Findings highlight risk to whales and dolphins from vertical lines in marine environment. A couple walking on the beach near Gustavus dock early on Sunday, May 30 were initially excited to spot a minke whale surface near a moored vessel. But then, they saw the whale dive and heard the mooring chain on the vessel […]
This may be the first time data collected using uncrewed surface vehicles were used to help produce an annual estimate of abundance for a commercial fish stock. Every other year, NOAA Fisheries conducts an acoustic-trawl survey from crewed research vessels to measure pollock abundance in Alaska’s eastern Bering Sea. As a result of COVID-19, many […]
Natural resource managers in British Columbia discovered several adult male and female European green crabs on Haida Gwaii this past July. Alarm bells immediately went off for biologists in Alaska. The archipelago of Haida Gwaii, off the coast of Prince Rupert in British Columbia, is very close to Alaska. The July discovery is the closest confirmed finding […]
A new study provides essential information to conserve an endangered species and supports subsistence communities own observations. For the first time, scientists have direct evidence that killer whales are preying on bowhead whales in the U.S. Pacific Arctic. A dramatic loss of sea ice in recent years may be leaving bowheads more vulnerable to […]
NOAA Fisheries Affiliate Vladimir Burkanov discovered an albino fur seal on a recent research trip to the remote island of Tyuleny in the Sea of Okhotsk, Russia. The reddish-gold pup has very light colored eyes and pink flippers. It was born in July on the island, which supports a large fur seal colony. The […]
New research provides a glimpse into the future to help Arctic fishing communities prepare for change. The Pacific Arctic is undergoing a rapid transformation. As temperatures rise and sea ice melts, some species will do better than others. A new study suggests that pink salmon may be one of those species. “Our results suggest that warming […]
Research aims for baseline information on whale behavior and biology in absence of vessels. This is a collaborative effort with the University of Alaska Southeast, University of Alaska Fairbanks, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office and Alaska Fisheries Science Center/Auke Bay Laboratories and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. It’s an unusual year out on […]
A multiyear archival tagging study identified consistent seasonal and daily patterns of depth-specific behavior by Greenland turbot in Alaska. These new findings provide key information for sustainably managing this commercially valuable population in a changing environment. Migration and Management of Greenland Turbot Although Greenland turbot have been well studied in the Atlantic Ocean, relatively little is known about […]
Scientists partnered with tech industry experts to develop the first machine learning application for acoustic monitoring of Alaskan beluga whales. An innovative machine learning application will help scientists collect information essential to protect and recover the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population. In 1979, the Cook Inlet beluga population began a rapid decline. Despite being protected as an […]