Yukon Chinook shutdown agreed

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have signed an agreement implementing "a suspension of directed Chinook salmon commercial, sport, domestic, and personal use fisheries in the mainstem Yukon River and Canadian tributaries for one full life cycle (seven years)."

More disaster relief

The U.S. commerce secretary today announced the allocation of more than $42 million to address fishery disasters nationally, including nearly $1.6 million for the 2022 Yukon River salmon fisheries.

Yukon-Kuskokwim update

Alaska Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang is scheduled to appear at 10 a.m. Tuesday before the House Special Committee on Fisheries for a presentation on "Yukon and Kuskokwim fisheries collapse."

Gov. Parnell requests federal disaster declaration

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce requesting a disaster declaration over the poor Chinook salmon runs to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.

He suggested Cook Inlet might also qualify for disaster relief.

Here's a press release:

July 14, 2012

Gov. Parnell requests federal declaration of fishery disaster for 2011 and 2012 Chinook salmon fisheries on Yukon, Kuskokwim

JUNEAU — Gov. Sean Parnell today urged Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank to declare a fishery disaster for the Chinook salmon fisheries on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.

He also alerted the acting secretary that the Cook Inlet region is experiencing low Chinook salmon returns and may also qualify for an economic disaster declaration once the season has concluded.

"Ensuring the health and viability of our fisheries is essential for food security, cultural traditions, and quality of life for Alaskans," Parnell said. "Alaskans have depended on fishing for thousands of years. We must identify and address issues affecting this critical source of nutrition and jobs."

The Magnuson-Stevens Act authorizes various forms of federal assistance through the National Marine Fisheries Service when the secretary of commerce determines there is a commercial fishery failure due to a fishery resource disaster.

"It is important to emphasize the critical nature of these fisheries to the region's residents," Parnell wrote to Blank. "Residents in the Yukon and Kuskokwim regions experience some of the highest poverty rates in the country. Earnings from even small commercial fisheries are critical to make it through Alaska's winters. Even more important to these residents' survival is the ability to engage in subsistence harvests. The state of fisheries this year may severely impact their subsistence harvests."

The state of Alaska is submitting fisheries data to back up its request. A federal disaster declaration will not bring automatic assistance to the region. A federal appropriation is necessary to provide funding.

Begich wants Yukon-Kusko disaster declaration

Here's a letter from U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, asking Gov. Sean Parnell to declare a "fisheries disaster" for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Chinook returns to the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers have been especially poor this season.

A disaster declaration for the Chinook run failures of 2008 and 2009 on the Yukon resulted in $5 million in federal aid.

Begich heading west to talk salmon

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, says he'll travel to Bethel next week to huddle with people facing an emerging Chinook salmon crisis on the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers.

In this press release, the senator also notes he's written letters to the Obama administration and congressional budget chairmen seeking more federal dollars for salmon research and management.

Another sorry salmon season expected on Yukon

State and federal agencies have come out with the Yukon River salmon outlook for this year, and it's not great.

No commercial fishery for Chinook salmon is anticipated, due to a "below average to poor" run projection.

Managers also expect to ban the sale of Chinook caught incidentally in the summer chum fishery.

More on Yukon disaster declaration

Here's a press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke's letter to Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell.

I've heard that this declaration isn't likely to result in much direct aid to fishermen or other residents in Western Alaska.

"The declaration doesn’t bring any immediate aid, so relief must be sought through a congressional appropriation," the governor's special assistant for fisheries, Cora Campbell, tells me. "We will be working with stakeholders and the delegation to determine what type of relief to request."

Feds declare Yukon fisheries disaster

From the Alaska governor's office:

Jan. 15, 2010

Secretary Declares Federal Fisheries Disaster for Yukon Chinook

ANCHORAGE — Gov. Sean Parnell today welcomed a decision by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke finding that a disaster has occurred with the 2009 Yukon River Chinook salmon run, opening the door for federal aid to the area.

"I appreciate Secretary Locke's recognition of the severity of the situation along the Yukon River and the dependence of Alaskans on these salmon runs," Gov. Parnell said.

The federal disaster declaration is in response to requests made by Gov. Parnell, the Association of Village Council Presidents and the Alaska Federation of Natives.

The request detailed the biological and economic situation on the Yukon River and the impacts of the reduced Chinook runs.

The declaration does not bring immediate aid to the affected area. The congressional delegation must still secure a federal appropriation. Federal aid, once secured, could be used for relief programs, stock research, training programs, fisheries infrastructure, or other regional projects.

Let's fix that Yukon River sonar, governor says

This just in from Gov. Sean Parnell:

Dec. 10, 2009

Gov. Parnell Proposes Funding to Improve Management of Western Alaska Salmon Stocks

ANCHORAGE — Gov. Sean Parnell today announced $1.3 million in proposed new funding for improved research and management of Western Alaska salmon stocks. The funding is included in the governor’s FY 2011 budget for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).

"Western Alaskans depend on healthy salmon runs to feed their families and generate income," Gov. Parnell said. "These budget items will ensure ADF&G has the tools to accurately estimate returns and provide the maximum possible harvest opportunity consistent with sustainability."

