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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

More toxic water leaks into nearby creek from Yukon's Eagle mine site
Approximately 150,000 litres of cyanide-contaminated water leaked from the Eagle Gold mine site into Haggart Creek over a couple of days in February due to a failed weld in a pipeline.
Eagle Gold mine site, Yukon, Canada
CBC News

Ship working for Neste likely behind white clumps on Hanko's shore, company confirms
Finnish fuel firm Neste confirmed that white clumps on Hanko's shore likely resulted from wash water containing used oils from one of its vessels, prompting cleanup efforts and an ongoing investigation.
Hanko, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle News

Oil Spills Recorded on Five More Coastal Sites in Kuban
Oil products have been found washed up on five more coastal sites in the Temryuksky district and Anapa of the Krasnodar region. Local operational headquarters report that volunteers are already cleaning up these minor spills.
Temryuksky District and Anapa, Krasnodar, Russia
Российская газета

Youngest North Coast Condor Dies of Lead Poisoning
B7, the youngest member of the North Coast condor flock, has died from lead poisoning, marking the first fatality in a Yurok Tribe-led restoration program. The incident underscores the ongoing threat of lead contamination in the wild.
Bald Hills, California, United States
North Coast Journal

Black Sea Oil Spill Spreads to Beaches in Annexed Crimea
Oil from damaged Russian tankers has contaminated beaches in Crimea, with significant environmental cleanup efforts underway.
Crimea, Russia
The Moscow Times

Repeated Oil Spill on Anapa Coast
On January 2nd, a repeat oil spill was observed on the beach near the Dynamo recreation base in Anapa, discovered by a volunteer team from the Leningrad region of Kuban, who are responsible for this area.
Anapa, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
Российская газета

Equinor: Oil spill continues to spread – multiple observations along Helgeland
An accidental oil spill from Equinor’s Njord A platform on New Year’s Eve has resulted in raw oil clumps reaching the Nordland coast, prompting a major cleanup effort. Authorities and Equinor are urgently mapping the spread and mobilizing significant resources to prevent further environmental damage.
Helgeland, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Contaminated water storage at Victoria Gold mine may be leaking: Yukon government
The Yukon government is investigating a potential leak in a contaminated water storage pond at the Eagle Gold Mine, which is at a critical water level. The mine has been out of operation since a landslide in June 2024.
Eagle Gold Mine, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Krasnodar Declares Regional Emergency as Black Sea Oil Spill Cleanup Stalls
A regional emergency has been declared in Krasnodar, Russia, due to stalling cleanup efforts of an oil spill along the Black Sea coast.
Krasnodar, Russia
The Moscow Times

Russia Declares Federal Emergency Over Black Sea Oil Spill
Russia has declared a federal emergency due to a significant oil spill along the Black Sea coast, affecting 55 kilometers of coastline, following the damage of two oil tankers during a storm.
Anapa, Krasnodarskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

Sailors Rescued From Second Russian Oil Tanker Damaged in Storm
A severe storm in the Kerch Strait damaged two Russian oil tankers, resulting in an oil spill and the death of one crew member, while rescue operations were delayed due to adverse weather conditions.
Kerch Strait, Russia

Crews respond to major oil spill at fish farm near Zeballos
A major diesel spill occurred at a fish farm near Zeballos, spilling up to 8,000 litres of oil into the bay. Cleanup efforts are involving local authorities, the Coast Guard, and First Nations to mitigate environmental impacts.
Zeballos, British Columbia, Canada
CHEK

Poor Air Quality in Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger
High air pollution alerts have been issued for Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger due to increased levels of particulate matter, posing health risks especially to vulnerable groups.
Bergen, Vestland, Norway
NRK

Manure Cellar Collapses in Gjesdal
A large manure cellar collapsed in Gjesdal, Rogaland, threatening a nearby lake with a flood of animal waste.
Gjesdal, Rogaland, Norway
NRK

Dead fish in creek near Eagle mine likely killed by cyanide, Yukon officials say
Officials with the Yukon government say dozens of dead fish found earlier this week in a creek near Victoria Gold's Eagle mine were likely killed by a discharge of contaminated water from the mine site.
Mayo, Yukon, Canada
CBC

