NOAA 94-4 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh Fred Ostby 1/11/94 SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS SAVED LIVES AND PROPERTY IN 1993 Improved technology and manual sightings of severe weather helped forecasters at the National Weather Service issue a record 957 severe weather alerts in 1993, saving lives and property, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. Severe thunderstorm watches accounted for a majority of the 1993 alerts, with one-third issued for tornadoes. "The rise is due mostly to better reporting methods and improved technology, not any recognizable climatological changes," said Frederick P. Ostby, director of the weather service's National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City. There were 940 storm watches in 1992. A "watch" means it is time to plan for severe weather, and a "warning" means it is time to act, he said. "Approaching the 1,000 mark in severe storm alerts is an indicator of how people and technology are helping to protect lives and property from the threat of tornadoes," Ostby said. The 1993 tornado death toll, he added, was at 33, well below the 30-year normal toll of 82 deaths. "The great strides made in improved weather service forecasts have brought about a dramatic decrease in the number of tornado deaths over the years," Ostby said. During the 1930s, tornadoes killed 1,947 people in the United States. In the 1970s, the total dropped to 998. The tornado death toll declined to 520 in the 1980s, when much of the new technology was brought on line. This downward trend of weather-related deaths continues despite this country's population explosion and greater numbers at risk because of increased residency in vulnerable areas such as mobile home parks. During a tornado, people should stay away from vehicles and seek underground shelter or move to an interior room or hallway and get under a sturdy piece of furniture. In his recent study of tornado data gathered over the last 40 years, Ostby pointed to a huge rise in reported tornadoes from the 1950s to the 1980s to support his conviction that the increase has been affected by factors other than climate. The number of tornadoes reported during the 1950s was 4,793. That rose to 8,194 in the 1980s, according to statistics compiled by the Climate Analysis Center in Camp Springs, Md. Most of the increase over those years is in the number of "weak" tornadoes reported, Ostby found. Tornadoes with wind speeds of less than 75 miles per hour comprised 50 percent of those reported in 1953, but accounted for around 85 percent of all reported by 1990. Urban sprawl and superhighways built through rural areas put significantly more people into zones of the country where tornadoes may previously have gone unnoticed, Ostby said. At the same time, more and more volunteer weather observers and tornado spotters have improved the reach of meteorologists throughout the country. # NOAA 94-5 Contact: Frank Lepore 1/11/94 1993: THE YEAR OF WATER 1993 was the "Year of Water," marked by floods, drought, ozone depletion, El Nino, and other climatological developments across the United States and globally, meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service said. In the western U.S., water was in plentiful supply after some six years of drought. Torrential rains and epic flooding affected much of the Midwest. On the East Coast, the "Storm of the Century" deposited snow over one-third of the United States. Later in the year, the Southeast was hit with drought conditions. NOAA climate researchers reviewed important climate events over North America in their annual summary of factors including ozone depletion, global warming, floods and droughts. The ozone layer outside the polar regions registered about 10 percent lower at the end of 1992 and into 1993 than in past years. Closer examination revealed that the major portion of the 1992-1993 ozone changes occurred in the mid-latitude region of the Northern Hemisphere, including much of North America, Europe and Asia. By the end of 1993 ozone levels returned to values of the previous year, but a long-term trend of decreasing ozone continues, the researchers said. Ozone measured at an altitude of eight to 12 miles over the Antarctic region reached record low levels during September and October of 1993. On Oct. 12, 1993, total ozone fell in the atmospheric column to a new low, well below the previous minimum established in 1992. During 1993, there was a continuation of warmer than normal temperatures worldwide. The 1993 estimated global surface temperature average of plus 0.18 degrees Celsius (0.32 degrees Fahrenheit) sustained the warming trend that began in 1985. The normal used for comparison comes from the 30-year average from data gathered between 1951 and 1980. However, in the United States, cooler temperatures in 1993 followed a string of three much-warmer-than-normal years between 1990 and 1992. Last year ranked as the 13th coldest year on record for the contiguous United States since 1895, according to the National Climatic Data Center. The current extended period of El Nino conditions is the longest stretch of above-normal sea-surface temperature conditions in half a century. But it is not unprecedented, said Vernon Kousky, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Climate Analysis Center. El Nino is an effect characterized by warmer waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which researchers have linked to a worldwide chain of ocean events. These warm episode conditions, present since 1991, redeveloped in early 1993, and may have contributed to excessive rainfall that occurred over the Midwest during late spring and summer. The Midwest floods in July and August were the major national weather-related event of 1993. The floods accounted for nearly fifty deaths and caused damages of as much as $15-20 billion over a nine-state area. Moist soils in flood-stricken areas of the Midwest, coupled with normal amounts of precipitation in the coming months, could lead to more flooding in some areas affected in 1993, said Frank Richards, a hydrometeorologist with the National Weather Service's Office of Hydrology. Excessive rainfall observed during early 1993 over California and other parts of the Southwest helped end lengthy droughts, but brought record flooding of the Gila and Salt Rivers from Phoenix to Yuma, Ariz. The excessive rain was, in part, attributed to the continued El Nino effect. # NOAA 94-6 CONTACT: Tammy Graham 1/11/94 MASSACHUSETTS NATIVE APPOINTED NOAA'S NEW DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS The Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today that President Clinton has appointed Sally Yozell of Weston, Mass., as director of NOAA's Office of Legislative Affairs. Sally brings to NOAA nearly a decade of experience working for Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. She was deputy legislative director for Kerry, who is chairman of the National Ocean Policy Committee, and a senior policy advisor for domestic and international issues concerning the environment, marine resources and energy. Yozell gained expertise on a range of environmental issues, including air and water pollution, ocean and coastal protection, natural resource management, global climate change, international environmental treaties, and other issues in the forefront of environmental protection and stewardship. "Yozell's understanding of issues integral to NOAA's mission of global environmental stewardship, and her experience working with Congress, give her the environmental knowledge and political sensitivity to successfully advance NOAA's interests on Capitol Hill," said D. James Baker, Commerce's Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere. In addition to her work in the Senate, Yozell gained experience in state government as a policy analyst for the Massachusetts Office of Federal State Relations and as a local liaison for the Office of Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor, John Kerry. Yozell received her master's degree in public administration in 1993 from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government, and her bachelor's degree in political science in 1982 from the University of Vermont. She is a native of Massachusetts and Vermont, where her family resides. # NOAA 94-7 CONTACT: Patricia Viets Thomas R. Karl 1/14/94 DECREASED SPRING SNOW COVER ENHANCING GLOBAL WARMING Researchers from the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have shown that reduced spring snow cover over North America and Asia has significantly contributed to warmer air temperatures. Dr. Pavel Groisman, a visiting scientist from Russia, and Thomas Karl and Richard Knight of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., report their findings in the Jan. 14 issue of Science magazine. The research helps explain why the increase of global surface air temperatures, almost 1 degree Fahrenheit (or 0.5 degree Centigrade) since the latter 19th century, has been most evident during the spring. Scientists have long suspected other factors contributed to an overall increase in temperature, including increases in man-made atmospheric greenhouse gases due to fossil fuel energy generation, deforestation, and other human activities. But scientists were uncertain why temperatures over land were increasing more steadily and sharply in the spring than in other seasons. Over the past 20 years, the area covered by snow in the Northern Hemisphere has been reduced by nearly two million square kilometers, an area larger than Alaska. Over North America, the scientists expect that with continued global warming and increases in greenhouse gases, the warming trend will be amplified during spring by the reduced snow cover in the U.S.-Canadian border area, much of southeast Canada and the mountainous regions of western North America. # NOAA 94-8 CONTACT: Frank Lepore or Barry Reichenbaugh Patricia Viets 1/19/94 GOES SATELLITE TO MOVE TO FLORIDA FOR LAUNCH The National Weather Service will pass a milestone in its modernization program Jan. 18 when a sophisticated GOES satellite is rolled out by its manufacturer, Space Systems/Loral at Palo Alto, Calif., for shipment to a launch site at Cape Canaveral, Fla., the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. The new Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-I, is the first of a series of five meteorological satellites that will assure dual-satellite coverage for the United States into the next century. It will be designated as GOES-8 after its launch, scheduled for mid-April. Normally, two GOES satellites remain in fixed positions over the Earth at an altitude of 22,300 miles. They cover the western and eastern parts of the United States, U.S. coastal waters, the Pacific and Atlantic breeding grounds for winter storms, and East Coast hurricanes. The United States now has only one operational meteorological satellite in geostationary orbit, GOES-7. A companion satellite was lost during a launch failure in 1986. Since then the United States has been serviced by a single GOES and a borrowed European satellite. Another satellite, GOES-J, is set for launch in 1995. "It's going to be worth the wait," said Robert Landis, deputy director of the weather service. "The new satellites are quality hydrometeorological tools that will enable our forecasters to provide more precise observations, leading to more accurate warnings and forecasts." The nation -- especially the West Coast -- will gain more than clearer satellite pictures on the 6 o'clock news, Landis said. The satellite's ability to gather data over vast expanses of the ocean will aid West Coast forecasters tracking Santa Ana and other coastal wind and rain events that come ashore with such devastating effect, and also it will give the East Coast more accurate hurricane and winter storm forecasts. # NOAA 94-009 CONTACT: Thomas R. Karl Patricia W. Viets 1/25/94 GLOBAL WARMING ON HOLD Surface temperatures in 1993 remained unchanged from 1992 levels, says Thomas R. Karl, senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. In a presentation today at the American Meteorological Society's annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., Karl confirmed an earlier NOAA report that global surface temperatures remain about 0.2 degrees Celsius above the 30-year average ending in 1980. He said, however, that the century-long 0.5 degree Celsius warming trend could resume, now that the effects of Mt. Pinatubo's 1991 eruption in the Philippines are largely behind us. Karl and many scientists believe global warming is caused primarily by increases of greenhouse gases worldwide. In addition to surface temperatures, Karl also reported on temperatures in the troposphere (4,500 to 31,000 feet above the Earth's surface) and the stratosphere (50,000 to 80,000 feet above the surface), using data gathered by James Angell of NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Tropospheric temperatures have cooled .05 degrees Celsius per decade and stratospheric temperatures have decreased dramatically, with the lower stratosphere experiencing record low levels in 1993, Karl said. In the contiguous 48 states, below normal temperatures persisted throughout the year. This was due to reduced daytime temperatures, not nighttime temperatures, Karl said. A complete report of climatic variations for 1993 will be presented by NOAA in the Annual Climate Assessment. The National Climatic Data Center and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research are both agencies of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. # NOAA 94-10 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz 1/26/94 JEFFREY BENOIT TO HEAD NOAA COASTAL DIVISION President Clinton has named Jeffrey Benoit director of the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management of the National Ocean Service, part of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Benoit, who has been serving at NOAA on a consultation basis for three months, was most recently head of the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Office. "I am extremely pleased to have Jeff Benoit head our coastal program," said Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown. "The issues we face in the coastal zone are among the most critical environmental issues we face in the 1990s, and we are fortunate to have Jeff's leadership in this critical area." As head of NOAA's coastal division, he will assume major responsibilities for guiding environmental policies affecting the nation's 90,000 miles of coastline. These include management of 13 national marine sanctuaries; administration of the federal partnership with 29 coastal states of the national Coastal Zone Management Program; administration of 22 national estuarine research reserves; and implementation of NOAA's ocean minerals and energy programs. Benoit comes to NOAA with a long history of involvement in coastal issues. A native of Brockton, Mass., he spent his boyhood summers on Cape Cod and developed a longstanding respect for the quality of the coast. Benoit received a B.S. in marine science from Southampton College in 1975 and an M.S. in geophysical science from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1978. He joined the MCZM program in 1978 as a coastal geologist and was named director of the program in 1989. Benoit has also been active on the national scene as Massachusetts's representative at the Coastal States Organization and has testified before Congress several times on coastal issues. He was involved in creating NOAA's new Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Massachusetts Bay, one of the world's prime feeding grounds for humpback whales and other endangered marine mammals. During the transition period, Benoit has been commuting from the coastal community of Plymouth, Mass., where he lives with his wife, Barbara Logan Benoit, and their two young sons. # NOAA 94-11 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh 2/4/94 WEATHER SERVICE DIRECTOR NAMED FEDERAL EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR Elbert W. Friday Jr., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's assistant administrator for weather services, today was honored as the Federal Executive of the Year, the Commerce Department agency announced. Friday, the man responsible for the nation's weather forecasting system, received the honor from the Federal Executive Institute Alumni Association (FEIAA) during its annual Executive Forum in Reston, Va. The Office of Personnel Management's Federal Executive Institute is often referred to as the "West Point of the Civil Service." Located in Charlottesville, Va., the institute is one of the primary educational institutions for developing executive leaders in federal, state and local governments. The award recognizes executive leadership of an organization that produces substantial, innovative achievements, resulting in high quality public service. Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, commended Friday saying, "Dr. Friday's leadership has been an invaluable asset in our continuous efforts to make NOAA's National Weather Service a crucial and life- saving tool for all Americans. I commend and thank him for his efforts." "This award really is a tribute to the ingenuity and cooperative spirit of the 5,200 men and women of the National Weather Service," Friday said. "We are only half way through our modernization program, but already our employees are developing exciting breakthroughs in atmospheric science using Doppler radars and other new technology. Managing is much easier when you have employees at all levels contributing ideas." Friday was recognized for his successes in managing and directing the Commerce Department's National Weather Service during a time of rapid modernization. The challenge of leading this transformation has been likened to converting a steam locomotive to a high-speed train while educating the engineer -- without ever stopping the train. The weather service's multi-year modernization and restructuring program will create the world's most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system. A variety of new technologies will provide Americans with more accurate forecasts and earlier warnings of severe weather, which will save lives, preserve property and boost the national economy. Friday, a native of DeQueen, Ark., retired from the U.S. Air Force as a colonel after 20 years of service. He earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Oklahoma. Also honored by the FEIAA was James B. Heidel, director of Economic Development for the State of Mississippi, who received the award of State Executive of the Year. # NOAA 94-012 CONTACT: Tim Tomastik 2/7/94 NOAA'S FY 1995 BUDGET THEME: ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today its FY 1995 budget request of $1.964 billion, which ensures the continuation of weather service modernization efforts and includes significant programmatic increases for fisheries management. The FY 1995 budget request is reduced slightly from the FY 1994 level. However, significant increases are proposed in NOAA's operating programs. For example, the largest NOAA account, Operations, Research and Facilities, has requested $1.897 billion, an increase of 8.3 percent over last year. "This budget promotes economic prosperity in many areas, and has been restructured to support the Administration's strong environmental concerns and priorities, such as programs that promote healthy ecosystems and encourage managing resources through sustainable development," said D. James Baker, Commerce Department's Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere. The budget request closely follows NOAA's recently developed Strategic Plan that has charted a course for the agency to reach its vision for 2005. The FY 1995 budget request is driven by the Strategic Plan's focus on world-class research and development to integrate approaches to environmental management and coastal resource development and to significantly improve environmental assessments and prediction. NOAA will significantly improve short-term warning and forecast services for the environment, in particular, to maintain ongoing NWS operation and modernization efforts with the requested amount of $1.1 billion. NOAA's budget request will build sustainable fisheries, recover protected resources and promote proper habitat management. Investing in proper fisheries management will, over the long run, lead to an estimated $2.9 billion increase in net revenues to fishermen, an $8 billion increase in the Gross Domestic Product and the creation of about 300,000 new jobs. A total of $309.4 million is requested for these efforts in FY 1995, including increases of $62 million over last year in the National Marine Fisheries Service budget. In FY 1995, NOAA will continue to play a major role in advancing the President's high-priority agenda items by participating in the U.S. Global Change Research Program, the High Performance Computing and Communications Program,and by serving as host agency for the Vice President's Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program. NOAA has requested $106.5 million for these efforts in 1995, an increase of $42.4 million from 1994. The FY 1995 funding request maintains or increases funding for legislatively authorized programs, such as the Coastal Zone Management Act ($41.6), the Marine Mammal Protection Act ($30.1 million), the Endangered Species Act ($20.4 million), the Magnuson Act ($142.5), the National Sea Grant College Program ($43.2) and funds for environmental compliance. NOAA requested an increase of $3 million for sanctuaries. NOAA is also proposing to increase fee revenues to be deposited into a special fund in the Treasury Department to help offset the costs of our programs in several areas: aeronautical charts, marine sanctuaries and living marine programs. The specific details of these fees are being developed in close consultation with the community and Congress. # NOAA 94-13 CONTACT: Dr. Lee Larson (Central Region) Solomon Summer (Eastern Region) Frank Lepore 2/18/94 WINTER'S GRIP INCREASES CHANCE OF SPRING FLOODING An unusually severe winter has increased the potential for spring flooding in the eastern United States, the Midwest and the Ohio River basin, the National Weather Service warned today. Freezing weather, thick river ice, deep snow cover, and many rivers swollen by a January thaw and rain have contributed to flood potential, the agency said in an alert issued to emergency agencies across the country. "The Midwest's relatively dry fall and winter helped moderate the flood threat in a nine-state area," said Lee Larson, regional hydrologist for the weather service's central region. "However, in the eastern Dakotas, western Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, deep snows represent a significant flood threat." The agency, however, tempered its warning with the caution that future snow, rain and temperature patterns during the remainder of the winter season will ultimately determine whether flood potential translates into flooding. "Conditions over the next month will greatly influence the level of flood risk this spring," said Scott Kroczynski, manager of the weather service's hydrologic information center. An unusually cold winter has caused some ice jam flooding in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, the weather service's Office of Hydrology reports. As freezing temperatures choked rivers in these regions with ice, a late January thaw, accompanied by rain, raised water levels underneath the ice, forcing the ice to break up. Areas east of the Appalachians and roughly north of the Mason-Dixon line have endured a particularly difficult winter. Weather service hydrologists say the potential for flooding in some areas is high due to accumulated snow and river ice. Within the last 10 days, flooding from rain and melting snows drove hundreds of people from their homes in Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. While snow is not a problem in the South, continuing moist conditions indicate some increased flood potential in areas from Georgia westward to east Texas. This winter has brought much less snow than expected in the West. As many western states had relief from long-standing drought only last year, weather service hydrologists are concerned that this winter's less than normal snow accumulations may fail to satisfy the region's water needs through the summer and into next year. Hydrologists say the following conditions can lead to increased flood potential: * Wet soils - rain and snowmelt cannot be absorbed if the ground is saturated; it rapidly runs off into rivers and streams; * Frozen ground - generally has the same effect as saturated soils; * Full reservoirs - they lose their ability to hold/attenuate flood flows; * Already high stream levels - additional runoff can push water over stream banks; * Deep snow cover - snowmelt, combined with rain, can rapidly raise stream levels; * Frozen rivers - as rivers rise due to snowmelt and rainfall, ice fractures and flows along the river until it reaches a constriction where it can jam, forming a temporary dam. The water can rapidly rise behind the ice dam. If the dam bursts, torrents can gush downstream, sometimes carrying enormous ice floes that crush anything in their paths. The National Weather Service, an agency of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will hold a press briefing in Washington, D.C., on Monday, March 14, to provide its detailed National Spring Hydrologic Outlook. # NOAA 94-14 Contact: Jay Tebeau 2/23/94 NOAA EMPLOYEES HELP EAGLE SCOUTS DEVELOP MARINE BIOLOGY CAREERS Four Washington, D.C., area Eagle Scouts have teamed up with employees from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as part of a program by the Boy Scouts of America to help young men develop careers in the marine sciences. Each NOAA sponsor provides educational guidance and an opportunity for a scout to observe the work of a marine biologist. NOAA, a Commerce Department agency, conducts research and gathers data about the oceans, atmosphere, space and sun and applies this knowledge to science that benefits all Americans. William Archambault, a marine biologist with NOAA's Ecology and Conservation Office, is sponsoring Alex Lorbeske, a resident of Herdon, Va. Lorbeske has been an Eagle Scout since January of 1993 and is a sophomore at Chantilly High School in Chantilly, Va. Isobel Sheifer, a program analyst with NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program, sponsors Eagle Scout Howard Kronthal, a resident of Fairfax, Va. Kronthal is a senior at W.T. Woodson High School and a member of several school clubs, the lacrosse team and the National Honor Society. Upper Marlboro, Md., resident Thomas Dail, a senior at Frederick Douglas High School, is sponsored by Ronald Rinaldo, a Fisheries Management Analyst for NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. Dail developed an interest in marine biology as a freshman while designing and implementing a study of nitrate levels in the Patuxent River. Lt. J.G. Michael Weaver, a NOAA Corps Officer with the agency's Aeronautical Chart Branch, sponsors Eric Lerch, an Eagle Scout since June of 1993. Lerch is a junior at W.T. Woodson High School and resides in Annandale, Va. # NOAA 94-15 CONTACT: Angela Calos 3/3/94 COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED AND PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULED ON NOAA'S PROPOSED OIL SPILL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under the authority of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, has extended until July 7, 1994, the comment period on its recently proposed rule on natural resource damage assessments. NOAA will hold a public meeting to summarize the results of the six regional meetings on damage assessments held across the country in recent weeks. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 prohibits discharge of oil into navigable waters of the United States and its shorelines and imposes liability on those responsible for such damage. The Act requires NOAA to announce regulations for the assessment of natural resource damages resulting from the discharge of oil. NOAA proposed those regulations on Jan. 7, 1994. NOAA extended the comment period on the proposed rule in response to requests from industry and trade associations. Written comments may be submitted to the NOAA/Damage Assessment Regulations Team, 1305 East- West Highway, SSMC #4, Workstation #10218, Silver Spring, Md. 20910. NOAA will hold a public meeting March 24-25, 1994, at the Main Commerce Building, Room 4830, 14th and Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C. The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Its purpose is to discuss the proposed rule, respond to questions and report on the cooperative prespill planning portions of the regional meetings. On the second day, the meeting will be divided into three groups to discuss the legal, economic and scientific aspects of the proposed rule. The meeting is open to the public. Representatives of organizations that have a direct interest in the assessment process and the proposed rule are encouraged to attend. For more information, please call (202) 606-8000. # NOAA-93-16 CONTACT: Frank Richards Frank Lepore 3/14/94 CONCERN GROWS FOR SPRING FLOODING IN THE NORTHEAST WHILE FLOOD THREAT MODERATES IN THE UPPER MIDWEST Portions of the Northeast and the upper Midwest may experience heavy flooding this year, warns the National Weather Service in its 1994 spring hydrological outlook for the United States. The areas hit hardest by catastrophic flooding last summer are at less risk, however, because flood potential in those areas is no longer considered extreme. The cold, snowy winter that brought deep snow cover and ice-choked rivers to the Northeast set the stage for possible significant flooding this spring in much of Pennsylvania, New York, western New Jersey and western New England, according to the weather service. In addition, snowmelt flooding seems likely in portions of eastern North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota. "Rapidly melting snow, combined with heavy precipitation, is a prescription for serious flooding," said Frank Richards, chief of the weather service's special (hydrologic) studies branch. "The best way to avoid it is to have a gradual melt without any heavy rain." In addition to snowmelt flooding, ice jam flooding on northern rivers covered with as much as three feet of ice could occur. If the rivers rise rapidly before the ice softens, the ice may break up and jam at river constrictions. This can create a dam, with water backing up behind it, and lead to rapid upstream flooding. If the jam suddenly breaks, water can surge downstream, sometimes carrying large chunks of ice that can add to flood damage. This winter's weather has also left much of the United States east of the Rockies wet and more vulnerable to flooding than usual. "The potential for flooding is above average in many areas. However, future weather - particularly rainfall and, in areas with snow cover, melt rate - will determine whether flooding will occur," Richards said. The best news is in the Midwest. After record flooding devastated a nine-state area last summer, there was great anxiety about flooding this spring. Though there is still an above average flood potential in much of this area, with the exception of the eastern Dakotas and western Minnesota, it is no longer considered extreme. "Unless excessive precipitation amounts like last year's are repeated, widespread disastrous flooding is unlikely in the Midwest," said Richards. The Western region's winter has been unimpressive this season, the weather service reported. Snowfall, so critical to the West's water supply, has once again fallen short of normal so far. Although precipitation in the winter of 1992-93 went a long way toward easing a long-standing drought in the West, another dry year would cause concern about long-term water supplies. "There's an awful lot to make up, and only six to eight weeks left in the snow season," Richards concluded. The National Weather Service is an agency of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. # NOAA 94-17 Contact: Dane Konop 3/17/94 ATMOSPHERIC CARBON MONOXIDE DECREASES WORLDWIDE Measurements of air samples taken between June 1990 and June 1993 show that levels of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere have decreased dramatically worldwide, according to scientists from the University of Colorado and the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While the findings are considered good news for the general health of the global atmosphere, the authors of the NOAA-funded study cannot fully explain the causes of the decrease or predict the long-term implications of the findings. Based on samples collected at 27 strategically located sites in the northern and southern hemispheres, globally averaged levels of carbon monoxide decreased 6.3 percent (5.9 ń 0.55 parts per billion) per year over the past two to five years. The study shows that in the northern hemisphere, carbon monoxide decreased at a spatially and temporally averaged rate of 6.1 percent (7.3 ń 0.9 ppb) per year. In the southern hemisphere, carbon monoxide decreased 7.0 percent (4.2 ń 0.5 ppb) per year. In contrast, previous measurements suggested a one to two percent per year increase in atmospheric carbon monoxide in the northern hemisphere and no significant trend in the southern hemisphere. Background levels of carbon monoxide in the troposphere range from about 45 to 250 ppb. The findings are reported in the March 18 edition of Science by Paul C. Novelli and Ken A. Masarie of the University of Colorado Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences and Pieter P. Tans and Patricia M. Lang of the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostic Laboratory in Boulder, Colo. The current study also shows levels of carbon monoxide tend to decrease in the atmosphere from north to south, are greatest late winter and early spring, and decrease in the summer. But levels also vary significantly from season to season. During the study period, carbon monoxide decreased at a nearly constant rate in the northern hemisphere; in the southern hemisphere, carbon monoxide decreased abruptly beginning at the end of 1991. Carbon monoxide (CO), a tasteless, colorless, odorless gas produced from fossil fuel combustion, industrial emissions, biomass burning and the oxidation of methane and other hydrocarbons, is not one of those gases primarily blamed for global warming. But a decrease in carbon monoxide levels may significantly boost the atmosphere's capacity to remove gases which do contribute to global warming, such as methane. Carbon monoxide is removed from the atmosphere primarily by reacting with the hydroxyl radical (OH), which is also the primary sink (way of removing) for methane and many other gases emitted into the atmosphere. "In the 'clean' background atmosphere, the largest loss of the hydroxyl radical is attributable to its reaction with carbon monoxide. If carbon monoxide levels go down, as the samples show, we would expect the levels of the hydroxyl radical to go up. Presumably, this would increase the atmosphere's capacity to remove other carbon-based gases believed harmful to the environment," according to principal author Paul C. Novelli. The reported results are based on air samples collected weekly at ten land locations between 71 degrees north and 41 degrees south and about once every three weeks from a ship (M/V Wellington Star, operated by the Blue Star Line) at 17 locations in the Pacific Ocean between 45 degrees north and 35 degrees south. Samples were then examined by the Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory and the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences using gas chromatography, followed by mercuric oxide reduction. The authors note that a decreasing trend in atmospheric carbon monoxide results from a decrease in the sources of carbon monoxide relative to sinks. They speculate that the currently observed decreases may be due to a combination of factors, including a tightening of pollution controls by the United States and the European Economic Community, a decrease in industrial emissions because of economic contraction in the former Soviet Union, an increase in hydroxyl levels due to the June 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, a decrease in biomass burning, and a decline in naturally emitted methane and other hydrocarbons. # NOAA 94-18 Contact: Scott Smullen 3/15/94 NOAA FINDS TOO MANY BOATS, SUBSIDIES IN STUDY OF WORLD'S FISHING FLEETS The first comprehensive analysis of the world's distant-water fishing fleets, recently completed by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, finds over-capitalization and some subsidies in the industry have resulted in huge catches -- challenging both fishermen and fishery administrators around the globe to maintain what was once thought to be a virtually limitless resource, NOAA announced today. The six-volume study, World Fishing Fleets, examines past, present and future aspects of distant-water fishing fleets made up of nearly 24,000 vessels from 65 countries that harvest in waters other than their own. The study includes catch statistics, details on fishing areas, vessel construction and imports, reflagging (or registering a vessel in another country), international agreements and joint fishing ventures. The International Affairs Office staff in NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service spent more than a year compiling data from Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence, foreign governments and various U.S. embassies to create the detailed report. The study consists of an executive summary and five regional volumes that contain overviews and individual country reports, including statistical tables, photos, maps and graphics. Information representing the diversity of the world's fisheries and fleets is contained in the study, such as: o The world catch peaked in 1989 and has since declined to about 97 million metric tons in 1991, with little change in 1992. The marine catch represents 85 percent, or 82 million metric tons, of the world catch. AFRICA -- The European Union of nations had 19 bilateral fishery agreements with African and Indian Ocean countries in 1993 that allowed EU vessels to fish in African and Indian Ocean waters in exchange for $775 million in payments. o Asian fishermen, attracted by tuna, billfish, squid and whitefish, fish in African waters. East European and former Soviet states also fish these waters. ASIA -- Distant-water vessel owners from the developed economies of Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan are taking measures to reduce costs of operation, but there is little evidence to suggest these efforts will be sufficient to make distant-water fishing a viable source of long-term revenue. o Increased international regulation of high-seas fisheries and decreased access to coastal fishing grounds have accelerated a process where developing Asian countries such as China are taking over catch operations from their industrialized Asian neighbors. WESTERN EUROPE -- The European Union's fishing fleet totaled nearly 110,000 vessels, including 804 high-seas fishing vessels in 1992. o The EU is also seeking access to distant fishing grounds -- primarily Namibia and Argentina -- as a means of dispersing the vessels crowding West European fishing grounds. LATIN AMERICA -- The foreign distant-water catch off Latin America was about 1 million metric tons in 1992 -- a sharp decline from the record 2.5 million tons in 1989. Much of the decline is due to the withdrawal of the Soviet/Russian fleet. o Latin American countries have generally restrictive policies toward licensing foreign fishermen, but some countries have recently liberalized their policies to some extent. About 1,000 foreign fishermen obtained fishing licenses in Latin America during 1992. COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES, EASTERN EUROPE & BALTICS o Russia, Ukraine and Georgia are undergoing major economic fluctuations that are negatively affecting their fishing industries. Lack of fuel and quota reductions in foreign 200-mile zones have forced all three countries to radically curtail their high-seas fisheries, thereby decreasing their catch. o The three, now independent, Baltic states have inherited former Soviet Union fishing fleets and are successfully privatizing them, thereby reducing the number of high-seas fishing vessels. -- WORLD FISHING FLEETS: NOAA FINDS TOO MANY BOATS, SUBSIDIES IN STUDY OF WORLD'S FISHING FLEETS SUMMARY SHEET The six-volume set, titled World Fishing Fleets: An Analysis of Distant-water Fishing Fleet Operations, may be purchased for $95, plus a $3 handling fee through the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Technical Information Service. The order number for the complete set is PB94-140811/GBA. Readers may also purchase the individual volumes separately. o Volume I: Executive Summary -- This 54-page volume presents an overview of fleets and summarizes important regional trends. ($20/Order number: PB94-140829/GBA). o Volume II: Africa -- This 51-page book is a compilation of information prepared by U.S. Embassies on distant-water fleet operations in selected African countries. ($20/Order number: PB94-140837/GBA). o Volume III: Asia -- This 144-page book includes a regional overview of major Asian fleets and individual studies of the China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Taiwan fleets. ($20/Order number: PB94-140845/GBA). o Volume IV: Latin America -- This 513-page book includes regional overviews for the Caribbean, Central America and South America, and individual reports on those Latin America countries whose fleets engage in distant-water fishing or whose coasts foreign fishing occurs. ($45/Order number: PB94- 140852/GBA). o Volume V: The Baltic States, The Commonwealth of Independent States and Eastern Europe -- This 286-page volume contains an overview for each of the three blocs of countries and 10 individual countries, including Russia, Poland and Ukraine. ($27/Order number: PB94-140860/GBA). o Volume VI: Western Europe and Canada -- This 362-page book contains overviews for the European Community and non-EC European countries, and individual studies for all Western European distant-water fishing nations and Canada. ($27/Order number: PB94-140878/GBA). The reports should be ordered from NTIS at the following address: National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, or by calling NTIS at (703) 487-4650, or rush orders at (800) 553-NTIS. # NOAA 94-19 CONTACT: Patricia Viets 3/21/94 FIRST MEETING OF THE AMERICAS TO ENHANCE SEARCH AND RESCUE DATA DISTRIBUTION Satellite search and rescue coordinators from the United States and South America will meet in Santiago, Chile, March 23 and 24 to discuss improvement of the effectiveness of search and rescue operations through better distribution of alert messages. Participants will produce a unified alert data distribution procedure among American nations using emergency beacons that transmit on a frequency of 121.5, 243.0, and 406.025 MHz. This unified approach will benefit those people in the Americas who are in distress and transmit emergency signals that can be received by the COSPAS and SARSAT satellites. This meeting is vital for coordinating global search and rescue activities and is a significant event for satellite-aided search and rescue activities in South America. Rescue coordinators want to expand and coordinate ground station coverage in South America and increase the effectiveness of alert data distribution throughout the region. The program known as COSPAS-SARSAT is an international search and rescue program established by the United States, Russia, France and Canada. The U.S. program is operated by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It uses polar-orbiting satellites to detect emergency beacons activated by aviation, maritime, and ground-based users in distress. COSPAS-SARSAT, using search and rescue payloads aboard NOAA environmental satellites and Russian navigation satellites, has helped save nearly 4,000 lives since the first system rescue in British Columbia on Sept. 9, 1982. When an emergency beacon is activated, the signal is received by the COSPAS and SARSAT polar-orbiting satellites and relayed to an international network of ground stations. The ground station processes the alert data and forwards it to a national mission control center (MCC), which sends the alert message to the appropriate land or maritime rescue coordination center. There are 13 operational MCCs and 25 operational ground receiving stations in the international COSPAS-SARSAT system. The United States MCC, in Suitland, Md., is managed and operated by NOAA. It collects data from seven operational ground stations. The Canadian MCC at the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton collects data from three stations. Twenty-four countries are associated with COSPAS-SARSAT as space segment providers, ground segment providers and user states. Brazil has an MCC and one ground station under testing and development in Brasilia. Chile's MCC in Santiago is under development and supports an experimental ground station. Other South American nations are considering the development of ground receiving stations and MCCs. # NOAA 94-20 Contact: Frank Lepore 3/22/93 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RELEASES HURRICANE ANDREW DISASTER REPORT Timely, accurate warnings by the National Weather Service resulted in the relatively low loss of life during Hurricane Andrews's August 1992 rampage across Florida and Louisiana, according to a report by the weather service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Wind, not storm surge (tide and wind-driven water) was the major cause of direct deaths, the report shows. The 183-page report about the nation's most costly disaster focuses on teamwork between NOAA and emergency managers. It identifies strengths and weaknesses in the warning systems and provides a performance analysis of federal, state and local members of the hazards community. The disaster survey research team confirmed that Hurricane Andrew generated winds of 145 mph with gusts over 175 mph, and a storm surge of more than 16 feet. It was rated as a category 4 (out of 5) storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm produced $25-billion in physical damage and crippling economic losses, though human casualties were surprisingly few. About 126,000 houses were destroyed or damaged and 9,000 mobile homes demolished in Florida. In Dade County alone, Andrew left at least 160,000 people homeless and 86,000 out of work. Much of the area's infrastructure -- airports and electric utilities -- in Homestead and Florida City was destroyed. The National Guard provided tent shelters and other essentials. In Florida, 15 deaths were directly attributed to the storm. An additional 29 fatalities were caused by electrocutions, cleanup accidents, fires, and other incidents associated with the recovery. In Louisiana, eight direct and nine indirect fatalities occurred. Louisiana lost about 3,300 single family, multifamily and mobile homes, and more than 18,000 units received some damage. The survey report notes that "NOAA performed exceptionally well prior to and during Hurricane Andrew." The error rate in predicting the hurricane's track was 30 percent less than average. Lead times on hurricane watches and warnings were three to six hours better than average. Hurricane watches were issued with 35 hours of lead time in South Florida and 43 hours in Louisiana. Hurricane warnings were issued with 21 hours lead time in Florida and 36 hours in Louisiana. The report says that safe shelters from high winds should be designated for area residents: evacuation would involve far too many people to be accomplished effectively. The report also recommends that local weather service forecast offices issue appropriate warnings and statements for storm-related events, such as tornadoes that occur within hurricanes, and suggests that hurricane intensity forecasting be improved. NOTE TO EDITORS: A copy of the report may be obtained by contacting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Office of Public Affairs, telephone (301) 713-0622. # NOAA 94-21 Contact: Frank Lepore Barry Reichenbaugh 3/22/94 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RELEASES REPORT ON TORNADO DISASTER OF 1992 A report issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assessing the response of the National Weather Service to the storm that triggered a hundred tornadoes sweeping from Texas to the Ohio Valley in November 1992, concluded that modernized weather prediction facilities were a key factor in minimizing human casualties and property damage in most areas. The 135-page report, "The Widespread November 21-23, 1992, Tornado Outbreak: Houston to Raleigh and Gulf Coast to Ohio Valley," was prepared by a NOAA disaster survey team following on-site assessments and interviews as part of NOAA's program to look at the performance of its people and technology in warning the public of severe weather. During 48 hours, the storm system's destructive path left 26 dead, 641 injured and $291-million in property damage. It was the deadliest tornado episode since the Plainfield, Ill., tornadoes that killed 29 people in 1990. The storm moved eastward and northward from Texas, spawning a destructive and deadly outbreak of tornadoes that affected 13 states before finally dissipating in the mid-Atlantic region. Ninety-four tornado tracks were identified during the widespread episode, which was unusually intense for November. Rankin County, Miss., suffered the first and largest number of deaths from the storm. A tornado with winds of 207 to 260 mph (F4 category, Fujita scale) devastated a mobile home park in Brandon, killing six. The tornado then leveled a two-story brick home, claiming another four lives. Tornadoes caused more deaths in Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and the Carolinas. The last of the fatalities were suffered when a tornado with winds of 158 to 206 mph (F3 category) touched down in Hillsborough, N.C., in the early morning of Nov. 23. Other tornadoes tracked as far north as Indiana and Ohio in the afternoon and evening of Nov. 22, and four touched down in Virginia and Maryland during the early morning hours of Nov. 23. Severe weather first developed over southeastern Texas early in the afternoon of Nov. 21, 1992, causing great damage, but no deaths, in eastern Texas. Clusters of thunderstorms moved through Louisiana, spawning ten tornadoes that caused damage and injuries during the evening. The report notes that weather service personnel at field offices and the National Severe Storms Forecast Center recognized the deadly seriousness of the situation and made effective use of available guidance and tools. The weather service's new Doppler radar (WSR-88D) at Houston clearly demonstrated its value. The Houston office issued warnings for 15 of the 17 tornadoes that occurred in its area of responsibility, with an average lead time of 25 minutes. The report adds that a killer tornado struck Rankin County, Miss., without warning, as two thunder-storm systems moved through the central and southeastern part of the state on parallel tracks during the late evening of Nov. 21 and early morning of Nov. 22. Actions of the Weather Service Forecast Office (WSFO) in Jackson, Miss., were called "professionally responsible," as these weather systems approached Jackson's area of responsibility. Jackson issued a timely tornado warning well before a tornado associated with the western-most cell touched down near midnight in Copiah County, Miss. However, as the storm moved northward, appearing to weaken, WSFO Jackson did not continue the warning for Rankin County, lacking ground-truth reports in the area. Meteorologists instead focused on a growing storm cell to the southeast. NOTE TO EDITORS: A copy of the report may be obtained by contacting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Office of Public Affairs, telephone (301) 713-0622. # NOAA 94-22 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz 3/24/94 NOAA REAFFIRMS PROHIBITION ON JADE COLLECTION IN CALIFORNIA SANCTUARY In response to a request by jade collectors to change the regulation to allow removal of jade from the Jade Cove area south of Big Sur, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today that it will uphold its regulation prohibiting exploration, development, or removal of oil, gas or minerals from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary off California. In maintaining the regulation as written, NOAA upholds its commitment and responsibility to protect sanctuary resources while allowing full access to the site by divers and other visitors. NOAA's position is consistent with the state law that was in effect prior to the sanctuary designation and with the U.S. Forest Service prohibition of the removal of jade in the Los Padres National Forest. Jade Cove is one in a series of small coves near the town of Gorda, south of Big Sur, where jade occurs naturally. Beachcombers and scuba divers have been finding jade in and around the Jade Cove area for many years even though the treacherous waters in the cove itself have kept all but the most determined collectors from attempting underwater recovery. Some of the jade samples from the area have been of high quality, although quality varies extensively. The largest recorded piece of jade taken from the sanctuary waters was a 9,000 lb. boulder of nephrite jade that measured eight and a half feet long and five feet high. Before sanctuary designation, it is estimated that up to several tons of jade had been removed from the area annually. Samples of Jade Cove jade are on display statewide, in nearly every natural history museum and state university system. As part of the sanctuary designation, federal regulations were established to protect this special area by prohibiting exploring for, developing or producing, oil, gas, or minerals within the Sanctuary, and ţalteration of the seabed of the Sanctuary. Sanctuary regulations were established through a mandated process that included extensive public participation and comment. NOAA will increase its education efforts for visitors to the area within the sanctuary, teaching them to enjoy what they see, but not to remove any sanctuary resources. This will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the sanctuary. NOAA is also working to increase its enforcement presence in the sanctuary. The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 designated national marine sanctuaries administered by the Sanctuaries and Reserves Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They include nearshore coral reefs as well as open ocean, and range in size from less than one to more than 5,300 square miles. # NOAA 94-24 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz 4/4/94 NOAA RELEASES REPORT ON EFFORTS TO BALANCE PRESERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALONG NATION'S COASTS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's biennial report to Congress on coastal zone management says that the federal government, coastal states and U.S. island territories have made considerable progress in balancing conservation and economic development in the nation's coastal resources. The report is considered an indicator of the nation's progress in addressing issues on the coastal environment. Highlighted in the report are the joint federal-state-territory efforts made to reduce risks to life and property from coastal storms and erosion, including action by Florida and Hawaii to mitigate damage from Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki. The report, titled "Biennial Report to Congress on Coastal Zone Management," also focuses on activities of NOAA and coastal states and island territories in administering the Coastal Zone Management Act, enacted in 1972 and managed by NOAA. The federal statute balances preservation and economic development along the nation's coasts and promotes the wise use of valuable and declining coastal resources. Under increasing pressure from human activities, the nation's coastal regions are faced with many challenges. Nonpoint source pollution threatens the health of biologically productive estuarine waters. Coastal wetlands loss continues, and open public space along the nation's 95,000 mile shoreline is steadily shrinking. Natural hazards, like Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki, the California wild fires and the 1994 California earthquake, threaten the people who live along the coast. The report describes NOAA and state activities designed to address these problems. The report also details activities conducted at the nation's 22 estuarine research reserve sites. Natural processes and human activities that affect estuaries are studied so knowledge gained can be applied by the states to minimize stresses on their own highly productive estuarine areas. "The experiences of the past 20 years demonstrate that this federal-state partnership is working well and is producing measurable, beneficial changes in the management of coastal resources," the NOAA report states. But, it concludes, the job of sound coastal management is far from over. "As coastal populations continue to increase, the demand for intensive development of the coastal zone will increase, creating conflicting and competing demands for housing, industrial and urban development, and recreational facilities on these finite resources." The report, entitled "Biennial Report to Congress on Coastal Zone Management: Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993," is available from NOAA, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, Coastal Zone Information Center, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md. 20910; telephone (301) 713-3094. # NOAA 94-25 CONTACT: Patricia Viets Gary Ellrod 4/11/94 NOAA SCIENTIST DEVELOPING INDEX THAT COULD IMPROVE AIRLINE FLIGHT SAFETY A research scientist at the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is developing a climatology of clear air turbulence at high altitudes that could improve flight safety for airline passengers. Gary Ellrod of NOAA's Satellite Applications Laboratory is basing the climatology on an index calculated from upper level winds in a global forecast model. He studied turbulence in the Northern Hemisphere at and above typical airline flight altitudes of 30,000 to 35,000 feet. The study was designed to provide guidance to aviation weather forecasters and to assist in air route planning. Ellrod found that areas at risk for high altitude clear air turbulence are remarkably consistent with respect to location from year to year based on preliminary data. He also found that higher altitudes (above 35,000 feet) tend to be slightly less turbulent, on the average. The turbulence index is based on the vertical wind shear between two altitudes, and horizontal stretching and compaction, both important factors in producing clear air turbulence. This index is used daily by aviation meteorologists in the United States and Canada for short range forecasts. For the climatology study, this index is then averaged over long periods of time (monthly, seasonally and annually) to show regions where the turbulence is more likely to be found. This index does not account for turbulence caused by either thunderstorms or mountain waves, which are localized phenomena. The study will likely continue for several more years, resulting in a global climatology of clear air turbulence. -- Caption: The image shows the average clear air turbulence index for both winter and summer for a two-year period (1992-93) for typical airline flight altitudes from 30,000 to 35,000 feet. The yellow, orange, and red show areas where clear air turbulence is increasingly likely to occur; green indicates low probability of the turbulence. Several extensive east-west zones of high risk for clear air turbulence are present across the middle latitudes in winter (Dec.