Eastern North Pacific Right whale MML# 84 “Cuatro” (female) in the Bering Sea in August 2017. Credit: K. Matsuoka/International Whaling Commission and NOAA Fisheries Eastern North Pacific right whales once numbered in the tens of thousands; today there are estimated to be fewer than 50. Studying these extremely rare whales across their vast ocean range is an […]
For one humpback whale the injuries were consistent with a ship strike, the other is still undergoing review. Alaska stranding network members, including Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services, and NOAA Fisheries, necropsied two humpback whales in Icy Strait in July 2024. On July 3, NOAA Fisheries received a report of a floating humpback whale, […]
Scientists are able to evaluate more data in less time to support sustainable Alaska Fisheries. Scientists demonstrate that an innovative technology to scan fish otoliths (ear stones) coupled with trained computer models can determine rockfish ages as well as humans, and even more quickly. This technology, Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy, examines the unique vibrations of molecules […]
Radiocarbon Dating Techniques Used to Estimate Ages. In a new project, scientists hope to learn more about age determination and maximum lifespan of Pacific sleeper sharks. Scientists are examining the nuclear core and outer eye lens layers of this species to estimate plausible age ranges. Results of this study may offer valuable information to […]