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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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Observations

In Southeast, this year's salmon harvest fell by more than half
Southeast’s total salmon harvest was 19 million fewer fish than last year. There was a drop in harvest for every species except chinook, which increased by a few thousand fish.
Wrangell, Alaska, United States
KTOO

Visible Damage to Cancún's Trees
Trees which normally obscure the view of the sea, have lost all of their leaves.
Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Dead giant octopuses washed ashore south from Kamchtka peninsula on the Kuril Islands
A mass die off of fish and invertebrates has been reported in the Sea of Okhotsk, west of Kamchatka. Dozens of surfers reported symptoms including including poor eyesight, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and head and throat aches.
Severo-Kuril’sk, Sakhalin, Russia
Siberian Times

Eco disaster at Kamchatka peninsula with mass death of sea animals at precious Pacific beach
Khalaktyrsky Beach near Petropavlovsk is littered with hundreds of dead sea animals, from deep-sea Giant Pacific octopuses, to seals, sea urchins, stars, crabs and fish. Surfers were the first to raise alarm after problems with eyesight, fevers and throat aches.
Khalaktyrsky Beach
Siberian Times

Pink salmon catches in Nunavik are raising red flags for biologists
After learning about catches of pink salmon near Salluit, Quebec wildlife officials are urging any fishers who net the newcomers to report their catch. Two pink salmon were netted in Nunavik during the summer of 2019 in the Ungava Bay region, one near Kangirsuk.
Kangirsuk, Quebec, Canada
ArcticToday

The cause of the mass mortality of fish in a large river in the Tyumen region has been determined
Local residents made a mound that led to the shallowing of the reservoir.
Тюмень, Tjumen, Russia
Radio Sputnik

Not a good salmon season in the Far East and fishery closes in an area of ​​Kamchatka
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
FIS World News

Invasive grass carp caught in Chambly Basin
Scientists say the grass carp population in the Chambly Basin is probably small, but the presence of this species in any number is bad news.
Chambly, Quebec, Canada
Montreal Gazette

Some salmon return, but ‘not nearly enough’
Chum salmon have started returning the Douglas Island Pink and Chum Inc. Hatchery on Channel Drive, but it’s still not enough to establish a broodstock. As the hatchery struggles to ensure future stocks, fishermen are taking what fish they can just for cost recovery.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau Empire

Fisherman snags barracuda off Vancouver Island in rare encounter
Ferocious fish, not native to Canada, was netted and released in Alberni Inlet
Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island, Canada
Port Alberni Valley News

Green Sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) in Kachemak Bay
Until 2007, there have been only three verified reports of green sturgeon in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea, and two anecdotal reports from the Copper River and Unalaska areas.
Halibut Cove, Alaska, United States

Seaweed invasion hurting fishermen's livelihoods
Seaweed native to the northwest Pacific is invading the rich marine waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and the brown algae is clogging up fishermen's nets and endangering their way of life.
Strait of Gibraltar
Al Jazeera

Dead Young Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)
Young gray whale found dead on the beach.
Pilot Point, Alaska, United States
Maio Nishkian, Gay Sheffield, Barbara Mahoney

Northern anchovy blooms bring more sea life to Burrard Inlet
Northern anchovy are becoming more comment perhaps due to warmer temperatures. A 10-centimetre-long fish represents an anchovy that's about a year old suggesting that the fish are spawned locally in the pelagic zone, or upper, warmer zone of the seawater.
Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Manet invasion in the Oslo Fjord
Large menger glass jellyfish in the Oslo fjord cause problems for both beachgoers and shrimp fishermen. The whole trawl was full before it reached the bottom where the shrimp are.
Saltnes, Østfold, Norway
NRK

Wild salmon in Irish rivers displaying symptoms of red skin disease
Salmon affected have a characteristic red-spotted rash on their underbelly and may appear lethargic or moribund. In the past few weeks, suspected cases have also been reported in Denmark, Norway and Scotland.
River Leannan, Co. Donegol, Ireland
The Irish Times

Low sockeye returns prompt commercial fishing closure on the Copper River
"We’re way, well below what we expect to be at this point,” said Jeremy Botz, a biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He says so far the entire commercial fleet has harvested around 6,000 sockeye, which is way below what the department anticipated
Cordova, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Beaver numbers have exploded in Northwest Alaska with some striking effects on the environment
The Baldwin Peninsula near Kotzebue has seen a massive increase in beavers over the last two decades, according to new research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Kobuk, Alaska, United States
KTOO
Wesley Early, Alaska's Energy Desk - Kotzebue

