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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Alaska bottom trawlers face renewed scrutiny amid halibut decline
To reduce their unintended take of halibut, vessels in the bottom trawl fleet have an escape hatch in their nets that allows some of the larger halibut to swim free.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Unalakleet shelters dozens of Shaktoolik residents as ex-typhoon sweeps Norton Sound
As the remnants of Typhoon Halong drove flooding and 69 mph winds across Norton Sound, Unalakleet sheltered 88 evacuees from nearby Shaktoolik and moved elders to higher ground. Minor structural damage was reported in Shaktoolik, and flights began returning residents after the storm passed.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Officials say storm 'completely devastated' Western Alaska communities
Remnants of Typhoon Halong drove record storm surge and hurricane-force winds into Western Alaska, devastating Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta villages like Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. Officials report dozens of homes destroyed, mass rescues, widespread outages, and at least one death, with many residents sheltering and recovery efforts underway.
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Governor declares disaster in western Alaska, second storm incoming
Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a disaster for western Alaska after an Oct. 8 storm brought flooding and storm surge that damaged homes and infrastructure, prompting a temporary evacuation in Kotzebue. Officials warn another, potentially stronger storm tied to the remnants of Typhoon Halong could bring 70–80 mph winds and further coastal impacts.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
KNOM Radio Mission

Region weathers storm with some flooding, prepares for upcoming storm on the weekend
A powerful coastal storm brought flooding and damaging winds to western Alaska on Oct. 8, with severe flooding and evacuations in Kotzebue and high water reported across the Bering Strait/Norton Sound region. Communities are now preparing for a larger storm expected over the weekend, with state emergency operations activated.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget
Diana Haecker and Ariana Crockett O’Harra

In Photos: The Aftermath of the Historic Earthquake in Russia's Far East
Photos show flooding and structural damage in Severo-Kurilsk and Kamchatka after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake and tsunami struck Russia’s Far East on July 30, 2025.
Kamchatka Peninsula, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
The Moscow Times

Shrimp catches have fallen significantly
Shrimp biomass in Greenland has declined significantly over the past two years, prompting major fishing companies and the fisheries organization QAK to call for industry adaptations.
Nuuk, Sermersooq, Greenland
Sermitsiaq

June salmon harvest in the southern Alaska Peninsula was the worst in decades
Sockeye salmon, the primary target species, came in at under half a million fish last month. That's less than a third of the 10-year average. Meanwhile, Fish and Game is putting more restrictions on the fishery.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Toxic algal blooms in Southeast will likely become less predictable with warming seas
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.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Alaska shellfish toxin testing project halted during federal review
The Knik Tribe's monitoring program for paralytic shellfish poisoning was paused in April as the federal government investigates its legitimacy for funding.
Knik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Disappearing Nunatsiavut sea ice continues as climate change dramatically alters Labrador landscape
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.
Nain, Nunatsiavut, Canada
CBC News

Icebreaker operator: 'We are seeing a more complicated situation with sea ice'
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.
Murmansk, Murmansk Oblast, Russia
The Barents Observer

They need to listen: Salmon advocates react to low hatchery numbers
Salmon advocates have raised concerns over declining salmon numbers, blaming an oversupply of hatchery-reared fish that overwhelms natural stocks and disrupts ocean ecosystems.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
KTUU

Sea ice reaches this year's maximum extent and it's the lowest on record
Spring in the Arctic sees the lowest maximum sea ice extent on record in a 47‐year satellite observation history, according to NSIDC data.
Barents Sea, Kirkenes, Norway
The Barents Observer

Sea ice is disappearing in the North. This is how Inuit are responding
Shrinking sea ice along northern Labrador is forcing Inuit communities to adapt by blending traditional knowledge with modern technology to address the climate crisis.
Nunatsiavut, Labrador, Canada
CBC Radio

Scientists witnessed a ‘Humpback Palooza’ in the Arctic. Local hunters worry about what that could mean for subsistence.
In recent years, researchers have documented salmon surviving in North Slope rivers, bowhead whales expanding their foraging grounds and humpbacks moving into the Arctic.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Red king crabs hurt by acidic trend in Bering Sea, study suggests
A new study from Kodiak’s NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center links ocean acidification to a significant decline in red king crab populations in the Bering Sea, challenging the view that warming is the primary stressor.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Atlantification ushering in new era of sea ice loss in the Siberian Arctic
New research indicates that the increasing penetration of warm Atlantic waters is accelerating sea ice loss in the Siberian Arctic, with significant implications for the region’s ecosystem and climate.
Siberian Arctic, Russia
The Barents Observer

Atlantification ushering in new era of sea ice loss in the Siberian Arctic
Warm Atlantic waters are rapidly reshaping the Siberian Arctic, sparking an era of unprecedented sea ice loss—something that will have ongoing implications for the region’s ecosystem and climate, says new research.
Barents Sea

OU scientist finds Arctic storms are the hidden force melting polar ice
An OU scientist explains how powerful Arctic cyclones are breaking up thin sea ice in rapid bursts, a phenomenon that challenges existing climate models.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Biologist reports on mass murre die-off
A mass marine heat wave, known as 'the Blob', decimated the food supply for common murres, leading to an estimated 4 million bird deaths, according to biologist Heather Renner.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Arctic ice shift: Melting multiyear floes trigger decline in vital pressure ridges
A study by the Alfred Wegener Institute reveals that the dramatic melting of older, multiyear sea ice is leading to a significant decline in the frequency and size of vital pressure ridges in the Arctic.
Arctic Ocean, Arctic, International
Eye on the Arctic

Norwegian coastal waters are getting warmer
Long-term data from eight coastal stations over the past 90 years shows that Norwegian coastal waters have warmed by up to 2°C, impacting local fisheries and marine life.
Kirkenes, Finnmark, Norway

Norwegian coastal waters are getting warmer
Data collected over 90 years shows that Norwegian coastal water temperatures have increased by up to 2°C, a shift that is impacting marine ecosystems and local fishing practices.
Tromsø, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Invasive freshwater fish able to swim through Alaska’s Cook Inlet, study proves
Invasive northern pike, traditionally freshwater fish, have been found swimming through Alaska's Cook Inlet, marking the first documented North American case of such behavior, according to a new study.
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, United States
Alaska Beacon

Rising frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves threaten Arctic ecosystems
Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense in the Arctic, posing a threat to its fragile ecosystems, according to a study published in Nature Climate Change.
Arctic Ocean

Board of Fish to hear proposals to start commercial fishery for magister squid in Southeast Alaska
Proposals have been submitted to the Alaska Board of Fisheries to establish a commercial jig fishery for magister squid in Southeast Alaska, potentially benefiting local fishermen and affecting marine ecosystems.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Neste not behind white clumps washed up on Hanko's shoreline, probe finds
A Finnish Border Guard probe ruled out Neste as the source of white clumps that washed up on Hanko’s beaches, suggesting they may have come from a ship that used a Russian port.
Hanko, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle News

Orcas moved into the Arctic. It could be bad news for other whales, and humans too
Orcas have begun to inhabit Arctic waters due to melting sea ice, posing threats to local whale species and potentially affecting Indigenous communities reliant on these ecosystems.
Eastern Arctic, Canada
NNSL Media

Alaska birds suffered biggest die-off in recorded history in ‘Blob’ heat wave, new study says
The 4 million deaths of common murres during the intense marine heatwave was the biggest wildlife toll in modern history, the study says
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
Alaska Beacon

'Left to Fend for Themselves': Volunteers Step Up as Russian Government Falters in Black Sea Oil Spill Response
A major oil spill along Russia's Black Sea coast has mobilized volunteers as official response falters after two oil tankers were damaged during a storm.
Black Sea Coast, Krasnodar, Russia
The Moscow Times

Alaska birds suffered biggest die-off in recorded history in 'Blob' heat wave, new study says
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.
Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Arctic shipping season shrinking despite reduced ice coverage, conference hears
Despite reduced overall ice coverage in Canada's Northwest Passage, the Arctic shipping season is shortening due to increased mobility and breakage of sea ice creating navigational hazards.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

New report highlights increased polar bear presence and challenging travel in Northwest Alaska as the Arctic warms up
The report reveals an unusual increase in polar bear presence on land in Northwest Alaska due to declining sea ice, posing challenges for human-bear interactions and travel safety, while warming temperatures and shifting seasons complicate traditional travel and hunting practices.
Northwest Arctic, Alaska
Anchorage Daily News

Empty survival suits found but no signs of life after fishing boat overturns in Alaska storm
A fishing vessel capsized in the Gulf of Alaska during a storm, leaving seven empty survival suits but no sign of the five-member crew.
Gulf of Alaska, Alaska, United States
CTV News

Sea-ice caused trouble for Russian warships
Russian warships from the Northern Fleet faced significant challenges from sea ice while navigating the Northern Sea Route, despite Russia's development of naval icebreakers.
Northern Sea Route, Arctic Ocean, Russia
Eye on the Arctic

Historically bad year for dolphin strandings on Cape Cod has scientists looking for answers
Cape Cod experiences a historic rise in dolphin strandings, with warming waters affecting food availability, prompting scientists to seek solutions.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States
CTV News

Dire condition of Alaska's seafood industry has many causes and no easy fixes, experts say
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.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Beacon

Thousands of exploded craters discovered on the Kara seabed
Russian researchers have identified thousands of craters on the Kara Sea bed due to explosive methane gas releases, posing potential risks to underwater gas pipelines.
Kara Sea, Siberia, Russia

First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year
Scientists observed North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay with abundant food, offering hope for a strong feeding and breeding season.
Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, United States
Press Herald

OPINION: To defend democracy — and our climate — we have to vote for it
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.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Power supply was restored in the village of Rytkuchi, flooded by the storm
Power was restored in Rytkuchi, Chukotka after a storm caused village-wide flooding.
Рыткучи, Чаунский район, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia

For more than a century, a fish plant fueled King Cove’s economy. Without it, can the community survive?
The seafood industry around the world has faced market turmoil. Few Alaska communities have been hit harder than King Cove.
King Cove, Alaska, United States

In the Northwest Arctic, damaging late-season storms could also be delaying sea ice formation
Kotzebue Sound is freezing 45 days later than historical averages, with climatologists attributing the delay to more intense fall storms linked to climate change.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

'The Russians are compromising security on Northern Sea Route'
Despite rapidly freezing Arctic waters, Moscow continues to send more than 20 years old ships without ice class to the Northern Sea Route. 'They are compromising security,' a Norwegian professor in ice navigation says.
Bering Strait

More sea water sampling after testing finds high hydrocarbon levels around HMNZS Manawanui
The Royal New Zealand Navy vessel HMNZS Manawanui sank off the coast of Samoa, leading to elevated hydrocarbon levels in the surrounding seawater. Further sampling is planned to assess environmental impact.
Upolu, Samoa
NZ Herald

Arctic residents face high risk from toxic effects of plastics, ACAT report finds
The ACAT report reveals that the Arctic Ocean Basin has the highest global concentration of microplastics, posing significant health risks to local wildlife and residents.
Arctic

New research uses 130 years of historic flood observations to help identify future risks
This research compiles over a century of local flood data in Alaska to improve future flood risk prediction and planning, addressing the lack of accessible historic flood information for community and regional use.
Western and Northern, Alaska, United States

Why melting ice sheets are making our days longer
The melting of polar ice sheets due to climate change is causing Earth's rotation to slow down and its axis to shift, potentially surpassing the moon's influence on these dynamics and affecting technologies like GPS.
Earth
Washington Post

Ban sale of puffin meat, says expert
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.
Iceland
RÚV

No clamming in Ninilchik or Clam Gulch this year
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.
Homer, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Nome welcomes 1,800 cruise ship visitors to town
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.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

New Alaska water quality rules are coming. Here's what that could mean for wastewater systems.
Alaska's impending water quality regulations may necessitate advanced treatment for contaminants like phthalates in wastewater, posing challenges for local systems to comply with stricter EPA standards.
Alaska, United States

Syke: Finland's sea areas at 'significant risk' for toxic blue-green algae blooms
The institute started monitoring the cyanobacteria situation at the beginning of June and will continue until the end of September.
Finland
News

How much fish do Alaskans eat? Enough to require new water pollution rules, EPA says
The EPA is pushing Alaska to update water pollution rules due to Alaskans' high seafood consumption, with state officials acknowledging the need for revised standards.

Qawalangin Tribe works to reintroduce blue mussels as safe local food source
While blue mussels are a traditional source of subsistence food in Unalaska, in recent years, reduced numbers and concerns about paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, have limited the amount locals can safely harvest.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
KUCB

Sea levels are likely to rise throughout Norway as a result of climate change
The sea level will probably rise along the entire coast of Norway. Stavanger is among the most vulnerable places.
Norway
NRK

Scientists, Alaska Native leaders say the Arctic faces a growing crisis from plastic waste
Arctic communities and scientists report a crisis from increasing plastic waste, which contaminates traditional food sources and threatens the health of Alaska Native populations.
Bering Sea, Alaska

Russian objection to U.S. territorial claims off Alaska complicates maritime relationship
Russia's objection to U.S. claims off Alaska highlights tensions in maritime relations and underscores the U.S. disadvantage in territorial disputes due to its non-ratification of the Law of the Sea treaty.
Arctic Ocean

Juneau had a record-breaking cruise season last year. This year should be about the same.
Juneau implements a new daily limit of five large cruise ships to manage record-breaking tourism and address local concerns about traffic and quality of life.
Juneau, Alaska, United States

Tsunami program that informs Alaskans of the danger is itself at risk
It funds maps, sirens and education. "Losing this program, really, at the end of the day could mean deaths in Alaska," says a state official.
Cordova, Alaska, United States

Western Alaska tribes, outraged by bycatch, turn up the heat on fishery managers and trawlers
The years-long debate is taking on increasing urgency as subsistence harvesting bans continue and the policy responses under consideration threaten to impose steep costs on the industry.
Nulato, Alaska, United States

Landslide-triggered tsunamis can strike without warning. Alaska researchers are trying to change that.
Alaska researchers are developing a method to detect landslide-triggered tsunamis, aiming to provide early warnings for such unpredictable events.

