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23 May 2026 / Alaska Public Media / Alena Naiden
Event

Spring whaling in Utqiagvik is off to a late start due to unusual ice conditions

Utqiagvik, Alaska, United States

Unusually rough, thin sea ice near Utqiagvik delayed the community’s spring bowhead whaling season, with the first whale not landed until May 23, 2026. Researchers say late-forming young ice and mistimed storms made the shorefast ice edge less stable and harder to use for hauling whales.


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