Background Articles

A study revealed that 4 million common murres died during the North Pacific marine heatwave known as the 'Blob,' marking the biggest bird die-off in recorded history.

In Ruby, Alaska, Indigenous families face cultural and nutritional challenges as climate change and fisheries management impact the availability of chinook and chum salmon, central to their traditions.

Alaska is experiencing rapid environmental changes, including record-high temperatures, shrinking sea ice, increased wildfires, and unusual wildlife patterns, such as the decline of salmon and the rise of snow goose populations.

A newly updated report titled 'Alaska's Changing Environment' explores the climatic shifts affecting Alaska, from landslides to late freezes, emphasizing the significant impact of climate change.

A University of Alaska Fairbanks study links king salmon decline in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers to climate change impacts such as warming temperatures, which decrease salmon body size and breeding efficiency.

A dead fin whale washed up near downtown Anchorage, attracting hundreds of onlookers while scientists study it to learn more about the whale's life and death.

Efforts to restore urban waterways have led to spawning salmon returning to Metro Vancouver streams, highlighting the success of rehabilitation projects amidst industrial and residential areas.

The Biden administration supports a land trade in an Alaskan wildlife refuge, exchanging 490 acres for 31,198 acres, despite controversy and opposition from some tribal communities.

Commercial whaling and climate change are inhibiting the evolutionary potential of Arctic whales by reducing genetic variation necessary for adaptation, with bowhead whales markedly affected by historical hunting.

The article emphasizes the importance of voting for climate-conscious leadership in the wake of unusual and severe flooding in an Arctic community during winter.

Climate change is affecting nearly every aspect of life, said Gwich’in Council International board member Evon Taa’ąįį Peter, who is Neetsaii Gwich’in and Koyukon Athabascan. For one thing, he told ICT, more than 60% of the forest lands of the Alaskan Gwich’in nation have burned in wildfires in the past 10 years. As of July 10, 582,000 acres had burned this year in 328 wildfires in Alaska. “I couldn’t open the windows of my house for seven days straight, I think, because it would just let smoke billow into my home, which was already too unhealthy for us to be outside. So most of us just had to remain indoors…so there’s definitely very real dramatic and in-our-face impacts from climate change across the state, even in (an urban area like) Fairbanks,” Peter said.

A new federal program expedites the repair of Alaska's mining-damaged waterways, incorporating a streamlined environmental assessment process to restore up to 5 miles of habitat annually over 25 years.

Industry representatives assert that trawling near Kuskokwim Bay complies with regulations and does not impact salmon, despite local concerns about habitat damage and fish migration.

A petition to list king salmon as endangered in Alaska faces opposition due to concerns about its impact on local fisheries and management practices.

In Northwest Alaska, the Red Dog mine faces potential delays in expansion, risking future revenue and jobs for the local community, amid environmental and cultural impact concerns.

Experts decided that during the fishing season, red fish in the water area of the Anadyr estuary can be caught only two days a week. It was decided to introduce a large number of passing days to preserve the chum salmon population spawning in this basin.

An Alaska Native corporation is withdrawing from the Ambler road project due to concerns over environmental impact and subsistence practices, despite economic potential.

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.

The article discusses a contentious proposal for new fish passage infrastructure at the Eklutna River dam, with differing plans and potential legal challenges as stakeholders await the governor's decision.