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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Massive anchovy school in White Rock draws a crowd
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said photographer Marissa Baecker, who was visiting White Rock from Kelowna on Christmas Day. “It wasn’t just a feeding, it was a feast.”
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Anchovies take over White Rock shores
People in White Rock, B.C. are used to seeing fish in their waters but not quite like this.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Facebook Watch

Confirmed extinction of the Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
Ivan Jaric Tweeted news of his published paper confirming the extinction of the Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
Yangtze River, China
Twitter

Nearly 20,000 non-native salmon escaped after fire at B.C. fish farm
One wild salmon advocate fears the non-native Atlantic salmon could spread sickness and compete for habitat with struggling wild salmon population.
Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia
British Columbia

Seabird Aggregation Over Abundant Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Professor John Reynolds shared the following video of his observation of a large aggregation of gulls and other coastal seabirds over a large aggregation of Northern Anchovy at White Rock, BC.
White Rock, British Columbia, Canada
Twitter

Alaska Cod Fishery Closes and Industry Braces for Ripple Effect
Gulf of Alaska cod have been in steep decline due to rising ocean temperatures. Now, for the first time ever, federal fisheries managers are shutting down the lucrative fishery because of low stock.
Gulf of Alaska
NPR

IPN Virus Detected in East Iceland Fish Farm
It’s the first time that the virus has been detected in salmon in Iceland, though it was found in halibut in 1999. The virus poses no health risks to people.
Reyðarfjörður, East, Iceland
Iceland Review

Cape sees sharp rise in ocean sunfish strandings
As the Cape nears the start of sea turtle stranding season there is another long-distance migrant that researchers have spotted coming ashore in record numbers this year, Ocean sunfish.
Wellfleet, Massachusetts, United States
capecodtimes.com

Adams River sockeye salmon run lacking fish this year
One short section of the river that last year at Thanksgiving had more than 100 fish in it, this year on the same weekend had less than 20.
Adam's River, BC, Canada
Castanet

After summer of record heat, Alaska health officials see spike in scombroid poisoning from fish
Caused by eating fish that has not been properly chilled, symptoms can last up to 48 hours and include severe headaches, palpitations, blurred vision and abdominal cramps.At least seven people fell ill between May and August. Between 2015-2018, there were only five.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Alberta’s bull trout listed as threatened and its ecosystem is in jeopardy
Bull trout, which are technically char, mostly inhabit cold and pristine snow-melt-fed waters. Changes in water quality and temperatures challenge the future for this species in Alberta.
Alberta
thestar.com

Mass fish kill spotted at Lake Pamamaroo near Menindee
New aerial footage appears to show thousands of dead fish at Lake Pamamaroo in the Menindee Lakes System, near Broken Hill, nine months after a mass fish kill event on the nearby banks of the Darling River.
Lake Pamamaroo, NSW, Australia
ABC News

Hybrid salmon discovered by scientists on Vancouver Island
Researchers on Vancouver Island are studying fish they recently discovered that share genes of both coho and chinook salmon. The hybrid fish, are likely the result of drought in the Cowichan watershed, which has impacted when and where coho and chinook spawn.
Cowichan River, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Schools of California Anchovy (Engraulis mordax)
Ross Bay, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Poisonous porcupine fish arrives on Island shores — a B.C. first
Gavin Hanke reaches a gloved hand into the formaldehyde tank at the Royal British Columbia Museum very, very carefully. What emerges is a B.C. first — a poisonous spotted porcupine fish.
Jordan River, B.C. Canada
Times Colonist

Emaciated grizzly bears in Canada spark greater concerns over depleted salmon population
With hibernation fast approaching, a grizzly bear family is spotted searching for fish near the shores of Canada's Knight Inlet. They're emaciated, and wildlife observers worry might not make it through winter. The heartbreaking images highlight another victim of the climate crisis and the depleted salmon population.
Knight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada
CNN

Warm water, not sea lice, caused massive salmon die-off
Northern Harvest Sea Farms is busy cleaning pens of dead salmon, and the province's head aquaculture vet says higher-than-average water temperatures are to blame.
Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, Canada
CBC

88% Catch Decline of Jackass Morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus)
Southern Australia

Salmon shark stranded near Port Heiden at the end of an unusual summer
Along with significant seabird die-offs near Port Heiden, there have been reports of small whales and porpoises, walrus and sea otters washed up on shore.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