Litter change along the Glenn Highway
Litter along the stretch of the Glenn Highway from Eagle River to Wasilla is significantly less noticeable.
Eagle River, Alaska, United States

Russia's Record Floods Submerge Uranium Mines in Urals
Environmentalists say the latest flooding may have sent radioactive substances into the river, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of people living near the banks of the Tobol downstream. State nuclear agency Rosatom, whose subsidiary operates the mines at the Dobrovolnoye uranium deposit, denied that its mining facilities were impacted by the flood.
Seversk, Tomsk, Russia

Nuclear expert fears flooded radioactive dump sites in Siberia can threaten Arctic Ocean
Floodwaters in Tomsk region threatens to submerge the river banks in Seversk where highly radioactive liquid waste from the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons program for decades were injected into two unprotected underground reservoirs.
Seversk, Tomsk, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Tiny amount of radioactive iodine measured in Tromsø
The isotope measured in air in Tromsø for now is unknown. The isotope comes from a nuclear reactor, and is used in medial diagnostic.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Fire destroys Peter Pan Seafoods facility in Sand Point
A fire destroyed a Peter Pan Seafoods facility in Sand Point, Alaska, causing a pervasive smell of burning plastic from fishing gear stored on-site.
Sand Point, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Experts detonate historic cache of TNT discovered near Tok
Eielson Air Force Base's EOD team safely detonated a historic TNT cache from WWII-era Alaska Highway construction discovered near Tok.
Tok, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Oil spill tops 1 million gallons, threatens Gulf of Mexico wildlife
A spill from a pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico has released over 1 million gallons of oil, threatening local wildlife and prompting containment efforts.
Gulf of Mexico
Washington Post

Gas leak off Finland – authorities point to external activity
Finnish authorities are investigating a gas leak outside of Finland, suspected to be caused by external activity, with both the security police and defense forces involved in the case.
Baltic Sea

Fuel vault at Anchorage medical campus believed to be source of University Lake oil spill
Oil from a nearby fuel container leaked through the water system in the lake most likely due to heavy rains of the past month. Cleanup efforts were ongoing this week. It’s not clear when the park will reopen.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Wildfire smoke affecting millions of Canadians expected to linger for at least 2 days
Smoke from Canadian wildfires will make breathing outdoors difficult today for millions of people across the six largest provinces and into the United States.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
CBC

Dead fish washing up on shores of Lake Washington
The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife said the fish are yellow perch, which are common in the lake.
Hunts Point, Washington, United States
KIRO 7 News Seattle

Why SpaceX staff cheered when the Starship rocket exploded
Experts say Thursday's flight wasn't supposed to have gone off without a hitch, and still offers SpaceX valuable data. A space industry analyst explains why it was so significant.
Gulf of Mexico
NPR

Nearly 6 million litres of water from oilsands sediment pond released into Athabasca River
Suncor has reported six million litres of water that exceed sediment guidelines have been released into the Athabasca River from a pond at its Fort Hills oilsands mine.
Fort Hill Oilsands Mine
CBC

Mysterious glowing spiral in the sky over Alaska draws questions, and a simple explanation
Anchorage-based photographer saw something wild — a sudden, bright light on the northern horizon that quickly started to take on a spiral shape as it drew nearer. The spiral “appears to be rocket engine exhaust from a SpaceX Transporter-7 mission that launched on the Falcon 9 about three hours earlier in California.”
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Cold Bay still on bottled drinking water, 10 months after the wells tested high for 'forever chemicals'
About a year ago, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation tested Cold Bay’s water wells for PFAS, and the results came back well above the levels recommended for human consumption. Cold Bay closed the wells for drinking when the test results came back, and the Eastern Aleutian community has relied on state-provided bottled water ever since.
Cold Bay, Alaska, United States
KDLG

Capilano River sewage leak threatens salmon runs
As engineers and government officials try to locate the source of a sewage leak into the Capilano River, the Squamish Nation and a group of volunteers who monitor waterways on the North Shore say they are worried about the effect on young salmon in the river.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Cleanup continues at Kodiak spaceport after January rocket crash
ABL Space Systems is still investigating the crash, but says the rocket rose more than 700 feet before its engines shut down 11 seconds after launch.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States