Capital projects include funding for genetic analysis of Western Alaska salmon stocks to improve understanding of the distribution of Western Alaska stocks, funding for aerial surveys of Yukon River chum salmon to examine changes in distribution along the river, and funding to improve operations at Pilot Station Sonar. The sonar funding will allow ADF&G to determine the extent to which the sonar may be undercounting fish and to improve the accuracy of salmon return estimates. ADF&G will also conduct extensive site surveys to determine if relocating the sonar would improve accuracy.

Operating budget items include funds for genetic analysis of Yukon River Chinook salmon to allow ADF&G to determine the origin of stocks harvested in the Yukon fisheries, which can improve management decisions. Funding is also included for a statewide project to estimate and monitor subsistence harvests to determine whether needs are being met.

Gov. Parnell continues to push for a federal fisheries disaster declaration for the Yukon River Chinook salmon fishery. If granted, the declaration would allow the state to work with the congressional delegation to pursue additional federal funding.

Council to reach out to rural Alaska today

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has felt some heat in recent months from residents of western Alaska, chiefly over the issue of the Bering Sea pollock trawl fleet's incidental catches of Yukon River king salmon.

To show some deference to rural Alaskans, the council in June appointed a Rural Community Outreach Committee to help Native and rural communities better connect with council business.

The committee meets from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce.

Deckboss presumes this is a public meeting. Here's the agenda.

Eric Olson, the North Pacific Council chairman, also chairs the rural outreach committee. Other members are Paula Cullenberg, Duncan Fields, Jennifer Hooper, Tom Okleasik, Ole Olsen and Pete Probasco.

Parnell to feds: Yukon suffered salmon disaster

Gov. Sean Parnell's office released this today:

Office of Alaska Governor Sean Parnell

Aug. 7, 2009

Parnell Urges Declaration of Disaster for Yukon Chinook

JUNEAU, Alaska — Governor Sean Parnell today sought to secure federal disaster relief for Yukon River residents. Parnell urged the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to declare a fishery disaster due to poor returns of Chinook salmon on the Yukon River.

“I trust Secretary Locke will recognize the severity of the situation on the Yukon and declare a fishery disaster,” Governor Parnell said. “I look forward to working with federal agencies and Alaska’s congressional delegation to secure disaster relief assistance for this region.”

The Magnuson-Stevens Act authorizes various forms of federal assistance through the National Marine Fisheries Service when the Secretary of Commerce determines there is a commercial fishery failure due to a fishery resource disaster.

State analysis indicates that the decline in the Yukon Chinook fishery meets the standards in federal law as well as National Marine Fisheries Service policy for disaster declarations and criteria.

“Residents of Yukon River communities rely on fishing for income and food,” said Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Emil Notti. “These Alaskans face a high cost of living and have limited employment opportunities. These factors make the loss of the commercial fishery especially difficult.”

Commercial fishing is the only identified industry in the lower Yukon region that brings new money into the economy. On the entire river, more than 800 Alaska permit holders are directly affected, along with crewmen, processing employees, and those who provide support services.

The state is providing run assessment updates and technical information to assist the National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska region in its analysis of the situation and is committed to providing any additional information that may be necessary for the federal process.

A federal disaster declaration will not bring automatic assistance to the region. A federal appropriation is necessary to provide funding.

The governor’s letter supports earlier requests by the Association of Village Council Presidents and the Alaska Federation of Natives.

Denby Lloyd addresses Yukon salmon situation

You've no doubt heard about the considerable discontent out in Western Alaska over the sorry state of the Yukon River king salmon run.

Certainly, Denby Lloyd has heard.

The state's fish and game commissioner recently visited some villages on the lower Yukon, and has penned the following column on what he learned.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Denby S. Lloyd, commissioner

Yukon River Chinook Bycatch: Respect is Vital to Fishery Management

Recently, I had the privilege to visit several villages on the lower Yukon River. I went with John Moller, of Gov. Palin’s staff, and knowledgeable employees from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to discuss this summer’s Chinook salmon management and recent action by the federal North Pacific Fishery Management Council to curb bycatch of Chinook by the pollock trawl fleets in the Bering Sea.

We knew we were repeating distressing news. As far as we can project, the commercial fishery for Chinook will not open in the Yukon River this year. I also knew that many Alaskans feel the North Pacific council should have taken stronger action to control bycatch. What I wasn’t prepared for, but should have been, was the graciousness and respect granted us by our hosts in Holy Cross, Anvik, Hooper Bay, Scammon Bay, Mountain Village and Emmonak.

Yukon River Chinook runs have been poor the past two years, and spawning escapement for the upriver, Canada-bound stocks failed to meet goals. Prospects for 2009 are similar. The management strategy will reduce harvest on those stocks, and shift some subsistence effort to healthier, Alaska-spawning stocks. This strategy had been developed during the course of several months with broad input from people up and down the river.

