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ASLC Staff and Volunteer Awards October 31, 2016
ASLC to Lead Creation of Nationwide Wildlife Response Network: Unprecedented disaster preparedness effort to involve zoos and aquariums across the U.S. October 31, 2016
ASLC Collaborates with NOAA to Use Novel Satellite Technology in Study of At-risk Harbor Seals October 25, 2016
Nominations open for 2017 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards October 18, 2016
ASLC's Distance Learning Program Wins National Award September 23, 2016
AZA Grants Accreditation to Alaska SeaLife Center September 14, 2016
ASLC announces 2016-2017 fall/winter hours and tour schedule to begin September 5 September 1, 2016
Alaska SeaLife Center announces debut of Steller sea lion pup, Perl August 26, 2016
ASLC Wildlife Response Program to Release Harbor Seal Thursday in Cordova August 23, 2016
ASLC Wildlife Response Program to Release Harbor Seal Saturday in Seward August 5, 2016
18th Annual Wildlife Rescue Run benefits ASLC Wildlife Response Program July 29, 2016
ASLC Announces Birth of Steller Sea Lion Pup to Eden; Mourns Pup Stillborn to Mara July 25, 2016
The birth announcement is bittersweet, however. While ASLC celebrates the arrival of Eden’s new pup, the Center is also mourning the loss of a pup recently stillborn to Mara, a 13-year-old female Steller sea lion also in residence. The delivery was June 24. It was Mara’s first pregnancy and Pilot was the father. Stillborn births are not abnormal for first-time mothers, nor for those that begin breeding in middle age. Veterinary staff at the Center say Mara is in healthy physical condition and has returned to her normal schedule.
VIDEO: Heat From the Deep - How Cold Ocean Water Heats the Alaska SeaLife Center July 18, 2016
Alaska SeaLife Center To Celebrate World Oceans Day with Opening of New Nose 2 Nose Underwater Exhibit June 3, 2016
ASLC Extends Hours for Summer Visitors, New Sea Otter Encounter Tour Added June 3, 2016
ASLC shifting 98% of the Center's heating needs from fossil fuel to ocean water as source heat April 22, 2016
Sea Otter Pups From Kachemak Bay and Cordova Latest in Record Breaking Trend March 15, 2016
Adorable Otters! ASLC Announces Otter Encounter Tours March 14, 2016
Alaska SeaLife Center Announces Alaska Ocean Leadership Award Recipients February 3, 2016
Seward, Alaska (January 22, 2016) – The Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2016 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. These awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the awareness and sustainability of the state’s marine resources. The Alaska SeaLife Center appreciates the support provided by the award sponsors and thanks the Awards Committee members: Denby Lloyd, Molly McCammon, Lisa Busch, Ian Dutton, Jason Brune, Michael Castellini and Phyllis Shoemaker for assistance in selecting the awardees.
Two of the awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium on January 25, 2016 at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska. The remaining awards will be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala on February 13, 2016 at the Dena’ina Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available. For additional information, visit www.alaskasealife.org or contact Nancy Anderson, nancya@alaskasealife.org or 907-224-6396.
Following are the 2016 Alaska Ocean Leadership Award winners:
Captain Ed Page will receive the prestigious Walter J. and Ermalee Hickel Lifetime Achievement Award. The late Governor Walter J. Hickel and his wife Ermalee endowed this award for 10 years to recognize an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the management of Alaska’s coastal and ocean resources over a period of 20 years or more. Through his tireless efforts to promote safety, stewardship, and environmental protection of the marine environment, Captain Ed Page has been an exemplary leader and public servant on behalf of Alaska's oceans. Even after 29 years of service with the United States Coast Guard, Captain Page chose not to retire. Instead, he put his extensive maritime experience, knowledge of marine law, contacts with the shipping industry, talent for communication, and passion for the ocean to good use by creating the Marine Exchange of Alaska in 2000. Under his leadership, the Marine Exchange of Alaska tracks and monitors over 2,000 vessels in the 1.2 million square miles of ocean bordering Alaska. The Marine Exchange makes it more likely that potential vessel-related problems at sea will be detected, thereby preventing unseen marine accidents. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.
