Along the Mississippi Coast, unusual red tides (harmful algae blooms) are affecting commercial fishing, outdoor recreation, and other activities.
In December, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its
Beach Monitoring Program, issued a preemptive closure for all beach
segments along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
In addition, officials with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) closed oyster reefs. The decision was made as a precautionary measure due to the proximity of potentially harmful algae blooms in the Mississippi Sound.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources has information for the public about harmful algal blooms, or red tide, on its website, dmr.ms.gov.
source: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Showing posts with label oysters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oysters. Show all posts
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Saturday, November 7, 2015
NOAA Guidance for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines
NOAA has released a Guidance for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines, which outlines how the agency promotes living shorelines as a shoreline stabilization technique.
Living shoreline is a broad term that encompasses a range of shoreline stabilization techniques. While methods may vary, a living shoreline generally incorporates vegetation or other living, natural “soft” elements.
These can be used alone or in combination with “harder” shoreline structures, like oyster reefs or rocks, for added stability. Living shorelines reduce erosion while providing habitat value and enhancing coastal resilience.
Living shorelines are an alternative to traditional shoreline stabilization techniques, like seawalls and bulkheads. These techniques create a barrier between land and water and can actually increase erosion.
Along sheltered coasts, living shorelines can preserve and improve habitats and the benefits they provide.
For more living shorelines information, consult the Guidance:
http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/noaa_guidance_for_considering_the_use_of_living_shorelines_2015.pdf
Living shoreline is a broad term that encompasses a range of shoreline stabilization techniques. While methods may vary, a living shoreline generally incorporates vegetation or other living, natural “soft” elements.
These can be used alone or in combination with “harder” shoreline structures, like oyster reefs or rocks, for added stability. Living shorelines reduce erosion while providing habitat value and enhancing coastal resilience.
Living shorelines are an alternative to traditional shoreline stabilization techniques, like seawalls and bulkheads. These techniques create a barrier between land and water and can actually increase erosion.
Along sheltered coasts, living shorelines can preserve and improve habitats and the benefits they provide.
For more living shorelines information, consult the Guidance:
http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/pdf/noaa_guidance_for_considering_the_use_of_living_shorelines_2015.pdf
Friday, December 27, 2013
Puget Sound Oyster Restoration
The Washington Shellfish Initiative is working towards native oyster restoration efforts in Puget Sound. A new shellfish restoration hatchery at NOAA’s Manchester Research Station received aid from both the National and Washington Shellfish Initiatives.
“The intent from the beginning of this effort two years ago was to support PSRF work on Olympia oyster restoration,” according to Walton Dickhoff at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife updated the Olympia oyster Rebuilding Plan in May 2012 to lay the groundwork for focused, strategic restoration at 19 priority locations in Puget Sound where core populations existed historically.
To further implementation, NOAA directed funding through the Northwest Straits Commission to produce genetically-diverse seed for Sequim Bay (with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe) and Drayton Harbor.
Soon thereafter, Washington Department of Natural Resources provided funding for native oyster enhancement on aquatic reserve lands in Fidalgo Bay in July 2012, and Washington Department of Ecology funded a large-scale, 10-acre restoration project in Port Gamble Bay in 2013 that will include the production of 5,000,000 restoration-grade seed at the new shellfish restoration hatchery.
In 2013, the Governor’s office provided capital funds to purchase seawater monitoring equipment for the new hatchery.
The coordinated efforts are the result of an initiative that brought singular focus to the job of protecting and enhancing shellfish resources in Washington State.
At the suggestion of Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), and with funding and support from NOAA, The Nature Conservancy, USDA, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Suquamish Tribe, PSRF and a multitude of partners spread shell 2005-2011 across almost 20 acres of tideflats in Liberty Bay to provide settlement structure for native oyster larvae.
According to Brady Blake with WDFW, “extensive monitoring has shown that remnant native oysters scattered in the bay have rapidly re-colonized the restored shell-based habitat exhibiting significant reproductive success, survival, increased abundance including multiple year classes, and colonization of new habitat. Based on these observations, the results of focused native oyster restoration efforts in Liberty Bay have achieved the minimum thresholds for determining successful restoration identified in WDFW’s 2012 updated Olympia oyster rebuilding plan. That plan emphasizes re-establishing native oysters at key locations to a threshold where they are naturally self-sustaining, viable populations exhibiting the ability to continue expanding their presence and abundance locally and throughout Puget Sound. By that measure, Liberty Bay provides the model for continued native oyster restoration and research in Washington State.”
For more information, visit: http://restorationfund.org/news/articles/2013.11shellfishinitiative
source: restorationfund.org
“The intent from the beginning of this effort two years ago was to support PSRF work on Olympia oyster restoration,” according to Walton Dickhoff at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife updated the Olympia oyster Rebuilding Plan in May 2012 to lay the groundwork for focused, strategic restoration at 19 priority locations in Puget Sound where core populations existed historically.
To further implementation, NOAA directed funding through the Northwest Straits Commission to produce genetically-diverse seed for Sequim Bay (with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe) and Drayton Harbor.
Soon thereafter, Washington Department of Natural Resources provided funding for native oyster enhancement on aquatic reserve lands in Fidalgo Bay in July 2012, and Washington Department of Ecology funded a large-scale, 10-acre restoration project in Port Gamble Bay in 2013 that will include the production of 5,000,000 restoration-grade seed at the new shellfish restoration hatchery.
In 2013, the Governor’s office provided capital funds to purchase seawater monitoring equipment for the new hatchery.
The coordinated efforts are the result of an initiative that brought singular focus to the job of protecting and enhancing shellfish resources in Washington State.
At the suggestion of Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW), and with funding and support from NOAA, The Nature Conservancy, USDA, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Suquamish Tribe, PSRF and a multitude of partners spread shell 2005-2011 across almost 20 acres of tideflats in Liberty Bay to provide settlement structure for native oyster larvae.
According to Brady Blake with WDFW, “extensive monitoring has shown that remnant native oysters scattered in the bay have rapidly re-colonized the restored shell-based habitat exhibiting significant reproductive success, survival, increased abundance including multiple year classes, and colonization of new habitat. Based on these observations, the results of focused native oyster restoration efforts in Liberty Bay have achieved the minimum thresholds for determining successful restoration identified in WDFW’s 2012 updated Olympia oyster rebuilding plan. That plan emphasizes re-establishing native oysters at key locations to a threshold where they are naturally self-sustaining, viable populations exhibiting the ability to continue expanding their presence and abundance locally and throughout Puget Sound. By that measure, Liberty Bay provides the model for continued native oyster restoration and research in Washington State.”
For more information, visit: http://restorationfund.org/news/articles/2013.11shellfishinitiative
source: restorationfund.org
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