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Water samples detect low levels of Fukushima-related contamination
A slightly elevated level of radioactive contamination connected to the Fukushima nuclear disaster has been detected in the northern Bering Sea. The level of cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, is extremely low and not considered a health concern, according to state epidemiologists. The sampling, conducted by residents of Saint Lawrence Island, documents the Fukushima plume’s northern…
Read MoreNome Nugget: Slight uptick in Cesium-137 heralds arrival Of Fukushima plume in Northern Bering Sea
After the 2011 tsunami that caused the destruction of a nuclear powerplant at Fukushima, Japan, Bering Sea coastal residents anticipated that some radiation would show up in the region. Now it has, but at levels that are well below concern.
Read MoreKodiak agent works with tribes to keep residents safe from PSP
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is a significant concern in Alaska, where many residents harvest clams, mussels and other bivalves for food and recreation. PSP is of particular concern in the Kodiak region, where it is prevalent. Since 2012, Julie Matweyou, a Marine Advisory agent with Alaska Sea Grant, has been working with the communities of…
Read MorePublic comments sought for Alaska Sea Grant review
Alaska Sea Grant is preparing for a program review by a team convened by the National Sea Grant Program. The review will be conducted April 9–11, 2019, at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and will consider all aspects of Alaska Sea Grant’s programs, including management and organization, performance, stakeholder engagement and collaborative activities, including those with…
Read MoreMarilyn Sigman honored for marine science outreach
Kudos to our marine education specialist Marilyn Sigman, who recently took home an Alaska Ocean Leadership Award at the Alaska Marine Gala in Anchorage. The award program is run by the Alaska SeaLife Center and covers five categories. Sigman won for marine science outreach, awarded to “a person, team or organization that has made an…
Read MoreCordova uses friendly competition to promote marine safety
The Prince William Sound fishing community of Cordova celebrated its 58th annual Cordova Iceworm Festival this winter, and as usual, Alaska Sea Grant was there to help. One of the festival’s main events is the survival suit race, where teams of four people run down a dock to where their suits are placed. They don…
Read MoreSen. Lisa Murkowski recognizes Sea Grant’s work in speech to Alaska Legislature
In her address to Alaska lawmakers on Tuesday, Feb. 19, Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced her staff, including 2018 NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship recipient Ann Robertson. Ann is from Juneau and recently completed her Masters of Environmental Management at Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where she focused on fisheries, marine policy…
Read MoreSeafoodNews.com: Alaska Sea Grant hosting Better Process Control class, workshop on oil spill preparedness
Looking to continue your education? Alaska Sea Grant has you covered. This month the organization is offering two different events for those in the Anchorage area.
Read MoreAn interview with Alaska Sea Grant-funded graduate student Ashley Rossin
The Alaska Ocean Acidification Network recently profiled Ashley Rossin on her research interests, her Alaska Sea Grant research project looking at the effects of ocean acidification on clams, and her advice for other young scientists interested in the field.
Read MoreCordova urges support for Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
Cordova’s mayor is expressing strong support for the continued presence of an Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory agent in the Prince William Sound fishing community. Mayor Clay Koplin, in a column published this week in The Cordova Times, said the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program has had a presence in Cordova and the greater…
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