Graph of the Day: Shift of Alaska Marine Species Northward, 1982-2006

Increased temperatures pose a threat to the region’s fisheries and other marine species, which are important both to the economy and as a food supply, especially to Native populations. Warmer air and water temperatures have already resulted in a shift northward of species important to the region, with implications for the ecosystem and local communities. Water temperatures in streams on the Kenai Peninsula that support salmon populations have been consistently above the levels the state has determined are necessary to protect spawning and migrating fish. Higher temperatures can also increase the incidence of disease in fish.

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