While conducting early detection monitoring for invasive European green crab (Carcinus maenas), Washington Sea Grant Crab Team discovered a non-native shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus, hitherto unreported along Washington’s portion of the Salish Sea. By examining prior data, and tracking this species closely over subsequent years, the team which included researchers from SAFS, were able to consistently monitor the spread and increase of this species across the region.

In a new paper co-authored with researchers from the Federal University of Paraná, Julian Olden explored changes in biogeographic patterns in global fish diversity caused by the spread of non-native species, teasing apart the geographic and taxonomic drivers of change.

Whether it is food or clothing, people care about where their products come from. Seafood is no different. Governments, retailers, and customers care about the source of the seafood on their plate as it is an important factor for evaluating the product’s sustainability and whether it aligns with their values. In a new perspective piece published in npj Ocean Sustainability, Jessica Gephart worked with a team of researchers to look into a specific case of seafood traceability in relation to US imports after sanctions on Russia.

Climate change threatens the health of polar bears across the Arctic. A study published in Conservation Physiology on March 5, introduces a new approach to measuring the health of polar bear populations, drawing inspiration from a well-known concept in human medicine: allostatic load. The lead author of the study is SAFS PhD student, Sarah Teman, working with UW Professor, Kristin Laidre, and scientists from USGS and Fish and Wildlife Health Consulting.

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.

Killer whales are the only natural predator of baleen whales. More solitary than toothed whales, baleen whales face predatory attacks from killer whales, especially mother and calf pairs. When attacked, some species fight back, while others choose flight. But whale species also produce loud underwater songs…what stops killer whales from homing in on their calls and attacking them? New acoustic research by Trevor Branch sheds light on why.

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.

Ecosystem restoration has historically had a very ecological focus. However, while teaching a special interdisciplinary class during her time at Duke University, SAFS Assistant Professor, Carter Smith, took a slightly different view: how can ecosystem restoration be used to directly improve human wellbeing?

Working with specimens from the Burke Museum and NOAA, Elizabeth Miller, a former postdoc at SAFS, was captivated by the great diversity of shapes of anglers, which was at odds with how the species is often depicted in popular culture (think Finding Nemo). Elizabeth set out to build a family tree of anglerfishes and delve into the evolution of new shapes, such as body elongation.