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Home > Regions

Alaska

Overview Science Fisheries Protected Marine Life Habitat Species

Alaska

Alaska's dynamic, often ice-covered seas are home to a remarkable diversity of life—crustaceans, fish, seals, sea lions, porpoises, whales, and more. Few places in the world offer such beauty and bounty. This region of nearly 1.5 million square miles includes waters in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea.

Alaska produces more than half the fish caught in waters off the coast of the United States, with an average wholesale value of nearly $4.5 billion a year. Alaska's fisheries are among the best-managed, most sustainable in the world. Alaska resources provide jobs and a stable food supply for the nation, while supporting a traditional way of life for Alaska Native and local fishing communities.

Together, NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office and Alaska Fisheries Science Center help ensure the sustainability of these marine resources for generations.

More Information

  • Alaska Geographic Strategic Plan
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Jobs and Internships
  • Alaska Fisheries Science Center Publications

About Us

  • Alaska Regional Office
  • Alaska Fisheries Science Center
  • Alaska Best Scientific Information Available

Follow Us

@NOAAFisheriesAK
NOAA Fisheries Alaska

Kelp underwater
Feature Story

Science to Support Sustainable Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Development in Alaska State Waters

Alaska
2500x1875-sustainable-fisheries-northeast.jpg Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Feature Story

NOAA Calls for Applications for American Fisheries Advisory Committee

Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Fishermen catching white marlin off boat White marlin. Photo courtesy of Mike Winn.
Feature Story

NOAA Fisheries Invites Comments to Update Recreational Fisheries Policy

Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Gray whales swimming Gray whales were nearly hunted to extinction by commercial whaling. Protections under the MMPA, ESA, and the end of commercial whaling have allowed the species to recover. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (Permit #19091).
Feature Story

Celebrating 50 Years of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Pinto abalone Pinto abalone. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Feature Story

Community Engagement Builds Sustainable Strategies for Pinto Abalone in Alaska

Alaska
View More News

Notices & Rules

Protected Resources

Incidental Take Authorization: Office of Naval Research Arctic Research Activities in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas Year 5 (2022-2023)

Alaska
Alaska
Fisheries

2022-2023 Alaska Groundfish Harvest Specifications

Alaska
Alaska
Fisheries

Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Crab Rationalization Program - Federal Register Rules and Notices

Alaska
Alaska
Protected Resources

Critical Habitat for North Pacific Right Whales

Alaska
West Coast
Alaska
West Coast
Fisheries

Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program in Alaska Federal Register Rules and Notices 2004–Present

Alaska
Alaska
More Fisheries Notices & Rules
More Protected Resources Regs & Actions

Bulletins

IB 22-33: NMFS Opens Directed Fishing for Pacific Ocean Perch in the Bering Sea Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-32: NMFS Prohibits Retention of Blackspotted and Rougheye Rockfish in the Central Aleutian and Western Aleutian Districts of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-31: NMFS Prohibits Retention of “Other Rockfish” in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-30: Apportionment of the Groundfish Reserve in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-29: Notice of Public/Industry Outreach Meeting

Alaska
Alaska
More Bulletins

Upcoming Events

Summertime Tours at NOAA’s Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute

Jun 1, 2022 - Aug 31, 2022

Alaska

2022 Belugas Count!

Sep 17, 2022

Alaska
More Events

Open Funding Opportunities

Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities

National
National

Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants

National
National

Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants

National
National

Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants

National
National

FY 2021–2023: Broad Agency Announcement

More Opportunities

Featured Highlights

image of halibut

The Latest Bottom Temperatures From The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

Alaska
fish species swimming around deep-sea coral habitat in Glacier Bay AK Rockfish swimming around deep-sea coral habitat in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Innovation To Learn More About Alaska's Deep-Sea Corals and the Species that Live There Post #1

Alaska
Photo of two people using a winch to lower the stereo camera system into the ocean from the deck of a ship in Alaska

Quick Look at Alaska's Climate Science Regional Action Plans for Confronting Climate Change

Alaska
The research vessel Oscar Dyson, a large white boat with the NOAA logo on the side. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

EcoFOCI Cruise - Post 1

Alaska

Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Our high quality research supports sustainable management and conservation of Alaska marine species with economic and cultural benefits for the nation. Alaska waters support some of the most important commercial fisheries in the world. Large and diverse populations of whales, seals, sea lions, and porpoises and Alaska native hunting and fishing communities also share these waters.

