NOAA

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard continues to respond to an incident involving the commercial fishing vessel Miss Emma off Oahu, Wednesday.

“We’re pleased there was no loss of life in this case, and there are no current reports of pollution,” said Lt. j.g. Seth Gross, a command duty officer for Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “We will conduct another overflight of the area today, and Coast Guard personnel are investigating the cause of the fire.”

The vessel caught fire Tuesday afternoon about 8 miles south of Sand Island prompting a search and rescue response. The ship burned throughout the night and subsequently sank at 7:22 a.m. seven miles south of Barbers Point in 2,700 feet of water.

Salvors arrived overnight and began fighting the fire this morning intending to salvage the vessel. Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstanders coordinated a Coast Guard Auxiliary Air flight for sunrise with a pollution responder aboard to assess any visible pollution or debris. The maximum potential fuel load for the Miss Emma was 3,200 gallons of diesel, of which about 1,500 gallons was reportedly aboard. The fire likely consumed some or all of that fuel.

The Coast Guard received the initial mayday call from the crew of the Miss Emma at 4:29 p.m. Tuesday reporting the fire. A Coast Guard Station Honolulu 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew was first on scene and rescued the six crew, and an NOAA observer from the fishing vessel’s liferaft. They arrived safely to Pier 38 in Honolulu with no reported injuries.

The USCGC Joseph Gerczak (WPC 1126) crew responded Tuesday and recovered the liferaft. They were on scene throughout the night to ensure that the burning vessel did not become a hazard to local maritime traffic. Following the sinking, they observed no signs of pollution or debris.

Weather is variable winds with seas to 3 feet. There is a small craft advisory in effect for the main Hawaiian Islands.

APRA HARBOR, Guam — On the heels of their operations combatting United Nations sanctions violations in support of the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) arrived in Guam, Monday, furthering the United States’ commitment to regional security and partnerships.

 

This arrival comes after seven successful high seas fisheries boardings under the authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) while on their transit between the Philippines and Guam. This part of their deployment is intended to deter illegal fishing of highly migratory fish stocks such as tuna. It also furthers relationships with Pacific Island Nations and Territories.

“This was a unique opportunity to employ some of the Coast Guard’s newest technology and capabilities on the global problem of illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing,” said Capt. Bob Little, Stratton’s commanding officer. “We are happy to support Oceania in our shared goal of sustaining global fish stocks, which are critical to many Pacific Island economies.”

 

Stratton personnel boarded vessels flagged from Chinese Tapei, inspected documentation, catch logs, fish holds, and interviewed the master and crew. The most common violation discovered involved failure to transmit a signal on the Vessel Management System, designed to help provide visibility of fishing activity in the WCPFC region.

“We employed our Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to expand our horizons and find vessels in the area. This allowed us to maximize the use of our boarding teams and amplify our enforcement efforts over a short period of time,” said Andrew Dunlevy, Stratton’s operations officer.

 

The Western and Central Pacific Ocean is home to the “tuna belt” and supplies about 60 percent of the global tuna supply, worth an estimated $7 billion a year. With more than 5,600 fishing vessels registered with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, there are serious concerns about the sustainability of straddling fish stocks. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing presents a significant threat to the multi-national fishing fleets that operate in the region. 

During each fisheries patrol, the U.S. Coast Guard is protecting the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone from foreign fishing vessel encroachment, enforcing domestic living marine resources laws, and ensuring compliance with international agreements. 

 

One of these international arrangements is the WCPFC, comprised of 40 member nations, territories, and cooperating non-members that regulate fishing for highly migratory species on the high seas of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Within these partnerships, the Coast Guard works closely to ensure all fishing fleets are complying with the provisions of the agreement. 

Fish stocks are a renewable resource if managed correctly and not overfished. More importantly, fish stocks are a global food source and provide economic stability for many countries. In the U.S. alone, the fishing industry employs 1.3 million people and contributes $199 billion per year to the U.S. economy, according to NOAA’s 2012 Economic Report. 


Many Pacific Island Nations rely on the fishing industry for revenue and sustenance. Depleted fish stocks could contribute to the destabilization of the region and leave small nations vulnerable to dangerous transnational organized crime networks. 

Stratton is the third Legend-class National Security Cutter. The 418-foot vessel homeports in Alameda, California. The 150 crew have been on deployment under the operational control of the Navy’s Seventh Fleet in the Indo-Pacific region since June conducting joint missions. Their motto “We Can’t Afford Not To” is very apt in the face of regional IUU activity. Their patrol will continue as the head east through November.

The U.S. Coast Guard has an enduring role in the IndoPacific, going back over 150 years. The service’s ongoing deployment of resources to the region directly supports U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives in the IndoPacific Strategy and the National Security Strategy.

 

MONTEREY, Calif. – Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory advanced their ongoing work to understand and predict formation of pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) clouds in 2019, collected the most detailed sampling of the clouds in history.

PyroCbs are massive thunderstorm clouds created by heat and fire. Such clouds, which can reach heights of more than 8 kilometers, heave intense wind, thunderbolts, and smoke toward anything in their path—sometimes even igniting new fires.