Commercial fisheries may soon be at the Bering Strait’s doorstep
Sea ice loss, warming waters and the northward expansion of fish species like pollock are all contributing to a pattern in the Bering Strait region known as “borealization.” That means the Arctic ecosystem is becoming more like the boreal region to the south.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Alaska creates climate plan to reduce statewide emissions and fund a wide range of sustainable energy projects
Alaska's new Sustainable Energy Action Plan aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy, excluding oil industry cuts.

Ice measuring in Kotzebue can help snowmachiners and scientists alike
The Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub and the Native Village of Kotzebue deployed an under-ice oceanographic instrument to monitor ice thickness and snow depth at a site offshore of town.

Norway need more ammunition, the Chemring Nobel explosive plant increases its emissions fivefold
The Chemring Nobel explosive plant in Norway is increasing its emissions fivefold, raising concerns about worsening nitrogen pollution in the Oslo fjord.
Oslo, Oslo, Norway
NRK

Study tracks calls used by endangered Cook Inlet belugas, and human-made noise in their habitat
The article discusses concerns over the impact of human-made noise on endangered Cook Inlet belugas and the debate over noise mitigation measures.
Cook Inlet, Alaska

Over 20 Alaska villages on tap for $125M in federal funds for solar and hydroelectric projects
Alaska is set to receive $125M in federal funds for renewable energy projects, benefiting over 20 villages with solar, hydroelectric, and storage initiatives.

Scientists investigate paralytic shellfish poisoning as possible factor in large marine die offs
Scientists are investigating the widespread presence of paralytic shellfish toxins in Alaska's marine food chain, which may explain recent species die-offs.
Kavitha George, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

NASA climate satellite blasts off to survey oceans and atmosphere of a warming Earth
NASA's PACE satellite, designed to study ocean biology in unprecedented detail, has been successfully launched to enhance understanding of Earth's changing climate and improve weather forecasting.
Florida, United States
AP News

Microplastics found in body tissues of walruses harvested by Alaska hunters
“It’s a reflection of the plastic age we live in," said student researcher Tony Blade. "It’s ubiquitous."
Wainwright, Alaska, United States

A new children’s book about ringed seal highlights traditional knowledge and science in Kotzebue
The new children's book combines traditional knowledge and scientific research to tell the story of a ringed seal pup in Kotzebue, Alaska, with a focus on the impact of climate change.

NZ's first caulerpa dredging machine to be used in Northland's fight against invasive seaweed
New Zealand's first mechanical suction dredge is being trialed in Northland to combat the invasive seaweed caulerpa, potentially revolutionizing marine biosecurity efforts.
Murchison, Tasman, New Zealand
NZ Herald

Norway expands oil drilling, boosts production
Norway awards 62 new oil drilling licenses, signaling a push towards a 15-year peak in oil and gas production despite international calls for a halt in fossil fuel exploration.
Barents Sea
The Independent Barents Observer

Norway receives sharp criticism in the European Parliament
Norway faces criticism from the European Parliament and environmental groups for its decision to allow mineral exploration in the Barents and Greenland Seas, despite concerns over potential ecological impacts and calls for a ban until proven safe.
Norway
NRK

Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin is high in some subsistence harvests, according to Knik Tribe’s data
Knik Tribe data reveals high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin in some Alaskan subsistence shellfish harvests, with variability in toxin levels across different locations.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States

Hatcheries hurt nearly all wild salmon populations, study finds
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.
Pacific Ocean
ArcticToday

Tribes organize 'First Indigenous Sovereign Habitat Tribal Conservation District' from Bering Sea to Interior Alaska
A coalition of 38 tribes in Alaska received a $1.2 million federal grant to establish the 'First Indigenous Sovereign Habitat Tribal Conservation District' for co-management of federal lands from the Bering Sea to Interior Alaska.
Bering Sea

'Like being at a loud rock concert': study looks at how ship noise affects Arctic marine mammals |
A study reveals that increased ship noise in the Arctic disrupts the behavior and communication of marine mammals, impacting local wildlife and indigenous hunting practices.
Beaufort Sea
CBC

Anchorage used to have an active climate action plan. What happened to it?
Anchorage's climate action plan, adopted in 2019 to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050, has seen little progress and poor communication under Mayor Bronson's administration.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

America is larger now, by declaration of State Department
The U.S. State Department has expanded America's territory by defining the extent of its continental shelf, claiming an area roughly twice the size of California, mostly in the Arctic.

Annual Arctic Report Card focuses on Indigenous knowledge and resilience after warmest summer on record
The 2023 Arctic Report Card highlights unprecedented summer warmth, ecological shifts, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge in understanding and adapting to climate change impacts.
The Arctic

Investing in offshore wind where we hardly know anything about nature
Norway faces criticism for allowing companies to conduct their own environmental impact assessments for offshore wind projects, with calls for stricter regulations and better use of existing marine research to protect nature.
Norway

Study points to concurrent marine heat waves as culprit in Western Alaska chum declines
In the much-higher water temperatures that lingered in the 2014-19 period, juvenile chum salmon metabolism was super-charged, meaning they needed more food, said the study, by scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. But the food that was available was of low quality — things like jellyfish instead of the fatpacked krill and other prey they normally eat, the study said.
Bering Sea

Steller sea lions top list of Alaska marine mammals killed by human activities
Steller sea lions are the most affected by human activities in Alaska, leading to hundreds of deaths, primarily due to entanglement in fishing gear.

Alaska communities must adapt as climate change transforms state, federal report says
Alaska communities are facing significant challenges due to climate change, including the disappearance of snow crabs, threats to subsistence hunting and fishing, and difficulties in processing and storing food, but some communities are taking action and developing local climate adaptation plans with the support of funding and collaboration between different governments and agencies.

Extreme flooding on Alaska’s Arctic highway caused thaw-induced sinking in later years
Extreme flooding on Alaska's Arctic highway in 2015 caused thaw-induced sinking in the permafrost terrain up to 3 inches deep, with the most significant effects occurring in ice-rich areas, according to a newly published study.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States

A squeaky wheel with data: how Nipissing First Nation is healing environmental damage
Nipissing First Nation in Ontario, Canada is using innovative methods, such as aerating water and replacing invasive species with wild rice, to heal environmental damage and improve the ecosystem.
Ontario, Canada
The Narwhal

Hooper Bay families displaced by Merbok could lose housing this month
Families in Hooper Bay, Alaska, who were displaced by Typhoon Merbok last year and currently live in low-income housing, may lose their housing by the end of the month due to the expiration of their temporary emergency placement.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

Scientists count huge melts in many protective Antarctic ice shelves. Trillions of tons of ice lost
A new study reveals that four dozen Antarctic ice shelves have shrunk by at least 30% since 1997, with 28 of them losing more than half of their ice, raising concerns about sea level rise due to climate change.
Antarctica
The Associated Press

A year after Typhoon Merbok, some coastal Alaskans struggle to find subsistence foods
Coastal Alaskans in Hooper Bay and Chevak are struggling to find subsistence foods, such as berries and underground caches of roots called “mouse food”, due to the impact of Typhoon Merbok's storm surge and a cold, rainy summer.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States

U.S. Energy Department climate scientist visits Utqiaġvik to highlight permafrost and climate change research
A U.S. Energy Department climate scientist visited UtqiaÄ¡vik to evaluate research progress on permafrost and climate change, highlighting the importance of accurate measurements and models in predicting future climate patterns in the Arctic.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

WWF calls for restrictions on most Baltic herring
The Baltic Sea's main herring stocks have fallen below target levels, which is an alarming sign of changes in the sea's ecosystem, according to WWF Finland.
Baltic Sea, Finland
News

‘Too hot’ for salmon: How climate change is contributing to the Yukon salmon collapse
Researchers say climate change is playing a big role in the collapse, which has left thousands of people along the river without the salmon they depend on.
Yukon River, Alaska

As climate change and high costs plague Alaska's fisheries, fewer young people take up the trade
As climate change and high costs impact Alaska's fisheries, fewer young people are entering the trade, posing challenges for the industry's future.
CBC

Research team reveals new results of bottom sediments and subsea permafrost temperatures in the Russian Arctic shelf
A research team has discovered that bottom sediment temperatures in the Russian Arctic shelf vary across different regions, with the Kara Sea having higher temperatures due to warm currents and large Siberian rivers, and the Laptev Sea and East Siberian Sea having the lowest temperatures and thicker subsea permafrost, which is important for understanding the degradation of permafrost and methane emissions in the region.
Kara Sea
Phys.org

Teller may move to higher ground
Teller is considering moving to a new subdivision site to avoid flood zones and eventually connect to water and sewer systems, with the project estimated to be completed by summer 2025.
Teller, Alaska, United States

Retreating sea ice in Arctic affecting zooplankton behaviour
“Particularly when it comes to the topmost 20 metres of the water column, just below the sea ice, there was no available data on the zooplankton,” Hauke Flores, a researcher from the  Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI),said in a statement. “But it’s precisely this hard-to-reach area that’s most interesting,
ArcticToday

Alaska watches, nervously, as Ukraine war pushes more Russian oil through Bering Strait
While the ships are free to pass through the Bering Strait, its 55-mile width means that any spills would be likely to drift toward Alaska communities.

Southeast commercial red and blue king crab fishery remains closed for upcoming season
The Southeast Alaska commercial red and blue king crab fishery will remain closed for the upcoming season due to low stock numbers, although some areas have shown signs of rebounding, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska's News Source

Severe Vibrio vulnificus Infections in the United States Associated with Warming Coastal Waters
Severe Vibrio vulnificus infections in the United States are associated with warming coastal waters, with an increase in infections in the Eastern United States and an expanded geographic range.
United States
CDC - Health Alert Network (HAN) - 00497 |

More than 25 tons of garbage were removed by volunteers of the Clean Arctic project in the north of Chukotka
Volunteers of the Clean Arctic project in the north of Chukotka, Russia, have removed more than 25 tons of garbage. The project aims to clean up the Arctic region and protect its fragile ecosystem. The volunteers have been working tirelessly to collect and dispose of waste, including plastic, metal, and other debris. The efforts have been successful in reducing pollution and preserving the natural beauty of the area. The project has received support from local communities and organizations, and it continues to make a positive impact on the environment.
Billings, Russia

Sunflower stars take center stage in kelp research
A decline in the population of sea otters, a well-known predator of urchins and other kelp-eating critters, led to the spread of “urchin barrens” along the Pacific coast, where urchins have mowed down entire kelp forests. Now, researchers are trying to figure out if, and how, other predators such as sunflower stars could play a complementary role in protecting the kelp forests.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

NOAA increases reward to $20K for information on endangered sea lion killings
So far, 22 sea lions have been found, with signs of human interaction, including gunshot wounds.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Alaska geologists dig into Bering Sea’s past storms to understand future ones
Extreme weather events like Typhoon Merbok are becoming more common, and many Alaska communities are wondering about the future.
Bering Sea

Alarming, above-average ice loss in Greenland due to rising temperatures
Satellite images from NASA show the alarming and above-average ice loss in Greenland due to rising temperatures, with significant melting and a transformation of the snow cover observed during the 2023 melting season.
Greenland
Eye on the Arctic

As climate change transforms the Arctic, Homeland Security must adapt, official says
The forces of climate change that are reducing ice cover and opening up the Arctic to more activity are making Alaska more important in regards to Homeland Security. For the Department, which has a combination of public safety, emergency response and law-enforcement functions, climate change is creating new challenges for which old responses are no longer adequate.
The Arctic

'Seeing is believing': VR project immerses viewers in climate change on Yukon's Herschel Island
The virtual reality project Qikiqtaruk: Arctic at Risk is transporting people to Yukon's northernmost point without them ever having to leave home.
Herschel Island, Canada
CBC

Fallout of French nuclear testing in Pacific still affecting men decades later
Kiwi crews exposed to radiation at Mururoa Atoll hold concerns for subsequent generations.
French Polynesia
NZ Herald

Global heat waves show climate change and El Niño are a bad combo
Scientists say worsening heat waves have a clear link to climate change. This year, a seasonal El Niño pattern will also be adding fuel to the fire.
Pacific Ocean
KTOO

Cook Inlet beluga whale population stabilizes
Beluga whales in Cook Inlet have been in a long period of decline, about two percent a year. But a new population count points to a reversal. The latest numbers have led researchers to declare the population stable for the first time in decades.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
KNBA

Study: Erosion has made the Bering Strait a meter deeper on the Alaska side than it used to be
A research project found that the Bering Strait is at least a meter deeper on the Alaska side than previously believed, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The project evaluated new and old bathymetric surveys, applying modern technology to the latter to more accurately pinpoint locations.
Bering Strait
ArcticToday

Dunleavy again vetoes research project on salmon bycatch
$513,000 was vetoed in state budget that would have looked into the origin of salmon caught by the Bering Sea pollock fleet.

In 'major victory' for Southeast Alaska trollers, federal appeals panel reverses fishery closure
A federal appeals panel issued a last-second ruling Wednesday that will allow this summer’s Southeast Alaska troll chinook salmon fishery to open as scheduled July 1.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Ongoing internet outage hamstrings 911, other vital services in Northwest Alaska
It’s been a week since ice severed a fiber optic cable in the Arctic Ocean, cutting communications to several Northwest Alaska communities.

How they save the kelp forest in the north – from "sea urchin desert" to the sea's nursery
During the 1970's much of the Norwegian coastline was overfished. In the past, a kelp forest provided shelter and food for local sealife. Today, the seabed, along the Norwegian coastline is a sea urchin desert. Researchers, volunteers, and the "Kelp Keepers" in Tromso, are removing the sea urchins and rebuilding the kelp forest.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway

EPA has new rules for oil spill dispersants
Dispersants may break up an oil slick, sparing some birds and wildlife at the surface, but may increase the oil contamination for species that live lower in the water column. The toxicity of dispersants themselves is also a concern for cleanup workers and other wildlife. A group of Alaskans filed a lawsuit in 2020 to force the EPA to rewrite the rules to take into account research on the long-term effects of dispersants in Prince William Sound and elsewhere.
Valdez, Alaska, United States

Invasive pike can use Cook Inlet to travel between freshwater systems, research finds
Now, for the first time, researchers have concrete evidence that northern pike could use the ocean to move between freshwater Alaska habitats.
Soldotna, Alaska, United States

Two icebreakers escort gas tanker in first summer shipment on Arctic route
Ice lies thick on the water as nuclear powered icebreakers "Sibir" and "Arktika" escort LNG carrier "Fedor Litke" into the Vilkitsky Strait en route to a Northeast Asian port.
Vilkitsky Strait, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Ancient Indigenous 'clam gardens' could be modern-day climate solution
For close to four millennia, "clam gardens" on beaches on the west coast of B.C. have provided First Nations with a supply of not just clams but other types of seafood. Scientific experimentation by researchers from Simon Fraser University, in collaboration with Coastal Salish First Nations, indicates clam gardens help sea life stay cooler. The research aims to show how ancient Indigenous practices offer a modern-day solution to coping with climate change.
Russell Island,, British Columbia, Canada

Sail, solar panels, battery. Norwegian zero-emission cruise concept revealed
Hurtigruten Norway says the first zero-emission coastal cruise vessels will be sailing in 2030.

Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer by 2030s, say scientists
The Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer by the 2030s, even if we do a good job of reducing emissions between now and then.

A large fish that fills freezers in Northwest Alaska could be in danger
Following a thaw slump, the water becomes cloudy and full of sediment, potentially suffocating the eggs of spawning sheefish. Scientists are concerned that permafrost thaw could lead to declines in the sheefish population, a staple food for many Alaskans.

Bering Sea 2019 heatwave produced extreme change
The Bering Sea region is front and center for federal fisheries researchers after the 2019 heatwave produced extreme change in the marine ecosystem.
Bering Sea Region

19 cruise ships scheduled to visit Unalaska this season, with UVB 'optimistic' after several challenging years
After decrease tourism during the pandemic Unalaska prepares for summer tourism season and a way for the community to share the history, culture, and environmental stewardship of the Unangan people,
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Microplastics: we've found startling quantities in the ice algae that are essential for all Arctic marine life
Arctic ice algae contain microplastics and the quantities were startling - a magnitude ten times higher than recorded in the surrounding water.
Arctic

This year’s El Niño weather pattern could mean more storms for southern Alaska
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has declared this year’s climate to be an El Niño year, based on Pacific Ocean conditions.
Pacific Ocean

10 billion snow crabs disappeared from the Bering Sea. Scientists and fishermen are working to learn why.
Such a large, sudden die-off and a lack of sea ice were a red flag for scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Research spotlights the impact of climate change on Pacific salmon migration
Climate change is knocking some Pacific salmon out of alignment with the growth of the ocean plankton they eat to survive, new research says.
British Columbia

'Whale is the center of everything'
On the north slope, the whale brings together and sustains life for everyone. "We have a bond with the animals. They fed us, they clothed us, they sheltered us since time immemorial. Without them, we wouldn't survive the Arctic."
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

How melting Arctic ice could be fueling extreme wildfires in Alaska
As Western wildfires get more destructive, scientists are finding a far-off connection to shrinking ice on the Arctic Ocean.
KTOO

Climate change thaws world's northernmost research station
At the world’s northernmost year-round research station, scientists are racing to understand how the fastest-warming place on Earth is changing — and what those changes may mean for the planet’s future.
Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

Analyzing the fat of killer whales reveals what they eat
Scientists are studying the diets of the oceans’ top predators as they change in response to their environments. This is because how much and what they eat can affect how ecosystems function.

2022 Bering Sea algal bloom was one of the largest, most toxic ever observed nationwide
Last July, researchers detected high concentrations of a toxin-producing algae offshore in the Bering Strait region.
Bering Straits

What is Iceland's Energy Mix?
Historically of all stationary energy produced in Iceland, some 70% is hydroelectric and 30% is geothermal. In figures recently released on 2021 energy usage in Iceland, it has come to light that 63% of energy used in Iceland was produced by fossil fuel, 24% by nuclear power, and only 13% by renewable energy sources.
Iceland
Iceland Review

Thousands of seals to be hunted — to protect fisheries
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has allowed for 1,500 grey seals to be hunted in the Baltic Sea and 630 harbour seals on the west coast.
Sweden

Western Alaska chum bycatch limits are moving forward — slowly
Potential new limits on the accidental catch of chum salmon by pollock trawlers are still years away from being implemented.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States

Fish hatcheries, long seen as a last resort, get a new look amid Yukon River salmon crisis
First Nations groups in the Yukon Territory and Alaska GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration are advancing discussions about whether hatcheries could help stem a steep crash in salmon populations on the Yukon River.

The Bering Sea’s smallest organisms are losing fat, putting larger predators at risk
Large, high-fat copepods — distantly related to shrimp and crab — are dwindling and loosing fat with the lack of sea ice from global warming.

Hawaii's lawmakers mull imposing fees to pay for ecotourism crush
Taking care of Hawaii's unique natural environment takes time, people and money. Now Hawaii wants tourists to help pay for it.
Hawaii, United States

Alaska marine debris experts call for tighter regulation and more cleanup funding
Coordinating teams to collect and sort marine debris, plus shipping it to a landfill or recycling center is an expensive logistical nightmare as Alaska waters increase with marine debris.

Sea ice loss affects biodiversity, economy and travel safety, hunters and scientists say during a conference
"Siku" means sea ice in the Siberian Yup'ik language. But about a hundred other Yup'ik words describe different types of sea ice, including icebergs, floating pressure ice ridges, solid ice safe for travel — and "pequ," "an unsuitable area in ice field where the current causes ice to heave up or break up," Vera Metcalf said.
Alaska

Hunting, visual storytelling and loss: Utqiaġvik photographer speaks at the Arctic at youth panel
Story telling provides a powerful tool in a changing climate. Epen Hobson has been experiencing the land and ocean through the perspective of an Inuit photographer and hunter. A recipient of the Arctic Resilient Communities Fellowship he shares, "We're an oral people, we tell stories, we teach by telling stories," The effects of climate change are concrete and dramatic for the Arctic communities such as Utqiagvik, and Hopson is hungry to see infrastructure and policy solutions to address them.

Alaska’s annual tsunami warning test failed for some communities
Wednesday was the annual test of Alaska’s tsunami warning system — but Homer, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Sitka and Unalaska didn't hear it at all.

Kotzebue ice is getting thinner but was still safe to travel
The ice outside of Kotzebue in the sound and further out into the Bering Sea is more like May Ice then March ice.

After the fatal polar bear attack in Wales, a collective approach to healing
Questions still linger about what caused the bear to kill a woman and her baby — but more important for Wales is the question of how to move on.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Cruise Ship Invasion
Take a typical Alaska cruise and see the damage in its wake. Waste-water disposal to on board garbage piles up leaking into the natural environment and local waste sites. Noise pollution from the ships impact whales and other species that rely on sounds for communication. Total visitors from the industry impact on small communities has pros and cons. The evidence is clear: the industry needs an overhaul.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Hakai Magazine

Here's the Real Story behind the Massive 'Blob' of Seaweed Heading toward Florida
A loose raft of brown seaweed spanning about twice the width of the U.S. is inching across the Caribbean. Among annual Sargassum censuses in the Atlantic Ocean, “2018 was the record year, and we’ve had several big years since,” says Brian Lapointe, an oceanographer at Florida Atlantic University, who has studied seaweed for decades. “This is the new normal, and we’re going to have to adapt to it.”
Palm Coast, Florida, United States
Scientific American

Murkowski, Peltola tell ComFish more needs to be done about ‘crisis’ levels of species decline
The lawmakers discussed the challenges faced by Alaska’s fishermen in a remote address to Kodiak’s annual commercial fishing trade show.
Kodiak, Alaska

Exceptional temperature increase in Arctic hotspot
The Barents area is the fastest warming place on the planet. A new study shows that the warming is happening twice as fast as previously thought.
Barents Sea

Bowhead whales are changing migration patterns in the Arctic
With ice declining, bowhead whales of the Pacific Arctic choose to stay longer in the waters up north. A change in migration patterns could affect the bowheads' health and safety, as well as the hunters' access to the subsistence resource.
Bering Straits

Seaweed farming inspires high hopes in Alaska for economic and environmental benefits
Seen as a bright spot in a troubled coastal economy, seaweed cultivation must overcome many obstacles to become big business in Alaska.

Ice in the Baltic Sea reducing due to climate change
The Baltic Sea is experiencing a reduction in ice due to climate change, with this winter seeing significantly less ice compared to previous years.
Baltic Sea

State shutters most Cook Inlet king salmon fishing this summer in unprecedented array of emergency closures
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced preseason fishing limits and closures Thursday as chinook numbers continue to decline. The closure also triggers commercial setnet shutdowns.
Cook Inlet, Alaska

Record-low quota caught as Bering Sea Tanner crab season wraps up
The fishing season has ended for Bering Sea Tanner crab. Crabbers caught the record-low quota of two million pounds just before the end of March. Nichols said the average size of the crab caught was smaller than in seasons past. That could be because buyers agreed to accept crab they would've previously turned away.

'Like a highway going right past us': Nome grapples with its future as Arctic shipping traffic increases
Residents wonder if a proposed port expansion will help or hinder efforts to address chronic social problems.

Arctic oilmen break through the ice to Tanalau
Ice lies thick on the Yenisey River as nuclear-powered icebreaker "Sibir" escorts a cargo ship to the remote terminal applied by oil company Rosneft
Yenisey River, Russia

Subsistence in these days of climate change
There’s an old saying that captures the essence of subsistence harvesting: “When the tide is out, the table is set.” Clams, mussels and other food are available for the person. Climate change has impacted subsistence in the ocean and on the land. Community members share observations on changes.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Diminished population of sunflower sea stars may get Endangered Species Act listing
The huge sea stars, which help conserve kelp beds by eating sea urchins, have been devastated by a wasting disease that is linked by scientists to climate change.

Crab crisis in Bering Sea a sign of ‘borealization’ and big changes in the future, scientists warn
In coming decades, the ocean conditions that triggered the snow crab crash and harvest closure are expected to be common.

Atmospheric rivers are hitting the Arctic more often, and increasingly melting its sea ice
Atmospheric rivers, those long, powerful streams of moisture in the sky, are becoming more frequent in the Arctic, and they’re helping to drive dramatic shrinking of the Arctic’s sea ice cover.
Arctic

How will the Bering Strait respond to harmful algal blooms?
Harmful algal blooms will become a more common feature of a warming Arctic. Last summer, a massive bloom was detected off the coast of Western Alaska, almost by chance, when scientists sailing through the Bering Strait and Chukchi Sea found worryingly high levels of Alexandrium catenella.
Bering Strait

Company stopped the municipality's reindeer facility - sewage goes straight into the fjord
About 25 kg of sticky mass from a company entered the sewage system. Sewage goes into the sea from operating plant impacting fish and other sealife.
Ålesund, Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Student project tracking microplastics found in Bering Strait-area spotted seals
A UAF graduate student has found microplastics in the stomachs of spotted seals harvested in the Bering Strait region.

'The ocean is their garden': Initiative aims to make whaling safer
Backyard Buoys project will give residents real time data such as wave height to whaling crews and communities throughout the North Slope. A system of buoys will be displaced across the slope this summer.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Rare attack in Alaska renews interest in polar bear patrols
For isolated communities at the top of the world, keeping the planet’s largest land predators -- polar bears -- out of town is key to coexistence.
Wales, Alaska, United States
AP NEWS

In northernmost Alaska, a battle is on to limit the damages of permafrost thaw
Warming soils beneath Utqiagvik are triggering erosion that threatens homes, infrastructure and cultural resources. The North Slope has seen some of the fastest changes in coastal erosion in the nation.

The hidden underwater forests that could help tackle the climate crisis
Underwater forests, such as kelp forests, have been found to cover a large area and have the potential to absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide, making them important in addressing the climate crisis, although more research is needed to understand their long-term carbon sequestration capabilities.
Bodega Bay, California, United States
the Guardian

Researchers discuss more salmon appearing in Arctic
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

Washing away
The Arctic hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., is collapsing into the ocean as it loses up to a meter of coastline each year. The people who live there are in a race against time to preserve their way of life — and their community — before it is washed away.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

Garbage collection from the coast and tundra after the storm was completed in the village of Rytkuchi
Garbage and wood were removed by the municipal services of the village of Rytkuchi of the Pevek urban district from the coastline and tundra near the settlement. This was the final stage of a large-scale clean-up, which began in the summer after a strong storm.
Prochukotku

Dead bowheads in Beaufort and Chukchi point to increased killer whale presence in Arctic
There are new signs that killer whales, which are swimming farther north and staying for longer periods of the year in Arctic waters, are increasingly preying on Alaska’s bowhead whales. A newly published study found that 2019, an especially warm year in the region, also seems to have been an especially dangerous year for bowheads.

St. Paul government declares emergency in attempt to get ahead of looming crab crash
The recent closure of the Bering Sea snow crab and Bristol Bay red king crab fisheries has some Western Alaska towns taking a hard look at their futures, including St. Paul.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States

Bering Sea king and snow crab seasons canceled amid population declines
For the first time ever, the Bering Sea snow crab fishery will not open for the upcoming season. The Bristol Bay red king crab fishery will also be closed for a second year in a row.

As support streams in, one village still accounting for what was lost in Western Alaska storm
Golovin was hurt worse than other places in the Norton Sound region by the remnants of typhoon Merbok as it swirled up through Bering Sea last weekend. Repairing the damage is going to take time — and the clock is ticking on winter’s arrival.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Wildfire smoke may have amplified arctic phytoplankton bloom
Smoke from a Siberian wildfire may have transported enough nitrogen to parts of the Arctic Ocean to amplify a phytoplankton bloom.
EurekAlert!

