Science

Seadrone photo showing stone fish trap found in Shakan Bay on the west side of Prince of Wales could potentially be oldest ever found in the world. The structure was first discovered in 2010 and officially confirmed as a stone weir earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo / Sealaska Heritage)

Ancient weir sheds new light on Alaska Native history

Stone fish trap dates to at least 11,100 years ago, according to scientists.

 

Larry Talley / Courtesy photo A dead whale previously seen and necropsied on a small island near Angoon was spotted afloat on March 3. The cuts visible come from the necropsy effort, said a NOAA official.

Whale’s body spotted near Tenakee Inlet in Southeast Alaska

The animal with a long history in the area has been necropsied.

 

A team of marine mammal experts performs a necropsy on a male sperm whale. (Courtesy photo | Johanna Vollenweider, NOAA)

Beached whale offers scientific opportunity

It washed up just north of Juneau.

 

The R/V Sikuliaq’s Third Mate Arthur Levine scans the entire vessel on Nov. 27 for safety concerns before the ship departs for Seattle via the Gulf of Alaska. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

R/V Sikuliaq connects scientists to a sea of research

After over a month spent docked in Seward, the R/V Sikuliaq set sail last Wednesday. The vibrant blue-hulled, 261-foot oceanographic research vessel left on a… Continue reading

The R/V Sikuliaq’s Third Mate Arthur Levine scans the entire vessel on Nov. 27 for safety concerns before the ship departs for Seattle via the Gulf of Alaska. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Beluga food sources shifted from marine to freshwater over past 50 years

Over the past fifty years Cook Inlet’s endangered beluga whales have changed their feeding habits, eating less prey that originates in marine waters and more… Continue reading

AOOS map syncs up agencies’ beluga research

There’s a lot of research happening on Cook Inlet beluga whales at any given time. Unfortunately, a lot of the data has stayed isolated, held… Continue reading

In this April 2017 photo, the Sterling HIghway crosses the Kenai River and runs through the community of Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Mountains to Sea Partnership looks to conserve river corridors

A new partnership between conservation-minded government agencies and nonprofits is aiming to comprehensively protect 20 major river corridors on the Kenai Peninsula. The Kenai Mountains… Continue reading

In this April 2017 photo, the Sterling HIghway crosses the Kenai River and runs through the community of Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
This map from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shows the winter and summer habitats of beluga whales in the state. (Courtesy the Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

Beluga research looks at failure to rebound

Two research efforts are taking new approaches to the question of why Cook Inlet’s endangered beluga whales haven’t recovered since hunting restrictions were placed on… Continue reading

This map from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shows the winter and summer habitats of beluga whales in the state. (Courtesy the Alaska Department of Fish and Game)
The research vessel Sikuliaq is docked at its homeport in Seward on Saturday, July 15, preparing for a research cruise through the Beaufort Sea on which oceanographer Dr. Carin Ashjian served as chief scientist. After the recent conclusion of the cruise, Dr. Ashjian was one of eight female scientists to participate in a discussion on women in science, organized by the conservation nonprofit Cook Inletkeeper, at the Kenai Fine Arts Center on Friday.

Female scientists talk about women in science

Eight research and technical professionals gathered at the Kenai Fine Arts Center on Friday to publicly discuss a statistical imbalance in their own population —… Continue reading

The research vessel Sikuliaq is docked at its homeport in Seward on Saturday, July 15, preparing for a research cruise through the Beaufort Sea on which oceanographer Dr. Carin Ashjian served as chief scientist. After the recent conclusion of the cruise, Dr. Ashjian was one of eight female scientists to participate in a discussion on women in science, organized by the conservation nonprofit Cook Inletkeeper, at the Kenai Fine Arts Center on Friday.

Cook Inletkeeper scientist will head to Antarctica

Early next year, 80 female scientists plan to set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina, for Antarctica. Among them will be Homer’s Sue Mauger, Science Director of… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion In this June 2016 photo, the clouds mass over the mountains around Lower Russian Lake near Cooper Landing, Alaska. The conservation nonprofit Cook Inletkeeper recently installed a temperature sensor on the Russian River below Lower Russian Lake to keep track of the river's temperatures on a real-time basis.

Cook Inletkeeper adds Russian River temperature sensor

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to show that Trout Unlimited is represented on the Kenai Peninsula Fish Habitat Partnership steering committee but the… Continue reading

Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion In this June 2016 photo, the clouds mass over the mountains around Lower Russian Lake near Cooper Landing, Alaska. The conservation nonprofit Cook Inletkeeper recently installed a temperature sensor on the Russian River below Lower Russian Lake to keep track of the river's temperatures on a real-time basis.

Federal proposal would cut support for Kachemak Bay Research Reserve

A publicly-funded science organization in Homer that aims to provide practical data to Kachemak Bay oyster farmers, boat operators, municipal planners, educators and others may… Continue reading