'First time I've seen a shark': Nunavut man nets shark in rare catch
"It's the first time I guess the whole town seeing a shark in real [life]," he said. "Must have been just about the whole town that come to see it." The shark is likely a salmon shark, typically found around Alaska and B.C.
Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada
CBC

An invasive algae is threatening the Strait of Gibraltar’s fishing grounds
Returning to port with tons of algae in their trammel nets, with hardly any fish, has become a common drama for the men fishing in Spain's Southern coast. The same “catastrophe” is also threatening the marine biodiversity of the area and piling up on beaches.
Spanish Mediterranean coast

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle's fishing fleet witness changes on a massive scale
Instead of halibut, fisherman are increasingly catching less valuable Pacific cod, voracious bottom feeders whose numbers in recent years have exploded.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
Seattle Times

Whitehorse fish ladder sees fewest chinook salmon since 1977
The number of chinook salmon that reached the Whitehorse fish ladder this year hit a 40-year low, and it's not clear why. Just 282 chinook passed through the fish ladder this year, compared to 690 last year. "We did see some large pre-spawn mortality die-offs in a tributary of the Yukon River — the Koyukuk in Alaska. This was for summer chum, and not chinook — but we expect that that higher water temperature also affected the chinook migrating through."
Whitehorse Fish Ladder, Yukon, Canada

Scientists monitoring new marine heat wave off B.C. coast similar to 'the Blob'
A new marine heat wave spreading across a portion of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia resembles the infamous "blob" that disrupted marine life five years ago.
Northeast Pacific Ocean

Slender armorhead (Pentaceros wheeleri) caught in purse seine
Juveniles and sub adults live and migrate in open water at shallow to moderate depths. They move to the bottom as adults when they settle around sea mounts in the North Pacific.
Chignik Lake, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Tom Okey, Amy Holman, Andrés López, Edgar Smith

Detectan presencia del 'Pez Diablo' en Sinaloa; una amenaza para la pesca y los ecosistemas
They detect the presence of the 'Devil Fish' in Sinaloa; a threat to fishing and ecosystems
Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
News

Lake water to be pumped into B.C. river due to severe drought
A Vancouver Island watershed is experiencing such a severe drought the town of Lake Cowichan says it will start using pumps to keep the local river flowing.
Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada

Invasive salmon return to Scottish rivers
Pink salmon are native to the Pacific Ocean. From stocking programs in Russia in the 1960s they have spread to Northern Europe, and in 2017 male and female pink salmon were spotted in the River Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. And now, two years later, camera images suggest that their spawn has returned.
River Ness, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

Squamish volunteers opening up man-made dams stopping pink salmon
Don’t treat the river like a personal bathtub. It’s a message Squamish conservationists are putting forward after they found man-made dams blocking pink salmon from their spawning grounds.
Stawamus River, British Columbia. Canada
Squamish Chief

Blacksmith (Chromis punctipinnis) Newly Abundant in Central California
"In the midfield of my dive this school of blacksmith suddenly appeared. They were hiding from cormorants that dove into the water."
Edward F. Ricketts State Marine Conservation Area, California, United States

Sockeye salmon returns plunge in B.C., as climate change mainly to blame
Federal fisheries experts paint devastating picture of the challenges facing Pacific salmon and point to climate change as the main culprit.
Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Dead Salmon Shark (Lamna ditropis) Near 2nd Cape
It is unusual to find a dead shark. And it occurred at a time when there were many other standings of marine mammals and birds.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Bruce Wright, Kathy Burek Huntington, Jaclyn Christensen, Melissa Good

Record heat has Susitna Valley silver salmon in hot - and low - water
Two popular rivers are being closed to fishing because almost no cohos are making it upstream.
Willow, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Wildfire Smoke Affecting Ability to Dry Fish
"The fish was easy to mold on the drying rack because the hot summer sun was not coming through the smoke."
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Rosemary Ahtuangaruak, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Alison York

Fish Found in Stream Where There Are Usually No Fish
Fish in a local pond may have been washed to their new location during a recent severe rain event.
Quinhagak, Alaska, United States

Anglers allowed to catch chinook salmon in southwestern Yukon
Recreational anglers on the Tatshenshini River are now allowed to catch one fish and have one in their possession. Last year, they were only allowed to catch and release the fish.
Mosquito Lake, Alaska, United States