-Feb.), as shown in the top panel. These zones include the southwestern United States, the Canadian Maritimes, the north central Pacific, eastern China and Japan, and North Africa to Southwest Asia. These are regions where strong jet streams often converge, and winter cyclones are frequent. In red areas, it is estimated there is a 1 in 4 chance of encountering significant clear air turbulence; in green areas, 1 in 10 or less. (Significant turbulence is strong enough to force a passenger against the seat belt and thus poses risk of injury. In rare cases, damage to aircraft may occur.) For air travel, this would mean that for a daily flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles in winter, one out of every four flights could expect to encounter significant turbulence. The extensive green area in the bottom panel shows a dramatic decrease in clear air turbulence during the Northern Hemisphere summer (Jun.- Aug.) and a northward shift in occurrence. This is caused by a weakening of the jet streams and fewer storm systems. Another finding indicates that higher altitudes (above 35,000 feet) tend to be slightly less turbulent, on the average. # NOAA 94-26 Contact: Pat Viets NOAA.NEDIS George Diller NASA/KSC Brian Dunbar NASA HQ 4/13/94 GOES-I WEATHER SATELLITE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED GOES-I, the first in a series of five advanced weather satellites to be launched over the next several years, was successfully launched today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, named GOES-8 since achieving orbit, will provide more precise and timely weather observation and atmospheric measurement data. Its three-axis stabilized design allows the satellite sensors to continuously stare at the earth for 24-hour observation. Current spin-stabilized satellites view the earth only five percent of the time. The GOES series of satellites is owned and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Mission to Planet Earth manages the design, development, and launch of the spacecraft. Once the satellite operationally goes through "check-out," NOAA will assume responsibility for command and control, data receipt, and product generation and distribution. During check-out, GOES-8 will be positioned at 90 degrees West longitude. After 180 days, GOES-8 becomes operational. Plans call for GOES-7 to be moved from 112 degrees West to 135 degrees West. GOES-7, launched seven years ago, is still operational, but has outlived its expected lifetime. GOES-8 will eventually be moved to 75 degrees West. The next satellite in the GOES series, GOES-J, is planned for launch in April 1995. It will replace GOES-7, which is planned to be used as a backup. The next three satellites in the GOES series will be launched as required to support NOAA's dual-satellite geostationary observing system. The GOES I-M satellites are built by Space Systems/Loral. NASA's Lewis Research Center is responsible for launch services, provided on an Atlas I rocket, under contract with General Dynamics. The satellites are operated by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. # NOAA 94-27 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz 4/20/94 OCEAN SERVICE ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION IN GRANTS Nearly $1 million in grants for six innovative coastal management projects was announced today by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The projects are expected to advance management capabilities in the coastal environment, and are a concrete example of the Department's commitment to "reinventing government." The projects are: Gulf of Maine Land-Based Pollutant Inventory - a U.S./Canada multi- state/province project ţ Computer-based "Geographic Information System" for U.S./Mexico coordinated management in the Tijuana River Watershed ţ Computer workstation to visualize and manipulate complex coastal environmental data in central California ţ Real-time monitoring in New York/New Jersey Harbor for maritime commerce safety ţ Real-time environmental monitoring in Upper San Francisco Bay ţ Water quality protection program for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Each project will each receive between $125,000 and $300,000 for activities over two years. W. Stanley Wilson, head of NOAA's National Ocean Service, said, "This program demonstrates our commitment to the creative use of federal funding to directly address the most urgent problems in our coastal environment." NOAA initiated the grant program to promote new approaches to coastal ecosystem management. The projects are intended to cut across bureaucratic and international boundaries, and involve partnership among federal agencies, state and academic institutions. Coastal ecosystems are among the earth's most valuable and productive resources. Seventy percent of commercially valuable species spend all or part of their lives in coastal waters; all shellfish depend on healthy coastal ecosystems. Coastal wetlands also are important as flood protection zones and buffers against erosion. Coastal beach areas provide recreation. Safe commerce in coastal zones is an economic necessity. However, these complex coastal systems continue to be threatened by increasing population, accompanying development pressures, pollution, and growing traffic in petroleum products and other hazardous materials. The National Ocean Service is an agency of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. # NOAA 94-28 Contact: Scott Smullen 5/10/94 ALASKA LEADS NATION'S TOP FISHING PORTS FOR 1993 Commercial fishermen brought 790 million pounds of fish, worth $161 million, to the port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, Alaska, in 1993 -- making it the port with both the highest volume and dollar value of fish in the country, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Officials at NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service said the large volume of groundfish brought to Dutch Harbor-Unalaska was twice that of the second leading port of Kodiak, Alaska, with just over 374 million pounds. The port of Dutch Harbor-Unalaska has held the top landings slot for six years straight. Landings at Dutch Harbor-Unalaska were worth $53 million more than those brought ashore at New Bedford, Mass., the second leading port in terms of dollar value with $107.5 million. The top 10 leading U.S. ports in volume and value of fish and shellfish landed in 1991, 1992 and the latest statistics of 1993 are: VOLUME (figures are in millions of pounds) PORT 1991 1992 1993 Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK 731.7 736.0 793.9* Kodiak, AK 287.3 274.0 374.2 Empire-Venice, LA 309.4 276.5 335.4 Cameron, LA 289.1 246.3 323.1 Intercoastal City, LA 211.4 175.9 202.7 Pascagoula-Moss Point, MS 227.3 177.0 169.7 Morgan City-Berwick, LA 119.5 130.8 147.5 Dulac-Chauvin, LA 166.8 66.0 142.4 Petersburg, AK 90.3 81.0 110.2 Ketchikan, AK 68.5 70.0 100.6 * Record for quantity is 848.2 million pounds landed in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1960. VALUE (figures are in millions of dollars) PORT 1991 1992 1993 Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK 130.6 194.0* 161.2 New Bedford, MA 157.7 151.8 107.5 Kodiak, AK 96.9 90.0 81.5 Empire-Venice, LA 50.2 58.7 52.3 Portland, ME 44.1 43.6 49.1 Dulac-Chauvin, LA 52.1 52.8 48.0 Brownsville-Port Isabel, TX 71.5 54.9 46.6 Cape May-Wildwood, NJ 40.1 34.9 36.2 Point Judith, RI 37.5 36.6 35.2 Key West, FL 35.1 17.4 35.2 * Current record for value A complete list of commercial fishery landings and value at 60 major U.S. ports for 1991-1993 is available upon request. # NOAA 94-29 Contact: Tammy Graham 5/10/94 Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Enters Final Phase of Designation Process A major milestone in designating the nation's 14th national marine sanctuary was cleared when the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration approved the designation of Washington state's Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Approval of the designation by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker initiates the final review process by Congress and by Washington state Governor Lowry. Notice of the designation and related regulations will be published in the Federal Register tomorrow. The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the first national marine sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest, will stretch 135 miles from Cape Flattery halfway down Washington's undeveloped, rugged coastline, encompassing 3,310 square miles. In signing the designation document, Baker declared, "This marks the culmination of coordinated effort at the federal, state, local and tribal levels to protect Washington state's coastal environment, culture and history." Home to four Native American tribes for more than 2,000 years, the Olympic Coast has deeply rooted cultural and historical significance. The area is important to the continued survival of several ecologically and commercially important species of fish - including salmon, trout, halibut, flounder - and more than 20 species of marine mammals that include California gray whales and northern sea otters. The sanctuary will also support one of the largest concentrations of seabird colonies in the lower 48 states. "Our goal is to complement and extend protection of the area afforded by the Olympic National Park, other wildlife refuges, biosphere reserves, tribal wilderness areas, and state and municipal parks," Baker said. The National Marine Sanctuary Program will extend protection into Olympic Coast waters and address significant questions concerning resources, uses and linkages between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. NOAA will manage the sanctuary as the agency responsible for stewardship of national coastal and marine environments. A public ceremony to dedicate the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary will be held July 16, 1994, on Beach 6, Olympic National Park, Washington. # NOAA 94-30 CONTACT: Patricia Viets NOAA/NESDIS Mike Phillips EUMETSAT Franco Bonacina ESA 5/11/94 EUROPEAN PARTNERS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN POLAR SATELLITE PROGRAM The United States' European space Earth observation partners have been invited to explore participation in the converged, polar-orbiting environmental satellite program that was announced by the White House in Washington yesterday. Participants in the U.S. program are the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The European METOP (meteorological operational mission) polar satellite series is an important asset in the global effort to better understand the environment. As a result, the United States has invited its European partners to explore incorporating the European METOP polar satellite series into the converged system, assuming U.S. mission requirements can be met. The METOP series is a joint undertaking of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Building on longstanding plans for Europe to assume morning polar satellite coverage, NOAA intends to provide sensors for flight on the initial satellites in the METOP series. The invitation for METOP to participate in the converged program underscores the importance the United States places on cooperation with Europe. "Cooperation with the METOP series and our EUMETSAT and ESA partners is critical to our efforts to enhance further development of a global operational observing system," said Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Dr. D. James Baker. EUMETSAT Director John Morgan welcomed the invitation. He said EUMETSAT would address the invitation with member delegations and work closely with ESA to respond. "This new initiative is clearly in the spirit of the Joint Polar System we are already working with you to develop," Morgan said. "I see no reason why it should change the level of cooperation." The plan announced in Washington yesterday will converge DOD's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) of the Department of Defense and the NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) system into a single operational environmental satellite system. In addition the converged operational program will incorporate appropriate aspects of NASA's Earth Observing System technologies. Under the directive, NOAA was named lead agency for integrating the converged system, for satellite operations, and for the interface with national and international civilian users. DOD will have responsibility for the program's acquisitions, command and control, and launch and systems integration. NASA will be responsible for facilitating the development and incorporation of new cost-effective technologies that will enhance the capabilities of the converged system. The new system is expected to reduce duplication of efforts in meeting common requirements while satisfying the unique requirements of the civil and national security communities. The converged system will continue the open distribution of environmental data and accommodate international cooperation. # NOAA 94-31 CONTACT: Gene Stallings Larry Wenzel Frank Lepore 5/11/94 GREAT FLOOD OF '93 IMPACT UNPRECEDENTED, REPORT FINDS The National Weather Service forecasts helped minimize the loss of life and property during the Great Flood of '93, which made an unprecedented economic and human impact on the midwestern part of the United States, the weather service said in a report released today. The 348-page disaster survey report said the flooding, which began before March 1993 and continued through November, was unique in duration, extent and intensity. Disaster survey team leader Diana Josephson, Commerce deputy under secretary for oceans and atmosphere, said that "in terms of economic and human impact, the Great Flood of 1993 surpassed all floods in the United States in modern times." The massive build-up of water that ultimately formed what appeared in satellite imagery to be a sixth Great Lake in the nation's heartland, set records for river stages, crop and property damage, and flood duration. Nine states -- more than 15 percent of the contiguous United States -- and hundreds of thousands of people were affected. During the event, 95 forecast locations in the Upper Midwest exceeded the previous floods of record, many by six feet or more. Approximately 500 forecast points on major rivers and tributary systems exceeded flood stage at some time. The extent of social disruption was almost beyond measure, Josephson observed. Estimates of economic losses range from $15-20 billion, rivaling costs for Hurricane Andrew. Experts estimate that more than 50,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and approximately 54,000 people evacuated from flooded areas. The disaster survey team visited much of the flooded nine-state region during August and September, 1993. NOAA routinely conducts a survey of each major weather disaster to assess thoroughly all aspects of its forecast and warning system. The report contains 106 findings and recommendations. "The quality of weather service employees' performance overall was superb," said Elbert W. (Joe) Friday, Jr., director of the National Weather Service. "They performed extraordinarily, under extremely stressful conditions, for literally months." More than 30 weather and river forecast offices supported the wide-spread event. "The timely information contained in their forecasts dramatically helped minimize the loss of life and property," Friday said. The report notes that deficiencies stem from inadequate technology within the current forecast and warning system. These deficiencies will be corrected through the on-going modernization and restructuring of the NWS, along with a recently announced program called WARFS. WARFS, for Water Resources Forecasting System, allows managers to better predict floods and manage the nation's increasingly valuable fresh water supplies. The multi-year program to add new weather surveillance radars and Advanced Weather Interactive Processing Systems (AWIPS) to process and combine information from multiple radars should be maintained on schedule or accelerated whenever possible, the report adds. The weather service has broad federal responsibility to protect lives and property and support the nation's economic and environmental well-being by providing public forecasts and warnings of weather and river conditions. -- NOTE TO EDITORS: Copies of the report may be obtained by calling or writing: Office of Hydrology National Weather Service, 1325 East-West Highway, #18444 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Telephone: (301)713-0006 # NOAA 94-32 Contact: George Murphy (301) 763-8010/8019 Bud Littin (301) 713-0622 5/19/94 NEW SUPERCOMPUTER WILL SPEED WEATHER FORECASTS Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown today dedicated a new generation of supercomputers that will enable government weather forecasters to provide faster and more accurate forecasts. The new Cray C90 supercomputer was dedicated at a special ceremony at the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) central computer facility in Suitland, Md. More sophisticated models of the atmosphere, important to increasing the accuracy of daily weather forecasts, will be possible with the new supercomputer. "This new high speed computer system will greatly boost the productivity of National Weather Service forecasting and help Americans in all walks of life make better daily decisions where weather is concerned," said Elbert W. Friday, NOAA's assistant administrator for weather services. A prime element in the $4.2 billion National Weather Service (NWS) Modernization Program, the Cray C90 is expected to deliver a five-fold increase over the NWS' present computing speed, achieved with an earlier Cray computer, model Y-MP8. The superior new "number cruncher" is essential for incorporating into numerical forecasts an ever-increasing volume of data produced by NWS' new space and earth-based observing systems. Forecasters at NWS' National Meteorological Center will use the new computer to serve a wide range of weather data needs. The computer's superior "brainpower" will be especially helpful to meteorologists tracking hurricanes. The C90 also aids in routing planes around turbulent weather, offering an opportunity to make flights smoother and reduce fuel consumption. Precipitation forecasts generated by the new computer will benefit agricultural and marine activities as well. The powerful Cray C90 operates in excess of 15 gigaflops (15 billion operations per second), compared with 2.5 gigaflops for the Y- MP8. One of the first atmospheric models to be implemented will be the new hurricane simulation program that was developed at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, N.J. Researchers tested the model during the 1993 hurricane season. Operating 12 hours behind real time, the model accurately predicted the track of Hurricane Emily in August last year as it veered away from the East Coast. The five-year, $46 million lease contract for the C90 was awarded to Cray Research, Inc., of Eagan, Minn., following a competitive procurement conducted on a full and open basis that allowed all domestic and foreign companies to participate. The contract includes support services. # NOAA 94-33 CONTACTS: Dave Rodenhuis (301)763-8167 Vernon Kousky (301)763-8227 Frank Lepore (301)713-0622 5/23/94 GLOBAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT, 1993 Global climate in 1993 was dominated by a prolonged El Nino effect, which, among other impacts, helped alleviate the severe drought in California, according to a team of scientists from the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) -- the interaction of the ocean and atmosphere in the eastern central Pacific Ocean -- developed in 1991 and ended in 1993, making it one of the three most prolonged warm episodes observed this century. The other episodes were 1911-1913 and 1939-1941. The Fifth Annual Climate Assessment, issued by NOAA's Climate Analysis Center, reviewed global climate variations and trends during the past year. The report highlights several significant events: -- ENSO's eastward shift in thunderstorm activity contributed to changes in atmospheric jet streams and weather patterns worldwide. It produced anomalous weather patterns in both tropics and extratropics. Along the equator monthly rainfall was estimated 150 mm. above normal (Dec. 92 - Aug. 93), while below-normal rainfall occurred over Indonesia and northern Brazil. A slightly weaker than normal monsoon was also estimated for western India. -- The Great Flood of 1993 devastated a nine-state area in the U.S. heartland during June-July, posting record flood conditions throughout the Mississippi-Missouri watershed. St. Louis had 80 days above flood stage. Davenport, Iowa was at flood stage for 43 days and Kansas City for 30 days. -- Global temperature in 1993 paralleled a pattern that dominated both hemispheres during the 1980s. Surface temperature (land only) showed a slight rise of plus 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.35 degrees Fahrenheit). The report notes the temperature increase was comparable to the warm departure observed in 1992, but less than the extreme value of plus 0.5 degrees Celsius in 1990. -- Antarctic springtime ozone values in 1993 were the lowest ever recorded. During the 1993-1994 winter, Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude ozone depletions recovered to near-normal values. # NOAA 94-34 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 5/24/94 NOAA RELEASES 1993 MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOODING REPORT A report that documents the causes and impacts of the unusually high amounts of freshwater released into the ocean during last year's severe Midwest flooding was released today by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Office and National Weather Service. The 77-page report, entitled Coastal Oceanographic Effects of Summer 1993 Mississippi River Flooding, is a summary of the meteorology, hydrology, and oceanographic effects from 31 individual scientists around the Gulf of Mexico and United States East Coast that contributed to an effort by NOAA to assess the oceanographic effects of the flooding. More than 15 million acres across nine states were inundated by the Great Flood of 1993. The entire state of Iowa was designated as a federal disaster area. Large sections of eight other states--North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska and Kansas--were also declared federal disaster areas. The number of fatalities caused by the flood is estimated at 48. Approximately 54,000 people had to be evacuated from flooded areas at some time during the flood, and 50,000 homes were estimated to have been destroyed or damaged. Preliminary estimates establish this as the costliest flood event in United States history. The flood caused significant changes to the landscape throughout the Midwest and ultimately to the coastal ocean. It sent large volumes of freshwater down the Mississippi River during a time of year characterized by lower flows in the river, thus the timing of the flooding was a critical factor in determining the impact on the marine environment. The effects of the freshwater inflow were detected not only in the northern Gulf of Mexico, but also in the Florida Keys and along the U.S. East Coast. The report is comprised of two main sections, "Hydrometeorological Setting" and "Oceanography." "Hydrometeorological Setting" covers the factors that led to the flooding event in the upper basin, an analysis of the hydrology following the heavy precipitation, upper basin impacts and future flood potential. The "Oceanography" section focuses on the effects of the unusually high freshwater outflows from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers on the marine environment. The following issues are discussed: (1) sediments carried by the floodwater into the northern Gulf of Mexico; (2) increased loadings of agricultural chemicals into the Gulf of Mexico; (3) potential effects of certain herbicides on marine phytoplankton; (4) analysis of the effect of the floodwater on coastal water temperatures; (5) biological effects of increased nutrient loadings; (6) hypoxic conditions in bottom waters on the Texas-Louisiana shelf; and (7) influence of the freshwater along the coast of Florida and in the Gulf Stream off the U.S. East Coast. -- NOTE TO EDITORS: A copy of the report may be obtained by contacting the NOAA Coastal Ocean Office at (301) 713-3338 or the National Weather Service, Office of Hydrology, at (301) 713-1630. # NOAA 94-35 Contact: Brian Gorman or Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 5/27/94 TUNA MUST BE "DOLPHIN SAFE" AFTER JUNE 1 Dolphin-safe tuna, which first appeared on American grocery shelves in small quantities in the 1980s, will soon be the only tuna you can buy in the United States, according to the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Beginning June 1, it will be illegal under the 1992 amendment to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to sell, purchase or ship in the United States any tuna not caught under dolphin-safe conditions. Dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean frequently swim with schools of tuna. For many years, U.S. and foreign fleets in this region encircled dolphins to catch tuna. The air-breathing dolphins can become entangled in the nets and be killed or injured. Generally, the fishing method most hazardous to dolphins has been a method of purse seining in which vessels intentionally encircle tuna and dolphins with a huge net that is then tightened, like a purse, around both fish and dolphins. In general, tuna caught by purse seine vessels qualifies as dolphin safe only if it is accompanied by a statement by the captain and in some cases an official observer attesting that no nets were intentionally set on dolphins to catch the tuna. Tuna caught by high-seas driftnet vessels is also not considered dolphin safe. Most canned tuna currently sold in the U.S. is already dolphin safe. In 1990 the major U.S. canners announced that they would no longer buy any tuna caught by methods considered unsafe for dolphins. These companies supply over 80 percent of the canned tuna sold in the U.S. Through concerted efforts of fishing fleets of several countries, the mortality in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna fishery reached a record low last year of approximately 3,600. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, well over 400,000 dolphins were being killed in some years. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for protecting dolphins and certain other marine mammals such as whales, seals and sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Violators of the new dolphin-safe requirement are subject to civil fines of up to $10,000 per violation. # NOAA 94-36 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (office) Puerto Vallarta 52-322-1-11-00 (ext.450) 5/27/94 INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION VOTES TO CREATE WHALE SANCTUARY IN ANTARCTIC The International Whaling Commission, at its annual meeting in the Pacific Coast city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has voted to create an 11.8 million-square-mile sanctuary for whales in the Southern Ocean, United States IWC Commissioner D. James Baker announced today. The Southern Ocean Sanctuary, as it was first proposed by France in 1992 and co-sponsored by the United States and eight other IWC countries, would have banned all commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south latitude in a line skirting southern Africa and Australia and cutting through southern South America. A modified sanctuary proposal, voted on late Thursday, was sponsored by France, Mexico and Chile, and supported by the United States and 16 other countries. It creates a sanctuary somewhat smaller than the original French proposal, but encompasses the major feeding grounds of all the great whales in the Antarctic, including the blue, humpback and minke whales. The vote was 23 in favor, with six abstentions. Only Japan voted against the proposal. "We're very pleased with the outcome of this vote," Baker said. "The sanctuary has been a major goal of the U.S. at the IWC and both President Clinton and Vice President Gore have fought hard for it." Baker added that the sanctuary will give an additional layer of protection to whales by insuring that commercial whaling cannot take place on any species within the huge sanctuary. In 1982, the IWC voted for a moratorium on all commercial whaling. The moratorium is still in place, but both Japan and Norway have conducted limited "research whaling" with IWC approval. Norway, because it filed a formal objection to the moratorium, is not bound by it under IWC rules and resumed small-scale commercial whaling off its coast last summer. The IWC allows Alaskan Eskimos and Siberian, Greenland and St. Vincent natives small subsistence quotas. Baker added that the United States' vote for the sanctuary "reaffirms the Clinton administration's unflinching support for the current IWC ban on commercial whaling. The United States has not deviated from that position since the moratorium went into effect." Baker said the forceful support at the meeting from the NGOs -- non-governmental organizations, mostly representing whale protection interests -- was crucial to the success of the vote. In addition to the United States and the sanctuary's three sponsors, voting in favor of the sanctuary were Antigua, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Baker, who heads the U.S. delegation, is Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere in the U.S. Department of Commerce. The 46th meeting of the IWC began May 23 and runs through May 27. # NOAA 94-37 CONTACT: Robert C. Sheets (305) 666-4612 Frank Lepore (305) 667-3108 5/31/94 NOAA HURRICANE CONFERENCE OPENS '94 SEASON Many Atlantic and Gulf coastal areas continue to be at risk this hurricane season, June 1 - Nov. 30, but the National Hurricane Center anticipates a new record in accurate forecasting as it tests a whole range of new technology, said the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Robert C. Sheets, director of the National Hurricane Center told hurricane specialists, emergency managers and news media gathered for a seasonal preview that the nation's forecast capability is improving with the introduction this year of a number of new observing systems. These include an expanded network of new Doppler weather surveillance radars along the coast, a new geostationary weather satellite and an important boost in super computer hurricane modeling capability. According to Sheets, however, the risks remain unchanged with the possibility of more frequent damaging hurricanes and continued population growth in highly vulnerable coastal areas, plus public indifference. "Hurricane-prone areas of the nation have received priority in planning the on-going modernization of the National Weather Service, and will continue to receive top attention," said Robert C. Landis, deputy director of the National Weather Service. "Here in Florida we have worked closely with Governor Chiles and state planning and emergency services to expedite delivery of new technology. In the coming months and years we expect the new radars, the GOES satellite system, improved hurricane modeling, and big improvements in public communications to help our forecast experts here in Miami improve the Hurricane Center's already impressive record for accuracy," he said. Landis said that 23 WSR-88Ds will be located along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts to better warn of hurricane landfalls and generation of tornadoes and flash floods as storms move inland. During 1994 56% of the coast will be covered compared with 17% in 1993. This season, the Center will be drawing assistance in hurricane tracking from a new numerical model created by NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J. This will be run on the weather service's new Cray Model C-90 super computer delivered last winter; previous models will perform on an older Cray Model YMP-8. In another promising development for better hurricane forecasting, the Commerce Department has begun the process of procuring NOAA's first high altitude reconnaissance aircraft through informal exchange of information with the aircraft industry. Although no formal bid requests have been issued yet to the industry, Congress has appropriated funds to acquire a next generation aircraft. This season the Center will continue to rely on propeller-driven U.S. Air Force Reserve and Commerce P-3 aircraft. Current research suggests that the nation may be returning to a period like the 1940's-60s where major hurricanes strike the coast more frequently, Sheets said. The increasing population of seasonal and permanent residents along the coasts, particularly on the barrier islands, are at risk from rapidly rising waters known as storm surge. It is difficult to evacuate people from these areas because roadways have not kept pace with population growth. The challenge for the National Hurricane Center, federal, state and local emergency managers, and the media is safeguarding this sizeable population, Sheets said. "Getting the word to the public is critical. The news media, "ham" radio operators and NOAA Weather Radio are essential links to warning the public." "With the strong support of Vice President Gore, we are working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency on a cooperative public- private industry effort. The ultimate goal is extending coverage of NOAA Weather Radio to 95% of the nation [the present system covers 75%- 85% of the nation], especially coastal states," Landis said. This will be coupled with a campaign for families to invest in weather radio receivers. The weather service is also moving in a parallel effort with the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency to improve the Emergency Broadcast Service, a voluntary service provided by radio, TV and cable networks. # NOAA 94-38 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 6/6/94 AMERICANS EATING MORE SEAFOOD; CONSUMPTION RISES IN 1993 Americans ate more seafood in 1993 than in 1992 - consuming nearly 3.9 billion pounds of domestic and imported seafood in 1993 - or 15 pounds per person. That is an increase of 150 million pounds over the 3.7 billion pounds Americans consumed in 1992, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Officials from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service said that the per capita consumption level of 15 pounds per person represents a moderate increase of 0.2 pounds over the 1992 level of 14.8 pounds. Of the 15 pounds of seafood consumed per person, 10.2 pounds were fresh or frozen fish or shellfish, 4.5 pounds were canned seafood, and 0.3 pounds of seafood was cured. Compared to the 1992 figures, that represents a 0.3 pound rise in fresh and frozen product, with a decline of 0.1 pounds in canned seafood. Fisheries service officials say the increase in consumption is largely due to a decline in seafood exports and a rise in edible fish and shellfish caught in the U.S. Imported fish and shellfish comprised 53 percent of the seafood consumed in the United States in 1993. # NOAA 94-39 Contact: Dane Konop Office: (301) 713-2483 (202) 482-6090 6/7/94 COMMERCE SCIENTIST THOMAS N. PYKE, JR., TO HEAD GLOBE PROGRAM Vice President Al Gore today named Thomas N. Pyke, Jr., a Commerce Department scientist, to head the new GLOBE Program, a vice-presidential initiative to create a global network of students, teachers and scientists to monitor the environment and foster environmental awareness through education. Pyke is currently director for High Performance Computing and Communications at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He is also a former head of NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) and has been a national leader in the areas of information technology, environmental satellites and environmental data management. The GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program , was first proposed by the Vice President in his book Earth in the Balance. GLOBE will provide scientists with valuable information about our natural environment, including information on weather, air chemistry and quality, geological measurements and ecology. "We are very excited about the GLOBE Program's unique mix of science and education. The vice president has laid out his vision for GLOBE. Our job now is to turn his vision into reality," Pyke said. "We anticipate that the environmental measurements made by GLOBE students will complement other observations made by scientists and make a tremendous contribution to our understanding of the Earth's environment," he said. "At the same time, students worldwide will gain a greater awareness of the environment. All of us involved in GLOBE look forward to working with today's student-scientists for a better tomorrow for all of us." Pyke earned a BSEE as a Westinghouse Scholar from the Carnegie Institute of Technology and an MSE in Computer Systems as a Ford Foundation Fellow from the University of Pennsylvania. He has received numerous awards, including the Executive Excellence Award from the Federal Interagency Committee on Information Resources Management, the Department of Commerce Silver Medal and the Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive. He is listed in Who's Who in America and is a senior member of the IEEE, a member of the ACM, AAAS, Sigma Xi, Eta Kappa Nu and Omicron Delta Kappa, and is a fellow of the Washington Academy of Sciences, from which he received the Engineering Science Award. Pyke chaired the interagency working group on data management for global change in the creation of a new national data policy for global change data and the completion of a program plan for a government-wide global change data and information system. He is the author of more than 30 technical papers and reports and has lectured widely at conferences and symposiums. He has been active professionally, including membership on the governing board of the IEEE Computer Society and the board of directors of the American Federation of Information Processing Societies. Pyke also served as chairman of the IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on Personal Computing and as a member of the board of governors of the National Space Club. Pyke lives in Arlington, Va., with his wife, Carol, and sons, Christopher and Alexander. # NOAA 94-40 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 6/15/94 CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALE REMOVED FROM ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST The California gray whale, long a symbol of both the plight and the grandeur of the world's great whales, was officially taken off the endangered species list today, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. A 1992 review of the California gray whale by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service showed that the population has increased from less than 10,000 animals in the late 1930's, to about 21,000 animals. NOAA's biologists estimate there are at least as many gray whales as in the pre-whaling days before the California gold rush. "This is a great success story and a cause for celebration," said Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown. "Two tough federal laws from the '70s -- the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act -- have helped bring this animal back from a critically low population." "Although the gray whale is no longer considered in danger of extinction, it will remain safeguarded by the Marine Mammal Protection Act," said NOAA Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere Douglas K. Hall. "NOAA scientists will continue to monitor its status." In addition to actions by the United States, both the Mexican government and the International Whaling Commission have instituted policies to protect the California gray whale. After completing a status review, NOAA asked the Fish and Wildlife Service to de-list the whale. While NOAA has authority to list species under the Endangered Species Act, only the Fish and Wildlife Service can remove a species from the list. Since that time, NOAA has completed and made available to the public its draft "5-Year Plan for Research and Monitoring of the Eastern North Pacific Population of Gray Whales." Two recommended research projects have recently been concluded by NOAA scientists. The results of a survey during the winter of 1993/94 of the gray whales' southbound migration confirmed earlier estimates of gray whale abundance. NOAA scientists presented this information last month at the International Whaling Commission annual meeting in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. As the survey to estimate gray whale calf production during the northbound migration was concluded only late last month, analysis of the data from this research has not been completed. Each winter the California gray whale migrates 13,000 miles down the North American coast from its feeding grounds in the Bering Sea off Alaska to its breeding and calving grounds off Baja California in Mexico. It returns in the spring at a rate of about 50 miles per day. # NOAA 94-41 Contact: Kimberly Comba (301) 713-0622 10/31/94 NOAA FORECASTS WEATHER FOR WORLD CUP GAMES Soccer fans around the world can now use personal computers to get the latest weather forecasts for U.S. cities hosting the World Cup games. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service is making forecasts for each of the nine World Cup cities available on Internet via the NOAA Network Information Center. The NWS has been transmitting forecasts to the international community since June 1, and will continue to do so until July 17. The forecasts have been available in Spanish since June 14. "We are fulfilling our duty to provide free and open information to the world," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., director of the National Weather Service. The service is titled "World Cup USA 94 Weather" and can be obtained at the following Internet address: http://hpcc1.hpcc.noaa.gov/worldc/mainworl.html The World Cup cities are: Boston; Detroit; Chicago; Dallas; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Fla.; and East Rutherford, N.J. (New York City). # NOAA 94-42 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh Frank Lepore NOAA (301) 713-0622 Dave Ryan, (202) 260-2981 EPA (202) 260-2981 Kate Egan, CDC (404) 488-4751 6/28/94 NOAA AND EPA LAUNCH EXPERIMENTAL ULTRAVIOLET EXPOSURE INDEX An experimental program designed to provide the public with an important new addition to the daily weather forecast -- prediction of solar ultraviolet radiation levels -- premiers today in 58 cities throughout the United States. The program, announced jointly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, will offer citizens a look at the next day's level of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and should help them guard against overexposure. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation has been associated with an increased incidence of skin cancer and cataracts, and inhibits the immune system. EPA's Office of Research and Development initiated today's action in 1992 when it approached the National Weather Service to start a program following the success of a similar service in Canada. "With the UV Index forecast, the public should be better informed to take simple actions to reduce overexposure to UV radiation," said EPA assistant administrator Mary Nichols. "Because scientists have estimated that people receive about 80 percent of their lifetime exposure to the sun by the age of 18, we think this is particularly important information for children and their parents." The potential for a daily ultraviolet forecast to result in dollar savings is evidenced by Medicare's biggest cost line item in 1993 for 1.2 million cataract surgical procedures. As the weather service continues to refine the science behind the daily UV forecasts, it will distribute them to 58 cities during the experiment. EPA will work with the Center for Disease Control and a coalition of health, medical and environmental groups to provide information to the public about the UV Index and risks of overexposure to UV radiation. "The weather service will make UV forecasts approximately 30 hours in advance using satellites, ground-based weather observations and computer models," said Elbert W. Friday, Jr., director of the National Weather Service. "We'll use this existing technology at no additional cost to taxpayers." NWS meteorologists plan to begin issuing the experimental forecasts for the 58 cities today. During the course of the experiment, NOAA and EPA will work with the private sector in a partnership to evaluate the level of service provided by an ultraviolet index and develop plans for the future of this service. The ultraviolet forecasts will account for observed and predicted changes in stratospheric ozone data for all 58 cities and include the effects of computer-generated cloudiness for 56 of them. Clouds generally decrease the amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth's surface. Forecasts for Honolulu and San Juan, Puerto Rico, will not include the effects of cloudiness because the computer-generated cloud forecasts are not yet available for these locations. Forecasts will be centrally issued by the weather service's National Meteorological Center in Camp Springs, Md., and sent to forecast offices around the country. Meteorologists at local forecast offices will voice the daily index over the NOAA Weather Radio network; forecasts will also be distributed to public and private meteorologists over the NOAA Weather Wire Service and other weather service information dissemination channels. The daily forecast value in the ultraviolet index will be for approximately 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Daylight Savings Time in each U.S. time zone. The index value is on a scale from 0 to 10, or higher in some areas, with corresponding exposure levels categorized by EPA extending from minimal to very high. The daily index, along with educational materials provided by EPA, will help people make informed personal decisions about the effects of UV rays on their eyes and skin. Various private companies may produce similar forecasts which have different numerical values, but retain the same action messages and descriptions of exposure. # NOAA 94-43 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 7/5/94 U.S. AND RUSSIA SIGN STATEMENT ON SATELLITE SEARCH AND RESCUE The United States and Russia have agreed to closer cooperation in the use of satellites for sea, air and land search and rescue services, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. A statement announcing closer cooperation on satellite use for rescue missions was issued by the U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation, which was established in 1993 to enhance bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas, including space, energy, trade, technology and defense conversion. The Commission is co- chaired by Vice President Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. The statement was signed by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker and Yuri N. Koptev, general director of the Russian Space Agency. Both countries were recognized for their past successes in the coordinated development of a global polar-orbiting satellite system for search and rescue. The statement highlights the potential for geostationary satellites to enhance existing search and rescue efforts. For more than a decade, the United States and Russia have used polar-orbiting satellites to support the search and rescue of maritime, aviation, and land-based users in distress. The United States, Russia, France and Canada provide satellites, instruments and ground receiving capabilities for Cospas-Sarsat, an international program for search and rescue. The program has assisted in the rescue of more than 3,500 individuals throughout the world, on land and at sea. The United States currently has two geostationary environmental satellites, GOES-7, launched in 1987, and GOES-8, launched in April and expected to be operational in October. # NOAA 94-44 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (O) 7/14/94 ALASKA LEADS NATION IN FISH CATCHES; IN NEW ENGLAND, LANDINGS FALL Alaska led the nation in commercial fish landings last year, with a record 5.9 billion pounds, bringing more than $1.4 billion to fishermen in dock-side prices, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Well over half of all the commercial fish landed in the United States last year was unloaded in Alaska's ports. Most of the fish were Alaska pollock, with landings last year of 3.3 billion pounds of the relatively low-value fish. This figure is well above the five-year (1988-92) average of 2.5 billion pounds. The 1993 pollock catch was worth $358 million. Other states didn't fare so well, according to statistics compiled by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. In New England, landings were again down, reflecting continuing shortages from badly depleted groundfish stocks, especially high-demand species like cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder. Total New England landings for 1993 were 605 million pounds, worth $552 million. In 1992 landings were 647 million pounds, worth $603 million. Haddock was at an all-time low of 1.9 million pounds, worth only $2.7 million. Atlantic cod catches fell to 50.5 million pounds (worth $45 million) and yellowtail flounder landings were a record low, just eight million pounds (worth $10.4 million). In 1992 cod catches totalled 61.3 million pounds (worth $52 million) and yellowtail catches were 12.4 million pounds (worth $13.9 million). Louisiana's commercial fish catch, always relatively high because much of it consists of a high-volume but low value "industrial" fish called menhaden, was 1.3 billion pounds, worth $262 million. However, the Gulf of Mexico's highest value fishery, shrimp, was down in 1993 to 206 million pounds, worth $335 million. In 1992 the Gulf states' shrimp catch was 222 million pounds, worth $389 million. Total volume of all fish landed in the United States last year, including the Great Lakes' states, was 10.5 billion pounds, worth $3.5 billion. -- NOTICE TO EDITORS A complete listing of commercial fish landings for all coastal and Great Lakes states, showing volume and value for 1992 and 1993, is available on request. # NOAA 94-45 Contact: Lori Arguelles (202) 482-6090 7/29/94 NOAA SUPPORTS AGREEMENT AMENDING U.N. CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today the Clinton Administration's endorsement of the Law of the Sea treaty will enhance the agency's ability to conduct research and protect the marine environment. "The legal framework of the treaty will enhance our nation's ability to conduct marine research, oversee fishing off U.S. coasts and protect the marine environment," Commerce Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere D. James Baker said. "The United States will benefit from the treaty's provisions for coastal state sovereignty in the 12-mile territorial sea, sovereign rights over fishing and minerals in a 200-mile economic zone and its strong language against overfishing," Baker added. U.S. government officials and industry leaders have sought to assure that the mining agreement provides U.S. citizens with assured and nondiscriminatory access to ocean minerals and the United States with a voice in future decision-making commensurate with its economic interests. Without the amending agreement, the mining agreement portion of the treaty would create a massive new international bureaucracy that could limit production and mandate technology transfer. Its mining arm, called the Enterprise, would operate in competition with private operators under more favorable terms. "Realistic new provisions limit the independent and discriminatory functioning of the Enterprise, provide for U.S. representation in decision-making bodies, abolish annual million dollar exploration fees, eliminate mandatory technology transfer and production controls, and provide existing U.S. miners with access on terms no less favorable than those of other existing miners," said Will Martin, NOAA's deputy assistant secretary for international affairs. # NOAA 94-46 CONTACT: Jean Fitch (301) 713-2370 8/1/94 LATEST STATISTICS ON U.S. FISHERIES AVAILABLE The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's annual report, Fisheries of the United States, 1993, is now available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. Compiled by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, the report provides statistics related to commercial and recreational fisheries. The data provided has proven to be a vital tool for industry and government management of fisheries. Covering a wide range of issues related to the industry, the report includes statistics on commercial and recreational landings, world fisheries, processing, import/export, supply, employment, consumption and prices. To obtain a copy of Fisheries of the United States, 1993, send your request for stock order number 003-020-00164-5, along with a check or money order for $9.00 per copy, to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. To order by phone with a credit card, call the GPO at (202) 783-3238. You may also fax your order to the Superintendent at (202) 512-2250. Indicate your credit card number on your faxed order. Last year's edition of the report, Fisheries of the United States, 1992, may also be obtained from the GPO, for $8.50 per copy. Request stock order number 003-020-00163-7. Since 1949, the Fisheries Statistics Division of the fisheries service has been compiling data and reporting it annually to assist government and industry in making sound fishery management and business decisions. -- EDITOR'S NOTE: Single copies of Fisheries of the United States, 1993 are available to reporters upon request. To obtain a copy, please call Jean Fitch of NOAA Public Affairs at (301) 713-2370. # NOAA 94-47 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 8/1/94 IMPROVED MARINE MAMMAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM ENDS COLOMBIA TUNA EMBARGO The United States has lifted its two-year ban on yellowfin tuna imports from Colombia after Colombian fishermen adopted an improved marine mammal conservation program, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. According to officials of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, the Colombian-flagged purse seine vessel fishing operations in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) resulted in no dolphin deaths or injuries during 1993, and are comparable to the conservation standards of the U.S. tuna vessels fishing in the region. The U.S. embargo was lifted May 6. Imports of dolphin-safe yellowfin tuna and products from yellowfin tuna harvested in the ETP by Colombian vessels with more than a 362 metric-ton carrying capacity will continue through December 31. The fisheries service will again review the tuna fishing operations and conservation program for recertification in November 1994. In the case of yellowfin tuna from the ETP, the Marine Mammal Protection Act requires a ban on the importation of tuna or products made from tuna that have been caught with commercial fishing technology resulting in the incidental death or serious injury of ocean mammals. Observers assigned by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission accompanied all of the fishing trips made by the Colombian vessels in the ETP during 1993. Dolphins in the ETP frequently swim with schools of tuna. A fishing method called purse seining -- in which vessels intentionally encircle tuna and dolphins with a huge net that is then tightened, like a purse, around both fish and dolphins -- has been hazardous to dolphins. The air-breathing dolphins can become entangled in the nets and killed or injured. Through concerted efforts of fishing fleets of several countries, the mortality in the ETP tuna fishery reached a record low last year of about 3,600. In the mid-1980s, more than 100,000 dolphins were being killed in some years. