Saving Seafood

Federal disasters declared for 14 Alaska fisheries

January 26, 2022 — Fourteen Alaska fisheries have been declared federal disasters by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Gina Raimondo issued the declarations last Friday, and the announcement could lead to federal funding for fishermen.

The disaster declarations include the 2020 Kuskokwim River salmon fishery and the 2020 and 2021 Yukon River salmon fisheries. These fisheries saw significant salmon declines both years, with the Yukon salmon fishery seeing its lowest runs ever in the summer of 2021. Yukon River families were not allowed to fish for subsistence, and the commercial fishery remained closed.

Executive director for the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association, Serena Fitka, helped lead a group of Yukon River tribal and fishing organizations to campaign for the Yukon disaster declarations.

“I give the credit to the Yukon River communities, everyone that pulled together to make their voices heard that we are in crisis mode right now,” Fitka said.

Read the full story at KTOO

Alaska salmon landings up 61%, while Yukon River villages see poorest chum return on record

August 9, 2021 — Alaska’s salmon landings have passed the season’s midpoint, and by Aug. 7 the statewide catch had topped 116 million fish. State managers are calling for a projected total 2021 harvest of 190 million salmon, a 61% increase over 2020.

Most of the salmon being caught now are pinks, with Prince William Sound topping 35 million humpies, well over the projection of 25 million.

Pink salmon catches at Kodiak remained sluggish at just over 3 million so far out of a forecast calling for over 22 million.

Southeast was seeing a slight uptick, with pink catches nearing 14 million out of a projected 28 million.

Read the full story at the Anchorage Daily News

ALASKA: Yukon River Communities Ask Governor To Declare Fishery Disaster

September 28, 2020 — Organizations representing Yukon River communities are drafting a letter to Gov. Mike Dunleavy seeking a fishery disaster declaration for this summer’s salmon season.

Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association Executive Director Serena Fitka says that it’s been an especially tough year, with high water impeding fishing for much of the summer and runs coming in weak, particularly the fall chums many were counting on to save the season.

“The numbers are so low after the mixed stock analysis at the Pilot Station sonar,” Fitka said. “The numbers are below 200,000. So that’s a record low number of return fall chum.”

Read the full story at KYUK