Mercury in Fishes Study Released - Measurable Levels Detected in Alaska National Parks

Fish sampled in four Alaskan national parks have tested positive for mercury and in some cases exceeded State of Alaska unlimited human consumption thresholds for women and children.

The testing was part of a multi-year U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service study of fish in remote, high elevation lakes and streams in 21 national parks across 10 western states and Alaska. Mercury was found in all fish sampled though levels of the chemical harmful to fish, other wildlife and humans, varied. 

"Although fish mercury concentrations were elevated in some sites, the majority of fish across the region had concentrations that were below most benchmarks associated with impaired health of fish, wildlife, and humans. However, the range of concentrations measured suggest that complex processes are involved in driving mercury accumulation in these environments and further research is needed to better understand these processes, and assess risk," said USGS ecologist Collin Eagles-Smith, the lead author of the publication. 

The Alaska surveys took place at Denali National Park and Preserve, Wrangell-St.Elias National Park and Preserve, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Mercury concentrations were measured in lake trout, arctic grayling, kokanee, Dolly Varden and northern pike.

Some fish in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve exceeded thresholds recommended by both the State of Alaska and the Environmental Protection Agency for unlimited human consumption by women and children.

State of Alaska human consumption thresholds start at 150 parts per billion. Lake trout, with average concentrations as high as 417 parts per billion were found in one lake in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The average concentration in lake trout in Lake Clark was 365 parts per billion. Mercury levels were low in Denali National Park and Preserve and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

Lake trout are a relatively long-lived fish species at the top of the food web, and as such are more likely to accumulate mercury and other toxins over their lives than other species of fish. They are not consumed in great quantities by either sport or subsistence fishermen so the risk to people is likely low, but variable given location and frequency of fish consumption. The extent of the effects on fish-eating birds and mammals that depend on lake trout for survival is unknown.

Fish continue to be a nutritious food source. Many fish species, including salmon, are low in mercury. Women who may become pregnant and parents should reference fish consumption guidance developed by the State of Alaska at http://www.epi.alaska.gov/eh/fish/default.htm.

The study, "Mercury in fishes from 21 national parks in the Western United States – Inter and intra-park variation in concentrations and ecological risk," is available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2014/1051/pdf/ofr2014-1051.pdf. For more information visithttp://www.nature.nps.gov/air/studies/ToxicEffects.cfm.

Related articles

• Unlikely Pesticides Found in Alaskan Fish
• Alaska News Nightly: April 17, 2014

Sitka tries to clean up bear problem

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sitkans will be doing some spring cleaning this weekend — but it’s not the usual sort of neighborhood sprucing up.

The Sitka Bear Task Force has organized work parties to tackle several bear caches — the places around town where brown bears have been dragging garbage bags over the years, to sort through their loot undisturbed.

Alaska Department of Fish & Game biologist Phil Mooney says cleaning up these so-called “trash caches” is no small job.

READ MORE

Related articles

• Exhibit variety plan for Sitka museum (washingtontimes.com)

Spring Bear Safety in Alaska

 (Photo credit: ucumari)

Bears that wake up hungry after a long winter’s nap aren’t as big a problem in Fairbanks as they are in other bear-infested cities like Anchorage and Juneau but state wildlife officials say it’s still a good idea for Interior residents to do some spring cleaning around their homes to dissuade any ursine intruders.

“We haven’t had as many problems in Fairbanks as Anchorage,” Alaska Department of Fish and Game spokeswoman Cathie Harms said of Alaska’s largest city 360 miles to the south, where it’s not uncommon for bears to be shot each spring for getting into garbage, tearing down bird feeders or ravaging neighborhood chicken coops.

READ MORE

SE Alaska Wolves to possibly receive federal protection

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it will consider the possible protection Southeast Alaska wolves

under the Endangered Species Act.

The decision to review the wolves' status comes two years after the Center for Biological Diversity and Greenpeace submitted a petition to protect the species known as the Alexander Archipelago wolf.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2014/03/31/US-Fish-and-Wildlife-officials-to-consider-federal-protection-of-Southeast-Alaska-wolves/5871396280175/#ixzz2xail1JIq

Denali Park Road Open to Savage River

Denali - Mountains - Alaska (Photo credit: blmiers2)

DENALI PARK, Alaska: The Denali Park Road is now open as far as the Savage River (Mile 15). The longer days and milder temperatures of early spring provide enjoyable conditions for visiting the park.Mount McKinley, or Denali, is visible from the park road at approximately Mile 10, depending on cloud cover. Due to the mild winter, snow coverage for outdoor activities such as mushing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing is variable.

Vault toilets at the Mountain Vista Rest Area and on the east side of the Savage River are open for use. Other facilities west of park headquarters, including the Savage River Campground, remain closed until later this spring.

