Alaska News

Alaska officials investigating reports of oiled wildlife on Bering Sea island

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) are investigating several reports of oiled animals spotted around St. Lawrence Island, which lies off the coast of western Alaska just south of the Bering Strait.

As of Thursday evening, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley could not confirm whether or not there are oiled animals on or around the island, but added that there "have been enough reports to raise (a) red flag" for the Coast Guard and the ADEC.

Mosley explained, "We've received reports, over a period of time, that wildlife had been seen with oil on them." He added, "The first was Oct. 25 when someone reported seeing a seal (and then) this week a hunter came across some birds, some murres, that appeared to be oiled."

According to a Coast Guard press release, the mayors of Gambell and Savoonga have established a "unified command" to help investigate. And a crew from Air Station Kodiak was dispatched on Thursday to take an aerial survey of the area. Mosley reports that "no pollution appeared on the water" when the Coast Guard's HC-130 flew over the island.

Coast Guard crew, ADEC members, and local hunters plan to work together on Friday, searching for any sign of the rumored oiled critters. Mosley said, "We're putting boots on the ground to investigate. We're interested in keeping wildlife and the inhabitants, the people of the area, as safe as possible."

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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