AAOKH News
New and improved online database!
We’re very happy to share an update on a project we’ve been working on with our partners at the Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic (ELOKA) to revamp and improve functionality of our online observations database. This database now houses over 12,000 observations noting weather, ocean and sea ice conditions as well…
Winter 2026 Newsletter
We are excited to share our latest edition of AAOKH News! In this issue Bobby Schaeffer offers his observation and reflection of ex-typhoon Halong alongside Rick Thoman’s weather and climate highlights. We highlight results from graduate student Meaghan Conner research exploring spotted seal haulout behavior near Utqiaġvik and introduction to one of our new collaborations…
2025 Annual AAOKH Meeting and Co-Management Workshop
Our AAOKH team is thrilled to share that we hosted our annual meeting as well as a co-management workshop last week in Anchorage at the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) offices in downtown Anchorage for Day 1 and at the Alaska Community Foundation BP Energy Center for Day 2 and our co-management workshop for Day…
Spring 2025 Newsletter
We are very excited to share our latest edition of AAOKH news! This newsletter features project highlights and updates, including: introductions for our newest observers in Point Lay and Wainwright (yay!), our work with local youth to monitor ice conditions in Kotzebue Sound, and key observing highlights from January to May 2025. We also introduce…
Winter 2025 AAOKH newsletter
Film release! A new film about sea ice and whaling by Kim and Lloyd Pikok now online!
We’re thrilled to announce the online film release of ‘It’s All About the Happy People’, a film by Kimberly Kivvaq Pikok and Lloyd Pikok, Jr. about sea ice, whaling, and working together on Alaska’s Northern Coast in Utqiagvik, Alaska. The film was produced as part of Kimberly’s M.S. Thesis at University of Alaska Fairbanks. Learn…
Trails to the Whale: a new book documenting nearly 20 years of mapping sea ice trails near Utqiaġvik, Alaska
Each spring, Iñupiat hunters route and build trails across the shorefast sea ice off Utqiaġvik, Alaska to access hunting sites along the lead edge as they pursue the bowhead whale during its spring migration to the Beaufort Sea. Since 2007, an ongoing collaboration between whalers, scientists, and local organizations have worked together to map and…
Summer 2024 Newsletter
AAOKH Project Highlights 2024
We’ve had a fun and eventful couple of years since our last AAOKH project update, and have since refined our work and core functions in response to guidance from the AAOKH observers and steering group. Here’s a quick look at some of our stats, including number of observations and measurements collected as well as a…
New spring sea ice trail maps for Utqiaġvik whalers
We’re happy to share updated final maps (as of Thursday April 25) and photos of Utqiaġvik spring whaling trails. These maps include trail locations as well as sea ice thickness along each trail. You can use the QR codes to load these maps on your phone or other mobile device using the Avenza App. Josh…