Mystery leaks hit Russian undersea gas pipelines to Europe
European countries on Tuesday raced to investigate unexplained leaks in two Russian gas pipelines running under the Baltic Sea near Sweden and Denmark, infrastructure at the heart of an energy crisis since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Baltic Sea
CNN

Can we convince tourists to go hiking without leaving any traces?
A growing number of people are visiting Norway’s protected areas. This poses new challenges for national park management. Excrement and rubbish left behind by thousands of tourists degrades Lofotodden National Park’s idyllic nature. What can be done about this problem?
Å, Nordland, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Crews work to contain fuel spill after tugboat runs aground north of Sitka
The grounding ruptured one of the tug’s fuel tanks, which can hold around 13,000 gallons of diesel fuel.
Sitka, Alaska, United States

Oiled ducks euthanised
A vet this weekend euthanised a majority of the eider ducks being looked after in Suðureyri, the Westfjords, after over 9,000 litres of oil spilled into the sea from a tank owned by the Orkubú Vestfjarða energy company. The leak killed at least a hundred birds, but dozens more were rescued.
Suðureyri, Westfjords, Iceland
RÚV

Hooper Bay working to contain sewage spill that is threatening important subsistence location
The spill followed a sudden rise in warm temperatures in recent days. Hooper Bay Mayor Sandra Hill said that the thaw and rain had melted the previously frozen land surrounding the sewage lagoon, causing a wall of the lagoon to cave.
Hooper Bay, Alaska, United States
KYUK

State leader calls for shutdown of Red Hill fuel facility as Navy grapples with tainted water system
A state leader urges the closure of the Red Hill fuel facility amid concerns over aging infrastructure and potential leaks, despite Navy assurances of the tanks' integrity.
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Frac-out of Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project drilling under Fraser River
This happened about 250 m from the shore of the Fraser River in a creek at Colony Farms.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada

Oil spill reaches Laguna Beach, threatens Crystal Cove in Newport Beach as cleanup efforts intensify
The oil likely will continue to encroach on Orange County beaches for the next few days, officials said.
Los Angeles Times

Only two flamingos sighted on Sidi Boughaba Lake
On a hiking trip, observer sees a lone pair of Flamingos at Sidi Boughaba Lake National Park. This was not expected from a sociable bird species that travel in large flocks.
Kenitra, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Morocco
David Oswald, Chyna Williams, Salma Sayeh

Sunken scallop boat off Kodiak remains pollution hazard decades later
The sunken scallop boat, Saint Patrick, remains a pollution hazard off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska, decades after sinking in 1989, bringing up memories of a devastating fishing disaster in 1981 that claimed nine lives.
Womens Bay, Alaska, United States

Fears oil ship will fall apart
Despite extensive and expensive work last summer to prevent further oil leaks from the Second World War shipwreck El Grillo, in Seyðisfjörður, oil is still leaking into the sea. It is thought the wreck still contains some 10-15 tonnes of oil.
Seyðisfjörður, East, Iceland
RÚV

Rapid Erosion Exposes Old Landfill
Unusual high water all summer in Noatak, causing massive erosion towards the airport and old buried landfill, exposing old trash into the river.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Max Neale, Paul Walton, David Beveridge, Jeffrey Luther, John Monville, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Crane Johnson, Joy Britt, Chris Dankmeyer, Richard L Thoman Jr

The Norwegian Environment Agency is concerned about phosphorus in the mountain Lake Gjende
There are high levels of phosphorus in Gjende, which is located 984 meters above sea level, at the foot of the country's most popular mountain ridge, Besseggen. Phosphorus from the deposition of mud from melting glaciers affect the plankton in the lake. Scientist note that in the stomachs of the thin fish there is little zooplankton.
Gjende, Jotunheimen, Norway
Dag Kessel, Even Lusæter, Lars Erik Skrefsrud, Eilin Spolén Juva

Coast Guard responds to tar-like substance spill on Utqiagvik beach
Officials are still examining the substance in a lab to determine what it is, but DEC suspects it’s black tar or asphalt.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
KTOO
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

