water.

NOAA and partners are making great progress toward a big goal: Restoring oyster reef habitat in 10 Chesapeake Bay tributaries by 2025. It’s the world’s largest oyster restoration project! At an Earth Day 2024 event, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that work to restore oyster reefs in the York River is complete. The York River, in NOAA’s Middle Peninsula Habitat Focus Area, is the eighth tributary to be declared restored.

We published our final 2023 recreational fishing catch and effort estimates for the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states and Hawaii. The data for these estimates comes from for-hire captains and recreational anglers through recreational fishing surveys. These estimates help inform stock assessments and fisheries management decisions that aim to conserve our shared marine resources while providing optimal fishing opportunities.

To modernize and adapt to changes in the industry, the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce proposed revisions to the implementing regulations of the Seafood Inspection Program. Comments on the proposed revisions are due by May 28, 2024.

The Secretary of Commerce has determined that a commercial fishery failure due to a fishery resource disaster occurred for multiple fisheries between 2021 and 2022 in Alaska and Washington. This positive determination makes these fisheries eligible for disaster assistance.

A humpback whale was entangled in fishing gear in Iliuliuk Bay, near the Port of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Thanks to the efforts of NOAA, partners, and local trained volunteers, it was successfully cut free.

NOAA Fisheries denied a request for emergency action to institute a cap of zero on Chinook salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea pollock fishery. The petition did not meet the criteria necessary for emergency action.

This project will benefit migratory fish, increase the safety and resiliency of transportation infrastructure, and create educational and recreational opportunities for the community in Milwaukie, Oregon.

The Central Valley has a rich salmon culture. Join us as we talk with community members and learn how they connect with Central Valley salmon.

On March 13, we received a report of a dead bottlenose dolphin on West Mae’s Beach in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. A necropsy revealed multiple bullets lodged in the dolphin’s brain, spinal cord, and heart. NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the death and we are asking the public for any information about who may have been involved. We are offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to a criminal conviction or the assessment of a civil penalty.

The Northeast Bottom Trawl Survey reached a huge milestone in the fall of 2023—it turned 60 years old! To continue celebrating this milestone, scientists from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center shared photos of some of the things they experienced during the 2024 survey season.