news
Scientists use app to engage citizens in ocean acidification study
Clam populations throughout Alaska have steadily declined for over 20 years, affecting subsistence, recreational and commercial harvesters. The exact causes of the decline are unknown. Suspected factors include habitat changes, environmental stressors, predation and, possibly, ocean acidification. Under the supervision of University of Alaska Fairbanks professor Amanda Kelley, PhD student Ashley Rossin is studying the…
Read MoreEngaging teachers in Northern Gulf of Alaska research
Our marine education specialist, Marilyn Sigman, is developing K–12 education programs for the Northern Gulf of Alaska long-term ecological research site. The NGA-LTER, as it’s called, is a National Science Foundation–funded research area that runs from the mouth of the Copper River to Kodiak Island. Educational outreach to young students as well as undergraduate and…
Read MoreNew Alaska Sea Grant-funded graduate students dive into research
Six graduate students from the University of Alaska became research fellows last summer and this fall with funding from Alaska Sea Grant. The students are working on projects that address scientific issues in Alaska coastal communities and ecosystems. Jesse Gordon is working with associate professor Anne Beaudreau on a project titled, “Integrating local ecological knowledge…
Read MoreNew ocean invader spotted in Alaska
Scientists and local volunteers have detected a new invasive species in the waters of Southeast Alaska. Alaska Sea Grant’s Gary Freitag, Marine Advisory agent in Ketchikan, is a member of the scientific team that discovered Bugula neritina, an invertebrate filter feeder also referred to as a branching bryozoan. These tiny organisms form colonies and are…
Read MoreNew cohort of State Fellows start Alaska-based jobs
For the fourth year, Alaska Sea Grant has funded five graduate students to begin marine policy and science communications work with local host organizations this fall. Modeled after the highly successful Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, the Alaska Sea Grant State Fellowship provides recent graduates with a unique professional opportunity to work firsthand on the science…
Read MoreSmoked Seafood School attracts students from Alaska and beyond
One of Alaska Sea Grant’s most popular workshops is coming up next month. Our Smoked Seafood School will be held in Kodiak on October 11 and 12. It’s the fourth time we’ve held the class and only two seats remained open as of late September. The class is taught by Alaska Sea Grant’s Chris Sannito,…
Read MoreGraying of the Fleet research wins national award
Alaska Sea Grant-supported researchers won a national award at Sea Grant Week in Portland, Ore., this month for a study on how to boost access to Alaska commercial fisheries by young and rural residents. The Sea Grant Association, comprised of Sea Grant program directors from 33 coastal universities, presented its Research to Application award to…
Read MoreInvestigating threats from invasive species in the Aleutians Islands
Some exciting science detective work is going on in the Aleutian Islands, home to 1,100 miles of remote marine habitat and some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Because this sensitive region is vulnerable to the introduction of invasive and potentially harmful marine species, Alaska Sea Grant is participating in research to determine the threat…
Read MoreNew artwork in Dillingham showcases water as a source of life and culture
The Dillingham School District recently installed a mural called “Water is Our Way of Life.” The mural highlights the important role water serves as a source of culture, food and recreation within the Bristol Bay community, where fishing is a key economic and cultural activity. Icicle Seafoods contributed $1,800 toward the mural’s creation. It was…
Read MorePopular online direct marketing class returning this fall
The popular class, Introduction to Starting and Operating a Seafood Direct Marketing Business, taught via distance delivery is being offered again by Alaska Sea Grant over two weeks in October and November 2018. The course, designed for fishermen who may have no previous experience in direct marketing their catch, teaches the development and management of a…
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