Survey Of Ocean Floor Between Los Angeles, Catalina Island Finds 27,000 Suspected Barrels Of DDT
Scientists have confirmed the existence of a DDT dump site in the waters off the coast of Southern California, and it’s even bigger than they had anticipated.
Southern Coast of California
MSN

Carbon dioxide spikes to critical record, halfway to doubling preindustrial levels
The concentration of the heat-trapping gas topped 420 parts per million, while the planet has warmed more than two degrees. This is the highest daily average concentration to be recorded. Data was collected at the Mauna Loa Observatory on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii
Washington Post

'20-Foot Wall of Water' Could Be Unleashed if Florida Phosphate Pond Collapses, Official Warns
Florida's governor has declared a state of emergency after a significant leak at a large storage pond of wastewater threatened to flood roads and burst a system that stores polluted waters.
Piney Point, Florida, United States
The Weather Channel

On par with the BP Oil spill: Tons of sediment invade Kalamazoo River after dam drawdown
Sediment that could fill the volume of 112 Olympic-sized pools has been flooding into the Kalamazoo River for over a year. IT's decimating habitats and causing a serious potential for devastating flooding.
Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
WXMI

Blue Russian Dogs Spotted Near Abandoned Factory
A pack of stray blue dogs, likely covered in chemical waste, was spotted on the road near the Russian town of Dzerzhinsk. The dogs may have been exposed to chemicals at a nearby abandoned factory that produced plexiglass and hydrocyanic acid, giving their fur the eye-catching blue color.
Dzerzhinsk, Nizjnij Novgorod, Russia

Goldfish invasion of Hamilton Harbour
Pet fish dumped in local waterways have become the scourge of Hamilton’s marshes and harbour
Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada
Macleans.ca

N.W.T. waters return to normal after record concentrations of metals found in summer
After a summer that saw high water levels and even higher concentrations of metal in two N.W.T. rivers, water testing is showing a return to normal, and a limited impact on local wildlife.
Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Eco disaster at Kamchatka peninsula with mass death of sea animals at precious Pacific beach
Khalaktyrsky Beach near Petropavlovsk is littered with hundreds of dead sea animals, from deep-sea Giant Pacific octopuses, to seals, sea urchins, stars, crabs and fish. Surfers were the first to raise alarm after problems with eyesight, fevers and throat aches.
Khalaktyrsky Beach
Siberian Times

No treasure found under the rainbow: The soil is full of plastic garbage
In the pictures, Måøya looks like a pristine natural gem on the coast of Trøndelag. But when scientists and adolescents started digging into the soil, they got shock.
Måøya, Frøya, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway
Solvår Flatås, Stein Lorentzen, Morten Andersen

Barrels with unknown substance were found on the lake shore in the Leningrad Region
Specialists of Rospotrebnadzor in the Leningrad Region are checking 12 barrels with unknown substance near Lake Voloyarvi.
Saint Petersburg, St.-Petersburg, Russia
Russian newspaper

Saving Our Seals - 28 sea mammals rescued after becoming trapped in plastic junk
This was a first expedition by volunteers and activists to rescue seals trapped in plastic rubbish on the island, a breeding ground in the Sea of Okhotsk, off Sakhalin.
Siberia Times

Fuel spill on the Ambarna River in Norilsk
The spill of the fuel-water mixture occurred on the Ambarnaya River in Norilsk during the clean up from the consequences of the accident at the TPP-3.
Норильск, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
RT

Blocked storm sewer eliminates effects of the oil spill
Experts found an airlock in the sewer, which was clogged with garbage and contaminated with oil products.
Сургут, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
RT

Oil spill in The Komi Republic
In the Usin district of the Komi Republic in Russia, there was an oil spill due to the damage to the pressure pipeline.
Komi, Russia
RT

The volume of the fuel spilled in Taimyr has more than doubled
The volume of spilled aviation fuel near the village of Tukhard in the Krasnoyarsk region has more than doubled, to 44.5 tons, the press service reported.
Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Radio Sputnik

