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NCCOS Research Confirming Impact of Hypoxia on Shrimp Catch to Inform Resource Management Efforts
In the April issue of the Marine Pollution Bulletin, scientists from the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science confirmed a relationship between decreased shrimp catch and hypoxic conditions in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Previous studies have shown that there is a negative relationship between the size of summer hypoxic zones and the annual brown shrimp catch for the states of Louisiana and Texas (combined) for the study years 1985-1998. The new analysis extended this work to cover the years 1985-2004 and substantiated the relationship between the size of the hypoxic zone and the shrimp landings. Hypoxia is a condition where there is a low level of oxygen in the water that can severely impact aquatic ecosystems, causing loss of plants, animals and habitats. Hypoxia research yields important information for coastal and fisheries managers concerned with the shrimp fishery, habitat loss, and ecosystem changes. For more information, contact Dave Whitall at 301-713-3028 x138 or Dave.Whitall@noaa.gov [04M00077] (CCMA)
Coral Reef Imagery Aids Research Management, Education, and Mapping
Over 9,000 underwater images collected to support comprehensive characterization of the U.S. Caribbean seafloor are now available to the public. The online Benthic Habitat Viewer (BHV) database, developed and managed by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, provides easy access to a large set of imagery characterizing coral reef organisms and habitats taken during mapping missions from 2004-2006 in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Funded by NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, the images are accompanied by information on location, biological inventory, benthic habitat characterization, geomorphological structure, and seafloor terrain characteristics (i.e., bathymetry, slope, and rugosity). For more information, access the database at http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/bhv/bhvMapBrowser.aspx, or contact Tom McGrath at (301) 713-3028 x117 or Tom.McGrath@noaa.gov. [04M00064] (CCMA)