Only two blue whale births have ever been recorded in human history, an extraordinary mystery given they give birth every two to three years. Calves are also only rarely sighted—far less than would be expected from their pregnancy rates. Calves closely follow their moms and are sighted as mother-calf pairs, but why are so few detected? A new UW study by Trevor Branch proposes why. Its explanation hints at when and where the unseen births are happening and where blue whale calves spend their earliest months.

10 years ago, the UN declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. On this 10th anniversary at the University of Washington, we’re celebrating our women in aquatic and marine science: women who are leaders in their fields, women who are aspiring to be the next generation of fisheries scientists and marine biologists, women who are uplifting and supporting other women in science.

A collaborative network of agency and tribal scientists and resource managers, university faculty and students, and community volunteers are diligently working together to unlock the secrets of the Dungeness crab’s life cycle in the Salish Sea. The Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group (PCRG) is leading this unprecedented effort, generating vital data and fostering robust relationships to ensure the long-term sustainability of this ecologically, economically and culturally-important species.

Small-scale fisheries play a significant but overlooked role in global fisheries production and are key to addressing hunger and malnutrition while supporting livelihoods around the world, according to research featured in Nature in Jan. 2025. The study was published by an international team of scientists, including Professor Chris Anderson from the UW SAFS.

A University of Washington citizen science program — which trains coastal residents to search local beaches and document dead birds — has contributed to a new study, led by federal scientists, documenting the devastating effect of warming waters on common murres in Alaska. 

Mark Scheuerell, SAFS Professor, has been named as an ASLO 2024 Sustaining Fellow, part of a cohort recognized for their sustained excellence in their contributions to ASLO and the aquatic sciences. ASLO is the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography.

Logs are being adjusted and plans are in place for floating gardens to be deployed into the cove of Be’er Sheva Park in South Seattle. The goal is to bolster fish habitat as part of a larger project to rejuvenate a Lake Washington beach that serves historically Black and diverse neighborhoods. SAFS PhD student, Ashley Townes, is leading the project, featured in a story by KUOW.

Julian Olden, a Professor at the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS), has been chosen as one of 10 scientists to serve on the inaugural External Science Advisory Board (ESAB) for The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Chelsea Wood, SAFS Associate Professor, has an upcoming children’s book titled “Power to the Parasites! Everything You (N)ever Wanted to Know About the Creepy Crawlies Hidden in Your Home, Your Food, Your Pets – and Maybe Even in You!” The book introduces kids to the world of parasitism.

Polar bears in some parts of the high Arctic are developing ice buildup and related injuries to their feet, apparently due to changing sea ice conditions in a warming Arctic. While surveying the health of two polar bear populations, researchers led by Kristin Laidre from UW SAFS, found lacerations, hair loss, ice buildup and skin ulcerations primarily affecting the feet of adult bears as well as other parts of the body.