Saxitoxin detected in regional clam
A six-inch butter clam harvested on August 28 three miles north of Savoonga tested positive for saxitoxins, or paralytic shellfish poison, Norton Sound Health Corporation Environmental Coordinator Emma Pate said.The clam itself showed high levels of saxitoxin present: it had 450 micrograms of toxin per 100 gram of body tissue. The Food and Drug Administration’s safety limit is at 80 micrograms/100 g. Pate, via the SEATOR lab, on Sept. 23 issued a paralytic shellfish toxin advisory to Savoonga and Gambell.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

Authorities warn subsistence users about potentially harmful algal blooms
Researchers have found a high level of potentially harmful algae in the waters near Teller, Brevig Mission, Wales, Little Diomede and Shishmaref. They are now advising that residents of those areas…
KNOM Radio Mission

Alaska’s snow crabs have disappeared. Where they went is a mystery.
King crab legs for $199 a pound? There’s a reason for that.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
Washington Post

Recent Increase in Seal Deaths in Maine Linked to Avian Flu
NOAA Fisheries working with partners to determine the causes of death, and assess impacts.
Southern Maine Coast
NOAA

Pollutants from far distances found in Bering Sea animals hunted by Indigenous people
A newly published study shows the presence of chemical pollutants in marine mammals and reindeer hunted by St. Lawrence Island villagers.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

Ancient disks revealed unsettled climate change in Svalbard
The temperature on the delar of Svalbard has risen to twice as fast as the time period known. No can forecast at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute document the greatest warming in the world.
Island of Karl XII, Spitsbergen

Sheen continues to spread from tug grounded in Neva Strait
On Thursday, for the first time, the sheen was reported in Krestof Sound, an area where Pacific herring are known to spawn in the spring.

Mapping reveals rapid changes to the Arctic seafloor as ancient submerged permafrost thaws
Researchers documented the formation of new, irregularly shaped, steep-sided depressions. The largest was an oval-shaped depression 28 meters (92 feet) deep, 225 meters (738 feet) long, and 95 meters (312 feet) wide. The research team attributes these changes to intermittent seafloor collapse due to the gradual warming of the permafrost sediment frozen beneath the Arctic Shelf since the end of the last ice age.
Beaufort Sea
Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Alaska worries about salmon runs as climate change warms Arctic waters
With marine heat waves helping to wipe out some of Alaska’s storied salmon runs in recent years, officials have resorted to sending emergency food shipments to affected communities while scientists warn that the industry’s days of traditional harvests may be numbered. Salmon all but disappeared from the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) Yukon River run last year.

A new study predicts a huge increase in catastrophic hurricanes for the northeastern U.S.
When hurricanes cause both extreme high tides and heavy rains, devastating floods ensue. Such storms will get much more frequent by the end of the century, according to a new study.
Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
NPR.org

Skagway’s blue mussels were nearly wiped out last year
The Skagway Traditional Council is asking harvesters to avoid blue mussels until the population rebounds.
Haines, Alaska, United States

Russia's grand Arctic plan might get stuck in the ice
The troublesome shipping on the Northern Sea Route continues into the new year. Almost three weeks after the world's most powerful icebreaker arrived in the Chukchi Sea, none of the four vessels stuck in the area have broken out of the ice.
Chukchi Sea

Weather year 2021
In 2021, the average temperature in Norway was normal, while precipitation was 10 percent below normal. The year is nevertheless marked by great contrasts. The summary of the weather in 2021 was presented at the Meteorological Institute's annual event Climate Status on 5 January. Here you can see video footage of Climate Status (Vimeo)
Meteorologisk institutt

Retreating glaciers will open up salmon streams in Alaska, study says
Deglaciation could increase salmon habitat by nearly 30% in the Gulf of Alaska by 2100.
Mendenhall Glacier

Ships complete 'historical passage' on Northern Sea Route
It has been an Arctic odyssey for the ships and crews that in November got stuck in sea-ice on the remote Northern Sea Route. After a month of icy captivity and subsequent icebreaker rescue, a convoy of nine vessels this week made it to safety in the Kara Sea. On December 7, a Russian nuclear icebreaker completed
New Siberian Islands

Sitka Tribe’s shellfish lab honored for safeguarding traditional foods
The lab tests samples from 17 communities in Southeast, as well as from tribes on Kodiak Island.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

After a month stuck in Arctic sea ice, nine vessels make it to Kara Sea
Never before at this time of year have so many vessels been rescued out of the ice, says Russia's nuclear icebreaker operator Rosatom. It has been an Arctic odyssey for the ships and crews that in November got stuck in sea-ice on the remote Northern Sea Route.
Kara Sea

Climate change is making Glacier Bay unstable. Scientists are mapping the risks to visitors
Landslides and tsunamis aren’t historically common in Glacier Bay, but because more than half a million visitors tour the park each year park managers want to get a clearer picture of the risks of tsunamis and landslides, which have become more common recently due to a changing climate.

NOAA Bottom Trawl Survey finds warmer waters and declining fish populations
Multiple fish populations in the Bering Sea have experienced a slight decline, according to the 2021 Bottom Trawl survey.

Scientists report an increase in harmful algal blooms in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas
Since bottom water temperatures have been warming drastically across the Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas over the last few years, cysts are now growing locally in Arctic waters. The blooms carry toxins, but scientists aren’t yet sure what impact they will have on marine mammals.

Cost to save Tuktoyaktuk from climate change: $42 million and rising
Protecting the coast of Tuktoyaktuk from the onslaught of climate change is estimated to cost at least $42 million and is only guaranteed to last until 2052. Over the project’s 30-year lifespan, over 60,000 cubic metres of sand are expected to be brought to keep the beach intact.
Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada
NNSL Media

Declining sea ice in Kotzebue Sound is shortening subsistence hunt for seals, study finds
Seal meat makes up a good portion of what’s in subsistence hunters’ freezers in Kotzebue. But the sea ice the seals haul out on is diminishing, and new research shows that's shortening the window to hunt seals.

Pacific Northwest Heat Wave Killed More Than One Billion Sea Creatures
Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Scientific American

More than a billion seashore animals may have cooked to death in B.C. heat wave, says UBC researcher
A marine biologist at the University of British Columbia estimates that last week's record-breaking heat wave in B.C. may have killed more than one billion intertidal animals living along the Salish Sea coastline.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

How Cows Destroyed an Entire Marine Ecosystem in California
A researcher's quest to understand a mysterious mass extinction leads to cud-chewing culprits.
The Southern California Bight, USA
Atlas Obscura

Freezing Temperatures in Early June Slow Ocean Warming in Bering Sea
Despite seeing snow fall across the Norton Sound and Nome earlier this month, summer weather seems to have arrived in Western Alaska.

U.S. must urge Japan not to release Fukushima wastewater into the sea
The era of intentionally dumping toxic waste in our one global ocean is, or should be, over.
Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan

Record-breaking ocean temps hurting local sea life
A sobering warning on Earth Day: Scripps researchers say record-breaking ocean temperatures and toxin levels are harming local sea life.
La Jolla, California, United States
FOX 5 San Diego

Australian islanders' homes being ‘eaten away’ by rising sea levels
‘Something has to be done right now ... don’t wait for the time when we’re going to be moved off and be refugees in our own country’
Masig Island, Torres Strait, Australia
The Independent

Climate change driving marine species poleward
Warming waters have driven thousands of ocean species poleward from the equator, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of people who depend on them.
Tropical Maine Ecosystems
Phys.org

Sea level rise is killing trees along the Atlantic coast, creating 'ghost forests'
As sea levels rise along the Atlantic coast, saltwater is intruding inland, killing trees and turning coastal forests into marshes. Should scientists try to slow the process, or work with it?
Atlantic Coastal Plain, United States
The Conversation

Bering Sea Ice “Resilient” Against Winter Storms, Extent is Below Historical Average
News stories specifically for Western Alaska. Each article or newscast is filled with information about current events, legislation, political races, cultural celebrations, and…
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

Russia Floats Arctic Shipping Route as ‘Viable’ Suez Canal Alternative
Russia has proposed its strategic Arctic shipping route as an alternative to the Suez Canal after a 400-meter cargo ship got stuck in the canal, blocking one of the world's key shipping routes and sparking fears of a rise in oil prices.
The Moscow Times

Plastic pollution threatens the Mekong, a wildlife wonderland
Plastic pollution is threatening the wildlife in the Mekong River Basin.
Mekong River
UNEP

Baby boom: More Right whale babies spotted off East Coast this season
An endangered species of whale that lives off the East Coast is having its best season for new babies in several years.
Portland, Maine, United States
WMUR

Narwhal tusks reveal impact of climate change on Arctic sea ice
Enlarged tooth projecting from upper jaw of males offers window onto life in frozen seas as far back as 1960s. From 1990 until 2000, ice in northwest Greenland began to decline and the diet of the narwhals shifted to open-ocean prey such as capelin and polar cod. Narwhals accumulated small quantities of mercury as the new items of prey sat lower in the food chain.
Northwest, Greenland
The Independent

Manatees are dying at an unusually high rate across Florida in 2021
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, at least 358 manatees have died in Florida since Jan. 1. This is a staggering number compared to just 122 deaths by this time last year.
Titusville, Florida, United States
WPLG

Kelp forest off Northern California almost gone
The study shows the destruction of the kelp forest was related to an explosion in the population of purple sea urchin, which eats it, and two warm water events that lasted from 2014 to 2016.
Northern California Coast, United States
SFGATE

If cruise ships aren't behind Ketchikan’s beach bacteria problem, what is?
For the fourth year in a row, weekly summer water quality tests show that most Ketchikan beaches have elevated levels of bacteria that could make people sick. That happened this year even without dozens of cruise ships sailing through the Inside Passage and discharging wastewater.
Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest in a millennium
Decline in system underpinning Gulf Stream could lead to more extreme weather in Europe and higher sea levels on US east coast.
North Atlantic Ocean
the Guardian

‘Breaking ice to move gas’: As Russian tanker-icebreaker duo complete milestone Arctic voyage, climate activists side with ice
Following a nuclear-powered icebreaker, a Russian tanker has sailed through the frigid Northern Sea Route for the first time ever in February. “Won’t somebody think of the poor ice?”, climate-conscious commenters shouted.
RT International

Hungry Alaskan Bears Find a New Prey
There is a unexplained trend with sea otter carcasses on the beaches in Katmai National Park and Preserve. Many of the dead animals appeared to be in their prime.
Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Hakai Magazine

How the loss of Bering Sea ice is triggering cascading effects for the ecosystem — and the people and wildlife that depend on it -
The Bering Sea region, the Pacific gateway to the Arctic Ocean, is home to ecosystems on land and in the ocean that are both abundant and fragile. It’s also changing very quickly — and those changes offer a preview of the changes in store for other parts of the Arctic.

Deep water temperatures hit 'scary' highs
A decade-long warming trend in the Gulf of St. Lawrence continued in 2020. Water temperatures at depths of 200, 250 and 300 metres were higher than any measured in the Gulf since records started in 1915, hitting highs of 5.7 C, 6.6 C and 6.8 C. All were well above the normal variations.
Gulf of St Lawrence

Nation's sole heavy icebreaker arrives in Unalaska
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.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States

Record Cold Winter in Asia Sends Russian LNG Via Arctic to Japan
Cold temperatures and traffic congestion at the Panama Canal has resulted in a shortage of natural gas and exploding prices in parts of Asia. Now, Novatek aims to send LNG from the Arctic to Japan during the middle of winter in an untested high-risk, high-reward strategy.
Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
High North News

Feeding barge “not leaking oil”
It will become clearer in the coming days how the sunken barge owned by Laxa aquaculture in Reyðarfjörður, East Iceland, will be re-floated after this weekend’s storm. Divers are working on the vessel again today and, so far, it appears no diesel or other oil has leaked into the sea.
Reyðarfjörður, East, Iceland
RÚV

Bocaccio rockfish recruitment event
Bocaccio rockfish have made a huge comeback in B.C. since being deemed endangered in 2013, but the success story is being met with some trepidation as trawler fishermen can’t seem to avoid netting them now.
Canada's Pacific marine ecosystems

Deadly skin disease in dolphins linked to climate change
A closeup view of a bottlenose dolphin shows signs of skin lesions associated with a deadly skin disease known as ulcerative dermatitis. The increasing frequency and severity of storm systems drastically decrease the salinity of coastal waters, causing fatal skin disease in dolphins worldwide.
Gulf of Mexico
CTVNews

Climate change is increasing winter drownings: study
As winters get warmer, the number of drowning deaths is going up. "I just don't think we have appreciated that is one of the costs," said one scientist.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
Cabin Radio

Surfers ask Vladimir Putin to take closer look at rocket fuel version of Kamchatka eco disaster
The appeal was sent to president Putin on 30 October on behalf of Moscow and St Petersburg surfing federations, pointing his attention to the fact that traces of rocket fuel were found in samples from the polluted area. It means that the anthropogenic version of the recent environmental catastrophe mustn’t be brushed aside, the surfers say.
Siberian Times

Death of Sea Life Off Russia Peninsula 'Caused By Algae'
The event caused a die off of up to 95% of marine life along the seabed. The Russia's Academy of Sciences announced that the mass death was due to the effects of toxins from single-cell algae. Environmentalists are conducting their own inquiries and were not yet able to confirm the official probe's findings.
Environmental campaigners said they were conducting their own inquiries and were not yet able to confirm the official probe's findings.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia

Massive marine die-off in Russia could threaten endangered sea otters, other vulnerable species
Now believed to be caused by an unprecedented algae bloom, the decimation of bottom-dwelling sea life may have devastating ripple effects.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
National Geographic

Could a Lethal Algae Bloom Have Killed Kamchatka’s Sea Creatures? Some Marine Biologists Think So
A broad area of yellow foam is prompting some marine biologists to blame the catastrophe on a harmful algae. However, Governor Vladimir Solodov believes the most likely explanation is a spill. Tests have shown petroleum levels four times higher and phenol levels 2.5 times above normal.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia

Russian rocket fuel leak likely cause of marine animal deaths
Injured surfers and large number of dead sea creatures reported in Kamchatka region. Some experts have suggested highly toxic rocket fuel could have leaked into the sea. The first test site, Radygino, is about six miles (10km) from the sea.
the Guardian

How Shaktoolik, Alaska is Addressing Flooding and Erosion
Eugene Asicksik, the mayor at the time, had watched Shaktoolik’s shoreline erode for years. After the September 2013 storm threw tree-sized driftwood dangerously close to the homes, Eugene knew something had to be done to protect the community. He turned to beavers for inspiration, designing Shaktoolik’s first storm surge berm based on the impressive beaver dams upriver.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
ANTHC Center for Environmentally Threatened Communities

Invasive shrimp-sucking parasite continues northward Pacific expansion
Researchers have identified an invasive blood-sucking parasite on mud shrimp in the waters of British Columbia's Calvert Island. The discovery represents the northern-most record of the parasite on the West Coast and is likely an indication of its ability to spread without human transport.
Calvert Island, British Columbia, Canada
Phys.org

Expedition to North Pole paints picture of Arctic climate change
The expedition's easy journey from Greenland to the North Pole is another indicator of how the Arctic is impacted by climate change more than anywhere else on Earth, writes CBC's northern meteorologist.
North Pole

Study shows Alaska salmon are shrinking
The shrinking of chinook, sockeye, coho and chum salmon has a negative impact on the number of eggs fish lay, but smaller body sizes also mean fewer meals, fewer commercial fishing dollars and fewer nutrients transported into rivers every year.