It’s important to remember that 60 percent to 80 percent of the “first pulse” of Chinook into the river spawns in Canadian waters. Protecting these fish sustains runs for future harvest by Alaskans and Canadians all along the river. Also, biologists monitor the run as it moves upstream, take in-season action based upon the number of fish actually returning, and work with local fishermen to relax restrictions if the run exceeds expectations. We see the sacrifices being made and the urgency of providing as much fishing opportunity as possible. Lastly, Fish and Game received funding this year, requested by Gov. Palin and authorized by the Legislature, to provide additional information for better management of Yukon River fisheries.

In-river actions are being taken under state authority within state waters, something well understood. However, the bycatch issue needed to be explained in the context of a complex federal management regime subject to substantially different laws and procedures. But we relayed that the six Alaska representatives on the North Pacific council led an unprecedented effort over the past couple years to exert real control over the bycatch of Chinook salmon in the pollock trawl fishery.

Admittedly, these limits are higher than advocated by many rural Alaskans. But combined with potential incentives that would further penalize bad performance by the pollock fleet and reward good performance, the council established a system to limit bycatch at all levels of Chinook abundance.

We heard concerns about other potential impacts to Chinook salmon: jet boats, mining, timber harvests on spawning grounds, lack of adequate fisheries enforcement, climate change, effects of management actions, and shifting fishing effort to later in the season. We all agreed we need a better understanding of Chinook salmon declines.

In Emmonak, one leader told us that while he came to the meeting thinking we were fighting against them, he now understood we were fighting for them. Another leader stood to shake hands with me in a sincere and symbolic gesture of mutual concern and respect. I was humbled by both.

I’m not foolish enough to think these meetings have overcome the anxiety, apprehension and even distrust that families along the Yukon River might still feel. I do, however, take exception to coverage by the Anchorage Daily News. In its apparent pursuit of speed over substance, the newspaper didn’t wait for Moller or me to get back into communication and did not even wait for the meetings to be completed. It seemed interested in neither context nor respect.

Yukon River Chinook are a resource requiring our best efforts to sustain and utilize. We hope these in-river restrictions will be short-lived. But the long-term control of Chinook bycatch has just begun. Offshore fisheries must account for the cost of their actions.

Yukon blues

The official Yukon River salmon forecast came out today, and it sure doesn't sound too tasty.

Department of Fish and Game biologists are predicting we won't have any commercial Chinook fishery again this year.

Here's a state press release with a link to the actual forecast:

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

April 24, 2009

2009 Yukon River Salmon Forecast and Management Strategies

JUNEAU – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, released the 2009 Yukon River salmon return and management outlook today. The outlook provides information on expected salmon returns, management strategies, and potential harvests for the coming season and can be found here.

The summer chum, fall chum, and coho salmon returns to the Yukon River are expected to be of average strength and provide harvest opportunities for all users. Ability to harvest summer chum salmon, however, is likely to be constrained by ongoing Chinook salmon conservation efforts. Chinook salmon and summer chum salmon returns to the Yukon River overlap to a large degree.

Chinook salmon returns in 2007 and 2008 were unexpectedly weak and ADF&G scientists believe the 2009 return will be below average or poor as well. A small return of Chinook salmon will impose hardships on subsistence, commercial, personal use, and recreational harvesters, because of the central importance of Chinook salmon for both personal consumption and commercial harvest. Yukon River salmon managers and scientists are committed to doing everything in their power to reduce the hardships that users will endure in order to ensure escapement goals for Chinook salmon, especially for the Canadian spawning component. Chinook salmon that spawn in the Canadian portion of the Yukon River produce, on average, half the Chinook salmon returning to the Yukon River, and are subject to the highest exploitation rate of any Yukon salmon stock. Successful stewardship of this stock is necessary to prevent the current temporary hardships from becoming permanent.

ADF&G biologists have been meeting with Yukon River residents during the past six months to discuss the outlook for the 2009 season. The purposes of these meetings have been to present the biological data and reasoning upon which the 2009 outlook is based, to review the applicable Board of Fisheries regulations and management plans for the Yukon River, and to gather the ideas of local fishermen and processors regarding the best strategies for the 2009 season. These ideas have been carefully considered in the final preparation of the 2009 Yukon River Salmon Fisheries Outlook being released today.

Throughout the 2009 season, ADF&G managers will regularly update Yukon drainage residents and other interested parties on the status of the salmon returns to the Yukon River. These updates may be here. ADF&G will also provide copies of its updates to state and local media outlets, particularly local radio stations. ADF&G managers also participate in the in-season teleconferences organized by the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association.

An extensive network of test fishery projects, sonars, weirs, and counting towers are operated to monitor salmon returns to the Yukon River in season. In addition, genetic sampling of Yukon River Chinook salmon is conducted at several stock assessment projects. As always, if information from the above projects indicates changes in fishing time and area are warranted, managers have the ability through their in-season management authorities to take whatever action is deemed appropriate. Since salmon returns are highly dynamic, changes in management often must be taken rapidly, however, ADF&G will strive to provide as much notice as possible regarding any changes to fishing areas and times.