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Western Gulf of Alaska 2024 Report Card

For more information on individual Report Card indicators, please see “Report Card indicator Description and Methods” in the Appendix of this Report (p.257).

Pacific Decadal Oscillation (Winter)

Pacific Decadal Oscillation (Winter)

  • Winter average PDO index (Dec.-Feb., 1980 – 2024) continued its negative trend in 2024, despite a positive ENSO index (El Niño event).

SST Jun-Aug (°C)

SST Jun-Aug (°C)

  • Sea-surface temperatures in the summer (°C) (Jun.-Aug.) in the western GOA were approximately average (baseline 1985 – 2024), slightly warmer than 2023.

Copepod Biomass (g m-3)

Copepod Biomass (g m-3)

  • Copepod biomass (g m-3) was one standard deviation below average (1998 – 2023) in 2023, indicating below average foraging conditions for planktivorous predators. Total (large and small) calanoid copepods are surveyed south of Seward in May of each year. Euphausiid biomass was above average during the same time period. These data have not been updated since 2023.

Copepod Community Size

Copepod Community Size

  • Copepod community size (ratio of large calanoid copepods to total calanoid copepods) remained elevated in 2023, close to one standard deviation above average (1998 – 2023), indicating increased large copepods in the community, relative to small copepods. Total (large and small) calanoid copepods are surveyed south of Seward in May of each year. These data have not been updated since 2023.

Motile Epifauna Biomass (1000 t)

Motile Epifauna Biomass (1000 t)

  • Motile epifauna biomass (1,000 t) increased from 2021 to 2023 and is near the long-term mean (1984 – 2023). The biomass of this guild is dominated by hermit crabs, brittle stars, other echinoderms, and octopus. In 2023, brittle star biomass declined from 2021 while the biomass of hermit crabs, octopus, and other echinoderms all increased. These data have not been updated since 2023 due to biennial NOAA bottom trawl surveys.

Capelin in Rhinocerous Auklet Chick Diets (proportion of diet)

Capelin in Rhinocerous Auklet Chick Diets (proportion of diet)

  • Capelin abundance (proportion of diet by weight), as sampled by rhinoceros auklets at Middleton Island (Apr.-Aug., 1986 – 2024), continued a multi-year increase in seabird chick diets to slightly above the long-term mean, reflecting a continued rebounding capelin population in the GOA.

Apex Fish Biomass (1000 t)

Apex Fish Biomass (1000 t)

  • Fish apex predator biomass (1,000 t) decreased from 2021 to 2023 and is more than one standard deviation below the long-term mean (1984 – 2023). The biomass trends for apex predators, as sampled by NOAA’s bottom trawl survey, are primarily driven by arrowtooth flounder, Pacific cod, Pacific halibut, and sablefish. In 2023, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific halibut, and sablefish all declined from 2021 and are below their long-term means. Sabelfish surveyed biomass declined due to the shift of large young year classes maturing and moving to deeper slope habitat, out of the survey area. Pacific cod biomass increased from 2021 to 2023 but remain below their long-term mean. These data have not been updated since 2023 due to biennial NOAA bottom trawl surveys.

Black-Legged Kittiwake Reproductive Success

Black-Legged Kittiwake Reproductive Success

  • Black-legged kittiwakes reproductive success in June-July, 2024 at the Semidi Islands, slightly increased from the reproductive failure of 2023 but remain well below the long-term average (1980 – 2023).

Steller Sea Lion Non-Pups

Eastern Gulf of Alaska 2024 Report Card

Multivariate ENSO Index (Dec-Jan)

Multivariate ENSO Index (Dec-Jan)

  • Multivariate ENSO Index was positive, El Niño conditions in 2024, after three consecutive La Niña (negative ENSO index) winters. The ENSO transitioned to neutral values in the spring of 2024 and is predicted to develop a negative index value (La Niña) in the fall of 2024.

SST Jun-Aug (°C)

SST Jun-Aug (°C)

  • Sea-surface temperatures (°C) in the summer of 2024 (Jun.-Aug.), were approximately average (1985 – 2023) in the eastern GOA.

Zooplankton Density Icy Strait (# m-3)

Zooplankton Density Icy Strait (# m-3)

  • Total zooplankton density (# m-3) in southeastern Alaska inside waters (May-Aug.) decreased from one standard deviation above long-term mean (baseline 1988 – 2023), to average, including a decrease in calanoid copepods. Euphausiid densities remained above average. This suggests below-average foraging conditions for planktivorous fish, seabirds, and mammals. These data have not been updated since 2023.

Copepod Community Size

Copepod Community Size

  • Copepod community size (ratio of large calanoid copepods to total calanoid copepods) increased to one standard deviation above average in 2023 (May-Aug., 1997 – 2023). The copepod community is sampled in Icy Strait (southeast Alaska Inside waters). This suggests above-average quality zooplankton prey in SEAK inside waters (but at lower biomass). These data have not been updated since 2023.

Motile Epifauna Biomass (1000 t)

Motile Epifauna Biomass (1000 t)

  • Motile epifauna biomass (1,000 t) has decreased from 2021 to 2023 and is below the long-term mean. Eelpouts, hermit crabs, brittle stars, and other echinoderms are dominant components of this guild. Brittle stars have decreased from 2021 to 2023 and are one standard deviation below their long-term mean, while eelpouts, hermit crabs, and other echinoderms have increased from 2021 to 2023. These data have not been updated since 2023 due to biennial NOAA bottom trawl surveys.

Sitka Herring Mature Biomass (tons)

Sitka Herring Mature Biomass (tons)

  • Estimated total mature herring biomass (age 3+) of Sitka herring in spring 2023 remains one standard deviation above average (1980 – 2023) continuing a 5 year trend of the largest values in the time series (since 1980) due to strong 2016 and 2020 year classes. The two populations with ocean influence (Sitka Sound and Craig) were elevated while populations in southeastern AK inner waters and Prince William Sound increased but remained low. These data have not been updated since 2023.

Apex Fish Biomass (1000 t)

Apex Fish Biomass (1000 t)

  • Fish apex predator biomass (1,000 t) has increased 79% from 2021 to 2023 and is more than one standard deviation above their long-term mean. Apex predator biomass in the eastern GOA is primarily driven by arrowtooth flounder and Pacific halibut, both of which increased in surveyestimated biomass by more than 100% from 2021 to 2023. Pacific cod biomass continued to increase in 2023 from their low in 2017 and are above their long-term mean. These data have not been updated since 2023 due to biennial NOAA bottom trawl surveys.

Rhinoceros Auklet Chick Growth (g/d)

Rhinoceros Auklet Chick Growth (g/d)

  • Growth rates of piscivorous rhinoceros auklet chicks in June and July (g d-1) decreased from 2023 and remain one standard deviation below the long-term mean in 2024 (1995 – 2023), reversing a multi-year increasing trend.

Steller Sea Lion Non-Pups

Steller Sea Lion Non-Pups

  • Eastern Gulf of Alaska Steller sea lion non-pups model predicted counts continue a decreasing trend, but remain above one standard deviation of the long-term mean (1980 – 2021) through 2021. However, counts suggest that non-pup have been lower than predicted in 2019 and 2017. These data have not been updated since 2021 due to lack of GOA surveys.

Key

  2019-2023 Mean   2019-2023 Trend
  1 s.d. above mean   increase by 1 s.d. over time window
  1 s.d. below mean   decrease by 1 s.d. over time window
  within 1 s.d. of mean   change <1 s.d. over time window
  fewer than 2 data points   fewer than 3 data points