Whitehorse fish ladder sees delayed start to Chinook run
The Whitehorse fish ladder is seeing a slower start to the season than usual, with fewer fish than average having passed through at this point compared to previous years.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Yukon News

Jakolof Creek Fish Die-off
"Jakolof Creek is dry almost all the way up to the switchbacks and continues to recede. The early run of red salmon may have made it to the lake, but that is probably the only run that has."
Head of Jakolof Bay on Jakolof Creek
Brian Berube, Stephen Payton, Glenn Hollowell, Michael Opheim , Ryan Brubaker

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) with White Nodes/Lumps
If the cysts contain milky, white fluid, they are likely *Henneguya*, a harmless and relatively common parasite. But if they contain a larvae, they are likely tape worms which can infect people.
Tolstoi Bay, Alaska, United States
Ted Meyers, Carol Fletcher, Emily Mosites, Ryan Brubaker, Andrew Atkinson

Moldy fish in an Alaskan river threaten a community’s food supply
In early October 2013, local fishers Eli Nukapigak and Edward Nukapigak Jr. alerted wildlife officials to the discovery of “sick fish” in their nets near Nuiqsut. The aanaakłiq had fuzzy grayish-white patches on their bodies, fins, and heads. Cottony masses almost covered the eyes of some fish. None of the fishers in the community recalled seeing this condition before.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Hakai Magazine

Officials: Cause of eastern Finland fish kill could take weeks to ascertain
The condition of the lake isn’t very good and it has the typical problems with high nutrient levels and depleted oxygen.
Rautalampi, Pohjois-Savo, Finland
Yle Uutiset

First Confirmed Hoodwinker Sunfish Photographed in Monterey Bay!!
Major Mola Moment: First Confirmed Hoodwinker Sunfish Photographed in Monterey Bay!!
Pacific Grove, California, United States
Monterey Bay Aquarium

Chum salmon (Oncohynchus keta) and Northern Pike (Esox lucius) with Red Spots under Scales and Abrasions on Their Bellies
Warm water temperatures may be causing stress and increase the risk of infections and other illness in fish.
Buckland, Alaska, United States

Dead Pre-spawned Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
During the summer of 2019, warm water temperatures lowered the amount of dissolved oxygen in rivers and caused salmon across the state, including Mountain Village, to die before they were able to spawn.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Scientists Need Help Studying Dead Salmon In Yukon Area
Dead chum salmon are lining the banks of one of the Yukon River’s largest tributaries. Koyukuk River residents and scientists alike suspect the deaths are
Huslia, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Unspawned Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) and Other Dead Fish
"Over 40 dead dog salmon, one shee fish, one lush fish, and two delmaga all dead along the river going towards the creek opening."
Kaltag, Alaska, United States
Kyle Wright, Carolyn Craig, Jayde Ferguson

Bristol Bay sockeye harvest blowing away forecast once again
As of July 21, fishermen in Bristol Bay’s five districts had harvested just more than 42 million salmon.
Naknek, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News
Elizabeth Earl, Alaska Journal of Commerce

Biologists scoop up invasive goldfish at Cuddy Pond
Wildlife officials used rotenone, a fish-killing chemical, to eradicate goldfish illegally introduced to the pond at Cuddy Family Midtown Park.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Salmon Die-off
Salmon are dying along the Andreafsky River and Lower Yukon River before spawning out. Water surface temperatures have been unusually warm, at one point reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Jennifer Dobson, Jayde Ferguson, Eric Alstrom, Brian Lefferts

Dead Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Thousands of dead sockeye salmon (*Oncorhynchus nerka*) found dead along the beach during a period of warm weather. Additional salmon have been observed in the Togiak River, raising concerns about possible challenges to subsistence harvest.
Twin Hills, Alaska, United States

Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) with Twisted Spine
Chum salmon (*Oncorhynchus keta*) caught with a spinal curvature, which may be related to many different factors including genetics, infectious disease, trauma, neoplasm, diet, or changes in the environment.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

Sturgeon Caught in Yukon River
Two sturgeon were caught in the Yukon River, farther upriver than has been previously reported.
Mountain Village, Alaska, United States

