Dutch Harbor

A third dead humpback whale since Oct. 16 was reported in Unalaska Bay on Dec. 4. Officials say causes of death are unknown; one earlier carcass had orca rake marks.

A powerful fall storm with hurricane-force winds forced the M/V Tustumena to cancel port calls to Unalaska and Akutan, turning back at Cold Bay. The aging ferry will remain in Cold Bay until Sept. 7 before heading back up the Aleutian Chain.

Eagles in Unalaska are nesting earlier than usual, prompting local authorities to caution residents about potentially aggressive territorial behavior near the nests.

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck southwest of Unalaska, impacting locals in Nikolski and Akutan, but poses no tsunami threat or concern for further seismic activity.

Unalaskans documented the largest single-species wildlife die-off ever recorded, with four million common murres starving due to a marine heatwave, while also noting a sharp decline in the local raven population, possibly linked to climate change and avian flu.

The murre die-off might have gone unexplained if it weren't for decades of observations from researchers and citizen scientists.

“Fishing has been very good for the [Bristol Bay red king crab] fleet this season and the crab delivered so far has been of high quality — new shell, large size, good meat-fill,” said Alaska Department of Fish and Game Area Management Biologist Ethan Nichols.

Authorities are gathering images and information to coordinate helping an entangled humpback in Unalaska’s Iliuliuk Bay.

Potential new limits on the accidental catch of chum salmon by pollock trawlers are still years away from being implemented.

A typical December brings about 6 inches of rain to Unalaska. But the island has already received more than 10 inches this month. Michael Lawson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said an atmospheric river above the Eastern Aleutians acted as a funnel to allow warm and rainy weather to move from the south to the north, directly across the region.

Most likely foxes become infected from feeding on deceased birds. In the past month, HPAI has been detected in red foxes in Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario in areas where the virus was also detected in wild birds.

Historically cold temperatures made it difficult for invasive species survive in Alaska. The Japanese skeleton shrimp Caprella mutica is now established in Unalaska area and in this observation observed on a buoy line in Nateekin Bay.

Fish Factor: The summer setline survey could result in increased catches for most regions in 2022.

Unusual waxy, white substance washed up on beach.

Sitting in the Port of Dutch Harbor, the Polar Star is nearly 400 feet long and can break ice up to 21 feet thick. On Tuesday, the ship arrived for a pit stop with 136 crew members, 30 days into a months-long deployment to the Arctic. Their goal is to assert maritime sovereignty and security in the far north.

The strong winds toppled boats, threw shipping containers into the bay, and even blew the windows out of American President Lines crane. The winds came during a storm from the remnants of Typhoon Bavi.

Two dead whales have washed up on Unalaska's shores in the past week: an adult fin whale — which is the second largest mammal in the world — and a juvenile humpback.

Officials have been receiving reports of Steller sea lions hauling out on beaches in poor condition, but have been unable to retrieve the animals for research — largely because they are in remote areas.

A person has died from paralytic shellfish poisoning after eating blue mussels and snails in the Aleutian Island community of Unalaska, state health officials confirmed Wednesday.

Female Stellar sea lion found dead on the beach, partially scavenged by eagles. There was no sign of any bullet holes. In addition, there wasn't any other evidence of what happened to the sea lion.