NOAA Fisheries

A pregnant fin whale was found dead on the bow of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas in Alaska. A necropsy indicated blunt force trauma consistent with a vessel strike as the likely cause of death, though the official determination awaits further testing. The whale's carcass will be towed out to sea to decompose.

A pregnant fin whale was found dead on the bow of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas in Alaska. A necropsy indicated blunt force trauma consistent with a vessel strike as the likely cause of death, though the official determination awaits further testing. The whale's carcass will be towed out to sea to decompose.

A pregnant fin whale was found dead on the bow of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Ovation of the Seas in Alaska. A necropsy revealed blunt force trauma consistent with a vessel strike as the likely cause of death, though final results are pending. The whale was in good nutritional condition and will be towed out to sea.

An environmental nonprofit sued the National Marine Fisheries Service to require federal protection for the sunflower sea star under the Endangered Species Act, citing a 90% population decline since 2013 due to a wasting disease linked to warming waters. The agency acknowledged the species' risk of extinction in 2023 but has not finalized protective measures, prompting criticism of delays.

Decades of effort have restored steelhead and salmon passage on Alameda Creek in California. The project, detailed in a NOAA Fisheries feature story, highlights successful conservation work to improve fish migration routes.