More dead marine mammals, birds found on region’s beaches
Alaska Sea Grant agent Gay Sheffield from Nome responded to report of a dead bowhead and a dead grey whale northeast of Shishmaref near Cape Espenburg.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Record Warm Water Likely Gave Kuskokwim Salmon Heart Attacks
As record high temperatures swept Alaska, many people said that the heat was killing them. For Kuskokwim salmon, it was actually true.
Akiak, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Dead Chum (Oncorhynchus keta) Salmon Floating in Yukon River
Dead chum salmon have been spotted floating down the Yukon river. Water temperatures are measuring at 70 degrees, the warmest in recollection.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States

Fish Die-Off Tubutulik River
We observed more than 50 otherwise healthy (not spawned out) dead fish including pink and chum salmon and white fish
Koyuk, Alaska, United States

Lots of Dead Female Pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Salmon
Warm water near Golovin is hurting pink salmon. Many salmon caught had red speckled dots on flesh, raising concerns about food safety. Female pink salmon were seen dead in the bay.
Golovin, Alaska, United States

Dead Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Kouwegoki Slough and Along Powers Creek, Among Other Locations
In early July, dead fish were observed floating along Kouwegoki Slough and along Powers Creek, among other locations.
John Henry, Racheal Lee, Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield

Warmer waters believed to be main cause for dead pink salmon in Norton Sound
Norton Sound residents have reported salmon die-offs in unusually large numbers during the last week. According to the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), dead pre-spawned pink salmon were found in multiple river systems over the weekend.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Dead Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and Whitefish Along Yukon Riverbank
Dead salmon and whitefish found along the banks of the Yukon River.
Alakanuk, Alaska, United States

Extremely Warm Temperatures
It was also during the week where a number of dead fish started to occur along the riverine segment.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, John Henry, Richard L Thoman Jr, Gay Sheffield, Austin Ahmasuk

Sand Lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) Die-Off
Hundreds of dead sand lance (*Ammodytes hexapterus*) found along the shores of White Sands Beach.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Bruce Wright, Jayde Ferguson, Stephanie Mason, Ted Meyers

Dead Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Floating Down River
"Our temperatures reached 83 degrees, and seem to be getting hotter! We think that maybe the warm water has something to do with the humpy die-off?"
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Jayde Ferguson, Anahma Shannon, Toby Thaler, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield

Add krill and mussels to the list of unusual marine deaths in Northwest Alaska
Village wildlife observers worry that the unusual warmth of oceans off Alaska is causing problems throughout the ecosystem.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Warmer Water Means More Parasites In Kuskokwim Salmon
Subsistence families along the Kuskokwim River are cutting open fish to find white balls or white streaks deforming the meat.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Where are the endangered whales? Southern residents haven't been spotted in B.C.'s Salish Sea
Southern resident killer whales which are often spotted in the Salish Sea near Vancouver throughout June haven't been seen this season, and scientists believe that could be because of the lack of chinook salmon.
Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada
CBC News

TenTen Creek return of Salmon Species
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) and Other Fish Dying in Warm Water
Koyuk, Alaska, United States
Gay Sheffield, Chris Dankmeyer, Anahma Shannon, Rebecca Charles, Austin Ahmasuk, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson

Dead Krill and Sea Birds, Stranded Ice Seals
A range of wildlife-related events have been occurring this month in Shishmaref and other parts of Norton Sound.
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Dean Stockwell, Kathy Burek Huntington, Louisa Castrodale, Kathy Kuletz, Andrew Kakoona, Ted Meyers, Sharon Nayokpuk, Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Richard L Thoman Jr, Joel Garlich-Miller, Mike Brubaker, Amy Holman, Racheal Lee, Barbara Mahoney, Kimberlee Beckmen, Chris Dankmeyer

Northern B.C. lake closed to fishing due to infestation of invasive goldfish
Goldfish compete with native fish for food, potentially threatening an ecosystem.
Lost Lake, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Goldfish are thriving in a Midtown Anchorage pond. Alaska wildlife biologists want them gone.
The fish, likely former aquarium pets, have attracted the attention of invasive-species managers.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Booming anchovy population helps salmon, orcas
Swarms of anchovy can be seen swimming through the South Sound.
KIRO

Tumor found in King Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Tumor found in King Salmon (*Oncorhynchus tshawytscha*)
Pilot Station, Alaska, United States

Sea Lice Plagues Return and Threat to Wild Salmon Increases
Major sea lice epidemics have erupted on Atlantic salmon fish farms on Vancouver Island’s west coast over the last three months, according to industry, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and independent reports.
Clayquot Sound, British Columbia, Canada
The Tyee

