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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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Floodwaters recede after Deering declares disaster
For one day last week, the village of Deering needed to use a boat to get to the airport.
Deering, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

West Coast Harmful Algal Bloom
Over the past few months, a massive toxic bloom of the marine diatom *Pseudo-nitzschia*, stretching from central California to the Alaska Peninsula, has resulted in significant impacts to coastal resources and marine life. NOAA has been working closely with federal, state, tribal, academic, and other partners to respond to this unprecedented harmful algal bloom (HAB).
Pacific Ocean, Northern to East Coasts
National Ocean Service (NOAA)

No Permanent Winter Ice and Early Break Up For Nome
Nome, Alaska, United States

Lack of ice allows dredging to start early
Previously, the dredging started around May and ran through October, but the past three winters it has started earlier and run longer.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Crecimiento del nivel del mar
Río Lagartos, Yucatán, Mexico

Seldovia beach erosion and glacial rebound
Rapid changes raise questions.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States

Early Iceberg Season - Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador
Canada and U.S. Coast Guard Monitoring Conditions
Ellsiton, Newfoundland, Canada

Winter Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) Sighting
The lack of sea ice in Toksook Bay, has allowed for a uniquel sighting - a January beluga whale!
Toksook Bay, Alaska, United States

This May Be The Most Contaminated Killer Whale Ever Recorded
Tiree, Scotland, United Kingdom
Huffington Post

Unusually Warm In Northwest Arctic
Above normal temperatures in the Northwest Arctic region
Kivalina, Alaska, United States

Sargassum algae invades the coasts of the Great South of Haiti
For over one year the coasts of the Great South of Haiti, are invaded by an unusual species of algae known as Sargassum or Seaweed. The most affected communities are : St Jean du Sud, Les Cayes, St Louis du Sud, Côtes de fer, Jacmel, Cayes Jacmel...
Saint-Louis du Sud, Sud, Haiti
HaitiLibre.com

Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion near Cape Blossom
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States

Sierra Leone's stinking seaweed linked to Caribbean invasion
Proliferation of thick brown algae is affecting fishing, tourism and marine life on both sides of the Atlantic, say scientists
Tokeh, Western, Sierra Leone
the Guardian

Are Vancouver's recent Gray Whale sightings the start of regular seasonal visits?
Tuesday’s (September 29) sighting of a gray whale swimming and possibly feeding right off the Stanley Park Seawall brings recent sightings up to three in that area. It isn’t clear if it is the same whale or different whales in the widely reported incidents since August 12. One whale, perhaps the same animal each time, was observed for days in the same area in English Bay, sometimes travelling into Burrard Inlet and off West Vancouver’s Ambleside Beach.
Stanley Park Seawall, British Columbia, Canada
Georgia Straight

It's a different ocean right now: First great whites, now hammerhead sharks spotted in Orange County waters
Malibu Beach, California, United States
Orange County Register

Why More Hammerhead Sharks Are Popping Up Off Southern California Coast
Huntington Beach, California, United States
CBSLA.com

Polystyrene Debris
Polystyrene debris on beaches
McDonald Spit, Alaska, United States

Odd Marine Debris
Unusual debris found on beach
Shismaref, Alaska, United States
Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Peter Murphy, Ali Hamade

Whales Are Dying Off North America’s West Coast
West Coast of Vancouver Island, Canada
VICE News

Soupfin Shark (Galeorhinus galeus) Strandings
Near Pesuta Shipwreck, Tlell, Haida Gwaii

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

Caribbean-bound tourists cancel holidays due to foul-smelling seaweed
Algal blooms threaten the economies of the globe’s most tourism dependent nations, scuttle holidays plans and give climate scientists more to worry about
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico
the Guardian

Abundant Japanese Wireweed (Sargassum muticum)
A species of invasive seaweed is becoming very abundant and displacing native species.
Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada

Arribazon atípica de sargazo
Andrés Quintana Roo, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Low Water at Mouth of Klamath River
Causing muted tidal influence
Klamath, California, United States
Micah Gibson, Mike Brubaker, Paul Van Mechelen, Joe Hostler

