NOAA report links climate change to massive bump in Alaska sockeye salmon, drop in chums

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) "Arctic report card" is taking a closer look at how climate change is impacting Alaska salmon.

Released Tuesday by the US agency, the report addresses what researchers call "the divergent trends of salmon in western Alaska, where Chinook and chum salmon returns are collapsing on the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, while at the same time sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay are at near record high numbers."

The report found Western Alaska salmon abundance reached historic extremes from 2021 into 2022.