We study the health and size of marine animal populations. We also study the key areas where these animals feed, breed, and grow. To study ocean habitats, we monitor environmental conditions important to sustain marine life. For instance, we regularly monitor sea surface temperatures in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. We analyze biological, oceanographic and ecological data collected during research surveys and by trained fisheries observers in our laboratories. From this, we learn more about marine animal diets, growth and reproduction, food web dynamics and the role of humans in marine ecosystems. We use this and other information to monitor changes to marine animal populations and Alaska ecosystems over time.

Fish and Crab Science

  • Age and Growth Research
  • Alaska Fish Research Surveys
  • Alaska Fisheries Science Center Interactive Data Maps
  • Assessing Alaska Fish Stocks
  • Crab Stock Assessments
  • Genetics Research
  • Groundfish Stock Assessments

Fisheries Monitoring (Observer Program)

  • North Pacific Observer Program
  • Observer Deploy and Declare System
  • Observer Training Schedule
  • Observer Fee Collection and Payment
  • Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis
  • Electronic Monitoring
  • North Pacific Observer Program Contacts
  • North Pacific Annual Sampling Manual

Marine Mammal Science

  • Alaska Marine Mammal Field Work
  • Passive Acoustics
  • Beluga Whales
  • Harbor Seals
  • Ice-Associated Seals
  • Northern Fur Seals
  • North Pacific Right Whales
  • Steller Sea Lions

Ecosystem Science

  • Alaska Economic and Social Science Research
  • Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling Project
  • Ecosystem Monitoring and Assessment
  • Ecosystem and Recruitment Processes Research
  • Ecosystems and Ecology Research
  • Ecosystem Status Reports
  • Habitat Research
  • Recruitment Energetics and Coastal Assessment

More Information

  • National Overview: Science & Data
  • Alaska Fisheries Science Center Divisions and Programs
  • Research in Alaska
  • Alaska Fisheries Science Center Publications
  • Questions and Answers: Partial Coverage Observer Program Reintroduction
  • NOAA Live! Alaska

Science News & Blogs

Science Blog

A Voyage Through The Arctic Post #2

Alaska
Alaska
Science Blog

A Voyage Through the Arctic Post #1

Alaska
Alaska
Mabel Baldwin-Schaeffer stands under an arch made of two whale ribs.  She has her arms raised, with her back to the camera and facing the Arctic Ocean on a beach in Utqiagvik, Alaska. The skeleton of a small overturned boat is propped up on the beach beside the arch. Sea ice gathers along the shore and in the distant offshore with a stretch of open water in between. Blue sky and gray clouds are visible above the horizon. Mabel Baldwin-Schaeffer under the Utqiagvik whale bone arch overlooking the Arctic Ocean. Credit: Patrick Savok.
Science Blog

Innovation to Learn More About Alaska's Deep-Sea Corals and the Species that Live There Post #8

Alaska
Alaska
A soft fan shaped coral sits surrounded by the rocky structures that have built upon each other for years as part of this unique ecosystem. Credit: NMFS/NOAA. Color correction applied by NOAA Fisheries
Science Blog

Innovation to Learn More About Alaska's Deep-Sea Corals and the Species that Live There Post #7

Alaska
Alaska
Two scientists extracting eDNA from Niskin bottle water sample. Meredith Pochardt (left) and Sean Rooney (right) collecting water samples from a Niskin bottle. The bottles are attached on the cable above the drop camera and can be triggered to capture water at targeted depths and locations to look for eDNA. Image courtesy of Sean Rooney, NOAA
Science Blog

Winter Observing On A Commercial Longline Vessel - Post #7

Alaska
Alaska
Sea birds hunt fish behind a longline vessel in the Bering Sea on a partially cloudy day. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
More News

Sustainable Fisheries

The Alaska Regional Office works with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to manage Alaska’s sustainable fisheries. Using the best available science, we work through the Council process authorized under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to develop measures for best management of Alaska’s fisheries, considering a range of factors such as the health of the fish stocks and economic impact of fishery practices. Once fishing levels and regulations are adopted and approved, the Alaska Regional Office works to implement the Council decisions. The goal is to allow fishermen to harvest the optimum amount of fish while leaving enough in the ocean to reproduce and provide future fishing opportunities in perpetuity.