Where are all the jellyfish on Melmerby beach?
Little Habour, Nova Scotia, Canada

Big Mama and the return of the humpback whales to the Salish Sea
Not a single humpback whale was seen in the Salish Sea for nearly a hundred years
Salish Sea
Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly

Ocean 'blob' brings bad fish food to B.C. waters
The so-called 'warm blob' of water in the North Pacific has brought unusual plankton, which lack the nutrients wild salmon and other marine animals count on.
Northeast Pacific Ocean
CBC News

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.
Northern Pacific Coast
Washington Post

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

Velella en Isla San Martín

Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) absent around Isla Todos Santos
Around Isla Todos Santos, a massive Giant Kelp (_Macrocystis pyrifera_) bed die-off was observed, which may be linked to the 2015-2016 El Niño event.
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)
Near San Diego, California

The Blob: Why warmer oceans are a big concern
Warm water threatens marine habitats off the coast of BC
Northeast Pacific Ocean
Sooke News Mirror

The warm ‘blob’ in Canada’s Pacific Ocean
Last year, 2014, was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. Unlike other worldwide problems from which Canadians might feel relatively safe and isolated, but Canada is actually ground zero of global climate.
Gulf of Alaska / Northeast Pacific
Times Colonist

Pregnant whale shark (Rhincodon typus)

Wet Snowgo Race
Warm weather has made for unsafe traveling conditions, including a snowmachine race.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Victoria Harbour 2: Contaminants in Sediment and Mussels
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Thousands of small seabirds wash up on West Coast in die-off mystery
Scientists are trying to determine why thousands of tiny seabirds called Cassin's auklets have washed up on the West Coast, all the way from B.C. to California.
Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park
CBC News

Coastal Erosion
Weekend storm eroded the face of the sea wall.
Togiak, Alaska, United States

No Sea Ice Yet
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.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Bering Sea Superstorm Among the Strongest Extratropical Cyclones on Record
Partially derived from former Super Typhoon Nuri, the typhoon's remnants joined up with the polar jet stream and a very strong disturbance in the mid-latitude belt of westerly winds, leading to explosive development of low pressure.
The Weather Channel

High Sea Water Temperatures
9-18-14 High surface water temperatures - Bering Sea
Bering Sea, Alaska, United States

Rare whale shark sighting documented near Catalina
Near Catalina Island, California, United States
Pete Thomas Outdoors

Unusual species in Alaska waters indicate parts of Pacific warming dramatically
Hinchenbrook Entrance, Alaska
Alaska Dispatch News

Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) Sighted at Possession Point, Southern Vancouver Islan
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

Smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena)

Rare and friendly sea otter spotted in waters off Saanich
[VIDEOS & PHOTOS] A rare and entertaining sea otter spotted along the shores of Saanich this week has locals thrilled, but wildlife experts warn to keep a distance.
Ten Mile Point, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Extreme Shore Erosion
Loss of shoreline and subsistence camps.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Sea Ice Rescue
4-29-14 Sea ice rescue - Barrow, Alaska, USA
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Ocean acidity wipes out 10 million scallops near Qualicum Beach
Ten million scallops that have died in the waters near Qualicum Beach due to rising ocean acidity are the latest victims in a series of marine die-offs that have plagued the West Coast for 10 years. . .
Island Scallops Ltd., Vancouver Island, Canada
Times Colonist

Evidence of Sea Star Wasting Disease
Laguna Beach, California, United States

Heavy Sea Ice
Heavy sea ice observed in southeast Alaska.
Haines, Alaska, United States

Loss of Fuel Header Due to Coastal Erosion
Fuel headers leading to bulk fuel farm out of service due to coastal erosion.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

No Sea Ice
No sea ice alone the northside of the Alaska Peninsula.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

With warm December winds, shaken faith in Arctic weather
Folks here are famous for being able to handle the cold, but anything wet in December has always made us nervous. Especially wet falling from the sky. Lately, weather, our favorite nemesis, has broken the rules. Our confidence in the most-trustworthy feature of the Arctic -- winter -- has been wounded.
Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Storm Surge
Early fall weather conditions brought on an extreme storm surge in a Norton Sound community.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States

Storm Damage
Series of storms contribute to flooding, erosion, infrastructure damage.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Ice Fishing Hazardous
11-4-13 Ice fishing hazardous - Golovin, Alaska, USA
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Sewage Lagoon Vulnerable - Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion potential threat to community sewage lagoon.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Poor Sea Ice - Our Sea Garden
The sea is our garden for food and other things.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Changing Sea Ice
3-5-13 Changing sea ice - Unalakleet, Alaska, USA
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States

Poor Sea Ice Changes Hunt
Lack of sea ice affects seal hunting.

