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NOAA Fisheries Awarded $7 Million to Pacific Islands Projects

Projects will support NOAA Fisheries efforts to achieve healthy ecosystems and thriving marine economies.
January 08, 2025 - Feature Story ,
Pacific Islands
A team of 8 safely carrying seal carrier towards the beach shoreline for release. Field response efforts for endangered marine life, such as the Hawaiian monk seal, are among the activities NOAA Fisheries funded in 2024. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

AI Meets Aquaculture to Study Hawaiian Monk Seal Interactions With Net Pens

NOAA Fisheries and Blue Ocean Mariculture are leveraging technology to study Hawaiian monk seal interest in aquaculture net pens in Hawaiʻi.
November 21, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Pacific Islands
Two Hawaiian monk seals swim near an aquaculture net pen full of fish. NOAA Fisheries, in collaboration with Blue Ocean Mariculture, is conducting a multi-year pilot study to evaluate observational methods and tools for studying Hawaiian monk seal behavior. Courtesy of Blue Ocean Mariculture

2024 Research for Pacific Protected Species

Inflation Reduction Act funds helped NOAA Fisheries scientists enhance our 2024 data for ice seals in Alaska, Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles in the Pacific Islands, and cetaceans off the West Coast.
November 13, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
Pacific Islands
West Coast
Marylou Staman conducts green sea turtle surveys at Lalo (French Frigate Shoals). Credit: NOAA Fisheries. Marylou Staman conducts green sea turtle surveys at Lalo in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. More than 90 percent of the Hawaiian green sea turtle population nests at Lalo (French Frigate Shoals). Credit: NOAA Fisheries. Taken under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Permit #TE-72088A-3 and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Co-Manager’s Permit.

A Substantial Reduction in Seal Entanglement

New analysis confirms Hawaiian monk seals greatly benefit from marine debris cleanup efforts in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
September 27, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Pacific Islands
A Hawaiian monk seal lays on a sandy beach while a green net is wrapped around their neck and mouth. A Hawaiian monk seal entangled in a derelict fishing net. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (Permit #10137)

From Past Patients to New Moms

Two Hawaiian monk seals who were previously rescued and rehabilitated are now new mothers!
September 20, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Pacific Islands
A Hawaiian monk seal mom and pup lay side-by-side on a sandy beach. LL00 and her first pup lay on the sands of Hōlanikū. Credit: Kure Atoll Conservancy (Permit #22677-02)

Is It a Seal or a Sea Lion?

Seals and sea lions are both pinnipeds, but they have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Learn how to recognize a seal vs. a sea lion.
August 12, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
West Coast
National
Infographic showing illustrated seal and sea lion and describing the differences between the two animals, such as ears, body size, flippers, etc. At first glance, seals (true or “earless seals”) and sea lions look fairly similar. Taking a closer look, these are some of the general differences to tell these animals, such as on the harbor seal (left) and California sea lion (right) pictured above.

Recommended 2024 Species Recovery Grants Projects

NOAA Fisheries has recommended roughly $5.5 million in funding for six new projects and 16 ongoing projects.
May 07, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
An adult orca is swimming underwater, and a calf is next to its dorsal fin. The calf is surfacing from the water. Southern Resident killer whale swimming with calf. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Monk Seal Pup Debuts in Waikīkī on Lei Day

Endangered Hawaiian monk seal RK96 (Kaiwi) gave birth to her sixth pup on popular Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī, Oʻahu! The birth was reported on May 1, 2024.
May 02, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Pacific Islands
A rainbow-shaped wave of water ebbs away into an arc around a Hawaiian monk seal mom laying on a sandy beach as her newborn pup lays next to her resting its head on its mom. Hawaiian monk seal RK96 (Kaiwi) and her newborn pup at Kaimana Beach, Waikīkī. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (Permit #24359)

2020 and 2021 Combined Report of Marine Mammal Strandings in the United States

This report details marine mammal stranding rates, trends, and activities in the United States for both 2020 and 2021. In 2020, there were 5,400 confirmed marine mammal strandings; in 2021, there were 5,524.
April 03, 2024 - Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Two stranding responders carry a stranded harbor porpoise away from some rocks A harbor porpoise is retrieved from the rocks at Odiorne Point State Park, New Hampshire. Credit: Seacoast Science Center

Spring News Roundup

A roundup of recent headlines from around the agency—hear about new Hawaiian monk seal pups, environmental DNA, new fish species, killer whale diversity, and more.
March 29, 2024 - Podcast ,
National
A black and white Southern Resident killer whale leaping out of the water. The fin of another whale is visible and a boat and mountains are in the background. A Southern Resident killer whale leaps out of the water. Credit: Candace Emmons