Alaska's salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems
The size of salmon returning to rivers in Alaska has declined dramatically over the past 60 years because they are spending fewer years at sea, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Phys.Org

Newly-discovered seaweed species threatens protected coral reefs in Pacific
Scientists have said the algae is spreading faster than anything they have seen in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Pearl & Hermes Atoll, Midway, US Minor Outlying Islands
Sky News

Sea lice outbreak in juvenile salmon prompts First Nations leaders to call for fish farm closures
Wild salmon have higher rates of the parasites when ocean fish farms are near, research shows
Discovery Islands
Victoria News
Zoe Ducklow, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Historic low numbers of large wild Atlantic salmon
A group advocating for the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon says the number of adult salmon returning to North America rivers fell to near historic lows last year.
Rivers of Eastern Canada

The Blob is Warming BC’s Fjords
Scientists thought it was dead. But it’s heating water faster than the global average.
Fjords of British Columbia
The Tyee

Global warming fuels algal bloom disrupting fisheries in Arabian Sea
A new scientific study published Monday found that global warming is fueling a destructive algal bloom that is disrupting fisheries in the Arabian sea.
UPI

Salmon are getting sick too
Feather, fur or fin, all creatures contend with viruses.
Even those athletes of our rivers, Atlantic salmon, usually aren’t as healthy as they look.
A study of tissue samples taken from 150 Atlantic salmon found 14 separate infectious
Western North Atlantic Ocean
The Chronicle Herald

First federal assessment of Arctic Ocean finds drastic change
Changes are coming to the Arctic so fast that scientists haven't even had a chance to understand what's there

'The Blob’ fizzles - at least for now - as storms churn and chill the North Pacific
The Northeast Pacific Marine Heatwave of 2019 was the second longest-lasting and second-largest such event recorded over the past 39 years, according to NOAA.

Marine Heat Wave Linked to Sharp Increase in Whale Entanglements
An ocean heat wave off the U.S. West Coast from 2014 to 2016 drove humpback whales into a narrow band of cooler water, leading to a dramatic increase in whale entanglements with crab-fishing gear, according to a new study.
Yale E360

Massive die-off of Pacific seabirds linked to a warm-water ‘blob’
New research shows the marine heat wave that spread from California to Alaska starting in 2014 caused common murres to starve to death.

The Russian military cargo ship that violated Arctic shipping code breaks free from ice lockup
Three weeks after it got stuck in Arctic sea-ice, the Sparta-3 makes it into open waters. The situation on board had been strained as reserves of fuel and water shrunk to low levels and the crew had to fight hard with icing. The military transport vessel did not have permission for sailing in the area.

On land, Australia's rising heat is 'apocalyptic'; in the ocean, it's even worse
BRUNY ISLAND, TASMANIA (WASHINGTON POST) - Even before the ocean caught fever and reached temperatures no one had ever seen, Australia's ancient giant kelp was cooked.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Australia
The Straits Times

214 grey whales washed up dead in 2019
214 grey whales stranded in the Pacific in 2019, and scientists are preparing for more deaths in 2020 because whales are emaciated and skinny.
Northeast Pacific coast
CBC News

Nova Scotia town sinking as sea levels rising
Liverpool, N.S., is trying to ward off flood waters from rising sea levels while the community is also starting to sink.
Liverpool, Nova Scotia, Canada
CBC News

Tiny shells reveal waters off California are acidifying twice as fast as the global ocean
In first-of-its-kind research, NOAA scientists and academic partners used 100 years of microscopic shells to show that the coastal waters off California are acidifying twice as fast as the global ocean average—with the seafood supply in the crosshairs.
Santa Barbara Basin, California, USA

Maine lobster catch headed for decline but not crash, scientists say
The decline will mean tens of millions fewer pounds of lobster each year, but still enough lobsters to support a robust business and supply hungry seafood lovers.. Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries from the Bangor Daily News.
Maine, United States
Bangor Daily News

Extraordinarily warm fall a big problem in Canadian Arctic
Temperatures across the Arctic have been warmer than usual this fall, with one community in the Northwest Territories recording above-average temperatures for 72 days in a row.
Canadian Arctic
CTVNews

Some like it hot, but Arctic cod do not
Arctic cod are a cornerstone of the Arctic food chain as a staple food of seals and beluga whales, upon which subsistence food gatherers rely in the region’s coastal communities.

Open water replaces sea ice as the autumn norm in Western Arctic
Open water has become the November norm in the Chukchi Sea northwest of Alaska. Instead of thick, years-old ice, researchers are studying waves and how they may pummel the northern Alaska coastline.
Chukchi Sea

Northern Bering Sea trawl survey shows fisheries in flux
NOAA Fisheries' summer trawl survey shows Norton Sound red king crab are moving, Arctic cod numbers have dropped significantly, and Pacific cod are continuing to increase as the Northern Bering Sea ecosystem undergoes drastic change.
Northern Bering Sea

How climate change is triggering a chain reaction that threatens the heart of the Pacific
The fast-warming Sea of Okhotsk, wedged between Russia and Japan, is a cautionary tale of the far-reaching consequences when climate dominoes begin to fall.
Shiretoko Peninsula
Washington Post

Australia's lost shellfish reefs are roaring back to life
In just a few years, 8 million native angasi oyster hatchlings have been placed in the waters off Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia, on the recycled mollusc shells collected from restaurants. They've turned empty, sandy seabeds into thriving ecosystems.
Port Philip Bay, Victoria, Australia
ABC News

Climate change and overfishing are boosting toxic mercury levels in fish
Regulations have lowered mercury emissions globally, but the risks to ocean ecosystems and human health may be getting worse.
Canada's Pacific marine ecosystems
The Conversation

Dwindling catches and soaring prices spell trouble for Hokkaido’s squid town
As wholesale prices skyrocket for Pacific flying squid amid a record low catch in Japan, processing companies in the "squid town" of Hakodate, Hokkaido, ar
Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
The Japan Times

Large Decline in Pacific Herring Stock
Conservation groups are calling for the immediate closure of the herring fishery in the Strait of Georgia following the release of new federal government data showing a four-year population biomass decline of almost 60 per cent. “We’ve been systematically overfishing these stocks and the Gulf of Georgia fishery is the last one left,” Pacific Wild...
Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

Sea urchin explosion decimates kelp forests off Pacific coast
Similar to what has happened in B.C., tens of millions of voracious purple sea urchins have chomped their way through towering underwater kelp forests in California.
Coastal Oregon and California

The Disappearing Islands
For decades, efforts have been underway to tame the effects of erosion on the Magdalen Islands, an archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But the effects of climate change left these tiny islands vulnerable when it came to facing two powerful and unpredictable storms in less than a year.
Magdalen Islands

The Gulf Of Maine Is Warming, And Its Whales Are Disappearing
Waters off the coast of Maine are warming faster than 99 percent of the world's oceans. That's forcing whales northward in pursuit of prey, threatening some of their already dwindling populations.
Gulf of Maine
NPR

Crabbing in 2019? Fish & Game Says "A Year to Forget"
According to a recently released recap from the Department of Fish & Game, crabbing in the Norton Sound this year was underwhelming in many ways. At the beginning of 2019, ADF&G set the reg…

Temperature patterns and mechanisms influencing coral bleaching during the 2016 El Niño
Under extreme heat stress, corals expel their symbiotic algae and colour (that is, ‘bleaching’), which often leads to widespread mortality. Predicting the large-scale environmental conditions that reinforce or mitigate coral bleaching remains unresolved and limits strategic conservation actions1,2. Here we assessed coral bleaching at 226 sites and 26 environmental variables that represent different mechanisms of stress responses from East Africa to Fiji through a coordinated effort to evaluate the coral response to the 2014–2016 El Niño/Southern Oscillation thermal anomaly. We applied common time-series methods to study the temporal patterning of acute thermal stress and evaluated the effectiveness of conventional and new sea surface temperature metrics and mechanisms in predicting bleaching severity. The best models indicated the importance of peak hot temperatures, the duration of cool temperatures and temperature bimodality, which explained ~50% of the variance, compared to the common degree-heating week temperature index that explained only 9%. Our findings suggest that the threshold concept as a mechanism to explain bleaching alone was not as powerful as the multidimensional interactions of stresses, which include the duration and temporal patterning of hot and cold temperature extremes relative to average local conditions.
Indian Ocean Coral Reefs
Nature Climate Change
McClanahan, Tim R., Emily S. Darling, Joseph M. Maina, Nyawira A. Muthiga, Stéphanie D ’agata, Stacy D. Jupiter, Rohan Arthur, Shaun K. Wilson, Sangeeta Mangubhai, Yashika Nand, Ali M. Ussi, Austin T.

Marine heat wave dubbed ‘Blob’ resurges in Pacific; mass deaths of sea life feared
It already has caused coral bleaching in Hawaii and may be tied to strandings of marine mammals along the California coast.

Scientists suspect retreating sea ice is changing the color of Alaska's tundra
Biologists say early retreating sea ice is potentially causing vegetation productivity changes on the tundra across Alaska and the Arctic. Uma Bot, a climate variability expert with the University of Alaska–Fairbanks, says the land warms up more quickly when sea ice recedes earlier than usual. “‘Cause the tundra is temperature limited and if it has more …

Salmon farms losing battle with sea lice as wild fish pay the price
The aquaculture industry has failed to bring epidemic of sea lice under control in B.C.’s Clayoquot Sound.
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

It was the warmest ever Arctic summer
The top of the world saw record-beating average temperatures flashing through all three summer months.

Warm August with record-late tropical heat
The monthly temperature for the entire country was 1.7 degrees above normal.
Åndalsnes, Møre og Romsdal, Norway
Meteorologisk institutt

Seismic Airgun Assault to Start in Lower Cook Inlet this Fall
“Whenever a seismic boat goes past and we drop our gear, the fish aren’t there. Any fisherman, or fisherman worth their salt, will tell you there’s an impact. They’ve seen it first-hand.”
Cook Inlet Keeper

Tropical fish riding warm waters to the Nova Scotia coast
Halifax-based scuba diver Lloyd Bond says in the last three years he's seen increasing numbers of butterfly fish, seahorses, cornet fish, trigger fish, puffer fish, and many other species not native to Canadian waters.
Coastal Nova Scotia

Newfoundland turrs: canaries in the climate crisis
What caused roughly 60,000 dead murres to wash ashore in Alaska? The answer to this could be very important to the murre (or turr) populations in the Atlantic.
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
The Telegram

Alaska records warmest month ever in July with coastline barren of sea ice
Average temperature for month amid Arctic heatwave was 58.1F (14.5C), nearly 1F above previous high set in July 2004

Bering Sea is feeling the effects of warm winters
These changes seem to be heralding population spikes and downturns for a number of species like walleye pollock and Pacific cod, and even more pronounced in small, fatty forage species.
Arctic Sounder

Biologists advise to use caution in shellfish consumption
On July 16, Alaska Ocean Observing System, UAF Fairbanks and Alaska Sea Grant sponsored a community workshop on Harmful Algal Blooms—certain poisons coming from certain blooms of algae produced by

The Legacy of the Blob
From California to Alaska, animals born during the infamous Blob are coming of age.
Northern California Current Ecosystem
Hakai Magazine

Low Levels of Algal Toxins in Northern Bering Sea of Interest to Scientists and Residents
During a workshop in Nome this week, scientists and residents discussed algal toxins’ role in the changing Bering Sea ecosystem.

Fox Stuns Scientists With Trek From Norway To Canada
A researcher says her team couldn't believe the distance travelled.
HuffPost Canada

Mexico struggles to understand, solve, seaweed invasion
Mexico has spent US$17 million to remove over a half-million tons of sargassum seaweed from its Caribbean beaches, and the problem doesn't seem likely to end any time soon.
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico
CTVNews

An Arctic fox surprises researchers with an epic run across polar ice from Svalbard to Canada
A satellite-tracked Arctic fox stunned researchers by making a 3,500-kilometer trek across Arctic sea ice and glacier to travel from the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard to Canada’s Ellesmere Island in about two and a half months.
“We first did not believe it was true,” rone of the researchers, Eva Fuglei, said about the amazing run
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen

2019 Gray Whale Unusual Mortality Event Along the West Coast
Since January 1, 2019, elevated gray whale strandings have occurred along the west coast of North America from Mexico through Alaska. This event has been declared an Unusual Mortality Event (UME).
Pacific Coast of North America
NOAA Fisheries

Meet the Narluga
A rare whale skull discovered by an Inuit hunter in Greenland has been confirmed by a Canadian scientist to be the hybrid calf of a beluga father and a narwhal mother — otherwise known as a narluga.
Disko Bay, West Greenland

"Flesh Eating" Bacteria May Be Spreading to Beaches Once Thought Off-Limits
Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Delaware Bay
Scientific American

Glowing 'Blue Tears' in China's Seas are Incredibly Toxic and Growing
The glowing algae is suffocating sea life.
Matsu Islands, Taiwan, East China Sea
Live Science

City of Homer works with state and Army Corps to battle erosion on the spit
The Homer Spit’s future as an iconic tourist attraction is in danger of washing away. Erosion along the spit’s sea walls is not a new problem. City officials are working with state and federal agencies to find a lasting solution.
Homer, Alaska, United States

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
DFO documents reveal treatment failures and inability to protect migrating salmon.
Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Nigerian fishers hit by criminals, imports and climate change
From African waters to China and back again, over half the fish on Nigerian tables is imported
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
chinadialogue ocean

300-Mile Swim Through The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Will Collect Data On Plastic Pollution
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch covers an area twice the size of Texas or three times the size of France.
Forbes

Thousands of seabirds starved to death in the Bering Sea — and scientists see evidence of climate change
In a paper published Wednesday, researchers theorize the die-off is at least partially attributable to the changing climate.

