Last month, the Alaska Federation of Natives held their Annual Convention where Tanana Chiefs Conference submitted six resolutions – two of which focused specifically on the conservation and protection of salmon.
The resolutions were Resolution 2022-2, a resolution requesting the Alaska Department of Fish and Game support measures that decrease intercept of Chinook and Chum Salmon in Area M affecting the Western and Interior Alaskan Salmon Crisis and Resolution 2022-3, a resolution requesting the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council to address Salmon bycatch and Salmon mortality issues in fisheries of Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands affecting coastal western and interior Alaska Salmon stocks.
A lengthy discussion took place on the floor of the convention regarding these resolutions, with some expressing concern over the proposals to decrease intercept in Area M and reduce chum and chinook bycatch. However, many tribal leaders from the Interior and throughout the state stepped forward in support of the resolution.
“I really have to take a step back here and talk about how sad I am that we have to fight so hard here to be heard to try to protect our salmon,” said TCC Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley, “It’s more than just a food source – it’s our survival, our culture. When we look at the last three years, we haven’t fished at all. We’ve had zero fish for the last three years on the Yukon and limited fish for the last ten.”
“We believe that intercept and bycatch have serious impacts on the return of our fisheries,” stated Steve Ginnis, Executive Director of the Fairbanks Native Association, “That’s why we bring this forward and I think that this is a good time to debate this. If we don’t bring it before the AFN Convention – we will never ever solve this problem.”
“If the State of Alaska is claiming that they have the best fishery management system – they have failed. Look at what has happened to the Yukon, the Kuskokwim and the villages on the coast like Hooper Bay, Chevak, Scammon – They are closed because of the fact that not enough salmon or chums are returning to the river systems,” explained Myron Naneng, Hooper Bay, “We’re not here to close their fisheries, we’re asking them to reduce.”
“We are all connected through salmon. We have to do this in unity. We got to help each other sustain the fish in all of our rivers and tributaries,” said Charlie Wright, TCC Secretary/Treasurer, “We need to cut back. When we cut back that last time – fishing improved immediately.”
“I think of our elders sitting riverbanks not being able to fish and thinking about their grandchildren and the next seven generations coming after them,” expressed Rob Sanderson, 2nd Vice-President of Tlingit and Haida, “The places that are really feeling the pain are the fish camps and the smokehouses. We cannot afford to support the few over the many.”
“I was raised at fishcamp by my grandma – there was lot of fish – I am from Nulato – the place where the dog salmon meet. But now there is no dog salmon. And our children are suffering,” said Sharon Hildebrand, Vice-President of TCC, “We are one ecosystem and we are all in this together. When one region hurts, we all hurt.”
“Salmon and fish is not a controversial topic. It represents our way of life, which shouldn’t be controversial. We all need to come together and support conservation for fishing,” said Alex Hanna, TCC Youth Advisor, “If we don’t do that – the next time we come here it’s not going to be about the Yukon River. It’s going to be about the ocean and how there is no more salmon in it.”
All of the Resolutions submitted by the Tanana Chiefs Conference passed the AFN full board of delegates, including our salmon conservation resolutions. While they were not passed unanimously, TCC is grateful for the support of tribal leadership on these critical issues that impact all of Alaska. The passage of these resolutions is a positive step toward the protection of our salmon and ways of life.
RESOLUTIONS SUBMITTED BY TCC:
- RESOLUTION 2022-2: A resolution requesting the Alaska Department of Fish and Game support measures that decrease intercept of Chinook and Chum Salmon in Area M affecting the Western and Interior Alaskan Salmon Crisis
- RESOLUTION 2022-3: A resolution requesting the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council to address Salmon bycatch and Salmon mortality issues in fisheries of Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands affecting coastal western and interior Alaska Salmon stocks
- RESOLUTION 2022-6: Still Seeking Justice for the Fairbanks Four and John Hartman
- RESOLUTION 2022-10: Establishment of an Office of Native Education within the State Department of Education and Early Development (DEED)
- RESOLUTION 2022-15: Improvements to the grid resilience formula granted for Indian tribes
- RESOLUTION 2022-20: Small and Needy Tribes Report