Nordics detect elevated radiation levels around Baltic
Finland says the low concentrations of radioactive material found in air samples pose no danger.
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Yle Uutiset

Pollution of Chernavka River recorded in Khimki
According to preliminary data, the source of pollution is the storm sewer collector operated by the Khimvodostok Municipal Unitary Enterprise.
Химки, Moscow, Russia

Thousands of gallons of heating oil spill in Shungnak
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Shungnak, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Record-breaking heatwave in Siberia
A prolonged heatwave in Siberia is “undoubtedly alarming”, climate scientists have said. The freak temperatures have been linked to wildfires, a huge oil spill and a plague of tree-eating moths.
Siberia, Russian Federation
the Guardian

Oily substance found near Savoonga remains a mystery
About a month ago, residents of St. Lawrence Island found a patch of oily, white goo on the beach, along with some dead sea birds covered in the substance.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Next ‘stop’ Kara Sea in the Arctic Ocean?
Toxic fuel from 21,000 ton leak reaches pristine lake, bypassing floating booms, as rivers of diesel pollution cover-up is exposed.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

State of emergency in Norilsk after 20,000 tons of diesel leaks into Arctic river system
The exact reason of the leak is yet to be established, but a statement from Norilsk Nickel company, which operates the site suggests it could have been caused - worryingly - by collapsing permafrost.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

Mary River Mine's iron ore dust concerns local hunters in Nunavut | CBC News
Hunters in Pond Inlet, Nunavut, say that iron ore dust from the Mary River Mine is discolouring the land around Milne Inlet, deterring animals and making it hard to get clean water when people are camping.
Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

Oil spill alert received
The Icelandic coastguard coordination centre yesterday received a red oil pollution warning from the European Maritime Safety Agency. The warning was accompanied by a satellite image showing an oil slick some 50 nautical miles southwest of the Reykjanes peninsula.
RÚV

Oily water continues to ooze into Port Valdez as snow on the ground complicates response
The source of the spill, a drain area about a quarter-mile uphill from the coastline, was stopped on Monday, authorities reported. And oil on the water has been contained to a site near a small boat harbor at the terminal where tankers load up with oil.
Valdez, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Alyeska Pipeline cleaning up oil spill at Valdez Marine Terminal
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company says that as of Tuesday morning, roughly 326 barrels — 13,692 gallons — of oily water have been recovered at the Valdez Marine Terminal.
Valdez, Alaska, United States

Mystery oil coating Westman Islands seabirds
Several dozen oil-covered seabirds have been discovered on the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago in recent days and weeks. The environment agency website states that most of the birds were found around the harbour on Heimaey and on Klauf beach. Oiled birds were first noticed as long ago as the start of this year.
Vestmannaeyjar, South, Iceland

The day the world’s most polluted city was in Siberia
The locals call it Black Sky, a combination of weather conditions and the exhaust from dozens of factories in this industrial city on the Yenisei river.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

At least 35 killed and 17 missing after Typhoon Hagibis tears through country, flooding rivers and submerging cities
In the aftermath of the largest typhoon to hit Japan in decades, the nation on Sunday was still assessing the scope of the damage caused by the massive storm.
Japan
The Japan Times

Alberta’s bull trout listed as threatened and its ecosystem is in jeopardy
Bull trout, which are technically char, mostly inhabit cold and pristine snow-melt-fed waters. Changes in water quality and temperatures challenge the future for this species in Alberta.
Alberta
thestar.com

Kuskokwim River erosion threatens diesel-filled fuel tanks in Napakiak
The school district plans to transport fuel from a group of 10 tanks into three new tanks expected to be placed in the Napakiak school parking lot further inland.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) Found on Chukchi Sea Beach
More than 50 birds and a seal were found along the shoreline.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
Kathy Kuletz, Janet Mitchell, Gay Sheffield, Hillary Burgess

The Salish Sea’s orcas are late for their annual summer visit, the latest sign something is wrong
Researchers say their absence is a stark reminder that the orcas are slowly starving to death because there is not enough Chinook salmon to sustain them.
Salish Sea
The Star