Between July and September, NRL meteorologists took part in multi-agency studies of pyroCbs in the western and central United States.

PyroCbs: intense storms reaching into the stratosphere

Fires leave little time to escape, and wreak mass destruction. It’s no wonder NASA refers to the pyroCb as “the fire-breathing dragon of clouds.”

But unlike threats posed by dragons, the devastating power of fire is all too real, and the implications of large fires don’t stop on the ground. Large fires can extend their destructive force high into the atmosphere, drawing smoke and particulates.

“They [pyroCbs] act as giant chimneys, transporting smoke from the ground to high altitudes,” said Dave Peterson, meteorologist at NRL. “Intense pyroCbs can inject smoke into the lower stratosphere, where it can persist for weeks or months.”

Typically, smoke, ash and other pollutants produced by fires are contained within the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere, where they are removed quickly through normal weather processes like precipitation. When they reach the stratosphere, these substances block sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface, and become radiated by the sun, which can alter the altitude and chemical composition of the smoke plume.

Warm, dry environments here in the U.S. create ample opportunity for pyroCbs to thrive. In 2018, the Carr Fire burned for 164 days in California. It killed three, destroyed or damaged more than 1,800 structures, and charred approximately 229,651 acres. The destructive force of the Carr Fire did not stop on the ground — it was so strong it created a pyroCb, carrying smoke well above jet aircraft cruising altitudes.

The largest known pyroCb event occurred in British Columbia in 2017, and rivaled a moderate volcanic eruption, Peterson said.

Peterson detailed his research “Wildfire-driven thunderstorms cause a volcano-like stratospheric injection of smoke” in a 2018 paper published in npj Climate and Atmospheric Science.

A new frontier in meteorology

NRL has been a pioneer in the pyroCb research community since the late 90s, when researcher Mike Fromm and his partner, René Servranckx from the Canadian Meteorological Centre, first discovered the pyroCb phenomenon.

In 1998, Fromm and Servranckx ran analysis on clouds forming in the northern and southern hemispheres using NRL’s Polar Oxone and Aerosol Measurement satellite (POAM III) and saw something puzzling.

“I started to see things that looked like polar stratospheric clouds,” Fromm said. “But they were occurring in the summer time, not in winter.”

Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are clouds that develop in the extremely low temperatures of the polar stratosphere in winter. The clouds he observed existed in temperatures too warm to create a PSC.

“They looked like PSCs but could not be PSCs, so we had to look for another explanation,” he said. “I found almost immediately that people expected layers like this to be caused by volcanoes. So I explored the possibility of a volcano.”

According to Fromm, volcanoes were known to create aerosol layers that look similar to polar stratospheric clouds. Scientists generally assumed these layers occurred from volcanic eruptions, which was the only known way to get such a large amount of aerosols into the stratosphere. So dominant was this assumption that even unreported volcanic eruptions were suspected even when none could be found.

“There was no volcano I could link,” Fromm said. “So I was left with a puzzle.”

He was able to trace the aerosol layers he saw back to a major wildfire. He continued to dig into decades of research and discovered several of the previously assumed volcanic eruptions were actually caused by pyroCb events.

Today, a growing number of researchers study pyroCbs in hopes of gaining a better understanding of how these storms impact climate over time. But the number of experts and data available are still relatively scarce; the science is still in its infancy.

Collaborating with NASA, NOAA, and academia

Peterson believes the key to improve our understanding of pyroCbs is to obtain detailed measurements of their outflow, a residual smoke layer or an “anvil ice cloud.”

“In the early stages of the pyroCb, an active thunderstorm updraft is present over the fire,” Peterson said. “The cloud flattens out as it pushes up against the tropopause [boundary between troposphere and stratosphere] forming an anvil cloud. Eventually, the pyroCb updraft dissipates, the high-altitude anvil cloud drifts downwind and also dissipates, and you are left with a residual smoke layer in either the upper troposphere or lower stratosphere.”

To get outflow measurements scientists must anticipate and track when and where a pyroCb may occur, and have the appropriate aircraft with a variety of instruments (and the scientists to operate them) readily available to fly at just the right altitude to capture the data. It’s complicated, and requires extensive coordination.

Nevertheless, a joint NASA and NOAA venture, Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments Experiment – Air Quality (FIREX-AQ), was able to do just that. Taking place July 23 to Aug. 18 in Boise, Idaho, and Aug. 20 to Sept. 5 in Salina, Kansas, it was one of the largest field experiments dedicated to the sampling and characterization of fires and their impacts from the point of emission.

Throughout the campaign, researchers investigated the impact on air quality and climate from wildfires and agricultural fires across the continental United States. Peterson served as the lead for the multidisciplinary fire and weather forecasting team and worked closely with Edward Hyer, a meteorologist at NRL, who also participated in the campaign.

Each morning Peterson and his team of more than 10 researchers and interns reviewed computer models, based on satellite observations and existing data about fire behavior, and delivered the fire and weather forecast to campaign participants. Those forecasts told researchers when and where to fly and drive to collect the most data at a given time. According to NOAA, researchers will eventually use FIREX-AQ’s data to make these models even more accurate.