It’s spring, but B.C. is sounding the alarm on drought
Drought levels have been raised already for parts of the province and Dave Campbell, with the B.C. River Forecast Centre, says the current forecast points to drought conditions provincewide in the coming weeks.
British Columbia, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Dead Smelt (Osmerus mordax) and Tomcod (Microgadus proximus) Scattered for Miles along Beach
Widespread mortality events that include more than one fish species are indicators that something is wrong in the environment.
Teller, Alaska, United States
Kendra Lee, Anahma Shannon, Carol Oliver, Gay Sheffield, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Jayde Ferguson, Ted Meyers

Unusual Sighting of an Alaska Pollock (Theragra chalcogramma)
Historically, pollock are not a commonly observed species in Bristol Bay, but sightings are becoming more common.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States
Jaclyn Christensen, Elizabeth Siddon, Tom Okey

Steelhead Numbers Are Up in the Carmel River
Conservationists are rejoicing this spring over Steelhead Trout numbers in the Carmel River. "The count is up," said Haley Ohms a project scientist with University of California Santa Cruz.
Los Padres Dam, Carmel River, California
KSBW

Shiner Surfperch (Cymatogaster aggregata) in Southcentral Alaska
This catch in a Tatitlek herring net places a school of shiner surfperch about 700 km north of their normal range.
Tatitlek, Alaska, United States

Seaweed invading Essequibo, Demerara, Berbice rivers
Aerial shots of what appeared to be remnants of an oil spill in the Essequibo River has turned out to be huge beds of sargassum seaweed which is now a
Parika, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Guyana
Stabroek News

No Sardine Fishing Off California This Year Due to Steep Population Decline
Wildlife officials say populations of the silvery Pacific sardine have plummeted over the past decade.
California's Coastal Ocean
KQED

Pace of Bering Sea changes startle scientists
Frigid north winds blow down from the Arctic Ocean, freeze saltwater and push sea ice south. The ice normally prevents waves from forming and locks onto beaches, walling off villages. But not this year.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States
PBS NewsHour

Pike (Esox Lucius) Caught with Pug Head Deformity to Mouth/Jaw
Northern Pike (*Esox Lucius*) caught with "pug head" jaw deformity, usually associated with cold water temperatures during incubation.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States
Harold Okitkun, Jayde Ferguson, Elizabeth Lindley

Southern Hemisphere Hoodwinker Sunfish Washes Up in California
Rare hoodwinker sunfish, never before seen in Northern Hemisphere, washes up at Coal Oil Point Reserve
Isla Vista, California, United States
The UCSB Current

Capelin Stocks In Poor Shape
As a result, the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) will not permit fishing of the species this coming season. Capelin is the second most important export species of fish in Iceland after cod.
Reykjavík, Capital Region, Iceland
Iceland Review

Arctic Char Population Rapidly Declining
The stock of arctic char in Elliðavatn lake has almost collapsed. Similar developments are taking place in Norway as well. Hilmar Malmquist, head of the freshwater division at the Marine Research Institute, believe that climate change is the main explanation.
Kopavogur, Capital Region, Iceland
RÚV

Swordfish becoming much more common in Vesterålen
n 52 years, 36 observations of the species have been recorded in Norway. This one included.
Sortland, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) With Bad Odor and Taste
The smelt, caught through the ice in late January, may have caused a person who ate some to get sick. Local, tribal and state officials worked together to collect and analyze the fish.
Gay Sheffield, Bob Gerlach, Percy Nayokpuk, Jayde Ferguson, Anahma Shannon, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee, Tim Thomas, Sharon Nayokpuk, David Verbrugge, Mike Brubaker

72 dead baby sharks removed from dead pregnant shark during necropsy at Coles Bay
Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the University of Victoria’s Juanes Laboratory think the shark came into shallow water to give birth and potentially had complications, as there are no signs of trauma.
Coles Bay, Saanich, BC

Pregnant shark washes up on Vancouver Island shoreline
The carcass of a nearly four-metre-long bluntnose sixgill shark was found on Coles Bay Tuesday.
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Island

Pregnant Bluntnose Sixgill Shark (Hexanchus griseus) in Coles Bay
A pregnant bluntnose sixgill shark found on the banks of Coles Bay may have come in to shallow water to give birth and died from complications.
Cole Bay, British Columbia, Canada

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