Trapped on Sea Ice
A snowmachiner was trapped on the quickly moving floe and he was rescued later by a helicopter.
Nome, Alaska, United States

Jumbo Flying Squid Pile Up On Calif. Beach
Rio Del Mar, California, United States
ABC News

Hundreds of Humboldt squid wash up on Aptos area beaches
Rio Del Mar, California, United States
Santa Cruz Sentinel

Latest IHN outbreak forces cull at Millar Channel fish farm
Update: Aug. 16. Mainstream Canada has announced that the Millar Channel fish farm is now empty. The fish, infected with the IHN virus,were taken to a rendering facility. Mainstream Canada is developing a plan for cleaning and disinfecting the farm site, as per the requirements of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. “This is an unfortunate incident, but we are pleased with how smoothly the depopulation procedure went considering the situation,” said Fernando Villarroel, Mainstream Canada’s managing director.
Millar Channel, British Columbia, Canada
Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper

Tundra Slipping Below Sea Level
Melting permafrost causing tundra to slip below sea level in northern Alaska.
North Slope, Alaska, United States

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

Ice Departure Delayed
Sea ice conditions making it difficult for community to harvest seasonal fish.

In Nicoya Gulf, the deadly red tide lingers
Since early February, the gulf, and beaches and islands surrounding it, have been in the throes of one of the worst blooms of red tide in recent years.
Paquera, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate

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

North Pacific 'super storm' makes its way toward Western Alaska coastline
The National Weather Service predicted one of the largest storms on record blasting up the Bering Sea coast. Could this be the first Arctic hurricane?
Anchorage Daily News

Orange gunk found near remote Alaska village identified
Scientists have identified an orange-colored gunk that appeared along the shore of a remote Alaska village as millions of microscopic eggs filled with fatty droplets.
Kivalina, Alaska, United States
msnbc.com

Shell shock - thousands of Ninilchik clams wash up on beach in unusual die-off
A winter storm lashed the sandy beaches at the mouth of the Ninilchik River with ferocious waves, powerful enough to uproot thousands of razor clams.
Ninilchik, Alaska, United States
Redoubt Reporter

Squid invasion hitting Oregon coast and scientists are concerned, but could there be a silver lining?
Newport, Oregon, United States
OregonLive.com

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) off Southern Vancouver Island, Canada
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

Giant squid caught in West Seattle
Seacrest Boathouse Pier, West Seattle, Washington, United States
King 5 News

Jumbo squid invade San Diego shores, spook divers
La Jolla, California, United States
The Christian Science Monitor

The Seattle Times: Sports: Notebook: Humboldt squid make rare appearance here
Washington's outer coast
Seattle Times

Jumbo squid is captured in unfamiliar waters
Sitka, Alaska
msnbc.com

Too Many Sea Otters?
Some want to be able to kill them again off BC's coast. Part one of a Tyee special report.
Chesterman Beach, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

Se observó una ballena gris albina
Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Baja California Sur
Reserva de la Biósfera El Vizcaíno Guerrero Negro

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

Rain falls at Greenland ice summit for first time on record
Rain fell at the highest point on the Greenland ice sheet last week for the first time on record, another worrying sign of warming for the ice sheet already melting at an increasing rate, scientists said on Friday.
Summit Camp
Reuters

Busiest ferry routes inside Arctic Circle go electric
Norway’s successful transition to zero-emission transport sector continues. By the end of 2022, the last remaining ferry connection along European route E6, Bognes-Skarberget, will operate on batteries.
Bønes, Vestland, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Great Barrier Reef authority confirms unprecedented sixth mass coral bleaching event
Aerial surveys show almost no reefs across a 1,200km stretch escaping the heat, prompting scientists to call for urgent action on climate crisis.
Apple News