The nonprofit organizationSeaShare will receive the Stewardship & Sustainability Award. This award is sponsored by Jason Brune, and honors an industry leader that demonstrates the highest commitment to sustainability of ocean resources. SeaShare leads our seafood industry in a collective effort to improve nutrition for the people served by our nation’s food bank network. SeaShare combines the generosity of fishermen with processors, service providers, and financial donors to generate high volumes of donated seafood. SeaShare started in 1994 with an Experimental Fishing Permit to retain Prohibited Species Bycatch in Dutch Harbor and use those valuable fish resources for hunger relief. Over 20 years later, SeaShare remains the only organization authorized by NMFS to coordinate donations from over 120 boats and shore plants in Alaska. To date, this has resulted in 4 million pounds of fish distributed in communities such as Anchorage, Kodiak, Juneau, Cordova, Fairbanks, St. Paul, Kotzebue, Galena, Nome, Diomede, Savoonga and Wales. It’s a great story of fishermen and processors who respect the resource and who want to see that fewer fish are wasted. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.
Sofia Astaburuaga will receive the Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award, which is sponsored by Dale Hoffman.The award honors an individual or team of Alaskan youth ages 12-19 who have displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s oceans. Sofia is an active member of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action, and is passionate about working with teens on issues related to climate change and the environment. She has worked on habitat restoration and resource monitoring efforts in Prince William Sound and the Chugach National Forest, as well as salmon habitat restoration through the Student Conservation Association. This past year, Sofia has been working with researchers at the University of Alaska to investigate the effects of plastics on seabirds in the Aleutians. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.
Arliss Sturgulewski will be recognized with the Ocean Ambassador Award. The Ocean Ambassador Award was created to recognize an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions in promoting public awareness and appreciation of Alaska’s oceans, coasts, and marine ecosystems. Arliss is well-known throughout the state of Alaska for her service in political office and on many key advisory committees related to marine research and outreach. She is an active champion for the wise use of Alaska’s resources. While serving in the Alaska State Senate from 1979 to 1993, Arliss was an advisor to the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission. She fought against foreign fishing in US waters and championed the Community Development Quota program that supports local Alaska communities and fisheries. She has also been a member of the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Advisory Council since 1992 and has served on the Alaska Sea Grant Program Statewide Advisory Committee since 2003. In these roles, she has been actively supportive of expanded marine research capacities in the state, as well as providing scholarship opportunities to students. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Gala.
Susan Saupe will receive the Marine Science Outreach Award. This award is given to a person, team or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to ocean literacy via formal or informal education, media or other communications. It is co-sponsored by the University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the Alaska Ocean Observing System. Susan grew up on Kodiak Island, earned a Master’s degree in Chemical Oceanography, and has conducted research at sea throughout Alaska. She has been with the Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council since 1996, and drew on her previous experiences to build their science program. Her role as Director of Science and Research provides unique opportunities to bridge the gap between marine researchers and coastal communities. Susan includes outreach in each program component – whether talking about oceanography, contaminants monitoring, coastal habitat mapping and assessments, or oil fate and effects research – to build meaningful partnerships. By seeking commonalities, Susan leverages funding, logistics, and expertise to collect and deliver user-friendly information about Alaska’s marine environment to a wider range of research, educational, agency, industry, and community users. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium.
Dr. Gunnar Knapp was selected toreceive the Marine Research Award, sponsored by Drs. Clarence Pautzke and Maureen McCrea. This honor is given to a scientist, team of scientists, or an institution that is acknowledged by peers to have made an original breakthrough contribution to any field of scientific knowledge about Alaska’s oceans. Dr. Gunnar Knapp has been studying fisheries management, fisheries markets, and the world seafood industry for more than twenty-five years, focusing particularly on the Alaska salmon industry. Gunnar’s willingness and ability to build close links with all sectors of the industry make him an inspiration to researchers in his field. During the 1990’s, he began the Salmon Market Information Service for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. He co-authored the major 1997 report “The Great Salmon Run: Competition between Wild and Farmed Salmon.” He has written numerous articles and reports on salmon markets, trends in limited entry permit ownership, the effects of halibut and crab IFQs, the Chignik salmon co-op, implications of climate change, and the economic impacts of Alaska fisheries. Dr. Knapp is closely engaged with the seafood industry and policy makers in Alaska. Currently, he is writing a book, The Economics of Fish, which is intended as an introduction to the insights provided by economics about fisheries, aquaculture and the seafood industry. Award to be presented at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium.
