The article reports that as of December 13, 2014, there is no shore-fast ice in Wales, Alaska, which is unusual for this time of year. The lack of ice is concerning for the community as it affects their ability to hunt and subsist on seals, walrus, and bowhead whales. The ice also provides protection during fall and winter storms and for sea-dwelling fish. The community is worried about the impact on their way of life and the ecosystem.

Observation by Robert Tokeinna, Jr.:

Within city limits on the shoreline, we have no shore-fast ice. There are ice formations on the mean tide of the beach. By this time of the year, we usually have 2-3 miles of shore-fast ice that sticks to our beach. We as a village have not done our winter harvest of seals and walrus, and we are worried that we will not be able to bowhead whale hunt. This shore-fast ice is important to the community because it provides protection during fall and winter storms. We also use the ice to hunt and subsist on. It is our way of life. We cannot ice fish like we normally do. The ice provides protection for tomcods and other sea-dwelling fish such as flounders. We are afraid that our fish and sea mammals may be affected by the change of their ecosystem.