oceanpolicy.com

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public meeting on Monday, Sept. 21.  The meeting will focus on the development of recommendations regarding the Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the Council Coordination Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Sept. 23-24.  The Committee will address topics including CEQ’s final National Environmental Policy Act rule and aquaculture and the Executive Order on Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth. The Committee consists of all Regional Fishery Management Council chairs, [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking nominations by Monday, Oct. 5 from individuals interested in serving as new members of regional review groups tasked with providing advice on a range of marine mammal science and management issues specific to the Atlantic (including the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Coast, and U.S. territories in the [...]

The Coast Guard today announced that the Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24.  The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss a Lifesaving/Man Overboard Voluntary Best Practice Guide. The Committee advises the Homeland Security Secretary on matters related to national commercial fishing safety.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Friday, Oct. 30 on a proposed rule providing guidance for safely deterring marine mammals, including prohibitions on certain deterrent methods that NMFS has deemed would have a significant adverse effect on them. NMFS notes the Marine Mammal Protection Act provides protection from liability under the [...]

The State Department today announced that it will hold a teleconference meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 23 ahead of the 44th session of the International Maritime Organization’s Facilitation Committee, to be held virtually from Sept. 28-Oct. 2.  Agenda items include consideration of descriptions of maritime services in the context of e-navigation, unsafe mixed migration by sea, guidance to address maritime corruption, [...]

The U.S. Coast Guard today announced that the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee will hold a public teleconference meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 30 rather than Wednesday, Aug. 26 as originally scheduled. The Committee will review and discuss the progress of the Lifeboats and Rescue Craft Safety on the Outer Continental Shelf Subcommittee, the Coast Guard’s investigation into the lifeboat accident [...]

NOAA today announced its accession as a principal member of the Maritime Domain Awareness Executive Steering Committee, which it tasked with implementing the National Strategy for Maritime Security and Presidential Policy Directive 13: Maritime Security. Along with NOAA, the State Department joined as well, marking the Committee’s first expansion since its establishment in 2010.  Other members include representatives of the Defense, Transportation, and Homeland [...]

NOAA today announced the Hydrographic Services Review Panel will hold a virtual public meeting on Sept. 23-24. Agenda items include a NOAA request to the Panel to provide recommendations for the future development of implementation plans for the two ocean and coastal mapping strategies, discussion of a draft issue paper on “Alaska Coastal Mapping Strategy—Gaps and Priorities,” “Mapping [...]

NOAA today announced the award of $2.7 million in grants for 23 projects in 18 states and territories to support marine debris prevention ($1.4 million for 13 projects) and removal ($1.3 million for 10 projects) efforts.  The total investment will exceed $5.9 million when accounting for non-federal matching contributions. Assistant Sec. of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and [...]