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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

A red king crab
Media Release

NOAA Fisheries Denies Request for Emergency Action to Close the Red King Crab Savings Area and Subarea

Alaska
Amilee Wilson happy with her catch.
Feature Story

Meet Amilee Wilson: Alaska Region’s New Tribal Relations Coordinator

Alaska
Harbor with trawl vessels and snowcapped mountains Trawl EM vessels at their home port in Sand Point, AK.
Feature Story

Empowering a Fleet Through Electronic Technologies

Alaska
Stranding Network members perform an animal autopsy on a stranded gray whale that lies within a sectioned off area of the beach. A team of scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and the California Academy of Sciences perform a necropsy on a stranded gray whale at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. Photo: Katie D’Innocenzo/The Marine Mammal Center.
Feature Story

2019 Report of Marine Mammal Strandings in the United States

Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Infographic showing examples of marine and coastal ecosystem services Ecosystem services are the many benefits that ecosystems provide to humans.
Feature Story

Accurately Accounting for the Economic Value of Marine Ecosystems

Alaska
View More News

Notices & Rules

Fisheries

Amendment 52 to the FMP for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs

Alaska
Alaska
Fisheries

Federal Register Notices of Proposed and/or Continuing Information Collections as Required by the Paperwork Reduction Act

Alaska
Alaska
Fisheries

Amendment 122 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area; Pacific Cod Trawl Cooperative Program

Alaska
Alaska
Fisheries

North Pacific Observer Program Standard Ex-Vessel Prices for Groundfish and Halibut - Federal Register Rules and Notices

Alaska
Alaska
Fisheries

Halibut and Sablefish Individual Fishing Quota Cost Recovery Program Standard Prices and Fee Percentages

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

Bulletins

IB 23-11: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessels Operating as Catcher Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-10: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Vessels using Pot Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-09: NMFS Opens Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-08: NMFS Reallocates Pacific Cod from Vessels Using Jig Gear to Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Feet Length Overall Using Hook-And-Line or Pot Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-07: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska
More Bulletins

Open Funding Opportunities

Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program Funding

National
National

FY 2021–2023: Broad Agency Announcement

More Opportunities

Featured Highlights

corals-00042-crop.jpg

Determining the Distributions of Deep-sea Corals and Sponges Throughout Alaska

Alaska

<span>Information on Snow Crab and Salmon in Alaska</span>
 Featured Image

Information on Snow Crab and Salmon in Alaska

Alaska
Infographic showing examples of marine and coastal ecosystem services Ecosystem services are the many benefits that ecosystems provide to humans.

Accurately Accounting for the Economic Value of Marine Ecosystems

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.

A Voyage Through the Arctic 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, age, 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
  • Fish Age Determination Tool

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

Feature Story

Empowering a Fleet Through Electronic Technologies

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
Harbor with trawl vessels and snowcapped mountains Trawl EM vessels at their home port in Sand Point, AK.
Feature Story

Accurately Accounting for the Economic Value of Marine Ecosystems

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
Infographic showing examples of marine and coastal ecosystem services Ecosystem services are the many benefits that ecosystems provide to humans.
Feature Story

Deep-Sea Coral Research to Gain New Understanding of Alaska Fish Habitat

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
A fish swimming around deep-sea corals A rockfish among deep-sea red tree corals at a study site in the Gulf of Alaska. Credit: Alaska Department of Fish and Game ROV Team.
Science Blog

A Voyage through the Arctic Post #4

Alaska
Alaska
Woman skinning muskrats Maternal Ahna (Grandmother) Pauline Harvey skinning muskrats for a traditional parka. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Courtesy of Mabel Baldwin-Schaeffer.
Feature Story

New Horizons in the Alaska Fisheries Data Environment

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
A large white ship with the NOAA insignia floats in a bay surrounded by mountains.
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)
  • Federal Fishing Permits and Licenses Issued in Alaska
  • 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 23-11: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Non-American Fisheries Act Crab Vessels Operating as Catcher Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-10: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Vessels using Pot Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-09: NMFS Opens Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-08: NMFS Reallocates Pacific Cod from Vessels Using Jig Gear to Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Feet Length Overall Using Hook-And-Line or Pot Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