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for protecting dolphins and certain other marine mammals such as whales, seals and sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. # NOAA 94-48 Contact: Hal Alabaster (206) 526-6046 8/12/94 NOAA DEVELOPS NEW APPROACH TO ECOSYSTEM MONITORING Scientists at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle have developed a new and integrated approach to evaluating the nature and extent of contamination in marine systems. The center is part of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While initially applied in Washington state's Puget Sound, these techniques will be useful in the rapid and cost-effective monitoring of marine environmental quality around the country. "The early identification of contaminants is crucial in reducing their impact and improving restoration programs," said Usha Varanasi, director of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. "The contamination of a marine ecosystem generally does not occur in one rapid event, but slowly over the course of time. As with the accumulation of contaminants, the range of effects occurs over time, depending on the type and level of pollution." Effective monitoring, protection and restoration is tied to an understanding of the various stages of the process that contaminated the system, Varanasi added. "The center's Environmental Conservation Division [ECD] has developed screening methods and biomarkers -- techniques that not only make early detection possible, but are more rapid, accurate and cost-effective than traditional methods," she said. The ECD scientists have developed successful methods to determine whether aromatic hydrocarbons (ACs) are present in sediments, and to screen fish tissue samples for exposure to ACs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Certain biomarkers -- such as a fish's ability to metabolize DNA- damaging chemicals, and response of its immune system to contamination - - can identify the extent of both chemical contamination and pollution. Tests to identify three of these biomarkers are now available through ECD for large scale field application. The Environmental Conservation Division of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center works with many government agencies and private organizations to share the methods developed. Individuals wishing further information should contact the Northwest Fisheries Science Center by phone at (206) 860-3200 or by mail at 2725 Montlake Blvd. East., Seattle, WA 98112-2097 # NOAA 94-49 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 8/18/94 CHILEAN CONSERVATION PROGRAM AVOIDS EMBARGO OF CRAB AND CRAB PRODUCTS Chile has taken steps to ensure that marine mammals are not used as bait by the country's commercial crab fishing industry, thus avoiding a U.S. embargo of Chilean crab and crab products, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The action was taken in response to a petition filed by the Defenders of Wildlife, which has now withdrawn its request for the ban on the imports of Chilean crab and crab products, the agency said. Defenders initially filed the petition with the Department of Treasury, and the request was referred to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service for findings and recommendations. Subsequently, a series of meetings were held between U.S. and Chilean officials to address the issue. The Chilean government has increased fisheries enforcement efforts of the Chilean Navy and raised penalties to the highest of any fisheries violation -- $1,000 for each marine mammal or bird taken. Additionally, the Chilean government now provides bait to crab fishermen in the form of fish waste from area fish processing plants, one of which can produce up to 2.5 metric tons per day. It is estimated that the crab fishery uses 300-600 metric tons of bait annually; the Chilean government has stockpiled 40 metric tons of frozen fish waste for use in periods when fish processing is slow. "The conservation efforts of the Chilean government will provide increased protection for marine mammals," said William W. Fox, Jr., director of the Protected Resources Division of the National Marine Fisheries Service. "I've witnessed the many steps the Chileans have taken to address the issue, and I'm impressed by their continuing commitment." He added, "After bringing the issue to our attention, Defenders of Wildlife deserves credit for working cooperatively with both the U.S. government and the government of Chile to resolve the issue. The government of Chile deserves credit for the constructive manner in which it has responded." During 1993, more than 456 metric tons of Chilean crab and crab products worth $5.6 million were imported into the United States. # NOAA 94-50 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 8/22/94 SCIENCE GROUP TO EVALUATE WEATHER SERVICE RADAR COVERAGE PLANS NATIONALLY The Commerce Department's National Weather Service today asked the National Research Council to conduct an independent assessment of the nation's modernized weather radar coverage. "The performance of the new Doppler weather radar has exceeded our expectations and has already helped save lives and property damage," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., NWS director. "This is a major step forward in science, technology and our ability to predict the weather. However, the public is entitled to an independent assessment to ensure there is no degradation of service to all geographic areas of the nation." Some members of Congress and community leaders have questioned whether all areas of the nation will be adequately covered. The National Research Council will examine two issues: 1) whether the Doppler radar meets the statutory requirement of no degradation of service to all geographic areas; 2) how the Doppler radars have performed to date. Doppler weather radar coverage is one of the central technologies of NWS modernization. This modernization is designed to replace outdated equipment and strategically place weather offices to improve the efficiency of weather services. To date, the weather service has installed its new Doppler radar technology at 64 sites around the United States. Another 53 weather service radars are set for installation over the next two years. When the radar network modernization is complete in July 1996, the NWS will have overlapping coverage throughout much of the country, and coverage in areas of the western United States that have never before had weather radars. The NWS network will be supplemented by Doppler radars at 45 Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration sites. # NOAA 94-51 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 8/29/94 U.S. FORECAST SYSTEM TO HELP RELIEVE CENTURIES OLD FLOOD PROBLEM IN CHINA U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown today formally announced an agreement with the People's Republic of China which will eventually bring new flood prediction capabilities to two of China's major flood- prone rivers. "China's major rivers have a great impact on the country's economy," said Secretary Brown. "The river forecast initiative is just the latest example of how U.S. technology transfer can bring tremendous economic and social benefits to other parts of the world." Over the centuries China has experienced some of the world's most catastrophic flooding. A particularly damaging flood in 1935 left 890,000 dead and 12.5 million people homeless; in 1982 flooding damaged or destroyed more than 400,000 homes. Current flooding in China's southern provinces has left more than 1,800 people dead and caused an estimated $8 billion in damages. Developed over 20 years by scientists with the Commerce Department's National Weather Service, the Water Resources Forecast System (WARFS) will allow China's water resource managers to make critical decisions to protect lives and property in the flood plain. The WARFS technology will be of particular benefit on China's most complex and unpredictable body of water, the Huai River, said Curtis Barrett, director of technology transfer for the National Weather Service's Office of Hydrology. "China recognizes that it needs to significantly improve the collecting and processing of hydrological data to make good flood and drought management decisions," Barrett said. Once the system is in place on the Huai River, the Yangtze River will be next in line. WARFS includes commercial computer workstations and software, and hydrometeorological software originally developed by the weather service to forecast floods and droughts along rivers in the United States. Sophisticated computer models incorporate past weather and hydrological data with a system of hydrologic models that accurately predict flows along the river. The U.S. private sector stands to benefit from this relationship through exporting the computer hardware and software technologies as well as potentially through the export of data acquisition and telecommunications systems. U.S. engineering companies are likely to be called upon to provide supporting services to China. "Many countries, including China, have recognized the value of our river forecasting system, and we're continually seeking other opportunities to share this technology in places where it can reduce the impact of floods and droughts," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., director of the National Weather Service. A similar project already exists on the Nile River in Africa. The river forecast project is the latest in a 15-year series of cooperative efforts between the two nations. Since 1979, under three separate science and technology protocols, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has actively collaborated with various Chinese government agencies to address important issues in oceanography, hydrology, and atmospheric science and meteorology. These protocols, two of which are managed by NOAA and one by the U.S. Geological Survey, include cooperation in aquaculture, water resource management, air-sea interaction studies, meteorology, and weather forecasting, among others. The river forecasts generated from the Commerce Department system will allow for: more effective mitigation of extreme events such as floods and droughts, improved operations of irrigation, hydropower and other water resource facilities, and enhanced ecosystem management of fisheries and wetlands. Through exchanges of scientific data, technology and personnel, the United States and China have made important achievements in the natural sciences in supporting sustainable development by protecting natural, economic and human resources. # NOAA 94-52 Contact: Bob Chartuk (516) 244-0166 9/8/94 SUSAN ZEVIN APPOINTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE'S DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR OPERATIONS Susan F. Zevin, director of the National Weather Service's Eastern Region, has been appointed Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations of the weather service, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Zevin's new responsibilities will include managing the daily operations of the National Weather Service. She will take over the responsibilities of Robert C. Landis, who has accepted a position with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). "Dr. Zevin has led the Eastern Region well along the road to modernization and will now join us at weather service headquarters as part of a team that will lead us through this critical transition period," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., NOAA's assistant administrator for weather services. "We are pleased to have her aboard." In addition to overseeing day-to-day operations, Zevin's work with the weather service's modernization and restructuring effort in the Eastern Region had her supervising the installation of almost two dozen state-of-the-art weather forecast offices and associated Doppler weather radar facilities. "The modernization program put great demands on our leadership as we had to continue providing weather services 24 hours a day while rebuilding our infrastructure from the ground up," Friday said. "Susan Zevin performed extremely well in her regional managerial role." NOAA Administrator D. James Baker approved Friday's recommendation of Zevin, stating, "We are pleased to see Susan Zevin elevated to a top leadership position in the National Weather Service. Dr. Zevin has made great strides in modernizing the weather service in the Eastern Region and we are confident that her knowledge and leadership ability will make her a great asset at weather service headquarters." Before her six-year tenure as Eastern Region director and a year as deputy director, Zevin served as senior hydrologist for Program Plans and Analysis at weather services headquarters and as services focal point in the modernization's Transition Program Office. Her career has also included service with the WMO's Operational Multipurpose Subprogramme in the United States, Caribbean Hydrologic Institute in Barbados, and flood forecasting projects in Jamaica and the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers in China. She also served as a U.S. delegate to the WMO Congress in Geneva, Switzerland; chaired the American Meteorological Society's Board of Women and Minorities; and is a member of the American Geophysical Union. The Washington, D.C., native's academic credentials include a Ph.D in hydrology and water resources from the University of Arizona; a master's in geography from the University of Tel Aviv, Israel; and a bachelor's in geography from the University of Pittsburgh. # NOAA 94-53 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 9/8/94 NOAA TESTS AIRBORNE MAPPER OF COASTAL OCEAN SALINITY Initial flight tests of a new system for mapping coastal ocean salinity have been completed, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The system is designed to be operated from small, single-engine aircraft. It is smaller than older systems, which had to be flown on C- 130's because of size. The new system can produce salinity maps at the rate of 100 square kilometers per hour, with 100-meter spatial resolution, said NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), which conducted the testing. "The system, called the scanning low-frequency microwave radiometer, is a unique collection of passive instruments that gather information about the surface salinity and temperature of coastal waters by measuring their natural emission in the microwave and far-infrared bands," said NOAA scientist James Zaitzeff. "Specifically, it consists of an imaging 6-beam, 1.4 GHz microwave radiometer, a two-channel infrared radiometer, a global positioning system for geolocation of the measurements, and a computer for data acquisition, processing, and control," Zaitzeff said. The mapper system was fitted to a U6-A DeHavilland Beaver aircraft, owned by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and used for flight tests. The first flight test was completed over the Chesapeake Bay in August 1993. A second test was completed over the Delaware Bay in April 1994. The most recent test established an accuracy range of 1-1.5 parts per thousand salinity of the water surface. This was verified by direct measurements taken from boats. Personnel from NESDIS and the contractor worked closely with scientists and technicians from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Old Dominion University during the testing. NESDIS anticipates collaborating with other NOAA and federal agencies and academia in coastal ecosystem health, hydrological and coastal forecasting activities where salinity data are critical. These studies include the Florida Bay restoration, Mississippi Delta and Gulf of Mexico brown shrimp distribution studies. The system was developed by Quadrant Engineering, Inc. of Hadley, Mass, under a Department of Commerce Small Business Innovative Research contract. # NOAA 94-54 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 9/9/94 FIRST COSPAS-SARSAT 406 Mhz EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER REGISTERED AT THE UNITED STATES MISSION CONTROL CENTER A new and more powerful emergency locator transmitter that would enable rescuers to more accurately locate downed aircraft has been registered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for use on private planes, the agency announced. Emergency locator transmitters are designed to automatically activate and transmit via satellite a distress signal when an aircraft crashes and provide a homing signal rescuers to locate the crash site. The emergency locator transmitter that will use the 406 Megahertz frequency will be able to locate downed aircraft with greater accuracy of within one to three miles, NOAA said. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) is registered to E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. of Wilmington, Del. The ELT is one of ten the company's aviation division is installing aboard its corporate aircraft. The company registered with NOAA on Aug. 24. Legislation enacted in 1974 requires most U.S. fixed-wing aircraft to carry an ELT. In 1982, the COSPAS-SARSAT satellite system was developed to use the 406 Mhz frequency for distress beacons. COSPAS-SARSAT is an international search and rescue program that uses polar orbiting satellites to detect emergency beacons activated by aviation, maritime and terrestrial users in distress. The COSPAS-SARSAT system, together with the 406 MHz ELT, offers the user the benefits of location accuracy of 2-5 km (1-3 miles), global detection, and a unique digital signal that is associated with a 406 MHz beacon registration database. Registration of 406 MHz ELTs is mandatory in the United States. The registration database is kept at the United States Mission Control Center in Suitland, Md., just outside of Washington, D.C. The USMCC, managed and operated by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, collects data from U.S. operational ground stations at seven locations. The center is an integral part of the COSPAS-SARSAT system. COSPAS-SARSAT uses search and rescue payloads aboard NOAA environmental satellites and Russian navigation satellites. The COSPAS- SARSAT system has helped save nearly 4,000 lives since the first rescue in British Columbia, Canada, on Sept. 9, 1982. When an emergency beacon is activated, the signal is received by the COSPAS and SARSAT polar orbiting satellites and relayed to an international network of ground stations. The ground station processes the alert data and forwards it to a national mission control center (MCC), which sends the alert message to the appropriate land or maritime rescue coordination center. There are 13 operational MCCs and 25 operational ground receiving stations in the international COSPAS-SARSAT System. 406 MHz ELTs are authorized for voluntary use by the Federal Aviation Administration. The Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, which represents users, manufacturers, and the search and rescue community, is currently working on a recommendation to the FAA concerning mandatory requirements for the 406 ELT. NOAA estimates that the mandatory requirement for 406 MHz ELTs could result in more than 90 additional lives saved annually, greater reduction in injuries, false alert reduction of at least 95 percent, reduced risks to search and rescue responders, and annual savings of $7.1 million to public and private search and rescue providers. The first registered 406 MHz ELT opens the door to the probability that all aircraft will carry the COSPAS-SARSAT 406 MHz ELT in the future. # NOAA 94-56 Contact: Scott Smullen, NOAA (301) 713-2370 9/27/94 FEDERAL FISH MANAGERS SEEK COMMENT ON SUGGESTIONS TO ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE OF FISH AT HYDROPOWER DAMS The federal government has suggested streamlining procedures for establishing fishways that help fish bypass hydropower dams without injury, the Commerce Department announced. The action, called an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking, was submitted recently by the Commerce and the Interior Department to solicit public comment on procedures that may affect non-federal hydropower projects licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The goal of the suggested proposal, co-sponsored by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is to provide guidance to agency staff, increase consistency and predictability in the rules that require fishways, and improve coordination among federal agencies, hydropower interests and the FERC. The federal agencies will collect public comment through October 31. "We feel this proposal can strengthen the agencies' ability to establish fishways that will increase fish survival at hydropower facilities and help the hydropower industry by adding certainty to the licensing process," said Rolland A. Schmitten, director of NMFS in Silver Spring, Md. "By improving predictability for the hydropower industry and improving consistency in agency practice, the proposal can serve as a catalyst for all parties to work together effectively." Fishways are mechanisms that help fish travel upstream or downstream past a hydropower dam, and may include equipment such as fish ladders, lifts and screens as well as operational measures. The departments' fishway proposal could codify existing guidance on construction, operation and maintenance necessary to ensure safe fish passage over the term of a hydropower license. If the measure reaches the proposed rulemaking stage, the agencies will codify fishway processing procedures in a consistent manner nationally. The clarified procedure would allow license applicants and agency employees to better understand the basis for needed studies and any subsequent fishway prescriptions, thereby improving the complex FERC licensing process. The Commerce and Interior departments have authority to establish fishways to ensure safe passage of fish at hydropower projects licensed by FERC under Section 18 of the Federal Power Act. A copy of the notice may be obtained from, and written comment should be sent to, Director, Office of Habitat Protection, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md. 20910-3282, or the Chief, Division of Habitat Conservation (400 ARLSQ) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1849 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240. # NOAA 94-57 Contact: Janet Amber (202) 482-6090 9/30/94 EL NINO AND CLIMATE PREDICTION PUBLICATION RELEASED The first publication describing the El Nino weather phenomenon written for the general public has just been released. El Nino and Climate Prediction is a collaborative effort of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Never before has there been such broad input from the scientific community on the subject of El Nino in a publication designed for the general public. Vividly illustrated with multi-color computer graphics, El Nino and Climate Prediction contains the latest information available on the El Nino weather phenomenon. It describes the characteristics of El Nino, its effects on human beings, animals and plants, and the past and present efforts of scientists and governments to understand and predict it. "El Nino and Climate Prediction is a wonderful tool for educating the public about this weather phenomenon that has far-reaching economic implications," said NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. "Ideally, it will become an integral part of educational curricula not just nationwide, but around the world." El Nino is a disruption in the normal interplay of wind and water in the tropical Pacific that can affect local ecosystems and human lives all over the globe. It is second only to the change of the seasons in its impact on world climate and a much greater challenge to predict. El Nino forecasts are invaluable, particularly for developing countries of the tropics, where economies based on food production are highly sensitive to climate fluctuations. Of the 20 or so El Ninos that have occurred in this century thus far, the 1982-83 event was the strongest. Floods, coastal erosion, drought, forest fires and tropical storms were some of its documented environmental effects. The resultant loss to the world economy in 1982- 83 amounted to many billions of dollars. El Nino and Climate Prediction is the third publication in the award-winning "Reports to the Nation On Our Changing Planet" series. The first publication in the series, The Climate System, won the Society for Technical Communication 'Best of Show' Award in 1992. A catered reception in celebration of the release of El Nino and Climate Prediction will be held Sept. 30 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at NOAA's Auditorium and Science Center at 1301 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md. Sponsored by NOAA's Office of Global Programs, the reception will feature D. James Baker; Office of Global Programs Director J. Michael Hall; and University of Washington professor of atmospheric sciences John M. Wallace, the primary author of the publication. Reception-goers will receive a copy of the publication and a four- color, double-sided El Nino poster and will have hands-on access to a new computer multi-media package describing NOAA called "NOAA View." Expected guests include representatives of embassies and private- and public-sector science and technology organizations, Congressional staff, and science and technology media. -- Editor's Note: Single copies of El Nino and Climate Prediction may be obtained by contacting John Kermond, NOAA Office of Global Programs, at (301) 427-2089 ext. 22. A "class set" of up to 30 publications will be available to teachers who make their request on their school letterhead. Requests for class sets should be addressed to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Office for Interdisciplinary Earth Studies, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000; phone (303) 497-2692; fax (303) 497-2699; internet: oies@ncar.ucar.edu. Once such a request has been made, the teacher's name is put on a mailing list, and the teacher will automatically receive publications upon their release. # NOAA 94-58 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/4/94 NOAA ANNOUNCES NEW ACCESS TO OCEAN DATA Sailors, fishermen, students, scientists and mariners will now be able to receive a wide range of oceanographic information and charts via a new automated fax service, the Commerce Department announced today. Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has begun a 24-hour dial-up service -- 900-288-CHART -- whereby the public can receive 15 different analysis charts, such as sea surface temperatures and surface current speed and direction. The calls will cost $1.50 per minute, with charts taking two-four minutes to transmit. NOAA's Ocean Products Center has established the new service as part of the administration's directive to make the environmental information and analyses produced by NOAA more readily available to the public. With this new system, NOAA analyses will be available at both high and low resolution for various regions of the coastal U.S. and the Atlantic and Pacific ocean areas . High resolution products cover small regional areas like the Northeast U.S., whereas low resolution products cover large geographical areas like the North Atlantic Ocean. The Ocean Products Center will also provide technical assistance in interpreting any of the fax charts. A call to 900-288-HELP ($3.00 per minute) between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (EST), Monday-Friday, will reach a staff oceanographer. Although every effort will be made to guarantee the availability of products and technical assistance, the OP cannot guarantee that all charts will be available at all times, or that staff oceanographers will be able to answer all questions. To dial into the system, you must have a fax machine with a telephone handset. This setup allows requested charts to be sent immediately. If you are using a fax/modem in a personal computer, the Ocean Products Center can also provide instructions to allow for retrieval this way. After calling the 900 number, callers will be given basic information about the service and then asked to enter a password if products are desired. For the public, this password is 1111, followed by #. In addition to the oceanographic charts, information about the fax system and services will also be available, including a complete 17-page package containing detailed instructions, product descriptions and samples. You may also obtain this package free of charge by mail by writing to the NOAA Ocean Products Center, Room 100, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, MD 20746, ATTN: Jeanette Bass. # NOAA 94-R241 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 9/19/94 GIANT FOOD MILK CARTONS PROMOTE NOAA WEATHER RADIO Washington, D.C., area residents now can learn all about the Commerce Department's weather radio's life-saving capabilities as they munch their favorite breakfast cereals or cook in their kitchens. Word of the agency's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) weather warnings appear on a quarter million milk cartons being distributed by Giant Food Inc. in the Washington, D.C., area. Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown welcomed the Weather Service promotion, saying it was an effective way of heightening public awareness of the existence of NOAA weather broadcasts that provide citizens with early warning of dangerous weather and advise them on what action to take to ensure their safety. "We are very enthusiastic about this project. It is a fine example of the kind of public-private partnerships the Department of Commerce is fostering," he said. The Giant milk carton promotion is part of a government-private sector initiative begun by Vice President Gore to strengthen the nation's weather radio network and reduce the risk to lives and property when severe weather strikes. The Vice President's initiative is aimed at expanding the network of transmitters to reach 95 percent of the population. The initiative was launched after 20 worshippers at the Goshen United Methodist Church in Piedmont, Ala., were killed when a tornado struck the church on Palm Sunday last March. The tragedy may have been averted if the church had been equipped with an inexpensive weather radio, NOAA said. "Our goal is to someday have a NOAA Weather Radio in every home, just like a smoke detector, in schools, hospitals and other public places," National Weather Service Director Elbert W. Friday Jr., said. The NOAA Weather Radio network has been broadcasting since the early 1970s. But the fact was not well known to the public. Part of the educational campaign recommends that homes and public gathering places be equipped with special tone-alert weather radios, which sit silently until automatically activated by a special broadcast tone that precedes emergency announcements and warnings. For people in the Washington area, NOAA Weather Radio offers warnings for potential tornadoes, severe storms and flooding. This system also carries broadcasts of man-made hazards such as gas or oil spills. Regular forecasts are also broadcast 24 hours a day. A toll-free phone number on the cartons -- 800-777-NOAA -- offers consumers more information on the NOAA Weather Radio network and where they can go to purchase a weather radio receiver. # NOAA 94-R101 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (W) James Desler (202) 482-4883 1/3/94 COMMERCE APPROVES NEW ENGLAND GROUNDFISH REBUILDING PLAN Commerce Department Secretary Ronald H. Brown today approved a plan to begin restoring stocks such as cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder by reducing fishing off New England 50 percent over the next five to seven years. The action comes in response to a virtual collapse of the New England groundfish stocks. Brown also announced that he is proposing that $2.5 million be made available to communities as an initial effort to address the economic effects of the decline of the northeast fishery. The restrictions will have a major effect on New England fishermen, National Marine Fisheries Service Director Rolland Schmitten said. However, additional measures may be needed because some stocks are in such poor condition. He said haddock stocks, for example, are at about six percent of 1960s levels. "This plan calls for measures that impose significant restrictions," Schmitten added. "But if we fail to act now, the resource will be lost and the future economic base of many New England communities will be undermined." Commerce also announced it will invite affected northeast fishing communities to submit applications for $1 million made available through Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds for planning grants. The proposal will fund about eight to 10 grants designed to determine how communities can best respond to changes in the fishing industry. The department is also evaluating proposals to spend $1.5 million in federal funds appropriated by Congress last year to assist fishermen during the period of stabilizing and rebuilding the stocks. The historic reductions in fishing effort were deemed necessary by the New England Fishery Management Council, which prepared the plan, and by the department because of record low numbers of fish. Groundfish landings, according to fisheries service scientists, fell 30 percent between 1990 and 1992. Of particular concern, say the scientists, is the small number of haddock capable of producing young -- the so-called spawning stock. The Georges Bank haddock spawning stock over the past 30 years has been reduced from about 160,000 metric tons to approximately 10,000 metric tons in 1993. In response to fishing industry and community concerns, the department has asked the council to consider immediate modification of several management measures, including the size of vessels that are exempt from effort control measures. The department will also delay for at least six months the effective date for installation of vessel tracking systems on affected vessels to give fishermen time to adjust to the new regulations. Brown also agreed to initiate an experimental fishery in order to gather more data about the status of the stocks and will authorize up to 20 fishing trips for this purpose. The department is also asking the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council to coordinate with the New England Council to make sure there are no restrictions that might deter New England fishermen from switching their efforts to healthier stocks. Commerce's Office of Sustainable Development, led by John Bullard, will hold a series of meetings in the northeast to help communities plan their future. Beginning in late January, Bullard will lead a team of officials to Gloucester, New Bedford, and Chatham in Massachusetts. In Maine, the team will go to Portland and Ellsworth and then on to Point Judith, R.I., Long Island, N.Y. and Cape May, N.J. The principal measures approved in the new plan include: o A moratorium on most new entrants into the fishery. o A phased-in system to reduce fishing, in which owners of most vessels more than 45 feet long must choose between (a) taking gradual reductions in fishing time based on their historical days at sea, or (b) a combination of reduced fishing time and increased time at the dock between fishing trips. The "time outs" would increase over the next five years. o A requirement, to be phased in, that certain vessels install a vessel tracking unit. However, vessel owners will have the option of selecting fishing limitation methods which do not require a tracking system. o A prohibition of pair-trawling, a method whereby two boats pull a single net between them. o A requirement that vessel operators and fish dealers obtain federal permits and report catch data to the National Marine Fisheries Service. The amendment includes a proposal to let the fishery management council make yearly adjustments of management measures to meet the plan's goals. In addition, the Commerce Department today imposed an emergency measure aimed at protecting spawning haddock and undersized or immature fish. The department has requested that the New England Fishery Management Council adopt the restrictions on haddock as part of its groundfish management plan. The emergency provisions include: o A closed area to protect concentrations of spawning haddock. o Most boats limited to 500 pounds of haddock per trip. o Minimum fish sizes. o Minimum mesh sizes for fishing nets that vary by area. -- FACT SHEET AMENDMENT 5 OBJECTIVES o To eliminate the overfished condition of the principal groundfish stocks (haddock, cod and yellowtail flounder) by reducing the harvest rate at which fish are caught by 50 percent over the next five years (consistent with the consent decree with the Conservation Law Foundation). o To reduce the bycatch of harbor porpoise in the sink gillnet fishery. ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT MEASURES o A requirement to reduce the take of harbor porpoise by removing all sink gillnets from the water at specified times each month, starting with four days per month in 1994, eight days per month the following two years, 12 days per month in 1997, and 16 days per month in 1998. These effort reductions are subject to adjustments from annual framework measures. STATUS OF GROUNDFISH STOCK ABUNDANCE o Commercial landings of the chief groundfish species were 80,000 metric tons in 1992, a 30 percent reduction from 1990. o The 1992 landings for the chief groundfish species are less than 25 percent of the maximum sustainable yield for this resource (400,000 metric tons) relative to historic landings. o Georges Bank cod and haddock abundance for fish capable of spawning are at historically low amounts. o Spawning age yellowtail flounder from southern New England are at historically low abundance levels. o Harvestable (legal) size haddock, cod, and yellowtail flounder are at or near historically low abundance levels. # NOAA-94R102 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 1/7/94 NOAA IMPLEMENTS GULF REEF FISH AMENDMENT; REJECTS TWO SPECIAL FISHING ZONES The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today a plan aimed at conserving overfished Gulf of Mexico reef fish stocks and improving enforcement of key management measures will go into effect Feb. 7. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service will implement Amendment 5 to the management plan for Gulf of Mexico reef fish. Not approved was a provision creating two 360-square-mile special management zones off Alabama for recreational fishing. The fisheries service, however, approved creation of a smaller zone of about 100 square miles off Alabama in which fishing gear will be restricted to protect reef fish there. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council suggested all three zones as part of the Amendment 5 proposal submitted for secretarial review last September and approved in December. The fisheries service considered more than 100 comments about the zones during a public review period and concluded that approval of the larger zones could eliminate an important vermilion snapper fishery in the proposed areas off Alabama. Andrew Kemmerer, director of the fisheries service's southeast region in St. Petersburg, Fla., said creation of the zones was a contentious issue in Amendment 5, mainly because of concerns that the zones favored recreational fisheries. "Even though the two larger zones weren't approved, the council may resubmit these measures for reconsideration with better justification and more public review," said Kemmerer. The special management zones are offshore ocean tracts where fishing for reef fish is restricted by gear type and other restrictions designed to prevent overfishing. Principal measures approved in Amendment 5 include: o Designation of a special management zone off Alabama (tract A), where fishing with more than three hooks per line is restricted to bag limits for reef fish, or 5 percent by weight of all fish aboard for reef fish without bag limits. o A limit on use of fish traps in Gulf of Mexico federal waters to those who landed reef fish from fish traps in that area during 1991 or 1992, as reported to the National Marine Fisheries Service on or before Nov. 19, 1992. Owners of permitted vessels meeting this criterion will receive revised reef fish permits with fish trap endorsements. Ineligible owners of permitted vessels will be notified that their current fish trap endorsements will be invalid as of Feb. 7. o A requirement that all fish traps be returned to port at the end of each fishing trip. o A requirement that a floating buoy be used for each fish trap, or each end trap in a series connected by a line. o A provision for the review and designation of future special management zones under criteria listed for a regulatory amendment procedure in Amendment 5. o An increase in the red snapper minimum size limit to a total length of 14 inches effective Feb. 7, followed by a one-inch increase on Jan. 1, 1996 and 1998. o Closure of a mutton snapper spawning aggregation area (Riley's Hump) in federal waters to all fishing during May and June of each year. o A requirement that all finfish, other than certain bait and oceanic migratory species, be possessed in federal waters with head and fins intact until they are unloaded. o Initiation of bag limits to non-permitted fishing vessels that possess reef fish in Gulf federal waters regardless of where they were harvested. Copies of the final rule are available from Robert Sadler, Fishery Operations Branch, NMFS, 9450 Koger Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33702. Copies of Amendment 5 and supporting documents may be obtained from the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 5401 West Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 331, Tampa, Fla. 33609. # NOAA 94-R103 Contact: Scott Smullen NMFS (301) 713-2370 Georgia Parham - USFWS (202) 208-5634 1/21/94 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WILL STUDY ATLANTIC SALMON FOR POSSIBLE LISTING UNDER ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT The National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced they are beginning a joint study to determine whether populations of anadromous Atlantic salmon in New England should be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The action comes after a 90-day review of a petition submitted to the Fish and Wildlife Service last October and to the National Marine Fisheries Service in November. The petition, filed by the Biodiversity Legal Foundation, RESTORE: The North Woods, and Jeffrey Elliott, seeks listing of the species throughout its U.S. range -- from the Connecticut River to the St. Croix River on the New Brunswick border. The petition introduces information on current and historical Atlantic salmon populations, identifies possible threats, and cites numerous scientific articles. Based on the review of the petition and other available data, the agencies believe listing may be warranted and will now review all pertinent information. A decision on whether to initiate listing procedures will be made by October 1994. "We have been working cooperatively with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Northeast for the restoration of self- sustaining populations of Atlantic salmon for years," said Rolland Schmitten, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. "Work on this petition will set precedent for the two agencies to combine resources, assess progress and plan strategies together." "Atlantic salmon are one of the wonders of our northeastern rivers," said Mollie Beattie, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. "We will seek information from all those who care about the salmon before we decide whether this species should be proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act." Anadromous Atlantic salmon spend the early portions of their lives in fresh water before migrating to salt water. As adults, they return to freshwater rivers to spawn. The species was once considered abundant in many New England rivers, but by 1870, populations in all but a few waterways had disappeared. Construction of hydroelectric dams, pollution, and overfishing contributed to this decline. Cooperative efforts among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service and the New England states have partially restored salmon runs in the Penobscot, Connecticut, and Merrimack rivers during the past two decades. To ensure the review of the species status is complete and based on the best available data, the agencies are asking the public for any information concerning the status of U.S. populations of anadromous Atlantic salmon. The agencies will review the public comments along with all other available information to determine whether listing action is warranted. # NOAA 94-R104 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 1/26/94 LOW NUMBERS OF KLAMATH RIVER SALMON RETURN TO SPAWN The 1993 fall run of nearly 21,000 chinook salmon in California's and Oregon's Klamath River basin, although the strongest since 1989, did not reach federal pre-season goals, according to the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Fisheries scientists from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service point to severe loss of habitat and the recent extended drought as possible causes of historically low numbers of returning Klamath chinook salmon. Tight restrictions on ocean and river fishing for Klamath salmon have been required so sufficient numbers of fish can return to spawn. Only 20,880 naturally spawning fall chinook salmon escaped ocean fishermen and river fishing last fall to return to the spawning grounds of the Klamath and Trinity rivers, according to figures released by the California Department of Fish and Game. The spawning escapement fell far short of the goal set by the Secretary of Commerce and marked the fourth consecutive year that the run failed to meet the minimum spawning escapement goal of 35,000 naturally spawning adults. The minimum escapement goal, or floor, is specified by the Pacific Salmon Fishery Management Plan and is regarded as the minimum number of spawners needed to protect the productive potential of the natural stock. The Secretary of Commerce, in an emergency regulation last April, set the 1993 spawning escapement goal at 38,000 with the hope of avoiding a fourth year of sub-floor escapement. Fisheries scientists had predicted that under the secretary's fishery management measures, 72,600 salmon would return to the Klamath River, of which 21,200 were allocated to sport and Indian net fishers. The river run of two-year-olds, which predicts the strength of the next year's ocean three-year-old population, was the fourth lowest since 1978; only 7,576 returned, compared to the run of 13,688 in 1992. The exact cause of the shortfall will not be known until the coded wire tags recovered from the salmon caught in the fisheries are analyzed by state and federal scientists this spring. The tags will provide information on 1993 ocean harvest levels of Klamath stock so scientists can estimate the abundance of chinook salmon for the 1994 salmon season. # NOAA 94-R105 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 2/1/94 NOAA TO OBSERVE NAVY SHIP TESTS In efforts to protect marine mammals, the U.S. Navy will be granted a permit under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act that will for the first time allow independent monitoring of its mandatory underwater explosives testing of ships off California, the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. "Although the Navy has tested ships this way for many years, this is the first time it has asked for our help in developing a strategy to minimize harm to marine mammals," said Rolland Schmitten, director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. "We are pleased to be of assistance in providing additional monitoring and checkpoints so that our obligation to provide environmental protection for marine mammals is carried out appropriately while balancing our national defense obligations." The permit, valid for five years, stipulates the Navy must observe strict rules and procedures devised by the fisheries service to ensure that both maximum protection and minimum harm come to marine mammals located in the Navy's outer-sea test range of the Pt. Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center, 65 miles off the coast of Ventura County, Calif. As an added safeguard, the permit requires the Navy to renew the testing authorization each year with the fisheries service. The Navy applied to the fisheries service for the five-year permit in May 1993. The Marine Mammal Protection Act allows such permits to be issued for activities that may result in marine mammals possibly being harmed, provided the "take" will have a negligible impact on any species or its habitat. "Our biologists have conducted research to make certain that the maximum possible safeguards are in place during testing," Schmitten added. Special protective provisions in the Navy's permit include a two- nautical-mile safety range that will be surveyed by 10 to 15 fisheries service biologists located in five aircraft and the test ship itself. The aerial and surface monitoring will start more than two hours before detonation time and continue for more than two hours following the test. Testing will be postponed if marine mammals are observed within the testing zone or if weather and sea conditions prevent adequate monitoring. Fisheries service biologists have spent more than a year surveying the Navy's test range to pinpoint three detonation sites where marine mammals are least likely to live. Under the National Defense Authorization Act, each new class of Navy ship must undergo a series of underwater explosive shocks before the ship can be released to the fleet. The detonations simulate near misses from mines, torpedoes and projectiles to determine the structural integrity of the ship and its vital components, such as electrical systems. This testing helps the Navy identify and correct weaknesses in ship design early in the construction of a new class of vessel and thereby improve the chances for the crew's survival. # NOAA 94-R106 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 2/7/94 NOAA TO DELAY VESSEL TRACKING SYSTEM REQUIREMENT FOR SCALLOPERS, GROUNDFISHERMEN The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has delayed a requirement that mid-Atlantic scallop fishermen and New England groundfishermen install on their vessels special automated tracking systems so their days at sea can be monitored. The vessel tracking requirement is part of two comprehensive fishery management plans that are scheduled to go into effect March 1. The plans are aimed at reducing fishing pressure on the stocks by limiting the days fishing boats can spend at sea. The requirement, which will affect a total of about 1,000 boats in both fisheries, is being delayed until special on-shore electronic equipment to record the fishing vessels' transmissions can be installed, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service said. The requirement will be delayed at least six months for New England groundfishing vessels. The delay for scallop vessels is likely to be less, according to the fisheries service, which will administer the program. Fisheries service officials said fishermen will be given at least 30 days' notice before they will be required to have an operational monitoring system on board. Fisheries service managers said that computer technology for vessel tracking has never before been applied to fisheries as large as these. The monitoring system uses a special transmitter installed on a fishing vessel that automatically sends a signal, via satellite, to a ground station. The ground station will provide computerized information daily to the fisheries service. Until the automated system is installed, vessel operators will call the fisheries service Northeast regional office in Gloucester, Mass., to let officials know when they are fishing. The fisheries service estimates that about 400 scallop vessels will be affected by the days-at-sea restrictions. A full-time scalloper could see his days at sea reduced from the present rate of about 216 days per year to 204 in 1994, 164 in 1997 and 120 by the year 2000. About 600 groundfishing vessels will see similar restrictions over the next five to seven years. # NOAA 94-R107 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 2/9/94 Draft Plan to Protect Northwest Salmon Moves Forward The National Marine Fisheries Service, along with four other federal agencies, has released a preliminary agreement on a comprehen- sive five-year plan to provide significant new quantities of water to improve the survival of threatened and endangered juvenile salmon in the Snake and Columbia river basins. "This multi-agency comprehensive approach at the regional level is a major step forward as we pursue long-term solutions to recovering our diverse resources and managing them better in the future," said Gary Smith, acting northwest regional director for the fisheries service. "We are faced with a long-term problem that calls for a long-term solution. These endangered and threatened fish cannot be saved by a single agency acting alone." The draft plan calls for increasing water flow in the area and taking periodic flow management measures to protect the threatened and endangered salmon, whose numbers have been substantially reduced due to dams and other causes along the Columbia and Snake rivers. The draft plan, the result of consultations under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, now goes to the four states (Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana) and 13 tribal governments in the region for a seven day technical review. The fisheries service has reached an understanding with the three federal agencies responsible for the management and operation of the river systems, including the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, and with the other federal agency with resource management responsibilities, the Fish and Wildlife Service. "I'm especially gratified by the efforts and cooperation exhibited by the states, tribal governments and the Northwest Power Planning Council," said Smith. "It shows a real commitment to exploring creative ways to meet the needs of all parties involved, from the fisheries resource managers to the regional electric power customers." "There is no question the agreement the agencies forged provides biological benefits for the fish, but it also allows us to phase in changes over a multi-year period," said Randy Hardy, BPA administrator. "This gives us the flexibility to seek cost-effective and creative marketing arrangements so that we can minimize the impacts to Northwest rate payers." The draft plan recommends that the operation of the hydropower system in the Columbia River Basin does not jeopardize the future survival of the salmon, based on a projected increase in survivability over the base period due to increased water that will be provided under the opinion. However, if water conditions deteriorate to such an extent that the operating agencies will be unable to meet the water requirements set forth in the opinion, the agencies are to reinitiate consultation. The draft biological opinion responds to actions proposed by the BPA, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation -- the federal agencies operating the Northwest hydropower system. To achieve necessary flow objectives, during each operating year, beginning in 1994, the responsible agencies have agreed to release up to 10.9 million acre-feet, if necessary, during critical fish migrations. (An acre-foot is a volume of water that would cover an acre to a depth of one foot). Starting in 1995, BPA and the Bureau of Reclamation will provide annual, incremental increases totaling one million acre-feet from the Columbia River. By the end of 1998, flow augmentation will have increased in the basins to reach 11.55 million acre feet. Because of current drought-related poor water conditions, the fisheries service is also calling for additional measures if these initial water flows are insufficient. These could include water drawdowns from the Grand Coulee Reservoir in Washington, Libby Reservoir in Montana and reservoirs in the upper Snake River. BPA will create a fund that will provide $40 million by 1998 to address drought-related effects on the affected species. Other efforts include a predator control program, stepped-up law enforcement to curb illegal fishing, fish tagging to monitor young fish and provide data on downstream migration, and testing to see how well fish survive the new flow regimens. # NOAA 94-R108 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 2/17/94 New England Fishermen Granted Delay in Permit Application Implementation of some new government regulations, aimed at rebuilding seriously depleted fish stocks off New England, will be delayed until May 1, giving fishermen an extension to file for vessel permits, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced today. The new regulations, part of a fisheries management plan (known as Amendment 5) to rebuild overfished stocks of cod, yellowtail flounder and haddock off New England, were originally scheduled to go into effect March 1, with fishermen encouraged to apply for new permits under the plan before the end of February. Under the extension, the fisheries service must receive a completed vessel permit application by March 31 to guarantee a fisherman receipt of a permit by May 1. The delay will allow the fisheries service enough time to process an anticipated 5,300 permit applications. The fisheries service's Northeast regional office issued about 15,000 commercial permits in all categories last year. The delay will also give fishermen more time to examine which of several permit categories they should choose. The choice will have important implications for the future activities of a vessel, including how many days at sea it can fish over the next several years. Reduced days at sea is at the heart of Amendment 5's goal of a 50-percent cut in fishing effort off New England over the next five to seven years. "The various category requirements and restrictions the new plan offers are very complex," said Richard Roe, director of the fisheries service's Northeast region in Gloucester, Mass. "A lot of our fishermen are reluctant to lock themselves into a category until they've discussed their options with someone knowledgeable here in the regional office." Roe said in the past three weeks, the regional office has received more than 1,000 calls and requests for assistance from fishermen from Maine to New Jersey. Until May 1, vessels holding federal "multispecies permits" can continue to fish using their 1993 permits, according to the fisheries service. Some of the requirements of Amendment 5 will still go into effect March 1, as originally scheduled. These include restrictions on sink gillnets to reduce the accidental capture of harbor porpoises, a ban on pair trawling (in which two boats tow a single net between them), and new requirements for use of nets with bigger mesh openings when fishing in certain areas. The fisheries service recently announced that it is delaying for at least six months the requirement that vessels carry special automated tracking systems to monitor their days at sea. That delay, until at least Sept. 1, is still in effect. Roe said, in addition, that any vessel owner who feels he has chosen a wrong permit category based on incomplete information can pick a new category by requesting one in writing within 30 days of receiving his new permit. # NOAA 94-R109 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 2/26/94 Two Fishery Management Plans Go Into Effect In New England March 1 Two comprehensive fishery management plans for New England, one aimed at rebuilding heavily exploited Atlantic sea scallops and the other at restoring collapsed groundfish stocks, will go into effect March 1, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The sea scallop plan, known as Amendment 4, calls for a moratorium on new federal scallop permits, a seven-year phased-in program to significantly limit scallop boats' days at sea, and restrictions on crew