August 30, 2018-Jellyfish. Jellies. Sea nettles. Whatever you call them, the likelihood of running into these stinging tentacled creatures generally increases in the summer. Jellyfish have a complicated relationship with humans: They are often feared by beachgoers because of their sting. They can get unintentionally caught up in commercial fishing nets. Some jellies can even […]
The Coast Guard Cutter Healy has begun a four-month deployment to the Arctic Ocean to conduct several science research missions. Coast Guard officials in Seattle, Washington, said Healy’s first mission will be for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to increase understanding of biological processes along Alaska’s Continental Shelf. The second mission, sponsored by the […]
As Arctic temperatures continue to rise, migratory barnacle geese have responded by speeding up their 3,000-kilometer migration in order to reach their destination more quickly with fewer stops along the way, according to new evidence reported in Current Biology on July 19. Unfortunately, the birds’ earlier arrival isn’t making as much of a difference as one might […]
Pacific cod support a large commercial fishery in the Gulf of Alaska. In 2017, NOAA Fisheries scientists at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center who monitor this fish stock reported a steep loss in adult fish. This followed a three-year marine heatwave, known as the ‘Warm Blob,’ which occurred from 2014 to 2016. Such losses have challenged the fishery, prompting […]