January 11th, 1923
How Long Does a Whale Feed? New Data Gives Insight Into Blue and Fin Whale Behavior
Photograph of fin whale taken during Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute CORVALLIS, Ore. – Researchers using electronic tags were able to monitor blue and fin whales off the coast of Southern California over multiple weeks, providing new insight into the feeding behaviors of the two largest whale species. The researchers also found evidence of […]
Seaweed Farmers in Alaska Gear Up for Large Haul
The largest commercial harvest of seaweed in Alaska is taking place this month. Blue Evolution, a California-based company that cultivates, harvests and distributes Alaska-grown seaweed, is expected to haul in up to 200,000 pounds from waters near Kodiak Island within the next two weeks. Previous harvests have been a fraction of that size, but, as […]
Migrating Blue Whales Rely on Memory More Than Environmental Cues to Find Prey
[dropcap]N[/dropcap]EWPORT, Ore. – Blue whales reach their massive size by relying on their exceptional memories to find historically productive feeding sites rather than responding in real time to emerging prey patches, a new study concludes. Researchers examining records of both whale migration and oceanic conditions in the California Current Ecosystem found that blue whales almost perfectly […]
Whale Songs’ Changing Pitch may be Response to Population, Climate Changes
[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ASHINGTON— Blue whales around the world are singing a little flat, and scientists may now have more clues as to the reason why. A new study finds there’s a seasonal variation in the whales’ pitch correlated with breaking sea ice in the southern Indian Ocean. The new research also extends the mysterious long-term falling pitch to […]
New Studies Raise Questions About Crabs Adaptability
Sixty percent of U.S. seafood comes from Alaska. A profitable portion of this comes from the famed crab fisheries. New studies on the effects of ocean acidification due to climate change support a growing body of evidence that the future for Tanner and blue king crab stocks in Alaska waters is, at best, uncertain. “A […]
The Case for Rallying Around Sea Ice
The ice floating on top of the world covers pretty much the entire Arctic Ocean in midwinter. By late summer it shrinks to half that much. If trends continue, by mid-century the summer ice may take up less space than Japan. As the Arctic Ocean becomes more blue, it absorbs much of the sun’s heat […]
Blue-Alutiiq Word of the Week-January 11th, 2015
Cungaq; Cungasqaq – Blue Qapilaat cungartut. – The mussels are blue. In the Alutiiq language, the colors green and blue are not differentiated. A single term describes both colors, reflecting the fact that Alutiiqs traditionally interpreted blue as a shade of green. Despite the use of a single color term, recent research suggests that Alutiiq […]