East Cook Inlet clamming to remain closed again this summer as population still lags
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game found an unexpectedly low number of clams during final surveying, but the agency still plans to monitor them in support of perhaps opening the fishery in years to come.
Clam Gulch, Alaska, United States

Fiona's aftermath in Port aux Basques: 'It looks like a bomb went off'
'We did what we could to prepare, and still, we were underprepared'. Harvey’s assessment is much uglier in the daylight. Much of the town looks like it took a point-blank blast from an army tank. The photos do little to capture the sheer shock of local residents, especially those who lost their homes. Some are a bit more stoic than others, focused on rebuilding. Others are understandably much more raw and emotional, dissolving into tears while passerby rush to comfort them.
Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Saltwire.com

Australia: Rescuers rush to get stranded whales into the sea
Around 160 long-finned pilot whales washed up on the western Australian coast.Pia Courtis, from PWS said in a statement that a number of rescue agencies were trying to help but "unfortunately the outcome for our pilot whales once they strand on the beach is generally not good."
Dunsborough, Western Australia, Australia

Canada's AG warns Nunavut about dangers of not having a climate change action plan
Nunavut is not prepared to deal with the impacts of climate change and doesn't have a plan to deal with them, according to the latest report by Canada's auditor general.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
CBC News

Gulf Coast waters are hotter than ever
A relentless heat dome that has parked over the Gulf Coast region for much of summer reached a climax late last week and this weekend, bringing some of the highest temperatures ever recorded from coastal Texas to southern Alabama. The water has also heated up far beneath the surface. In fact, temperatures of nearly 88 degrees are common to depths of 165 feet below the surface, according to data posted to Twitter by Kim Wood, a professor of meteorology at Mississippi State University. University of Miami hurricane scientist Andy Hazelton called the ocean heat “other-worldly.”
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

New Zealand sea sponge populations 'dying by the millions' due to climate change
Shocking images have emerged from New Zealand showing millions of once-velvety brown sea sponges bleached bone white, the worst mass bleaching event of its type ever recorded, marine scientists say.
New Zealand
CNN

North Slope communities are seeing more polar bears this year
From Point Hope to Kaktovik, North Slope communities saw anywhere from 10 to 15 bears in each village this winter. For the most part, bears are not going into the villages, but in some cases, they come close enough for people to take photos and sometimes, people come too close.
Point Hope, Alaska, United States
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Another break in fiber network causes temporary internet and cell service outage in Arctic Alaska
Quintillion reconfigured the network and temporarily restored service as of Tuesday afternoon, the company’s president said. The break happened in an area with ongoing oil and gas maintenance and development.
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Prickly sharks (Echinorhinus cookei) observed in the shallow head of Monterey Submarine canyon

Seabirds dying of malnutrition in the sea north of Iceland, changing ocean conditions to blame
Unusually high numbers of dead seabirds have been found washed ashore on the beaches of North Iceland in the past months. A biologist who spoke to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV said malnutrition and lack of feed for the birds were the most likely explanations.
Skagaströnd, Northwest, Iceland
Icelandmag

Holy crab! Rare, weirdly colored crustaceans found in Norton Sound
The red king crab that wasn't red appeared in Nome on Fourth of July.

Climate change: Sudden heat increase in seas around UK and Ireland
Scientists say water temperatures are as much as 3 to 4C above the average for this time of year in some areas.
Durham, England, United Kingdom
BBC News

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

What Greenland’s record-breaking rain means for the planet
For three days this month, 7 billion tonnes of rain fell across Greenland — the largest amount since records began in 1950. It’s also the first time since then that rain, not snow, fell on Greenland’s highest peak.
Greenland Summit Camp
ArcticToday

Hurricane Fiona: Canada hit by 'historic, extreme event'
Hundreds of thousands of people have been left without power, after Storm Fiona hit Canada's coastline. Parts of three provinces experienced torrential rain and winds of up to 160km/h (99mph), with trees and powerlines felled and houses washed into the sea.
Channel-Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
BBC News

