NOAA News
Courtesy of NOAA

NOAA Installs System to Improve Safety and Efficiency of Ships along the Cherry Point Reach in Washington State Ship captains and pleasure boaters can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for Cherry Point, Wash., from a newly installed NOAA ocean observing system that makes piloting a ship safer and more efficient. Publ.Date : Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:59:51 -0500 NOAA: Combined Global Surface Temperature Was Sixth Warmest for October The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the sixth warmest October on record, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Based on records going back to 1880, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides. Publ.Date : Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:12:39 -0500 When it Comes to CO2, What Goes Up Isn’t Always Coming Down The ocean and the land are natural sponges, or sinks, that absorb carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the atmosphere. But a group of international scientists, including two from NOAA, have found that the emissions are outpacing the ability of the sinks to soak up the excess CO2. Publ.Date : Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:54:57 -0500 Significant Ozone Hole Remains Over Antarctica The Antarctic ozone hole, which fluctuates throughout the late winter and spring in the southern hemisphere, reached its 2009 peak circumference in late September, according to measurements by NOAA researchers. Slightly smaller than the North American continent, the ozone hole covered 9.2 million square miles, according to NOAA satellite observations. This ranks as the 10th largest since satellite measurements began in 1979. Publ.Date : Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:50:32 -0500 NOAA Releases Expanded World Ocean Database NOAA today released the World Ocean Database 2009, the largest, most comprehensive collection of scientific information about the oceans with records dating as far back as 1800. This product is part of the climate services provided by NOAA. Publ.Date : Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:29 -0500 Washington State Toxic Algae Threatens Razor Clam Harvesting and Coastal Economy A year-long shutdown in recreational razor clam digging, a major tourist attraction and local tradition in Washington state, could potentially result in as much as $22 million in lost revenue to coastal counties, according to a new report by NOAA and the University of Washington. Reduced lodging, transportation, and dining sales would also translate to a direct loss in labor income of $13.3 million to residents of affected areas, including a small commercial fishery. Publ.Date : Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:48:32 -0500 New Study Uncovers Key Role of Bacteria in the Formation of ‘Red Tide’ Algal Blooms According to a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, NOAA and NOAA-funded university scientists are closer to understanding why “red tides,” called harmful algal blooms form. These toxic harmful algal blooms threaten marine ecosystems, human health, and cost local and regional economies millions of dollars annually through fishery closures, recreation and tourism losses. Publ.Date : Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:10:03 -0500 NOAA Issues Statement on ICCAT Annual Meeting NOAA issued a statement about the outcome of the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The ICCAT meeting concluded last night in Brazil. Publ.Date : Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:49:06 -0500 NOAA Deploys New ‘Smart Buoy’ off Annapolis NOAA deployed the seventh in a series of smart buoys to monitor weather conditions and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay today. The buoy, located at the mouth of Severn River near Annapolis, Md., will be used by commercial and recreational boaters to navigate safely and provide data for educators and scientists to monitor the Bay's changing conditions. Publ.Date : Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:28:14 -0500 NOAA: U.S. Posts Third Coolest-Highest Precipitation for October on Record The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA’s State of the Climate report issued today. Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services provided by NOAA. Publ.Date : Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:03:08 -0500 United States Pushes for Strong Measures to Protect Bluefin Tuna Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator issued the following statement urging the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to heed the scientific advice and adopt measures that will end overfishing in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and put bluefin tuna on the path to recovery. The ICCAT is scheduled to meet this week in Brazil. Publ.Date : Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:40:57 -0500 NOAA Commissions New Fisheries Survey Ship and Dedicates New Fisheries Service Building in Pascagoula, Miss. Senior NOAA officials today commissioned NOAA Ship Pisces, the nation’s most advanced fisheries research vessel, and dedicated a new fisheries laboratory in Pascagoula, Miss. Publ.Date : Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:21:28 -0500 Dr. Susan Solomon Wins Prestigious Award A Senior Scientist at NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, Dr. Solomon accepted the 2009 Volvo environment prize for her pioneering scientific contributions and subsequent impacts on environmental policies. Publ.Date : Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:25:10 -0500 NOAA Scientists Fly to the Ends of the Earth to Measure Greenhouse Gases NOAA scientists took off Saturday on the second phase of a mission that, when complete, will provide a detailed view of how carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are distributed globally. Monitoring the increasing levels of greenhouse gases and black carbon aerosols in the atmosphere is crucial to understanding human-caused climate change. Publ.Date : Mon, 2 Nov 2009 10:20:09 -0500 NOAA Awards $2.4 Million to Refine Management Strategies for the Northern Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Scientists researching the causes and impacts of the dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico have been awarded more than $2.4 million for the first year of an anticipated $12 million multi-year NOAA research investment. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:35:52 -0400 NOAA and Smithsonian Project to Improve Chesapeake and Delaware Bays’ Nearshore Habitat Management NOAA has awarded the Smithsonian Institution’s Environmental Research Center and several partner organizations $946,000 for the first year of an anticipated five-year, $5 million collaborative project to study the degradation of nearshore coastal habitats in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:34:49 -0400 NOAA, The Nature Conservancy Address Coral Reef Threats NOAA and The Nature Conservancy have entered into an agreement to protect the health of the nation’s valuable but increasingly vulnerable coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. Publ.Date : Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:48:31 -0400 NOAA and Partners Announce South Atlantic Alliance Representatives from NOAA and the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, announced the formation of a partnership to better manage and protect ocean and coastal resources, ensure regional economic sustainability, and respond to disasters such as hurricanes. Publ.Date : Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:15:42 -0400 NOAA and FDA to Combine Resources on Seafood Inspection NOAA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unveiled an interagency agreement today to strengthen seafood inspection and improve seafood safety and quality. Publ.Date : Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:59:33 -0400 Changing Arctic Affecting Air, Ocean, and Everything in Between Despite the fact that summer 2009 had more sea ice than in 2007 or 2008, scientists are seeing drastic changes in the region from just five years ago and at rates faster than anticipated. The findings were presented today in the annual update of the Arctic Report Card, a collaborative effort of 71 national and international scientists. Publ.Date : Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:26:41 -0400 NOAA Seeks Comments on Proposed Authorization for Navy Sonar Operations off the Coast of the Mariana Islands NOAA’s Fisheries Service is seeking comments now through November 19 on its proposed rule to authorize impacts to marine mammals during Navy training exercises around the Mariana Islands. The NOAA proposal includes protective measures designed to minimize effects on marine mammals. Publ.Date : Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:04:39 -0400 Indiana School Welcomes Home NOAA ‘Teacher at Sea’ from Arctic Voyage Today, students from Carmel Middle School in Carmel, Ind., welcomed home Christine Hedge, a seventh-grade science teacher who spent six weeks in the Arctic Ocean on board the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy as part of a multi-year, multi-agency effort to collect seafloor mapping and oceanographic data along the North American Extended Continental Shelf. Publ.Date : Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:37:16 -0400 New NOAA System Improves Safety and Efficiency of Ships on the Lower Mississippi River and Port of New Orleans Ship captains and pleasure boaters can now get free real-time information on water and weather conditions for the lower Mississippi River from a new NOAA ocean observing system that makes piloting a ship safer and more efficient. Publ.Date : Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:03:29 -0400 NOAA: Global Surface Temperature Was Second Warmest for September The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the second warmest September on record, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Publ.Date : Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:39:24 -0400