size, fishing gear and vessel upgrades. The scallop plan was originally supposed to go into effect Jan. 1, but was delayed until March 1, to give both fishermen and processors time to prepare for its requirements, including a key requirement that scallop dredges be equipped with larger rings to reduce the number of small scallops being harvested. The groundfish plan, known as Amendment 5, is aimed at rebuilding such traditionally popular fish stocks as cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder. Like the scallop plan, Amendment 5 relies on a reduced days-at-sea provision that is supposed to cut fishing effort in half over the next five to seven years. Some aspects of the groundfish plan, including the days-at-sea provision and vessel permits, have been delayed until May 1. A provision to protect harbor porpoises that requires sink gillnets to be removed from the water four days a month (progressing to 16 days a month by 1998) has been delayed until April 15. The days-at-sea provisions of both plans rely on vessels' installing an automated satellite-linked tracking system so their locations can be monitored. However, the fisheries service has announced that requirement, which will affect a total of about 1,000 vessels in both fisheries, is being delayed. The delay will be for at least six months in the case of groundfishing vessels. The delay for scallop fishermen may be less, the fisheries service said. Fisheries service officials said both groups of fishermen will be given ample notice of when they will be required to install the vessel tracking system # NOAA 94-R110 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 3/1/94 Six-Inch Mesh Requirement Delayed Until April 1 for New England Fishermen New England groundfish fishermen have until March 31 to purchase and install large-mesh nets required in certain areas of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service. A government fishery management plan known as Amendment 5, which goes into effect today, originally called for fishermen to use six- inch mesh in their nets when fishing in the regulated areas of the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank and the juvenile fish protection areas of Stellwagen Bank and Jeffreys Ledge to the north and west of Boston. The fisheries service said it was implementing the delay to give fishermen sufficient time to comply with the new mesh requirement. Between March 1 and March 31, groundfishermen must continue to use 5-1/2 inch mesh in their nets. Nets with smaller mesh sizes can catch smaller fish, increasing the likelihood that sexually immature fish will be harvested. # NOAA 93-R111 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 3/2/94 Scallop Fishermen Have Until May 1 to Upgrade Dredges Scallop fishermen in New England will have until May 1 to install larger rings on their dredges, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The 3-1/4 inch diameter rings, which were supposed to have been installed for conservation purposes when a scallop management plan went into effect March 1, are not available in sufficient quantities to supply the industry. They were to replace the three-inch rings that are now being used in scallop dredges. Although scallopers who have the larger rings in their dredges can continue to use them, those who don't must rely on a standard that calls for an average of no more than 33 scallop meats per pound. The meats-per-pound system, which had been in use for several years before the new plan, has been criticized by scallopers as being cumbersome and difficult to enforce. Both the meats-per-pound and the large-ring requirement are aimed at reducing the catch of small, sexually immature scallops that are caught in dredges off New England and the mid-Atlantic states. There is general agreement, confirmed by fisheries service scientists, that the scallop resource in recent years has been badly overexploited and is in immediate need of conservation measures. The management plan, known as Amendment 4, that went into effect March 1, calls for a moratorium on new scallop permits, a seven-year phased-in program to substantially limit boats' days at sea, and restrictions on crew size and vessel upgrades, in addition to the ring provision. The fisheries service had announced the provision of the new plan last November and had already delayed its implementation until March to give scallopers time to install the larger rings in their dredges. However, the production of needed rings has not caught up with the demand. # NOAA 94-R112 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 3/15/94 WETLAND RESTORATION STARTS ON LOUISIANA COASTAL ISLAND A joint restoration project that will protect 5,400 acres of wetlands by reducing salt water encroachment into fresh and brackish water marshes on Louisiana's Point au Fer Island will begin this spring, announced the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Administered by the Restoration Center of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in cooperation with Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources, the $1.1 million Point au Fer Island Hydrologic Restoration Project will reestablish natural sediment and freshwater delivery patterns across the island. The project area has been altered by human activities such as petroleum exploration and produc- tion. The project will restore two areas of the island where the hydrology has been most changed by pipeline or oil and gas access canals dredged in the 1960s. The canals facilitated salt water intrusion because they connected the Gulf of Mexico with interior marshes. A section of beach separating the canals from the Gulf of Mexico also was breached during Hurricane Andrew in August 1992 and will be repaired as part of the effort. A series of plugs, reinforced with sediments pumped from the Gulf of Mexico, will be placed in the canals to halt salt water intrusion into brackish marshes. The location of the plugs will reestablish the natural freshwater flow from the nearby Atchafalaya River, into and over marshes during flooding periods. Point au Fer Island has more than 42,000 acres of marsh, provid- ing habitat to ecologically and economically important plant and animal species. Nearly every commercially harvested fish and shell- fish species found in the Gulf of Mexico, such as red and black drum, menhaden, sand and sea trout, shrimp and blue crab, are dependent on coastal wetlands like those on Point au Fer. Louisiana waters alone contributed 44 percent of the total Gulf of Mexico commercial fishery catch in 1992, generating more than $276 million in dockside value. Endangered and threatened animal species such as the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, the Southern bald eagle, the brown pelican and the Arctic peregrine falcon feed on fish and crabs of island waters. The Point au Fer project is funded by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990, which was enacted to provide funds to reverse the long-term trend of wetland loss through- out the country. The act requires that restoration projects be cost shared on a 75 percent federal, 25 percent state basis. # NOAA 94-R113 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 3/23/94 SEATTLE'S NORTHWEST FISHERIES SCIENCE CENTER ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR Usha Varanasi, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service's environmental conservation division in Seattle, Wash., has been named director of the agency's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. NMFS is part of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Varanasi becomes the first woman to head one of the fisheries service's nine major field installations. The northwest center, adjacent to the University of Washington, also has field stations along the Columbia River and on Puget Sound. The center provides scientific and technical support to the NMFS on coastal ecosystem health, the Endangered Species Act, and on the management, conservation and development of fisheries resources. During her six-year tenure as director of the environmental conservation division at the center, Varanasi led a team of more than 80 researchers examining the nature and extent of coastal pollution in the United States and its effect on the health of the marine ecosystem. Her team developed vastly improved technology for petroleum contamination which was used extensively following the Exxon Valdez and Persian Gulf oil spills. Varanasi has numerous awards to her credit, including the Commerce Department's highest honor, the Gold Medal, for exceptional service. "Dr. Varanasi is eminently qualified for this job," said Rolland Schmitten, NMFS director. "Usha has already amply demonstrated her remarkable talents as a scientist and an administrator. I'm looking forward to working with her in her new role as center director." Varanasi received her bachelor's degree from Bombay University, India, in 1961, a master's degree in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1964, and a doctorate in 1968 from the University of Washington, Seattle. She has published in journals such as Science and Nature, and is editor of a major book on hydrocarbons. She and her husband, an engineer at the Boeing Company, live in Seattle. # NOAA 94-R114 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 3/30/94 NOAA DELAYS LARGE-MESH REQUIREMENT UNTIL MAY 1 FOR NEW ENGLAND FISHERMEN New England groundfish fishermen have been granted a month-long delay -- until May 1 -- before they must install larger mesh in their nets, as part of a comprehensive plan to protect badly depleted stocks of cod, haddock and yellowtail flounder, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Commerce Department's agency had already delayed from March 1 to April 1 the requirement for the six-inch mesh to give fishermen more time to purchase the new net. Rolland Schmitten, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, said, "This action responds to concerns expressed by members of the New England Fishery Management Council, fishermen and fishing gear suppliers. All parties agree that the 30-day delay will have minimal conservation impact." In a letter to the fisheries service seeking the delay, Joseph Brancaleone, chairman of the New England Fishery Management Council, said he believed "a postponement until the first of May will solve most of the timing problems, as well as indicate to the industry a willingness to be considerate of their very real problems." The large-mesh requirement is part of a management plan aimed at rebuilding depleted groundfish stocks by reducing fishing pressure on the stocks by 50 percent over the next five to seven years. Only part of the fish conservation plan -- known as Amendment 5 - - went into effect March 1, as originally planned. Several of the other important conservation provisions of the plan have been delayed to give fishermen the time they need to adopt their fishing practices to the new requirements and to obtain required new gear. Earlier this month, Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown announced a $30-million package of emergency assistance to Northeast fishing communities affected by the collapse of major fish stocks in the region. Commercial landings of the chief groundfish species in New England were 80,000 metric tons in 1992, a 30 percent drop from the 1990 figure. # NOAA 94-R115 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez NOAA Public Affairs (202)482-6090 Darv Johnson NFWF Development & Marketing (202)857-5695 3/30/94 PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO HELP RESPOND QUICKLY TO ECONOMIC DISTRESS IN NORTHEAST FISHING COMMUNITIES The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced today the formation of a partnership designed to serve as a mechanism to leverage assistance to the Northeast fishermen and fishing communities affected by the collapse of major fish stocks in the region. The partnership will distribute $1.5 million in grants to Northeast fishing communities to deal with the collapse of certain fish stocks in Northeastern waters and promote a sustainable fishery. These grants will help supplement the two-part $30 million emergency assistance package announced by Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown in Boston on March 21. "The partnership represents a new level of cooperation and accomplishes two critical functions: first, it gets this money out into the communities quickly; second, it leverages additional dollars from the private foundation community. We believe the $1.5 million will be matched by private donations to perhaps double the original appropriation," said Douglas Hall, the Commerce Department's assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere. "It is important that the $1.5 million be used to create opportunities based on sustainable fisheries development in coastal New England and for rebuilding the fisheries," said Amos S. Eno, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "We hope to use this money to lay the groundwork for the expenditure of the $30 million aid package announced by Secretary Brown. Both sources of funding must be wisely managed to help shape a sustainable future for fisheries in New England so as to not make an already bad situation worse. The challenge facing us today is to conserve the resources and rebuild the regional economy based on a sustainable fishery and economic diversification. This will be a guiding principle - otherwise, pouring money into New England's over-capitalized fishery will be a serious mistake," added Eno. In 1992, in response to the fishery resource trends and subsequent impacts on coastal fishing communities, Congress instituted the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program. The program authorized expenditures of up to $5 million annually for five principal community development activities: underutilized species development, fish waste utilization, aquaculture development, market enhancement, and support for alternative fishing opportunities. For fiscal year 1994, Congress appropriated $1.5 million for the program. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a private, non- profit organization created by an Act of Congress to award challenge grants with federally-appropriated funds for innovative and effective conservation projects. In addition, the foundation is authorized by Congress to assist federal agencies, including NOAA, in achieving their resource conservation objectives. To date, the foundation has undertaken 951 projects in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries. Specific criteria for application to the program will be announced by April 8, 1994, through notices in local and regional newspapers and communications to fishermen's organizations and other pertinent community-based organizations. # NOAA 94-R117 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 4/8/94 FISHERIES SERVICE APPROVES NEW SCHEDULE FOR COMBINING FISHING PERMITS, SETS ONSHORE-OFFSHORE ALLOCATIONS The National Marine Fisheries Service today announced how Pacific whiting will be allocated between onshore and offshore processors and rules on how many limited-entry fishing permits owners of large fishing vessels will need to buy from those held by smaller vessels to participate in the Pacific whiting fishery. The onshore-offshore allocation, controversial in the past, this year has the support of the fishing industry and reflects the allocation recommended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The allocation rule would be in effect for three years, rather than only one. The framework plan calls for all vessels to compete for the first 60 percent of the whiting harvest guideline, this year set at 260,000 metric tons. When this amount is taken, further at-sea processing would stop and the remaining 40 percent would be reserved for catcher vessels delivering to shoreside processors. If the fisheries service determines that the shoreside industry does not need the remaining harvest guideline, the surplus may be released to all vessels around August 15 to assure full use of the whiting resource. The formula for combining limited-entry permits stems from the Pacific groundfish limited entry plan, known as Amendment 6. Approved by the Pacific Management Council in late 1992, it required the fisheries service to produce a consolidation schedule that would show how many existing permits from smaller fishing vessels a larger vessel must buy so that it could participate in the fishery. The heart of the new rule is a table showing the harvest capacity ratings for vessels from 20 feet to 400 feet or more. These so-called capacity rating points form the standard for combining smaller-vessel permits in sufficient numbers to allow a larger vessel to fish. The schedule was designed so there would be no increase in the "harvest capacity," or the total volume of fish that all the vessels in the fishery could theoretically catch. The amount of whiting that can be caught is limited by management measures published every January. Since last year, 385 trawlers of the fleet off Oregon, Washington and California have obtained limited-entry fishing permits based on their historical fishing practices and landings from 1984 to 1988. The permits are part of an effort by the fisheries service and the management council to limit access to several fisheries that are already considered overcapitalized. However, at least 17 large factory trawlers, which both harvest and process fish, have entered the whiting fishery since 1988, the final year for vessels to establish their historical fishing record. The new plan allows the transfer of existing limited-entry permits to larger vessels so that they can continue to participate in the fishery. The schedule developed by the fisheries service is considered conservative and takes into account the likelihood that less efficient vessels would most likely be replaced by more efficient vessels, as permits are sold and combined. The harvest-capacity rating was based on scientific studies by the fisheries service of harvesting of Pacific whiting and Alaska pollock. Even though the fisheries service's schedule was considered highly conservative, the council recommended an even more conservative schedule. The fisheries service said it found no technical information or fishing history to support the Council's recommendation. The regular season for Pacific whiting opens April 15. # NOAA 94-R118 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 4/25/94 FOUR FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTERS OPEN TO HELP FISHERMEN IN THE NORTHEAST The Clinton Administration, members of the New England Congressional delegation, and state and local officials today announced the opening of four Fishing Family Assistance Centers to provide aid to economically impacted fishing families in the Northeast. Officials of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration were joined by regional members of Congress, and state and local officials in two separate events, in Portland, Maine, and Gloucester, Mass. The Fishing Family Assistance Centers are an important element of the $30 million federal program announced by Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown March 2l to help alleviate the Northeast fisheries crisis. The four permanent Fishing Family Assistance Centers will be established in Gloucester, New Bedford and Provincetown, Mass., and in Portland. In addition, two mobile centers will cover eastern Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. "These one-stop shops will serve as centers where fishermen can inquire about the range of Commerce, Labor, SBA, and other federal, state, and local assistance programs available to them," said Doug Hall, NOAA's assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere. Some federal funds identified to date that could be accessed through the Fishing Family Assistance Centers include NOAA's Saltonstall-Kennedy grants, NOAA's Fishing Vessel Obligation Guarantee grants and the Economic Development Administration's revolving loans and business technical assistance grants. EDA also will fund programs that stimulate investment in alternative economic activities such as aquaculture, increased use of underutilized species, on-shore facilities investment, and the diversification of fishing-dependent businesses to other economic sectors. "The Fishing Family Assistance Centers are an important component of the strategic plan being developed to address the crisis of the collapsed Northeast fisheries," said Tom Davis, the Labor Secretary's representative from region one. The locations for the four permanent Fishing Family Assistance Centers are: Massachusetts Gloucester 11-15 Parker Street (508) 283-2504 New Bedford 693 Purchase Street (508) 979-1622 Provincetown 44 Bradford Street (508) 487-1382 Maine Portland Marine Trade Center 2 Portland Fish Pier Suite 311 (207) 780-3423 # NOAA 94-R119 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 4/25/94 NMFS TO HOLD CALIFORNIA HEARING ON PROPOSED OCEAN SOUND EXPERIMENT The National Marine Fisheries Service will hold a Santa Cruz, Calif., hearing May 16, to address public concern and gain additional scientific information about the effects of a proposed ocean sound experiment on the marine environment there, the agency announced today. The hearing will be co-sponsored with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in La Jolla, Calif., has applied for two scientific research permits to allow it to harass several species of marine mammals and sea turtles for two years by low frequency sound transmissions and assess the effects on these species. The ocean sound experiment is aimed at investigating changes in ocean temperature associated with global warming. One sound source site is proposed off Point Sur, Calif., in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and the second off the north coast of Kauai, Hawaii. The Advanced Research Projects Agency, the organization funding the proposed experiment, has asked the fisheries service for a 60-day extension of the public comment period for the California experiment while its researchers gather additional environmental information there. Responding to the request, the fisheries service has extended the public comment period through May 31, for the experiment in California. The comment period for the Hawaii experiment will remain open through April 29. The fisheries service held public hearings April 14 and 15 in Hawaii similar to the upcoming Santa Cruz hearing. Under authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, the fisheries service reviews permit applications based on the best available scientific information to assess the effects the research would have on marine animals. Public comments may be sent to Permits Division, Office of Protected Resources, Attn: ATOC, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The hearing will take place in the following location: o Monday, May 16 5 - 10 p.m. Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium 307 Church St. Santa Cruz, Calif. All non-government organizations and scientists who wish to present prepared testimony should contact Aaron King of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary at least 48 hours before the hearing by calling (408) 647-4257, or writing Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, National Ocean Service, 2560 Garden Road, #101, Monterey, CA 93940. Others who are interested in making statements will be registered at the hearing and should bring a written copy of their statement. # NOAA 94-R120 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 4/29/94 DELAYED PROVISIONS OF GROUNDFISH, SCALLOP PLANS GO INTO EFFECT MAY 1 Virtually all of the provisions of two comprehensive, government- approved plans to help restore depleted stocks of scallops and groundfish off New England, originally scheduled to go into effect March 1, now will begin May 1, according to the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The groundfish plan, known as Amendment 5, is aimed at protecting badly overfished stocks of haddock, cod and yellowtail flounder, traditionally the backbone of the multi-million-dollar New England fishing industry. The scallop plan, known as Amendment 4, has a similar goal. The plan includes a phased-in reduction of days at sea for vessels, new vessel registration requirements, rules to protect harbor porpoises and a requirement that fishing nets have larger mesh openings and scallop dredges have larger rings to help small fish and scallops escape. One provision of both plans that will still be delayed is the requirement that certain vessels taking part in the reduced-days-at- sea program have special vessel tracking systems on board. Groundfish fishermen will have until at least Sept. 1 to install the so-called "black boxes" that send a signal via satellite to a ground station so the location of fishing boats can be monitored. Scallopers may have to install their tracking equipment sometime before Sept. 1. The principal measures of Amendment 5 that go into effect May 1 include: o A phased-in system to reduce fishing effort for vessels over 45 feet. The measure is aimed at reducing days at sea by 50 percent over the next five to seven years, with some vessels required to spend 233 days a year not fishing by 1999. o A phased-in requirement that vessels using sink gillnets remove their nets from the water four days a month (increasing to 16 days a month in later years) to reduce the accidental capture of harbor porpoises. o A requirement that groundfishing vessels switch from five-and-one-half to six-inch mesh in their nets to further reduce the capture of smaller, juvenile fish. Other provisions of Amendment 5 that have been in place since March 1 include: o A moratorium on new entrants into the fishery. o A prohibition on pair trawling, a method whereby two boats pull a single net between them. o A requirement that fish dealers and vessel operators obtain federal permits and report catch data to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. In addition, the fisheries service issued an emergency rule in January that created an enlarged area on the eastern edge of Georges Bank closed to groundfishing from January through June to protect concentrations of spawning haddock. A limit of 500 pounds of haddock per fishing trip was put into place at the same time. Like the groundfish plan, the new scallop plan has a reduced days-at-sea schedule to diminish pressure on the shellfish stocks. Typically, a full-time scallop vessel will be allotted 204 days at sea this year, but that would drop to 120 days at sea in the year 2000. Also, beginning May 1 scallop dredges must be made up of three-and- one-quarter-inch rings to replace the smaller, three-inch, rings. The larger rings will let bigger scallops slip out of the dredge. # NOAA 94-R121 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 5/2/94 COMMERCE DEPARTMENT HOLDS SECOND ROUND OF TOWN MEETINGS IN NORTHEASTERN SEAPORTS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will sponsor a second round of town meetings in northeastern U.S. fishing ports Wednesday, May 4, through Tuesday, May 10, 1994, to present a draft needs statement describing short-and long-term methods for dealing with the Northeast fishing crisis. From January through April, 1994, NOAA's Office of Sustainable Development and Intergovernmental Affairs (SDI) held nine town meetings designed to develop, in cooperation with the fishing industry, a local and regional economic recovery plan. "At those meetings we told people we were coming back by May with a progress report that would address their concerns. That is what we will be doing starting on May 4," said John Bullard, SDI's director. The final policy recommendations for a comprehensive Northeast fisheries response plan will be completed by July 1, 1994. Like the first round of meetings, the second round is open to the public for comments and suggestions. "This entire process has demonstrated a real and productive partnership between the Clinton Administration and Congress, state and local governments, foundations, the fishing industry and the environmental community," said Commerce's Secretary Ronald H. Brown. The following list of meetings, including dates, times and locations, is subject to change. NORTHEAST FISHERIES SECOND ROUND OF TOWN MEETINGS A. ELLSWORTH, MAINE Date: Wednesday, May 4, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Place: Holiday Inn, High Street, Ellsworth, ME B. PORTLAND, MAINE Date: Wednesday, May 4, 1994 Time: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Place: Sonesta Hotel, 157 Spring Street, Portland, ME C. PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE Date: Thursday, May 5, 1994 Time: 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Place: Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road Portsmouth, NH D. GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS Date: Thursday, May 5, 1994 Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Place: Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA E. NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS Date: Friday, May 6, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Place: Durant Sail Loft Inn, 1 Merrill's Wharf New Bedford, MA F. CHATHAM, MASSACHUSETTS Date: Friday, May 6, 1994 Time: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. Place: Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church Route 137 adjacent to the corner on Route 28 South Chatham, MA G. POINT JUDITH, RHODE ISLAND Date: Monday, May 9, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Place: Dutch Inn, 307 Great Island Rd., Narragansett, RI H. RIVERHEAD, NEW YORK Date: Monday, May 9, 1994 Time: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. Place: Holiday Inn, Route 25 Riverhead, Riverhead, NY I. CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY Date: Tuesday, May 10, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. Place: The Lobster House Restaurant, Cape May, NJ # NOAA 94-R122 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 4/29/94 NOAA IMPLEMENTS FISHERY COUNCIL'S SALMON MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Strict fishing management measures that will limit West Coast salmon fishing and eliminate ocean fishing for coho salmon during 1994 will begin Sunday to prevent further depletion of stocks, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended the regulations to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in April. The regulations severely cut back, compared to previous years, the seasons for ocean fishing off Washington, Oregon and northern California. The management measures for the central California salmon season, however, will be less restrictive due to the relatively healthy Sacramento River fall chinook salmon runs there. The regulations trigger a complete closure of the non-Indian Ocean salmon season north of Cape Falcon, Ore., to Canada, but allow restricted commercial and recreational fishing for all salmon except coho salmon in federal waters south of Cape Falcon. A limited chinook salmon harvest that allows tribal trollers to catch a limited number of chinook salmon off northern Washington will be allowed. "There's no doubt that fishermen and coastal communities that rely on commercial and recreational salmon fishing for their livelihood will be hit hard this year," said Rolland Schmitten, director of the National Marine Fisheries Service. "But the salmon stocks, especially coho, are in desperate need of intense management measures to help ensure that salmon remains a long-term economic resource for the region." According to the fisheries service, the natural coho salmon stocks have declined because of poor ocean survival, recent low stream flows, and habitat degradation in the region's watersheds. Additionally, the stocks are struggling to rebound after the unusually warm ocean temperatures experienced in the 1993 El Nino weather event. Most Pacific Coast coho stocks are expected to be at or near record low levels in 1994. The fisheries service is evaluating petitions to list all West Coast runs of coho salmon as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Fisheries service officials say the regulations are expected to affect about 1,000 commercial fishermen. Projected revenue from the West Coast ocean troll fisheries will be $5 million, or 37 percent below the 1993 value of $7.9 million. The value of the 1994 recreational salmon fishery is expected to be cut in half, to $11 million from its 1993 value of $22 million. Off the coasts of California and southern Oregon, the commercial and recreational seasons are designed to limit the harvest of Klamath River falls chinook salmon and maximize access to abundant Central Valley chinook stocks. Columbia and Snake River chinook salmon stocks are at low levels as well, including stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act, prompting extensive federal efforts for the species' recovery. The fisheries service has published a final rule to implement Amendment 11 to the Fishery Management Plan for West Coast Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries that will also provide further protection for Oregon coastal natural coho stocks. # NOAA 94-R123 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 5/4/94 NEW ENGLAND GROUNDFISHING SEASON ADJUSTED TO ACCOMMODATE MAY 1 START DATE The groundfishing season for New England fishermen has been adjusted to begin May 1 and end April 30, 1995, giving the fishermen a full 12-month season in 1994, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Previously, the season was set to start Jan. 1 and run to the end of the year. But delays, approved by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to accommodate Northeast fishermen, pushed the starting time of a days-at-sea program to May 1, leaving an eight-month season in 1994. Under a conservation-directed proposal known as Amendment 5, submitted to NOAA last fall by the New England Management Council to stem overfishing of certain stocks, most fishing boats have to cut back their fishing days substantially over the next five to seven years. The adjusted plan would be fairer by putting the days-at-sea allocation back on a 12-month schedule, NOAA said. Boat owners in the individual days-at-sea category reduce their fishing days by 10 percent annually from a historic baseline, typically about 250 days. Fishermen with relatively few historic fishing days take part in a fleet allocation plan. Under this plan, boats are required to take a specified number of days out of the fishery and tie up between trips. The number of days out of the fishery begins with 80 days this year and increases to 233 days in 1999. Both the individual days-at-sea vessels and the fleet-allocation vessels have to take a 20-day block out of fishing during a crucial spawning season from March 1 to May 31. With the delayed start-up date, the original days-at-sea program would have given a great advantage to boats in the individual category, which, even with their 10 percent reduction, could actually increase their fishing effort during the eight months left in 1994. Fleet-allocation boats would have been forced to take out a full 80 days from a truncated season. And both categories of vessels would have been required to stay tied up for 20 continuous days in May, the only month left in the March-May spawning season this year. Under the adjusted plan, the 20-day spawning-season block can be taken in May or any time during the March-April period. The 20 days must be continuous, however, and cannot be split between May of one year and March of the next. # NOAA 94-R124 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 5/9/94 SNAKE, COLUMBIA DAM SPILLAGE AIMED AT INCREASING SALMON SURVIVAL RATES In response to an unprecedented decline of salmon stocks, the National Marine Fisheries Service has requested of a group of state and federal agencies that water be spilled over eight dams on the Snake and Columbia rivers in the Pacific Northwest through June 20 to increase the survival of a variety of wild salmon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. If the spillage, which could occur as early as Monday midnight, can prevent 80 percent of the fish from being passed through hydroelectric turbines, it could increase to 10.5 percent from 5.2 percent the survival of juvenile salmon migrating in-river to the ocean, according to technical experts with NOAA's fisheries service. It has been estimated that the loss of hydroelectric power generation could reach $25-30 million from spills through June 20. Further measures could be taken during the summer that could result in additional costs. The request came after a special meeting of the Northwest Power Planning Council's Fish Oversight Executive Committee. The committee represents regional policy makers from the involved federal agencies, state fish and wildlife agencies of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Idaho Power Co., and Chelan Public Utilities District. The request affects the operations of the Bonneville Power Administration and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Gary Smith, acting director of the fisheries service's Northwest Region, said salmon runs are at historic lows. Snake River salmon runs, already listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, are being reviewed to determine if they should be reclassified as "endangered," a more serious category. According to fisheries service biologists, only 600 wild adult Snake River spring-summer chinook are expected this year to return to their spawning grounds, about 900 miles from the ocean. This return is only 10 percent of the 6000 to 8000 fish that have returned in recent years, according to Smith. Early forecasts of Snake River fall chinook runs for the fall are expected to be 230 to 490 fish, well below the 742 adult spawners that returned last year. Even this forecast may be optimistic, however, because the effects of El Nino, believed to be the cause of the unusually low ocean survival of most salmon, are still being felt. Forecasts for 1994 call for water flows about 50 percent below normal in the Snake River basin. Smith said the fisheries service would be closely monitoring the biology of the salmon to help judge the success of the spillage and would initiate a protocol to establish a basis for making further changes. In a letter to BPA, COE and BOR, Smith said his agency "sought the best technical advice available from the Fish and Wildlife Service, states, tribes, and our staff to formulate a proposal that would make more efficient use of available water to aid the migration and survival of these fish." He emphasized, however, that the 1994-1998 biological opinion issued by the fisheries service contains many significant improvements in fish survival resulting from commitments made by BPA, COE and BOR to make more water available in both the Columbia and Snake River basins, along with other measures to aid fish migration in the future. The deteriorating water conditions so far in 1994, he added, have not provided sufficient time to have these measures already in place. # NOAA 94-R125 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 5/11/94 NEW LOBSTER AMENDMENT FREEZES MINIMUM LENGTH, ENACTS MORATORIUM ON NEW PERMITS Management measures freezing the minimum lobster catch size at 3- 1/4 inches and initiating a five-year moratorium on the issuance of new federal lobster permits was approved today as part of an amendment to the American lobster management plan aimed at rebuilding depleted Northeast lobster stocks, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. If the amendment had not been approved, NOAA fishery managers said, the minimum size -- measured by the length of the carapace or shell covering the lobster's back -- would have automatically increased to 3-9/32 inches on May 18. The 3-1/4 inch carapace length in federal waters, from 3 to 200 miles offshore, makes the federal minimum size consistent with all the major lobster-producing states from Maine to New York. Included in the plan is a new requirement that existing vessel operators and dealers acquire federal lobster permits. Fisheries service officials will delay the permit application process for vessels and operators until September 1994. Permits will not be required until Jan. 1, 1995, to allow sufficient time to develop appropriate administrative procedures. With nearly 8,000 vessels eligible for a federal permit, immediate permitting of vessels is not possible. Other provisions of the management plan include a reduction in the size of the escape vent (to 5-3/4 inches from 6 inches) that must be part of all lobster pots and the creation of special effort management teams. The teams, made up of representatives from the lobster industry, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and staff members of the New England Fishery Management Council, will be responsible for developing lobster stock rebuilding programs for four specific areas of the fishery and for developing recommendations for reducing overall efforts there. Not approved by NOAA were council recommendations to divide the fleet into three vessel permit categories, limit lobster landings according to vessel permit category, limit quota for gear other than lobster pots, and establish a mandatory reporting requirement. # NOAA 94-R126 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 5/13/94 MASSACHUSETTS FIRM BARRED FROM FEDERAL SEAFOOD INSPECTION PROGRAM, FOLLOWING VIOLATIONS A new Bedford, Mass., scallop processing plant, Mar-Lees Seafood Co., Inc., has been barred from participating in the Commerce Department's seafood inspection program for a year, following a series of alleged violations by the firm of the program's rules and contract terms, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. According to NOAA's Inspection Service Division, Mar-Lees altered an inspection certificate and attempted to use it to transact a sale. The company also tried to sell a shipment of scallops by misusing an official inspection document that had been validly issued to another company. In addition, NOAA officials said, Mar-Lees repeatedly advertised itself as a participant in the federal inspection program, when it was not. "Any one of these events would lead us to conclude that Mar-Lees has no intention of complying with the inspection program's regulations," said Richard Cano, chief of NOAA's Inspection Services Division. "The company's continued inclusion in the program would discredit the program's credibility and be a disservice to its other participants," he added. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service runs the federal voluntary seafood inspection program. Last year, almost one billion pounds of seafood were inspected by the fee-for-service program. In total, an estimated 22 percent of seafood consumed in the United States is inspected under the program. # NOAA 94-R127 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 5/24/94 TIME, AREA CLOSURES TO HELP PROTECT HARBOR PORPOISES In an effort to protect harbor porpoises and to ease restrictions on fishermen affected by a newly implemented management plan for New England groundfish, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is putting in place a series of time-and-area closures for sink gillnet fishermen. The new measure replaces one that would have required fishermen to remove their sink gillnet gear from the water four days a month beginning May 26. Officials with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service say the old measure, whose four-day-a-month ban on sink gillnets would have expanded to 16 days a month by 1999, is less effective in protecting harbor porpoises from accidental capture in nets than the new time-and-area closure. The new measure closes three areas off Massachusetts and Maine for about a month each. Fisheries service biologists estimate that there are about 47,200 harbor porpoises off the East Coast and that as many as 2,370 of them were being accidentally caught and drowned in fishing nets each year. Biologists are hopeful that the new restrictions will cut that number at least in half. The three areas and their closure times are: the Northeast area (from Penobscot Bay to Eastport, Maine) closed from Aug. 15 through Sept. 13; the Mid-coast area (from Cape Ann to Penobscot Bay) closed from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30, and the Massachusetts Bay area (from Cape Cod to Cape Ann) closed from March 1 through March 30. # NOAA 94-R128 CONTACT: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 5/24/94 COMMERCE DEPARTMENT WILL HOLD COMMUNITY MEETINGS IN SEAPORTS OF WASHINGTON, OREGON AND CALIFORNIA The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will hold a series of town meetings in eight fishing ports in the Pacific Northwest during the first two weeks in June to help develop a response to the economic dislocation caused by the closure of much of the salmon fishery this year. The meetings are designed to provide an opportunity for those affected to help describe the scope and magnitude of the economic impact of fishing restrictions that have resulted from unprecedented declines in salmon runs. "We recognize the severity of the economic situation in the fishing communities of the Northwest, and we will respond appropriately," Brown said. "However, we can only develop the most effective response with the help and advice of those directly affected. These meetings will be crucial to identifying the needs of fishermen and fishing communities." The community meetings will be conducted by officials of the Commerce Department. Representatives from other federal agencies, including the Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration, also are expected at the meetings. The following is a list of tentative meetings, including time and locations. NORTHWEST FISHERIES TOWN MEETINGS A. FORT BRAGG, CALIFORNIA B. CRESCENT CITY, CALIFORNIA Date: June 1, 1994 Date: June 2, 1994 Time: 12:00 noon-4:00 p.m. Time: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon Place: Town Hall Place: Cultural Center 363 North Maine Street 1001 Front St. C. COOS BAY, OREGON D.NEWPORT, OREGON Date: June 2, 1994 Date: June 3, 1994 Time: 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Time: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 noon Place: Coos Bay City Hall Place: Church of Nazarene 500 Central Avenue 227 N.W. 12th St. E. PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON F.PORTLAND, OREGON Date: June 9, 1994 Date: June 10, 1994 Time: 12:00 noon-4:00 p.m. Time: 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Place: City Council Chambers Place: TBA 321 E. 5th Street G. ASTORIA, OREGON H. WESTPORT, WASHINGTON Date: June 10, 1994 Date: June 11, 1994 Time: 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Time: 9:00 a.m.-1:00p.m. Place: TBA Place: Islander Motel Restaurant 421 W. Haven & Neddie Rose Dr. # NOAA 94-R129 Contact: Hal Alabaster (206) 526-6046 5/27/94 NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE TO REVIEW WEST COAST STEELHEAD POPULATIONS The National Marine Fisheries Service will conduct a status review of West Coast steelhead trout under the Endangered Species Act. The review, expected to last about nine months, will include all steelhead populations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California. According to Gary Smith, acting regional director for the fisheries service's Northwest region, "Many steelhead populations show significant declines. The status review will determine extinction risk and determine whether Endangered Species Act protection for the populations is warranted." "The status review will broadly address two scientific questions. The first is whether various populations of steelhead qualify as species under the Act, and the second is to determine the size of the population and whether it is increasing, constant, or decreasing," said Smith. The announcement to review steelhead populations stems from a Feb. 16, 1994, petition submitted to the fisheries service from the Oregon Natural Resources Council and 15 other co-petitioners requesting that the agency list steelhead trout throughout the four state area. In addition, the fisheries service had already begun status reviews for populations in the Rogue River system in Oregon and Deer Creek in Washington. "Overreliance on hatchery fish, drought, and habitat destruction from logging, agriculture and urban development have taken a heavy toll on steelhead," said Smith. "The agency's decision to accept the petition and conduct the status review points to the fact that the abuse to the regional ecosystem cannot continue without affecting these fish." Officials with the National Marine Fisheries Service are asking individuals with relevant scientific information concerning steelhead to write or contact the agency. Correspondence should be addressed to National Marine Fisheries Service, Suite 600, 911 N.E. 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97232. Within nine months, the fisheries service will publish its findings in the Federal Register. If the fisheries service decides to propose listing, it will again seek comments and possibly hold public hearings, and make a final decision within a year of a proposal. # NOAA 94-R130 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 6/14/94 GULF AND SOUTH ATLANTIC SHRIMPERS ASKED TO ADJUST TEDS TO HELP SAVE SEA TURTLES Shrimpers fishing in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, are being asked to modify turtle excluder devices (TEDs) to help ensure the release of sea turtles from shrimping nets, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service is asking shrimpers fishing in federal and state waters from North Carolina, south through Texas, to attach specified floats to all bottom exiting hard TEDs, except those constructed of aluminum tubing, if not already doing so. Additionally, shrimpers are being asked to check the angle of their TEDs to ensure the device is within the required 30 to 50 degrees from horizontal position. Fisheries service officials believe that by adding the floats and ensuring the proper grid angle, more turtles will escape from shrimp trawls unharmed. Recent observations indicate that some shrimpers are fishing their nets with TEDs dragging on the sea bottom. This coupled with improper grid angles may be contributing to the more than 200 sea turtles that have washed ashore in the region during the last several months. "There is every indication that shrimpers are trying to use their excluder devices properly; however, if the TEDs are dragging on the sea bottom and the angles of the grids are incorrect, then sea turtles may not be able to pass through and may drown," said Andy Kemmerer, director of the fisheries service Southwest Region. "Turtles trapped in this manner would be released from the TED as the trawl is retrieved and brought to the surface. Therefore, a shrimp fisherman could be unaware a sea turtle was in his net." The cost of adding the specified floats to the excluder device is expected to be minimal. Fisheries service officials say the request to add floats to non-aluminum TEDs is likely to become a requirement within weeks. According to fisheries service gear specialists, the single-grid hard TED with an opening at the bottom next to the turtle deflector grid, has a flap over the hole that prevents shrimp loss. Because of the weight of the non-aluminum devices, the flap may be pressed against the escape opening, thereby not allowing the turtle to exit. Adding the specified floats to the TED should alleviate the problem. Of the five species of sea turtles found off the U.S. coast, all are listed as threatened or endangered and are protected by federal law. More information about floats and placement requirements may be obtained from Chuck Oravetz at the Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Fla., at (813) 893-3366. # NOAA 94R-131 Contact: Dr. Thomas Lipscomb AFIP 202-576-2453 Dean Wilkinson NMFS 301-713-2322 Elsa Haubold Texas A&M Univ. 409-740-4455 6/16/94 SCIENTISTS DISCOVER CAUSE OF RECENT DOLPHIN DEATHS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO Viral Infection Found in Tissue Samples from Stranded Dolphins An outbreak of morbillivirus disease is probably responsible for the dramatic increase in bottlenose dolphin deaths in the Gulf of Mexico, according to evidence produced through a collaborative effort involving the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland in Belfast, and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. A novel molecular biology test, developed at AFIP, played a critical role in detecting the virus. Morbilliviruses are a group of viruses that cause human measles, canine distemper and rinderpest in cattle. Morbillivirus outbreaks caused the deaths of thousands of harbor seals in Northwest Europe in 1988, and thousands of striped dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea in 1990. Recently, a morbillivirus was implicated as the cause of the 1987-1988 U.S. Atlantic coast epidemic that resulted in a ten-fold increase in mortality of bottlenose dolphins. The first confirmed case of morbillivirus infection from the Gulf of Mexico was a stranded dolphin near Panama City, Fla., in June of 1993. Tissues were collected from an autopsy performed by veterinarian Byron K. Ford from the Panama City aquarium, Gulf World. Ford is a member of the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, a national volunteer organization that works with the federal National Marine Fisheries Service to assist and study stranded marine mammals. The stranded dolphin tissues were sent to Army Lt. Col. Thomas P. Lipscomb, the veterinary pathologist who heads AFIP's marine mammal studies. After finding microscopic changes characteristic of morbillivirus infection, Lipscomb sent samples to Seamus Kennedy of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, an expert in morbillivirus infection in marine mammals. Kennedy detected the presence of morbillivirus antigen in the dolphin tissues, confirming the diagnosis. NMFS then asked stranding network members to increase their efforts to search for stranded dolphins and send samples to the AFIP. Since then, increased dolphins strandings have been observed in Alabama and Mississippi, and the AFIP-Belfast team found morbillivirus infection in several of them. The dolphin stranding rate in Texas recently increased dramatically. Graham Worthy, coordinator of the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, reports that over 220 dead bottlenose dolphins have washed onto Texas beaches since January, though only about 150 dolphins on average strand on the Texas coast in an entire year. All of the dolphin carcasses were badly decomposed, making it difficult to determine the cause of death by conventional methods. Since identification of the first case in Florida, scientists in the AFIP's Department of Cellular Pathology had been working to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the dolphin morbillivirus. PCR is a revolutionary new molecular biology technique that can detect and identify minute amounts of DNA or RNA. Doctors Amy Krafft, Jack H. Lichy and Jeffery K. Taubenberger were ultimately successful and have identified the presence of morbillivirus RNA in lungs of nine of 15 Texas dolphins, in spite of the poor condition of the specimens. Together with the conclusive demonstration of morbillivirus disease in dolphins from Florida, Mississippi and Alabama in recent months, detection of the virus in the Texas dolphins provides strong evidence that morbillivirus is the primary cause of the Texas dolphin epidemic as well. # NOAA 94-R132 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 6/23/94 HADDOCK PROTECTION BECOMES PERMANENT In a continuing effort to protect once-plentiful haddock stocks off New England, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will make permanent on June 30 three temporary measures currently in effect in the groundfish fishery. The measures prohibit any vessel with a federal permit from possessing more than 500 pounds of haddock either from or in federal waters; prohibit scallop dredge vessels from possessing or landing any haddock from January through June; and extend closure of the Area II fishing zone along the eastern edge of Georges Bank from four to six months. The measures, known as Amendment 6, were recommended by the New England Fishery Management Council to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service because haddock stocks were depleted by heavy overfishing. Statistics from the fisheries service indicate 1993 haddock landings fell to a record low of 880 metric tons. As recently as 1992, haddock landings, although low by historic standards, were about 2,300 metric tons. Of particular concern, say the scientists, is the small amount of haddock spawning stock capable of producing young. Catch statistics and recent research show that the current spawning stock is about 13,000 metric tons, less than 10 percent of the numbers needed to produce the 50,000-ton catches common in the past. # NOAA 94-R133 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 6/24/94 RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN SLOW TO ACQUIRE FEDERAL BLUEFIN PERMIT Hundreds of recreational anglers who are expected to chase highly prized bluefin tuna off the Atlantic coast this season still have not obtained a federal permit to do so, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. This is the first season in which recreational anglers along the Atlantic seaboard through the Gulf of Mexico are required to hold the no cost angling category permit. An angling category permit allows the retention of bluefin between 26 and less than 70 inches straight fork length. Officials with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service are concerned that many recreational anglers haven't yet received word that the federal permit is required. The bluefin tuna season opened January 1, 1994, and permit regulations for private vessels have been in place since May 15. "Since last August, we've published official notices, notified fishing groups, and distributed copies of the application to bait and tackle shops and marinas in 11 states, trying to inform as many of the recreational folks as possible about this new rule," said Dick Stone, chief of the Highly Migratory Species Division for the fisheries service. According to agency officials, many of the permit applications received by the agency so far have been without the required vessel registration documentation, forcing the agency to return the application and thereby lengthen the permit processing time by weeks. Currently, a complete application takes about two weeks to process, but as more anglers apply for the permit and the season peaks, officials expect processing time to increase to 30 days. Since September 1993, charter and party boats have been