Beluga

The National Marine Fisheries Service is hosting a science conference about the Cook Inlet beluga whale. If you missed Monday's conference, you can go again Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Marriott downtown. The National Marine Fisheries Service will present its research on the beluga whales to the public. The belugas were listed as an endangered species in 2008. The federal government is considering designating parts of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for belugas.

by Mary Pemberton The Associated Press Wednesday, August 4, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A half-dozen conservation groups are challenging the state's lawsuit to overturn the listing of beluga whales off Anchorage as endangered. The groups are seeking to uphold the 2008 Endangered Species Act listing for the few hundred white whales in Cook Inlet. The state filed a lawsuit in June to overturn the listing. The state's position is that the listing is unnecessary because the population has stabilized.

A helicopter pilot was rescued Saturday morning after he crashed near Beluga, according to the Alaska National Guard. Major Guy Hayes says the crash happened near the Beluga power plant. The A-Star helicopter pilot called 911 at 10:30 a.m. and and rescuers arrived at 12:30 p.m. Maj. Hayes says because of the tall pine trees in the area they had to use a hoist to get the pilot out, who they believed had broken his hip.  It took 20 minutes to safely hoist him from the wreckage and he was taken to Providence Hospital for treatment.

The National Marine Fisheries Service will host a science conference about the Cook Inlet beluga whale in Anchorage. The conference is open to the public, and will be held Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel Downtown. At the conference, the NMFS will present its research on the inlet’s beluga population to the public. The whales were listed as an endangered species in 2008, and the federal government is considering designating parts of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for belugas.

by Dan Joling The Associated Press Friday, June 4, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The state of Alaska sued Friday to overturn the listing of beluga whales in Cook Inlet, home to the Port of Anchorage, as an endangered species. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., claims the federal government overreached and did not follow its own laws two years ago when it placed the white whales on the endangered species list. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in October 2008 announced the listing for Cook Inlet belugas, one of five populations off the shores of Alaska.

by Rebecca Palsha Friday, February 12, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- It's a question that could have a huge impact on the local economy, and the survival of an endangered species: Should more than 3,000 square miles of Cook Inlet be designated as critical habitat for beluga whales? The issue has businesses and environmentalists on edge, with all sides coming out Friday evening at the Loussac Library during the final night of public testimony. Tonight was the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's final night for public testimony about the issue, on which a decision won't be reached until next year.

by Jackie Bartz Tuesday, March 2, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Wednesday is the last day to speak out about the proposed critical habitat for Cook Inlet belugas. The National Marine Fisheries Service has already held public hearings throughout Southcentral Alaska but is taking written comments for another day. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wants to designate more than 3,000 square miles of Cook Inlet as critical habitat. The Cook Inlet beluga whale population has plummeted since the 1980s.

by Channel 2 News staff Thursday, February 11, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Valley residents had a chance Thursday night to weigh in on the proposed critical habitat designation for Cook Inlet belugas. The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration heard public testimony until 9 p.m. in Wasilla. If you live in the Anchorage area and want to comment, your chance comes Friday night from 6-9 p.m. at the Loussac Library. Public comment on the proposed critical habitat designation ends March 3.

by Jackie Bartz Wednesday, January 20, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The debate over the proposed critical habitat areas for Cook Inlet belugas will go public. NOAA is holding several public hearings starting next month. The first hearing is scheduled for Feb. 3 in Soldotna. A hearing will be held Feb. 4 in Homer, Feb. 11 in Wasilla and Feb. 12 in Anchorage. The period for public comment ends March 3.  Comments can also be submitted online. Contact Jackie Bartz at jbartz@ktuu.

by Channel 2 News staff Thursday, January 7, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday it is extending the public comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for Cook Inlet belugas by 30 days. Alaska's congressional delegation requested and received the extension from NOAA. The comment period will now end March 3. NOAA announced plans to establish 3,000 square miles in Cook Inlet -- or about one-third -- as critical habitat on Dec. 1. Cook Inlet belugas were listed as endangered in October.