Why seaweed is strangling Mexican tourism, and how science could help
Sargassum is infesting Mexico’s coastline. Researchers are scrambling to stop an ecological crisis, and maybe even make something good of it.
Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
MIT Technology Review

Prime growing areas for B.C. oysters contain alarmingly high concentrations of plastic microbeads
Baynes Sound, British Columbia
SFU News

Surge in dead gray whales concerns scientists
Ocean scientists are concerned about dead gray whales that have washed up on the US West Coast this year at the highest rate in almost two decades.
West Coast of the USA
CNN

414 million pieces of plastic found on remote island group
Debris on Cocos (Keeling) Islands was mostly bottles, cutlery, bags and straws, but also included 977,000 shoes, study says
Cocos Islands

Their Islands Are Being Eroded. So Are Their Human Rights, They Say.
Indigenous Australians from low-lying islands in the Torres Strait argue that the government, by failing to act on climate change, has violated their fundamental right to maintain their culture.
Masig Island, Torres Strait, Australia
New York Times

Warming oceans linked to rise in tropical species
Scientists have identified a spike in ‘vagrant’ species of fish including damselfish, wrasse and triggerfish
New Zealand

Greenland Is Falling Apart
Since 1972, the giant island’s ice sheet has lost 11 quadrillion pounds of water.
Greenland Ice Sheet
The Atlantic

Lost sea creatures wash up on California shores as climate shifts
The Pacific Ocean off the California coast is mixed up, and so are many of the animals that live there.
Bodega Bay, California, United States

Tiny Monsters in the Sea
Warming ocean waters are an invitation to all sorts of pathogens with the potential to remake ocean life.
Santa Cruz Island, California, USA

Low levels of Fukushima-related radiation found in Bering Sea samples
I knew that those Japanese currents would come to our waters, and so that’s why I volunteered to do the testing,” Eddie Ungott, a resident of Gambell.
Gambell, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

100 months of temperature above normal in Svalbard
March becomes the hundredth month in a row with temperatures above normal. "It is unique and shows how fast climate change is happening in the Arctic," says climate scientist Ketil Isaksen at the Meteorological Institute (MET).
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Meteorologisk institutt

Shrinking Seasonal Ice in the Bering Sea Threatens Local Livelihoods
Recent storms have destroyed the progress made in ice formation endangering coastal habitats and fishing practices.
Newtok, Alaska, United States
Pacific Standard

Slight uptick in cesium-137 heralds arrival of Fukushima plume in Northern Bering Sea
Since 2014 St. Lawrence Islanders have been collecting sea water samples, knowing that the radiation would eventually show up. Now the signature of Fukushima has finally been identified, the northern most sample evidence of the plume. Fortunately the levels are low.
Gambell, Alaska, United States

This map worries Norwegian rescue workers
Warmer seas have led the fishery to move 300 kilometers further northeast - towards the North Pole. At the same time, cruising traffic in the outlying sea areas is increasing.
Bjørnøya, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
NRK - Norsk Rikskringkasting

El Niño Triggered Disease Outbreaks Across Globe
The 2015 to 2016 El Niño event brought weather conditions that triggered regional disease outbreaks throughout the world.
Tropical Pacific Ocean
Laboratory Equipment

Changing southern Gulf of St. Lawrence ecosystem
The survey started in 1971 as a review of commercially important fish like cod and halibut, but has grown into an annual scientific assessment of all sea life hauled up from the deep.
Southern Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Global News

State of Crabbing in Norton Sound: Less Sea Ice, Fewer Crabs — and Fewer Crabbers
The winter commercial crabbing season in the Norton Sound will begin February 25 with a quota less than half of its 2018 figure and a third of the 2017 quota.

Ecosystem changes following loss of great white sharks
A new study has documented unexpected consequences following the decline of great white sharks from an area off South Africa. The study found that the disappearance of great whites has led to the emergence of sevengill sharks, a top predator from a different habitat. A living fossil, sevengill sharks closely resemble relatives from the Jurassic period, unique for having seven gills instead of the typical five in most other sharks.
Seal Island, False Bay, South Africa

Warmer seas in the north are bad news for the common Eider
Troms, Norway
The Fram Centre

Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming in Svalbard
Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming on Svalbard.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Miljodirektoratet

Expect more extreme hurricanes on the East Coast due to faster ice melts in Greenland, study says
A new study suggests Greenland ice has hit a new tipping point with unprecedented melting since the early 2000s — and this will have consequences for East Coast cities.
East Coast of Canada

Teenage Diver Finds Tons of Golf Balls Rotting Off California
Alex Weber discovered more than 50,000 balls in the ocean near coastal California golf courses. When golf balls degrade, as these were doing, they release plastic particles and toxic chemicals.
Pebble Beach, California, United States
NPR.org

The pursuit of climate change
Slik har Norge forandret seg. Sakte, nesten umerkelig.
Sør-Odal, Hedmark, Norway
NRK, Norsk Rikskringkasting

Thousands of penguins stranded on South American coast
Thousands of female penguins are being stranded along the coast of South America because of water pollution and fishing, research shows. A new study of Megellanic penguins, which breed in Patagonia in southern Argentina, explains for the first time why so many become stuck on beaches hundreds of miles further north.  Researchers found the man-made threats encountered as the
Coastal Uruguay
The Independent

Methane beneath Greenland’s ice sheet is being released
Glacial melt is a source of atmospheric methane.
Greenland

In 2018, Alaska's Bering Sea was all out of whack
In some regions, this was the first time in 37 years of water surveys that there was no cold pool.
Popular Science

Building blocks of ocean food web in rapid decline as plankton productivity plunges
Basic ocean food critical for the whole ecosystem is in dramatic decline and scientists don't know exactly why.
Western North Atlantic

Climate Change Drives Fish Into New Waters, Remaking an Industry
The catch is shifting northward as water temperatures rise, forcing crews to retool their boats and rework their businesses. Pollock is retreating from Alaska while black sea bass throng around Rhode Island.
WSJ

As Seas Warm, Galápagos Islands Face a Giant Evolutionary Test
Climate change is ravaging the natural laboratory that inspired Darwin. The creatures here are on the brink of crisis.
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
New York Times

British Columbia chinook salmon populations in decline
Only one, located in British Columbia's Thompson River, is considered stable.
Southern British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Pulses of Sinking Carbon Have Increased at Station M
December 3, 2018 – A new study by MBARI scientists shows that pulses of sinking debris carry large amounts of carbon to the deep seafloor, but are poorly represented in global climate models.
Station M, near Santa Barbara, California, United States
MBARI

Something Living At The Bottom Of The Sea Is Absorbing Large Amounts Of The CO2 In Oceans
Bacteria living more than 4,000 meters (2 miles) below the surface of the Pacific Ocean are absorbing an estimated 10 percent of the carbon dioxide that oc
Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ)
IFLScience

A Record-Breaking Dive by a Hungry Killer Whale
Killer whales go to extraordinary depths to pilfer a meal.
South Sandwich Islands

Only 411 North Atlantic right whales left
On Friday, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium released its 2018 report card for the endangered species. There are just 411 left.
North Atlantic Ocean

Orcas thrive in a land to the north. Why are Puget Sound's dying?
Southern resident orcas are on the brink of extinction, while killer whales to the north are growing in numbers. The contrast exposes what’s killing Puget Sound’s orcas.
Seattle, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

Drug-resistant sea lice out of control on B.C. Coast
Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirms the findings of independent research that says sea lice on salmon farms are becoming resistant to SLICE, a pesticide used to kill sea lice.
Fortune Channel, Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
Digital Journal

Sea stars still wasting away in B.C. waters
Reports that the sea star population was rebounding appear to have been overly optimistic, says the Coastal Ocean Research Institute.
Canada's Pacific Marine Ecosystems
Vancouver Sun

Suspects in salmon mystery: Pinks and 'the blob'
Sockeye salmon runs across Alaska were dismal this year. But no one is certain why.
Gulf of Alaska
E&E News

Climate change threatens the kittiwake – extreme weather and altered prey availability reduce recruitment
Bad weather is bad news, also for the red-listed kittiwake. New research reveals that wind conditions combined with the availability of different prey species are determinants of chick production in this seabird.
Myre, Nordland, Norway
SEAPOP, Norwegian institute for nature research

First supplies arrive in Kivalina for access route
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Insanity-Inducing Jellyfish are Heading South, Courtesy of Climate Change
This cute little guy makes you trip so hard you'll want to die, and could soon start popping up on the Gold Coast.
off Fraser Island
Vice

This Stretch of Water Is Losing Oxygen Faster Than Almost Anywhere Else in The Ocean
A new study links rapid deoxygenation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to two powerful currents: the Gulf Stream and the Labrador Current.
Gulf of St. Lawrence
ScienceAlert

Gulf of St. Lawrence shows a dramatic oxygen decline
The Gulf of St. Lawrence has warmed and lost oxygen faster than almost anywhere else in the global oceans due to large-scale climate change, raising the possibility the Gulf could soon be unable to support marine life, according to a new study.
Gulf of St. Lawrence
Digital Journal

Gulf of St. Lawrence may soon be unable to support marine life
The Gulf of St. Lawrence has warmed and lost oxygen more rapidly than almost anywhere else in the Earth's oceanic waters due in part to climate change, raising the possibility that it could soon be unable to fully support marine life, according to a new study.
Gulf of St. Lawrence

Mysterious Microbes Turning Polar Ice Pink, Speeding Up Melt
Thriving communities of red algae are doing something nefarious to the world's ice sheets: melting them more quickly.
Port Charcot
National Geographic

Mysterious Microbes Turning Polar Ice Pink, Speeding Up Melt
Thriving communities of red algae are doing something nefarious to the world's ice sheets: melting them more quickly.
Greenland
National Geographic

Loads of seaweed are threatening the Caribbean’s sea life and tourism. Experts say we may be to blame
Scientists say the threat from sargassum is as serious as rising sea levels and hurricanes.
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Clues to combating Red Tide are found in mounting manatee carcasses
The toxic algae bloom has already been named as the killer or suspected killer of more than 100 manatees since the spring.
Saint Petersburg, Florida, United States
Tampa Bay Times

Scientist warns of "seagrass crisis" in Caribbean
Scientist warns of "seagrass crisis" in Caribbeans MEXICO CITY (Rahnuma): Massive quantities of Sargassum seaweed are invading Caribbean beaches mostly thanks to global warming and countries should work closely with scientists for a sustainable solution, said a researcher at a leading Mexican university on
Ecuador
The Rahnuma Daily

The Kerala Floods
Since 2018, Kerala has faced increasingly severe and frequent floods, a stark contrast to its historical rarity, driven by factors like Indian Ocean warming and local environmental changes, underscoring a global trend of climate-driven extremes and the urgent need for improved flood management and climate adaptation.
Arukutti, Kerala, India

Increasing opportunity for kingfish in Tasmanian waters
Redmap, a new and interactive website, invites the Australian community to spot, log and map marine species that are uncommon in Australia, or along particular parts of our coast.
Tasman Sea
Redmap

Persistent algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico is killing Sea Turtles
A persistent algae bloom in the Gulf of Mexico has become a huge threat to sea turtles, a species which is already endangered.
Gulf of Mexico near Southwest Florida, United States
earth.com

Trade-offs between foraging efficiency and pup feeding rate of lactating northern fur seals in a declining population
Foraging strategies and their resulting efficiency (energy gain to cost
ratio) affect animals' survival and reproductive success and can be
linked to population dynamics. However, they have rarely been studied
quantitatively in free-ranging animals. We investigated foraging
strategies and efficiencies of wild northern fur seals Callorhinus
ursinus during their breeding season to understand potential links to
the observed population decline in the Bering Sea. We equipped 20
lactating females with biologgers to determine at-sea foraging
behaviours. We measured energy expenditure while foraging using the
doubly-labelled water method, and energy gained using (1) the types and
energy densities of prey consumed, and (2) the number of prey capture
attempts (from acceleration data). Our results show that seals employed
2 foraging strategies: one group (40\%) fed mostly in oceanic waters on
small, high energy-density prey, while the other (60\%) stayed over the
shallow continental shelf feeding mostly on larger, lower quality fish.
Females foraging in oceanic waters captured 3 times more prey, and had
double the foraging efficiencies of females that foraged on-shelf in
neritic waters. However, neritic seals made comparatively shorter trips,
and likely fed their pups similar to 20 to 25\% more frequently. The
presence of these strategies which either favor foraging efficiency
(energy) or frequency of nursing (time) might be maintained in the
population because they have similar net fitness outcomes. However,
neither strategy appears to simultaneously maximize time and energy
allocated to nursing, with potential impacts on the survival of pups
during their first year at sea.
Reef Rookery, Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
Tiphaine Jeanniard du Dot, Andrew W. Trites, John P. Y. Arnould, John R. Speakman, Christophe Guinet

Mysterious algae vortex the size of Manhattan can be seen from space
Scientists aren't sure what is causing this whirlpool of algae but believe it's likely to cause a marine dead zone.
Baltic Sea
MNN - Mother Nature Network

Photos: How climate change is transforming Canada
From floods to fires, drought to coastal erosion, climate change is already having an impact on Canada's communities, landscapes and wildlife
Canada
Canadian Geographic

This aquatic grass could help shellfish threatened by ocean acidification
An increase in carbon emissions are showing up not only in the air, but also in water. Now researchers and shellfish farmers are teaming up to see how marine plants can help stave off the effects of ocean acidification. Special correspondent Jes Burns of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports.
Thornedyke Bay, Washington, United States
PBS NewsHour

With climate change, numbers of black sea bass increase
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – It may be time for local eateries to explore black sea bass recipes. Warmer waters off Rhode Island have caused a spike for this species, and loosened regulations are reeli…
New England Coastal Waters, United States
Republican-American

Aequorea (hydrozoan) bloom in the Northern California Current
Dataset from Dr. Brian Burke (NOAA; brian.burke@noaa.gov); derived from surface trawls taken during NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center Juvenile Salmon & Ocean Ecosystem Survey (JSOES).
Northern California Current
NOAA NWFSC CCIEA Custom Plotting

