The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) Meeting was held in Anchorage at the beginning of April, where over 100 people signed up to testify before the Council advocating for the need to address the issue of salmon bycatch.
During the meeting, Chief Brian Ridley of Tanana Chiefs Conference, Vivian Korthuis, CEO of Association of Village Council Presidents, and Melanie Bahnke, CEO of Kawerak Inc., sat side-by-side to offer their testimonies. Together they represented 113 out of 229 Tribes in Alaska. Their presence served as a beacon of hope for the protection of Indigenous ways of life intertwined with the fate of the Yukon River salmon.
Chief Ridley underlined the consequences of continued bycatch and the failure to meet escapement goals. Drawing attention to the salmon crisis faced by Tribal communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, Chief Ridley called for immediate action to address the root causes of salmon decline.
“We are facing a salmon crisis,” Chief Ridley declared. “Yet, you continue to allow bycatch and do not acknowledge the cumulative impacts of bycatch over decades of commercial fishing,” he criticized, urging the Council to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and Tribal perspectives into their decision-making processes.
Chief Ridley stressed the need for meaningful alternatives that would result in tangible reductions in bycatch levels. “TCC urges the Council to modify its alternatives by integrating Indigenous knowledge and Tribal comments from affected in-river communities,” he asserted, highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts between Indigenous communities and regulatory bodies in ensuring the survival of Yukon River salmon.
Among the voices heard was Mackenzie Englishoe, Chair of the TCC Emerging Leaders Youth Advisory Council, representing the youth of 42 communities in the Interior. Mackenzie’s testimony emphasized the profound loss experienced by her generation due to the decline in salmon populations, outlining the inability to participate in traditional fishing practices that have sustained her ancestors for generations.
“We want to conserve not just chum that will return this year, but also immature chum, as dead fish cannot spawn in our rivers in the future,” Mackenzie stated.
Highlighting the devastating impact of salmon depletion on both cultural heritage and physical well-being, Mackenzie urged the Council to consider the holistic interconnectedness of humans and salmon in their decision-making process. “Salmon cannot recover if they cannot make it to the spawning grounds. Every salmon counts, and there is a critical need to err on the side of conservation during severely depressed escapements,” she emphasized.
The testimonies provided at the NPFMC Meeting serve as a reminder of the critical importance of salmon conservation and the imperative for collaborative efforts between Indigenous communities and regulatory bodies. As discussions continue, it is essential for the Council to heed the voices of Indigenous peoples and take decisive action to ensure the survival of Yukon River salmon for generations to come.
Stay up-to-date on future advocacy opportunities here: https://tinyurl.com/YukonSalmon