This project team will leverage a well established collaborative group, GTM Reserve’s Oyster and Water Quality Task Force and engage additional users, including state agencies, nonprofits and the oyster fishery community that are working to improve water quality in Guana River Estuary. To assist with the development of restoration and management plans, this project will: 1) identify sources of nutrients to the Guana River Estuary, and determine how nutrient loads from the lake to the river are affected by hydrology and land use; 2) map the current distribution of shellfish communities; 3) quantify filtration and nitrogen removal by shellfish; and 4) conduct field and lab experiments to assess how water quality affects shellfish health, and also how shellfish affect water quality in the estuary. In collaboration with project end users, the project team will generate a suite of research products, including a coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical model for Guana Lake and monitoring and restoration recommendations. Project findings will be shared through a stakeholder workshop exploring ways to reduce nutrient inputs into the estuary, a training program for using shellfish for water quality remediation, and peer-reviewed and outreach publications.

Coastal researchers, fishermen, fishery managers and educators teamed up to understand changes in shrimp populations in response to shifting environmental conditions in estuaries. The Project Shrimping has deep cultural and economic ties to the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, and the southeast US Atlantic coast region as a whole. However, over the past two decades, commercial shrimp landings have been highly variable. Fishery management agencies, extension offices, and several southeastern Reserves have identified the need to better understand how shrimp populations are responding to changing environmental conditions, including warmer winters and altered salinity regimes. To do this work, a diverse team with members from universities, fishery management agencies, fisheries extension offices, and Reserves came together to form the Lowcountry Shrimp Collaborative. The Lowcountry Shrimp Collaborative used a comprehensive approach to examine how environmental conditions in estuaries are affecting abundance and timing of shrimp populations throughout the region through examination of each stage of the shrimp life cycle. Together, the Collaborative: Analyzed and synthesized numerous ongoing, long-term (30+ years) datasets on multiple shrimp life history stages (postlarval, juvenile, sub-adult, adult, commercially harvested) and environmental conditions (water quality, including System-Wide Monitoring Program data); Conducted field sampling targeting shrimp and their prey in salt marsh creeks during spring and summer seasons, over two years, at three southeast Reserves; Ran controlled seawater laboratory experiments to understand the impacts of competition for limited resources between shrimp species during their overlapping periods of estuarine residency; and, Interviewed commercial shrimpers based in Georgia and South Carolina, to better understand historical changes in, and perceptions of environmental impacts on, the shrimp industry in the southeast US. The project found that estuarine water temperature is rising across the region, mainly driven by increases during winter months. Warming temperatures can alter the life histories of shrimp, including shifting body size, altering the timing of migratory cues, and modifying habitat use. These warmer temperatures are also resulting in longer shrimping seasons with shrimpers often able to continue harvesting well into January. These results were confirmed by observations shared by shrimpers, who joined for a project wrap-up event where the team presented results and engaged in lively discussions about research needs and opportunities for collaboration between researchers, managers, and the industry.

Provide shellfish in support of Milford Lab efforts, external research projects and regional shellfish restoration. Conduct aquaculture experiments aimed at optimizing static culture of larvae. Examine new technologies for measuring organismal stress in aquaculture systems.

Under the National Fish Habitat Partnership, scientists at the NEFSC, NWFSC, and Silver Spring Headquarters are compiling information on the nation's estuarine and coastal habitats and the species they support in order to assess their current potential for restoration and protection. National project headed up by F/ST. Jihong Dai documents InPort metadata. Geographic data on the nation's coasts and estuaries.

The Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Survey, conducted by the Conservation Ecology Branch at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, develops abundance and distribution models that incorporate environmental factors to better understand how protected species such as whales, dolphins, and sea turtles use our waters. The program coordinates the data collection and analysis efforts of NOAA Fisheries Northeast and Southeast Science Centers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Birds. Through these efforts, we are providing enhanced data to managers and supporting conservation initiatives.

The Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Survey, conducted by the Conservation Ecology Branch at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, develops abundance and distribution models that incorporate environmental factors to better understand how protected species such as whales, dolphins, and sea turtles use our waters. The program coordinates the data collection and analysis efforts of NOAA Fisheries Northeast and Southeast Science Centers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Birds. Through these efforts, we are providing enhanced data to managers and supporting conservation initiatives.

Scientists at NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) are using environmental DNA (eDNA) to identify fish communities and monitor ecosystems by collecting a water sample and analyzing the DNA found in it, identifying the species that left it behind without capturing a single animal. As animals swim, they shed scales, tissue, and waste, leaving traces of DNA in the water. A water sample is first collected from the ocean and filtered to concentrate DNA in it. NOAA scientists then make millions of copies of a target DNA region through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to make enough genetic material for high throughput sequencing. The metabarcoding process described above for eDNA analysis allows scientists to look for many species in the same sample. The final step is like a matching game, in which the DNA sequences are compared with a reference library of known species to find a match. The eDNA method is particularly useful for detecting species that are not easily captured, including rare or migratory species. It can also help in areas that are difficult to sample because of challenging ocean conditions, sensitive habitats, or a rugged seafloor. An eDNA analysis provides a snapshot of the community of species at the time of sampling and over time. This can help us detect shifts in marine ecosystems. eDNA samples have been collected on NOAA Ecosystem Monitoring (EcoMon) surveys since 2019. These samples will help develop best eDNA practices using metabarcoding, an innovative way to determine what fish species live in what parts of the ocean without actually seeing any fish.

Juvenile rockfish were observed amongst coral, sponge, cobble, and gravel habitats. Rockfish utilized coral habitats more than any other, while gravel was the least utilized. Sponge and cobble habitat utilization was intermediate to coral and gravel. Predation of young-of-the-year rockfish by sculpin predators was greatest in gravel habitats and lowest in coral habitats.