The team began forecasting favorable conditions for pyroCb development in the Pacific Northwest, Aug. 5. Peterson hitched a ride on a NASA DC-8 airborne science laboratory to see a pyroCb for himself, for the first time, Aug. 8. With a camera in tow, he snapped the now famous photos of a pyroCb from the cockpit while flying over the Williams Flats Fire in Washington. This flight provided the most detailed sampling of pyroCb outflow in history.

Now that the campaign is complete, scientists are eager to review the data collected to answer a variety of questions. The detailed observations of the chemistry within pyroCb smoke plumes at high altitudes can contribute to initializing modeling studies that aim to understand the role of pyroCb in the climate system, Peterson said.

“Observations from within the pyroCb ice cloud [anvil] can be used to understand how cloud water droplets and ice particles change in the presence of smoke,” he said. “Remote sensing observations of the contributing fire [Williams Flats] can be used to understand what fire characteristics are required for pyroCb development, such as the overall size of the fire, the dimensions of the flaming region, and how these characteristics evolve prior to pyroCb development.”

Researchers believe they are on the right track to demystify pyroCbs.

“This is a relatively new and interdisciplinary science,” Peterson said. “The next big discovery is likely just around the corner.”

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, Key West, Florida, and Monterey, California, and employs approximately 2,500 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, commonly known as the Hurricane Hunters, are the cornerstone for data gathering efforts within storm environments. When they’re not flying into hurricanes they are providing aerial weather reconnaissance for atmospheric rivers over the Pacific Ocean.

“There is no off season for us, after the Hurricane season is done we roll into the Winter Storm season and part of that is providing support for atmospheric rivers off the West Coast,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Rickert, 53rd WRS aerial reconnaissance weather officer. “ARs are flowing columns of water vapor that produce vast amounts of precipitation when they make landfall. The heavy amounts of precipitation can turn into extreme rainfall and snow, which then can cause flooding and mudslides.”

The Hurricane Hunters are slated to perform “AR recon” from January through March. Scientists led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, working in partnership with the 53rd WRS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service, and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, who will be on standby to fly through these ARs over the Pacific to gather data to improve forecasts. Approximately twelve storms will be flown during that period and deploying up to three planes per storm.

“We’re trying to improve the forecast of atmospheric rivers on the West Coast, because it matters to the people who manage water and deal with the hazards of flood and debris flows,” said F. Martin Ralph, principal investigator for the AR Recon program and director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps. “We’re all working together to try and figure out how to make the forecast better and AR recon’s data gathering is a vital part of that.”

There are two WC-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the 403rd Wing which have staged at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., then moved to Portland, Ore., and U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii. One Gulfstream IV from NOAA’s Air Operations Center is also staged out of Portland.

“In many cases ARs are great for the state of California, because they bring 90 percent of the state’s annual precipitation,” said Ralph. “But when the ground is already saturated and more water is added, it can cause hazards, so knowing what is coming helps people to prepare.”

ARs have a great economic impact on California and its residents, said Ralph. They are the dominant cause of flooding and play key roles in drought in West Coast watersheds. Flood costs average about $1 billion dollars a year and produce 25-50 percent of the water supply in key areas of the West.

During AR missions, the 53rd WRS fly up to 30,000 feet to capture as much atmospheric data as possible. The data compiled by dropsondes can create a vertical profile from the aircraft to the surface of the ocean for the research team and forecasters to input in their models.

“We have somewhat of a void in collecting data over the ocean. Satellites have trouble seeing through clouds, thus having an aircraft releasing dropsondes in those areas significantly improves our data and the forecast models.” said Anna Wilson, field research manager of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes. “We have a lot of room for accuracy and prediction improvements, and aerial weather reconnaissance is vital to gathering data from within the atmospheric rivers with lead times of about 3 days to help improve our weather models.”

The data that is collected from the aircraft is uploaded to forecast models, but the three primary models utilized by the research teams are the Naval Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM), the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and NOAA’s Global Forecasting System (GFS) which is produced by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.

“The observations gathered by the WC-130J definitely help bridge the gaps in data,” said Wilson. “It would be great to have more aircraft, because we have found in our results that all the spatial coverage helps make the impact larger, which helps predict where an atmospheric river will make landfall.”

An AR can be hundreds of miles wide and have their own categories from 1 to 5, the higher the number the increased hazard. An AR can range from 250 – 500 miles wide on average, said Ralph.

“Having the Air Force here on site doing the flight planning with us is extremely helpful on both sides, it makes us more effective and efficient. It’s awesome being able to have them here in person,” said Wilson. “We have a robust team with national and international participation that use the gathered data and input for three of the global forecast models.”

While the aircraft and aircrews can be staged at different locations, there is an additional team working hand-in-hand with the research team at Scripps who are in charge of mission development and coordination with the flying aircrew.

