Alaska Sea Grant

Butter clams (Saxidomus gigantea) are a staple in the subsistence diets of Alaskan Native communities and are also harvested recreationally. This filter–feeding species can accumulate saxitoxins (STXs), potent neurotoxins produced by late spring and summer blooms of the microalga Alexandrium catenella. The consumption of tainted clams can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Traditional beliefs and early reports on the efficacy of removing clam siphons have created the impression that cleaning butter clams by removing certain tissues makes them safe to eat. However, the toxin distribution within clams can vary over time, making the practice of cleaning butter clams unreliable. This study tested the effectiveness of the cleaning methods practiced by harvesters on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Specifically, butter clams were cleaned by removing different tissues to produce samples of “edible” tissues that were tested for STX content. The results were compared to historical data from a study conducted in Southeast Alaska from 1948 to 1949. Using these data, the risk for an average–sized man and woman consuming 200 g of edible tissue was calculated. The results showed that for clams containing >200 µg STX–equivalents 100 g edible tissue−1, no cleaning method reduced the concentration of STXs in the remaining tissue below the regulatory limit. Meals containing >900 µg STX–equivalents 100 g edible tissue−1 posed a substantial risk of moderate or severe symptoms. No cleaning method assured that untested butter clams are safe to eat.

Earth's global climate system is vast, complex, and intricately interrelated. Many areas are influenced by global-scale phenomena, including the "triple dip" La Niña conditions that

Disruptive environmental change in the Arctic continued in 2021. While few indicators were at record levels, the ongoing trends provide a stark illustration of an Arctic that is a very different place than the Arctic of the twentieth century.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes. Please see the description below. 1. Co-author Danielle Ringer’s affiliation and address are: University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Kodiak Seafood Marine Science Center, 118 Trident Way, Kodiak AK 99615.

Abstract Locally grown oysters became available in Hawai‘i in 2014, for the first time in decades. It is unclear if these bivalve shellfish will successfully infiltrate the market when imported products similar in nature have long been the only source of fresh, shell stock products. This study investigates chef preferences for oyster attributes to determine marginal willingness to pay for locally grown oysters. A survey containing a questionnaire and a choice experiment was administered to restaurant chefs throughout Hawai‘i who currently offer oysters on their menus. The study examines trade‐offs made between attributes related to price, growout site, freshness, and supply constancy, respectively. Responses were aggregated and data were fit to a random parameters logit model. Results suggest that respondents derive the most utility from oysters that are fresh, grown locally, and supplied on an as‐available basis. The least desired products are, therefore, those that are frozen, imported from foreign sources, and supplied on a set schedule. Chefs are willing to pay an additional $5.25 for one dozen oysters that are grown locally. This evidence of an existing price premium indicates that labeling local oysters as such may be a valuable marketing strategy.

ABSTRACTWe have developed the traditional science fair format into an ocean science fair model that promoted the integration of Western science and Alaska Native traditional knowledge in student projects focused on the ocean, aquatic environments, and climate change. The typical science fair judging criteria for the validity and presentation of the science were expanded to include criteria for cultural and/or community relevance, and local and cultural experts were involved in judging. The Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence–Alaska (COSEE-AK) provided support for teachers to organize local and regional fairs and for student and chaperone travel to an ocean science “fair within a fair” at the Alaska statewide science and engineering fair. This approach engaged Alaska Native and rural students in science practice relevant to their cultures and communities and is being sustained by trained teachers and school districts. The results of interviews of 31 of 44 students participating in the 2013 COSEE-AK Ocean Science Fair at the state level suggest learner outcomes of (1) strong, positive feelings of self-efficacy in science; (2) comfort with being identified as a scientist; and (3) feelings of connection to the student's community and support in doing science projects. The ocean science fair can serve as a model for broadening diversity of participation in science by increasing the relevance of science to culture and communities in areas with ethnic groups and/or rural communities that are underserved by science instruction and resources.

Did you know that Alaska residents and fishermen can submit proposals to the Alaska Board of Fisheries, to change resource management laws and create new regulations? This bulletin tells how to maximize your effectiveness in the process—which forms to submit, when to do so, and how to prepare oral and written testimony. You can propose changes to regulations on subsistence, commercial, personal use, sport, guided sport, and guided sport ecotourism finfish. The Alaska Board of Fisheries meets 4 to 6 times each year in different locations around Alaska to address regulations for fishery management and hear public comment.

The Alaskan Shelf provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate the changes in the sediment texture evolved as a result of diverse weathering (temperate to polar) at the source. The latitudinal changes in the terrestrial weathering and transport agencies may significantly influence the character of detritus deposited on the shelf. It must be pointed out that the initial character of the mineral detritus is, to an extent, altered by the marine processes operating on the shelf. In spite of the differentiation in detritus during marine transport, remnants of the original texture character formed near the source are expected to be retained on the shelf. One of the prime purposes of describing the textural distribution of shelf sediments will be to relate them to their source. This, however, would require some understanding of major transport processes on the shelf.