A huge stretch of the Arctic Ocean is turning into the Atlantic
The divide between Atlantic and Arctic isn’t just geographical, it’s physical. And the physics are changing.
North Barents Sea

Miami-Dade Home Values Influenced by Rising Seas
Single-family homes near sea level in Miami-Dade County are increasing in value at a slower rate than ones at elevation, according to a new research study
Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States
CleanTechnica

‘Blob’ is blamed: Alaska’s Copper River sees low commercial-salmon harvest
ANCHORAGE — The commercial salmon harvest in Alaska's Copper River is so far the second lowest in 50 years, state officials said. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's fish...
Copper River, Alaska, United States
The Seattle Times

U.S. Coastal Flooding Breaks Records as Sea Level Rises, NOAA Report Shows
The frequency of high-tide flooding has doubled in 30 years. Some cities faced more than 20 days of it in the past year, and not just during hurricanes.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
InsideClimate News

Endangered plant thrives after Sidney Spit restoration
Coastal sand ecosystem returning to health after 1.5 years of work
Sidney Spit National Marine Park, Canada
Saanich News

Climate Change draws invasive species to the Arctic
Warmer temperatures and declining sea ice pulls foreign animals and plants to the Arctic, with drastic consequences for these sensitive ecosystems.
Nuuk, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, Greenland
ScienceNordic

To get good credit, Alaska’s fishing towns may have to factor in climate change
Late last year one of the world’s largest credit rating agencies announced that climate change would have an economic impact on the U.S.
By Rashah McChesney, Alaska's Energy Desk - Juneau

Erosion may force this Southwest Alaska village to move — again
This is not the first time the village of Chefornak has faced the threat of erosion and flooding, but relocating won’t be as easy as it was last time.
Chefornak, Alaska, United States

Can These Seabirds Adapt Fast Enough to Survive a Melting Arctic?
On a remote Alaskan sandbar, under the watchful eye of a devoted scientist for more than four decades, climate change is forcing a colony of seabirds into a real-time race: evolve or go extinct.
Audubon

How debris from rockets launched far away is a risk to Inuit food security - ArcticToday
When the European Space Agency (ESA) launched a satellite into orbit on Oct. 13, it did so despite opposition from Inuit leaders in Canada and Greenland over its potential to contaminate an important Arctic area.

Study: ‘Unprecedented’ rain, warmth for Alaska by end of century
Climate warming is likely to bring more episodes of heavy rain, above-freezing winter thaws and scorching hot summer days in the coming decades, says a study by scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Alaska Dispatch News

Only 1,123 adult winter Chinook salmon returned to Sacramento River in 2017
Only 1,123 adult winter Chinook salmon, once one of the biggest salmon runs on the Sacramento River and its tributaries, returned to the Sacramento Valley in 2017, according to a report sent to the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) by the...
Livingston Stone Fish Hatchery
Daily Kos

New Study Finds 8 Islands Swallowed By Rising Sea Level
Need a reason to be concerned about rising sea level? I've got eight.
Nahlap Island, Micronesia
Forbes

Record-breaking marine heatwave powered by climate change cooks Tasmania's fisheries
Climate change has warmed the waters east of Tasmania at four times the speed of the global average. But the heatwave of the southern summer of 2015/2016 was something exceptional, damaging fisheries and bringing new species to the island. It's a sign of things to come, say the researchers examining these events.
east coast of Tasmania, Australia
ScienceDaily

'Seemingly unbelievable' temperatures becoming more common in Arctic winters
Warm periods are bringing the temperature up by as much as 30 C in the middle of winter

A heavy blow for a small community – Greenland rebuilds its communities
Greenlanders struggle to get their lives back together and rebuild the small communities hit by the tsunami earlier this month.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup Kommunia, Greenland
IceNetws

Last Season’s Difficulties for Diomede Auklets May Be a Sign of Changing Climate
An assistant professor at the University of Alaska–Fairbanks suspects that changes seen in the auklet population on Little Diomede may be related to changes in climate.
Diomede, Alaska, United States

Karrat Fjord, Greenland Landslide & Tsunami
huge tsunami occurred in the Karrat Fjord on the west coast of Greenland, resulting in severe property damage and casualties in the tiny fishing village of Nuugaatsiaq. The seismic energy detected prior to the tsunami was so large it was first thought to have been the result of a magnitude 4.1 earthquake. However, the cause was a massive landslide on a steep slope of the fjord where millions of cubic meters of rock plunged into the water below, 32 kilometers northeast of the village. Forty-five structures, including eleven houses, were washed away or destroyed, and four people were killed.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland
International Tsunami Information Center

NOAA Is Investigating 70 Gray Whale Deaths Along the West Coast
The whales seem to have died from starvation and washed up on shore from California to Alaska
Smithsonian

Atlantic currents moving plastic junk into the Arctic, research says
Parts of the Arctic Ocean have become an “important sink of plastic debris,” mainly coming north from the southern latitudes—with 300 billion or more plastic items carried in ice-free Arctic waters.
North Atlantic Ocean
Nunatsiqaq Online
Andrés Cózar, Elisa Martí, Carlos M. Duarte, Juan García-de-Lomas, Erik van Sebille, Thomas J. Ballatore, Victor M. Eguíluz, J. Ignacio González-Gordillo, Maria L. Pedrotti, Fidel Echevarría, Romain T

Climate change drives Solomon Islands' people of the sea ashore
The inhabitants of Lau Lagoon in Solomon Islands have lived in harmony with nature for generations. Now their entire way of life is vanishing beneath the waves.
Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
DW.COM

Sargassum seaweed partly responsible for Guyana's reduced fish production
Guyana’s fish production has suffered a significant decline partly due to the adverse impact of sargassum seaweed, local and regional fishery experts said.
Demerara Waves

NASA releases time-lapse of the disappearing Arctic polar ice cap
This visualization begins by showing the dynamic beauty of the Arctic sea ice as it responds to winds and ocean currents. Research into the behavior of the Arctic sea ice for the last 30 years has led to a deeper understanding of how this ice survives from year to year. In the animation that follows, age of the sea ice is visible, showing the younger ice in darker shades of blue and the oldest ice in brighter white. This visual representation of the ice age clearly shows how the quantity of older and thicker ice has changed between 1984 and 2016.
YouTube

Sea Lice Exploded among Wild Young Salmon near BC Fish Farms
B.C salmon farms last year were besieged by sea lice, according to a new University of Toronto study, which also found a dangerously steep rise of infestation among young wild salmon who swam nearby.
Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Characterization of three novel species of Labyrinthulomycota isolated from ochre sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus)
FioRito, Rebecca, Celeste Leander, and Brian Leander. "Characterization of three novel species of Labyrinthulomycota isolated from ochre sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus." Marine Biology 163.8 (2016): 1-10.
Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada
FioRito, R., Leander, C. and Leander, B., 2016. Marine Biology, 163(8), pp.1-10.
Rebecca FioRito, Celeste Leander, and Brian Leander

Contagious cancers found in bivalves
Contagious cancers occur in clams and other bivalves, and some can even spread between different species of bivalves.
Esquimault, British Columbia, Canada

Miami Beach's Tidal Flooding Has Jumped by 400 Percent in the Past Decade
A UM study has found that tidal flooding has leaped by 400 percent in the last ten years thanks to climate change.
South Beach, Miami, Florida, United States
Miami New Times

Blob of warm Pacific water may have killed dozens of whales
The "unprecedented" warm water in the Pacific caused a massive toxic algae bloom from California to Alaska.
Coastal British Columbia

Scientists may have solved 2011's mysterious marine die-off along the Pacific coast
Scientists first caught on to the strange event when they found thousands of purple sea urchins and other organisms dead in their laboratory tanks. Their theory: The mass deaths were caused by a huge bloom of algae.
Northern Pacific Coast

Mysterious ocean 'blob' could be behind warmer B.C. temperatures
If you're wondering why British Columbia experienced such a mild winter and early spring, you could maybe blame it on a mysterious "blob" of warm water in the Pacific Ocean.
British Columbia

Warm weather makes Kotzebue sea wall a community hotspot
The half mile-long sea wall was constructed in 2012 at a cost of $34 million to help offset coastal erosion and protect the community from encroaching sea ice.

Inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence creates goose habitat along the Arctic coast of Alaska
Since 1976, the distribution of molting Black Brant ( Branta bernicla nigricans ) on the Arctic Coastal Plain has shifted from inland freshwater lakes to coastal marshes, such as those occupying the Smith River and Garry Creek estuaries.
North Slope, Alaska, United States
Environmental Research Letters
Ken D Tape and Paul L Flint and Brandt W Meixell and Benjamin V Gaglioti

Tar ball deposition on Goa's beaches affecting marine life, says NIO study
Tar ball deposition on Goa's beaches affecting marine life, says NIO study on Business Standard. To carry out study the NIO also collected samples from Baga, Candolim, Calungute and Mandrem beaches from North Goa and Velsao, Betalbatim, Colva and Benaulim from South Goa.
Goa, India
Press Trust of India

Lucrative crab industry in danger
For decades, the crab piled up in fishing boats like gold coins hauled from a rich and fertile sea. But the very ocean that nursed these creatures may prove to be this industry’s undoing.Scientists fear ocean acidification will drive the collapse of Alaska's iconic crab fishery.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States
The Seattle Times

Miami: How Rising Sea Levels Endanger South Florida
By century's end, rising sea levels will turn the nation's urban fantasyland into an American Atlantis. But long before the city is completely underwater, chaos will begin
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Rolling Stone

Pink salmon evolve to migrate earlier in warmer waters
Study finds genetic evidence of climate-change adaptation.
Nature News

From common to rare: The case of the Mediterranean common dolphin
Our results showed that local fisheries have negatively impacted the marine biodiversity of the ecosystem causing sharp declines of common dolphins and major fish stocks and weakening the robustness of the marine food web.
Nydri, Ionian Islands, Greece
Biological Conservation
Piroddi, Chiara, Giovanni Bearzi, Joan Gonzalvo and Villy Christensen

Shark aggregation in coastal waters of British Columbia
Moresby Trough, Queen Charlotte Sound, British Columbia
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Rob Williams, Thomas A. Okey, S. Scott Wallace, Vincent F. Gallucci

Invasive Parasite Spreading Among West Coast Estuaries
A parasitic isopod that scientists identified five years ago has all but decimated mud shrimp populations in coastal estuaries ranging from British Columbia to northern California - with the exception of a handful of locations in Oregon from Waldport to Tillamook.
Newport, Oregon, United States
Phys.Org

Overfishing and the disappearance of short-beaked common dolphins from western Greece
Once one of the most common cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea, the short-beaked common dolphin has declined throughout the region since the 1960s and in 2003 this population was classified as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Here, we document the species’ precipitous decline in eastern Ionian Sea coastal waters across 13 yr. While 150 animals were present in the study area (1050 km2) in 1996, only 15 were observed in 2007. A 12 mo assessment of fishing effort and catch, together with circumstantial evidence, suggests that the decline was caused largely by prey depletion resulting from overfishing. We analyzed the impacts of various fishing gear and estimated the degree of resource overlap between common dolphins and local fisheries. The total biomass removed annually by 308 fishing boats in the study area averaged 3571 t, while that consumed by common dolphins was 17 t. Resource overlap between common dolphins and fisheries—expressed as an average Pianka index of 0.5—differed according to fishing gear, being higher for purse seiners (0.7) and beach seiners (0.4) and lower for bottom trawlers (0.1), trammel boats (0.2) and longliners (0.0). Only about 10 active purse seiners (4% of the total active fishing fleet) were responsible for 33% of the biomass removal, and likely had the greatest impact on prey of common dolphins. This study indicates a high risk of local disappearance of common dolphins in the very near future, unless fishery management measures are implemented immediately. Purse seining should be the main management target.
Eastern Ionian Sea coastal waters, Greece
Endangered Species Research
Bearzi, G, S Agazzi, J Gonzalvo, M Costa, S Bonizzoni, E Politi, C Piroddi and RR Reeves

Humboldt squid on the move
July 23, 2007 – Over the last five years, large, predatory Humboldt squid have moved north from equatorial waters and invaded the sea off Central California, where they may be decimating populations of Pacific hake, an important commercial fish.
Monterey Submarine Canyon, California, United States
MBARI

Simulating community effects of sea floor shading by plankton blooms over the West Florida Shelf
Phytoplankton blooms are increasingly conspicuous along the world's
coastlines, and the toxic effects of these blooms have become a major
concern. Nutrient enrichment often causes phytoplankton blooms, which
decrease water transparency, but little is known about the effects of
such light regime changes on whole communities of the continental shelf.
A series of simulations designed to evaluate the potential effects of
shading by phytoplankton blooms on community organization were conducted
using a balanced trophic model of the West Florida Shelf ecosystem and
the Ecopath with Ecosim modeling approach. Many functional groups in the
system were predicted to decline as benthic primary production was
inhibited through shading by phytoplankton, especially when associated
biogenic habitat was lost. Groups that obtain most of their energy from
planktonic pathways increased when shading impact and associated
structural habitat degradation were complemented by enhanced
phytoplankton production. Groups predicted to decline as the result of
shading by plankton blooms include seabirds, manatees, and a variety of
demersal and benthic fishes and invertebrates. Some counterintuitive
predictions of declines (mackerel, seabirds, and surface pelagics)
resulted because these groups are somewhat dependent on benthic primary
production. The overall effect of the simulated bloom-associated shading
of benthic primary producers resembled a trophic cascade where the
number of full cycles of biomass gains and losses was approximately
equal to the number of trophic levels in the system (4.7). (C) 2003
Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The West Florida Shelf, USA
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
Okey, TA., Vargo, GA., Mackinson, S., Vasconcellos, M., Mahmoudi, B and Meyer, CA

Albatross divorce rates up with ocean warming
A team of researchers has found that black-browed albatrosses living on the Falkland Islands see rising divorce rates during times when the sea surface temperatures rise. They point out that hunger could lead to one or the other partner abandoning an egg or hatchling—events that could lead to one of the birds ditching the other.
Falkland Islands

Bowhead whales that washed up in Nunavut in 2020 were likely killed by orcas
"We never know for sure how they died, but it does seem like a lot of the evidence points to killer whale predation," Steve Ferguson, a research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said Thursday.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Federal survey delivers more bad news to Bering Sea crab fleet
The king crab harvest survey could indicate a second bleak year for crabbers in Washington, Oregon and Alaska as warm water affects the number of adult crabs.