“Being on site really helps prevent miscommunications between the research team and the assets the 53rd has to offer,” said Rickert. “As soon as the research team finds an area of interest for weather observations, we immediately start coordinating a flight plan that is feasible for our crews and make adjustments for times and fuel.”

Rickert said that gathering data from any weather flight ultimately helps the people on the ground who are going to be affected.

“Gathering data from within storm environments is inherently dangerous, but we perform this service all the same, whether it is flying into a CAT 5 hurricane or an AR 5, we collect data in hopes to improve the weather forecast and in turn save lives in the process,” said Rickert.

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard interdicted several foreign fishing vessels fishing inside the US exclusive economic zone on two separate occasions incidents in the first two months of 2020.

“While we’ve seen incursions into the EEZs of partners and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on the high seas, these are the first interdictions we’ve had in the US EEZ since 2012,” said Lt. Jason Holstead, of Coast Guard 14th District Response Enforcement. “The combination of partnerships, electronic methods, and putting assets on the scene to catch violators in the act is essential to deterring IUU fishing in Oceania.”

In both cases, the Coast Guard was conducting maritime domain awareness flights in the zones off Guam and Hawaii with Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft crews based at Air Station Barbers Point.

Case packages were forwarded to the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement for further actions. The investigations are pending.

The living marine resources mission is one of two Coast Guard missions devoted to protecting fisheries inside and outside US waters. While LMR focuses on domestic fisheries, other law enforcement focuses on illegal incursions by foreign fishing vessels into the US EEZ. An EEZ is defined as the region extending 200 miles beyond a nation’s shores. The Coast Guard leverages partnerships and 13 bilateral agreements between the US and other nations in the Pacific to enforce fisheries regulations and combat IUU fishing.

Fishing within the United States generates more than $200 billion and employs 1.7 million people annually. IUU fishing represents an estimated monetary loss of $10 billion to $23 billion for legitimate fishers. Narrow that to focus on Tuna. Globally, commercially landed tuna and tuna products have a value of $10 billion to $12 billion per year to the fishermen who target these species and more than $42 billion per year at the final point of sale. These conservative totals do not account for noncommercial tuna activity including sport fishing and tourism.

According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Pacific Ocean, also known as the “tuna belt”, represents 65 to 70 percent of globally harvested tuna. According to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), the international body that manages tuna fishing in the same waters, state fishers caught nearly 2.85 million metric tons of the primary commercial tuna species in 2014. This catch’s worth was valued at more than $5 billion to fishers in the region and more than $22.68 billion at the final point of sale. Tuna caught in the WCPFC Convention Area accounts for more than half of the landings, dock value, and end value of all commercial tuna fisheries.

While the Coast Guard is not the only agency responsible for protecting fisheries, it plays a significant role. The Coast Guard has enforcement authority over 202 separate commercial fisheries.

“While regulation compliance among US fishers is near 97 percent, some of the lowest policed areas, such as the waters in the Western and Central Pacific, are responsible for the highest percentage of significant violations. This is where the efforts of the Coast Guard 14th District and partners are so important,” said Holstead. “In 2019, we conducted numerous routine and analysis-based patrols throughout the region in support of IUU fishing detection and deterrence.”

By K. Cecilia Sequeira, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Corporate Communications

WASHINGTON — The amount of dust flying out of the Sahara Desert each year is seemingly unfathomable. Every year, 14 million metric tons of transcontinental dust travels across the Atlantic Ocean, said Arunas Kuciauskas, a U.S. Naval Research Laboratory meteorologist who tracks and quantifies the Saharan Air Layer (SAL).

These dust storms envelop whole communities — blanketing homes, cars and people.

NASA research scientists estimate it would take 53,022 semi-trucks to move enough desert sand to equal the amount of dust transported from Northern Africa to the Greater Caribbean annually.

How do these dust clouds affect community health? Can forecasters predict the large dust storms to help prepare affected communities? Healthcare professionals and meteorologists across the globe consider these questions every spring and summer when the northeasterly trade winds begin to pick up Saharan dust and scatter it across thousands of miles.

This meteorological phenomenon involves an extremely hot, dry air mass, carrying large concentrations of Saharan dust from Northern Africa across the Atlantic Ocean into the Greater Caribbean, South America, the Gulf of Mexico and southeastern United States.

Kuciauskas collaborates with researchers at NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Caribbean organizations to model the Saharan dust storms and provide prediction tools to weather forecasters and healthcare professionals in the affected regions. One of the new forecasting resources he uses to track and quantify SAL events is the NOAA Unique Combined Atmospheric Processing System or NUCAPS, a software tool that processes radiance data from satellite measurements collected by NOAA’s Joint Polar-orbiting Satellite System (JPSS) into thermodynamic parameters that describe the SAL.

Kuciauskas, the principal investigator for Caribbean dust research at NRL’s Marine Meteorology Division, Monterey, California, has teamed with NOAA Science and Operations Officer Ernesto Rodriguez using NUCAPS to track and measure the size and power of regional dust storms. Rodriguez works at the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Their research will lead to regional weather forecast alerts indicating each system’s severity days before the dust arrives.