Dead Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
This walrus was found by a local fisherman and reported by LEO Network to the US Fish and Wildlife Walrus Hotline. The carcass is thought to be too old for necropsy or sample collection.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Louisa Castrodale, Mellisa Heflin, Anahma Shannon, Joel Garlich-Miller, Jonathan Snyder, Barbara Mahoney, Racheal Lee, Gay Sheffield, Michelle Snowball

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.
Clayquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) regurgitation full of plastic found in Unalaska
Regurgitation from a bald eagle contains plastic pieces.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Anna-Katri Kulmala, Veronica Padula

Record Temps in Goldstream
Warm temperatures are rapidly melting snow and creating ice, which creates difficult conditions for dog mushers. Migratory birds are arriving early, and a mosquito emerged months early. Small owls dead around the Goldstream Valley that looked unusually thin.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

Marine Tar (Oil Residue) On Beaches
The western coast line of India is prone to oil pollution. Marine tar deposition is heaviest during early monsoons or monsoons months.
Arambol, Goa, India

Residents of Smog-Hit Russian Town Sue Over Health Complications
Locals blamed a mining company for attempting to hide what they called an 'ecological tragedy.'
Sibay, Bashkortostan, Russia

Ash turns Siberia snow black triggering acute pollution concerns from locals
Blame for pollution is focused on failure of coal plant to filter emissions.
Прокопьевский, Кемеровская область, Russia

State investigates Prudhoe Bay wells after a second North Slope well ‘jacked up’ and leaked oil and gas
The incident appears similar to an oil and gas release in 2017 blamed on thawing permafrost and hot production fluids.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States

Delhi air pollution surges to emergency levels
Air quality index at 12 times US government-recommended level and visibility low
Delhi, NCT, India
the Guardian

Beached whale had 115 plastic cups in its stomach
A dead whale that washed ashore in eastern Indonesia had a large lump of plastic waste in its stomach, including drinking cups and flip-flops, a park official said Tuesday, causing concern among environmentalists and government officials in one of the world's largest plastic polluting countries.
Wakatobi, Sulawesi Tenggara, Indonesia
CTVNews

Caribbean swamped by seaweed that smells like rotten eggs
From Belize to Barbados, tourist beaches have been swamped by huge tides of foul-smelling sargassum – and climate change could make the problem worse
Ambergris Caye, Belize, Belize
the Guardian

Rough seas hamper containment and recovery operations at White Rose oilfield
Husky Energy was still working as of deadline to address a sizable offshore oil spill that occurred Friday, but rough seas on Saturday and into Sunday afternoon continued to prevent containment and recovery of approximately 250,000 liters of oil despite the arrival of a recovery team Sunday afternoon.
White Rose Oilfield
The Telegram

Herring (Clupea pallasii) in Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) stomach
Odd time of year for seals to be eating herring.
Haines, Alaska, United States

Red tide has contributed to the deaths of nearly 190 Florida manatees, FWC says
Red tide has contributed to or is suspected in the deaths of nearly 190 manatees so far this year.
Florida, United States
WFTS

Missing Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) Bed
Large bull kelp (*Nereocystis luetkeana*) bed near the 1st channel marker, which used to attract sea otters, has disappeared.
Larsen Bay, Alaska, United States
David Harmes, Joy Britt, Mandy Lindeberg

Seabirds found with more than 250 pieces of plastic lodged in their stomachs
Scientists examining the devastating impact plastics are having on the world's oceans have identified seabirds with more than 250 man made objects lodged in their stomachs.
The Telegraph

Tons Of Dead Fish Washing Ashore On Florida Beaches
Southwest Florida is reeling from a toxic algae bloom called red tide. Hundreds of tons of dead fish are washing up on beaches.
Bradenton, Florida, United States
NPR.org

High Concentrations of PCB in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) sample
High concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls found in blue mussels.
Dutch Harbor, Alaska, United States

Rare Glass Sponge Reef Smothered By Fish Farm Waste
Underwater camera captured ‘a wasteland, covered in brown sediment.’
Cecil Island Fish Farm, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Bad weather blocks cleanup of oil spill in fragile waters near Kodiak
An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak flew over the area of an oil spill in Shuyak Strait on Wednesday afternoon, but weather continued to hamper response efforts, the Coast Guard said.
Shuyak Strait, Alaska, United States

