Background Articles

Alaska's commercial salmon harvest in 2024 hit the third lowest recorded since 1985 both in fish quantity and financial returns.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's preliminary report for 2024 shows a record low in Norton Sound's commercial fishery, with an exvessel value of $146,326 from a salmon harvest of 21,490. Statewide salmon harvests declined by 56% from the previous year.

Alaska's seafood industry is facing significant challenges due to climate change, geopolitical factors, and economic pressures. Efforts to address these issues are underway, but solutions are complex and require substantial investment and policy change.

A trained Australian Shepherd named Barley is aiding conservation efforts by locating wolf scat on Prince of Wales Island, providing crucial data for wildlife management.

Alaska's largest sockeye salmon run exceeded expectations in numbers but featured the smallest fish on record, posing challenges for commercial harvest.

Moose hunting in Alaska's Game Units 22C and 22D was closed after hunters quickly reached the quota, with a record 40 moose harvested in 22C in just two days.

Sockeye salmon returning to Bristol Bay this year were, on average, the smallest the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has ever seen. So far, the average weight of Bristol Bay sockeye was 4.2 pounds this year. Fish and Game biologist Stacy Vega said that’s the smallest average weight on record.

These worms, present in halibut, cod, salmon and other saltwater fish, are increasing. If the worms are well frozen or cooked, they don’t pose a health threat.

The National Park Service has banned sport hunters from baiting bears in Alaska's National Park Service-managed Preserves, citing safety and wildlife conservation concerns.

Adult abundance “well below” fishery thresholds on both beaches. This outcome was not unanticipated, as the department said when opening the fishery in Ninilchik last year that adult abundance met necessary thresholds for allowing harvest — at least meeting or exceeding 50% of the historical average — but juvenile abundance was low, meaning there would likely not be enough adult clams this year or next.

An increase in chum salmon in the Canadian Arctic, potentially linked to climate change, may be the same fish missing from Western Alaska, raising ecological concerns.

Japan plans to expand its commercial whaling to include fin whales, five years after resuming whaling and leaving the IWC.

A right-wing leader advocates for increased whale hunting and international marketing of whale meat, despite global regulations and declining participation in the industry.

Beavers are transforming Alaska's Arctic tundra, creating both challenges for local communities and ecological opportunities, as their population and dam-building activities alter landscapes and affect permafrost.

A comprehensive analysis of over 200 studies reveals that fish hatchery programs have predominantly negative impacts on wild salmon populations, reducing genetic diversity and overall health.

Northern states are implementing measures to prevent the spread of invasive "super pigs" from Canada, which are a crossbreed of wild boar and domestic swine, causing significant ecological and agricultural damage.

The increase in pink salmon population in warmer waters is negatively impacting the food chain and causing a decline in other species in the North Pacific Ocean, according to a new study.

The Western Arctic Caribou Herd in Alaska has continued to decline, with a 7% decrease in population from the previous year, prompting concerns about the need for harvest reduction to preserve the herd.

Common garter snakes are no longer rare in southwestern Newfoundland, and researchers are conducting genetic work to determine their origin.

Monkshood, a common yet highly poisonous plant in Alaska, has seen an unusual bloom this year, raising concerns about its safety among hikers and gardeners. Experts affirm that while the plant is toxic, casual contact is unlikely to cause harm.