Background Articles

To reduce their unintended take of halibut, vessels in the bottom trawl fleet have an escape hatch in their nets that allows some of the larger halibut to swim free.

Anchorage extended a local disaster declaration to support evacuees from Typhoon Halong’s flooding in Western Alaska, opening two city shelters and preparing for up to 1,600 arrivals. Schools and nonprofits are mobilizing, with significant donated funds set to be distributed soon.

Extreme weather 'Amy' brought destructive winds and flooding across Norway, damaging buildings and vehicles, causing landslides, and knocking out power to tens of thousands. Insurance firms received thousands of damage reports as cleanup began across multiple regions.

Researchers have relocated 20 Atlantic catfish to artificial kelp forest units in Melkøy Sound, Northern Norway, to test if reintroducing sea urchin predators can help restore kelp forests overgrazed by booming sea urchin populations.

A Pictou County farmer reports that many crops have failed after an irrigation pond and well dried up amid a prolonged dry spell, costing producers thousands in lost sales.

Areas north of Healy remained under evacuation orders though fire activity slowed since flaring to life last week. Evacuation alerts in several areas north of Fairbanks were reduced Thursday.

After years of assessments, a major step forward in riverbank stabilization for the Kuskokwim Delta coastal community has been derailed by wide-ranging cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Sitka had an early bloom that led to high shellfish toxins in April, and there is currently a paralytic shellfish toxin advisory across Southeast for recreational and subsistence harvest.

Better knowledge and mapping of existing infrastructure is leading to a new estimate of future thaw costs under varying climate scenarios.

A new international study finds that Arctic glacier retreat between 2000 and 2020 has unveiled over 1,500 miles of coastline—primarily in Greenland—potentially increasing coastal hazards and contributing to sea level rise.

A new study using advanced mapping techniques reveals that infrastructure damage costs in Alaska due to permafrost thaw could be significantly higher than previously estimated, potentially reaching $37B to $51B under medium and high emission scenarios.

Despite the decline of sled dog racing elsewhere, the Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska is experiencing a resurgence, with increased sponsorships, substantial prize money, and strong community support sustaining the sport amid challenging climate conditions.

Communities in Southeast Alaska, especially in Haines, are employing new landslide risk maps to guide future development decisions after recent deadly events and extreme weather. The science-backed tool aims to help residents and local authorities gauge areas more prone to landslides.

The article explains how a severe decline in wild salmon, driven by climate change, is forcing Alaska mushers to abandon traditional subsistence feeding practices in favor of costly commercial dog food. This shift is altering both the practice and culture of dog mushing in the region.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reports that the 2024 Jasper wildfire caused $1.2 billion in damages, making it the second costliest fire disaster in Canada.

Snow-dependent businesses in Anchorage are struggling as an unusually dry winter with record low snowfall forces snow removal and outdoor gear companies to scale back operations.

An unusually warm January storm with record warmth and hurricane-force winds left Anchorage residents facing extended power outages for four days.

Proposals have been submitted to the Alaska Board of Fisheries to establish a commercial jig fishery for magister squid in Southeast Alaska, potentially benefiting local fishermen and affecting marine ecosystems.

The Native Village of Kipnuk received a federal disaster declaration following severe flooding in August 2024, becoming the second Alaska tribe to receive such recognition.

A new conservation initiative allows the Nuiqsut community and its Native corporation to oversee 1 million acres around Teshekpuk Lake to protect caribou habitat from oil drilling impacts.