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 storm caused significant erosion damage to Homer Spit Road, reducing it to one lane. Repair efforts are underway to restore the road and impacted businesses.

The seafood industry around the world has faced market turmoil. Few Alaska communities have been hit harder than King Cove.

A severe storm in Kotzebue, Alaska, caused significant flooding, displacing 80 people and damaging critical infrastructure, including roads and the airport.

A new study shows how federal grant funding has actually become an obstacle to climate adaptation.

The long-term decline is believed to be due to the accumulated effects of fishing and unfavourable environmental conditions, such as high sea temperatures, according to the findings of independent experts based on Erpur Snær's data, who has been monitoring puffins for a long time.

Agrigento, a tourist destination in Sicily, is facing severe water shortages, leading to rationing and the turning away of tourists, impacting the local economy reliant on tourism and agriculture.

Nome experienced a record-breaking influx of 1,800 cruise ship passengers from the MS Westerdam, enjoying a variety of local tours, cultural presentations, and the Berry Festival during their full-day port of call visit.

Applications for relief funds from Alaska's 2019 and 2020 crab fisheries disasters are now open, with $13 million allocated for the Bering Sea Tanner crab fishery.

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.

The GNWT says it's earmarked $800 per resident age 18 or over and $400 for each dependent under 18. Applicants may be required to provide proof of residency in the community they live in, such as a utility bill, proof of dependents such as birth certificates, and identification like a driver's license — so if you are ordered to evacuate make sure you pack those along.

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.