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Fish Factor: Water changes in Southeast AK streams, fish protections outlined for first time By LAINE WELCH - One-third of Alaska’s salmon harvest each year comes from fish produced in the 17,000 miles of streams in Southeast’s Tongass rainforest.

One-third of Alaska’s salmon harvest each year comes from fish produced in the 17,000 miles of streams in Southeast’s Tongass rainforest.

A changing climate is altering rain and snowfall patterns that affect that habitat – for better or worse. Now, a first of its kind study details the potential changes and how people can plan ahead to protect the fish.

Colin Shanley a conservation planner and GIS analyst for The Nature Conservancy in Juneau and co-author of “Climate Change Sensitivity Index for Pacific Salmon Habitat in Southeast Alaska" said, "In general the global climate models are saying it’s going to get warmer and wetter. I’ve also heard another rule of thumb that the wetter places in the world are going to get wetter and the dryer places are going to get dryer. Obviously Southeast Alaska is one of those wet places." 

Shanley studied nearly half a century’s records of water flows, temperatures and precipitations in-stream sources to model future projections.

He said, "If we can build models based on historic patterns we can use these global climate models to sort of predict into the future how flows might change."  

Shanley says watersheds fed by snowpacks will likely experience the biggest impacts. "When we compiled data and models saw that some of the watersheds that are super steep and are fed by snow driven catchments are going to see some of the biggest changes. They might not all be bad but those are the ones that showed some of the largest changes in flow."  

On the other hand, glacial fed salmon systems could provide new and better systems.

Shanley said, "In Southeast, South-central and Prince William Sound there’s a lot of glacial fed systems that salmon use and some glacier fed systems that salmon haven’t colonized yet. So there is some opportunity as glaciers shrink and melt that it would create new habitat and in some cases better habitat." 

"Some of the glacial fed systems here are really cold and so they have slower growing conditions and less food, but if some of those warm up they might actually become better salmon habitat," said Shanley. 

He continued, "And some of those glacial systems are really big rivers so there is definitely some opportunities for some sort of shift in productivity where some of the smaller streams might have a harder time but some of these glacial fed systems might actually uptake in their production." 

Watersheds that are in good shape should be fairly resilient. For waters near roads and other developments, The Nature Conservancy hopes to begin restorations – "We’ve started to look at the places we think high salmon values intersect with areas of potential restoration, evaluating where those failing culverts are to make sure that there is adequate draining, that there is no run off on these roads dumping excessive sediment in streams." 

Shanley said, "We’ve looked at areas where before more stringent timber management regulations required riparian buffers – is there adequate large trees  along the rivers and if aren’t can we put some in there to build pools and provide shade as well as slow down the water in some of these high water events. So there are lots of things we can do."   - More...
Wednesday PM - June 27, 2018

Southeast Alaska: WRANGELL MEDICAL CENTER AND SEARHC FORMALLY AFFILIATE - The City and Borough of Wrangell (CBW) announced that SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) and Wrangell Medical Center (WMC) will officially move forward formalizing an affiliation to transfer the operations of the hospital to SEARHC creating sustainable, quality health services for Wrangell residents.

Initially, SEARHC will acquire Wrangell Medical Center assuming operational, financial and legal responsibility of WMC, including a lease with the CBW for the hospital facility. SEARHC will continue operating WMC while building a new healthcare campus adjacent to the Alaska Island Community Services Medical Clinic, which will include a critical access hospital and long-term care facility. The parties’ goal is to transfer the hospital to SEARHC on or after November 1, 2018; and the new campus completed within four years.

 “We have been working with SEARHC since the beginning of this year to develop creative options for a community healthcare solution, including construction of a new hospital, to address the ongoing challenges in the healthcare industry,” stated CBW Borough Manager Lisa Von Bargen. “Our collaboration has been highly productive, and we are fortunate to join hands with SEARHC in creating a viable, long-term healthcare solution for our community.”  - More...
Wednesday PM - June 27, 2018

Alaska: Governor Declines Bipartisan Legislative Request for Executive Order to Secure Net Neutrality for Alaskans - Senator Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage) expressed disappointment in Governor Bill Walker's decision not to pursue net neutrality protections for Alaskans through an executive order.

In February Senator Wielechowski, along with a bipartisan group of 23 legislators including Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan), sent the governor a letter urging exercise of his constitutional authority to issue an executive order requiring the state's governmental departments to contract only with internet service providers (ISPs) who abide by the principles of net neutrality. The governors of New York, Montana, New Jersey, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Hawaii have all issued similar executive orders this year. So far the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the body that repealed net neutrality last December, has not pursued any legal challenges to the executive orders.

Under net neutrality, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) must treat all data equally, cannot throttle speed or restrict access, and cannot discriminate against or charge differently among users, websites, content.

In his recent response on June 20th to the legislators' February request, Governor Walker declined to issue the executive order, suggesting he could not do so because the FCC's repeal "very likely preempts states' laws."  Governor Walker stated in his letter that he is taking some alternative steps to address this issue.

"I am disappointed that the governor would disregard a valid request to use his executive authority to put internet access protections in place for Alaskans, and I don't agree with his reasons," said Senator Wielechowski. "States have wide latitude to establish the qualifications and terms they expect from their contractors. A standard of non-discrimination toward the people-individual Alaskans and businesses using the internet-should be an appropriate requirement for ISPs seeking highly profitable contracts with the State of Alaska."

The FCC's repeal took effect on June 11.

