oceanpolicy.com

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Aug. 1 on the proposed sale of commercial wind energy leases in the Humboldt and Morro Bay Wind Energy Areas off California.  The areas proposed to be leased cover over 373,000 acres. Interior Sec. Deb Haaland called the announcement “another step [...]

President Biden today nominated Sue Moore and Andrew Read to serve on the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission.  Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee confirmation hearings have not yet been scheduled for either nominee. Moore is a Research Scientist and Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington’s Center for Ecosystem Sentinels and is a current Science Advisor to the [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is extending the comment period on Draft 2022-2024 Climate Science Regional Action Plans through Friday, July 29. Comments were originally due Thursday, June 2. The plans are intended to increase the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information in furtherance of the agency’s living marine resources stewardship mission.  Climate Science [...]

The Coast Guard today announced its decision to withdraw a proposed rule on requirements for mobile offshore drilling units and other vessels conducting offshore activities with dynamic positioning systems. Originally proposed in 2014, the Coast Guard said it is withdrawing the rule due to industry changes including new standards and technologies, which make the proposed rule no [...]

In a paper published today in Frontiers in Marine Science, dozens of scientists evaluated the United States’ 50 largest marine protected areas (MPAs) and concluded that areas outside the central Pacific are “lightly or minimally protected against extractive or destructive human activities.”  The paper cites an “urgent need” to improve MPA quality, quantity, and representativeness. In order [...]

NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research today announced that the National Sea Grant Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, June 8. In addition to a public comment session, the Board will discuss and vote on recommendations for competitive research.

During a visit to Gulfport, MS today, Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe announced a $53 million investment in the Gulf of Mexico that will provide over $10 million annually through 2026 to support wetland restoration, stormwater treatment and control, nature-based infrastructure, resilient shorelines, and other initiatives “critical to creating a healthy and vibrant Gulf [...]

The Coast Guard today announced the availability of an online information center to review information, materials, and the announcement of upcoming public engagements regarding the ongoing Pacific Coast Port Access Route Study.  In July 2021, the Coast Guard announced a Port Access Route Study covering the U.S. Pacific Coast to evaluate existing shipping routes and waterway uses, and [...]

The Coast Guard today announced the availability of the Seacoast of North Carolina Port Access Route Study, which examined existing shipping routes and waterway uses to evaluate the need for establishing or changing existing vessel routing measures. Study recommendations include establishment of two Cape Fear Approach Connector Fairways and the Beaufort Inlet Connector Fairway, as well as [...]

NOAA today announced the release of the 2021 Status of Stocks Report, which summarizes efforts to rebuild and recover domestic fisheries by evaluating over 450 NOAA-managed stocks, as well as an update on the Fisheries of the United States report on the economic impact of fisheries, annual seafood consumption, and fishing port productivity. Between 2020 and 2021, the number [...]