Visitors should expect to encounter snow and ice on shaded sections of the park road until overnight temperatures remain above freezing. Motorists are also advised to be alert for National Park Service personnel steaming culverts along the side of the road, and for heavy equipment being used in the road opening operations.

Weather conditions can change rapidly at this time of the year, and the road may open and close several times. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead for updated road status.Follow the progress of the Denali road crew as they plow westward along the 92 mile park road to Kantishna - updates and a photo gallery are posted at http://www.nps.gov/dena/spring-road-opening.htm and at www.facebook.com/DenaliNPS.

The Bear Loop of the Riley Creek Campground at Mile 0.2 is open for free camping. A vault toilet is provided, and campers can obtain water at the Murie Science and Learning Center.

The Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) at Mile 1.3 is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for visitor information and backcountry permits.

Additional park information is available on the web at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling 907- 683-9532 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. Stay connected with "DenaliNPS" on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and iTunes – links to these social media sites are available at www.nps.gov/dena.

Related articles

• Denali Park Road Open to Mile 30 (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Denali Winter Artists-in-Residence Arrive (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Denali Road to open to Mile 12 on March 31, 2013 (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)

Denali Winter Artists-in-Residence Arrive

Denali Landscape (Photo credit: blmiers2)

DENALI PARK, Alaska: The National Park Service has expanded the Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program to include winter residencies on an ongoing basis, and the first two participants in this winter's program will begin their residencies this week.

Beau Carey, a landscape painter currently living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, arrives on Tuesday, March 18.He will spend four nights in the Savage River Cabin, located at Mile 13 on the Denali Park Road, and afterwards will lead an outdoor painting workshop (already full by pre-registration). Carey recently returned from an international residency above Norway's Arctic Circle.

Nicole Stellon O'Donnell, a poet and essayist from Fairbanks, Alaska, arrives on Friday, March 21. She will be housed at park headquarters until heading out to the Savage Cabin the following week.Writers and poets (and those interested in writing and poetry) are invited to a free workshop and reading with Nicole taking place on Saturday, March 29 at the Murie Science and Learning Center, beginning at 6:00 pm. No prior registration is required to take part.Her winter residency at Denali follows scheduled readings in New York City and Los Angeles.

The winter residencies will help raise public awareness of the winter experience in Denali and increase the number of winter pieces represented in the park's permanent collection. The first winter residency was done in 2010 by University of Alaska Fairbanks Professor Emeritus Kesler Woodward. With some support provided by the park's sled dog teams, he and Frank Soos skied to the East Fork Cabin at Mile 43 on the park road, and back. You can read more about the trip, and view an image of the painting he donated to park, in his blog at: http://keslerwoodward.typepad.com/painting_in_the_north/2010/11/denali-park-in-winter.html.Woodward was instrumental in the development of the park's AIR program, and continues to serve on the AIR selection committee.

Each artist-in-residence will each donate a work inspired by their time in Denali to the park's collection.Pieces created by artists-in-residence from previous years will be on display in the Denali Visitor Center, Eielson Visitor Center, and the Murie Science and Learning Center during the 2014 visitor season. As of this week, some of the pieces will be on public display in a gallery at the Anchorage Public Lands Information Center on Fourth Street. In September other pieces will be on display at the Fairbanks Public Lands Information Center located in the Morris Thompson Visitors Center. An online gallery of artist-in-residence artwork is available at http://www.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm.

Since 2002 the Artist-in-Residence program at Denali National Park and Preserve has hosted more than 45 artists and writers, and two invited composers.Four visual artists and two writers will participate in this summer's program.

Artists interested in applying for the 2015 season are encouraged to visit www.nps.gov/dena/historyculture/arts-program.htm for information and to apply. The call for applications will be open from May 1 - September 30, 2014.

Related articles

• Application Period for Denali National Park 2014 Artists-in-Residence Program Open (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Celebrate National Trails Day in Denali National Park (alaska-outdoors.blogspot.com)

Wildlife Interests Worth $4.1 Billion to Alaska's Economy, New Study Finds

Wildlife - Animal - Dall Sheep in Denali National Park (Photo credit: blmiers2)

 Almost a million resident and visitor households embarked on at least one trip in Alaska to hunt or view wildlife in 2011, according to research presented in the recently published report, “The Economic Importance of Alaska’s Wildlife in 2011.” Along the way, the $3.4 billion spent by those hunters and viewers accounted for $4.1 billion in economic activity statewide.

“Visitors reported that wildlife is one of the main reasons they visited Alaska,” said Doug Vincent-Lang, director of the state’s Division of Wildlife Conservation, “and residents said wildlife contributes to their quality of life and reasons for living here.”

