PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT SITE, AND THE CONTENT DOES NOT REFLECT THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION.

Data Type: NOAA Technical Memorandum

The Effects of Urbanization on Populations of Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes spp in Small, High Salinity Estuaries

High salinity estuaries in the southeastern U.S. have experienced increased inputs of contaminants from nonpoint source (NPS) urban runoff and decreases in habitat due to filling of wetlands and dock/bulkhead construction. Urbanization may pose significant risks to estuarine fauna, particularly crustaceans. The grass shrimp of the genus Palaemonetes, is one of the dominant species found … Read more

Protected species and marine aquaculture interactions

This global assessment summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding documented and potential interactions of species listed under the ESA, such as sea turtles and marine mammals, and evaluates offshore longline mussel culture gear interactions as a case study. This assessment will strengthen the ability of NOAA and other regulatory agencies to make science-based decisions … Read more

Identifying priorities for adaptation planning: an integrated vulnerability assessment for the Town of Oxford and Talbot County, Maryland

The ecology of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed is deeply intertwined in the history, culture, and economy of the communities in this region, and provides people with valuable ecosystem services. Due to the connectivity between communities and the environment, the risks associated with flooding, coastal storms, erosion, and sea level rise are heightened. Understanding … Read more

Choptank ecological assessment: digital atlas – baseline status report

The Choptank watershed was selected by NOAA as a Habitat Focus Area (HFA) for the Habitat Blueprint Program. As such, NOAA plans an integrated set of activities combining resources from multiple programs to leverage the full weight of its eff orts (Figure 1.2). The HFA Implementation Plan includes programs for: Oyster Restoration, Wetlands, Living Shorelines, … Read more

Skill assessment of NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Vibrio vulnificus model

Since 2012, NOAA has generated model guidance for the probability of occurrence of the harmful marine bacteria Vibrio vulnificus in Chesapeake Bay. The system employs NOAAs Operational Forecast System for Chesapeake Bay (CBOFS) to force a statistical model developed by NCCOS and provides daily guidance for the entirety of the Bay. While the empirical model … Read more

Movements of reef fish across the boundary of the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument in Coral Bay, St. John, USVI

The Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICRNM) was created to expand the protection of the marine ecosystems around St. John. Monument boundaries were not designed using ecological criteria, but were instead the result of historical land ownership and the Territorial Submerged Lands Act of 1974. This study used acoustic telemetry to investigate movements of … Read more

Mapping Ecological Priorities and Human Impacts to Support Land-Sea Management of Puerto Rico’s Northeast Marine Corridor

This report describes a spatial characterization conducted to support the development of an integrated management plan for Puerto Rico’s Northeast Marine Corridor. The Northeast Marine Corridor is a large, landsea reserve network, making it unique in the region for both its size and the integrated land-sea geographical scope. Here we map and model ecological priorities … Read more

Chemical contaminants in corals (Pocillopora damicornis) in Tinian, CNMI

This document presents environmental data collected in August 2013 consisting of coral tissue (Pocillopora damicornis) contaminants and surface water nutrients offshore from Tinian in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The study area is in and around the Tinian Marine Reserve on the southwest corner of the island. Despite being a marine protected area, … Read more