Unusually Thick Sea Ice to Make for Challenging Shipping on Northern Sea Route This Summer
Unusual amounts of multiyear ice in the Laptev and Siberian Sea could lead to difficult summer navigation along parts of Russia’s Northern Sea Route this summer, says the country’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
Siberian Sea, Russia
High North News

Anglers on alert for invasive Pacific pink salmon
'Unprecedented numbers' of pink salmon were seen in 2017 and the fish have been spotted again this year.
Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Scientists Find Worrisome Lesions on Endangered Southern Resident Orcas
The peer-reviewed research published this week in the Public Library of Science suggests that 99% of the orcas studied had photographic evidence of skin lesions. Researchers evaluated photos from nearly 20,000 orca sightings from 2004 to 2016, finding that lesions — often gray patches and gray targets on the orcas' skin — generally became more prevalent over time.
Seattle, Washington, United States
The Daily Chronicle

Lack of food drives away southern resident killer whales
The southern resident killer whales who returned to their traditional summer feeding grounds in the Salish Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday after a long absence have apparently left again, and although most of the members of J-, K- and L-Pods appeared to be healthy, at least one may be close to starvation.
Salish Sea

New Invasive Species Detected in Alaska
Last summer while scoping for marine invasive species we found the invasive colonial tunicate, Didemnum vexillum also know as marine vomit.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
ADFG News

Spring bounty: Utqiagvik landed 10 whales in less than two weeks
This early in spring, the season usually only starts, but the weather patterns have been changing, and so has been the harvest time, Donovan said.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
The Arctic Sounder

Ice jam floods Buckland
The Arctic Sounder - Serving the Northwest Arctic and the North Slope
Buckland, Alaska, United States
Arctic Sounder

Corals in peril at a popular Hawaiian tourist destination due to global climate change
Researchers from the Coral Reef Ecology Lab at the Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology documented the third global bleaching event as it occurred from 2014 to 2016 at the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (HBNP) on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Their findings, published in the international journal PeerJ, show that temperature is by far the most influential factor in coral bleaching at this well-managed location where corals, fish, and all other organisms are protected.
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Hawaii, United States
EurekAlert!

Baby lobster numbers low off New England as waters warm
New data show the population of baby lobsters off New England is below average, raising concerns about the size of future commercial hauls of the valuable crustaceans as waters warm.
Gulf of Maine
Press Herald

Sounding the alarm about the lobster population: We must reverse the trend now
The lobster population along the Norwegian coast is much worse off than first thought. New research shows a huge decline.
Arendal, Agder, Norway
NRK

Crabbers catch fewer crab, see lower price
Summer commercial Dungeness crabbing was well below average in Lynn Canal, with fishermen hauling in an estimated 105,000 pounds this year compared
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Tropical fish follow warmer waters south, devouring kelp forests
They are brightly coloured, beautiful and hungry — tropical fish and sea urchins are thriving in southern waters warmed by climate change. But now they are devastating kelp forests already knocked around by marine heatwaves.
southern Australia
ABC News

Storm Malik and Corrie: Thousands of homes without power after weekend storms
Gusts of up to 85mph were recorded in parts of Scotland as Storm Malik swept across the country.
Saint Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom

Basking Sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) Return to Monterey Bay
Moss Landing, California, United States

Shellfish growers in Northwest’s oyster capital want ‘blitz’ against invasive green crabs
Shellfish growers in Willapa Bay in southwest Washington, the self-styled "Oyster Capital of the World," are alarmed by an invasion of potentially destructive nonnative European green crabs. Some are asking for an all-out trapping offensive to corral the invasive species.
Ocean Park, Washington, United States
opb

Climate change affecting fish production, says Fisheries head
FISH production is being affected by climate change. Acting director of fisheries Nerissa Lucky said this was due to high sea water temperatures. CANARI technical officer Dr Ainka Granderson also said climate change posed a challenge for coastal communities in Trinidad and Tobago.Those communities are affected by the effects of extreme weather, coastal erosion, sea level rise, sargassum and coral bleaching.
Port of Spain, City of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad Express Newspapers

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