Commercial Fishing

  • Permits, Applications, and Forms
  • Catch Share and Limited Access Programs
  • Groundfish
  • Halibut and Sablefish
  • Crab
  • Salmon
  • Scallop
  • Forage Species, Grenadiers, Sculpins, and Squids

Recreational (Sport) Fishing

  • Unguided Sport Halibut Fishing
  • Guided Sport Halibut Fishing
  • Applications and Reporting Forms
  • Guided Angler Fish (GAF) Program
  • Charter Halibut and GAF Permits Issued
  • Pacific Halibut Catch Sharing Plan
  • Charter Halibut Limited Access Program
  • State of Alaska Sport Fisheries: Salmon, Rockfish, Lingcod, Shellfish, Freshwater Fish

Subsistence Fishing

  • Permit Applications and Reporting Forms
  • Frequently Asked Questions about the Subsistence Halibut Program
  • How to Replace or Renew a SHARC
  • Online SHARC Renewal (eFISH)
  • Permits and Licenses Issued
  • Subsistence Halibut Program

Resources and Programs

  • Online Services (eFISH, eLandings)
  • Permits, Applications, and Forms
  • Restricted Access Management
  • Fisheries Reports
  • North Pacific Observer Program
  • Monitoring and Reporting
  • Bycatch Reduction
  • Cost Recovery Programs and Fee Payment

More Information

  • Rules and Notices Open for Comment
  • Regulations, Acts, and Treaties
  • Figures, Maps, Boundaries, Regulatory Areas, and Zones
  • Fishery Management Plans and Amendments
  • Federal Fishing Seasons in Alaska
  • Fisheries Analyses
  • Tribal Consultation
  • Contact Information

Fisheries News

IB 22-33: NMFS Opens Directed Fishing for Pacific Ocean Perch in the Bering Sea Subarea of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-32: NMFS Prohibits Retention of Blackspotted and Rougheye Rockfish in the Central Aleutian and Western Aleutian Districts of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-31: NMFS Prohibits Retention of “Other Rockfish” in the Western and Central Regulatory Areas of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-30: Apportionment of the Groundfish Reserve in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area

Alaska
Alaska

IB 22-29: Notice of Public/Industry Outreach Meeting

Alaska
Alaska
More News

Protected Marine Life

The Protected Resources Division works to conserve and recover marine mammals in close coordination with the State of Alaska and other partners. To manage protected marine species, as required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, and Fur Seal Act, the Alaska Region advances recovery of threatened and endangered species and the conservation of marine mammals, including whales, seals, and sea lions. We work to minimize interactions between marine mammals and commercial fisheries; promote responsible marine mammal viewing practices; coordinate response to stranded or entangled marine mammals; consult with federal agencies to minimize project effects on threatened and endangered species; and cooperatively manage subsistence use of marine mammals through co-management agreements with Alaska Native organizations.

Endangered Species Conservation

  • Proposed Actions Open for Public Comment
  • ESA Species and Critical Habitat Mapper Web Application
  • ESA Species Directory
  • Endangered, Threatened, and Candidate Species in Alaska
  • ESA Section 7 Consultations
  • Non-Marine Mammals Reviewed for ESA Listing

Protecting Marine Life

  • Marine Mammal Stranding Program (Stranding Hotline: 877-925-7773)
  • Marine Mammal Viewing Guidelines
  • Entanglement and Marine Debris
  • Alaska Oil Spill Response Guidance
  • Co-Management
  • Permits and Authorizations
  • Bycatch
  • Marine Mammal Observer Program

Pinnipeds

  • Harbor Seals
  • Ice Seals: Bearded
  • Ice Seals: Ribbon
  • Ice Seals: Ringed
  • Ice Seals: Spotted
  • Northern Fur Seals
  • Steller Sea Lions

Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises

  • Beluga Whale
  • Humpback Whale
  • Bowhead Whale
  • Killer Whale
  • Gray Whale
  • North Pacific Right Whale
  • More Whale Species
  • Dolphin and Porpoise Species

More Information

  • Marine Mammal Stranding Program (Stranding Hotline: (877) 925-7773)
  • Buying or Finding Marine Mammal Parts and Products
  • Stock Assessments
  • Marine Mammal Research
  • Funding Opportunities
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Managed Species: Walrus, Sea Otters, Polar Bears
  • Laws and Policies
  • Contact Information

Marine Life News

Feature Story

Celebrating 50 Years of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Gray whales swimming Gray whales were nearly hunted to extinction by commercial whaling. Protections under the MMPA, ESA, and the end of commercial whaling have allowed the species to recover. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (Permit #19091).
Feature Story

NOAA Fisheries to Review Critical Habitat for Rare Large Whale Species in Alaska

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
A North Pacific right whale surfaces in the waters off Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries A North Pacific right whale surfaces in the waters off Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
Feature Story

NOAA Announces 2019 and 2020 Confirmed Large Whale Entanglement Numbers

Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
large whale entanglement Responders from the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Massachusetts, attempt to disentangle a North Atlantic right whale. Entanglements such as this one that involve the whale’s mouth and damage the whale’s baleen are particularly problematic, as they may prevent the animal from effectively feeding and the whale may ultimately starve, even if all of the entangling gear can be successfully removed by the response team. Credit: CCS; Permit No. 18986-04.
Feature Story

Survey to Count Beluga Whales in Norton Sound

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
aerial shot of beluga whale swimming in icy waters in the Arctic A beluga whale swimming in icy waters of the Chukchi Sea. Photo taken during a previous beluga whale survey. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Laura Morse
Feature Story

Sea Turtles in Alaska? Yes, We Have Them In the Far North!

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
Green sea turtle in Alaska A fishing crew in Alaska rescued this green sea turtle from getting caught in a net just south of Prince of Wales Island on Aug 5, 2020. Photo credit: Ben Dolph.
More News

Habitat Conservation

NOAA Fisheries conducts and reviews environmental analyses for a large variety of activities ranging from commercial fishing, to coastal development, to large transportation and energy projects. Working with industries, stakeholder groups, government agencies, and private citizens, we ensure that these activities have minimal impact on essential fish habitat and marine life in Alaska. Our habitat conservation activities include protecting essential fish habitat, mitigating damage to and enhancing habitat affected by hydropower project construction and operations, removing invasive species, and restoring habitat that has been affected by development, oil spills, and other human activities. We focus on habitats used by federally-managed fish species located offshore, nearshore, in estuaries, and in freshwater areas important to migratory salmon.

Essential Fish Habitat

  • EFH Descriptions and Identification
  • EFH Consultations
  • Alaska EFH Mapper
  • Environmental Consultation Organizer (ECO)
  • Frequently Asked Questions about EFH
  • EFH Policy and Directives
  • EFH 5-Year Review
  • EFH Omnibus Fishery Management Plan Amendments

Resource Tools

  • Alaska EFH Mapper
  • National EFH Mapper
  • ShoreZone Coastal Images and Maps
  • Nearshore Fish Atlas
  • Habitat Conservation Area Maps
  • Pacific Salmon Freshwater EFH in Alaska
  • Oil Spill Risk Analysis Calculator

Habitat Programs

  • Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Hydropower Project Review
  • Fish Passage
  • Analyzing Risk to Improve Oil Spill Planning and Response
  • Annual Report of Division Accomplishments

Habitat Restoration

  • Habitat Research in Alaska
  • NOAA Habitat Blueprint: Kachemak Bay, AK, Habitat Focus Area
  • How We Restore

More Information

  • National Overview: Habitat Conservation
  • Funding Opportunities
  • Contact Information

Habitat News

Feature Story

National Fish Habitat Partnership Projects to Engage Recreational Fishing Partners and Restore Habitat

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Pacific Islands
Southeast
National
Alaska
Pacific Islands
Southeast
National
 An adult with Kuleana Coral Reefs teaching a group of children in an outdoor classroom. Credit: Kuleana Coral Reefs/Blake Nowack. Kuleana Coral Reefs staff teaches future anglers about coral as critical fish habitat in Hawaiʻi. Credit: Kuleana Coral Reefs/Blake Nowack.
Feature Story

World Fish Migration Day 2022

Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
750x500shutterstock_666342400_04272019.jpg Atlantic salmon leaps upstream. Credit: Shutterstock
Feature Story

Cancer-Fighting Green Sponge Brings More Than Just Good Luck!