required to have an angling category permit for catching bluefins between 26 and less than 70 inches straight fork length. Officials say most of these permits have been processed. No permit is necessary to fish for yellowfin or bigeye tuna, but it is illegal to retain these two species when they weigh less than seven pounds live weight. To obtain an angling category permit for bluefin tuna or for more information, please contact the NMFS Permit Office, Attention: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298, or call (508) 281-9305. # NOAA 94-R134 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 6/28/94 SHIMPERS TO MODIFY TEDS TO HELP SAVE SEA TURTLES Shimpers fishing in southeastern U.S. waters and Gulf of Mexico will be required, starting July 9, to modify certain turtle excluder devices (TEDs) to help ensure the release of sea turtles from shrimping nets, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. In an interim rule, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service will require shrimpers fishing in federal and state waters from North Carolina south through Texas to attach specified floats to all bottom opening hard TEDs, if not already doing so. Additionally, shrimpers are asked to check the angle of their TEDs to ensure the device is within the required 30 to 50 degrees from horizontal position. Fisheries service officials believe that by adding the floats and ensuring the proper grid angle, more turtles will escape from shrimp trawls unharmed. Recent observations indicate that some shrimpers are fishing their nets with TEDs dragging on the sea bottom. According to fisheries service gear specialists, the single-grid hard TED with an opening at the bottom next to the turtle deflector grid has a flap over the hole that prevents shrimp loss. Because of the weight of the non-aluminum devices, the flap may be pressed against the escape opening, thereby not allowing the turtle to exit. Adding the specified floats to the TED should alleviate the problem. The cost of adding the specified floats to the excluder device is expected to be minimal. According to fisheries service gear specialists, shrimp catches may increase in the net by using the specified floats combined with an appropriate grid angle. Many shrimpers already routinely use floats to minimize chafing of trawl gear. The fisheries service will accept public comment on the float requirement for 30 days. The agency will consider comments to determine whether changes should be made to the float requirements in the final rule. All five species of sea turtles found off the U.S. coast are listed as threatened or endangered and protected by federal law. To submit comments or obtain more information, contact NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 9721 Executive Center Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33702, or call (813) 893-3366. # NOAA 94-R135 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 6/28/94 ALGAE GROWTH ENABLES SHRIMPERS TO USE TOW TIMES IN AREA OFF NORTH CAROLINA Because of high concentrations of algae in a small area off North Carolina, shrimpers will be allowed to use limited tow times in lieu of pulling turtle excluder devices (TEDs) there through Nov. 30, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. In effect now, the exemption applies to shrimpers who register with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to trawl under specific tow time limits without TEDs between North Carolina's Rich Inlet and Brown's Inlet. The high accumulation of algae found in the 30-mile-long, one- mile-wide area frequently clogs the excluder devices and makes shrimping inefficient. According to fisheries service officials, shrimpers will be allowed a 30-minute tow time limit through Aug. 15; a 55-minute tow time limit from Aug. 16 through Oct. 30; and a 75-minute tow time limit from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30. If requested to do so, shrimpers must carry a fisheries service-approved observer. "Past participation and compliance by shrimpers in the affected area has been excellent and I expect this will continue during the five-month period," said Andrew J. Kemmerer, director of the Southeast Regional Office of the fisheries service. The fisheries service may impose more restrictive tow times, require TED-use in the area, and take any other conservation measure deemed necessary if the agency finds that threatened and endangered sea turtles require additional protection. Of the five species of sea turtles found off the U.S. coast, all are listed as threatened or endangered and are protected by federal law. To register for the North Carolina tow time limit, contact Chuck Oravetz at the Southeast Regional Office in St. Petersburg, Fla., at (813) 893-3366. # NOAA 94-R136 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 7/1/94 IF YOU LOVE DOLPHINS, DON'T FEED THEM, FEDERAL AGENCY WARNS Although commercial dolphin-feeding cruises in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeast Atlantic were effectively stopped last October following a federal court ruling, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say they are increasingly worried about recreational boaters and others who feed dolphins. "Dolphins are wild animals, in spite of their seemingly friendly behavior," says Nancy Foster, deputy director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. "Feeding them may be fun for humans, but it can be very harmful to the dolphins." Foster said that feeding these marine mammals can make them less able -- or willing -- to search for food on their own. In addition, she said, food, if it's non-natural or contaminated, can pose a serious health risk to the dolphins. Officials with the fisheries service say people have been seen feeding dolphins beer, hot dogs and candy bars, items Foster calls "totally inappropriate." Even more threatening to dolphins, says Foster, is the danger that feeding will cause them to become habituated to humans and make them lose their natural, wild-animal wariness. "The end result of such a lack of wariness," says Foster, "may be a dolphin that gets entangled in a commercial fishing net or hit by a boat's propeller because it's become too trusting." Fisheries service law enforcement officers have been working with the Florida Marine Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard in the Florida Panhandle to educate recreational boaters and others who may be unaware of the fact that feeding is both harmful and illegal. "Most people don't know that dolphin feeding is a problem. They've been very cooperative" once they are informed, said Bob Spraitz with the fisheries service's regional office in St. Petersburg, Fla. "They're more embarrassed than anything else," he added. On Oct. 29, 1993, NOAA won a court case that reinstated a federal regulation prohibiting dolphin-feeding activities anywhere. NOAA officials said that all of the estimated two dozen commercial dolphin-feeding operators, who worked in the Gulf of Mexico or off Hilton Head, S.C., were informed of the ruling and have shut down their operations. The operators have returned to their original dolphin observation cruises, a practice "enthusiastically supported" by the fisheries service, according to Spraitz. Dolphins and other marine mammals such as whales, seals and sea lions have been protected since 1972 by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The no-feeding regulations apply to all these animals. -- NOTICE TO EDITORS Dr. Nancy Foster, a marine biologist and deputy director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, will be available for telephone interviews on dolphin feeding Friday afternoon, July 1. Contact Brian Gorman or Scott Smullen at 301/713-2370. # NOAA 94-R137 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 7/1/94 COMMERCE SECRETARY BROWN ANNOUNCES REGIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown announced today the selection of 26 members to eight regional fishery management councils that work in partnership with the federal government to manage the nation's fishery resources. The councils, established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, prepare fishery management plans for marine fish stocks in their respective geographical areas of responsibility. The management plans are submitted for review by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, and approved by the Secretary of Commerce. Each year about one-third of the 69 voting members appointed to obligatory and at-large seats complete their terms. Selections are made to replace outgoing members from candidates nominated by the governors of the affected states. Council members are appointed to three-year terms and may serve no more than three consecutive terms. The councils represent diverse fisheries interests and are comprised of members whose combined knowledge and experience represent a balance of commercial and recreational fisheries interests for each geographical area concerned. New England Council -- The New England Council includes members from the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seats o Benjamin F. Rathbun, Jr. o Rodney Avil Marine Surveying Trident Fishing Corp. Noank, Conn. New Bedford, Mass. o Barbara Stevenson o James McCauley Portland Fish Pier President, Point Judith Portland, Maine Fishermen's Cooperative Assoc.,Inc. Narragansett, R.I. Mid-Atlantic Council -- The Mid-Atlantic Council includes members from the states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seats Bricktown,N.J. President JW Enterprises Alexandria, Va. At-large seats o Nancy M. Targett o Robert Hamilton, Jr. College of Marine Owner, Robert Studies Hamilton, Jr., Inc. Univ. of Delaware Greenport, N.Y. Lewes, Del. South Atlantic Council -- The South Atlantic Council includes members from the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seats o John D. Brownlee o Belinda D. Flanigan Saltwater Sportsman Mag. Chimney Creek Fishing North Palm Beach, Fla. Camp Tybee Island, Ga. At-large seats o Obadiah P. Love, Jr. o James S. Moffitt, Jr. Love's Seafood Restaurant CEO, Guilford Packaging Savannah, Ga. and Fiber, Inc. High Point, N.C. Gulf of Mexico Council -- The Gulf of Mexico Council includes members from the states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seats o Robert L. Shipp o Karl J. Lessard Univ. of South Alabama President, Captain Mobile, Ala. Bee Fisheries, Inc. Marathon, Fla. o Andy A. Martin General Manager, Florida, Inc. Galliano, La. At-large seats o Albert L. King, Sr. o Frank M. Fisher, Jr. Gulf Shores, Ala. Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Rice University Houston Caribbean Council -- The Caribbean Council includes members from the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seat o Patricia A. Skov Skov Fishing Co. Christiansted, St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands At-large seat o Miguel A. Sanabria President, Dorado Marine Center Dorado, Puerto Rico Pacific Council -- The Pacific Council includes members from the states of California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seats o James G. Caito o Frank R. Warrens, Pres. Vice President Frank Warrens Automotive Caito Fisheries, Inc. Marine Services, Inc. Fort Bragg, Calif. Portland, Ore. At-large seats o Robert C. Fletcher o James E. Harp President, Sportfishing Fisheries Manager Assoc. of California Quinault Indian Nation San Diego Taholah, Wash. North Pacific Council -- The North Pacific Council includes members from the states of Alaska and Washington. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seats o Richard B. Lauber o Clem V. Tillion, Jr. Vice President Halibut Cove, Alaska Pacific Seafood Processors Building Assoc. Juneau, Alaska Western Pacific Council -- The Western Pacific Council includes members from the state of Hawaii, the American-flagged Pacific islands of American Samoa and Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. The 1994 appointees are: Obligatory seat o James D. Cook Pacific Ocean Producers Honolulu Pending completion of all processing requirements, appointments to obligatory seats for Washington on the North Pacific Council, and for American Samoa and Guam on the Western Pacific Council, will be announced at a later date. # NOAA 94-R138 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (O) 7/1/94 FEDERAL AGENCIES AGREE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WATER FLOWS FOR THREATENED SALMON The Bonneville Power Administration, Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers have agreed to a request by the National Marine Fisheries Service to provide additional water starting July 1 to help save ocean-bound young chinook salmon heading down the Snake and Columbia rivers this summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. Scientists with NOAA's fisheries service office in Seattle said the 742 adult chinook that returned to their home streams last year are expected to produce the biggest down-stream migration of their young this summer since 1982. This year is also one of the lowest water years on record, causing extremely adverse conditions in the river which will be alleviated by the additional water. "This year's outmigration is the best hope we've had in more than a decade to stem the alarming declines in abundance of fall chinook," said Gary Smith, acting director of NOAA's regional fisheries office in Seattle. "These fish will be the mainstay of the returning population for several years to come. And without sufficient returning fall chinook, the status of this population may change from threatened to endangered," Smith added. Ninety percent of the fall chinook, which have to traverse 900 miles and eight dams, are expected to die on their way to the ocean, fisheries service scientists said. But the additional water provided by federal water agencies will help the fish better negotiate their trip and reduce the death rate. Their peak outmigration is expected to take place from the Snake River between July 1-6 and from the Clearwater River about two weeks later. On June 9, the fisheries service asked the federal water agencies that Snake River water flows of 40-45 thousand cubic feet per second (kcfs) be made available for the month of July. The federal agencies agreed to that request late yesterday. Such water flows, according to the Corps of Engineers, will mean that the Dworshak Reservoir in Orofino, Idaho, will have to be drawn down to an elevation of between 1520 and 1490 feet. That draw down, technically known as drafting, would increase Snake River flows to 43 kcfs from the current rate of about 38 kcfs and is expected to increase fall chinook survival as much as 40 percent, according to fisheries service scientists. The federal water agencies have also agreed to provide additional water for the Columbia River from Canadian storage and from Banks Lake. Officials said this augmentation, when combined with the increased Snake River flows, will raise the Columbia flow by about 12 kcfs to 152 kcfs. More water may have to be drawn from other reservoirs if forecasts of flow rates deteriorate, these officials said. The relationship between river flow and salmon survival on the Columbia is less well known, according to fisheries service scientists. The fisheries service says it hopes that about half the fall chinook will be transported by barge or tanker truck below Bonneville Dam; the mortality for those remaining is expected to be high without the additional flows. Smith said NOAA will work with federal and state agencies to minimize hardships to the local community created by the drawdown of Dworshak Reservoir in July. # NOAA 94-R139 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 7/8/94 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROPOSES LISTING OREGON'S CUTTHROAT TROUT AS ENDANGERED A population of cutthroat trout found in Oregon's Umpqua River has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act, according to the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA must make its decision on whether to list the fish as "endangered" within a year. Today's announcement is in response to a petition received in 1993 by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service from the Oregon Natural Resources Council, Umpqua Valley Audubon Society and Wilderness Society. Together, they had asked the federal fisheries agency to list the North and South Umpqua River sea-run cutthroat trout as threatened or endangered and to designate its natural environment as "critical habitat." A listing of "threatened" means a species is likely to become endangered; a listing of "endangered" means a species is likely to become extinct. The fisheries service has already listed several species of salmon on the Sacramento and Snake rivers as endangered or threatened. According to fisheries service scientists, the number of adult cutthroat trout counted at Winchester Dam on the North Umpqua River in southwestern Oregon has dropped to "extremely low" numbers recently. In 1966-67, 2,364 adults passed the dam. In the 1992-93 season, none was seen. Recreational fishing and degradation of habitat from commercial logging are believed to be the major causes of the cutthroat's decline in the river basin. If the fisheries service decides to list the cutthroat trout as endangered, the federal agency would produce a recovery plan outlining the steps needed to help restore the population. In addition to the sea-run population named in the petition, two other forms of cutthroat trout are believed to live in the Umpqua River basin: those that migrate to mainstem rivers or lakes and those that remain in tributary streams all their lives. The fisheries service is proposing to list all three types as endangered, but is also seeking scientific information to decide whether each should be considered a separate species under the Endangered Species Act. Gary Smith, acting director of the fisheries service's regional office in Seattle, pointed to the need for more scientific information, saying "We have to understand the status and genetic relationship of the sea-run cutthroat trout and the other two life forms to make a decision whether to list these fish under the Endangered Species Act." "If we consider only the sea-run variety of cutthroat trout," he added, "the species is virtually extinct." For that reason, the fisheries service is soliciting comments from the public and the scientific community before making its final decision. Persons wanting a copy of the proposed rule that appears today in the Federal Register can call or write the National Marine Fisheries Service, Environmental and Technical Services Division, 911 N.E. 11th Ave., Suite 620, Portland, Ore. 97232. The telephone number is (503) 230-5400. # NOAA 94-R140 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/15/94 COMMERCE SECRETARY BROWN ANNOUNCES $9 MILLION TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN GRANTS FOR NORTHEAST FISHING INDUSTRY Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown today announced $9 million in grants will be made available to Northeast fishing communities. This initiative is part of the $30 million federal program announced by Secretary Brown on March 21. "These grants are a crucial element in restoring economic stability to distressed fishing communities," Secretary Brown said. "They demonstrate the Clinton Administration's commitment to effectively providing the resources necessary for the fishing industry's revitalization." The grants will be made available in two parts. Applications may now be submitted through August 22 for the first part of this program, for which up to $4.5 million has been allocated to meet the most pressing needs of fishermen. Greatest consideration will be given to proposals that involve, or are expected to benefit, a broad range of fishermen. The second part, for which an additional $4.5 million will be available, will be announced at a later time through a separate Federal Register notice. Applications may be for demonstrations or pilot projects, technology development and/or transfer, or other activities in the general areas of enhancing commercial fisheries and markets for underexploited finfish and shellfish species; aquaculture or hatchery programs; and other activities for providing alternative employment or new business opportunities to other economic sectors. "These grants, combined with other forms of financial assistance, will help ensure the future health of the fishing industry in New England," said Douglas Hall, Commerce's assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere. Guidance on preparation of proposals will be presented during informational meetings (see attached schedule) and by individual conferences (call 508-281-9267 for appointment and application kits). INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS INDUSTRY GRANTS PROGRAM GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS July 18 and July 25 July 22 and July 28 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Fishing Family Assistance Ctr. Fishing Family Assistance Ctr 11-15 Parker Street City Hall, 260 Commercial Str. (508) 283-4750 (508) 487-7261 NARRAGANSETT, RHODE ISLAND ROCKLAND, MAINE July 19 and August 4 (tentative) July 21 and August 2 (tent.) 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. Fishing Family Assistance Ctr. Fishing Family Assistance Ctr. Narragansett Lab., 28 Tarzwell Dr. Federal Building, Room 200 (401) 782-3200 21 Limerock Street (207) 594-2267 NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS July 20 and July 27 1:00 p.m. Fishing Family Assistance Ctr. 693 Purchase Street (508) 979-1750 PORTLAND, MAINE July 22 and August 5 1:00 p.m. Fishing Family Assistance Ctr. Marine Trade Center, Suite 311 2 Portland Fish Pier (207) 780-3423 Space is limited. Please call each Fishing Family Assistance Center for details on this and other meetings. This list is subject to change. NORTHEAST FISHING INDUSTRY GRANTS DATE AND ADDRESS: Applications must be received by August 22, 1994. Applicants must submit one signed original and two copies of the complete application. Applications should be sent to the Northeast Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930. Generally, the time required to process applications is 120 days from the closing date of the solicitation. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Applications for assistance may be made by any individual who is a citizen or national of the U.S., or any corporation, partnership, association, or other entity, non-profit or otherwise. DURATION AND TERMS OF FUNDING: Grants are awarded for a period of one year, but no more than 18 months at a time. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the Commerce Department. COST-SHARING: This first part of the grant will require no cost- sharing by applicants. FORMAT: Applications for project funding must be complete. They must identify the principal participants and include copies of any agreements between the participants and the applicant describing the specific tasks to be performed. Project applications must respond to one or more of the following priorities: developing commercial fisheries and markets to finfish and shellfish species for which there are harvestable surpluses; helping restore overfished New England groundfish stocks through aquaculture or hatchery programs; and developing projects/conducting activities to provide alternate employment or new business opportunities for fishermen. Project applications must be clearly and completely submitted in the following format: (1) Cover Sheet; (2) Project Summary; (3) Project Budget; (4) Project Narrative Description -- (a) Identification of Problem(s), (b) Project Goals and Objectives, (c) Need for Government Financial Assistance, (d) Participation by Persons or Groups Other than the Applicant, (e) Federal, State, and Local Government Activities, (f) Project Statement of Work, (g) Project Management, (h) Project Impacts, (i) Evaluation of Project; (5) Supporting Documentation. AVAILABILITY OF FORMS: Application forms are available, with instructions for completion, and a detailed description of evaluation criteria, selection procedures, and administrative and other requirements, by calling (508) 281-9256 or 281-9267. # NOAA 94-R141 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 7/19/94 EAST COAST SCALLOPERS GET CREW RESTRICTIONS, PERMISSION FOR SPARE DREDGE ON BOARD Starting Aug. 17, scallop vessels from Massachusetts and elsewhere on the East Coast will be limited to a seven-person rather than a nine-person crew, but they will be able to carry a spare dredge so they won't have to return to port to make major fishing-equipment repairs, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The changes are part of a package of refinements to a comprehensive management plan put into effect last March. The plan is designed to rebuild heavily exploited scallop stocks off New England, according to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency charged with implementing the plan. It will affect all East Coast scallop boats, which are found as far south as North Carolina. The crew change is aimed at encouraging scallopers to harvest larger scallops, more likely to be sexually mature and to have reproduced at least once. With smaller crews, scallopers will either have to fish for larger scallops and try to land as much weight in scallop meats as with a crew of nine, or continue catching smaller scallops but, with a reduced crew, be able to harvest fewer of them, according to fisheries service officials. An analysis done in preparation for these changes shows a seven- person crew can shuck and process on board only about 900 pounds of medium-size scallop meats daily. With a crew of nine, however, that figure jumps to about 1,500 pounds. The change in crew size lasts only until the end of this year. The new changes also allow dredges, which are constructed of metal rings held together by small metal links, much like outsized chain mail, to be built so on the bottom of the dredge there are three rather than two links joining each pair of rings. Scallop dredges are dragged along the sea floor; tripling the links on the dredge bottoms makes them more durable. While adding an extra link slightly reduces the opening of each ring and makes it less likely that small scallops will escape from the dredge, the fisheries service says there is little or no chance that scallops will evade the bottom of a dredge anyway. As a result, the change will have virtually no effect on escapement. The new rules also change the beginning of the scallop season from Jan. 1 to March 1 of each year. The original management plan, submitted by the New England Fishery Management Council to the fisheries service for its approval last year, called for a moratorium on new federal scallop permits and a seven-year phased-in program to substantially limit scallop boats' days at sea, among other things. Since 1982, scallopers had been fishing under a plan that relied on a single measure -- a meats-per-pound standard -- aimed at prevent- ing the harvest of small scallops. The plan had no control over how many fishing boats could harvest scallops or how many scallops they could catch. The new plan's days-at-sea provision restricts full-time scallop boats to 204 fishing days this season (March 1994-Feb. 1995); that number is scheduled to be only 120 days a season by the end of the decade. # NOAA 94-R142 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713 2370 7/20/94 NMFS STEPS UP TED ENFORCEMENT OFF TEXAS, THREATENS SHRIMP SEIZURES Continued high numbers of sea turtle strandings on Texas beaches have forced the National Marine Fisheries Service to increase enforce- ment efforts and step up shrimp seizures for violations of regulations requiring shrimpers to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs), the Nation- al Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Since the opening of the shrimp season July 7, more than 60 endangered or threatened sea turtles have been reported washed up on Texas beaches. According to the fisheries service, these numbers are similar to the highest weekly numbers that were reported in April and May and that led the fisheries agency to publish a rule requiring the use of floats to keep bottom-exiting TEDs off the sea floor. Fisheries service researchers found that without being modified with floats, bottom-exiting TEDs can drag along the Gulf floor and prevent turtles from escaping. According to Andrew J. Kemmerer, director of the fisheries service's Southeast Region, all available enforcement agents will be moved to the Texas coast, Coast Guard patrols will be increased, and assistance will be provided by enforcement officers of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Enforcement will include at-sea boarding and dockside inspections of trawls. Kemmerer warned that failure to have TEDs properly installed will result in serious penalties, including the seizure of shrimp catches. He said his enforcement division will pay special attention to bottom-shooting TEDs without flotation, Andrews Soft TEDs with a mesh size greater than five inches, TED angles greater than the 30-50 degree regulatory allowance, and sewn-up escape openings. "We are convinced most shrimpers are abiding by the law, but there are clearly some who are ignoring their legal obligations without regard to the consequences for the resource," Kemmerer said. He added, "We cannot have large numbers of sea turtles dying offshore and washing up dead on beaches. Shrimpers who are purposefully violating the law will be dealt with accordingly." He said violators would have their shrimp catches seized and they will face stiff fines. "It would indeed be unfortunate if a small percentage of non-law abiding shrimpers cause a closure of areas off Texas to shrimping, but if sea turtle strandings continue at these high levels, we will have no other choice." Kemmerer said. # NOAA 94-R144 Contact: Hal Alabaster (206) 526-6046 Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 8/3/94 SEATTLE'S NORTHWEST FISHERIES OFFICE ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR William W. Stelle Jr., who has held high-level positions dealing with natural resource policy in the Executive branch and Congress for the past 13 years, has been named director of the Northwest regional office of the National Marine Fisheries Service -- an agency of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- in Seattle, NOAA announced today. Stelle joins the fisheries service from his post as associate director for natural resources in the environmental policy office in the White House. At the White House, he managed a variety of national marine, clean water and natural resource issues, including those related to water resources, wetlands, public land management, forestry, fish and wildlife, and endangered species. "While in various legislative and executive positions, Will Stelle has helped shape a decade of major environmental legislation and has worked most recently on critical Pacific Northwest issues, including the recovery of imperiled salmon stocks and the President's Forest Plan," said D. James Baker, NOAA administrator and Commerce under secretary for oceans and atmosphere. "He brings to the fisheries service a remarkable breadth of knowledge and experience about natural resource issues involving the Northwest and the nation," Baker added. The fisheries service's Northwest region is responsible for managing federal fishery management plans, preparing and issuing fishing regulations, and managing programs related to marine mammals and endangered species of the Pacific Northwest, including populations of threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead trout. Additionally, the region has distinct treaty responsibilities regarding salmon with area Indian tribes. The Northwest region of the fisheries service includes 425 employees located in the regional headquarters and the regional science center in Seattle, as well as five field laboratories in Washington and Oregon. The region's budget this year is $38.9 million. Stelle served as special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior, and was formerly chief counsel to Rep. Gerry Studds, D- Mass., for the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and general counsel of its Subcommittee on Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment in the U.S. House of Representatives. Additionally, he worked as staff counsel on the U.S. Senate's Select Committee on Indian Affairs and Committee on Governmental Affairs. He has also held attorney-advisor positions with the Environmental Protection Agency. Stelle received his B.A. magna cum laude from Boston University. He studied U.S.-Canadian marine policies at Canada's Dalhausie University Law School, received his J.D. in international marine law at the University of Maine Law School in Portland, and received his LL.M. in natural resource law at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle. He is married to Claudia Widgery Stelle and has four children. # NOAA 94-R145 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (O) 8/4/94 TEXAS TURTLE STRANDINGS FALL Only eight sea turtles washed up dead on the entire Texas coast last week -- one-seventh the number just three weeks ago when the shrimp season re-opened -- following the National Marine Fisheries Service's stepped-up effort to enforce the federal requirement that shrimp boats carry turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their nets, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. In the first full week of the season, from July 10-16, 55 federally protected sea turtles washed up, or stranded, on Texas beaches. During the second week, when the fisheries service bolstered its enforcement effort, that number dropped to 29. "I'm proud of the enforcement efforts. I'm delighted with the cooperation we've gotten from the majority of shrimpers. And I'm very, very relieved that these stranding numbers have fallen so low," said Andrew Kemmerer, director of the fisheries service's Southeast regional office in St. Petersburg, Fla. Kemmerer said that at one point more than 104 persons were involved in enforcement activities, including 14 from the fisheries service, 10 from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and 80 from the U.S. Coast Guard. The fisheries service was helped by the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, comprised of federal, state and volunteer workers who walk the Texas shore looking for stranded turtles and other marine animals. Also involved were numerous federal, state and university researchers who compiled and analyzed fishery, biological and oceanographic data to help target enforcement efforts. A TED is a special device attached to a shrimp trawl and designed to shunt turtles safely out of the net, where they would otherwise drown. The shrimping season began July 7, following the opening of the so-called Texas closure, an annual two-month suspension of shrimping in Texas waters so that young shrimp can migrate from coastal inlets to deeper water and grow to market size. From July 19-27, enforcement officers boarded 188 shrimp vessels and found 24 violations, seven of them serious enough to warrant the seizure of almost $170,000 worth of shrimp and fish. According to Kemmerer, the serious violations were such that they would almost certainly have resulted in a turtle's being killed if it had been caught in such a net. "The fact that fewer than four percent of these boardings revealed serious violations confirms what we have believed all along," said Kemmerer. "Only a small fraction of shrimpers are ignoring the law. The vast majority are trying to use TEDs properly so that turtles are protected." During the height of the shrimp season, more than 4,000 shrimp vessels may be operating in the western Gulf of Mexico. Of the five species of sea turtle found off the U.S. coast, all are listed as threatened or endangered and are protected by federal law. Shrimp fishermen who fail to take the required steps to prevent turtles from being caught or drowned in their nets run the risk of civil fines up to $12,000 and having their catch seized under the federal Endangered Species Act. # NOAA 94-R147 Contact: Hal Alabaster (206) 526-6046 8/5/94 Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 8/5/94 NOAA SEEKS ADDITIONAL PROTECTION FOR ENDANGERED CHINOOK SALMON The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today began a re-evaluation of the Alaskan salmon fisheries and their impacts on Snake River fall chinook salmon to prevent a further decline in the population of the endangered species. The move for additional protection for the fish was prompted by recent findings regarding the dire health of Snake River fall chinook salmon and the impact of sport fishing in Alaska on the species that had not been fully considered. The National Marine Fisheries Service, a NOAA agency, has asked the State of Alaska and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to consider additional protection for Snake River salmon, including decreasing the take of listed salmon and requiring the use of barbless hooks. The service said that only 803 Snake River fall chinook salmon are expected to return to spawning grounds at the mouth of the Columbia River this season. "We are extremely concerned about the health of the Snake River fall chinook and will seek the advice of those involved in managing Alaskan fisheries on how best to minimize the impacts on threatened salmon," said J. Gary Smith, acting regional director for the fisheries service's Northwest region. As required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, the fisheries service will reinitiate consultation because a recent assessment of the 1993/1994 and 1994/1995 Alaskan salmon fisheries did not fully consider the effects of the state's sport fishery on Snake River fall chinook salmon. # NOAA 94-R149 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 8/16/94 FEDERAL EMERGENCY RULE MODIFIES "LIVE ROCK" HARVEST BAN IN GULF OF MEXICO An emergency rule restricting the taking of marine organisms attached to hard substances such as dead coral or rocks -- known generically as "live rock" -- has been modified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the request of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, it was announced today. The new rule replaces an existing emergency rule in effect since May 16 that banned live rock harvesting in federal waters off northwest Florida. Today's emergency rule will expire in mid- November. Live rock is collected by scuba divers in the Gulf of Mexico and along the South Atlantic coast. It is sold to the marine aquarium industry, which markets it for hobbyists interested in setting up "mini-reefs" in their home aquariums. Last year about one million pounds of live rock were taken from federal waters off Florida. Environmentalists strongly object to the harvesting of live rock. The Gulf council, an independent body established under federal fisheries law to propose management plans for controlling harvests of living marine resources, is working on a plan that would phase out all live rock harvesting in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico by the end of 1997. Without such a plan, live rock harvesting could damage the reef ecosystem and substantially harm fishery resources. The country's eight fishery management councils submit plans to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service for its approval and implementation. The new emergency rule prohibits taking live rock in federal waters off Alabama or taking live rock by chipping existing outcrops of the material in federal waters from Florida's Pasco-Hernando county line to the Alabama border. In addition, the new rule prohibits the use of power tools to chip live rock in federal waters south of the Pasco-Hernando county line, and sets a daily harvest limit of 25 five-gallon buckets of live rock per vessel throughout the area where harvesting is allowed. Both the council and NOAA have concluded that a short-term harvest of loose or "rubble" live rock with a 25-bucket trip limit won't threaten the area's reefs or its fishery resources. The chipping prohibition essentially means harvesters will have to confine themselves to rubble rock lying on the bottom, which experts say is available in sufficient quantity to support the industry while harvesting is being phased out. The industry is expected to develop aquaculture methods to replace "wild" live rock during the phase-out period. # NOAA 94-R150 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (O) 8/17/94 NORTHWEST'S SNAKE RIVER CHINOOK RECLASSIFIED AS "ENDANGERED" Two populations of Snake River chinook salmon, which are expected to return to their home streams in Washington, Oregon and Idaho in record-low numbers this year, are at risk of extinction and have been reclassified as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The emergency action, taken by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, will remain in effect until April 17, 1995, during which time the federal fisheries agency will publish a rule proposing to make the classification permanent and provide the opportunity for the public to comment on the proposal. Snake River chinook had been classified as "threatened" since April 1992. Since then, stocks have continued to decline, with adult fish returning from the ocean in some cases in lower numbers than at the time the species was listed. Under the Endangered Species Act, a threatened species is likely to become endangered; an endangered species is likely to become extinct. One population, known as spring/summer chinook, returns from the ocean beginning every spring. Its returning numbers have ranged from 5,000 to 13,000 in recent years. Scientists with the fisheries service estimate this year's spring/summer return will be only 600 to 800 fish, divided into as many as 38 local "subpopulations" in different rivers throughout the Snake River basin. The fisheries service estimates that the average number of spawning chinook for some of these subpopulations could be as low as 15 to 20 fish. "Population levels this low drastically reduce the gene pool for these fish and can pose catastrophic risks that threaten the very existence of the species," said Rolland A. Schmitten, director of the fisheries service in Washington, D.C. A second population of Snake River chinook salmon, which returns in the fall, is also at a very low level. After factoring in mortality rates from the salmon's perilous upriver journey, the fisheries service estimates as few as 300 adults will reach Lower Granite Dam this year. Lower Granite Dam, near Pomeroy, Wash., is the uppermost dam on the Snake River with fish passage facilities. This fall's returns are expected to be the second lowest on record. Although the adult chinook that will return to the Snake River system beginning in the spring of 1995 are still maturing in the Pacific Ocean, early indicators of the size of that return look no better for either the spring/summer population or the fall population. "While some improvements have been made since the Snake River chinook salmon was listed as threatened more than two years ago, they haven't been enough," Schmitten said. He added that the fisheries service must take "immediate action to reverse the decline of these salmon populations." "Federal agencies should adopt a more conservative approach to protect Snake River chinook salmon from ongoing and future threats, including hydropower operations, loss of habitat, overfishing and hatchery practices that can harm returning adults," Schmitten said. Salmon populations throughout the Pacific Northwest are at very low -- sometimes record-low -- levels. In addition to the Snake River chinook salmon, the fisheries service has listed Snake River sockeye salmon and Sacramento River winter-run chinook salmon as endangered. The agency recently proposed listing the cutthroat trout from the Umpqua River in southern Oregon as endangered. The fisheries service is also reviewing petitions to list as endangered or threatened coho salmon and steelhead populations throughout their West Coast range, and the pink, chinook and chum salmon populations in Washington's Hood Canal and Puget Sound. # NOAA 94-R151 Contact: Jean Fitch 301-713-2259 8/17/94 HONOLULU SIXTH IN NATION'S FISHING PORTS FOR 1993 Commercial fisherman landed $48.7 million worth of fish and shellfish at the port of Honolulu in 1993 -- making it the port with the sixth highest dollar value of fish landings in the country, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Using data from the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, officials at NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service said the value of landings, primarily for high quality tuna, ranks Honolulu as one of the top ten ports in value for the second year in a row. The landings of 18.9 million pounds ranked Honolulu at the 36th position in volume. The top 10 leading U.S. ports in value of fish and shellfish for 1992 and 1993 are: VALUE (figures are in millions of dollars) PORT 1992 1993 Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK 194.0* 161.2 New Bedford, MA 151.8 107.5 Kodiak, AK 90.0 81.5 Empire-Venice, LA 58.7 52.3 Portland, ME 43.6 49.1 Honolulu, HI 45.8 48.7 Dulac-Chauvin, LA 52.8 48.0 Brownsville-Port Isabel, TX 54.9 46.6 Cape May-Wildwood, NJ 34.9 36.2 Point Judith, RI 36.6 35.2 * Current record for value # NOAA 94-R152 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-237 8/26/94 $4.8 MILLION WETLAND PROJECT TO CREATE 3,700 ACRES OF LOUISIANA MARSHLANDS The Commerce Department and Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources recently received $4.79 million to implement two wetland restoration and creation projects that should produce more than 3,700 acres of marshlands near the mouth of Louisiana's Atchafalaya River, Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Administered by the Restoration Center of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in cooperation with Louisiana's Department of Natural Resources, the Big Island Mining Restoration Project and the Atchafalaya Sediment Delivery Project will create emergent wetlands and improve natural sediment flow in the area during the project's 20- year span. The Big Island Mining Restoration Project involves dredging a six-foot-deep, 500-foot-wide channel through an 1,100-acre, man-made island known as Big Island. The dredged material from the channel will be used to create 310 acres of emergent wetlands in the shape of small delta islands, called lobes. The channel will allow water and sediment to flow around the delta lobes, creating natural marshes. The project site encompasses 2,500 acres of open water and the 1,100- acre island that is bordered by 300 acres of fresh marsh. The creation of Big Island itself and past maintenance dredging of a navigational channel have prevented natural marsh growth in the western portion of the Atchafalaya Delta. The project should significantly increase delta area by immediately creating the emergent wetlands and eventually generating 500 acres of mud flats and 1,200 acres of vegetated wetlands. The Atchafalaya Sediment Delivery Project consists of re-opening the Natal Channel and Radcliffe Pass river branches to establish natural sediment flow to the eastern portion of the delta. Reestablishing sediment flow and creating 300 acres of emergent wetlands from dredged material should form 1,900 acres of new wetlands in the shallow waters of the delta. Deposits of dredged material have closed Natal Channel and Radcliffe Pass and cut off the sediment supply to adjacent fresh marshes and shallow delta areas. As a result, delta growth slowed and wetland loss has occurred. The entire Atchafalaya Delta provides valuable coastal wetland habitat for ecologically and economically important plant and animal species. Commercially harvested fish and shellfish such as red and black drum, menhaden, sand and sea trout, shrimp, and blue crab use the delta as a source of shelter and food. Louisiana waters contributed 75 percent of the total Gulf of Mexico fishery catch in 1993, generating more than $262 million in dockside value. The projects are funded by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act of 1990. The Act provides funds to reverse the long-term trend of wetland loss throughout the nation's coastal zones. The Act requires that restoration projects in Louisiana be cost-shared on a 75 percent federal, 25 percent state basis. # NOAA 94-R153 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 8/31/94 BLUEFIN TUNA TEAM TO PRODUCE NEW MANAGEMENT PLAN The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has named a team of experts to evaluate findings of a National Academy of Sciences report that reevaluates past assessments of Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks. The team will make recommendations about policy and management issues raised by the report, which will help establish the U.S. position on bluefin tuna conservation measures in consultation with U.S. delegates and the advisory committee to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). The NAS report incorporates data compiled through 1992. The NAS review panel found that there is no evidence that bluefin stocks have declined since 1988. At the same time, however, the review panel found that the Atlantic bluefin population is only about 20 percent of 1970s levels. The review panel updated previous assessments by revising some input data and including new estimates of the rate of exchange between fisheries in the western and eastern Atlantic. NAS's National Research Council concludes that there is significant "interchange" of the highly migratory bluefin between the Western Atlantic and those in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. Previously, fisheries service scientists had analyzed bluefin as two separate units and had made management recommendations based on this analysis. "We are committed to making management decisions based on the best available scientific information, and we deeply appreciate the thoroughness and thoughtfulness of this report," said Rolland A. Schmitten, director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service. "This report represents a significant step forward in determining the status of this species and the management decisions we must make. It is encouraging that the Academy has found that the stocks appear to have stabilized recently, but it's clear that bluefin stocks are only a fraction of what they once were." Today's NAS report, while acknowledging that two separate spawning areas exist, says that cross-migration or "interchange" between fisheries in the Western and Eastern Atlantic is significant and should be taken into account in managing Atlantic bluefin tuna. The U.S. manages bluefin tuna under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, and is obligated under ATCA and ICCAT to follow international recommendations on quota levels, minimum sizes and gear restrictions. Schmitten added, "The study reflects our commitment to seek the very best science for our policy and management decisions -- decisions that are made in the long-term interest of the fish and fishermen by allowing bluefin stocks to stabilize and remain available for harvest." The NRC recommendation to include consideration of "mixing" in the assessment of bluefin tuna implies that ICCAT member countries, including the United States, should consider the management and conservation of the species on an Atlantic-wide basis. The fact that the NRC's estimated bluefin population hasn't declined since 1988, NOAA warns, doesn't necessarily mean that strict limits on catch from the Western Atlantic should be abandoned. According to Schmitten, the team will carefully examine the issue of catch limits. In response to the NAS report, Schmitten has formed and is chairing the task force that will immediately review and respond to the NAS committee's conclusions and recommendations by developing a plan of action by October 31. According to Schmitten, the team will work closely with ICCAT science committees, commissioners and advisory committees, fishing industry groups, conservation organizations and members and staff of Congress in producing the action plan. Task force members include Will Martin, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for International Affairs; Nancy Foster, deputy director of the National Marine Fisheries Service; Michael Sissenwine, senior scientist of NMFS; Allen Peterson, acting Northeast regional director of NMFS; Brad Brown, science director for the Southeast Regional Center of NMFS; and Andy Kemmerer, Southeast regional director of NMFS. NOAA will ask NAS to maintain the NRC review committee for at least another year to work with the agency to help implement the NRC recommendations and provide continuing peer review. The highly migratory Atlantic bluefin tuna is a long-lived fish that can survive for more than 30 years. Adults can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh more than 1,200 pounds. The bluefin is a highly prized commercial and recreational fish that typically is sold at dockside prices that range from $12 to $15 per pound, and have reached as high as $63 per pound. # NOAA 94-R154 CONTACT: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 9/1/94 LONG BEACH'S SOUTHWEST FISHERIES OFFICE ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR Diaz-Soltero, a senior official with the Department of Interior's U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for nearly six years, has been named director of the Southwest regional office of the National Marine Fisheries Service in Long Beach, Calif. The fisheries service is part of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Diaz-Soltero, the first Hispanic to head one of the fisheries service's nine major field installations, joins the fisheries service from her post as the Fish and Wildlife Service's assistant deputy regional director of fisheries and financial aid. In this post she was responsible for fishery resources management and control in Midwest states, which includes management of fish hatcheries, fishery resource stations, fish disease control, and supervision of the Great Lakes coordination office. "I am very happy about Ms. Diaz-Soltero's joining our team," said Rolland Schmitten, director of NOAA's fisheries service. "Not only has she demonstrated her dedication and management abilities in the environmental arena, but is a leader in initiating and implementing workplace diversity programs." In her former position with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Diaz- Soltero oversaw a budget of $20 million and 170 employees. While in this position, she actively promoted workforce diversity, preparing a report called Training, Recruitment, Retention and Development Plan for Hispanic Minorities in the FWS Midwest Region. Previous posts Diaz-Soltero has held at the Fish and Wildlife Service include deputy assistant regional director of ecological services to field supervisor of the Caribbean field office. In the private sector, Diaz-Soltero has served as the director of conservation for Conservation International, as well as the director of Caribbean, Ecuador and Paraguay country programs for the Nature Conservancy. She has also held several posts with the government of Puerto Rico, including secretary of the Department of Natural Resources. The Southwest region encompasses more than 1.5 million square miles of federal waters from California to Hawaii, including waters off Guam, the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, and U.S. possessions in the Pacific. The region is responsible for administering federal fishery management plans and their fishing regulations, and managing programs related to habitat conservation, marine mammals, and endangered species, including salmon. Additionally, the region is responsible for managing international tuna and swordfish fisheries off the West Coast and throughout the Pacific ocean. # NOAA 94-R155 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 9/6/94 FEDERAL, STATE AGENCIES BEEF UP ENFORCEMENT; NMFS OFFERS REWARD TO STEM TURTLE STRANDINGS OFF TEXAS An increase in sea turtle strandings along the north Texas coast has prompted the National Marine Fisheries Service to boost its enforcement efforts in the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery and to offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of anyone violating federal regulations that protect sea turtles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. Both the U.S. Coast Guard and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are contributing to the activity, which Andrew Kemmerer, director of the fisheries service's Southeast regional office in St. Petersburg, Fla., calls "the most concentrated enforcement effort in the history of sea turtle conservation." "I don't know how we can make our intentions any clearer," Kemmerer said. "This agency is not going to stand idly by while threatened or endangered sea turtles wash up dead on Texas beaches." Shrimp fishermen from time to time capture turtles in their nets, where the turtles can drown. Turtle excluder devices, or TEDs, are designed to shunt turtles safely out of shrimp nets. The turtle-saving function of a TED can be defeated if it is improperly installed, and in some instances, TEDs have been found intentionally sewn shut. According to fisheries service enforcement officials, some fishermen sew their TEDs shut because they believe TEDs cause them to lose shrimp. Studies have repeatedly shown, however, that a properly installed and operated TED will not release shrimp. Weekly turtle strandings, which had risen to 55 the week the shrimp season opened July 7, fell to the single digits the second and third week of August. But during the week ending Aug. 27, more than 20 turtles washed up dead on the Texas coast, most between Freeport and Sabine Pass. Since Aug. 28, more than a dozen additional sea turtles have stranded, most of them in the same area. The fisheries service says its beefed-up enforcement effort with the Coast Guard and Texas Parks and Wildlife began shortly after the opening of the shrimp season and accounted for the initial fall in turtle strandings. Enforcement, however, returned to what Kemmerer called a "normal complement" in mid-August. "It seems to us there is a direct relationship between how tough we get with enforcement and how low the number of stranded turtles is," said Kemmerer. Kemmerer said the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fully supports the fisheries service's enforcement efforts and has made three of its boats and several of its agents available. In addition, Kemmerer said, the department and the fisheries service will begin immediately to develop an enforcement agreement and will cooperate in developing a longer-term solution to the stranding problem. The U.S. Coast Guard, which has already made a substantial commitment of boats, aircraft and personnel from its stations in Sabine, Freeport, Galveston, Houston and Corpus Christi, said it was prepared to augment fisheries service efforts with its own special criminal investigative agents, if needed. Kemmerer said the agency was bringing in extra enforcement agents from as far away as Alaska and that the effort would continue through- out September, and longer if necessary. The shrimping season began July 7, following the opening of the so-called Texas closure, an annual two-month suspension of shrimping in Texas waters so that young shrimp can migrate from coastal inlets to deeper water and grow to market size. During the height of the shrimp season, as many as 4,000 shrimp vessels may be operating in the western Gulf of Mexico. All five species of sea turtles found off the U.S. coast are listed as threatened or endangered and are protected by federal law. Shrimp fishermen who fail to take the required steps to prevent turtles from being caught or drowned in their nets run the risk of civil fines up to $12,000 and having their catch seized under the federal Endangered Species Act. Fisheries service enforcement officials said that anyone who furnishes information leading to an arrest, conviction, or forfeiture of property of anyone who violates federal law protecting marine turtles would be eligible for the reward of up to $10,000. # NOAA 94-R156 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 9/9/94 NMFS ESTABLISHES SEA TURTLE PROTECTION HOTLINE A toll-free hotline to report violations of federal laws protecting endangered sea turtles is currently operating for the entire Gulf of Mexico region and may lead to a reward of up to $10,000, the National Marine Fisheries Service announced today. Fisheries service officials created the 24-hour hotline as part of an unprecedented effort to stem recent sea turtle deaths, known as strandings, along the north Texas coast. Four badly mutilated sea turtles washed up in the area recently with flippers severed and hatchet marks. Officials said the hotline will complement a recent boost in enforcement efforts there and should serve as a fisheries enforcement tool throughout the entire Gulf region. Fisheries service enforcement officials said that anyone who furnishes information leading to an arrest, conviction, or forfeiture of property of anyone who violates federal law protecting marine sea turtles would be eligible for a reward of up to $10,000. To furnish information concerning sea turtle protection violations, dial 1-800-286-1116, and leave a telephone number for a representative of the fisheries service enforcement office to return the call. If callers wish to remain anonymous, information will be held in confidence. Fisheries service officials request that those wanting more information about sea turtle protection regulations or details concerning fisheries regulations call the agency's southeast regional office at (813) 570-5344. # NOAA 94-R157 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 9/12/94 FEDERAL FISHERIES AGENCY TO UNDERTAKE EXHAUSTIVE REVIEW OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST SALMON STOCKS The most far-reaching study of fish stocks ever undertaken by a federal agency begins this week as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service starts comprehensive status reviews of populations of pink, chum, sockeye and chinook salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. Two other reviews -- of coho salmon and steelhead trout -- are already underway. The five reviews announced today are scheduled for completion between June 1995 and April 1996. Initiation of these comprehensive status reviews reflects the growing concern about Pacific Coast salmon and sea-going trout, whose numbers have been dwindling over the past century -- the result of a wide variety of human-caused factors and, more recently, a years-long drought in the usually wet Pacific Northwest. "These status reviews reflect a new way of doing business," said William Stelle, director of the fisheries service's Northwest regional office in Seattle. "A one-stock-at-a-time, piecemeal approach will never paint an accurate picture of the condition of these fish." Stelle said the "big-picture" approach stems in part from the several petitions the fisheries service has received, mostly from environmental groups, asking the agency to list stocks under the Endangered Species Act. Reviewing the status of petitioned stocks on an individual basis, according to Stelle, invariably requires the agency to look at adjacent populations as well to obtain an accurate portrayal of the condition or "health" of the petitioned stocks. The reviews will focus on two key questions: does a particular fish population constitute a separate species under the Endangered Species Act and, if so, is the population so fragile that it should be listed as "threatened" or "endangered?" The Endangered Species Act, a federal law passed in 1973 to conserve various species of fish, wildlife and plants facing extinction, defines species to include subspecies and distinct populations. If a stock of fish qualifies as a distinct population, it may be listed, even if the species is abundant elsewhere. The overall decline in West Coast salmon and trout stocks makes it likely the fisheries service will be petitioned to examine most, if not all, of the stocks announced today within the next year or two. When salmon species are listed under the Endangered Species Act, other federal agencies have to consult with the fisheries service to ensure their actions will neither jeopardize the species' continued existence nor destroy or adversely modify its habitat. The two reviews already in progress grew out of petitions filed for coho salmon in 1993 and for steelhead in 1992. The fisheries agency is expected to make an announcement about whether it will propose listing coastal Oregon coho salmon north of Cape Blanco to the Columbia River and steelhead from Cape Blanco south to California's Klamath River by the end of the month. Results of the comprehensive reviews for both species will be announced in the next five months. Earlier this year, the fisheries service reclassified two populations of Snake River chinook from threatened to the more fragile endangered. The schedule for completion of the reviews, both those in progress and those announced today, is as follows: coho salmon (Oct. 20, 1994), steelhead (Feb. 16, 1995), pink salmon (June 1, 1995), chum salmon (July 15, 1995), sockeye salmon (Sept. 1, 1995), chinook salmon (Dec. 15, 1995) and sea-run cutthroat trout (Apr. 1, 1996). The fisheries service is soliciting comments about these reviews. Comments and any related information can be submitted up to 60 days before the date the review is scheduled to be completed. Comments can be sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Region, Environmental and Technical Services Division, 525 N. Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland OR 97232. # NOAA 94-R159 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 9/22/94 NOAA REMOVES CONTROL DATE ON ATLANTIC MACKEREL; MAKES FISHERY MORE ATTRACTIVE TO FISHERMEN Due to the abundance of Atlantic mackerel in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic coastal waters, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will lift a management condition Tuesday, called a control date, that could have discouraged vessels from entering the fishery that were not historic participants before August 13, 1992. Lifting the control date may encourage many fishermen who have been hit hard by the collapse of groundfish and other East Coast high value stocks to re-rig their vessels to catch Atlantic mackerel. "This is an example of how we're trying to address the fishing crisis in the Northeast," said Rollie Schmitten, head of the National Marine Fisheries Service. "We are working with fishermen to identify ways in which they can sustain their livelihood, but not contribute to further depletion of overfished stocks. By encouraging diversification into Atlantic mackerel, we are helping to reach this goal in a positive manner." During 1992, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council recommended to the fisheries service that measures to control possible overfishing and overcapitalization in the Atlantic mackerel fishery might be necessary in the future. The council, through the fisheries service, established a control date -- or cutoff date -- that could have been used to exclude fishermen not in the fishery before that date. A limited access measure using the control date had not been triggered in the Atlantic mackerel fishery. The council and fisheries service officials were presented data recently that indicate that Atlantic mackerel catch and fishing effort decreased in 1993 and 1994, while stock levels remained constant, and that mackerel stocks look healthy into the near future. Fisheries service officials believe that many vessels from the New England and Mid-Atlantic areas may enter the Atlantic mackerel fishery if viable markets can be developed. According to fisheries service statistics, 10.3 million pounds of Atlantic mackerel valued at $1.3 million were landed at East Coast ports during 1993. Those figures are down from the 1992 catch of 26 million pounds, valued at $3.7 million. # NOAA 94-R160 CONTACT: Hal Alabaster (206) 526-6046 Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (202) 667-2324 (H) 9/23/94 MID-COLUMBIA SUMMER CHINOOK DON'T NEED ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROTECTION The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today it will not list mid-Columbia River summer chinook salmon as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. However, mid-Columbia chinook should benefit from actions taken to protect listed Snake River salmon in the same area, through increased water flows and ocean harvest restrictions. NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service has concluded that the fish is part of a larger group that includes all late-run (summer and fall) Columbia River chinook from the main stem Columbia River, which is not currently listed under the Endangered Species Act. The fisheries service was asked last year by environmental groups to list the mid-Columbia River summer chinook salmon and to designate critical habitat for the fish under the Endangered Species Act. Will Stelle, director of the fisheries service's Northwest regional office in Seattle, cautioned, however, that the late-run chinook stocks are far from robust. "Even though the mid-Columbia late-run is not at significant risk of extinction or endangerment, the run sizes are not as strong as they were in the mid 1970's," Stelle said. "This may indicate problems with habitat, dam passage, harvest rates or hatchery practices." He added that the fisheries service will continue to work with the Tribes, state managers and other federal agencies to protect all stocks in the region. The fisheries service has previously listed Snake River spring/summer chinook, Snake River fall chinook, Snake River sockeye and Sacramento River winter-run chinook. The agency recently proposed listing cutthroat trout from the Umpqua River in southern Oregon as endangered. Earlier this year, the fisheries service reclassified two populations of Snake River chinook from threatened to the more fragile endangered. Last week the fisheries service announced it was beginning the most far-reaching study of fish stocks ever undertaken by a federal agency with comprehensive status reviews of populations of pink, chum, sockeye and chinook salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California. There has been growing concern recently about Pacific Coast salmon and sea-going trout, whose numbers have been dwindling over the past century -- the result of a wide variety of human-caused factors and, more recently, a many-year drought and the effects of El Nino ocean conditions in the region. The Endangered Species Act, a federal law passed in 1973 to conserve various species of fish, wildlife and plants facing extinction, defines species to include subspecies and distinct populations. If a stock of fish qualifies as a distinct population, it may be listed, even if the species is abundant elsewhere. When a salmon species is listed under the Endangered Species Act, other federal agencies have to consult with the fisheries service to ensure their actions will neither jeopardize the species' continued existence nor destroy or adversely modify its habitat. # NOAA 94-R161 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 Hal Alabaster (Seattle) (206) 526-6046 9/26/94 FEDERAL TASK FORCE NAMED TO DEAL WITH SEA LION-STEELHEAD CONFLICT AT WASHINGTON'S BALLARD LOCKS A task force has been named to make recommendations for removing sea lions -- including the possibility of humanely killing a small number of them -- that have for almost 10 years been preying on steelhead at Seattle's Ballard Locks on Lake Washington, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The 21-person task force is made up of scientists knowledgeable about sea lions, and representatives of conservation organizations, the fishing community, the state, Indian tribes and NOAA. The first public meeting of the task force will be Sept. 30 at 10:00 a.m. in the auditorium, Building 9, at NOAA's Western Regional Center, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E. in Seattle. All meetings will be open to the public, although the public will not be allowed to discuss or debate issues with the task force. At the first meeting, however, the fisheries service intends to allow the public a limited amount of time to provide relevant information that may assist the task force in its deliberations. Future meetings of the task force will be announced by NOAA after the Sept. 30 meeting. Last July, Washington state's Department of Fish and Wildlife asked NOAA to look into setting up such a task force, a move made possible by changes to the Marine Mammal Protection Act earlier this year. Washington state's request for action from NOAA came after years of attempts by NOAA and the state to deal with the sea lions through a variety of methods, including relocating them, attempting to divert them with nets, and trying to frighten them away with firecrackers, rubber-tipped arrows and underwater noises. The Lake Washington steelhead population has been steadily dwindling in recent years, primarily because of sea lion predation. The Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates that sea lions are eating over half the returning steelhead. Wild returns of steelhead have gone from about 2,500 fish in the mid-1980s to only 70 last season. Because of federal protection, the California sea lion population, in contrast to the steelhead trout's, is robust, with more than 100,000 individuals along the West Coast. Scientists with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service believe the marine mammal's popula- tion has been growing at a rate of about 10 percent per year since the early 1970's. Every year, starting around mid-December, about 30-50 sea lions gather in the area of the locks, which facilitate ship passage from Puget Sound into Lake Washington, and begin to prey on returning steelhead. The state says that most of the predation can be attributed to only three to six animals. The task force will meet over the next 60 days to review information and public comments, and make its recommendation to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service on whether or not to approve the state's request to kill the offending sea lions. The task force must also suggest non-lethal alternatives, if it believes they are practical. The fisheries service will have 30 days after it gets the task force's recommendations to make a final decision on Washington's July request. The fisheries service is responsible for the protection of sea lions under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the agency has been asked to list the steelhead trout as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. # NOAA 94-R162 CONTACT: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 9/29/94 NOAA SEEKS GUIDANCE ON TUNA, SHARK MANAGEMENT AT PUBLIC MEETINGS The public will have an opportunity to comment on Atlantic tuna and shark resource management issues at a series of meetings the National Marine Fisheries Service will hold in October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The meetings will be held in ll states along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. Each will combine a public hearing on a draft environmental impact statement for Atlantic bluefin tuna with a scoping meeting to receive public comments on management issues and options for Atlantic sharks and the skipjack, bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye tuna species. Officials from the fisheries service said they will collect and consider all public comments when drafting proposed rules on these issues. An Atlantic shark management plan, put in place by the fisheries service last year, calls for quotas for Atlantic large coastal sharks to increase in 1995. However, according to fisheries service scientists, recent stock assessments of Atlantic sharks show little evidence that the populations of the fish are improving and the agency is proposing to maintain current quotas for large coastal sharks rather than raise them as initially planned. Also proposed for new management measures are yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack tunas, including how catches are reported, minimum fish size, and limits on overall catch. Issues for bluefin tuna include how a harpoon vessel is defined, a moratorium on new permits for commercial gear, and other related topics. The public will also be given the opportunity to comment on a draft environmental impact statement for bluefin tuna. The draft examines various quota alternatives and will serve as background information for proposed 1995 rule discussions. Copies of the draft can be requested from John D. Kelly at (301) 713-2347 or by fax at (301) 713-0596. Each meeting is scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with the first hour for discussion on the Atlantic shark fishery and the second hour for non-bluefin tuna management. The remainder of each evening will be devoted to bluefin tuna issues. To submit comments in writing, send them to Richard H. Schaefer, Director, Office of Fisheries Conservation and Management (F/CM), National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Envelopes need to be clearly marked "Atlantic Tuna Comments" or "Shark Comments," or both. The public meetings are scheduled as follows: October 3, 1994 October 4, 1994 Jordan Seafood Restaurant Plymouth High School 700 Main Street Obery Street South Portland, Me. Plymouth, Mass. San Luis Hotel and World Trade Center Building Conference Center Suite 1830, Crescent City Room 5222 Seawall Blvd. 2 Canal Street Galveston, Texas New Orleans, La. Palm Beach Community College North Carolina State Aquarium Allied Health Lecture Hall Airport Road Room 101 Manteo, N.C. 4200 Congress Ave. Lake Worth, Fla. October 5, 1994 October 6, 1994 Suffolk Community College Holiday Inn 533 College Road 290 Rt. 37 East Selden, N.Y. Tom's River, N.J. October 5, 1994 October 6, 1994 NMFS Panama City Lab Madeira Beach City Hall 3500 Delwood Beach Rd. 300 Municipal Dr. Panama City, Fla. Madeira Beach, Fla. South Carolina Wildlife and Lake Wright Resort and Marine Resources Dept. Convention Center 217 Fort Johnson Rd. 6280 Northampton Blvd. Charleston, S.C. Norfolk, Va. October 12, 1994 October 13, 1994 Administration Auditorium 1305 East-West Highway 900 Boyleston St. Building 4 Auditorium Boston, Mass. Silver Spring, Md. # NOAA 94R-163 Contact: Scott Smullen (301) 713-2370 10/2/94 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES NEW FISHERIES LAB FOR SANTA CRUZ, CALIF. AND $2 MILLION PROGRAM FOR NEWPORT, ORE., MARINE SCIENCE CENTER Deputy Secretary of Commerce David J. Barram today announced that the Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will move its federal fisheries laboratory from Tiburon, Calif., to Santa Cruz, and will allocate $2 million for an expansion of federal fisheries research at the Marine Science Center in Newport, Ore. Barram made the announcement at the second anniversary celebration of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Barram was joined in the celebration ceremony by Rep. Sam Farr and other dignitaries. NOAA will spend $1.5 million for the planning and design of a new NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service laboratory to be co-located with the Long Marine Laboratory at the University of California at Santa Cruz. NMFS scientists currently conduct research on Pacific coast groundfish and salmon stocks in a pre-World War II facility in Tiburon that has become increasingly expensive to maintain and repair. "Moving the agency's research activities and staff to Santa Cruz will provide an important and integral part in a center of marine science excellence there," Barram said. "We believe that collaborative efforts between the federal laboratory and the Long Marine Laboratory could lead to expanded research activities in the Monterey Bay area and the Pacific coast." The laboratory relocation follows a research group's finding that moving the Tiburon laboratory would cost taxpayers less than renovating the late 1930's facility and maintaining operations there. When complete, the Santa Cruz facility will have a staff of more than two dozen biologists and other scientists. Officials expect the facility to be completed in 1997 at an anticipated cost of nearly $15 million. The expanded operation at the Marine Science Center in Newport will focus on the study and management of Pacific coast groundfish. The program will be developed and implemented by the NMFS Northwest Science Center to provide additional support to the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The Tiburon laboratory staff conduct studies of environmental factors that affect the health, growth and reproduction of Pacific coast groundfish stocks and Klamath and Sacramento river salmon, and perform stock assessments of these fisheries to help manage West Coast fishery resources. # NOAA 94-R202 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 1/13/94 MCLEAN RESIDENT RECEIVES NOAA GENERAL COUNSEL AWARD John A. Milholland, a resident of McLean, Va., received the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's General Counsel Award for Outstanding Achievements for his legal efforts supporting the National Weather Service's $4.2 billion modernization program. Milholland is legal counsel for the weather service and two other divisions of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The award was presented at a recent ceremony at the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. Milholland was commended for managing legal issues involved in relocating several National Weather Service forecast offices. His legal expertise contributed to the opening of new weather forecast facilities in Boston, New York and Los Angeles. State-of-the-art radar equipment in these new offices is demonstrating significant improvements in detecting severe weather, and protecting lives and property in some of the most populous areas of the country. Milholland received his bachelor's degree from Williams College, Mass., in 1963. He earned his law degree from the Columbia University School of Law in 1966. In 1974 he received a master's degree from the University of Washington. NOAA's General Counsel Award for Outstanding Achievements recognizes employees who have made significant contributions to NOAA/GC programs and demonstrated exceptional and sustained effort toward accomplishment of NOAA/GC goals. # NOAA 94-R205 CONTACT: Frank Lepore 301-713-0622 Larry E. Burch 801-524-4000 2/10/94 FEDERAL COURT CLEARS WEATHER RADAR AT OJAI, CALIF. The National Weather Service has won a major legal victory in its continuing effort to bring the latest weather forecasting technology to southern California. Judge Terry Hatter, of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, has denied an injunction requested by residents of Ojai, Calif., to stop activation of the WSR-88D Doppler weather radar forecasting system atop Sulphur Mountain. "The recent mud slides in Malibu and the southern California brush fires last year are perilous reminders of the need for the weather service to have every available tool at our disposal to aid in saving lives and property," said Thomas Potter, director of the weather service's western region. A group of residents had filed suit alleging they were not adequately notified by the weather service of plans to erect the radar and claimed the federal government had not fully complied with National Environmental Policy Act requirements. Residents have also raised concerns about safety regarding the new weather service radar. "There is some confusion in the community about the health effects of the radar's emission," said Potter. "Independent experts have confirmed that signals emitted from the radar will not have any detrimental effects on the health of the population." The weather service developed an environmental impact statement in 1984 which concluded that the energy transmitted by the WSR-88D would not cause adverse effects on even the most susceptible populations -- the elderly, the very young, and pregnant women. This was confirmed in 1993 after an exhaustive search of scientific literature published between 1984 and 1993. Safety standards for human exposure to radio frequency radiation have been adapted by two independent professional organizations, the American National Standards Institute and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. These standards set maximum exposure limits fifty fold below levels that could cause biological harm. Based upon measurements conducted by the weather service at other WSR- 88D sites, a person standing at an operating WSR-88D radar tower would receive 2,000 times less radiation than the maximum safe level in the standard of the two groups. Potter noted that the Sulphur Mountain radar has been the subject of extensive public attention and research, beginning with the preliminary survey of the site in 1986. After the weather service consulted with the California Fish and Game Department, a site-specific Finding of No Significant Impact was issued for construction of the radar on Sulphur Mountain. The finding was sent to two California state clearinghouses for review by departments within the state. No comments were received, Potter said. Potter added that the Ventura County Board of Supervisors was briefed in April 1992. A ground breaking ceremony for the Weather Forecast Office in Oxnard, Calif., Sept. 11, 1993, was attended by U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., drawing media attention. A public hearing was also held in Oxnard, Calif., on Dec. 16, 1993. The radars are a major part of the NWS Modernization and Associated Restructuring. Potter noted that 65 of the weather service radars there have been installed around the country to date. The National Weather Service, Defense Department and the Federal Aviation Administration will operate 150 of the radars to provide mutual coverage over the country. The radars acquire, process and distribute high resolution data needed to warn the public about flash flood conditions, heavy rains that produce mud slides, Santa Ana wind storms that spread wild fires, severe thunderstorms, and meteorological phenomena used in water management. # NOAA 94-R206 1/10/94, 5:15 p.m. PRESS ADVISORY FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WINTER WEATHER TO GRIP THE UNITED STATES The National Weather Service announces that snow, sleet and ice are expected to blanket one-third of the country in the next two days. ROCKIES: Major snow accumulations are forecasted for the next 24-36 hours. MIDWEST: A developing snow event in the Great Plains could affect the Midwest in the next 24-48 hours. TEXAS THROUGH THE NORTHEAST: A major winter storm is expected to produce snow, sleet and freezing rain from Texas through the Northeast from now through the next 48 hours. This comes on the heels of the storm just clearing through the Northeast. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service's National Meteorological Center in Camp Springs, Md., will be available for more background information, interview or photo op. Contacts at the National Meteorological Center: Senior Duty Meteorologist (301) 763-8298 Senior Branch Forecaster (301) 763-8201 The National Meteorological Center is located at 5200 Auth Road in Camp Springs, Md. (I-495 exit 7B at Branch Ave., North) # NOAA 94-R207 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 Curtis Barrett (301) 713-0130 2/17/94 NOAA'S RIVER FORECAST SYSTEM OFFERS HELP TO WATER MANAGERS IN EGYPT New technology used by the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to more accurately forecast the flow of rivers will be a boon to drought and flood prone countries that need to better manage their water resources, the agency said today. The technology has already had measurable success, with the accurate prediction of the flow of Egypt's Nile River, NOAA scientists said. The first three-month forecast of the Nile River flow issued in July 1993 was near perfect, said Curtis Barrett, manager of international technology transfer for the NOAA National Weather Service's Office of Hydrology. "The Nile Project is proving that we can offer countries the opportunity to better manage their water resources by forecasting river flow months in advance," said Barrett. "This new technology could help many countries facing frequent shortages of water to support their populations." Water scarcity is increasing rapidly with a growing world population, urbanization and economic growth. According to the World Bank, 26 countries in Asia and Africa, with 232 million people, are categorized as "water scarce." Many more suffer periodic droughts. The water resources forecasting system at work on the Nile combines weather data gathered by a European Space Agency satellite, with records of past rainfall and flooding, into complex formulas that calculate long-range prospects for levels of river flow. The Nile Project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development in partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Egyptian Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources. Managing the project is the NOAA/NWS Hydrology Office, which operates 13 river basin forecast centers in the United States. NOAA is the contractor responsible for developing the technology and training the Egyptian engineers who operate the forecast center in Cairo. # NOAA 94-R213 CONTACT: Bob Chartuk (516) 244-0166 3/24/94 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ACCEPTS NEW DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR A new Doppler weather radar that will help protect eastern North Carolina residents and business by providing accurate and timely information on hurricanes, tornadoes and other severe weather has been officially accepted by the National Weather Service from its radar contractor, Paramax. The milestone announcement comes at the 10th anniversary of the March 28, 1984, outbreak of the most destructive tornadoes to ever hit the Carolinas. In a three-hour period that day, violent thunderstorms swept into the coastal plain and spawned 12 tornadoes that claimed 42 lives and caused massive property damage. "With the new Doppler radar, forecasters will be able to generate specific information about these types of violent thunderstorms, such as their size, speed, and direction of travel," explained Steve Harned, meteorologist in charge of the Raleigh weather office. "With this type of information from the new radar, we can issue severe storm and tornado warnings with much more lead time and accuracy than ever before." The Doppler radar, located near Clayton, and a new weather forecast office on the campus of North Carolina State University are part of a network of 116 similar facilities being constructed nationwide through the weather service's $4.4 billion modernization and restructuring program. A new Doppler radar at Columbia, S.C., has also been recently accepted from Paramax, and will become a key part of the coverage network for the Carolinas. "As we move toward the 21st century, forecasters are being armed with state-of-the-art radars, automated observing systems, and high-tech computer and communications equipment," Harned said. "We are taking advantage of the latest technology to provide the best possible weather services to the public." The Raleigh office, which employs two dozen scientists and will contribute about $1.5 million into the local economy each year, will serve almost three million people in North Carolina's Piedmont and coastal plains. The office, located in Research Building #3 on the NCSU's Centennial Campus, will also provide excellent collaborative research opportunities with the university, Harned said. Ten years ago, violent tornadoes in eastern North Carolina were spawned by intense, long-lived thunderstorms possessing a rotating updraft of air called a mesocyclone. Meteorologists now classify such storms as "supercells," the most organized and dangerous kind of thunderstorm. It is the supercell thunderstorm that generates the largest and most violent tornadoes. The internal workings of a supercell thunderstorm are often hidden from conventional radar detection, especially in the southeast, by heavy amounts of rain and hail. This was the case with the March 1984 outbreak. With the new Doppler radar, however, the internal workings of such storms are revealed and usually detected in the initial phases of the storm. This enables forecasters, for the first time ever, to issue tornado watches and warnings before the tornadoes have even formed. Along with researchers at NCSU, the National Weather Service is studying supercells in the southeast to find ways to better protect the public. # NOAA 94-R214 CONTACT: Bernie Palmer 803-765-5501 3/24/94 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ACCEPTS NEW DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR A new Doppler weather radar that will help protect South Carolina residents and businesses by providing accurate and timely information on hurricanes, tornadoes and other severe weather has been officially accepted by the National Weather Service from its radar contractor, Paramax. The milestone announcement comes at the 10th anniversary of the March 28, 1984, outbreak of the most destructive tornadoes to ever hit the Carolinas. That day, violent thunderstorms swept northeast through South Carolina, spawning 10 tornadoes that claimed 17 lives and caused massive property damage. Bernie Palmer, meteorologist in charge of the weather service's Columbia office, explained, "The new Doppler radar will enable forecasters to generate specific information about these types of violent thunderstorms such as their size, speed, and direction of travel. With this type of information from the new radar, we can issue severe storm and tornado warnings with much more lead time and accuracy than ever before." The Doppler radar and a newly renovated forecast office, both located at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport, are part of a network of 116 similar facilities being constructed nationwide through the weather service's $4.4 billion modernization and restructuring program. A new Doppler radar in Raleigh, N.C., has also been recently accepted from Paramax, and will become a key part of the coverage network for the Carolinas. "As we move toward the 21st century, forecasters are being armed with state-of-the-art radars, automated observing systems, and high-tech computer and communications equipment," Palmer said. "We are taking advantage of the latest technology to provide the best possible weather services to the public." The Columbia office, which employs two dozen weather specialists and will contribute about $1.5 million into the local economy each year, will serve much of central South Carolina and a part of east-central Georgia, including Augusta. Ten years ago, violent tornadoes in South Carolina were spawned by intense, long-lived thunderstorms possessing a rotating updraft of air called a mesocyclone. Meteorologists now classify such storms as "supercells," the most organized and dangerous kind of thunderstorm. It is the supercell thunderstorm that generates the largest and most violent tornadoes. The internal workings of a supercell thunderstorm are often hidden from conventional radar detection, especially in the southeast, by heavy amounts of rain and hail. This was the case with the March 1984 outbreak. With the new Doppler radar, however, the internal workings of such storms are revealed and usually detected in the initial phases of the storm. This enables forecasters, for the first time ever, to issue tornado watches and warnings before the tornadoes have even formed. Map backgrounds on the radar screen and pre-written computer language enable forecasters to automatically issue warnings for specific areas. # NOAA 94-R216 Contact: Tony Haffer (602) 379-4607 4/27/94 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COMMISSIONS NEXT GENERATION RADAR IN PHOENIX As part of the National Weather Service's continuing effort to upgrade the quality of weather forecasts, the Phoenix Weather Surveillance Radar, a 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D), will be commissioned today. Commissioning marks the final acceptance of the radar by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the weather service's parent agency, and denotes the time at which it becomes the official network radar for a given area. The Phoenix WSR-88D is the first to be commissioned in the Western Region of the National Weather Service, and the seventh to be commissioned nationwide. "This new radar allows us to better predict the timing and intensity of severe weather by actually looking inside the clouds," said Jim Campbell, deputy director of the NWS Western Region. "This is a huge step forward for the Western Region, much of which has not been covered by any kind of weather radar detection system in the past." The Phoenix radar has been in operation since March 25, 1993, providing invaluable data to local forecasters at the Phoenix Weather Service Forecast Office and at Luke Air Force Base. "The new Doppler radar has allowed us to pinpoint areas of heavy rain and track developing windstorms," said Anton Haffer, National Weather Service area manager for Arizona. "We're particularly pleased with the radar's abilities to help us be more specific regarding sites that might be affected by flash floods and strong winds." In addition to providing more detailed information than conventional NWS radars on the strength of storms, Doppler technology allows the WSR-88D to detect wind patterns within the storms. This combination allows forecasters to completely examine thunderstorms to determine their ability to produce heavy rain, strong winds, large hail, or tornadoes. By late 1996, the entire network of approximately 160 WSR-88Ds will be installed and commissioned. Once installed, this network will constitute the cornerstone of National Weather Service modernization. The weather service will operate 117 WSR-88Ds, four of which will be located in Arizona (Yuma, Flagstaff and Tucson are scheduled to receive radars during 1995). The other WSR-88Ds will be operated by the Department of Defense or the Federal Aviation Administration. # NOAA 94-R-217 Contact: Richard H. Elder Meteorologist in Charge 316-269-6399 5/14/94 WICHITA WEATHER SERVICE HOSTS RADAR COMMISSIONING CEREMONY WICHITA, Ks. - Representatives of city, county, state, and federal government will gather at the Wichita National Weather Service Office today to celebrate a new age of weather technology and improved safety for Kansas residents. Congratulatory speeches and a public open house will mark the April 20 commissioning of the Weather Service's new WSR-88D weather radar, located next door to Wichita's Mid-Continent Airport. Kansas' 4th District Representative Dan Glickman will be the keynote speaker among an entourage of officials representing Wichita- Sedgwick County Emergency Management, Kansas Aviation, and the Weather Service. Richard H. Elder, meteorologist in charge of the Wichita Weather Service Office, said Glickman and other supporters of the multi-billion dollar Weather Service modernization program deserved much of the credit for his office being able to take a step into the 21st Century. "The National Weather Service has been involved in this modernization for a number of years," Elder said. "We've encountered our share of critics and naysayers, but we've also had tremendous Congressional support from people like Dan Glickman that has enabled us to proceed. "The modernization program is something we have to complete to keep providing protection for the public from severe weather. When we commissioned our WSR-88D on April 20, we took a giant step toward accomplishing that goal. The forecast staff here has been using the 88D in a test and experimental mode since September 1992, and it has worked extremely well. The staff has become proficient in its operation and in interpreting data from it and we are proud that the 88D will let us do an even better job than we have in the past." Elder said Weather Service offices in Kansas have played a major role in the agency's modernization program for obvious reasons. "As residents of Wichita, Andover, and Hesston are well aware, Kansas is known for its unpredictable and destructive weather," Elder said. "The staff at this office has always maintained an excellent record of providing early warning of tornadoes and other severe weather. With the WSR-88D, warnings can come much earlier than in the past and storm locations can be pinpointed with much greater accuracy. "The first WSR-88D commissionings are occurring in Kansas and other states in the heart of tornado alley. The radars -- and also the people operating them -- have performed nearly flawlessly in providing better protection from severe weather. And they have improved lead times for severe weather and tornado warnings at all offices where they are in operation, providing critical minutes for people to protect themselves and their property. Implementation of the new technology allows us to do an even better job of accomplishing our agency's mission: to better protect the public from the ravages of weather." Elder noted that the Dodge City WSR-88D was commissioned in early April and that Topeka and Goodland NWS offices would commission their WSR-88Ds by the end of the year. The Weather Service continues to install WSR-88Ds at designated locations around the country and we now has more than 50 in operation. By the end of the decade, according to Elder, 150 WSR-88Ds will have been installed under a nationwide effort by the U.S. Departments of Commerce, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Transportation. The WSR-88D radar uses the Doppler principal to allow National Weather Service forecasters to "see inside" storm systems to detect the early stages of tornado formation, gust fronts, and downbursts, the deadly bane of aviation. The radar also provides accurate estimates of rainfall during a storm and allows for greatly improved prediction of a storm's path. "We have been very fortunate in this area that the massive tornadoes that hit Hesston and Andover caused no more loss of life than they did," Elder said. "With this radar, we will be able to provide warnings faster and improve the margin of safety. Our goal is to reduce the severe weather casualty total to zero. The WSR-88D will help us in that quest." The National Weather Service is an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which operates under the aegis of the U.S. Department of Commerce. # NOAA 94-R236 Contact: Kimberly Comba (301) 713-0622 6/1/94 NOAA FORECASTS WEATHER FOR WORLD CUP GAMES As the World Cup games head into the final round of play, more than 7,000 soccer fans around the world are using computers linked to the Internet to get the latest weather forecasts for the U.S. cities hosting the quadrennial tournament. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service is making forecasts for the remaining World Cup cities available on Internet via the NOAA Network Information Center. The NWS has been transmitting forecasts to the international community since June 1, and will continue to do so until the final game on July 17. The forecasts have been available in Spanish since June 14. "We are fulfilling our duty to provide free and open information to the world," said Elbert W. Friday Jr., director of the National Weather Service. The service is titled "World Cup USA 94 Weather" and can be obtained at the following Internet address: http://hpcc1.hpcc.noaa.gov/worldc/mainworl.html The World Cup quarterfinals are set for stadiums in Pasadena, Calif. (San Francisco), and East Rutherford, N.J. (New York City). # NOAA 94-R237 CONTACT: Susan Hubbard 301-763-8181 Frank Lepore 301-713-0622 7/21/94 DR. JOHN B. HOVERMALE, WEATHER FORECASTER, DIES Dr. John B. Hovermale, 55, leader in development of numerical weather prediction at the National Meteorological Center in Camp Springs, Md., died Friday, July 8, at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in California. Hovermale was born in Martinsburg, W.Va., on Dec. 7, 1938. After attending Oxon Hill High School in Fort Washington, Md., he earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University, where he later served as a tenured professor. For the two decades preceding 1985, he specialized in numerical weather prediction at the National Weather Service's National Meteorological Center. Early in his professional career, he was a principal collaborator in developing the world's first primitive equation numerical weather prediction model. That computer representation of atmospheric circulation provided worldwide weather forecasts from 1966 until it was replaced in 1980. A version of his computer model is still used today. Hovermale later developed the National Meteorological Center's first weather prediction model for forecasting the path of hurricanes and tropical storms. For that effort he received the Department of Commerce's highest award, a Gold Medal. In 1985 he moved to Monterey, Calif., where he was superintendent of the Marine Meteorology Division of the Naval Research Laboratory and director of the Navy's Monterey-based research in oceanic and atmospheric sciences. He was recently awarded the Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award. At the time of his death, Hovermale represented the Department of Defense as a member of the National Weather Service Modernization Transition Committee. He was also a fellow of the American Meteorological Society and served on the Board of Atmospheric Sciences for the National Academy of Sciences. Hovermale, a Carmel, Calif., resident, is survived by his wife of 33 years, Susan; three sons, Michael, Christopher and Benjamin, all of Carmel; his mother, Orpha Hovermale of Fort Washington, Md; and a brother, Carl, also of Fort Washington. The family requests that memorial contributions be sent to the Dr. John B. Hovermale Memorial Educational Assistance Fund, care of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, Colo. 80307. # NOAA 94-R240 CONTACTS: Barry Reichenbaugh National Weather Service 9/7/94 301-713-0622 Mike Rucker Fla. Div. of Emergency Mgt. 904-487-4918 9/7/94 FLORIDA-FEDERAL AGREEMENT TURNS ON WEATHER RADIO TO ALL HAZARDS Under terms of a recently signed state-federal agreement, Florida will become a national model for broadcasting emergency warning messages of natural and man-made disasters on the federal government's existing state-wide NOAA Weather Radio and Weatherwire network. A Memorandum of Understanding, signed Sept. 7, 1994, between Florida's Division of Emergency Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service, expands the scope in Florida of the NOAA Weather Radio and Weatherwire, normally used to send continuous broadcasts of only the latest weather forecasts and warnings. The new "all-hazards" system will now include Florida's emergency messages that help minimize the potential loss of life or property. Such dangers as the release of hazardous substances or radioactive materials, or the threatened or actual detonation of explosives requiring immediate evacuation, will be broadcast on a priority basis. "It's a natural merger," said Elbert W. (Joe) Friday Jr., director of the National Weather Service. "It is just common sense to use the NOAA Weather Radio and Weatherwire service to help emergency managers, broadening use of NOAA communications to include information like pre- and post-emergency advisories, evacuation routes, shelter availability, toxic spills, hazardous materials and other threats." The agreement, the first of its kind, "signifies a new and important state-federal relationship designed to save lives and property in Florida and adjacent states," said Florida Governor Lawton Chiles. "We know that the lessons learned from this demonstration project will help spur other states to develop similar capabilities." Florida learned its lessons from Hurricane Andrew and the March Super Storm of '93. "All available means of communication were needed to get pre- and post-event information to the public," notes Joseph Myers, Florida's director of emergency management. "State government pushed for becoming a demonstration project for this 'all hazards' broadcast capability," he said. The agreement also provides that as Florida's NOAA Weather Radio coverage expands, the state will tie in the modernized weather service offices to its 67-county, two-way satellite communications network. The National Weather Service currently operates 16 NOAA Weather Radio transmitters to broadcast weather warnings over much of Florida. "The next challenge is to add new weather radio transmitters and increase their coverage to reach at least 95 percent of the state," Friday said. Two new transmitters have been installed in Citrus and Highlands counties. Six more transmitter sites have been selected for future installation, Myers said. Nationwide, NOAA Weather Radio covers about 80 percent of the country, but only 25 percent of the population receives the high-band FM radio warnings. Population shifts since the mid-1970's are blamed for the spotty coverage. As if foreshadowing the need for a state-federal agreement, the Palm Sunday March 27, 1994, tornadoes claimed 43 lives in Alabama and Georgia, although the weather service had issued warning lead times of 15 minutes. According to Vice President Al Gore, "The weak link in the chain was the inability to get the warning information to all of the people in the threatened area." As a result, an inter-agency initiative involving NOAA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Agriculture began looking into upgrading the NOAA Weather Radio into an "all- hazards" radio warning network. "The Vice President's goal was to aggressively pursue public and private participation in the placement of NOAA radios where people gather and ultimately in homes, so they will soon be as common as smoke detectors," Friday said. Florida's initiative precedes this by about a year. The "all hazards" broadcasts are made on one of seven high band FM frequencies ranging from 162.40 to 162.55 megahertz. These frequencies are not found on the average home radio now in use. However, a number of manufacturers sell NOAA Weather Radios or offer standard AM/FM radios with the so-called "weather band" as an added feature. # NOAA 94-R241 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 9/19/94 GIANT FOOD MILK CARTONS PROMOTE NOAA WEATHER RADIO Washington, D.C., area residents now can learn all about NOAA Weather Radio's life-saving capabilities as they munch their favorite breakfast cereals or cook in their kitchens. Word of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) weather warnings appear on a quarter million milk cartons being distributed by Giant Food Inc. in the Washington, D.C., area. Department of Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown welcomed the Weather Service promotion, saying it was an effective way of heightening public awareness of the existence of NOAA weather broadcasts that provide citizens with early warning of dangerous weather and advise them on what action to take to ensure their safety. "We are very enthusiastic about this project. It is a fine example both of the kind of public-private partnerships the Department of Commerce is fostering and of our efforts to effectively serve our customers," he said. The Giant milk carton promotion is part of a government-private sector initiative begun by Vice President Al Gore to strengthen the nation's weather radio network and reduce the risk to lives and property when severe weather strikes. The Vice President's initiative is aimed at expanding the network of transmitters to reach 95 percent of the population. The initiative was launched after 20 worshippers at the Goshen United Methodist Church in Piedmont, Ala., were killed when a tornado struck the church on Palm Sunday last March. The tragedy may have been averted if the church had been equipped with an inexpensive weather radio, NOAA officials said. "Our goal is to someday have a NOAA Weather Radio in every home, just like a smoke detector, in schools, hospitals and other public places," said National Weather Service Director Elbert W. Friday Jr. The NOAA Weather Radio network has been broadcasting since the early 1970s. But the fact was not well known to the public. Part of the educational campaign recommends that homes and public gathering places be equipped with special tone-alert weather radios, which sit silently until automatically activated by a special broadcast tone that precedes emergency announcements and warnings. For people in the Washington area, NOAA Weather Radio offers warnings for potential tornadoes, severe storms and flooding. This system also carries broadcasts of man-made hazards such as gas or oil spills. Regular forecasts are also broadcast 24 hours a day. A toll-free phone number on the cartons -- 800-777-NOAA -- offers consumers more information on the NOAA Weather Radio network and where they can go to purchase a weather radio receiver. # NOAA 94-244 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 10/31/94 NOAA AWARDS COMPANIES MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has awarded a $3 million contract to VIZ Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia, Pa., and a contract with potential value of $1 million to Vaisala Incorporated of Woburn, Mass., to provide radiosonde instruments for weather balloons. The contracts are for one year, with a follow-on, one-year option. VIZ Manufacturing Company, a small business, is scheduled to begin delivering radiosondes from this contract award in early January 1995. Vaisala Incorporated is a multinational company headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, with Vaisala Incorporated as its company in the United States. Delivery of radiosondes from Vaisala are anticipated to begin in the spring of 1995. NOAA's National Weather Service operates 95 upper-air stations in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Pacific and Caribbean. These upper-air stations use radiosondes -- sent aloft twice daily -- to produce atmospheric profiles of the temperature, moisture and winds. Radiosonde observations form the backbone of weather forecasts and upper-air analyses. Forecasts from these data are used in domestic and international aviation, and in the preparation of national and local weather warnings. They also serve as the "ground truth" from which satellite temperature and moisture retrievals are derived. The upper-air radiosonde observing system at each station tracks the flight of the balloon with ground equipment (antenna, receiver and control units). The ground equipment also translates the data and interfaces to a computer system for processing. Wind measurements are determined from changes in flights as the balloon is tracked, based on the strength of signals relative to the antenna orientation. Temperature, pressure and humidity values are derived from the content of the signal transmitted by the radiosonde. # NOAA 94-R245 Contact: Barry Reichenbaugh (301) 713-0622 10/5/94 BURTONSVILLE, MD., RESIDENT EARNS ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY AWARD Michael Yekta of Burtonsville, Md., received the U.S. Department of Commerce's Accessible Technology Award today in Washington, D.C. He was recognized not only for the use he has made of enabling technology, but for his outstanding performance in computer programming and database management with the National Weather Service. The award was presented at the Commerce building during an exhibit of technologies geared toward enabling people with vision, hearing and mobility impairments in the workplace to overcome disabilities. In keeping with the goals of the National Performance Review, the Accessible Computer Technology (ACT) initiative promotes making computer technology accessible to the entire federal workforce. Past ACT exhibits have introduced government employees and managers to innovative methods that have in turn opened up more employment opportunities for the disabled. Yekta, who lost his eyesight several years ago, is employed as a computer specialist by the National Weather Service's Office of Hydrology. In his job, he uses an optical character scanner and software along with a speech synthesizer linked to his computer. He uses his computer programming and database management skills to support numerous research studies for the Office of Hydrology. The special computer equipment also lets him communicate and access an almost limitless supply of information and resources through the world's Internet system. "This award reflects Michael's `can-do' attitude, and the positive attitude of managers within the weather service," said Yekta's supervisor, Frank Richards, chief of the special studies branch in the NWS Water Management Information Division. Costs of the "enabling" equipment have been shared between the weather service and the Maryland Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Yekta, a native of India, holds bachelors degrees from Long Island University of Brooklyn, N.Y., and from Bentley College in Waltham, Mass. He is currently taking classes at the University of Maryland, College Park. # NOAA 94-R301a CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301)763-2560 1/13/94 NEW NOAA SATELLITE GROUND STATIONS OPEN Two new ground stations have been added to the U.S. network of satellite search and rescue facilities designed to help bring emergency