Icelandic Capelin May Have Migrated to the Faroes
A large stock of capelins have been found in Faroese fjords of late and scientists believe that the fish probably swam there from Icelandic waters, RÚV reports. Iceland’s capelin stock has been in decline over the last two years, likely due to rising ocean temperatures.
Faroe Islands
Iceland Review

Receding sea ice off northern Japan proves blessing and potential curse for seals
Climate change has allowed spotted seals to find new hunting grounds, but the marine mammals ultimately depend on sea ice to survive.
Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
Anchorage Daily News

Hundreds of thousands of fish dead in NSW as bushfire ash washed into river
Ecologist fears the Macleay River may take decades to recover, with heavy rains likely to affect other waterways
Macleay River, New South Wales, Australia
the Guardian

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alaska restricts king salmon fishing in Susitna, Little Su and upper Inlet
Fishing businesses in Mat-Su warned that the rules could hurt the state's tourism economy.
Knik-Fairview, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Governor calls for federal disaster declaration for Pacific cod fishery
A disaster declaration could make the fishery eligible for federal relief funds, although who specifically would receive money would be figured out later.
Gulf of Alaska, Northeast Pacific Ocean
KTOO

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) Die-off, Jakolof Creek
Drought and high temperatures have dried the creek and caused thousands of pink salmon and Dolly Varden to die before they could spawn. The event raises questions about vulnerability of area salmon streams to climate change, and for local residents food security.
Jakolof Creek, Alaska, United States
Michael Opheim , Stephen Payton, Ryan Brubaker

Infected salmon just another problem for Yukon subsistence fishermen
Yukon subsistence fishermen face challenges with gear restrictions, closures, and reports of salmon potentially infected with ichthyophonus, impacting their summer fishing activities.
Yukon River, Alaska, United States

Landslide destroys Starrigavan restoration projects
High rainfall this month is being blamed for a major landslide near Sitka. The US Forest Service reports that a 100-acre slide came down in the Starrigavan Valley, about ten miles from town. The slide, and water damage to an ATV trail in the valley and other hiking trails elsewhere in Sitka -- all add up to a tough month for the agency.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
KCAW

Central Welland River Fish Kill
Common carp (*Cyprinus carpio*) and channel catfish (*Ictalurus punctatus*) die from low dissolved oxygen and ammonia that are the result of an over-application of biosolids.
Welland, Ontario, Canada

Anglers on alert for invasive Pacific pink salmon
'Unprecedented numbers' of pink salmon were seen in 2017 and the fish have been spotted again this year.
Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom
BBC News

‘A lot of salmon died’: Ahousaht Guardians look to watershed restoration amid B.C.’s dangerously dry summer
B.C. drought exacerbating forestry damage to Bedwell River near Tofino as Ahousaht First Nation works to protect salmon, restore watershed.
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
The Narwhal

New Invasive Species Detected in Alaska
Last summer while scoping for marine invasive species we found the invasive colonial tunicate, Didemnum vexillum also know as marine vomit.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
ADFG News

Fish kill in Windsor area
Local fisherman Darren Porter saw this coming. "It's just common sense. I mean, you can’t take your fishbowl and put it on your stove.”
Lake Pusiquid, Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
SaltWire

Yukon River Silvers On Track For Lowest Runs Ever
This season is shaping up to be the worst fall for salmon fishing on the Yukon River in recorded history. It follows the worst recorded summer salmon season ever.
Nunam Iqua, Alaska, United States
KYUK

Baby lobster numbers low off New England as waters warm
New data show the population of baby lobsters off New England is below average, raising concerns about the size of future commercial hauls of the valuable crustaceans as waters warm.
Gulf of Maine
Press Herald

Crabbers catch fewer crab, see lower price
Summer commercial Dungeness crabbing was well below average in Lynn Canal, with fishermen hauling in an estimated 105,000 pounds this year compared
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Shellfish growers in Northwest’s oyster capital want ‘blitz’ against invasive green crabs
Shellfish growers in Willapa Bay in southwest Washington, the self-styled "Oyster Capital of the World," are alarmed by an invasion of potentially destructive nonnative European green crabs. Some are asking for an all-out trapping offensive to corral the invasive species.
Ocean Park, Washington, United States
opb

Climate change affecting fish production, says Fisheries head
FISH production is being affected by climate change. Acting director of fisheries Nerissa Lucky said this was due to high sea water temperatures. CANARI technical officer Dr Ainka Granderson also said climate change posed a challenge for coastal communities in Trinidad and Tobago.Those communities are affected by the effects of extreme weather, coastal erosion, sea level rise, sargassum and coral bleaching.
Port of Spain, City of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad Express Newspapers

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