According to NOAA, over 180 gray whales have washed up dead along the West Coast so far this year. But each new specimen adds a little more clarity for scientists.
Oceans
Record warm water likely gave Kuskokwim salmon heart attacks
Never-before-seen temperatures in the Kuskokwim River likely sent salmon into cardiac arrest. Salmon don’t function well past 70 degrees, and the water had pushed just above that limit.
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.
NOAA closes investigation into close call between cruise ship and humpback whales
NOAA Fisheries confirmed that the agency’s Office of Law Enforcement determined Holland America Line’s Eurdoam altered course and slowed speed as it approached the humpback whales on June 24.
Add krill and mussels to the list of unusual marine deaths in Alaska
Residents from two Northwest Alaska villages say they found large numbers of dead mussels and krill washed up along shores in June, contributing to fears that record warm waters may be causing a wide range of ecosystem changes.
Governor vetoes funding for Ocean Rangers cruise ship inspectors
Funding for Alaska’s onboard cruise ship inspectors has been eliminated by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The Ocean Rangers program was created by a ballot initiative and is paid for by cruise ship passengers.