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Scientists Breed Sunflower Sea Stars Key to Reviving California’s Imperiled Kelp Forests

With funding from NOAA Fisheries, The Nature Conservancy and its partners are raising sunflower sea stars in hopes of reintroducing them to the wild. This keystone species is critical to kelp forest health.
December 18, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
A close up view of eight brightly colored tentacles pressed up against an aquarium wall Sunflower sea star in an aquarium exhibit. Credit: Adobe Stock

A Restored Reef Brings Fish Habitat Back to Southern California

New monitoring shows the Palos Verdes Reef restoration project has increased fish biomass by over 150 percent just 4 years after construction.
December 08, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
A vibrant orange and red fish swimming through a reef. A vermillion rockfish—just one of many species that are now abundant—swims through the restored Palos Verdes Reef. Credit: Jonathan P. Williams, Vantuna Research Group.

Most Threatened and Endangered Pacific Coast Salmon Populations Increased After Listings

Endangered Species Act protections move salmon toward recovery.
December 04, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Aerial view of the Lower Siuslaw River and wetlands The McKenzie River Trust is working with local tribes and groups to restore tidal wetlands that once supported coho, Chinook salmon and steelhead along the Lower Siuslaw River in Oregon. The restoration of such habitat with community support has benefitted salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act, a scientific assessment found. Photo courtesy McKenzie River Trust.

Anglers Catch Salmon for Science as Tracking Reveals Risks Facing Adult Fall Chinook

Research detects water temperatures that may affect salmon survival.
December 01, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Closeup of gloved hands holding and examining an adult Chinook salmon Biologists hold a fall Chinook salmon with a tracking tag attached like a backpack before returning it to the ocean. Photo courtesy Miles Daniels/NOAA Fisheries/UCSC

Experts Euthanize Oregon Humpback Whale After Unsuccessful Attempt to Free it from Beach

A young humpback whale stranded on the Oregon Coast north of Yachats on November 15, prompting a response of trained teams from across the West Coast through the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
November 18, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Four people in rain gear stand on a beach next to a whale with barnacles on its skin and a piece of rope coming out of its mouth. A truck and houses are visible on the shoreline in the background. A young humpback whale stranded on the Oregon Coast north of Yachats on November 15, prompting a response of trained teams from across the West Coast through the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The whale was entangled when it first came ashore, but many of the lines were later cut away, leaving a short length jutting from the animal's mouth. Credit: West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Celebrating Aquaculture Week: Farming from Tide to Table

Join us for Aquaculture Week 2025 to learn how marine aquaculture—or farmed seafood—is vital for supporting our nation’s seafood production and jobs on the water, enhancing coastal resilience, and more.
September 22, 2025 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
A person stands in chest deep water holding a floating oyster cage. Thomas Piecuch flips floating oyster bags on his farm (Credit: Holy Ground Oyster Company).

The Road to Identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas

New publications identify 21,000 acres in the Gulf of America and off Southern California as Aquaculture Opportunity Areas.
September 19, 2025 - News ,
Southeast
West Coast
National
Smooth water on the open ocean with puffy white clouds reflected in teh water.

New Data Shows Healthy Numbers of Quillback Rockfish off California; Fishing to Resume

Charter fishing vessels helped collect data to reassess state of the species.
September 18, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
A rusty-brown colored Quillback rockfish with pointy spiked dorsal fin lies on its belly on top of a bed of dried grass. Quillback rockfish. Credit: H. Ibach

NOAA Announces Confirmed U.S. Large Whale Entanglement Numbers for 2024

There were 95 large whale entanglement cases documented in 2024—an increase from 2023 and higher than the historical average.
September 18, 2025 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
A trained and authorized responder stands on the bow of a boat and uses a specialized knife on a very long pole to attempt to remove an entanglement wrapped around a humpback whale’s body Credit: NOAA/Maria Harvey

New Test Measures Toxin from Tires in Marine Life, Helping Understand Risk to Marine Species and Ecosystems

NOAA scientists develop method to track toxic chemical in finfish, shellfish, and marine mammals.
September 17, 2025 - Feature Story ,
West Coast
Dr. Li-Jung Kuo collects water from an urban stream for analysis of 6PPD-Q. Credit: NOAA Fisheries