David Packer, a marine ecologist from NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, reviews his decades of work to build awareness of essential fish habitat.
Strange sea creatures and unwanted material filling fishing nets may frustrate fishermen who only want to catch certain fish. But these unwelcome catches also challenge marine scientists and managers. In Alaska, fishermen and scientists have been uniting to address their related concerns.
You might think of corals and picture a sunny and shallow tropical reef. Yet recent advances in deep ocean exploration have revealed spectacular coral gardens in the dark ocean depths. Hundreds—and even thousands—of feet beyond the reach of sunlight,…
NOAA works through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act to restore Louisiana coastal habitat. We have constructed more than 40 wetland restoration projects through this program, restoring more than 12,500 acres of coastline.
NOAA is recommending $4.5 million in funding for 10 new projects through the 2017 Community-based Restoration Program Coastal and Marine Habitat Restoration Grants competition.
On Maryland's Eastern Shore, NOAA and partners are conducting science, restoring habitat, and working with community organizations to help residents develop and implement their vision for a healthy Choptank River.
The Eel River watershed was once the third largest producer of Pacific salmon and steelhead in California, where fish populations have declined rapidly since the 1950s. The longest salmon run in the state, the Eel watershed is a high priority for successfully rebuilding salmon stocks.
Essential fish habitat includes coral reefs, kelp forests, bays, wetlands, rivers, and even areas of the deep ocean that are necessary for fish reproduction, growth, feeding, and shelter. Marine fish could not survive without these vital, healthy…