Researchers find high levels of microplastics on Norway’s Arctic coast
Eastern Finnmark, on the coast of the Barents Sea has always proved to be the cleanest of all areas of testing in the North Atlantic. But not so any more.
Hasvik, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
Arctic Today

Hundreds of dead blackfish found in waters near Bethel
Smart started finding dead fish in his trap near Dull Lake about two or three weeks ago. Now there are hundreds and hundreds of them.Some local officials suspect water pollution killed the fish, but state officials offered an alternative explanation. According to the Fish and Game representative a local fisherman forgot to check a blackfish trap and may have dumped the dead fish in Dull Lake.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

How debris from rockets launched far away is a risk to Inuit food security
The North Water Polynya, between Nunavut and Greenland, is one of the Arctic’s most biologically productive areas — and an important part of the food supply for nearby Inuit communities.
Pikialasorsuaq North Water, North Baffin Bay
Arctic Today
Tiff-Annie Kenny, University of Ottawa, Tad Lemieux, Carleton University

Cleanup indicates Valdez spill bigger than initially thought
According to Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, approximately 400 gallons of an oily water mix had been recovered from the Port of Valdez as of Saturday night.
Valdez, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Harball, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage

Simla had probably been stuck here for a couple of days: Shows the dangers of littering along the fjord
Reindeer stuck in local trash. Blue markings can also be seen on body. Mayor Frank M. Ingilæ and his two dogs came to the rescue for this fight Wednesday.
Torhop, Tana kommune, Troms and Finnmark County, Norway
iFinnmark

DEC looks into whether drums in village's drinking water lake pose any hazards
State and North Slope Borough officials say Point Lay’s drinking water lake was wiped out by the nearby Kokolik River, which flooded and eroded the lake banks.
Point Lay, Alaska, United States

Stinking mats of seaweed piling up on Caribbean beaches
Some tourists have canceled summer trips and lawmakers on Tobago have termed the sargassum invasion a “natural disaster.”
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Miami Herald

Sheen on Water in Shishmaref
Photos and observations of the sheen thought to be caused by a fuel leak in the village of Shishmaref.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Central Welland River Fish Kill
Common carp (*Cyprinus carpio*) and channel catfish (*Ictalurus punctatus*) die from low dissolved oxygen and ammonia that are the result of an over-application of biosolids.
Welland, Ontario, Canada

Sunken Vessel Spill
Sunken vessel leads to petroleum spill.
Nome, Alaska, United States

3,000 dolphins found dead on the coast of Peru
According to a report from Peru 21, local fishermen in Lambayeque, north Peru, were first to notice the inexplicable rise in dead dolphin appearing on shore -- averaging roughly 30 per day.
Peru
TreeHugger

Powerful Quake and Tsunami Devastate Northern Japan
Japan was filled with scenes of desperation a day after an 8.9-magnitude quake, as survivors called for help and rescuers looked for people buried in rubble.
Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
The New York Times

Dead penguins and oil covered found on Uruguayan beaches
Dozens of dead penguins and others alive but with traces of oil appeared over the weekend along the east of Uruguay according to a marine life conservation non government organization.
El Delta del Río de la Plata
MercoPress

Fisherfolk raise concern over Manila Bay’s ‘discoloration’
Social media went abuzz the past few days after some parts of Manila Bay turned turquoise.
Manila, Philippines

Historical fuel spill likely source of Iqaluit drinking water contamination, city official says
An Iqaluit city official told CBC News that a historical underground fuel spill found near the water treatment plant could explain why the city had to declare an emergency due to fuel-contaminated drinking water.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

Hours of work to clean a single swan after Marco Polo oil spill
50 cubic metres of oil is estimated to have been released into the Baltic Sea, after a passenger ferry ran aground just off the coast of Blekinge in south-eastern ...
Karlskrona, Blekinge, Sweden

A once-popular Anchorage mall has become an illegal dumping ground
The Northway Mall in northeast Anchorage sits almost totally empty. That’s led to people dumping loads of trash, furniture, appliances and industrial waste all over the property.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

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