About the ASLC
Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates as a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium, with wildlife response and education programs. It generates and shares scientific knowledge to promote
The 2016 Alaska Marine Gala is Proud to Announce Joel Sartore as Guest Speaker January 23, 2016
Joel Sartore, Guest Speaker for 2016 Alaska Marine Gala
KTVA Comes to Alaska SeaLife Center to Better Understand Murre Die-Off January 14, 2016
ASLC in the news
Seward, Alaska (January 14, 2016) - KTVA reporter, Heather Hintze, visited the Alaska SeaLife Center and spoke with our Avian Curator, Tasha Dimarzio, and Science Director, Tuula Hollmen to get the latest on efforts to understand what is currently impacting common murres. An unusual number of live murres have been sighted in the region for this time of year. Researchers and the public have also seen an exponentially higher murre die-off than what is typically associated with El Nino years, with thousands of birds washing up on Alaska’s shores.
For the past five years, Hollmen and ASLC staff, working in partnership with National Park Service, have conducted monthly surveys of murres contributing to the baseline knowledge of these highly specialized seabirds. In addition to working with murres and other birds in the ASLC aviary, Dimarzio volunteers for the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey (COASST) helping partners enhance the regional understanding of seabirds.
Hintze’s video and story can be found at http://www.ktva.com/seward-
Volunteer this Summer for a FREE Waterfront RV Site! January 7, 2016
Before volunteering you will participate in training and receive additional information on each position.
· Interpretation - As an interpretation volunteer you will help the Alaska SeaLife Center guests connect with our animals and appreciate our mission. This will be accomplished by interpreting live and static exhibits for our guests. You may also have daily interaction with education, exhibits, husbandry, and research personnel.
· Ticketing/Café Cashier – As a cashier you would be responsible for front-line customer service, ticket sales, and café duties at the Center.
Applicants must be able to provide their own camping unit. An RV site will be provided on the shores of beautiful Resurrection Bay, within walking distance of the Center. The site is in the City of Seward waterfront campground and includes water, electricity, and refuse removal (there is a $5 dump fee). In exchange the Center asks for 20 hours of volunteering per week per person for a minimum of 6 weeks. The volunteer positions are open from May through September. The position duration is based on acceptable performance and will be reviewed for renewal. Depending on the volunteer position you are appointed to you may be subject to a background check. No salary is provided. Please visit our website at www.alaskasealife.org under volunteer for a list of benefits of volunteering at the Center.
About the ASLC
Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium. ASLC's mission is to generate and share knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska's marine ecosystems. The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.
Pick. Click. Give. to the Alaska SeaLife Center for a Chance to Double Your PFD Dividend! January 1, 2016
Give to ASLC and enter to double your dividend!
Seward, Alaska (January 1, 2016) - Alaskans who file online for their PFD can help support the Alaska SeaLife Center - and enter into a drawing to double their PFD dividend by participating in Pick. Click. Give. prior to March 31.
This innovative program gives Alaskans a way to donate to their favorite nonprofit organizations including the Alaska SeaLife Center. For those who may not have given to an Alaska nonprofit in the past, the program provides a safe and secure way to make a donation. For those Alaskans who already support their favorite nonprofits, Pick.Click.Give. is a great way to make an additional gift.
To make a gift today, visit http://pfd.alaska.gov/. If you have already filed, you can add or change your Pick. Click. Give. donation and simply select the Alaska SeaLife Center from the list eligible organizations. You will be able to direct from $25 to the full amount of the dividend to eligible nonprofits or your choice.
About the ASLC
Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium. ASLC's mission is to generate and share knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska's marine ecosystems. The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.
Resident Octopus Released into Resurrection Bay for Mating December 16, 2015
Seward, Alaska (December 16, 2015) - Egg, a giant Pacific octopus, was released back into the waters of Resurrection Bay on Dec. 16. Giant Pacific octopus are the largest known species of octopus in the world.
Egg was first found on Easter Sunday, 2012, making him the Alaska SeaLife Center’s Easter “Egg”. Back then Egg weighed less than 10 grams, or 0.02 pounds. At his last weigh in before his release, Egg weighed 31.9 kilograms – over 70 pounds!
Researchers at the Alaska SeaLife Center are trying to learn more about the juvenile stages of octopuses like Egg. They were able to observe Egg grow for nearly four years until he reached sexual maturity at which point he was released back into the waters of Resurrection Bay to find mates and begin a new generation.
For an underwater video of Egg’s release, visit the Alaska SeaLife Center on Facebook.
About the ASLC
Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center operates a private, non-profit research institution and public aquarium. ASLC's mission is to generate and share knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska's marine ecosystems. The ASLC is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. To learn more, visit www.alaskasealife.org.