assistance to mariners and pilots in distress, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. Located in Guam and Puerto Rico, they are the final of six new fully automated installations designed to upgrade the satellite search and rescue system. Over the past year and a half, new ground stations have been installed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.; Fairbanks, Alaska; Houston, Texas; and Honolulu, Hawaii. The stations are part of an international satellite search and rescue system known as COSPAS-SARSAT. They enable distress signals from ships or airplanes to be received and processed more quickly than before. "The fully automated ground stations are providing better coverage than before possible," said James T. Bailey, chief of NOAA's SARSAT operations division. "They operate 24 hours per day, capturing distress alert data from the satellites as they pass. Any pilot or mariner in distress who activates a 121.5/243.0 MHz or 406 MHz beacon will be detected and located much sooner than in the past." "Typically, one or more of the six search and rescue satellites will be in view of each ground station for 10-15 minutes of every hour," Bailey said. "This means that help could be on its way to the distress location within an hour, depending on the position of the satellites when the distress beacon is activated." COSPAS-SARSAT uses NOAA environmental satellites, Russian satellites and a network of ground stations to pick up radio beacon signals from pilots and mariners in distress. The distress location is determined using a Doppler radar technique and sent to the NOAA U.S. Mission Control Center in Suitland, Md. After further processing, the center sends messages to rescue coordination centers operated by the Coast Guard and the Air Force, which dispatch rescue teams to the distress location. Since its inception 10 years ago, the COSPAS-SARSAT system has saved some 3,500 lives, with about 700 just during the past year. NOAA, in cooperation with NASA, the Coast Guard and the Air Force, operates the U.S. portion of COSPAS-SARSAT. # NOAA 94-R301b PARA MAS INFORMACION: PATRICIA VIETS (301) 763-2560 1/13/94 SE INSTALA ESTACION TERRESTRE DE SATELITES EN PUERTO RICO La Administracion de los Oceanos y la Atmosfera (NOAA) del Departamento de Comercio anuncio hoy que dos estaciones terrestres nuevas han sido anadidas a la red estadounidense de facilidades de satelite para busquedas y rescates. Las mismas son disenadas para ayudar a llevar asistencia de emergencia a marineros y pilotos. Las estaciones, localizadas en Puerto Rico y Guam, son las ultimas dos de un total de seis instalaciones nuevas totalmente automaticas disenadas para modernizar los sistemas de satelite de busquedas y rescates. Durante el ultimo ano y medio, nuevas instalaciones terrestres han sido establecidas en la Base de la Fuerza Aerea de Vandenberg en California; en Fairbanks, Alaska; en Houston, Texas; y en Honolulu, Hawaii. Las estaciones son parte de un sistema internacional de satelites de busquedas y rescates conocido como "COSPAS-SARSAT." Estas estaciones permiten que senales de auxilio enviadas por barcos o aviones sean recibidas y procesadas mas rapidamente que en el pasado. "Las estaciones terrestres totalmente automaticas estan proveyendo una mejor cobertura de la que era posible antes," expreso James T. Bailey, el jefe de la division de operaciones de SARSAT de NOAA. "Operan 24 horas al dia recibiendo senales de alerta e informacion sobre emergencias de los satelites cada vez que estos pasan. Cuaquier piloto o marinero que necesita ayuda y activa su senal de 121.5/243.0 MHz o 406 MHz, sera detectada y localizada mucho mas rapido que en el pasado." "Por lo general, uno o mas de los seis satelites de busquedas y rescates es visto desde cada una de las estaciones terrestres durante 10 o 15 minutos cada hora," Bailey dijo. "Esto significa que un equipo de rescate puede estar de camino al lugar del accidente dentro del periodo de una hora, dependiendo de la posicion de los satelites cuando se activa la senal de auxilio." COSPAS-SARSAT usa satelites ambientales de NOAA, satelites rusos y una red de estaciones terrestres para recibir senales de pilotos o marineros que necesitan ayuda. La localizacion del accidente se determina usando una tecnica de radar "Doppler" y enviandola al Centro de Control de Misiones de NOAA en Suitland, Maryland. Despues de ser procesada, el centro envia los mensajes a centros de coordinacion de rescates operados por la Guardia Costanera y la Fuerza Aerea, los cuales envian equipos de rescate al area del accidente. Desde su creacion 10 anos atras, el sistema COSPAS-SARSAT ha salvado mas de 3,500 vidas, 700 de estas durante el ano pasado. NOAA, en cooperacion con NASA, la Guardia Costanera y la Fuerza Aerea, opera la porcion de los Estados Unidos de COSPAS-SARSAT. # NOAA 93-R302 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 3/7/94 NOAA SATELLITE SYSTEM SAVES 30 PEOPLE IN DISTRESS The lives of 30 people were saved in five separate incidents last week when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's search and rescue system went into action after picking up distress signals from a crashed helicopter in Hawaii, skiers stranded on an ice floe off Alaska, a disabled boat in the Gulf of Mexico, and mariners drifting in lifeboats in the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean. Those in distress activated their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)s. Their signals were picked up by the COSPAS- SARSAT search and rescue satellite system and relayed to rescue forces. The COSPAS-SARSAT program is an international search and rescue satellite system operated by NOAA, an agency of the Commerce Department. The five incidents are: A helicopter carrying sight-seers crash-landed on the slope of the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii. All seven aboard were rescued on Feb. 24 by the local fire department and military personnel when their 121.5MHz beacon was detected. Two Lithuanian skiers, attempting to ski from Wales, Alaska, to Russia, became stranded on a free floating ice floe and activated their EPIRB. The skiers were rescued on Feb. 26 by an Alaska state trooper chartered helicopter when their COSPAS-SARSAT alert was detected five nautical miles south of Wales, Alaska, in the Bering Strait. The crew members of the Toni E manually activated their EPIRB when the vessel lost power and was disabled for two days. Their 406 MHz beacon was detected off Galveston, Texas, on Feb. 26; a small boat from Base Galveston towed the vessel with its crew of two into port. The Jody Ann began to sink in the Bering Sea after the reservoir pump for its fish hole broke and began pumping water into the vessel. The crew of five abandoned the sinking vessel and boarded a life raft. A nearby vessel, the Scandi Rose, rescued the five mariners on Feb. 26 when their 406 MHz beacon was detected. The merchant vessel Yusin Busan activated its EPIRB when the vessel had a fire in the engine room and started taking on water. The 14 crew members abandoned ship and boarded a life raft. The Coast Guard detected their 406 MHz beacon 800 nautical miles southeast of Guam on Feb. 27, and arranged for the crew to be picked up by the Yu Wen 101 and later transferred to the Danah. The COSPAS-SARSAT program uses NOAA environmental satellites equipped with Canadian and French search and rescue instruments, Russian satellites, and a network of earth stations to pick up distress signals from pilots or mariners who have crashed or become shipwrecked. Since the inception of the program 10 years ago, nearly 4,000 lives have been saved. The COSPAS-SARSAT program was formed as a joint effort by the United States, Canada, France, and the former Soviet Union. The first satellite was launched by the Soviet Union in 1982, followed by additional Soviet and U.S. satellites. Today there are six operational satellites involved in the program: NOAA-9, -10 and -11, and COSPAS-4, -5 and -6. # NOAA 94-R303 MEDIA ADVISORY CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 4/22/94 NOAA'S SATELLITE SERVICES DIVISION TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Satellite Services Division in Camp Springs, Md., will be recognized for excellence by the Public Employees Roundtable on April 27. The division, part of NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), provides environmental satellite information for use in severe weather forecasts and environmental monitoring. It provides data to: other NOAA agencies such as the National Weather Service, National Ocean Service, and National Marine Fisheries Service; academic institutions; other government agencies such as the Department of Defense's Joint Typhoon Warning Center; and to the private sector. It also issues volcanic hazards alert messages used by the Federal Aviation Administration. The division will receive a Certificate of Special Recognition from the Public Employees Roundtable's 1994 Public Service Excellence Award program. The Public Employees Roundtable is a non-profit, non- partisan coalition of 37 management and professional associations representing about one million public employees. The award will be presented during National Science and Technology Week, the last week in April. Students from Anne Beers Elementary School, Washington, D.C., will be on hand to meet division members and tour the facility -- *** Note to Editors and Producers: The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, April 27, at 1:00 p.m. at the NOAA Science Center, Room 707, 5200 Auth Road, Camp Springs, Md. If you plan to cover the event, please call Pat Viets at 301-763-2560. # NOAA 94-R304 Contact: Pat Viets NOAA/NESDIS 301-763-2560 Helen Martin Unionville 610-347-1600 4/28/94 PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS TRAVEL TO CAPE CANAVERAL FOR LAUNCH OF GOES-I WEATHER SATELLITE When GOES-I, the first in a series of five advanced weather satellites, was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on April 13, a group of students from Unionville High School, Unionville, Pa., was there. The students, from Helen Martin's Earth and Space Science classes, have been tracking weather satellites and studying data directly from the satellites in their classroom. Robert S. Winokur, assistant administrator for Satellite and Information Services of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), had invited the students. Although the students had to pay their own travel and hotel expenses, they said it was well worth it. "I'm incredibly excited that I will be able to share in NOAA's latest accomplishment," said senior Chris Wood. "Our satellite tracking system will be using the data GOES- I has to offer. Congratulations to NOAA's leadership team for a job well done." "I feel extremely honored to have been invited to share in NOAA's triumph during the launch of GOES-I," said junior Katherine Powell. "It was a wonderful experience for me and all the more enjoyable because I know that I will be using the information sent back." The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES, will provide more precise and timely weather observation and atmospheric measurement data. Its three-axis stabilized design allows the satellite sensors to continuously stare at the earth for 24-hour observation. Current spin-stabilized satellites view the earth only five percent of the time. The GOES series of satellites is owned and operated by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Mission to Planet Earth manages the design, development, and launch of the spacecraft. Once the satellite operationally goes through checkout, NOAA will assume responsibility for command and control, data receipt, and product generation and distribution. # NOAA 94-R305 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 7/29/94 LOCAL STUDENTS FOCUS ON SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AT NOAA'S SATELLITE AND DATA FACILITY Six local students interested in science and engineering are developing their computer skills in an eight-week program at the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The students are assigned to NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) in Suitland, Md. This agency operates two environmental satellites that orbit the earth and two geostationary weather satellites that look at both coasts of the United States. NESDIS also manages and disseminates national environmental data bases about the earth, atmosphere, oceans and solar environment. The six students have identified their interests and goals, and have been assigned to areas that will enable them to further explore these interests. Three students are working with the Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution; three are with the Office of Research and Applications. The students working with the Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution are: Sherice Shields, a senior from Largo High School, whose goal is to be an engineer. Sherice is working with the Satellite Services Division, creating computer data bases. Jack Davis, a senior from Ballou High School, who plans to become an electrical or mechanical engineer. Jack is programming computers, using his skills in Basic. He is also learning and using his skills in Fortran and Harvard Graphics in the Ingest Systems Branch of the Information Processing Division. Ihsan Beezer, a junior from Bishop McNamara High School, whose plans include chemical engineering and computer science. Ihsan is taking inventory of equipment and commercial software in the Satellite Services Division. The students working with the Office of Research and Applications are: James Herndon, a senior from St. John's College High School, whose future will include computer engineering and aeronautical engineering. James is using his programming skills in Pascal, Fortran and Basic for satellite data retrieval in the Satellite Applications Laboratory. Anthony Martin, a junior from Woodrow Wilson High School, who is interested in biomedical engineering. Anthony is working with the Satellite Research Laboratory using Lotus to generate statistical parameters. Marion Garrison, a senior from Largo High School, who plans to become a computer engineer. Marion is working on a PC-oriented project that involves digital and video image processing in the Satellite Applications Laboratory. The eight-week program, titled the Metropolitan Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, is administered by Howard University's School of Engineering in cooperation with NOAA's Office of Civil Rights. # NOAA 94-R306 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 8/8/94 NOAA'S SATELLITE AGENCY RECEIVES PARTNER OF THE YEAR AWARD FROM DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agency has been honored by the District of Columbia Public Schools for the volunteer efforts of its employees during the 1993-94 school year. NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), based in Suitland, Md., has been recognized as Partner of the Year for the District's southern cluster of schools, one of six in the District. The award recognizes the volunteer efforts of more than 40 NESDIS employees who collectively volunteered more than 200 hours with students or teachers. The volunteers judged science fairs, made classroom visits, gave weather briefings, conducted field trips, and presented a seminar on interpreting satellite imagery. Most of the volunteer time was spent in judging science fairs sponsored by the District's Anne Beers Elementary School, NESDIS' partner in education. NESDIS employees have become increasingly involved in volunteer efforts to enrich the program of instruction. "The Anne Beers family of staff, teachers, and students has expressed much gratitude for our involvement," said Larason Lambert, of NESDIS' Training and Information Services Branch. "We are very proud of our volunteers." The volunteers also performed a mentoring role in the operation of a weather station supplied by WRC-TV's Four Winds Program. NESDIS meteorologists conducted weather briefings based on weather data from the station and visual observations from the classroom. They also showed videos of satellite imagery to relate local conditions and changes to the broader perspective. # NOAA 94-R307 CONTACT: Patricia Viets (301) 763-2560 8/30/94 NOAA LIBRARY: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE WITH CUSTOMIZED SERVICE With a perspective that ranges from outer space to the ocean floor, a team of experts stands with their feet firmly on the ground -- ready to respond to requests from around the world. The staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Central Library maintain a collection of more than one million books, journals, technical reports, and other sources that support research in disciplines such as the atmospheric sciences, fisheries, space sciences, marine biology, meteorology, oceanography and related disciplines of interest to NOAA. The library, in Silver Spring Metro Center Building 3, is a tremendous resource for NOAA staff, and is also open to the public. While NOAA staffers have priority, the library welcomes researchers from all walks of life to use the facility. If people outside of NOAA wish to borrow materials, they may request them through their own library through interlibrary loan. "The library is here to serve," said Carol B. Watts, who heads the Library and Information Services Division. "Anyone who needs assistance in locating research materials, getting an answer to a question, or learning just where to call should check with us first." The reference staff maintains a directory of resources on subjects ranging from astronomy to zoology at the reference desk. When staff members receive a request for information beyond the scope of the library's materials, they determine where the requestor can get the information. They log this information into the directory, thus keeping an accurate referral source for all kinds of subjects. Library staff members will find answers to brief reference questions or more complex research questions. "Quick reference" questions include determining if an item is present in the library, book verification, local climatological data retrieval, and referrals. For in-depth information retrieval, the library provides a computerized literature service, including CD-ROM and on-line retrieval from more than 500 databases of environmental and other information. Information on the centralized, automated NOAA Library and Information Catalog (NOAALINC) can also be accessed from a personal computer via modem. NOAALINC includes information on the availability of materials in NOAA libraries throughout the country. The library collection incorporates the holdings of NOAA's predecessor agencies: Coast and Geodetic Survey, U.S. Weather Bureau, U.S. Fisheries Commission, and Environmental Data Service. Most of the collection dates from 1820. Recently, the NOAA Central Library was designated a Government Printing Office (GPO) Depository, so a considerable number of GPO publications are also available. NOAA's library is operated by the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service's National Oceanographic Data Center. For more information, call 301-713-2607. For reference materials or literature searches, call 301-713-2600. # NOAA 94-R406 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3078 2/4/94 FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO EVALUATE HAWAII COASTAL PROGRAM An evaluation team from the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will visit Hawaii Feb. 7-11 to assess the progress of the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program and gather local views on the program's operation and management. NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management provides approximately $700,000 annually in federal funds to Hawaii for its coastal management programs. The NOAA team visit is part of a routine evaluation process that will include interviews with local, state and federal agency officials and other interested parties. The federal grant program was established under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, which sets forth specific national guidelines and objectives for program participation. The evaluation will assess Hawaii's success in addressing these national coastal management objectives, implementing and enforcing the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Program, and adhering to the terms and conditions of the grants received during the review period (Jan. 1991 - Jan. 1994). The team will also assess the program's implementation of beach management practices, the efforts made in public education and outreach, and the effects that budget reductions have on the ability of the Office of State Planning to implement the program. The evaluation team plans to visit Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai islands. A public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 7:00 p.m., Kealakehe Intermediate School, 74-5062 Onipa'a Street, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. For more information or to schedule a meeting with the evaluation team, contact Patmarie S. Maher, evaluation team leader, at (301) 713- 3090. # NOAA 94-R407 CONTACT: Steve Gittings (409) 847-9296 Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3078 2/18/94 2ND ANNUAL FLOWER GARDEN BANKS SANCTUARY CELEBRATION TO BE HELD The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today that the 2nd Annual Night on the Flower Gardens celebration honoring the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at the planetarium of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The evening celebrates the sanctuary ţţ site of the northernmost coral reefs on the continental shelf of North America ţţ and the many individuals and groups responsible for its continued protection. Houston area dive clubs will sponsor the evening's activities, which include a slide show from professional photographer Jesse Cancelmo, video highlights from the dramatic 1993 mass coral spawning, an update on the activities of the Flower Garden Fund and the Gulf Reef Environmental Action Team (GREAT), and an awards presentation. Each year, the sanctuary recognizes an individual or group for outstanding environmental stewardship. This year at the celebration, the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service will be presented the award for its efforts over 20 years in providing protection for the Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary and for its exemplary commitment to funding research and monitoring on the banks. Tom Fry, MMS director, will be presented the award by Captain Francesca Cava, chief of NOAA's Sanctuaries and Reserves Division and by Sanctuary Manager Steve Gittings. Quenton Dokken, executive director of the Gulf of Mexico Foundation, and representatives from Mobil and Texaco, co-sponsors of the Flower Garden Bank's long-term monitoring program, will also participate in the evening's celebration. The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is one of 13 national marine sanctuaries located in coastal and ocean waters throughout the nation. These sanctuaries protect marine areas with nationally significant environmental, cultural, historical or research value. The national marine sanctuaries program is administered by the Sanctuaries and Reserves Division of NOAA as part of its trusteeship responsibilities for the nation's coastal and ocean resources. The evening is co-hosted by the museum, the Flower Garden Fund, GREAT, and NOAA's Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Space is limited for this popular event, so please call the museum for reservations at (713) 639-4651. # NOAA 94-R408 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3078 Tammy Graham (202) 482-6090 2/22/94 TODD JACOBS TO MANAGE THE OLYMPIC COAST NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has named Todd Jacobs as manager of Washington state's Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, which is expected to be officially designated by NOAA by early summer 1994. The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, the first sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest, will stretch 135 miles from Cape Flattery halfway down Washington's undeveloped, rugged coastline, encompassing 3,310 square miles. The nation's 14th national marine sanctuary will be officially designated after state and Congressional review of the proposal. Jacobs, who previously served as research and education coordinator at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of California, will manage all aspects of the new sanctuary. In his recent position, Jacobs developed numerous education and interpretation programs, including a series of public education boat trips to the Channel Islands sanctuary, incorporating underwater wireless audio and video technology. He has represented the sanctuary as liaison to industry, trade, non-profit and government groups, and has helped promote public understanding of marine resources through feature stories on CNN and PBS. Jacobs has published and presented papers for the National Marine Educator's Association and the bi-annual Coastal Zone Management Conference, Coastal Zone '91. Jacobs, certified as a NOAA advanced working diver, oversees NOAA divers in the Pacific region of the National Marine Sanctuary Program. From 1984 to 1986, he worked as a research diver for the University of Southern California and the University of California at Santa Barbara in the kelp beds offshore the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Jacobs has also worked as project manager for Dynamac Corp., an environmental consulting firm. Jacobs and his wife, Katie, a fundraiser for the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, currently reside in Santa Barbara, Calif., and will relocate to Washington state when an office site has been selected. # NOAA 94-R409 Contact: Aaron King (Monterey) (408) 647-4257 Eliot Hurwitz (Washington, D.C.) (301) 713-3078 3/16/94 MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY'S ADVISORY COUNCIL TO MEET The Sanctuary Advisory Council for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will have its first meeting on March 30, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the public, representatives of local user groups, conservation organizations, and scientific and educational institutions to have a voice in the protection and multiple use management of the sanctuary and its resources. Of the 20-member council selected in January, 12 are non-government voting members chosen from private interests ranging from research to tourism, and eight voting members are from governmental entities with sanctuary-related responsibilities. The council functions solely as an advisory body to NOAA. The managers of the Cordell Bank/Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary, Elkhorn Slough Estuarine Research Reserve, and Channel Islands Sanctuary have non-voting seats on the Council. The manager of the Monterey Bay sanctuary also serves as a non-voting member. "I am looking forward to this first meeting of the council," said Terry Jackson, manager of the Monterey Bay sanctuary. "Because there are so many important and complex issues that we deal with on a day-by- day basis, it will be great to have a recognized entity that we can call upon for advice and counsel." The meeting will be held March 30, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The public may contact Aaron King at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary office, (408) 647-4257, for more information. # NOAA 94-R422 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3078 4/12/94 NOAA REPORT SPOTLIGHTS MAINE'S EFFORTS TO BALANCE PRESERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALONG NATION'S COASTS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's biennial report to Congress on coastal zone management says that the federal government, coastal states and U.S. island territories have made considerable progress in balancing conservation and economic development in the nation's coastal resources. The report spotlights efforts by Maine to reduce the impact of development on the environment, including training local code enforcement officers from coastal communities in coastal laws and regulations. The report is considered an indicator of the nation's progress in addressing issues on the coastal environment. Highlighted in the report are the joint federal-state-territory efforts made to reduce risks to life and property from coastal storms and erosion, including action by Florida and Hawaii to mitigate damage from Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki. The report, titled Biennial Report to Congress on Coastal Zone Management: Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993, also focuses on activities of NOAA and coastal states and island territories in administering the Coastal Zone Management Act, enacted in 1972 and managed by NOAA. The federal statute balances preservation and economic development along the nation's coasts and promotes the wise use of valuable and declining coastal resources. Under increasing pressure from human activities, the nation's coastal regions are faced with many challenges. Nonpoint source pollution threatens the health of biologically productive estuarine waters. Coastal wetlands loss continues, and open public space along the nation's 95,000 mile shoreline is steadily shrinking. Natural hazards, such as the Nor'easters that rocked New England over the past two years, threaten people who live along the coast. The report describes NOAA and state activities designed to address these problems. The report also details activities conducted at the nation's 22 estuarine research reserve sites, including the Wells Reserve in Maine. Natural processes and human activities that affect estuaries are studied so knowledge gained can be applied by the states to minimize stresses on their own highly productive estuarine areas. "The experiences of the past 20 years demonstrate that this federal-state partnership is working well and is producing measurable, beneficial changes in the management of coastal resources," the NOAA report states. But, it concludes, the job of sound coastal management is far from over. "As coastal populations continue to increase, the demand for intensive development of the coastal zone will increase, creating conflicting and competing demands for housing, industrial and urban development, and recreational facilities on these finite resources." The report is available from NOAA, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, Coastal Zone Information Center, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md. 20910; telephone (301) 713-3094. # NOAA 94-R436 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3078 4/14/94 NOAA REPORT SPOTLIGHTS RHODE ISLAND'S EFFORTS TO BALANCE PRESERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALONG NATION'S COASTS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's biennial report to Congress on coastal zone management says that the federal government, coastal states and U.S. island territories have made considerable progress in balancing conservation and economic development in the nation's coastal resources. The report spotlights efforts by Rhode Island to increase wetlands protection by adopting wetlands mitigation regulations. The regulations allow no net loss of wetlands acreage or function as a result of coastal development and require mitigation for all unavoidable impacts to wetlands. The report is considered an indicator of the nation's progress in addressing issues on the coastal environment. Highlighted in the report are the joint federal-state-territory efforts made to reduce risks to life and property from coastal storms and erosion, including action by Florida and Hawaii to mitigate damage from Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki. The report, titled Biennial Report to Congress on Coastal Zone Management: Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993, also focuses on activities of NOAA and coastal states and island territories in administering the Coastal Zone Management Act, enacted in 1972 and managed by NOAA. The federal statute balances preservation and economic development along the nation's coasts and promotes the wise use of valuable and declining coastal resources. Under increasing pressure from human activities, the nation's coastal regions are faced with many challenges. Nonpoint source pollution threatens the health of biologically productive estuarine waters. Coastal wetlands loss continues, and open public space along the nation's 95,000 mile shoreline is steadily shrinking. Natural hazards, such as the Nor'easter that rocked New England in 1992, continue to threaten the people who live along the coast. The report describes NOAA and state activities designed to address these problems. The report also details activities conducted at the nation's 22 estuarine research reserve sites, including the Narragansett Bay Reserve covering Prudence, Patience and Hope Islands. Natural processes and human activities that affect estuaries are studied so knowledge gained can be applied by the states to minimize stresses on their own highly productive estuarine areas. "The experiences of the past 20 years demonstrate that this federal-state partnership is working well and is producing measurable, beneficial changes in the management of coastal resources," the NOAA report states. But, it concludes, the job of sound coastal management is far from over. "As coastal populations continue to increase, the demand for intensive development of the coastal zone will increase, creating conflicting and competing demands for housing, industrial and urban development, and recreational facilities on these finite resources." The report is available from NOAA, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, Coastal Zone Information Center, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md. 20910; telephone (301) 713-3094. # NOAA 94-R444 Contact: Justin Kenney (301) 713-3145 Ginger Hinchcliff (813) 775-8845 4/27/94 GOVERNOR CHILES RECOGNIZES ROOKERY BAY NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve received Florida's 1994 Environmental Education Award for its outstanding environmental education program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. Governor Chiles, Lt. Governor MacKay and the Environmental Education Foundation of Florida, Inc. recognized the reserve at Florida's Earth Day celebration at Disney World this past weekend. The Rookery Bay NERR program targets high school and college students, teachers, adults and environmental professionals with hands- on, issue-oriented programs. The goal is to educate the public on current research findings and resource management techniques so they can make informed decisions concerning coastal issues; and to help them understand the economic and sociologic value of the resources by showing the connection between the resources and their own lives. Rookery Bay NERR is one of 22 sites within a national system of research reserves established by Congress through the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to be protected as natural laboratories for research and education. National Estuarine Research Reserves are jointly administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and individual states and territories. # NOAA 94-R445 Contact: Adam Rogers (809) 230-8974 Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3078 5/2/94 TOGETHERNET AND NOAA BRING U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL DATA TO DESKTOPS AROUND THE WORLD The Together Foundation for Global Unity announced today that representatives of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have agreed to make a broad array of scientific, technical and policy documents available on the acclaimed TogetherNet desktop information system. The announcement was made in Barbados in the midst of the ongoing United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development for Small Island Developing States. One of the prime areas of debate and discussion at the conference has been the level of assistance provided by developed to developing nations, with many small island developing states pressing for "new and additional" resource commitments from developed countries. In response, the developed countries, including the United States, dealing with the difficult financial constraints within their own systems, have been working to find creative ways to tap the wealth of existing programs, experience and useful information that may be of benefit to developing nations. Today's actions by NOAA will mean that users of the TogetherNet system will have a powerful tool, easily affordable by developing nations, to access one of the most extensive reservoirs of environmental information in the world. The initial documents to be loaded by NOAA onto the togetherNet system will focus on materials dealing with the issue of coral reefs. Featured will be project descriptions of 26 ongoing NOAA programs dealing with coral reef issues. NOAA is the lead U.S. agency with responsibility for environmental stewardship, assessment and prediction in the marine and coastal environments. NOAA is also home to the U.S. National Weather Service and U.S. National Environmental Satellite and Data Information Service which provide vital environmental, weather and climate data covering a wide area including the Pacific and Caribbean regions. Future additions to the NOAA databank on TogetherNet will include a wide range of environmental, climate, fisheries, habitat and management documents. TogetherNet, which has been enthusiastically received by representatives from around the world attending the U.N. conference, is a computer information and communications network system for people and organizations that work in the realm of the environment, human rights and sustainable development. The TogetherNet system is accessed through a simple to learn, simple to use, graphic-user interface similar to the Macintosh and Microsoft Windows 3.1 desktop systems. Information is arranged hierarchically through the use of files and conferences within folders. Communications services are also intuitively simple to use. TogetherNet is navigated through the simple and familiar point-and-click method. # NOAA 94-R446 Contact: Justin Kenney (301) 713-3145 5/13/94 NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Honored for Environmental Protection The Nature Conservancyţs Florida chapter awarded Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Billy Causey the Chairman Award -- its highest chapter honor -- on May 6, 1994, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced. The Chairman's Award honors an individual or organization whose actions have significantly advanced environmental protection in Florida. Mr. Causey, who previously owned a private tropical marine life company, joined NOAA in 1983 as the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary Manager. He has served as superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary since August 1991. He has led the effort to develop a comprehensive management plan for the FKNMS, aspects of which are innovative in marine resource protection. In 1993 NOAA presented Causey with the Conservation Award in recognition for his service. He has been a resident of the Florida Keys for 27 years and resides on Big Pine Key with his wife, Laura, and son, David. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is one of thirteen protected marine areas in the National Marine Sanctuary Program. The sanctuary program was authorized under Title III of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 to protect distinctive natural and cultural resources whose protection and beneficial use requires comprehensive planning and management. The program is administered by the Sanctuaries and Reserves Division of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. # NOAA 94-R456 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/5/94 CALIFORNIA RECEIVES GRANT FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE California has been awarded a $50,000 grant to help it test if a standard protocol for mapping emergent coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands is useful to managers in making natural resource decisions in California's central coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program and Office of Coastal Resource Management awarded the grant, to be administered over a two-year period, to the California Coastal Commission in Santa Cruz. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion, and environmental threats. California has more coastal wetland acreage than Oregon or Washington, but has lost 75 percent of its original coastal wetlands. Rapid population growth, diversion of freshwater inputs, increase in urban/agricultural runoff and destruction of natural habitat directly affects sensitive species and their habitats as well as water quality. The cumulative effect of these impacts upon the remaining wetlands is not well understood on a regional watershed basis. "Land cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively than we previously have been able to monitor," said Donald Scavia, director of NOAA's Coastal Ocean Office. "Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions." A full report of the findings will be presented at a local workshop demonstration. Visualizing pollution in the watershed by applying C-CAP data about land cover change will also be demonstrated. # NOAA 94-R457 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/7/94 GEORGIA RECEIVES GRANT FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE Georgia has been awarded a $38,000 grant for a one-year project to collect land cover/habitat information covering the past 10 years from the coastal and adjacent upland areas of Georgia, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program and Office of Coastal Resource Management announced today. The study will be conducted by the University of Georgia's Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRMS) in Athens, and the Marine Institute in Sapelo Island. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion and environmental threats. "The salt marshes, brackish marshes and tidal swamps that line the Georgia coast between the mainland and the barrier islands are vital ecosystems that buffer upland runoff to the coastal estuaries and provide habitat for fish and shellfish populations," said Donald Scavia, director of NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program. "The entire coast, however, faces development pressure from a rapidly growing state population and nonpoint sources of pollution due to important agriculture and forestry activities." "Land cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively than we previously have been able to monitor. Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions," Scavia said. CRMS, the Marine Institute and C-CAP plan to develop a digital database and use geographic information system technology to analyze Georgia's coastal change during 1984-1994. Color-coded hard copy maps and digital data sets depicting coastal land cover change during this period will be developed during the project and made available to resource managers responsible for decisions affecting the Georgia coast. # NOAA 94-R458 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/7 /94 NEW YORK RECEIVES GRANTS FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE New York has been awarded $97,000 to monitor coastal change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program and Office of Coastal Resource Management announced today. The grant, to cover two projects, will be administered over two years. The New York Sea Grant College in Stony Brook and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, funded at $53,000 for two years, is conducting a large-scale mapping of the current distribution and species composition of submerged rooted vegetation in the Hudson River. The New York State Coastal Management Program in Albany, funded at $44,000 for one year, is establishing a digital database for coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands for Long Island Sound. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion and environmental threats. "By monitoring the health and distribution of coastal wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged rooted vegetation [SRV], we can measure the success of the Coastal Zone Management Act's Coast Nonpoint Contamination Program [Section 6217], which requires coastal states to develop programs to protect coastal waters from such nonpoint pollution sources as agriculture, forestry, urban development, hydromodification, marinas and recreational bathing," said Donald Scavia, director of the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program. "Therefore, we need a baseline knowledge of current conditions on which to measure changes. Knowledge, however, of the current distribution and species composition of SRV in the Hudson River is site-specific and incomplete, and on Long Island no digital database documenting wetland and upland areas exists." "Land cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively than we previously have been able to monitor. Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions," Scavia said. # NOAA 94-R459 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202)482-6090 7/7/94 NEW JERSEY RECEIVES GRANT FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE New Jersey has been awarded a $79,000 grant to develop a standardized information base on the present land cover of the Atlantic Outer Coastal Plain, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program and Office of Coastal Resource Management announced today. The database will serve as the basis of future Coastal Change Analysis Program efforts to detect change. The two-year project will be led by Rutgers University in New Brunswick. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion and environmental threats. "New Jersey is one of the most heavily urbanized states in the nation. Its coastal zone has experienced tremendous development in the last two decades," said Donald Scavia, director of NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program. "The loss of coastal wetlands and upland habitats and the increase of non-point source pollution in New Jersey has negatively affected adjacent estuarine systems, leading to a decrease in productivity and biodiversity." "Land cover changes due to human population growth, and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively than we previously have been able to monitor. Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions," Scavia said. The products developed from the project will be shared with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy and integrated into the New Jersey Ecological Spatial Data Base Project that is being developed, maintained and distributed by the Rutgers University Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis. # NOAA 94-R460 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/8/94 NORTH CAROLINA RECEIVES GRANT FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE North Carolina has been awarded a two-year, $130,000 grant to develop a nationally standardized, digital, regional land cover change detection database, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced today. The study will be conducted by the Computer Graphics Center at North Carolina State University in Raleigh and the Division of Coastal Management of the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion and environmental threats. "Land cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively that we previously have been able to monitor," said Donald Scavia, director of NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program. "Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions." Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) includes some of the most productive primary producers in the marine environment, and provides habitat for juveniles and adults of many estuarine- dependent fish and shellfish. SAV has been vulnerable to adverse effects from anthropogenic activities in the North Carolina coastal zone. These activities include the increasing development of adjacent coastal uplands and wetlands, excessive freshwater, pollution and turbidity. "Data on spatial change of seagrass habitat is needed to improve management of these productive habitats and the species they support," Scavia said. The North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources will continue to incorporate the maps developed in its Geographic Information System database in order to resolve fishery questions related to land development, water rights, and other coastal matters. Using this data, the state has established certain coastal water bodies as outstanding resources deserving extra protection. # NOAA 94-R461 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/7/94 OREGON RECEIVES GRANT FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE Oregon has been awarded a one-year, $53,000 grant to conduct a regional land cover change analysis in the lower Columbia River, Willapa Bay and Ptolemaic Bay, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program and Office of Coastal Resource Management announced today. The study will be conducted by the Columbia River Estuary Study Task Force in Astoria. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion, and environmental threats. "Land cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively that we previously have been able to monitor," said Donald Scavia, director of the NOAA Coastal Ocean Program. "Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions." Land cover changes from the forestry industry in both Oregon and Washington are seriously affecting the functional integrity of the fisheries habitats in the Columbia River. Sedimentation from logging clouds the streams and reduces depth, especially in the small tributaries of the Columbia River that are essential to salmon spawning. This runoff also adversely affects the coastal bays where productive shellfish beds lie. "By analyzing these land cover changes, managers can perhaps improve techniques that will protect these habitats as well as ensure the economic productivity of the fishing and shellfish harvests," Scavia said. A workshop to demonstrate the product to state, regional and federal groups is planned. # NOAA 94-R462 Contact: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 7/8/94 LOUISIANA RECEIVES GRANT FROM NOAA TO MONITOR COASTAL CHANGE Louisiana has been awarded a two-year, $65,000 grant to determine if the land cover and functions of the coastal Mermentau River Basin and Chenier Plain have changed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program and Office of Coastal Resource Management announced today. The study will be led by the National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette. A nationally accepted protocol developed under the Coastal Ocean Program's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) will be used in the study. The protocol enables managers to detect area and functional changes in emergent wetlands, adjacent uplands and submerged aquatic vegetation through satellite imagery and aerial photography, and to map this data uniformly. This information is critical to coastal resource managers who must make daily decisions about wetland protection. Although more than 70 percent of economically important fisheries in the U.S. depend upon estuarine habitats during some life stage, estuaries are being destroyed or degraded by coastal development, with concurrent nonpoint source pollution (diffuse sources of contaminants or pollutants that cannot be attributed to a single discharge point, such as agricultural runoff or storm water runoff), erosion and environmental threats. "Land cover changes due to human population growth and attendant impacts on fishery habitat, adjacent uplands, water quality and living marine resources occur faster and more pervasively than we previously have been able to monitor," said Donald Scavia, director of NOAA's Coastal Ocean Program. "Information about the extent and rate of habitat degradation and loss is needed for sound resource management decisions." In addition to change detection analysis, C-CAP is also developing new and easier techniques for mapping and measuring the health of emergent wetland habitats. A 1992 feasibility study by the University of Delaware and the University of Louisiana was funded to determine if this monitoring can be made from using remote sensing data. In conjunction with the remote sensing effort, the National Wetlands Research Center is building a comprehensive standardized geographic information system to detect and assess changes in land cover and habitat. Results from this study will provide a baseline for change detection and a standard format for incorporating databases and results from current programs and future data sources. "It will especially benefit development of Louisiana's coastal nonpoint source pollution program and provide baseline information and protocols with Gulf-wide or national applications," Scavia said. # NOAA 94-R468 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/3/94 NOAA ANNOUNCES 1994 COASTAL ENVIRONMENT AWARDS The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the winners of the 1994 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards and the NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management today. The awards recognize more than a dozen individuals, organizations and businesses who have made an outstanding contribution to the nation's beaches, coastal wetlands, and other ocean and coastal resources. Through the awards program, initiated in 1992 by the late Congressman Walter B. Jones (former chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries), NOAA recognizes individuals, state officials, local governments, volunteers, graduate students and environmentally conscious businesses. The awards were formally announced by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. ţGiving these awards is our chance to thank the many people and organizations that dedicate so much time and put so much energy into improving our nation's coasts," he said. "These are people whose ethic of environmental stewardship stands as a model for all. Because of their efforts, we can keep our promise to protect nature's legacy for generations to come." Awards were given in ten categories: Coastal Steward of the Year, Local Government, Graduate Study, Excellence in Coastal Zone Management, Marine Sanctuary Management, Estuarine Reserve Management, Volunteer of the Year, Excellence in Promoting Cultural and Ethnic Diversity, Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) of the Year, and Business Leadership. The latter four categories were created this year to honor private sector efforts promoting stewardship of the coast. A list of all winners follows. NOAA also presented Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, D-S.C., chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, with a special award for his dedication and leadership in support of national coastal management efforts. For more than two decades, Hollings has led the battle to balance the protection and wise development of the nation's shores. The winners will receive a certificate and be publicly recognized at a special awards ceremony in NOAA's auditorium, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Md., on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. -- AWARDS: Coastal Steward of the Year Beth Millman, Washington, D.C., Executive Director, Coast Alliance -- A true champion of the environment, Ms. Millman has mobilized nationwide grassroots activities to protect coastal resources, provided much needed education materials for all sectors of society and has striven to resolve key coastal problems ranging from nonpoint source pollution to coastal development and flood insurance policies. Among other things, her work has helped contribute to the expansion of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act, a federal law designed to protect undeveloped barrier islands from development. Local Governments (three awards) South Walton County Conservation and Development Trust Inc., Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. -- Rather than succumb to the pressure for increased tourism, South Walton County decided in 1992 to designate 18,000 acres of newly acquired beachfront property for public use. Since then, the county has initiated a pilot conservation and development planning program that will promote protection of rare and endangered species and their habitats and create a network of greenways for use as wildlife corridors and recreational trails. The South Walton County Conservation and Development Trust, which was formed to govern these activities, has been working diligently to implement the program. City of Kenosha, Wis. -- The economic hard times of the last decade left many of the buildings along this city's waterfront abandoned and in ruin. In an effort to rebuild its faltering economy, the city initiated a waterfront revitalization program that transformed the area into a showcase for the city. Today the area enjoys a new promenade, marina, boat repair stations, increased public parking and access point, gardens and other amenities that have successfully reintroduced the community to the coast. This project served as a model for others. Delaware County Conservation District, Pennsylvania -- For 10 years, the District office of the Delaware County Conservation District has been a champion of environmental education. Using a local newspaper as its vehicle, the district publishes an environmental supplement known as the Delco-Resourcer, which brings environmental issues to the community's front door. This tool has been highly efficient and cost-effective in educating some 50,000 residents about coastal environmental issues on a weekly basis. Graduate Students (two awards) Kelie Cochran, University of Rhode Island -- In her studies at the university's Department of Marine Affairs, Ms. Cochran has targeted such important issues as nonpoint source pollution and public education. Her thesis tests whether public education on environmental issues actually results in changed human behavior and a "greener" environment. Miguel Jorge, University of Delaware -- Mr. Jorge has focused on both value science and social science as they relate to coastal zone management. His thesis addresses an extremely complicated issue: the definition and implementation of "Integrated Coastal Management." While at the University of Delaware, Mr. Jorge has held internships with the World Wildlife Fund where he worked on a wide range of regional, national, and international projects, including the United Nation's Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. Volunteer of the Year Alison Fahrer, Islmorada, Fla. -- Since moving to the Florida Keys some 30 years ago, Ms. Fahrer has demonstrated a seemingly endless source of energy and dedication to saving the environment and preserving a healthy reef ecosystem. She has been appointed by three governors to Florida's Citizen's Advisory Committee on Coastal Resources Management, on which she currently serves, and has testified before the U.S. Congress and Florida State Legislature on the need to improve coastal management efforts. Closer to home, Ms. Fahrer serves on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Board, and is president of the Pennekamp Coral Reef Institute. Excellence in Promoting Cultural and Ethnic Diversity Michael Klubock, Malibu, Calif. -- A sailor in a past life, Mr. Klubock now dedicates himself to educating young people in urban Los Angeles about the marine environment. Mr. Klubock created the "Adopt-a-Beach Assembly Program" in 1991 and personally funded the establishment of the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education. This program reaches multi-cultural communities, motivating students and directing them in hands-on activities in recycling, pollution prevention and beach cleanups. The program has reached over 35,000 Los Angeles County schoolchildren in 88 schools; an additional 150 schools requested the program. Presently, the program is being translated into Spanish to make it a truly bilingual experience for teachers and students. Non-Governmental Organizations Center for Marine Conservation, Pollution Prevention Program, Washington, D.C. -- Over the past two years, the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) initiated a worldwide campaign to coordinate and facilitate beach cleanups. This effort amassed a volunteer recruitment of more than 200,000 volunteers from 34 U.S. States and Island Territories and 35 countries. These volunteers cleaned up more than five million pounds of debris along 6,000 miles of shoreline. As a result, CMC developed a vital database on marine debris. This program has had a lasting effect on both public awareness and political action. Excellence in Business Leadership Edwards Boatyards, Falmouth, Mass. -- This marina, located within the boundaries of the Cape Cod National Seashore, has been built on standards to protect water quality while providing effective services to their customers. The marina has instituted a number of environmentally sensitive practices to better protect the marine environment. For example, it installed sediment traps into concrete floors to hold hazardous material spills and installed a faster and more efficient boat pump-out facility to deal with the problem of human sewage from boatheads. The marina owner, Charles Swain, also takes an active role in protecting the Cape's resources by serving on the Falmouth Planning Board and Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve's Board of Directors. Excellence in Coastal Zone Management Art Rocque, Assistant Commissioner, Long Island Sound Programs, State of Connecticut -- In his many years of service, Mr. Rocque has served as a leader of coastal management activities at both the state and national levels. In Connecticut he has spearheaded efforts to develop and implement a sound, comprehensive coastal management program involving local, state and federal government parties. At the national level, Mr. Rocque has provided leadership in the Coastal States Organization (CSO), an organization of governors' representatives for ocean and coastal affairs, and has promoted intergovernmental coastal partnerships. Excellence in Estuarine Reserve Management Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve, Ohio -- Located on the shores of Lake Erie, the Old Woman Creek estuarine research reserve and its small staff have been leaders in developing innovative outreach programs and partnerships that further the goals of cooperative coastal resource management. The reserve has played a key role in assisting with the development of Ohio's coastal zone management program by fostering regional, national, and international cooperative programs. In addition, Old Woman Creek has been a catalyst in the development of system-wide education and planning projects for the entire National Estuarine Research Reserve system. Excellence in Marine Sanctuary Management Dr. Steven Gittings, manager, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary -- As a manager of the sanctuary, Dr. Gittings has been an innovative leader, developing unique approaches to research, monitoring, education and outreach activities. He has fostered excellent working relationships with leaders of the oil industry and other federal partners, especially the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service, and has been instrumental in securing innovative funding for research projects through the establishment of a Flower Gardens Fund. He also has built a solid volunteer force to support sanctuary resource protection. # NOAA 94-R476 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/5/94 OHIO ESTUARY RECEIVES NATIONAL COASTAL STEWARD AWARD The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration honored today the recipients of the 1994 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards and the NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management at a ceremony in Silver Spring, Md. Winning in the "Excellence in Estuarine Research Reserve Management" category was Eugene Wright, manager of the Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve in Huron, Ohio. Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve is located on the shores of Lake Erie and is the smallest reserve in the national reserve system. The small reserve staff is packed with a powerhouse of leadership in developing innovative outreach programs and partnerships that further the goals of cooperative coastal resource management. The Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve has played a significant part in the development of Ohioţs coastal zone management program by fostering regional, national and international cooperative programs. The reserve has also been a catalyst in the development of national estuarine research reserve system-wide education and planning projects. Reserve staff carry out research projects on topics that directly relate to their local community. Their research blends scientific, education and management elements expertly and is translated into real information for local concerns. Through its coastal awards program, initiated in 1992 by the late Congressman Walter B. Jones (former chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries), NOAA recognizes individuals, state officials, local governments, volunteers, graduate students and environmentally-conscious businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the nation's beaches, coastal wetlands, and other ocean and coastal resources. The awards were formally announced by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. Giving these awards is our chance to thank the many people and organizations that dedicate so much time and put so much energy into improving our nation's coasts," said Baker. "These are people whose ethic of environmental stewardship stands as a model for all. Because of their efforts, we can keep our promise to protect nature's legacy for generations to come." # NOAA 94-R477 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/5/94 TEXAS MARINE SANCTUARY RECEIVES NATIONAL COASTAL STEWARD AWARD The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration honored today the recipients of the 1994 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards and the NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management at a ceremony in Silver Spring, Md.2 Winning the "Excellence in Marine Sanctuary Management" category was Stephen Gittings, manager of the Flower Garden Banks, headquartered in Bryan, Texas. Gittings has demonstrated outstanding, innovative management of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, including the development of unique approaches to research, monitoring, education and outreach. He also has a knack for directing volunteers from many backgrounds to support sanctuary resource protection. Gittings faces many logistical and political challenges while managing this site. He has fostered excellent relationships with leaders of the oil industry and other federal partners. Through a matching grant from the Department of the Interiorţs Mineral Management Service and contributions from three oil companies, the monitoring budget for the sanctuary has more than doubled. Gittings also has met the challenge of finding funding for research projects through establishment of the Flower Gardens Fund. This fund was set up with the non-profit Gulf of Mexico Foundation to raise funds to carry out approved programs and activities at the sanctuary, such as the installation and maintenance of mooring buoys in the sanctuary. Through its coastal awards program, initiated in 1992 by the late Congressman Walter B. Jones (former chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries), NOAA recognizes individuals, state officials, local governments, volunteers, graduate students and environmentally-conscious businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the nation's beaches, coastal wetlands, and other ocean and coastal resources. The awards were formally announced by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. Giving these awards is our chance to thank the many people and organizations that dedicate so much time and put so much energy into improving our nation's coasts," said Baker. "These are people whose ethic of environmental stewardship stands as a model for all. Because of their efforts, we can keep our promise to protect nature's legacy for generations to come." # Media Advisory CONTACT: Lori Arguelles Tim Tomastik (202) 482-6090 4/22/94 STUDENTS DISCUSS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT WITH SECRETARY BROWN Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown will discuss the concept of sustainable development with approximately 55 sixth graders from Fort Washington Forest Elementary School, Ft. Washington, Md. The students will be actively engaging and sharing their ideas on sustainable development with the Secretary, NOAA Chief Scientist Kathy Sullivan and NOAA Administrator Jim Baker. # NOAA 94-R478 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/5/94 FALMOUTH BOATYARD RECEIVES NATIONAL COASTAL STEWARD AWARD The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration honored today the recipients of the 1994 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards and the NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management at a ceremony in Silver Spring, Md. Winning in the "Excellence in Business Leadership" category was Edwards Boatyard, of Falmouth, Mass. The award will be accepted by company President Charles Swain. Edwards Boatyard is a marina located on land incorporated into the Cape Cod National Seashore. The company has been built on standards to protect water quality while providing effective services to its customers. Sensitive to the hazardous materials commonly handled at marinas such as oil, lubricants and resins, the company installed sediment traps in its concrete floors to hold any spills and allow for safe disposal. The company also recycles all its recyclable materials, including used engine oil, and has addressed the problem of human sewage from boatheads by installing a fast and efficient boat pump-out facility. Company President Charles Swain has personally dedicated himself to protecting the Capeţs resources. Among other positions, he is Chairman of the Falmouth Planning Board and has served as Chairman to the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve since 1988. Edwards Boatyard has proven its sustained commitment to the health of the marine environment, and was chosen by Marina/Dock Magazine as one of the five most environmentally sensitive marinas in the nation. Through its coastal awards program, initiated in 1992 by the late Congressman Walter B. Jones (former chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries), NOAA recognizes individuals, state officials, local governments, volunteers, graduate students and environmentally-conscious businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the nation's beaches, coastal wetlands, and other ocean and coastal resources. The awards were formally announced by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. Giving these awards is our chance to thank the many people and organizations that dedicate so much time and put so much energy into improving our nation's coasts," said Baker. "These are people whose ethic of environmental stewardship stands as a model for all. Because of their efforts, we can keep our promise to protect nature's legacy for generations to come." # NOAA 94-R479 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/5/94 SENATOR HOLLINGS RECEIVES NATIONAL COASTAL AWARD The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today presented Senator Ernest F. Hollings, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, with a special award for his dedication and leadership in support of national coastal management efforts. For more than two decades, Hollings has led the battle to balance the protection and wise development of our shores. Hollings was presented the award at a special ceremony at NOAA's auditorium in Silver Spring, Md. NOAA also announced the winners of the 1994 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards and the NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management. Through the awards program, initiated in 1992 by the late Congressman Walter B. Jones (former chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries) NOAA recognizes individuals, state officials, local governments, volunteers, graduate students and environmentally-conscious businesses who have made an outstanding contribution to the nation's beaches, coastal wetlands, and other ocean and coastal resources. The awards were formally announced by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. ţGiving these awards is our chance to thank the many people and organizations that dedicate so much time and put so much energy into improving our nation's coasts," said Baker. "These are people whose ethic of environmental stewardship stands as a model for all. Because of their efforts, we can keep our promise to protect nature's legacy for generations to come." # NOAA 94-R481 Contact: Eliot Hurwitz (301) 713-3066 10/5/94 FLORIDA KEYS ACTIVIST RECEIVES NATIONAL COASTAL STEWARD AWARD The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration honored today the recipients of the 1994 Walter B. Jones Memorial Awards and the NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management at a ceremony in Silver Spring, Md. Winning in the "Volunteer of the Year" category was Alison Fahrer of Islmorada in the Florida Keys. Since moving to the Florida Keys 30 years ago, Fahrer has been an advocate for a healthy reef ecosystem. She has been appointed by three governors of Florida to serve as the chair of the state's Citizens Advisory Committee on Coastal Resources Management. Fahrer speaks out on behalf of the environment. She has testified before Congress on the Coastal Zone Management Act and before the state legislature for improvements to the Florida Coastal Management Program. Fahrer is on the advisory board of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and serves as president of the Pennekamp Coral Reef Institute, Inc. In all her activities, Fahrer has demonstrated a seemingly endless source of energy and dedication to the precious resources surrounding her. Through its coastal awards program, initiated in 1992 by the late Congressman Walter B. Jones (former chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries), NOAA recognizes individuals, state officials, local governments, volunteers, graduate students, and environmentally-conscious businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the nation's beaches, coastal wetlands, and other ocean and coastal resources. The awards were formally announced by NOAA Administrator D. James Baker. ţGiving these awards is our chance to thank the many people and organizations that dedicate so much time and put so much energy into improving our nation's coasts," said Baker. "These are people whose ethic of environmental stewardship stands as a model for all. Because of their efforts, we can keep our promise to protect nature's legacy for generations to come." # NOAA 94-R501 Contact: Jay Tebeau (202) 482-6090 2/22/94 GULFPORT, MISS., COMPANY TO BUILD NEW NOAA RESEARCH SHIP The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has exercised a $36.6 million option on a Navy contract to Halter Marine, Inc., in Gulfport, Miss., to construct a world class research ship to support several of the agency's critical scientific missions. The Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (AGOR) ship will aid NOAA scientists in obtaining critical data and information essential to understanding variations in global climate and the greenhouse effect. The vessel is expected to be built by 1997 and will be the first new NOAA oceanographic research ship since the MALCOLM BALDRIGE was delivered in 1970. The original contract was awarded competitively to Halter Marine, Inc., by the Naval Sea Systems Command to build one ship for the Navy with options to build a second Navy vessel and a ship for NOAA. The construction of the 274-foot vessel marks a major step for NOAA's fleet replacement and modernization program to replace its aging vessels with ships able to conduct research and studies of the ocean into the next century. The current fleet of 18 active ships was originally built in the mid-1960s. The ships support NOAA's efforts in fisheries research and assessing fishery stocks, conducting surveys for nautical charting, performing oceanographic and atmospheric research, and monitoring the health of marine estuaries. # NOAA 94-R502 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 FINLAY ANDERSON BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Finlay Anderson of Corvallis, Ore., a graduate student at the Oregon State University, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Anderson will work on the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives' Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Anderson, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at Oregon State University, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R503 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/8/94 PETER BARILE BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN ARLINGTON, VA. Peter Barile of Palm Bay, Fla., a graduate student at the Florida Institute of Technology, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Arlington, Va. Brown will work on the staff of the National Science Foundation's Biological Oceanography Program Office. Barile, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Florida, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R504 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 CHRISTOPHER BEHR BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN SILVER SPRING, MD. Christopher Behr of Madison, Wis., a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Silver Spring, Md. Behr will work on the staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service Damage Assessment Center. Behr, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Wisconsin, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R505 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 THOMAS BOYD BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN ARLINGTON, VA. Thomas Boyd of La Jolla, Calif., a graduate student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Arlington, Va. Boyd will work on the staff of the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences. Boyd, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of California, San Diego, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after Dr. John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R506 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 MARA BROWN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Mara Brown of Eugene, Ore., a law student at the University of Oregon, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Brown will work on the staff of the National Ocean Policy Study of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Brown, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at Oregon State University, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after Dr. John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R507 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 MARK BROWN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Mark Brown of Gainesville, Fla., a law student at the University of Florida, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss-National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Brown will work on the staff of Rep. Peter Deutsch. Brown, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at University of Florida, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former Dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. Each year, the Dean John A. Knauss Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R508 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 BONNIE BRUCE BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Bonnie Bruce of Charlottesville, Va., a graduate student at the University of Virginia, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Bruce will work on the Subcommittee on Fisheries Management of the U.S. House of Representatives' Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Bruce, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program of the Virginia Graduate Marine Science Consortium, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R509 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 CHRISTOPHER CARR BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Christopher Carr of Berkeley, Calif., a law student at the University of California at Berkeley, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Carr will work on the staff of the State Department's Office of Fisheries Affairs. Carr, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of California, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R510 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ROBERT CHO BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Robert Cho of East Setauket, N.Y., a graduate student at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Cho will work on the staff of Rep. Dan Hamburg. Cho, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R511 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 JESSICA COGAN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Jessica Cogan of Carrboro, N.C., a graduate student at the University of North Carolina, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Cogan will work on the staff of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds. Cogan, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program of the University of North Carolina, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R512 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ABIGAIL FRIEDMAN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Abigail Friedman of Kingston, R.I., a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Friedman will work on the Strategies and Initiatives Section of the Environmental Protection Agency's Wetlands Division. Friedman, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Rhode Island, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R513 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ROGER GRIFFIS BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Roger Griffis of Lafayette, La., a graduate student at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Griffis will work on the staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Chief Scientist. Griffis, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at Louisiana State University, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-514 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ELLEN HAWES BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN SILVER SPRING, MD. Ellen Hawes of Mount Pleasant, S.C., a graduate student at the University of Charleston, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Silver Spring, Md. Hawes will work on the staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Ocean Program. Hawes, who was recommended by the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R515 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 KATHARINE HORNBARGER BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Katharine Hornbarger of Ann Arbor, Mich., a graduate student at the University of Michigan, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Hornbarger will work on the staff of the Subcommittee on Oceanography, Gulf of Mexico, and the Outer Continental Shelf of the U.S. House of Representatives' Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Hornbarger, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Michigan, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R516 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ELIZABETH LAMOUREUX BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN ARLINGTON, VA. Elizabeth Lamoureux of Stony Brook, N.Y., a graduate student at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Arlington, Va. Lamoureux will work on the staff of the Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Environmental Contaminants. Lamoureux, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R517 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 HOLLY LYNCH BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Holly Lynch of Ann Arbor, Mich., a graduate student at the University of Michigan, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Lynch will work on the staff of Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman. Lynch, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Michigan, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R518 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 DONALD MACLEAN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN ARLINGTON, VA. Donald MacLean of Columbia, Md., a graduate student at the University of Maryland, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Arlington, Va. MacLean will work on the staff of the Interior Department's Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Habitat Conservation. MacLean, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Maryland, College Park, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R519 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 PAMELA PLOTKIN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN SILVER SPRING, MD. Pamela Plotkin of College Station, Texas, a graduate student at Texas A&M University, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Silver Spring, Md. Plotkin will work on the staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service's Office of Protected Resources. Plotkin, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the Texas A&M University, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R520 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 NANCY ROTH BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Nancy Roth of Ann Arbor, Mich., a graduate student at the University of Michigan, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Roth will work in the Outreach/State Program Office of the Environmental Protection Agency's Wetlands Division. Roth, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Michigan, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R521 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 PAUL SALOP BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN SILVER SPRING, MD. Paul Salop of Corvallis, Ore., a graduate student at Oregon State University, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Silver Spring, Md. Salop will work on the staff of the Sanctuaries and Reserves Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Ocean Service. Salop, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at Oregon State University, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R522 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 AMY SANTIN BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Amy Santin of Baltimore, Md., a law student at the University of Maryland, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Santin will work on the Fisheries Management Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives' Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Santin, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Maryland, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R523 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ELIZABETH SHEA BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN SILVER SPRING, MD. Elizabeth Shea of Gloucester Point, Va., a graduate student at the College of William and Mary, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Silver Spring, Md. Shea will work on the staff of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Research and Restoration Center. Shea, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program of the Virginia Graduate Marine Science Consortium, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R524 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 STEPHEN SMITH BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Stephen Smith of College Station, Texas, a graduate student at Texas A&M University, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Smith will work on the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives' Congressional Sunbelt Caucus. Smith, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at Texas A&M University, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R525 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 ALTON STRAUB BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN WASHINGTON, D.C. Alton Straub of Seattle, Wash., a graduate student at the University of Washington, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Washington, D.C. Straub will work on the staff of the U.S. Senate's Great Lakes Task Force. Straub, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Washington, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R526 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/9/94 STEVEN WHITESELL BEGINS SEA GRANT FELLOWSHIP IN ARLINGTON, VA. Steven Whitesell of Chapel Hill, N.C., a graduate student at the University of North Carolina, has begun a one-year Dean John A. Knauss National Sea Grant Federal Fellowship in Arlington, Va. Whitesell will work on the staff of the Office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment. Whitesell, who was recommended by the Sea Grant College Program at the University of North Carolina, is one of 25 graduate students competitively selected for the 1994 fellowship program, established in 1979 and named after John A. Knauss, former dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island and former under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. Each year, the Sea Grant fellowship program provides students with an opportunity to serve with staff offices within the executive and legislative branches of government to learn how federal policy is formulated and carried out and to apply their academic backgrounds to national policy issues involving ocean and Great Lakes resources. The fellows also receive a stipend of $24,000 a year. Managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Sea Grant College Program, the fellowships are open to students who, at the time of application, are in a graduate or professional degree program in a marine-related field at an accredited institution of higher education. Applications are made through individual state Sea Grant offices, which recommend fellowship candidates. # NOAA 94-R527 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 3/14/94 VALERIAN I. TATARSKII ELECTED TO NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING Valerian I. Tatarskii, a senior research associate at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Environmental Technology Laboratory and the University of Colorado's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in Boulder, Colo., has been elected a foreign associate of the National Academy of Engineering. Election to the 1,732-member academy, one of the highest honors in professional engineering, recognizes individuals who have made important contributions to engineering theory and practice and unusual accomplishments in pioneering new and developing fields of technology. Tatarskii was recognized for his distinguished contributions to understanding the propagation and scattering of electromagnetic and acoustic waves in the atmosphere and oceans. The Environmental Technology Laboratory, one of 11 NOAA environmental research laboratories, develops and demonstrates remote measurement systems to improve NOAA's weather forecasts and warnings of severe storms and to advance atmospheric and oceanic research. Tatarskii's appointment brings the total number of Academy of Engineering members affiliated with the Environmental Technology Laboratory to five. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences is one of seven joint institutes at research-oriented universities that cooperate with NOAA's Environmental Research Laboratories on education, technology transfer and research on the oceans, inland waters, the atmosphere and the solar-terrestrial environment. # NOAA 94-R528 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 (202) 482-6090 5/4/94 ELDON E. FERGUSON OF BOULDER WINS AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY AWARD Eldon E. Ferguson, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., has received the 1994 Will Allis Prize in ionized gas physics from the American Physical Society. Ferguson received the $5,000 award for "his pioneering development and application of the flowing afterglow technique to provide detailed microscopic understanding of low-energy ion-molecule reactions of importance in weakly ionized gases and in ionospheric physics" at the society's April 20 meeting in Crystal City, Va. The technique, now widely used around the world in chemical studies, revolutionized the study of thermal energy ion- molecule reactions. The flowing afterglow technique has been used to develop a detailed understanding of the ion chemistry of the earth's atmosphere, particularly as applied in telecommunications. It has also been used in astrophysics and the physics of combustion systems and ionized gasses. A number of molecular processes were studied for the first time in the flowing afterglow, leading to substantial advances in understanding molecular behavior. The NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory conducts research to measure atmospheric composition, assess climate fluctuations, and develop climate prediction techniques on a wide range of time scales. The laboratory operates a network of global atmospheric sampling sites to document changes in methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, CFCs and other greenhouse gases, as well as near-surface and stratospheric ozone, aerosols and solar and infrared radiation. A long-time resident of Boulder, Ferguson grew up in Tulsa, Okla., where he graduated from Central High School in 1944. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1953. # NOAA 94-R529 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 NOAA RESEARCH METEOROLOGIST DIAN J. GAFFEN WINS WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION AWARD Dian J. Gaffen, a scientist with the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory in Silver Spring, Md., has received the World Meteorological Organization's prestigious Professor Dr. Vilho V„is„il„ Award for her scientific paper on "Historical Changes in Radiosonde Instruments and Practices." The award, co-sponsored by Vaisala, Inc., of Woburn, Mass., includes a medal, a certificate and a $5,000 check. It is awarded for the best scientific paper published during the previous year on meteorological instruments and methods of observation. G.O.P. Obasi, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization, presented the award during a ceremony in Silver Spring, Md., August 15. Gaffen, a research meteorologist, received a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1981, an M.S. in meteorology from San Jose State University in 1984, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1992. She and her husband, Stephen Seidel, and daughter, Brina Rose, live in Chevy Chase, Md. NOAA's Air Resources Laboratory researches the transport, dispersion and wet and dry deposition of trace gases and particles in the air and how these substances affect air quality and climate change. It is the official federal government source of information on atmospheric transport and diffusion, which is used to guide responses to emergencies affecting air quality, such as the eruption of Mount Redoubt and the oil fires in Kuwait during the Gulf War. # NOAA 94-R530 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 8/25/94 BOULDER SCIENTIST BETH CHERTOCK NAMED NOAA RESEARCH EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Beth Chertock, an oceanographer with the Commerce Department's Environmental Technology Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., has been named one of three oceanic and atmospheric research employees of the year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Chertock received the award for employees in the top three civil service pay grades in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, one of NOAA's five main components. Chertock was recognized for her contributions as a member of the NOAA Polar Satellite Requirements Review Team and the Interagency Working Group on Polar Satellite Convergence. Their work will lead to the identification of potential cost savings to the federal government by integrating NOAA's Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite Program, the Defense Department's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, and elements of NASA's Earth Observing System. "Dr. Chertock led the intense, iterative process of defining the requirements for polar satellites to collect data for climate monitoring and prediction, one of five primary mission areas examined by the polar satellite review team. She also made invaluable contributions to the definition of satellite constellation and instrument options as a member of the Interagency Working Group on Polar Satellite Convergence. Because of her work, the United States will end up with an improved suite of polar satellites at less cost to U.S. taxpayers," said Dr. Steven Clifford, director of the Environmental Technology Laboratory. Chertock, a native of Torrance, Calif., received a B.A in physics from Pomona College, and a Ph.D. in oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography/University of California, San Diego. # NOAA 94-R531 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 8/25/94 COLORADO SCIENTIST CLARK W. KING NAMED NOAA RESEARCH EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Clark W. King of Berthoud, Colo., a meteorologist with the Commerce Department's Environmental Technology Laboratory in Boulder, Colo., has been named one of three oceanic and atmospheric research employees of the year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. King received the award for employees in the middle three civil service pay grades in NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, one of NOAA's five main components. King was recognized for his work as the field program manager for the Denver Brown Cloud Study, for a study of recent elevated carbon monoxide episodes in Denver, and for the Environmental Technology Laboratory's participation in the Department of Energy's Atmosphere Studies in Complex Terrain Program; and for developing a series of major air quality meteorology field programs throughout the state of California. "The meteorological field program King led in the Denver Brown Cloud Study allowed the state of Colorado to implement the first visibility-based air quality standard in the nation. His work on the Denver elevated carbon monoxide episodes made possible the separation of air pollution signatures from meteorological noise and trends. He also played a critical role in the Department of Energy study that will provide an emergency response prediction capability needed to protect the pubic in the extensive urban area surrounding DOE's Rocky Flats Facility. On top of this, his efforts to organize a series of major air quality meteorological field programs in California will help the state implement its stringent clean air standards on a sound scientific basis. His contributions to these projects have demonstrated exceptional competency and reliability and are emblematic of the best of NOAA scientific services to the public," said Steven Clifford, director of the Environmental Technology Laboratory. King, a native of Encino, Calif., received a B.S. in meteorology from San Jose State University and an M.A. in geography from the University of Colorado. He is currently working on a Ph.D. in geography at the University of Colorado. # NOAA 94-R532 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 Thomas Pyke (202) 395-7600 9/1/94 PARTNERS SOLICITED FOR GLOBE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND EDUCATION PROGRAM GLOBE, an international environmental science and education program that will bring school children, educators and scientists together to monitor the worldwide environment, is soliciting partners interested in participating in joint project agreements. Non-profit, research and public organizations that can share both the benefits and costs of the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) program are urged to respond. Joint project partner organizations will work with the federal interagency team that manages the GLOBE program for the United States, under the overall leadership of Vice President Al Gore and the heads of the participating agencies. Through GLOBE, students in grades K through 12 will carry out scientific experiments and conduct environmental observations, transmitting their findings to a central processing site through personal computers connected to the Internet or other computer or satellite networks. At the site, global environmental images will be created and relayed back to the students. The data acquired will also support the ongoing research of environmental scientists throughout the world. The goals of GLOBE are to help people in all nations become more aware of the environment and of the impact human activities have upon it, to increase scientific understanding of the earth, and to help all students reach higher standards in science and mathematics education. Many schools worldwide are to implement the program beginning April 22, 1995, the 25th Earth Day; thousands more are expected to join them over the next few years. The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lead agency for GLOBE, intends to enter into one or more joint project agreements with partner organizations that have resources to contribute and for which there is a mutual benefit to GLOBE and the partner organizations to establish a joint project. Responses are requested by Sept. 8 or as soon as possible thereafter. To request the Solicitation of Interest Notice or for further information, please contact Thomas N. Pyke, director of the GLOBE program, at (202) 395-7600. # NOAA 94-R533 Contact: Dane Konop (301) 713-2483 9/12/94 JAMES L. RASMUSSEN NAMED DIRECTOR OF NOAA'S ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORIES Noted international atmospheric science leader James L. Rasmussen, the outgoing director of the World Weather Watch Program of the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, has been named director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Environmental Research Laboratories. The Environmental Research Laboratories conduct an integrated program of oceanic and atmospheric research that contributes to improving our fundamental understanding of the Earth, its oceans and inland waters, the lower and upper atmosphere, and the space environment. Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., the Environmental Research Laboratories comprise five laboratories in Boulder, Colo., and individual laboratories in Miami, Fla.; Princeton, N.J.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Norman, Okla.; Seattle, Wash.; and Silver Spring. Rasmussen, who remained affiliated with NOAA while on assignment to the World Weather Watch Program for the past five years, was the director of the Office of Meteorology of NOAA's National Weather Service from 1984-1989 and was the director of the NOAA Climate Analysis Center from 1982-1984. He joined NOAA in 1972 as the science coordinator of the U.S. project office of the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP) Atlantic Tropical Experiment, then was director of the U.S. project office until 1976. His work there included coordination of the participation by the U.S. scientific community and government agencies to develop a complete and coherent U.S. contribution to the international experiment. In earlier assignments with the WMO, he served as senior scientific officer for the GARP joint planning staff at the WMO in Geneva from 1976-77. He was also manager of the international operations center for the first GARP global experiment from 1978-79. He then was director of program planning and United Nations affairs for the WMO and director of its technical cooperation department before becoming director of the NOAA Climate Analysis Center in 1982. Rasmussen was an assistant and associate professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University from 1967-72 and was a graduate research assistant there from 1961-67, following a stint as a U.S. Air Force weather officer. He earned a Ph.D. and an M.S. in atmospheric science in 1968 and 1963, respectively, from Colorado State University, a B.S. in meteorology from the University of Utah in 1959, and a B.A. in mathematics and physics from St. Olaf College in 1958. Rasmussen is a member of the National Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi, and the National Scientific Research Society, Sigma Xi, and is a fellow of the American Meteorological Society. His awards include a 1975 U.S. Department of Commerce gold medal, the department's highest employee award. A native of Stevens Point, Wis., Rasmussen and his wife, Sonja Gandrud Rasmussen, live in Gaithersburg, Md. # NOAA 94-R701 CONTACT: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202) 482-6090 1/6/94 COMMERCE DEPARTMENT WILL HOLD TOWN MEETINGS IN NORTHEASTERN SEAPORTS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will sponsor a series of town meetings in northeastern U.S. fishing ports January through April designed to create a regional economic assistance plan for reducing the economic impact of increasingly reduced fish stocks and catches. Former New Bedford, Mass., Mayor John Bullard, now director of Commerce's Office of Sustainable Development and Intergovernmental Affairs, will preside over the meetings. Deputy Director Lance Simmens will accompany him. "The purpose of the town meetings is to explore both short- and long-term strategies for addressing the adverse economic impacts of fish stock depletion on fishermen, their families and the surrounding communities," Bullard said. The meetings are open to public comments and suggestions. "The whole concept is to devise a comprehensive regional assistance plan that is derived from a local assessment of the needs of the communities and individuals affected, rather than to have policies dictated from Washington, D.C.," Bullard said. These meetings will be followed by a second round during the week of May 22-27. Bullard expects to issue a report outlining recommendations on assistance policies by July 1. The following list of meetings, including times and locations, is subject to change. NORTHEAST FISHERIES TOWN MEETINGS A. GLOUCESTER, MASS. B. NEW BEDFORD, MASS. Date: Jan. 21, 1994 Date: Jan. 31, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Place: Sawyer Free Library Place: Durant Sail Loft Inn 2 Dale Ave. 1 Merrill's Wharf Gloucester, Mass. New Bedford, Mass. C. CHATHAM, MASS. D. ELLSWORTH, MAINE Date: Feb. 18, 1994 Date: March. 1, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Place: Northport Seafood House Place: Holiday Inn 323 Orleans Rd. High Street No. Chatham, Mass. Ellsworth, Maine E. PORTLAND, MAINE F. POINT JUDITH, R.I. Date: March 2, 1994 Date: March 18, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Place: Holiday Inn Place: Dutch Inn 88 Spring Street 307 Great Island Rd. Portland, Maine Narragansett, R.I. G. RIVERHEAD, N.Y. H. CAPE MAY, N.J. Date: April 8, 1994 Date: April 15, 1994 Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Time: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Place: Holiday Inn Place: Lobster House Rest. Route 25 Riverhead Fishermen's Wharf Riverhead, N.Y. Cape May, N.J. # NOAA 94-R702 CONTACT: Mayra Martinez-Fernandez (202)482-6090 Gwen Harmon EDA - (202)482-5112 3/3/94 COMMERCE SECRETARY BROWN ANNOUNCES APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR EDA GRANTS TO NORTHEAST FISHING COMMUNITIES The Department of Commerce announced today the procedure for applying for funds through its Economic Development Administration (EDA), for planning and technical assistance projects for fishing communities in the Northeast. The purpose of the grants is to help affected communities adjust to the short and longer term economic consequences of the collapse of traditional Northeast fish stocks. "This represents another step in our effort to assist Northeast fishing communities in developing short and long term adjustment strategies," said Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown. "EDA has committed up to $1 million for eligible governmental and non-profit organizations to organize and conduct a planning process, involving local officials, affected businesses and individuals," said John Bullard, director of the Commerce Department's Office of Sustainable Development and Intergovernmental Affairs. Fishermen associations and similar groups with a current 501 (c)(3) status also can apply for these grants. Other initiatives that will be funded include hands-on technical assistance in designing and implementing potentially significant business development activities, and the identification, assessment and development of alternative economic activities and opportunities for redeploying fishing industry resources. Funds may be used to cover personnel and/or contractual costs of undertaking the project and related administrative costs. "Grants will be for up to 75 percent of the cost of the project," said Paul Matyskiela, chief of the EDA's Economic Adjustment Division of the Philadelphia Regional Office. "The organizations will have to provide the remainder of the money through local matching funds, in cash and/or in-kind donations, in order to qualify for the grants." Written proposals should be submitted to EDA by May 1, 1994. Any party contemplating requesting assistance is advised to contact Matyskiela at EDA (215/597-8733) first to confirm their eligibility and the appropriateness of the proposed project/activity, and to obtain further information. All proposals will be reviewed as they are received. # NOAA 94-R703 Contact: Tamela Graham (202)482-6090 Gris Batchelder - NFWF (202)857-0166 8/19/94 SIX GRANTS AID NORTHEAST FISHING COMMUNITIES IN ECONOMIC DISTRESS The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation have announced their intent to fund six grants totaling more than $800,000 in federal funds for Northeast communities adversely affected by depleted fishery stocks. The six grants will be issued under the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fisheries Reinvestment Program (NAOFRP). The federal funds will be matched by approximately the same amount in non-federal funds, totaling more than $1.6 million. "These grants are another step in our continuing efforts to assist ailing Northeast fishing communities," said Douglas Hall, Commerce Department's assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere. "The cooperative agreement between NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to expedite grants will help create jobs and help build a sustainable economy." The grants will assist Northeast fishing communities in the following ways: - defining a vision for the Northeastern commercial fisheries industry ($25,000 NAOFRP funds/$25,000 non-federal funds); - promoting shellfish aquaculture and creating long-term employment on Cape Cod ($250,000 NAOFRP funds/$361,730 non-federal funds); - organizing a cooperative of local Maine fishermen/farmers to develop a commercial nori (seaweed) industry ($69,730 NAOFRP funds/$55,348 non- federal funds); - expanding a capital lending program to displaced fishermen in Gloucester and coastal Maine, and strengthening the program in New Bedford ($200,000 NAOFRP funds/$200,000 non-federal funds); - researching the effectiveness of acoustic alarms for reducing porpoise bycatch in sink gillnets ($200,000 NAOFRP funds/$100,000 non-federal funds); - creating a shellfish aquaculture education/training program in Maine to introduce fishermen to alternative long-term economic opportunities ($75,000 NAOFRP funds/$59,159 non-federal funds). "These six projects will help bring the changing coastal economy into balance with the fishery resource," said Whit Fosburgh, director of fisheries for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The NFWF grant program will continue to solicit project proposals until Sept. 2, 1994, after which time an additional $600,000 in federal funds will be awarded to other projects. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a private, non-profit organization created by Act of Congress in 1984 and dedicated to using a combination of federal and private funds to initiate important conservation projects across the country. Since its inception, NFWF has made more than 980 grants totaling more than $123 million in federal and non-federal funds. # NOAA 94-R704 Contact: Brian Gorman (301) 713-2370 (O) 9/2/94 $12 MILLION FISHERIES AID PACKAGE PROPOSED FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST The Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed a $12 million financial aid package to salmon fishermen in the Pacific Northwest, following the collapse of salmon stocks off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and northern California. The proposed assistance program includes a $4 million provision to buy salmon fishing permits, administered through the state of Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife; a $6 million habitat restoration employment program, administered by the Agriculture Department's Soil Conservation Service; and a $2 million data collection jobs program, administered through the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. Last May, Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown announced a $15.7 million financial aid package to Washington, Oregon and northern California. Part of the package included $12 million in disaster aid made available through the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act, a 1986 law that provides assistance to fishing communities affected by a fishery resource disaster. The proposed plan is being published as required by the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act and is subject to a 15-day public comment period, after which a final plan will be published and the funds disbursed. Landings of chinook and coho salmon, the principal species for which the resource disaster was declared, have declined dramatically in recent years. The commercial salmon fishery off Washington and northern Oregon was closed this year and remaining ocean salmon fisheries off central and southern Oregon and northern California are at record low levels. Scientists with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service predict that the 1994 ocean salmon catch will amount to less than 290,000 chinook and no coho at all. The aid package will compensate fishermen who have recently participated in the salmon fishery, who relied substantially on salmon fishing for their income, and whose income has been substantially reduced because of the collapse of the stocks. "The cornerstone of this program is to compensate fishermen in ways that provide long-term benefits to the fishery," said John Bullard, director of NOAA's Office of Sustainable Development. "Permit reductions, habitat restoration and data collection will all improve the fishery over the long haul," Bullard said. In early June, NOAA held eight town meetings in northern California, Oregon and Washington for comments on the financial aid package; and the fisheries service wrote a description of the program and published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking asking for public comments. Today's announcement incorporates comments from the town meetings and the advance rulemaking. Based on estimates of the impact that the collapse of salmon stocks in the Pacific Northwest has on each state, the fisheries service anticipates that 55 percent of the total $12 million package will be for fishermen in the state of Washington, and 22.5 percent each for fishermen in Oregon and California. These are target distributions, not fixed percentages. Washington state estimates it could buy out approximately half of the troll and gillnet permits with the federal money that would be made available. The habitat restoration program would hire both tribal and non- tribal fishermen to perform work that has a long-term benefit on salmon habitat. The data collection jobs program would employ tribal and non- tribal fishermen to collect information useful to scientists and fishery managers. Both jobs programs would pay up to $10 to $15 per hour, depending on the locality of the job and the skills it requires. In order to focus resources to those most in need, the proposed notice outlines eligibility criteria that dislocated fishermen must meet to qualify for participation. Today's proposal is being published in the Federal Register. Written comments on the proposal can be received until 15 days after Federal Register publication and can be sent to Stephen Freese, Northwest Emergency Assistance Plan, National Marine Fisheries Service, BIN C15700, Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115. #