Editor

In a report released to Congress last month on the “2019 Improving International Fisheries Management Report to Congress,” the National Marine Fisheries Service identified Mexico, Ecuador, and South Korea for reported illegal, unreported or unregulated (IUU) fishing activities. NMFS noted that IUU fishing activities “damage our economy, hurt fishermen who play by the rules, threaten global food […]

The U.S. Arctic Research Commission has announced that it will hold a public meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland on Wednesday, Oct. 9. The agenda includes Commissioner and staff reports and discussions and presentations regarding Arctic research activities, with a focus on the Ryder expedition, Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement, recent impacts to and the current status of research in Alaska, the

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has published the 2019 edition of the agency’s Ocean Science publication, which address topics including acoustic research and developments in marine acoustics, using acoustics as a tool to study biological and physical phenomena in the ocean, verifying the physical qualities of industrial sound sources, and understanding the impacts of noise on

The Northeast Regional Ocean Council’s (NROC) Ocean Planning Committee today released a summary of its June meeting in which it addressed recent activities, received an update on federal progress in implementing the June 2018 ocean policy Executive Order and consideration of potential implications for the Northeast and the Committee’s work plan, and discussed specific topics related to offshore wind. 

NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management last week announced the issuance of a final rule intended to provide states and NOAA with a more efficient process for making changes to state coastal management programs.  Under the new rule, the 1996 Program Change Guidance and 2013 Addendum no longer apply. Changes between the 2016 proposed rule and the final rule include

NOAA today announced the release of the 2018 State of U.S. Fisheries Annual Report to Congress, which details the status of 479 federally-managed stocks or stock complexes to identify which stocks are subject to overfishing, are overfished, or are rebuilt to sustainable levels. The report finds that the number of known stocks on the overfishing list remain

NOAA today announced the designation of a new ~18 sq. mile national marine sanctuary in Maryland state waters ~40 miles south of Washington, DC effective after 45 days of continuous congressional session. Nominated by the State of Maryland in 2014 to protect and conserve shipwrecks and cultural heritage resources, foster education and research partnerships, and increase opportunities for

A UN Intergovernmental Conference (Conference) established to develop an international legally binding instrument under the Law of the Sea Convention regarding the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction has released draft agreement text. The text includes provisions related to area-based management measures including marine protected areas, international cooperation, environmental impact assessments,

EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler recently attended the inaugural G20 Energy and Environmental Ministers Meeting in Japan, which included a session focused on resource efficiency and marine debris.  Wheeler addressed marine debris in meetings with Japan, South Korea, Thailand, China, and Vietnam, including working together to assist Asian nations with reducing their contributions to marine debris and