Much of salmon-counting in Alaska is done by watching salmon swim through specially designed stations. But what if you could count the number of fish just by testing for DNA in a bottle of river water? There’s a new technique that could make that happen, according to a newly published study.
Oceans
Winter salmon trolling starts slow in Southeast Alaska
From October through the end of December, winter trollers had caught only around 5,500 king salmon. That’s almost 2,000 fewer kings than last winter’s catch during the same time period.
As carbon emissions increase, salmon may lose crucial sense of smell
A researcher at the University of Washington said this study is a concern for all salmon from the Pacific Northwest to Alaska — particularly for populations that are currently struggling.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska sues state, claiming mismanagement of herring fishery
“People don’t want trees in their freezer. It’s all about putting eggs in their freezers, not branches,” said STA Resource Protection Director Jeff Feldpausch. “This is looking grim. This is really grim.”
U.S. future in Arctic hinges on expanding its icebreaker fleet, Coast Guard says
There’s a heavy demand from scientists to use the Coast Guard’s icebreakers to do research in Arctic waters. But with only two icebreakers in its entire fleet, the Coast Guard’s capabilities are limited.
New warm ocean Blob could affect Southeast winter weather, fisheries
Sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska are averaging four degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal. That isn’t as hot or doesn’t extend quite as deep as the original Blob. At least not yet.
Central Gulf of Alaska halibut charters may face more closures
The charter fleet in the central Gulf of Alaska could see some regulation shifts in 2019, while additional restrictions for Southeast-based charters are unlikely.
UAS named top 10 for marine biology
UAS is one of the 10 best schools in the U.S. to study marine biology, according to College Magazine.
As ocean heats up off Northwest Alaska, the fishing does too
This year’s commercial harvest of chum salmon in Kotzebue Sound was nearly 700,000 fish, breaking a record nearly four decades old. To the south, the value of the commercial salmon catch in Norton Sound was also the highest ever.
Science and traditional knowledge converge in North Slope Borough’s bowhead whale program
Scientists have spent the past few decades catching up to traditional knowledge, documenting scientifically what whale hunters already knew. Like the fact that the whales can smell, and that they can travel under sea ice.