Tiny but mighty phytoplankton live at the base of the food chain in the Gulf of Alaska. They’re a food source for small crustaceans, which in turn feed small fish, then bigger fish, then seabirds and marine mammals.

Each spring and summer, a large concentration of phytoplankton blooms in the gulf. This year, researchers recorded the biggest bloom they’ve ever seen.

To read more about phytoplankton monitoring by Gulf Watch Alaska researchers in the Gulf of Alaska, the entire KTOO article can be accessed: https://www.ktoo.org/2021/09/14/massive-algae-bloom-in-the-gulf-of-alaska-could-be-good-for-marine-life/

Chlorophyll levels in the Gulf of Alaska as measured by a satellite in April. (University of Alaska Fairbanks)