Background Articles

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

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

Case counts for Oropouche virus are still low but rising dramatically. What's going on? And then there's a study that raises the possibility that insect bites aren't the only way the virus can spread.

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

A powerful "bomb cyclone" swept across the northwest United States, leading to the deaths of two people, widespread power outages, and significant damage from fallen trees and extreme weather conditions.

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.

The wolf population in northern Norway, particularly in Finnmark, is rising, with DNA tests indicating their origins in Russia, a development complicated by halted scientific exchanges between Norway and Russia due to geopolitical tensions.

A sudden cold snap devastated peach and wine grape crops in B.C., compounding economic challenges faced by apple-growers, leading farmers to diversify or sell their land.

An aerial survey of the Kuskokwim River reveals widespread thin ice and large open holes, raising safety concerns for nearby communities.

Scientists observed North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay with abundant food, offering hope for a strong feeding and breeding season.

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

Thawing permafrost in the Arctic region is releasing significant amounts of carbon and nitrogen, posing environmental challenges due to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

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

Yukon's per capita emissions have decreased, but overall emissions are rising due to population and economic growth, challenging the territory's ambitious 45% reduction goal.

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

Chukchi Sea polar bears show increased exposure to pathogens like canine distemper virus and Toxoplasma gondii, potentially due to changes in their diet and extended time on land.

The Gwich'in are mobilizing to protect the Porcupine caribou herd's calving grounds from potential oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as promised by President-elect Trump.

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

People living in West Dawson are urging the Yukon government to do more to support them while they wait for the Yukon River to freeze over, and provide them with reliable access to emergency services.

Iceland's Food and Veterinary Authority has advised the public not to handle sick or dead birds due to an avian flu case (H5N5) in a seagull.