"The impacts of the FCC's action are about to become apparent across the nation. Our residents who are so dependent on a free and open internet for work, education, telemedicine, and to communicate with family around the state and the Lower 48 are going to be without any protections," said Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks), who had signed the February letter. "If other states can do it, why can't we? Why don't we just assert our state's right to contract how we see fit? It's too important to Alaskans to do nothing."  - More...
Wednesday PM - June 27, 2018

Alaska: Challenges of Accurately Testing Marijuana Potency Highlighted in New Report - The data validation report recently released by the Alaska Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office and the Department of Environmental Conservation–Division of Environmental Health describes some of the challenges associated with accurately testing marijuana for potency. The report also offers recommendations for possible revisions to Alaska Administrative Code regulations to improve the oversight and quality assurance activities of licensed marijuana testing facilities.

“The comparative study conducted by the Environmental Health Laboratory provides additional information for the board-convened testing working group to consider,” said Erika McConnell, director of the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office.

McConnell said, “We are encouraged by the work that has already been done by the industry and public health officials as part of the working group. I am confident this report will help the working group accomplish their mission to offer some solid recommendations to the Marijuana Control Board that will give consumers confidence in the system; protect public safety, health, and welfare; and allow the industry to move forward in a way that is also good for licensed establishments.”

The data validation compared the results of several sample tests of cannabis and cannabis products from two licensed marijuana testing facilities. The samples were analyzed using different extraction protocols for potency but similar analytical techniques. The report provides insight into how the two facilities could be testing the same product but come up with different results. - More...
Wednesday PM - June 27, 2018

Ice-associated seals and Steller sea lions in particular appear to be in contact with a typically uncommon predator in these waters, according to a group of scientists, hunters and subsistence managers who are watching the trend.

Who is the likely culprit? Sharks.

Several species are known to visit the western and northern coasts of Alaska, including sleeper sharks, dogfish shark, Greenland shark and salmon shark. A variety of northern shark species seem to be following the movements of prey species venturing farther north due to warmer ocean temperatures.

That’s according to a group of scientists and observers from Alaska Sea Grant, the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, Kawerak Inc. and Ocean Associates Inc. that have been recording injuries to or attacks on pinnipeds through stranding data, aerial survey sightings, marine mammal hunter observations and bycatch.

“People are providing information on harvested seals with amputated flippers because they don’t normally see that. These are not the marks of a killer whale. Killer whales have pegged teeth - the injury pattern would be different and community members are  noting these are novel injuries,” said Gay Sheffield, an Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory agent in Nome.

“In some injuries we’ve seen, bone has been sliced. There have been penetrating stab wounds and circular bite marks. The flesh is sometimes torn as if a sharp, triangular-shaped object has ripped the skin leaving an upside-down V pattern,” said Sheffield.

Sheffield has been sharing information with, among others, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, a wildlife veterinarian and research biologist with the North Slope Borough, who is also tracking  the unusual injuries.

“Some of the injuries reminded me of what I saw in sea turtles attacked by sharks when I worked in the tropics,” said the Utqiavik-based vet. “It’s very suggestive of shark bites.”

Both scientists are quick to point out that they don’t have enough evidence at this point to say with certainty what is going on but by working with coastal communities, Kawerak, and each other, they hope to collaboratively learn what may be attacking the pinnipeds. They presented a scientific poster about shark-pinniped interactions at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage last January. - More...
Wednesday PM - June 27, 2018

DAVE KIFFER: Ketchikan Takes Expedia's Breath Away! - I think we'd all agree that Ketchikan is one of the most breathtaking places in the world.

Just in the last week, my breath was taken away when I saw that gasoline prices had jumped something like 50 cents since the last time I filled up a couple of weeks ago.

Also in recent days, my breath was taken away by the smell of a "fresh" vegetable in the produce aisle of a local bodega.

Then my breath was completely taken away a week or so ago when I made the ill-advised choice to walk from Downtown up to my home, just a Himalayan half-mile away (uphill).

And, even though recent weather has been dry enough to generate a tiny forest fire (really!), on most days your breath will be positively inundated by the relentless rainfall that keeps our lakes full and our skin dewey fresh! Until we finally develop gills, it will always be a challenge breathing in Ketchikan.

So yes, Ketchikan is often a very breathtaking place to live!

And now we have the "survey" to prove it.

It comes from an outside source, Expedia (Woah, oh, ohhh!)

You all know about Expedia (Let me take you there!). It's one of those vacation consolidation sites that can find you an air fare, a hotel, a rental car, excursions etc. The kind of thing that we used to use a travel agent for. So we have replaced a living breathing, tax paying human who will buy all your kids raffle tickets with a computer! Doing something we could do ourselves if we weren't so danged lazy.

But I digress.

Expedia (This is why we travel!) just announced the "55 Most Breathtaking Destinations in the World."  And guess what, Our Fair Salmon City is Number 51 on the list. Even better, neither Sitka nor Homer even made the top 55!

Of course this raises all sorts of questions about methodology. Such a ranking has to be "in the eye of the beholder."

And cries of foul from other Alaskan locales who have always self-selected themselves as the "fairest of the fair."

But it is nice to be noticed for something besides the world class lines awaiting the visitors trying to get back on the "Egregiousdam" and the "Gargantuan of the Seas."

Anyway, let's look at the entire list, shall we?

We need to compare the company we are keeping.

Keep in mind that Expedia (Where you book matters!) says the order is "in no particular order" so if you feel like K-town should be higher on the list, maybe it is! - More...
Wednesday PM - June 27, 2018