NOAA Fisheries

In a new partnership, Microsoft's AI for Good is providing artificial intelligence and cloud computing for a NOAA project to better map prime salmon habitat—where a small change in water flow can make a big difference. It will allow salmon recovery leaders to better understand where we can get the most additional fish habitat for the money. The partnership will develop the model and analysis through cloud computing. It will save scientists the time and cost of downloading and processing high-resolution satellite images, which comprise many gigabytes each. Otherwise, they would consume so much bandwidth they would slow down computer systems. The new AI model will show managers how changes in water flows would alter the amount and location of salmon habitat on the landscape. It will simultaneously assess river habitats in fine detail over a large area, which has eluded researchers in the past. Read about this exciting new project: https://lnkd.in/eKWZjqJt

Happy #EarthDay! 🌎 For the air we breathe, the water we drink, the marine life we love, and the fish and habitats that sustain us—there are many reasons to show gratitude to our incredible planet today. At NOAA Fisheries, we work every day to conserve and recover our planet’s marine life and ecosystems. From restoring habitats, to protecting marine animals, to supporting sustainable U.S. fisheries, learn how we're using science to protect and improve our environment. Learn more about the many ways our scientists and partners work to support our planet: https://lnkd.in/ehQGB6yu Credit: NOAA Fisheries; NOAA Fisheries/Ray Boland

This month marks 15 years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. It was the largest marine oil spill ever in the United States, releasing 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf. Over the course of the spill, oil was detected on more than 43,300 square miles of the ocean—an area about the size of the state of Virginia. The oil harmed natural resources in the Gulf—including fish, marine animals, and habitats—as well as coastal communities. NOAA was part of the initial response, and since then we have worked with our partners to plan, implement, and monitor projects to restore natural resources in the Gulf of America. Learn more about the ways we are restoring the Gulf and the progress we’ve made 15 years after the spill: https://lnkd.in/efTjknyq Credit: NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

We are pleased to welcome Eugenio Piñeiro Soler as Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. Mr. Piñeiro Soler has enjoyed a long and illustrious life in fisheries management. In a career that has spanned over 30 years, he has been a successful commercial fisherman, fisheries captain, and entrepreneur in his home island of Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. He brings extensive managerial and leadership experience to NOAA Fisheries, having worked at the intersection of policy and science throughout his career. Mr. Piñeiro Soler’s passion for these issues is evident and he will work with NOAA Fisheries’ various partners, industries, and constituencies to promote the economic benefits of U.S. fisheries and ensure smart management of our nation’s fisheries and trust resources. Join us in welcoming Mr. Piñeiro Soler, and learn more about his career: https://lnkd.in/esexkYUY 

BoriCorps began in 2021 with the support of The Corps Network and the National Park Service at El Morro, San Juan National Historic Site. Since then, we have been able to impact more young people in other areas and participate in projects like this.  We are so proud of our AmeriCorps members and our partners. Thank you NOAA Fisheries for believing in the power of young people!

Ever wondered what NOAA Fisheries does? We're responsible for the stewardship of our ocean resources and their habitat. We ensure U.S. fisheries are productive and sustainable—providing Americans with jobs, recreation, and safe seafood. We restore healthy habitats—which protect our coasts and provide homes for fish and wildlife—and we protect the marine life you care about.

It's thrilling to see marine animals in the wild (or even on your screen!). They are also an important part of our global ecosystem and indicators of ocean health. We are responsible for protecting 160 endangered and threatened marine species—from whales, to salmon, to corals. We use innovative science to understand the threats they face, and take action to recover their populations—including working with our partners to rescue whales tangled in fishing gear and turtles exposed to severe cold water. Over the last four decades, we've put many species on the path to recovery. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3tx1GbA

Fish and wildlife need healthy habitats to rest, feed, and grow. We protect these important areas—such as rivers, coral reefs, and wetlands—and restore habitats that have been harmed due to human activity like oil spills. In the last 30 years, we’ve restored more than 185,000 acres of habitat, allowing fish and other marine life to thrive. Healthy habitats benefit people, too! Studies show that every $1 million invested in habitat restoration creates 15 jobs. And habitats protect coastal communities, acting as natural sponges and absorbing the impact of storms. They can save coastal communities more than $23 billion each year in storm protection costs. Learn more about how we protect and restore habitats: https://bit.ly/3DLhLzW

U.S. fisheries are a big industry! They support millions of jobs, provide recreational opportunities, and keep our coastal communities vibrant. They also feed us: Commercial fishermen caught 8.4 billion pounds of seafood in 2023! NOAA Fisheries supports the seafood industry by making fish populations sustainable. We manage more than 500 fish stocks, using new technologies and partnering with fishermen to collect data that allows us to track the status of our fisheries and ensure they’re managed with an eye toward long-term health and sustainability. As a result, our fisheries are among the largest and most sustainable in the world. We work to make sure that healthy—and delicious!—American seafood is on American plates.

“One cool finding we've seen through our monitoring is that fish will use our newly restored sites instantly and travel an incredibly long distance to use good off-channel floodplain habitat,” says Peter van de Burgt, North Coast Restoration Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy. 🐟 ➡️ Read through NOAA Fisheries featured story: https://lnkd.in/gaE-iVQU