Editor

In a blog post, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) today called attention to a new paper for Science co-authored by four OSTP officials that it says lays out “a vision in which all U.S. federal policy routinely considers impacts on and benefits of nature across all policies, not only those […]

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking requests for competitive interest and public comments by Thursday, Sept. 12 on commercial leasing for wind energy development on ~142,000 acres of federal waters offshore southeast Texas. The request follows an unsolicited application from Hecate Energy for two commercial wind energy leases

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean will host an Ocean Conservation Symposium on Oct. 1-3 at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. The event will include interactive discussions, presentations, and field tours exploring the state of Mid-Atlantic ocean conservation, including ongoing and planned marine biodiversity and habitat research, and highlight efforts that advance

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking scientific and commercial information by Monday, Sept. 23 related to its finding that an Endangered Species Act listing of the Alabama shad as threatened or endangered may be warranted.  The species is found in the Gulf of Mexico. The finding follows a petition filed

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, Aug. 27. The meeting will include discussion on proposed comments and recommendations on NMFS’ revised draft Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management Roadmap. Established in 1972, the Committee advises and reviews the adequacy of living marine resources policies and programs to meet the needs of commercial and

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) today announced that the final rule designating the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary is effective as of July 22, 2024.  Comprising ~1,720 square miles of eastern Lake Ontario waters, the sanctuary is co-managed by NOAA and the State of New York. ONMS also announced that it is seeking applications

The U.S. Defense Department today announced the release of its 2024 Arctic Strategy, with Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks calling the U.S. Arctic region “critical to the defense of our homeland, the protection of U.S. national sovereignty and the preservation of our defense treaty commitments” and noting that the Strategy “will guide the department’s efforts

The U.S. Coast Guard today announced that it is seeking applications by Monday, Sept. 20 from individuals interested in filling the offshore mineral and energy resources exploration representative vacancy on the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee. The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security regarding matters relating to the safety of the offshore mineral and energy exploration activities.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today highlighted the United Nations Food and Agriculture’s endorsement of new Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture, noting NOAA’s role in informing the new guidelines and “ensure the needs of North American aquaculture sectors were represented in the guidelines while balancing the needs of countries worldwide.” The Guidelines are built around principles surrounding

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Sept. 9 on its initiation of a 5-year review for the threatened oceanic whitetip shark.  The review is being undertaken to determine whether the species should be delisted or reclassified under the Endangered Species Act.