Kuciauskas and Rodriguez will establish a baseline expectation for SAL events in the region using a 17-year climatology over the Caribbean and statistical averaging. The San Juan National Weather Service aims to develop a traffic light prediction approach where a “green” Saharan dust event indicates low impact, a “yellow” event is average and a dust storm classified as “red” is dangerous to the affected population.

Once developed, the National Weather Service in San Juan can use the traffic light approach to alert the public to upcoming SAL-related hazardous air quality conditions four to five days in advance. Equipped with sufficient time and information, at-risk populations with respiratory ailments facing a “red” air quality event may choose to stay inside. Residents in affected populations may cover machinery with tarps to avoid clogging mechanical parts. Local flights may adjust course or schedules.

Small aircraft traveling between Caribbean islands are the most affected by SAL events.

“They usually fly at low altitudes, around 3-5 kilometers, where the Saharan dust is transported,” Rodriguez said. “An accurate forecast of a SAL event will provide enough lead time to the aviation and maritime community to plan the operations, taking into account the visibility reduction and the poor air quality.”

The U.S. Navy also benefits from early SAL forecasts. Navy meteorologists monitor weather conditions over huge swaths of ocean and collect data from rawinsondes, which consist of airborne weather instruments used to measure temperature, moisture, and wind profiles from the surface to the top of the earth’s atmosphere. This information is applied to study various weather-related properties of SAL.

Numerous global land-based sites routinely launch rawinsondes. Over the oceans or other bodies of water, rawinsondes are too sparsely located to provide a reasonable picture of SAL events, said Kuciauskas. By contrast, NUCAPS gathers information from satellites that provide continuous measurements over oceans allowing forecasters to see clearly vertical profiles containing similar information to what is available over land.

“In the case of SAL, we are able to create a really good picture on a daily basis on the dryness, temperature and lapse rate,” Kuciauskas said. Using NUCAPS, meteorologists can determine if an incoming SAL event will “come in and stabilize everything versus what it is now,” he said.

Saharan dust storms often overlap with the summer hurricane season creating a curious effect on each other. Saharan dust storms consist of dry, hot air and particulates, while hurricane development relies on wet and relatively cool conditions within its path. When these two systems meet, they cancel each other out or one reduces the impact of the other.

The NUCAPS software allows forecasters to look ahead at air quality and affect SAL events may have on incoming hurricanes. Kuciauskas said Navy forecasters are interested in tracking these storms in the same way as other meteorologists. “If you have that information available, the Navy can plan their daily maneuvers across the Atlantic basin,” said Kuciauskas.

NUCAPS is a publically available tool. Kuciauskas has trained civilian U.S. and international forecasters throughout the Caribbean on how to use the program to profile Saharan dust storms. The new tool is becoming increasingly popular in the region because it distinguishes between different aerosols affecting the Caribbean. NUCAPS provides data on the carbon monoxide and ozone gases and differentiates between a Saharan dust storm and smoke pollution from a fire traveling across the Atlantic.

Kuciauskas plans to introduce and train meteorologists at NRL – Monterey and the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center to leverage NUCAPS for similar regional predictions with designs to become an invaluable addition to global Navy operations.

The team at NRL – Monterey shares thousands of satellite-derived products via NRL’s public websites every day. Early impact warnings associated with Saharan dust storms may eventually enable state and federal agencies to greatly minimize SAL impacts on public health in the Caribbean.

The NUCAPS forecasting tool is part of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System, which every national weather service in the U.S. can access. U.S. Navy meteorologists can also access NUCAPS via the NOAA website.

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; and Monterey, California, and employs approximately 2,500 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.

FORT LEE, Va. – Hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, typhoons and other storms often occur with little time to prepare for the devastating disruption of normalcy.

Service members and their families can plan for that disruption by using their commissary benefit to purchase emergency supplies, said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tomeka N. O’Neal, the Defense Commissary Agency’s senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director.

“When the storm comes and all of a sudden you have no electricity, or you cannot get to the grocery store, which may also be closed – what’s your plan?” O’Neal said. “Before a bad day gets even worse, think ahead and save money as you use your commissary to help prepare for that emergency event.”

During last year’s hurricane season, there were 18 named storms with six becoming hurricanes and three classified as major hurricanes such as Hurricane Dorian that was classified as a Category 5. According to the NOAA, there were about 1,500 tornadoes in the United States last year, making 2019 one of the most active tornado seasons on record.

From April through Oct. 31, DeCA’s severe weather promotional package includes discounts on the following items: beef jerky and other assorted meat snacks, soup and chili mixes, canned goods, powdered milk, cereals, batteries, airtight bags, weather-ready flashlights, tape (all-weather, heavy-duty shipping and duct), first aid kits, lighters, matches, lanterns, candles, hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes. Specific items may vary from store to store.

The North Atlantic hurricane season is June 1 to Nov. 30 and covers the North Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Tornado season is April to July.

Each year Colorado State University presents its predictions for the hurricane season. The forecast for 2020 calls for 16 named storms, eight of which will be hurricanes, with four of the hurricanes potentially being category 3 or higher. Accuweather predicts 14 to 20 tropical storms, with the number of storms becoming hurricanes ranging from seven to 11.

