Background Articles

Sitka had an early bloom that led to high shellfish toxins in April, and there is currently a paralytic shellfish toxin advisory across Southeast for recreational and subsistence harvest.

The Knik Tribe's monitoring program for paralytic shellfish poisoning was paused in April as the federal government investigates its legitimacy for funding.

Sea ice in Nunatsiavut is forming later and melting sooner, disrupting Inuit travel, hunting and culture; the SmartICE program combines technology and traditional knowledge to help communities adapt.

Russian captains face ongoing challenges navigating the Northern Sea Route as deteriorating Arctic ice conditions persist over the next 25 years. Arctic winds have pushed multi-year ice toward the North Siberian coast, concentrating thick ice in the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas and forcing ships to change their routes.

Salmon advocates have raised concerns over declining salmon numbers, blaming an oversupply of hatchery-reared fish that overwhelms natural stocks and disrupts ocean ecosystems.

Spring in the Arctic sees the lowest maximum sea ice extent on record in a 47‐year satellite observation history, according to NSIDC data.