Today, NOAA Fisheries released its biennial abundance estimate for endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales. Scientists estimated that the population size is between 250 and 317, with a median estimate of 279. The population is estimated to be smaller and declining more quickly than previously thought. Abundance estimates can vary from year to year due to a […]
Scientists and fishermen are working together to gain new insight into seasonal movements of valuable Pacific cod. Cutting edge technology and fishermen’s expertise are helping scientists track Aleutian Islands Pacific cod for the first time. Last winter scientists and fishermen partnered to launch a pilot study to develop methods for tagging cod on working commercial fishing […]
New outreach efforts underway so that fishery observers feel comfortable reporting harrassment issues and ensure that fishing vessel crews, captains and fishing company managers understand what constitutes harassment. If you’ve watched a reality TV show profiling life on U.S. commercial fishing vessels, you know it’s a challenging and dangerous work environment for the crew. […]
Alaska’s cold, nutrient-rich waters support some of the largest and most successful commercial fisheries on the planet. The pollock fishery is one of them. It’s the second largest fishery in the world, worth an estimated $1.9 billion, and it provides nearly 30,000 jobs across the United States. Alaskan pollock is the main ingredient in some […]
Highly-trained responders depend on boating community to be “eyes and ears” on the water
New bathymetric map of the western Gulf of Alaska. New seafloor maps show for the first time the course of ancient ice masses. They show how they shaped essential habitat for the western Gulf of Alaska’s abundant fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Scientists wove together historical and modern data—from century-old hand-drawn charts to modern multibeam surveys. They created […]
Arctic cod is an important source of food for whales, seals, fish, birds, and humans in Arctic ecosystems. Arctic cod surviving to the juvenile stage were smaller and in poorer condition 5 months after embryonic oil exposure. Top fish experienced clean seawater whereas bottom fish was exposed to brief, low concentrations of dispersed oil during […]
NOAA scientists and partners have released a Climate Vulnerability Assessment for groundfish, crabs, and salmon in the Eastern Bering Sea. They looked at the potential impacts of changing climate, ocean temperatures, and other environmental conditions on 36 groundfish, crab and salmon stocks. Of these, four rockfish stocks, flathead sole and Tanner crab were determined to be the most vulnerable. Several […]
NOAA Fisheries and partners invite members of the public to participate in conserving the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales at the third annual “Belugas Count!” —being held Saturday, September 21, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., in the greater Anchorage area. This celebration and citizen count is free and open to the public. No registration is […]