Celebrating Earth Day with NOAA Fisheries | NOAA Fisheries Celebrating Earth Day with NOAA Fisheries April 20, 2026 Every day is Earth Day at NOAA Fisheries! Feature Story National Earth Day is a time to celebrate our incredible planet. It gives us so much—the air we breathe, the water we drink, the marine life we love, and the fish and habitats that sustain us. At NOAA Fisheries, we work every day to conserve and recover our planet’s marine life and ecosystems. From restoring habitats, to protecting marine animals, to supporting sustainable U.S. fisheries, learn how we're using science to protect and improve our environment. Earth Week Features A System-Wide Effort to Restore Florida’s Indian River Lagoon With $9.4 million in NOAA funding, the Indian River Lagoon Council and its partners are carrying out 15 projects across the estuary to restore seagrass, wetlands, shellfish populations, and shorelines. Image Florida’s Indian River Lagoon. Credit: Indian River Lagoon Council A closer look at the system-wide effort to restore Florida's Indian River Lagoon This story is part 1 of a series of 4. Read about the economic benefits of Indian River Lagoon restoration, and projects restoring fish reefs, clams seagrass, and wetlands NOAA Fisheries Launches Underwater Glider Challenge in Hawai‘i NOAA Fisheries is leading a major effort to evaluate how next-generation ocean gliders can transform ocean monitoring and marine mammal conservation, while also benefitting U.S. fishermen and ocean industries. NOAA Fisheries scientists explore how underwater gliders transform the way we study the ocean Image NOAA Fisheries and Oregon State staff ballast (stabilize) an underwater glider at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, in preparation for the glider challenge. Credit: NOAA Fisheries Celebrating our Top Taggers for Citizen Science Month April is Citizen Science Month! To celebrate, we’re highlighting the anglers who make our cooperative tagging research possible, and recent accomplishments. Could you be the next top tagger? Check out our top taggers Find other ways to be a citizen scientist Image A white marlin tagged with a spaghetti tag, getting ready to be released. Photo courtesy of Chris Jobes. Muskegon Lake Removed from List of Most Degraded Great Lakes Sites Through a multi-year partnership with the Great Lakes Commission, NOAA has helped restore what was once one of the Great Lakes region’s most degraded areas. How we worked with partners to address environmental challenges in Muskegon Lake Image The Bear Creek project site, post-restoration. Credit: Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership. Habitat Restoration Helps Put Anglers Back on the Pier, Hikers Back on the Trail When environmental disasters disrupt waterfront access, NOAA restores habitat to reconnect communities to the outdoors. Learn how NOAA restores habitat to reconnect communities to the outdoors Image The reconstruction of the 7th Street Boat Ramp and expanded parking lot in Wilmington, Delaware restored access to the Delaware River for the entire community—from boaters to hikers to birdwatchers. Credit: Tim Furlong, NBC10 Channel Philadelphia Gearing Up: Turtle Excluder Devices Strengthen Fisheries and Help Recover Sea Turtle Populations Since 1987, turtle excluder devices have protected sea turtles from getting accidentally caught in trawl nets. NOAA scientists and fishermen are working together to make TED designs even more effective, helping some sea turtle populations to rebound while continuing to provide economic opportunities. Find out more about turtle excluder devices Image Sea turtle escaping from trawl net via a turtle excluder device. Helping Alaska's Coastal Communities Adapt with Next-Generation Ocean Forecasting As Alaska’s oceans rapidly change, NOAA scientists are developing cutting-edge tools to help communities respond and adapt. How NOAA works to help fishing communities and fisheries managers anticipate and respond to these challenges Image Small boats along the Ningliqvak (Ninglikfak) River below the village of Chevak in western Alaska. Credit: Lisa Hupp/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service First Bowhead Whale Sighting in Southeast Alaska Second reported sighting in eastern North Pacific waters south of the Aleutian Island chain. First bowhead whale sighting in Southeast Alaska Image First sighting of subadult bowhead whale on March 27, 2024 at 11:45 am in Sitka Sound, Alaska, USA (57.06N, 135.53W). Credit: Ellen Chenoweth from the vessel Pioneer. NOAA Fisheries MMPA/ESA Permit No. 24378. Return ‘Em Right: Meet the People Helping Anglers Save Fish One Release at a Time Return ‘Em Right is working to improve the survival of reef fish in the Gulf of America. A new video series highlights the many individuals dedicated to ensuring the enjoyment of anglers for decades to come. Meet the people helping anglers save fish one release at a time Image Anglers identify signs of barotrauma on a red snapper. Credit: Return ‘Em Right. Conserving Long-Lived Species: The Importance of Monitoring Decades-Old Individuals Conservation and recovery of long-lived species requires continued monitoring of individuals. Meet some of the animals that have been known to scientists for decades. Image Southern Resident killer whales encountered during NOAA's PODs (Pacific Orcinus Distribution Survey) in October 2021 near the west end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Brad Hanson Earth Week Videos Restoring Historically Abundant Salmon Habitat on Shale Creek Helicopter-supported construction of engineered log jams restores salmon habitat on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Learn more about this restoration project here Rebuilding Puerto Rico's Mangroves: How BoriCorps Creates Jobs for Young Professionals This NOAA-funded program helps Puerto Rican young professionals get training and job experience to enter the workforce, while restoring mangroves that were destroyed by Hurricane Maria. Gliders: Collecting Data on Ocean Health NOAA Fisheries traditionally uses ships to collect data on ocean health. Now, we’re using gliders to expand our research. They can be deployed for longer times, collecting data in inaccessible areas—like Antarctica—at a lower cost than ships. Rebuilding Salmon Habitat on the Upper Quinault NOAA and the Quinault Indian Nation are restoring habitat for blueback salmon. More Information Earth Day at NOAA Recent News Feature Story Nominate an Outstanding Steward in Marine, Coastal, or Riverine Habitat Conservation Feature Story National National Leadership Message 50 Years of Innovation and Leadership: Celebrating the Magnuson-Stevens Act Leadership Message Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International Alaska New England/Mid-Atlantic Pacific Islands Southeast West Coast National International Feature Story Home-Grown Seafood: NOAA’s Aquaculture Highlights from 2025 Feature Story National National More News Office of Communications on April 22, 2026 Climate Earth Week Habitat Restoration Marine Debris