Climate change, restrictions on fishing, competition from fishing fleets? Whatever the cause, the low numbers of a prized fish in the Yukon River threaten livelihoods and traditional lifestyles, according to an article in the New York Times on October 3, Scarcity of King Salmon Hurt Alaskan Fishermen. 

The king salmon fights its way up the Yukon River in Alaska to spawn in tributaries after spending the first years in the Bering Sea. These fish, once abundant in the river, had become a popular export to the lower states as well as a favorite of the native peoples. The article notes a small village that once shipped king salmon from the Yukon River to upscale restaurants and stores in other states and in other countries now sells “only a trickle.”

For those who depend on fish for subsistence, the low levels of salmon are especially troubling. The Times reporter points out that federal and state restrictions on subsistence fishing “have left freezers and smokehouses half-full and hastened a shift away from a tradition of spending summers at fish camps along the river.” The Yup’ik Eskimos and Athabascan Indians have a long history of benefiting from the king salmon runs on the Yukon River. 

This year, fish managers closed all subsistence fishing on the first “pulse” of king salmon (when the fish enter the river) and cut fishing times in half on later pulses during the summer. These restrictions, intended to allow more fish to reach the spawning grounds, reduced subsistence fishing to just two 18-hour periods a week. In the past, families might have gathered in summer camps to catch the fish and dry, can, or freeze it for eating in the winter. The reporter described a canoe trip down the Yukon River where he saw camps shuttered or abandoned. 

Causes of the reduced number of king salmon in the river have been attributed to conditions in the ocean due to climate change, pollock fishing fleets in the ocean that catch salmon as a by-catch, or just natural cycles that began years ago. In villages along the river, the effects are new hardships on the people who depend on fishing and hunting to augment limited employment opportunities and government aid.  The article closes with a quote from a village fisherman and equipment operator: “People really depended on the fish, and it’s not there.” 

How the peoples of the Arctic regions across several nations are coping with changes in their environment and yet preserving traditions and cultures is the theme of the October 2009 issue of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears. In its online pages, you will find background information on the major groups, their lifestyles, and their traditions, along with lessons and activities to engage K-5 students in learning more about the peoples. An original nonfiction article, “A House of Snow and Ice,” and recommended children’s books provide opportunities to combine science and literacy skills.