Fly fishing season is in full swing in Bristol Bay. Guided groups flocked to the rivers and lakes this summer after a year-long pandemic hiatus. While there may be plenty of tourists, the fish didn’t show last week.

The goal is to identify primary areas of contamination. That could include any space where firefighting foam was used, for instance, in accidents, emergency situations or training activities. In the past, the state did not require records of these situations.

For the first time, the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a Tribal research coordinator. NOAA is a key federal leader of environmental research. Those involved say the new position is a step toward better representation for Alaska’s Indigenous communities. 

BBRSDA’s Executive Director Andy Wink is joined by Marketing Director Lilani Dunn and Board President Michael Jackson to give an overview of BBRSDA.

Over $30 million was originally included in this year’s state budget for the program, which helps lower rural energy costs for tens of thousands of Alaskans. Then, the funding was taken away in a “budget sweep”. The lawsuit argues that sweep is unconstitutional.

Fishermen have observed changes in ocean ecosystems for years. But, there was no one place to record those observations. This summer, a new mobile app will gather observations from commercial fishermen on the water to bridge the gap between what they see, and what scientists need to know.

Emergency Order 3.0 lists recommendations like social distancing, getting vaccinated and tracking temperature checks.