Alaska
Alaska

IB 23-07: NMFS Prohibits Directed Fishing for Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska

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

Empowering a Fleet Through Electronic Technologies

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
Harbor with trawl vessels and snowcapped mountains Trawl EM vessels at their home port in Sand Point, AK.
Feature Story

2019 Report of Marine Mammal Strandings in the United States

Feature Story ,
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Stranding Network members perform an animal autopsy on a stranded gray whale that lies within a sectioned off area of the beach. A team of scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and the California Academy of Sciences perform a necropsy on a stranded gray whale at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. Photo: Katie D’Innocenzo/The Marine Mammal Center.
Feature Story

Harbor Porpoises in Southeast Alaska Consist of at Least Two Populations

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
Dorsal fins of two porpoises swimming in water Two harbor porpoises swimming in waters of Southeastern Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
Feature Story

Meet the NOAA Alaska Region’s Stranding Response Team!

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
Two biologists with the NOAA Alaska Region (Kim Raum-Suryan and Sadie Wright) measure a Steller sea lion carcass during a carcass survey of the Copper River Delta. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Permit 18786 Two biologists with the NOAA Alaska Region, Kim Raum-Suryan and Sadie Wright, measure a Steller sea lion carcass during a carcass survey of the Copper River Delta. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Permit 18786
Feature Story

Gray Whale Numbers Continue Decline; NOAA Fisheries Will Continue Monitoring

Feature Story ,
Alaska
West Coast
Alaska
West Coast
Photograph showing gray whale mother and calf swimming along the central California Coast near Piedras Blancas, CA. A gray whale mother calf pair migrating along the central California coast from the wintering grounds in Mexico to the summer feeding grounds in Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
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
  • 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

Green Crab Detected in Alaska for the First Time

Feature Story ,
Alaska
Alaska
The carapace of an invasive green crab, and a live green crab. Credit: Linda Shaw/NOAA Fisheries The carapace of an invasive green crab, and a live green crab. Credit: Linda Shaw/NOAA Fisheries
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
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
West Coast
National
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
West Coast
National
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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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

Side-profile illustration of a brown/grayish Pacific cod fish with dark spot patterning and long chin barbell (a whisker-like organ). Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Jack Hornady

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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Empowering a Fleet Through Electronic Technologies

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Alaska
Alaska
Harbor with trawl vessels and snowcapped mountains Trawl EM vessels at their home port in Sand Point, AK.
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2019 Report of Marine Mammal Strandings in the United States

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Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Alaska
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Pacific Islands
Southeast
West Coast
National
Stranding Network members perform an animal autopsy on a stranded gray whale that lies within a sectioned off area of the beach. A team of scientists from The Marine Mammal Center and the California Academy of Sciences perform a necropsy on a stranded gray whale at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. Photo: Katie D’Innocenzo/The Marine Mammal Center.
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Scientists Release Annual Status Reports for Three Alaska Marine Ecosystems

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Alaska
Alaska
Snow covered mountains reflect off of placid water containing rocky islands, pine trees, and grassy tussocks Snow capped mountains reflect off the waters of the Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
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Harbor Porpoises in Southeast Alaska Consist of at Least Two Populations

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Alaska
Alaska
Dorsal fins of two porpoises swimming in water Two harbor porpoises swimming in waters of Southeastern Alaska. Credit: NOAA Fisheries.
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Meet the NOAA Alaska Region’s Stranding Response Team!

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Alaska
Alaska
Two biologists with the NOAA Alaska Region (Kim Raum-Suryan and Sadie Wright) measure a Steller sea lion carcass during a carcass survey of the Copper River Delta. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Permit 18786 Two biologists with the NOAA Alaska Region, Kim Raum-Suryan and Sadie Wright, measure a Steller sea lion carcass during a carcass survey of the Copper River Delta. Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Permit 18786
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