Oceans

Sea cucumbers sell for high prices on the Asian market and are valued for more than taste. According to some, they have cancer fighting properties and could boost fertility, among their other possible benefits. It’s common for people overseas to buy dried sea cucumber, according to one diver. Sometimes as a base for soup.

Glaciologists have wrapped up two years of research on LeConte glacier near Petersburg. Their preliminary findings show that the glacier could reach a record retreat by the end of the year. And it could be an indicator for what’s going to happen in Greenland.

Scientists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory observed that a new lava dome formed in the summit crater over the weekend, and lava is trickling out. The dome is about 4,200 square meters, a little smaller than 10 NBA basketball courts.

The beluga whale population in Cook Inlet has been steadily declining since the 1970s. The number of whales in the area today is just a third of what it once was, and the Alaska Department of Fish Game wants to help belugas recover.

The extraordinary sight of a 30-foot long dead humpback whale that washed up on a beach area in Anchorage has drawn dozens of onlookers, despite a NOAA warning to stay away.

Kodiak is gearing up to oppose what it considers a threat to its fisheries. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released a study  last year that found a percentage of Kodiak area sockeye salmon are Cook Inlet fish. Some Cook Inlet fishermen now want to set caps for sockeye salmon in the Kodiak area.