The spring tornado forecast, according to ustornadoes.com, is calling for an above average season.

Whether it’s Mother Nature or a manmade crisis, emergency preparedness officials encourage prior planning with a disaster supply kit that includes the following items:

• Water – at least one gallon daily, per person (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home)

• Nonperishable foods – canned meats, fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, raisins, cereal, crackers, cookies, energy bars, granola, peanut butter, and foods for infants and the elderly (three-day supply for evacuation, two-week supply for home)

• Paper goods – writing paper, paper plates, paper towels and toilet paper

• Writing utensils – pens, pencils (manual pencil sharpeners), markers

• Cooking items – pots, pans, baking sheets, cooking utensils, charcoal, a grill and a manual can opener

• First-aid kit – including bandages, medicines and prescription medications

• Cleaning materials – bleach, sanitizing spray, and hand and laundry soap

• Toiletries – personal hygiene items and moist wipes

• Pet care items – food, water, muzzle, leash, carrier, medications, medical records, and identification and immunization tags

• Lighting accessories – flashlights, batteries, candles and matches

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

• Duct tape, scissors

• Multipurpose tool

• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates and insurance policies)

• Cell phone with chargers

• Family and emergency contact information

• Extra cash

• Emergency blanket

• Maps of the area

• Blankets or sleeping bags

“Throughout the year we advise our customers to be ready for any emergency, natural or manmade,” O’Neal said. “Even with the COVID-19 outbreak, we still want our customers to be prepared. However, regardless of the situation, we recommend that they calmly purchase what they need and avoid any panic buying to ensure products are available for others in their communities.”

For more information about disaster preparedness, go to the DeCA website (https://commissaries.com/our-agency/disaster-preparedness) for lists of resources.

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

This World Tuna Day, we reflect on the sustainable practices that help preserve our oceans and the species they sustain. Our crew aboard the USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) recently embraced the rich marine life and cultural heritage of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), notably on Pagan Island.

During a liberty break from patrolling the Northern Marianas, they engaged in recreational fishing. They caught tuna using sustainable rod-and-reel methods. This activity wasn’t merely about fishing; it was about forging a deep connection with the ocean and reflecting on the importance of respecting our marine resources.

“As someone who grew up in the Pacific, the ocean has always been a part of who I am. Being able to serve and protect these waters and islands is important to me. Each patrol we go on, whether it’s a rescue or just being present in the community, is a chance to give back to the ocean and lands that give us so much. Our work ensures the safety and health of our Pacific family,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Ikaika Ruiz.

Why Focus on Tuna?

Tuna is crucial for food security, nutrition, and the global economy, yet overfishing and illegal fishing threaten their populations worldwide. On World Tuna Day, we advocate for sustainable fishing and collaborative measures among agencies and governments to ensure future generations can enjoy these incredible fish.

Imagine a line of fully loaded cargo ships stretching across the horizon. According to the International Seafood Sustainability Association, in 2021, the total catch of major commercial tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean was 4.8 million tons, roughly equivalent to the combined weight of about 91 fully laden Titanics. This immense figure underscores the massive scale of the tuna fishing industry and its global significance. For comparison, imagine an airfield of fully loaded jumbo jets. According to NOAA, in 2022, U.S. commercial landings of Pacific bluefin was 800,000 lbs. and albacore tuna was 16 million lbs. Combined, they equate to the weight of about 19 Boeing 747s, each fully loaded with passengers and luggage. This vast amount highlights the scale of the U.S. fishing industry and the significant role these fish play in our economy and food supply.

Many are unaware that the tuna on their plates, celebrated as a healthy protein source, embarks on a complex journey across the globe—often caught in the Pacific by a multinational crew aboard a vessel flagged from one country, fishing on the high seas or within another country’s exclusive economic zone, before being transferred to yet another ship or port in a different country for processing and packaging. This intricate chain of custody underscores the global nature of our seafood supply and highlights the formidable challenges we face in combating illegal fishing.

Engaging with Local Communities

For nearly eight decades, the U.S. Coast Guard’s presence in the Northern Mariana Islands has been one of partnership and stewardship of the marine environment. Our crews are committed to being a positive force, respecting local traditions with a reasonable footprint. Our presence supports anti-illegal fishing efforts, protecting the stocks locals depend on for their livelihoods. Everything on the ocean is intertwined, as are our missions.

The U.S. Coast Guard is deeply committed to supporting our Marianas and regional partners and navigating the unique challenges of the local fishing community. As commercial fishing declined due to economic, environmental, and regulatory factors, our role now emphasizes sustainability and community support. We actively enforce safety for recreational activities, fishing regulations, and conservation efforts, protecting marine biodiversity while preserving the cultural and subsistence practices that enrich the local community. This effort includes patrolling marine protected areas, such as in the Islands Unit of the Marianas Trench Monument, to safeguard these vital ecosystems.

