Annie Ropeik, KUCB - Unalaska
Annie Ropeik is a reporter for KUCB in Unalaska.
Researchers Say Ocean Acidification Could Make Fish Anxious, Impact Fisheries
Scientists have been saying for years that more carbon dioxide in the oceans is hurting sea life. But a new study says the impact goes beyond the physical. It says ocean acidification is changing behavior in fish. That could be a problem throughout the ecosystem – including for fisheries in Alaska.
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Polar Star Called Off After Ice-Bound Ships Get Free
The Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star is standing down from a rescue mission in Antarctica on Tuesday after the vessels it was going to assist broke free on their own.
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Coast Guard Icebreaker Heads for Antarctica to Free Two Ships
A newly refurbished Coast Guard icebreaker is en route to Antarctica to free two vessels stuck in ice. The stuck ships are a Russian research vessel and a Chinese icebreaker, according to Allyson Conroy, the Coast Guard’s chief warrant officer for the Pacific Area. The Russian ship has been stranded since before Christmas. The Chinese vessel got stuck when it tried to help.
Mild Weather Helps Unalaska’s Christmas Bird Count Expand
The bird count in the Aleutians was also aided by mild weather. Winter is running late in Unalaska this year – and that was good news for those helping with the annual count last Saturday. Such mild weather meant the counters were able to tally the island’s birds in places they usually can’t get to.
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Alaska Waters to Brace for More Shipping
Canada’s energy board gave conditional approval earlier this month to the Northern Gateway Pipeline project, which would run through British Columbia and would send hundreds of more crude oil supertankers along high-traffic shipping lanes in Alaska waters. That means the Aleutian Islands will have to prepare for a higher risk of spills and accidents.
State Announces Pacific Cod Harvest Level for 2014
There will be about 17.86 million pounds of cod available for harvest, both in the Aleutian Islands state-waters fishery and in the new Dutch Harbor subdistrict.
At Unalaska’s Methodist Church, Telling A Special Christmas Story
Kids at Unalaska’s United Methodist Church got to tell the story of Christmas during their annual living nativity last week. Fifteen elementary school kids from the congregation dressed up as wise men, shepherds and angels. Pastor Dan Wilcox helped lead the show.
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Eagle Wreaks Havoc Inside Unalaska Ship Supply Store
Alaska Ship Supply had an unwelcome customer for about three hours Wednesday night -- a bald eagle, which flew in a loading door around 6 p.m. and refused to leave. The juvenile bird flapped around the store for about three hours before state troopers and employees were able to get it out.
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Coast Guard Crew Member Dies After Injury During November Rescue
A Coast Guard petty officer has died after being injured during a rescue in the Eastern Aleutians in November.
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At Reopened Museum of the Aleutians, A Focus On Storytelling
The Museum of the Aleutians in Unalaska re-opened recently after five months of renovations. The space has been transformed in an effort to tell the whole story of the chain.
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Hovercraft To Be Replaced With Helicopter At Akutan Airport
For more than a year, getting in and out of Akutan has meant taking a hovercraft. The vessel ferries passengers to and from the island’s airport. But high costs and inconsistent service have sent the Aleutians East Borough looking for a better solution. Now, they think they’ve found one.
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Late Start for Flu Shots Causes Concern
The Lower 48 has been on the offensive against the flu virus for weeks. But in Unalaska, most people didn’t have access to vaccines until late November. An attempt to tailor flu prevention around Unalaska’s unique population didn’t go over well with locals.
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State Proposes Changes to Oil Spill Response Plan
State officials were in Unalaska on Friday to talk about a proposal pre-authorizing the use of chemical dispersants on oil spills in Alaska waters.
Tanner Crab Fishery Closed for 2014 Season
State officials announced this week that the tanner crab fishery would not open for the 2014 seasons in the eastern Aleutian Islands. But Unalaska’s small boat fishermen think they’ve found a way to expand the fishery -- in an area that’s been closed for two decades.
Dinner Raises $20,000 For Typhoon Relief
Residents braved chilly weather on Saturday for a home-cooked Filipino dinner -- and a chance to support the local Fil-Am Association's typhoon relief efforts.
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Stimson Back In Service After Maintenance In Unalaska
The Alaska State Troopers’ largest patrol vessel is back in service after an engine upgrade in its home port of Dutch Harbor. The patrol vessel Stimson was out of commission for 10 days earlier this month during the overhaul.
Estimated 6,000 Gallons Of Diesel Spilled From Arctic Hunter
Two weeks after the Arctic Hunter ran aground outside Unalaska, state officials are estimating that the boat has released up to 6,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the water.
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‘Big Blue’ Fire Truck Departs Unalaska For St. George
A big blue fire truck is on its way from Unalaska to the Pribilof island of St. George. The truck has been ready to go for almost a year, but until now, the two communities had no way to move it. They found their solution in a crab boat.
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F/V Arctic Hunter Begins To Shed Debris
Rough weather is taking a toll on the grounded fishing vessel Arctic Hunter, which has been stuck on the rocks outside Unalaska since last Friday. The 93-foot crab boat has survived a series of storms this week without breaking apart. But salvagers haven’t been able to work on the vessel since last weekend.
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No Foul Play Suspected in Unalaska Woman’s Death
Misty King, 40, was found dead during a welfare check at her home in Unalaska on Friday.