Of the $3.4 billion spent by hunters and wildlife viewers in Alaska in 2011, resident hunters and wildlife viewers each spent more than $1 billion. Visiting wildlife viewers spent $1.2 billion, while visiting hunters added some $150 million. That spending generated more than 27,000 jobs and $1.4 billion in labor income.

“This study demonstrates what many instinctively know: Alaska’s wildlife is important to Alaskans and visitors. Because people value it, they’re willing to spend a lot of money here to hunt, view, and experience wildlife,” Vincent-Lang said.

The report will be featured in a presentation at the Alaska Board of Game meeting on Friday, March 14, at the Dena’ina Civic Center in Anchorage, and the public is invited to attend.

The research was conducted by economic consulting firm ECONorthwest, which gathered core data for its analyses through six interlocking surveys in 2012. The surveys were conducted by phone, Internet, and mail and information was provided by about 7,000 residents and 2,000 visitors.

To see the report summary, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website atwww.adfg.alaska.gov/static/home/news/ongoingissues/pdfs/the-economic-importance-of-alaskas-wildlife-in-2011-summary-report.pdf (PDF 1,204 kB)

BLM-Alaska to delay amendment to the Ring of Fire Resource Management Plan

Glacier Bay National Park (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Bureau of Land Management is announcing a delay in the Haines Planning Area Amendment to the Ring of Fire Resource Management Plan. 

 

New scientific information related to mountain goats in the Haines area as well as an increased awareness of Alaska Native cultural values relating to these goat populations has prompted BLM to identify a new proposed alternative for a mountain goat habitat Area of Critical Environmental Concern for portions of the planning area.

 

A final decision on the amendment was expected in early 2014. However, developing a new alternative for public review and comment is expected to delay the amendment for at least a year. 

 

“The BLM is dedicated to ensuring that the most recent scientific findings and cultural information are incorporated into planning efforts,” said Anchorage Field Office Manager Alan Bittner,

 

The Planning Area is located in Southeast Alaska.  Approximately 320,000 acres of BLM-managed public lands are located in two main blocks or parcels; the north block is located northwest of Skagway along the United States-Canada border and the south block is located southwest of the City of Haines along the boundary of Glacier Bay National Park.  The planning area encompasses the cities of Haines and Skagway.

Voices of the Wilderness traveling art exhibit debuts in Sitka

An exhibit of wilderness-inspired Alaskan art opens this week at the Sitka National Historical Park, kicking off a year-long celebration of wilderness in recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of the passage of the Wilderness Act

Voices of the Wilderness is a traveling art exhibit that features a wide range of artwork, including photography, music, poetry, and paintings created by participants in artist-in-residence programs hosted by agencies that manage federally designated wilderness. The exhibit is sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Voices of the Wilderness exhibit is one of many events and activities the U.S. Forest Service will sponsor in Alaska this year to celebrate the Wilderness Act, which endorsed the idea of “untrammeled” public wildlands in 1964 and secured the wilderness heritage that Americans now enjoy.

In Alaska, Congressionally designated wilderness makes up one-third of the lands on the Tongass National Forest, where 19 separate wilderness areas cover 5.8 million acres in Southeast. The Chugach National Forest manages the Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area, which encompasses more than one-third of that forest in South-central Alaska.

To foster understanding and enjoyment of wilderness areas on the Tongass and Chugach, the Forest Service will sponsor numerous events and products this year:

• The Voices of the Wilderness art exhibit will continue its run at venues in Ketchikan, Juneau, Fairbanks, Homer, Kenai, and Anchorage throughout the year.
• The Meaning of Wild, a 30-minute film that features stunning footage from four wilderness areas on the Tongass, will screen in numerous communities in Alaska during the coming year, including Juneau, Anchorage, and Ketchikan.
• The annual Chugach and Tongass poster series will highlight Forest Service wilderness in Alaska. Watch for the release of these commemorative posters in late March.
• A wilderness boat excursion will explore the Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area in late May.
• Chugach Children’s Forest youth expeditions and teacher trainings in the Nellie Juan-College Fiord Wilderness Study Area are slated for this summer.
• In partnership with Alaska Geographic and the National Park Service, the Forest Service will develop a series of wilderness stories to debut this fall.

Watch for more information on these and additional events atwww.myalaskaforests.com; www.fs.usda.gov/r10;www.fs.usda.gov/chugach/; and www.fs.usda.gov/tongass/.

TOUGH TIMES FOR KENAI RIVER GUIDES

Kenai River (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From the Peninsula Clarion...

Bruce Ewitt guided on the Kenai River for 11 years before he quit after the 2012 fishing season and shifted his efforts toward king salmon returning to the Columbia River.

He joined the ranks of sportfishing guides, nearly 100 since 2007, who have stopped guiding on the Kenai River a trend that other guides say could be indicative of future river use.

READ MORE