Saturday, January 6, 2024

U.S. Continental Shelf Outer Limits Extended

In December, the U.S. Department of State released the geographic coordinates defining the outer limits of the U.S. continental shelf in areas beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast, known as the extended continental shelf (ECS).

Under international law, the USA and other countries have rights to conserve and manage the resources and vital habitats on and under their ECS.

The U.S. ECS area is approximately one million square kilometers spread across seven regions. The Department of State led the ECS effort through the U.S. ECS Task Force, an interagency body of the U.S. Government composed of 14 agencies. 

Determining the ECS outer limits requires data on the depth, shape, and geophysical characteristics of the seabed and subsoil.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were responsible for collecting and analyzing the necessary data.

Data collection began in 2003 and constitutes the largest offshore mapping effort ever conducted by the United States.

The United States determined its ECS limits in accordance with customary international law and the Scientific and Technical Guidelines of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, according to the Department of State.

The outer limits of the U.S. ECS and additional information are available in the Executive Summary posted on the Department of State website at state.gov/shelf.

source: U.S. Department of State

Monday, January 1, 2024

What is an eVDSD?

In 2018 a new standard was developed by the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services (RTCM) for an SOS electronic visual distress signal device (eVDSD).

The RTCM SC13200.0 standard for eVDSDs was determined to be acceptable for use by CG-ENG Policy Letter 03-18, dated December 21,2018.

A wide range of eVDSDs are available to provide basic SOS communications for mariners during nighttime situations. 

The U.S. Coast Guard apparently considers eVDSD technology to be a component of a wider safety strategy, stating:

"Any single distress signal should be considered only a part of a vessel’s complete distress system.  Other communications, safety, and distress signal equipment should always be used as personal preparedness for a worse case distress situation."

Sunday, December 31, 2023

USCG Guidance on Navigational Safety In and Around Offshore Renewable Energy Installations

Block Island Wind Farm | credit: BOEM

With wind farm production ramping up along the Atlantic Coast, mariners are facing new navigational challenges.

To address the issue, the U.S.Coast Guard (USCG) has published Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 03-23: Guidance on Navigational Safety In and Around Offshore Renewable Energy Installations (OREI).

The document provides guidance when planning and undertaking voyages in the vicinity of offshore renewable energy installations (OREI) in U.S. waters.

The Coast Guard advises prudent mariners to review and utilize this NVIC to make an informed risk assessment prior to navigating within or in the vicinity of an OREI.

Important Maritime Safety Information (MSI) relating to OREIs is distributed by Local or Broadcast Notices to Mariners (LNM or BNM) promulgated by Coast Guard Districts.

Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIB) released by the local Captain of the Port (COTP) may be issued to provide supplemental information.

source: USCG Notice to Mariners

Related Information

South Fork Offshore Wind Project

Saturday, July 2, 2022

International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Wrap-Up Symposium 2022

brooks river salmon
The International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Wrap-Up Symposium will be held October 4-6, 2022 in Vancouver, Canada. 2022 is the final year of the International Year of the Salmon.

The Symposium will be held over three days in the heart of majestic Vancouver, Canada during the splendor of Fall.

The International Year of the Salmon (IYS) Wrap-Up Symposium will be held in-person and provide an opportunity for salmon scientists, managers, and knowledge holders to build connections after an extended period of limited travel and virtual meetings.

The Wrap-Up Symposium theme will be ‘Salmon in a Rapidly Changing World: Synthesis of the International Year of the Salmon and a Roadmap to 2030.’

The International Year of the Salmon (IYS), a five-year initiative established in 2018 and governed by the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) and North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), has explored the conditions necessary for the resilience of salmon and people in a changing world.

The IYS is bringing together participants from academia, government, industry, NGOs and Indigenous organizations to consider the progress made by the IYS, and discuss the actions necessary to enable progress towards these conditions over the next decade.

The IYS Synthesis Symposium: ‘Salmon in a Rapidly Changing World: Synthesis of the International Year of the Salmon and a Roadmap to 2030’ is the culmination of over 13 workshops and symposia, three historic High Seas Expeditions and over 80 associated events across the North Atlantic and North Pacific basins.

The IYS Synthesis Symposium will have a strong focus on forward looking perspectives, with the ultimate goal of developing a Roadmap for the resilience of salmon and people through to 2030.

Presentations will be organized under five of the IYS themes:

Status of Salmon
Information Systems
Salmon in a Changing Salmosphere
New Frontiers
Human Dimensions

The synthesis papers and the presentations given during the Symposium will be used to identify critical knowledge or method gaps and potential solutions.

The Symposium will be hosted by The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (nasco.int) and The North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (npafc.org).

For more information, visit: yearofthesalmon.org

Friday, June 17, 2022

Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary Public Input Sought

Deepwater Coral
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries recently announced that the agency will seek public input, the first step in the process to potentially designate a new national marine sanctuary off the coast of New York and New Jersey.

Stakeholders include recreational and commercial fishermen, researchers, and others.

The public can comment on the proposed Hudson Canyon sanctuary designation until August 8, 2022, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov. The docket number is NOAA-NOS-2022-0053.

In addition, NOAA will host public meetings during which members of the public can offer oral comments.

A detailed description of the proposed sanctuary, additional information about opportunities to provide comment, and information about the public meetings can be found at https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/hudson-canyon/.

Hudson Canyon is the largest submarine canyon along the U.S. Atlantic coast and is one of the largest in the world.

Beginning approximately 100 miles southeast of New York City, Hudson Canyon extends about 350 miles seaward, reaches depths of 2 to 2.5 miles, and is up to 7.5 miles wide.

Hudson Canyon's diverse structure includes steep slopes, firm outcrops, diverse sediments, flux of nutrients, and areas of upwelling.

atlantic bluefin tuna
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Hudson Canyon is an ecological hotspot for a variety of marine wildlife. The deepwater canyon is home to numerous fish species including sharks, tuna, billfish, swordfish, blackbelly rosefish, tilefish, flounder, hakes, pollock, monkfish, and black sea bass. Invertebrates include red crabs, lobsters, and squids.

Some species live only in shallower depths on the shelf while others live deep in the canyon, which starts about 100 miles southeast of New York City on the continental shelf and runs some 300 miles into very deep water.

Several NGOs have endorsed the designation. The Wildlife Conservation Society submitted a nomination for a Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary in November 2016, noting that the area provides a wide range of benefits to New York and New Jersey residents such as clean air, fresh water, recreation, and food.

In June, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation released a statement commending the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for initiating the designation process of Hudson Canyon, off the coast of New York City, to become a new national marine sanctuary.


Related Information

Hudson Canyon Marine Life