Designation of critical habitat is required for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries is designating critical habitat in U.S. waters off the coast of Alaska for Arctic ringed seals and the Beringia distinct population segment (DPS) of bearded seals. Both species are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The ESA requires that […]
Proactive Cooperation Pinnipeds—seals, sea lions, and walruses—are inquisitive animals. This makes them vulnerable to becoming entangled around their necks when they investigate loop-shaped marine debris such as packing bands and abandoned fishing nets. They can also become snagged by fishing hooks and entangled by other garbage that enters the marine ecosystem. In 2009, a group […]
For the love of whales, team sheds light on the death of a long-known humpback whale. Whale on the Beach On February 10, 2022, ferry crew from the Alaska Marine Highway System reported a dead whale on a beach on Killisnoo Island in Southeast Alaska. AMHS and the United States Coast Guard provided photos to […]
The Journey of a Tail To celebrate Whale Week (February 14-20, 2022), NOAA Fisheries is spotlighting a well-loved, school-bus-sized, seasonal resident of Juneau, Alaska—the humpback whale named Flame! Flame was named by the whale-watching community and is one of the most frequently observed whales in Juneau. She’s also known as #1538 in the Southeast Alaska […]