A helicopter pilot was rescued Saturday morning after he crashed near Beluga, according to the Alaska National Guard. Major Guy Hayes says the crash happened near the Beluga power plant. The A-Star helicopter pilot called 911 at 10:30 a.m. and and rescuers arrived at 12:30 p.m. Maj. Hayes says because of the tall pine trees in the area they had to use a hoist to get the pilot out, who they believed had broken his hip.  It took 20 minutes to safely hoist him from the wreckage and he was taken to Providence Hospital for treatment.

Sightseers in Turnagain Arm spotted some beluga whales in trouble in Turnagain Arm Tuesday evening. Whale experts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration received calls from people who believed they saw several belugas that were beached. NOAA sent a plane to search the area and officials spotted ten belugas beached on the Hope side of Turnagain Arm, across from Bird Point. The tide came back in around 8:30 p.m., and the belugas were swimming freely, according to the whale spotters.

The water and mudflats that surround parts of Anchorage may look inviting, but don't let the beauty fool you: it's incredibly dangerous, for both humans and animals. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration received a call Tuesday afternoon that up to 20 beluga whales were beached in Turnagain Arm across from Bird Point.     The whales got into trouble when the tides went out exposing the mudflats, leaving them stranded for nearly six hours before a spotter reported to NOAA that the tides came back in and freed the whales.

Alaska State Troopers have identified the men involved in a fatal small-plane crash Sunday afternoon near Beluga Lake. Anchorage resident Timothy Hudok, 45, was killed in the crash while 44-year-old Robert Goodwill of North Carolina was seriously injured. Officials say the Cessna 150 with tail number N66268, which was registered to Hudok, crashed roughly three miles west of the lake, about 50 miles west of Anchorage. Relatives of the men notified authorities that the plane was overdue Sunday, and a rescue beacon aboard the plane indicated that it was near Beluga Lake.

Effective Wednesday, two areas comprising 3,013 square miles are designated critical habitat for Cook Inlet beluga whales.  "The critical habitat designation is their entire habitat that they require to breed or feed or take care of their young," said Carole Holley, Alaska Co-Director for Pacific Environment.  The National Marine Fisheries Service believes there are currently about 320 Cook Inlet beluga whales. The species was listed as...

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a final rule designating more than 3,000 square miles of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for beluga whales Friday morning. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, which praises the designation, the habitat area is similar to one proposed in 2009 but clears small areas around the Port of Anchorage and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's Eagle River Flats Range. The ruling comes after a 2008 decision by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service to list the beluga whale as an endangered species.

Scientists offered the public a look at research and technology surrounding Cook Inlet beluga whales at a conference in Anchorage this week. The forum was meant to answer questions about the endangered animals, but did not delve into the National Marine Fisheries Service's proposal to designate parts of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for the whales. Scientists shared the latest research on health, population size, whale movement patterns and technical methods to track the animals -- like passive acoustic monitoring.

The National Marine Fisheries Service is hosting a science conference about the Cook Inlet beluga whale. If you missed Monday's conference, you can go again Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Marriott downtown. The National Marine Fisheries Service will present its research on the beluga whales to the public. The belugas were listed as an endangered species in 2008. The federal government is considering designating parts of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for belugas.

The National Marine Fisheries Service will host a science conference about the Cook Inlet beluga whale in Anchorage. The conference is open to the public, and will be held Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel Downtown. At the conference, the NMFS will present its research on the inlet’s beluga population to the public. The whales were listed as an endangered species in 2008, and the federal government is considering designating parts of Cook Inlet as critical habitat for belugas.

The tide is rising again in the debate over beluga whales, as a National Marine Fisheries Service report showing an increase in the Cook Inlet beluga population from 321 to 340 this year was released Friday. Some, including State Rep. Charisse Millett, say the report proves that belugas shouldn’t be considered for a critical habitat designation later this month. But experts and others say this year’s higher numbers are not the whole story. Cook Inlet’s belugas can affect a lot of the construction taking place at the Port of Anchorage.