Shishmaref

High winds that pushed water high up on south facing shores of the Seward Peninsula cause shoreline erosion on the Chukchi Sea coast of Shishmaref, last week.  

Die-offs of krill are in some cases associated with hypoxia (low oxygen) excess sediment suspended in the water column and changes in water temperature. There were recent reports of high levels of Alexandrium in water samples in the areas, and Norton Sound Health Corporation is performing some testing of krill samples (see below). There was also an unprecedented storm event only a week ago, unusual for the storm surge and early season.

"We have been finding plastic bottles, glass bottles, couple life vests, and boots." The Bering Sea has noted an abundance of foreign debris washing up on our shores. Communities like Unalakleet, Gambell, Savoonga and Nome have all reported and documented hoards of this debris.

Alaska Sea Grant agent Gay Sheffield from Nome responded to report of a dead bowhead and a dead grey whale northeast of Shishmaref near Cape Espenburg.

Village wildlife observers worry that the unusual warmth of oceans off Alaska is causing problems throughout the ecosystem.

A range of wildlife-related events have been occurring this month in Shishmaref and other parts of Norton Sound.

The smelt, caught through the ice in late January, may have caused a person who ate some to get sick. Local, tribal and state officials worked together to collect and analyze the fish.

Very strong south winds took out all the sea ice and created an ice pile in front of the village.

There’s only one historical record of a great white shark in the Bering Sea: fishermen caught one nearly 40 years ago. But scientists have reason to believe that in recent years there might be more of the predators around.

In May and June, dead birds, mostly murres, have been washing up on beaches on St. Lawrence Island, Shishmaref and east Norton Sound.

The weather was warm and the ice was late in coming, so Dennis Davis set up a piece of equipment unknown to his Inupiaq forebears: his drone.

Rough seas and moving sea ice.

As snow machines zoomed past, Dennis Davis set up his new drone. According to Davis, blue ice is more solid than white. Those are areas hunters can travel across more safely as they search for marine mammal prey.

Residents use drones to show unusual sea ice conditions along the Chukchi coast.

A recent storm in Norton Sound has increased coastal erosion affecting community transportation.

This fall freeze-up was somewhat delayed, not just in the Bering Straits region, but all the way up to Barrow.

Unusual Spider?

First time we have seen so many ladybugs on our island.

Unusual debris found on beach