Feature Story ,
Alaska
National
Alaska
National
A Latrunculia austini sponge is measured by red laser dots. During dive expeditions, submersibles use various cameras and sensors to survey the seafloor and water column. In this image, red lasers beamed from a submersible are being used to measure the size of a Latrunculia austini sponge. Credit: Bob Stone/NOAA Fisheries.
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Student Interns Take a Virtual Dive into the World of Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges

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Alaska
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An image of a green sponge on the sea floor. The green sponge Latrunculia austini was discovered in 2005 by NOAA Fisheries coral biologist Bob Stone. Hollings Scholar Kaya Mondry spent her summer conducting a literature review on biomedical compounds produced by this species. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
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National Fish Habitat Partnership’s 2021 Waters to Watch Projects Feature Coastal Habitats

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Alaska
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An image of the Lawrence Creek with added woody debris in California. Lawrence Creek in the Eel River watershed in California. Credit: Trout Unlimited
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Featured Species

Alaska's coastal communities depend on healthy marine resources to support commercial and recreational fisheries, tourism, and the Alaskan way of life. Our mission at NOAA Fisheries Alaska Regional Office is the science-based stewardship of Alaska’s marine resources and their habitats in the Gulf of Alaska, eastern Bering Sea, and Arctic oceans. We are responsible for supporting sustainable fisheries, recovering and conserving protected species, such as whales and seals, and promoting healthy ecosystems and resilient Alaska coastal communities.

Beluga whale illustration. Credit: Jack Hornady for NOAA Fisheries.

Beluga Whale

Humpback whale illustration. Credit: Jack Hornady for NOAA Fisheries.

Humpback Whale

drawing of stellar sea lion

Steller Sea Lion

color drawing of a Pacific cod

Pacific Cod

Left-facing side-view illustration of Alaska pollock. Fins and top of fish is dark gray/black and fades to silver/white with tan speckled coloring. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Jack Hornady

Alaska Pollock

North Pacific right whale illustration

North Pacific Right Whale

northern fur seal illustration

Northern Fur Seal

harbor seal illustration

Harbor Seal

ringed seal illustration

Ringed Seal

bearded seal illustration

Bearded Seal

Drawings of three types of salmon

Pacific Salmon and Steelhead

harbor porpoise illustration

Harbor Porpoise

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More Information

  • Alaska Stock Assessments
  • Ecosystem Status Reports

Species News

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Science to Support Sustainable Shellfish and Seaweed Aquaculture Development in Alaska State Waters

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Alaska
Alaska
Kelp underwater
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Celebrating 50 Years of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

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Pacific Islands
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Alaska
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Gray whales swimming Gray whales were nearly hunted to extinction by commercial whaling. Protections under the MMPA, ESA, and the end of commercial whaling have allowed the species to recover. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (Permit #19091).
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Community Engagement Builds Sustainable Strategies for Pinto Abalone in Alaska

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Alaska
Alaska
Pinto abalone Pinto abalone. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
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NOAA Fisheries to Review Critical Habitat for Rare Large Whale Species in Alaska

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Alaska
Alaska
A North Pacific right whale surfaces in the waters off Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries A North Pacific right whale surfaces in the waters off Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
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NOAA Announces 2019 and 2020 Confirmed Large Whale Entanglement Numbers

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Alaska
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Pacific Islands
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Alaska
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large whale entanglement Responders from the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Massachusetts, attempt to disentangle a North Atlantic right whale. Entanglements such as this one that involve the whale’s mouth and damage the whale’s baleen are particularly problematic, as they may prevent the animal from effectively feeding and the whale may ultimately starve, even if all of the entangling gear can be successfully removed by the response team. Credit: CCS; Permit No. 18986-04.
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