Canceled crab season could devastate Unalaska
This year, that industry came to a drastic halt. In October, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed both the the Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab seasons. Kelty said he is expecting between the lost revenue from the past two years, intertwined with the suspended season, he is expecting both the crabbing industry along with sector businesses to lose close to a billion dollars.

Communities consider 'managed retreat' from climate change
Ricky Wright points to the bank of a creek to show one way his hometown has been affected by climate change. Many banks have eroded or collapsed, and now some favorite fishing spots that were once on solid ground are reachable only by boat.
Saint Helena Island, South Carolina, United States
AP NEWS

‘It’ll be a disaster’: Southeast Alaska fishermen fear looming closure of king salmon fishery
More than 100 salmon trollers packed a Sitka meeting Wednesday night with sharp questions about the future of an iconic Southeast Alaska fishery, facing what could be an unprecedented full shutdown of this year’s chinook trolling season. State officials are scrambling to open the fishery after it was effectively closed by a federal judge — but damage has already been done.

Retreating sea ice in Arctic affecting zooplankton behaviour
As the climate warms and Arctic sea ice retreats and gets thinner, more light is getting through. “Since marine zooplankton respond to the available light, this is also changing their behaviour – especially how the tiny organisms rise and fall within the water column,” the AWI said in a news release on their website.
MOSAiC Expedition Route

Study shows warm water sliding into Beaufort Sea
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope

North Pacific right whales may be returning to northern parts of the Bering Sea
North Pacific right whales, once numbering in the tens of thousands, swam throughout the Bering Sea until they were nearly wiped out by commercial hunters. Now the Eastern North Pacific right whale population is estimated to total about 30 individuals, and its habitat is believed to be concentrated in the southeastern corner of the Bering Sea.

Sunflower sea stars need help after catastrophic population declines, scientists say
Experts say a wasting disease epidemic has decimated about 95% of the sunflower sea star population from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Without sea stars to keep them in check, sea urchins are causing a troubling decline in kelp forests that provide food and shelter.
West Coast of North America
oregonlive

Scientists point to climate change as likely cause for Alaska snow crab decline
“This is unprecedented in the United States for a mature, rationalized fishery to suffer a stock collapse, in part due to climate change,” the executive director of the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers said.

Canada’s disappearing coastline
Projections show rising sea levels could cause Canada’s beaches to retreat inland, in extreme cases by as much as half a kilometre. The best option may be to stand back and let it happen.
Canada's Beaches
The Globe and Mail

The Aleutian Islands could become a hub for zero-emissions shipping
ICCT researcher Elise Georgeff has been investigating hydrogen as a potential replacement fuel. First, her team calculated how many ships could cross the Pacific Ocean using the existing hydrogen technology. "About 43% could be powered by using hydrogen fuel cells," Georgeff said.Unalaska and Adak islands in the Aleutians are in perfect locations to become pit stops in a trans-Pacific green corridor. Most of the international ships crossing from west to east follow the same path, and those two communities are right in the middle: about halfway through one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
Bristol Bay Times

As the once-lucrative Bering Sea crab harvest resumes, Alaska fishermen face challenges
Alaska fishermen face challenges as the Bering Sea crab harvest resumes, with environmental and economic upheaval threatening the future of the industry. Scientists are questioning whether full recovery is possible in a warming world for these ailing crab populations that have supported some of the world’s most lucrative fisheries.

Executive order bars imports of Russian fish that is processed in other countries
An executive order issued by President Biden extends the ban on Russian seafood imports to include products processed in other countries, closing a loophole from previous sanctions.
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Petersburg Pilot

Orcas aren’t attacking ships — they’re just playful teens, scientists say
Since 2020, members of a small group of killer whales have rammed into at least 673 vessels off the coasts of Portugal, Spain and Morocco — causing some to sink. The Spanish and Portuguese governments responded by tasking a group of experts with determining what was causing the whales to strike rudders, which are used to steer ships, and how to stop it.
Off the Coast of Portugal and Spain

Ocean animals face a mass extinction from climate change, study finds
Rising temperatures and dwindling oxygen levels are decimating marine species. But humanity can avert mass die-offs by curbing fossil fuel use and other planet-warming activities.
Oceans of the World

Planned whaling halted the day before hunting due to start
The Minister of Food has temporarily suspended planned whaling until August 31. A new report stated that of the 148 whales killed, 36 were shot more than once. Five were shot three times, and four whales on four separate occasions. One whale with a harpoon in its flesh was chased for five hours without success.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
RÚV

Underwater farming offers sustainable industry for coastal communities
The definition of farming has expanded over time from soil-only planting and harvesting to include farmers that harvest from the sea. Along the coast, kelp f...
YouTube

Canadian Ice Service tracking icebergs in western Arctic for 1st time
Drifting icebergs can conflict with navigation routes and cause hazards for coastal communities and ships. Climate change is creating more ice shelf break-off than ever and scientists are keeping track of drifting patterns as a result.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Sea ice, storms and coastal erosion in Nelson Lagoon - Science Q&A with Reyce Bogardus
UAF graduate student Reyce Bogardus talks about sea ice, storms and coastal erosion at Nelson Lagoon, which is on the southernmost edge of the historical max...
Nelson Lagoon, Alaska, United States
YouTube

Melting sea ice forces polar bears to travel farther for food
In recent years, polar bears in the Beaufort Sea have had to travel far outside of their traditional arctic hunting grounds which has contributed to an almost 30% decrease in their population.
Beaufort Sea
Phys.Org

Bering Sea crabbers fear another bleak season as populations dwindle in Alaska’s warming waters
Researchers say warmer waters themselves aren’t killing crabs, but they may be allowing predators to move in and disease to spread more easily.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Antarctic winter sea ice hits 'extreme' record low
Researchers warn the shift can have dire consequences for animals, like penguins, who breed and rear their young on the sea ice while also hastening global warming by reducing how much sunlight is reflected by white ice back into space.
Two Hummock Island

Another Bering Sea snow crab season closure brings more financial hardships for fishermen
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced it was closing the 2023-24 Bering Sea snow crab season for the second season in a row.
Alaska News Source

Climate change is making it harder to survey pollock in the Gulf of Alaska
Between 2017 and 2019, pollock surveys in the Gulf of Alaska produced wildly different estimates. A new study shows what climate-driven mismatch in pollock surveys for sustainable fisheries management.
Gulf of Alaska

Latest research from Woods Hole finds HABs growing locally in Northern waters
Scientists have documented an increase in abundance of harmful algal blooms in the Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas.
Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas

Premature Mortality Observations among Alaska’s Pacific Salmon During Record Heat and Drought in 2019
Widespread mortality of Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. returning to spawn in Alaska coincided with record-breaking air temperatures and prolonged drought in summer 2019.
Western Alaska, United States
Fisheries Magazine

Loss of Arctic summer sea ice 'inevitable' within 30 years, report says
Climate change is rapidly melting away the world’s frozen regions, with summertime Arctic sea ice sure to vanish by 2050, according to a report published on Monday. In just this year, rains fell on East Antarctica in March, as air temperatures were unusually warm. During the summer, the Alps lost 5

First phase of Cape Blossom Road construction set to start this fall
For more than a decade, the city of Kotzebue has been planning to establish a deep-water port facility out at Cape Blossom, about 11 miles south of Kotzebue. A new road to the port would allow goods to be delivered to town, without the lightering fee.
Cape Blossom
KNBA

Signed Contract Worth Billions for Operating Hydrogen Ferries between Bodø and Lofoten: “World Class Climate Project”
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration and Torghatten Nord have signed an agreement on Norway’s first full-scale hydrogen ferry which allows for CO2 emission cuts equaling 13,000 diesel-fueled cars per year.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway
High North News

Clam Gulch and Ninilchik beaches closed to clamming for the 9th year in a row
The clam population crashed on the east side of Cook Inlet about a decade ago and has been slow to bounce back.
Clam Gulch, Alaska, United States

Still waiting on Merbok aid, Shaktoolik braces for fall storms
Shaktoolik, a village in Alaska, is still waiting for aid from FEMA to rebuild a protective berm that was destroyed by a typhoon, leaving the community vulnerable to storms and erosion.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States

Gulf of Finland's low blue-green algae levels this summer 'gives us hope'
The scientist noted that the amount of phosphorus, which is essential for cyanobacterial growth, in the Gulf has dropped by around 60 percent compared to their worst, peak levels.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Scientists of "Beringia" came close to explaining the mystery of "smelly" whales in Chukotka
The specific "medical" smell of whale meat may be caused by liver disease or the animals' diet. Chukchi Sea hunters began noticing the pungent, unpleasant smell in some whales about 20 years ago. Recently, the number of stinky whales has increased. Scientists with Beringia National Park analyzed the isotopic composition in 46 samples of gray whales. “Stinky” whales had significantly lower levels of heavy nitrogen. Scientists still must understand whether this is a result of liver disease or a diet based on algae. Scientists hope to study more high-quality samples of “stinky” whales.
Chukotka

AFN delegates push for measures to decrease salmon bycatch
Two resolutions brought before the Alaska Federation of Natives during this year’s annual convention called for efforts to reduce salmon bycatch for fish that return to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.
Eagle, Alaska, United States
KDLG

The bottom of the Bering and Chukchi seas could become too warm for some important species
There is danger lurking on the floor of the Bering and Chukchi seas for mussels, snails, clams, worms and other cold-water invertebrates, according to a new study led by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists.

New estimate for Cook Inlet belugas shows ‘glimmer of hope’ for endangered population
The number of endangered beluga whales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet increased slightly the past four years, according to a new estimate by federal biologists.

In Hawaii, coral is the foundation of life. What happened to it after the Lahaina wildfire?
A deadly wildfire burned more than 2,000 buildings in the Hawaiian town of Lahaina on Maui in August and left behind piles of toxic debris.
Lahaina, Hawaii, United States
AP News

European Green Crab: Will they be the next aquatic invasive species in Alaska?
As ocean temperatures trend warmer than average, green crab larvae dispersed in ocean currents from more southern latitudes will find more suitable habitat along the Alaska coast. Recently, adult green crabs have been detected in Skidegate Inlet on Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, and larval crabs have been found in Prince Rupert, both less than 100 miles south of Ketchikan.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Observed Evidence of Changing Forests:Testimonial for the Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report
The Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes and Climate Change Program is publishing a report called the Status of Tribes and Climate C...
Spokane, Washington, United States

Starving seabirds on Alaska coast show climate change peril
The seabirds are struggling because of climate-linked ecosystem shifts — which can affect the supply and the timing of available food — as well as a harmful algal bloom and a viral outbreak in the region, she said. And their peril jeopardizes the human communities, as well: "Birds are essential to our region — they are nutritionally and economically essential," said Sheffield.

The great goose die-off
Scientists determine geese died due to exhaustion and salt-poisoning. More birds end up dying because of the long flights they undertake, in extreme conditions.
Cambridge Bay
NUNAVUT NEWS

Threatened listing proposed for sunflower sea star after population devastated by wasting disease
It causes legs to fall off and, ultimately, results in disintegration of the animals’ bodies. Climate change may be behind that disease, as the arrival of Pacific marine heat waves coincided with the disease outbreak, according to federal biologists.The sea star, with a range from Baja California to the Aleutians, would be the first sea star with an Endangered Species Act listing.
Gulf of Alaska

UN nuclear agency chief to visit Fukushima plant to see final preparations for release of wastewater
The chief of the U.N. nuclear agency will visit Japan next week to meet with officials and see final preparations for the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
AP News

TOTE Maritime Alaska is now powering its ships with natural gas, cutting carbon and other pollutants
The company says it's the first in the world to convert a full fleet to run on the most environmentally friendly fuel available.
Tacoma, Washington, United States

Weak winds in the Pacific drove record-breaking 2019 summertime marine heat wave
Weakened wind patterns likely spurred the wave of extreme ocean heat that swept the North Pacific last summer, according to new research led by the University of Colorado Boulder and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. The marine heat wave, named the "Blob 2.0" after 2013's "Blob"; likely damaged marine ecosystems and hurt coastal fisheries. Waters off the U.S. West Coast were a record-breaking 4.5 degrees F (2.5 degrees C) above normal, the authors found.

Africa's most populous city is battling floods and rising seas. It may soon be unlivable, experts warn
Cars and houses submerged in water, commuters wading through buses knee-high in floods, and homeowners counting the cost of destroyed properties.
Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
CNN

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle’s fishing fleet witness changes ‘on a massive scale’
Researchers now are uncertain when and to what extent the ice may return, and have scrambled to better understand the consequences of back-to-back years of its loss.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States

New wave of Kenai Peninsula fishery closures takes effect
State officials said that king salmon runs are not showing signs of improvement and that conservative measures are needed to ensure future fishing opportunities.
Kenai, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Combined threats keep Alaska’s Cook Inlet beluga numbers perilously low, scientists say
The endangered population continues to slip and calf numbers are few, but no single factor has been identified as the cause.
Cook Inlet

California sea lions are dying—now scientists know why
Twenty-two sea lions have been found dead on beaches in California, with many more found sick.
Bodega Bay, California, United States
Newsweek

Surface trawl survey reveals shifting fish populations
Researchers are predicting low fish runs in the Norton Sound and Northern Bering Sea region again next year, according to research biologist Jim Murphy.
Northern Bering Sea

Insights on climate realities concludes Arctic Encounter Symposium
The Arctic Encounter Symposium (AES) held its 2023 event, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, military leaders and other experts to discuss the leading issues in Arctic policy, innovation and development. The event allowed attendees to hear from several Alaska Natives about their experiences in a rapidly changing climate and ecosystem.

Northern Bering Sea saw some indicators of health rebound in 2023
The Northern Bering Sea showed signs of ecological recovery in 2023, with improved conditions for zooplankton and fish despite ongoing challenges from climate change and variable sea ice patterns.

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