“During our recent patrols in the Marianas, we transported a U.S. Fish and Wildlife conservation officer, further solidifying our commitment to cooperation and protecting the unique ecosystems of this region. This collaboration enhances our ability to enforce conservation regulations effectively, ensuring the sustainability of our marine environments vital to the community’s livelihood and deep-seated connection to the sea. The operations in the CNMI are a reminder of why we do what we do—it’s about making a real difference in the lives of those in remote locations who rely on our readiness and care,” said Lt. Ray Cerrato, commanding officer of Oliver Henry.

In addition to our maritime missions, the USCGC Oliver Henry crew recently responded to a call for help from those on Pagan. The crew provided crucial assistance to two individuals who had been without reliable communication for three months. After discovering their radio was inoperable and concerned about an impending water shortage due to an expected increase in population, our team supplied potable water and attempted to repair the communication equipment. To ensure continued support, one man was transported to Saipan to coordinate repairs and logistics directly with the Northern Marianas mayor.

Over the last 18 months, our NMI efforts extended beyond patrolling. Following Typhoon Mawar in June 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard played a vital role in recovery efforts, ensuring the safe reopening of ports and clearing navigation hazards in Guam, Saipan, and Tinian. We’ve also actively participated in community and capacity-building initiatives, including expert exchanges with local agencies to enhance maritime safety and security capabilities.

We played an essential role in ensuring the health and safety of individuals across the Pacific, particularly on remote islands like Alamagan. In May 2023, our USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew demonstrated this commitment by conducting a critical medical evacuation. With support from the CNMI Department of Fire and EMS, we successfully evacuated a 30-year-old man with severe head and neck injuries from Alamagan Island to Saipan for urgent medical care. This operation showcased our readiness and capability to provide lifesaving assistance in isolated locations. It emphasized our ongoing dedication to the well-being of the communities within the Northern Mariana Islands.

“As a culinary specialist, I take pride in nourishing our crew, but as an EMT, my role expands to ensure their well-being and that of others in urgent times. It was intense the night we responded to the medical emergency on Alamagan, pulling up to that challenging volcanic beach. Hiking in the dark to stabilize a man in need and ensuring his safe transport to higher care was a good reminder of our critical impact. It’s moments like these that reinforce the importance of our presence here—being ready to help others, no matter the obstacles,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Pablo, a son of Guam.

The Service’s activities also extend to facilitating transportation and support for supplies and local officials. Our USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) and USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) crews both transported the mayor of the Northern Islands of CNMI to visit constituents, highlighting support for community engagement and governance in these remote areas.

“From Guam to the Northern Marianas and further into the Pacific, our culture runs deep in respect for land and water. This respect drives my passion for the Coast Guard’s mission—ensuring that we protect these precious resources and strengthen the fabric of the communities we serve,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Ben Laguana, a son of Guam.

These actions underscore the depth of our commitment to the Marianas—not just in safeguarding maritime territories but also in supporting the resilience and well-being of the island communities. As we mark World Tuna Day, we celebrate these partnerships and our shared dedication to sustainable marine resource management.

A Day of Awareness and Advocacy

As we share this story of camaraderie and conservation, we aim to inspire others to consider where their seafood comes from and to choose sustainably sourced tuna. We celebrate World Tuna Day by committing to practices that help our marine life thrive, ensuring healthy oceans for decades to come.

“Our missions extend far beyond mere operations; they are deeply woven into the fabric of the communities we serve and resonate with our global responsibilities as a nation. From our members who hold familial and cultural ties to the region to our legacy of service that spans generations, each action we undertake is infused with a sense of duty to the people of the Pacific. Our commitment to peace, safety, security, and environmental stewardship of the Marianas underscores our broader pledge to uphold international maritime standards and protect shared global marine resources,” said Capt. Nick Simmons, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia Sector Guam.

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U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam

The U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam team focuses on maritime safety, security, and stewardship in Oceania. With a primary presence in Guam and Saipan and over 300 members across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the team maintains a strong U.S. presence in the Micronesia sub-region and adjacent areas, closely tied to local communities.

HONOLULU — The U.S. Coast Guard signed a memorandum of understanding in June with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coast Survey, State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, and United States Army Corps of Engineers regarding maritime emergency harbor assessments within federal waterways in Hawaii.

This agreement means the partners can work more efficiently and effectively to assess the State’s harbors following disasters, such as severe weather events, to restore the flow of commerce vital to the health and safety of residents and the economy.

“This is an important agreement for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our Federal and State partners,” said Lt. Col. Kathryn P. Sanborn, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Honolulu District. “It improves our response time and communication collaboration during a navigation emergency.”

The partners work together often to ensure harbor safety and emergency response. In 2017 and 2018, the team undertook joint surveys following heavy rains and Hurricanes Lane and Olivia before the reopening of commercial harbors. In 2016 the Coast Guard worked with NOAA, USACE, and DOT Harbors to temporarily relocate aids to navigation and advise mariners as necessary dredging work took place throughout the island’s commercial harbor entrances.

