Powerful tools reveal hidden structure of harbor porpoise population. Harbor porpoises are shy, elusive creatures that live in Alaska’s coastal waters and are vital parts of the marine ecosystem. But how these animals are distributed and connected across the vast Alaskan waters remains a mystery. A new study published in the scientific journal Molecular Ecology sheds light on the hidden […]
NOAA Fisheries has released a new economic snapshot focused on the Alaska seafood industry. Economists estimate that the Alaska seafood industry suffered an $1.8 billion loss (2022-2023). The Alaska fishing industry saw a 50 percent decline in profitability (2021-2023). “The Alaska seafood industry is a major contributor to the U.S. seafood sector,” said Robert Foy, director of […]
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, […]