Category Archives: Marine Ecosystems

Time is Short to Comment on Proposed NOAA Arctic Vision and Strategy

The Arctic is experiencing some of the world’s most dramatic and rapidly evolving effects from climate change. Increasing air and ocean temperatures, thawing permafrost, loss of sea ice, and shifts in ecosystems are evidence of widespread and dramatic ongoing change. Critical environmental, economic, and national security issues are emerging that affect lives and livelihoods in coastal communities and inland areas across the region. NOAA’s diverse capabilities to address these emerging issues are the backbone of the strategy.

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Interior to Evaluate Influence of Arctic Drilling on Beaufort and Chukchi Seas

“As part of the Administration commitment to ensuring that offshore oil and gas decisions are based on science and sound information, the U.S. Geological Survey will examine and summarize what information is available about the Arctic and what knowledge gaps may exist regarding environmental sensitivities, including impending climate change, and other factors that would be considered in decisions about potential future development in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.”

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Alaska Clean Marinas Guidebook and Harbor Geographic Response Strategies

Organizations interested in keeping Alaska’s harbors clean and protecting the environment have crafted a guide for harbormasters and boaters to help keep things green.

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EPA Studies Waste Discharges Generated by Smaller Non-Recreational Vessels

Boats can and do discharge a variety of substances into the marine environment. Among these discharges are effluent from engine operations, liquid graywater wastes generated by laundry, galley and shower use, and washdown water from cleaning decks, bilges and fish holds.

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Halibut Olympia Recipe: Cooking with Alaska Pacific Halibut is Seafood at its Best

Fresh Alaska seafood is probably one of the best reasons to live in the Great Land and Pacific halibut is a regional favorite. Locals become especially spoiled with the availability of fresh caught fish and the remarkable difference it holds over the frozen product. There are many ways to prepare halibut. Throwing a thick steak [...]

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Enjoy Alaska Wild Seafood: Visit the Great Land Vicariously by Enjoying Alaskan Fish and Seafood

Wild seafood and fish are staples of the diet in Alaska. Thousands come to the Great Land to pursue the State’s plentiful halibut, shrimp, and salmon. Fish stocks in Alaska are managed on a sustainable basis and make for healthy fare. Here are a few suggestions for preparing wild Alaska seafood in your own home [...]

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The Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears – Its History and Future

It seems the land of Polar bears is rich in acronyms. Initial efforts to better understand the bears had a formal start in Fairbanks, Alaska with the establishment of the Polar Bear Specialist Group (PBSG) by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 1965.

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A Review of Wild Seafood Sustainability Certification Programs

Several Alaska fisheries, like those directed at the five species of Pacific salmon are certified as sustainable by a group known as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and bear an ecolabel that can easily be recognized by seafood consumers.

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