NOPC in the News

The State Department today announced the appointment of Jim DeHart as U.S. Coordinator for the Arctic Region.  DeHart will be the principal advisor to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of State on all Arctic matters and lead and coordinate policymaking and diplomatic engagement on Arctic issues. DeHart has been a member of the Senior Foreign Service for 28 years […]

NOAA today announced the availability of the 2019 Status of U.S. Fisheries Report and 2017 Fisheries Economics of the United States. The 2019 Status report outlines the status of 461 managed U.S. stocks or stock complexes, with the overfishing list reaching a record low in 2019, with 93% of stocks for which a determination can be made found

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced its conclusion that the dwarf seahorse is not currently in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range and is not likely to become so within the foreseeable future.  Dwarf seahorses have been reported in the southeastern U.S. including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, as

President Trump today announced his intent to appoint Jon Harrison to serve as Chairperson of the Arctic Research Commission and Michael Newton to serve as a Member of the Arctic Research Commission. Harrison has been serving as a Senior Advisor in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, while Newton is a

With a theme of “Urgent Action on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development,” the United Nations Biodiversity Summit is set to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 30.  The Summit, which will be convened at the level of Heads of State and Government, will highlight the need for action in support of a global biodiversity framework that contributes to the 2030

NOAA today announced a 10-year agreement with the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography to improve how unmanned systems are used to collect ocean observations and support NOAA’s operational capabilities.  NOAA also noted that the agreement will help meet objectives of the Commercial Engagement Through Ocean Technology Act of 2018, including coordination of research

The West Coast Ocean Alliance today announced its Tribal Caucus’ release of “Guidance and Responsibilities for Effective Tribal Consultation, Communication, and Engagement: A Guide for Agencies Working with West Coast Tribes on Ocean & Coastal Issues.” The guidance includes principles for consultation and best practices for consultation that address early and frequent communication, appropriate representation, understanding and respecting

NOAA today announced the release of Cloud and Data strategies that the agency called “integral to…dramatically expand[ing] emerging science and technology that will drive innovation and guide transformative advancements in NOAA’s science, products and services.” NOAA said that the Data strategy will help improve the management and overall value of the agency’s data, noting that it codifies existing

In order to “provide adequate opportunity for public meetings in impacted Arctic communities, given recent COVID–19 impacts to travel,” the Coast Guard today announced that it is reopening the comment period through Sept. 30, 2021 on its preparation of an Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study to evaluate the need for establishing vessel routing measures.  The comment

In collaboration with the National Science Foundation and 16 international partners and through the Belmont Forum, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced the award of funding for two 3-year projects to study multiple uses of the oceans, with a focus on identifying pathways toward responsible development and minimizing conflicts. The projects – “An Assessment Framework for