“Hawaii’s commercial ports are crucial to sustaining Hawaii’s communities throughout six islands as 98 percent of all imported goods come through these ports. Hawaii’s direct shipments come from the U.S. west coast and from Asia. Restoring port operations in a timely manner after a storm is the objective of this multi-agency MOU”, said DOT Director Jade Butay.

“Hawaii’s supply chain is reliant on the maritime transport of goods. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey plays an important role in not only charting but all preparedness and resilience in the event of an emergency disaster,” said Rear Adm. Shepard Smith, director of the Office of the Coast Survey. “Our navigation managers work with maritime stakeholders to strengthen relationships in these critical areas, and this MOU is a result of that work.”

The importance of tourism to Hawaii’s economy cannot be understated, directly contributing over $15.9 billion annually in visitor expenditures, according to the 2016 Hawaii Dept. of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism figures. Hawaii’s robust cruise ship industry, small passenger vessel operations, and other forms of maritime recreation derive a significant portion of these revenues. Additionally, the MTS directly supports all types of tourism through the delivery of goods and energy sources.

Hawaii’s MTS also plays a vital role in supporting the national defense and security infrastructures of the United States. Hawaii is home to U.S. Pacific Command and each component command headquarters: U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Army Pacific, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. Along with the USCG, five military branches maintain one or more significant bases and numerous other facilities on the island of Oahu alone. Hawaii’s commercial port system delivers heavy equipment, vehicles, fuel, ammunition, logistical supplies, and many other necessities that support defense operations and military member families.

“Our strategic intent is to formalize the local logistical support between our interagency partners and industry to augment our maritime port recovery and resiliency in Hawaii,” said Capt. Arex Avanni, commander, Sector Honolulu, Captain of the Port. “Sector Honolulu regularly coordinates with our partners during port recovery operations throughout the main Hawaiian Islands harbors. This document [the MOU] delineates interagency expectations in support of the rapid resumption of the maritime transportation system, which directly benefits the people of Hawaii.”

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HONOLULU — Coast Guard and NOAA Office of Law Enforcement crews conducted joint patrols under Operation Nemo in the vicinity of Hawaii Island June 16 to 26.

During the 10-day enforcement operation, crews visited multiple locations, conducted 18 patrols by air, sea, and on land, contacted more than a dozen boaters, issued six safety violations with 21 incident reports, and three NOAA warnings.

“We conducted these operations in response to complaints of recent maritime violations in the vicinity of the Big Island and to increase the local enforcement presence,” said Chief Warrant Officer Robert Holt of Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “These joint operations were designed to enforce all applicable laws and regulations under several federal acts. Boaters are often unaware of the guidelines to give marine life a wide berth.”

Specifically, NOAA, and the Coast Guard, with support from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Police Department, and the National Park Service used patrols and one-on-one encounters to conduct enforcement and public education of the rules under the Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Magnuson Stevens Act.

“Due to lack of federal resources on the island, coupled with the number of complaints and shared information of violations from the Hawaii Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement, Hawaii Police Department, and National Park Service, the need for a combined joint air, water, and land patrols were long overdue,” said Lt. Brian Christy, a supervisory enforcement officer with NOAA OLE Pacific Islands Division. “Coast Guard Sector Honolulu officials agreed to have the William Hart on station to join in the joint water operations targeting the illegal take of marine fishes within the Hawaii State and National Park Service designated no-take areas. The on-water patrols also focus on presence to deter boaters from interfering with the resting Spinner Dolphins in their bay rest areas. The land patrols consisted of area familiarization and patrol of nesting areas throughout the island with our federal, state, and local partners.”

Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point HC-130 Hercules crews delivered NOAA vehicles, a Coast Guard Sector Honolulu boarding team, NOAA OLE officer, and equipment to Hawaii Island to conduct operations onshore along the west side of the island and Hilo.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter William Hart (WPC 1134) managed the effort on the water along the south shore and to the east with NOAA OLE officers. These operations focused on preventing illegal activity in State, and National Park Service areas closed to fishing and educating those onshore to give monk seals and turtles proper space. The on-water actions also served to educate and deter boaters from interfering with Spinner Dolphins in protected areas.

Hawaii is host to many marine life species, from endemic reef fish to sharks, rays, and humpback whales. Hawaii Island is a popular destination to see Manta rays. The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world, with only an estimated 1,100 animals remaining, and live only in the Hawaiian Islands. Most of their population resides in the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with about 15 percent in the Main Hawaiian Islands.

The Big Island, officially named Hawaii, is the largest in the Hawaiian archipelago in the Central Pacific, representing more than half its landmass. It is home to nearly 200,000 people with diverse terrain, colored-sand beaches, and lush rainforest. Agriculture and science are prominent on the island.

It’s also the location of two famous active volcanoes within Volcanoes National Park — Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea gained national attention in 2018 for devastating lava floes. There are many nationally protected areas to preserve the unique flora and fauna, including several national parks.

“We appreciate the hard work of everyone involved in these operations. All our local agency representatives respect the unique and vital nature of the Big Island environment. We came together to protect it and intend to continue regular patrols and surge operations in the area,” said Holt.