How People of the Yukon River Value Salmon: a Case Study in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Portions of the Yukon River
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How People of the Yukon River Value Salmon: A case study in the lower, middle, and upper portions of the Yukon River by Catherine Moncrieff, Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association YUKON RIVER DRAINAGE FISHERIES ASSOCIATION DECEMBER 2017 Funded by the North Pacific Research Board under project number 1413 All photos that appear in this report were taken by Catherine Moncrieff, YRDFA How People of the Yukon River Value Salmon i ABSTRACT People along the Yukon River rely on salmon for food, culture, and income. It is well known that salmon has a high value to the subsistence users along the Yukon River but the details of this value are not well described, nor are management decisions in times of shortage currently guided by knowledge of these values. A greater understanding of the values of salmon is needed. Through this project, case studies were developed for three Yukon River communities and Yukon River fishing families had the opportunity to share how they value salmon, why they value salmon, and the ways in which it is most important to them. Results show that the study communities value salmon as a food primarily but a food that represents their entire culture. Salmon is an essential nutritious, local food which sustains and connects them to their culture, their heritage. Fishing and the related activities of harvesting, processing, sharing, and eating are teaching tools that enable them to reach and pass on the heart of their culture. KEY WORDS: Salmon, Chinook salmon, (Onchorychus tshawytscha), chum salmon, (Onchorychus keta), Yukon River, food, culture, value. CITATION: Moncrieff, C.F. 2017. How People of the Yukon River Value Salmon: A case study in the lower, middle, and up- per portions of the Yukon River. Final report to the North Pacific Research Board project #1413. Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association. Anchorage, Alaska. ii A case study in the lower, middle, and upper portions of the Yukon River ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to especially acknowledge salmon expert Rondell Jimmie of Nenana. Rondell participated in this project and sadly passed away before the project’s completion. Much knowledge, experience, and wis- dom was lost with his passing. We thank him for the time he generously spent talking to project staff and for his willingness to share his knowledge with others interested in salmon and subsistence. This project would not have been possible without the support and participation of the local experts in each community. We thank each of the following individuals, who were interviewed as local experts for this proj- ect, and who generously contributed their knowledge, experience, and time. In Russian Mission: William E. Pitka, Sandra Kozenikoff, Peter Askoar, John Changsak, Josephine Edwards, Peter Minock Jr, Daryl Polty, Victor Shorty, Daniel Askoak, Anita Wigley, Stephan Duffy, Curtis Pitka, and Henriann Nickoli. In Nenana: Henry R. Ketzler, Moses Paul, Donald E. Charlie, Darlene Jensen, Victor Lord, Timothy D. Ketzler, Rondell Jimmie, Albert Demientieff, Timothy J. McManus, Theresa Lord, Dillon McManus, and Miranda Taylor. In Fort Yukon: Jerry Car- roll, Franklin Carroll, Trey Petersen, Tyler Cadzow, Andrew Firmin, Walter Peter, Diana D. Peter, Duane Solomon, Gerald Carroll, Paul Shewfelt, James C. Kelly, Samson Peter III, Hannah J. Solomon, and Fred Thomas. Many of the local experts noted above, as well as tribal council members and community members, at- tended draft chapter review workshops and we thank them for their participation and contributions to this project. Individuals who participated in the workshops are: Rose Alexie, Wassily Alexie, Sandra Kozenikoff, Olga Changsak, Brittney Alexie, Noel Stephanoff, Carson Stephanoff, Trinity Askoak, Chloe Askoak, Matthew Kozevnikoff, David Kozevnikoff, Alyna Kozevnikoff, DeSean Peterson, Dorothy Askoak, Tilshon Askoak, Nadia Duffy (Russian Mission); Victor Lord, Rondell Jimmie, Kathy Morgan, Jo Noble, Dee Noble, and Karen Kriska (Nenana); Richard Carroll III, Phillip Solomon, Clayton Tackett, Andrew Firmin, Edward Alexander, Rocky L. James, Paul Shewfelt, and Diane Bridges (Fort Yukon). Thank you to the following YRDFA staff for their assistance: Richell Carmichael and Wayne Jenkins. All pho- tographs in this report are by the author (Catherine Moncrieff) unless otherwise noted. Thank you also to the local assistants in each community. The local research assistants supported the principal investigator with interviews, facilitated communications with tribal councils and local experts, acted as local guides, helped conduct workshops, and provided other valuable assistance. In Russian Mission, Pete Stepha- noff was the local assistant. The Iqurmiut Traditional Council provided logistical assistance. In Nenana, Janet Rose was the local assistant. The Native Village of Nenana provided logistical assistance. In Fort Yukon, Charles Harriman was the local assistant. Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich’in Tribal Council provided logistical and other assis- tance. Nina Olivier and Alexander Bateman worked as interns on this project, transcribing the interviews. The following people reviewed an earlier draft of this final report and provided comments, and are thanked for this feedback: Rondell Jimmie, Victor Lord, and Andrew Firmin. Many thanks to Caroline Brown for re- viewing and editing the final draft of this report. Finally, this project would not have been possible without the support of the North Pacific Research Board who selected this project for funding and provided $92,695 in financial support. Thank you for your support. How People of the Yukon River Value Salmon iii CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 Geography and Socioecology of the Yukon River ....................................................1 Salmon and People ................................................................................2 Management of Yukon River Salmon ................................................................4 Reason for this study/ report overview ..............................................................5 Layout of this report ...............................................................................6 METHODS .............................................................................................7 Objectives .........................................................................................7 RESULTS – COMMUNITY SUMMARIES ..................................................................11 Russian Mission ...................................................................................11 Historical Background and Natural Environment .................................................... 11 Seasonal Round .................................................................................... 13 Fishing History ..................................................................................... .15 Value of Salmon .................................................................................... .18 Concerns and Adaptations .......................................................................... .21 Recommendations ................................................................................. .22 Nenana ...........................................................................................23 Historical Background and Natural Environment .................................................... .23 Seasonal Round .................................................................................... .25 Fishing History ..................................................................................... .25 Value of salmon .................................................................................... .29 Concerns and Adaptations .......................................................................... .31 Recommendations ................................................................................. .32 Fort Yukon ........................................................................................33 Historical Background and Natural Environment .................................................... .33 Subsistence Round ................................................................................. .34 Fishing History ..................................................................................... .35 Value of salmon .................................................................................... .37 Concerns and Adaptations .......................................................................... .42 Recommendations ................................................................................. .43 DISCUSSION ..........................................................................................44 Similarities: .......................................................................................44 Differences: .......................................................................................45 RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................46 CONCLUSION .........................................................................................47 REFERENCES CITED ....................................................................................49 APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW GUIDE ........................................................................54 APPENDIX B: PARTICIPANT CONSENT ...................................................................57 APPENDIX C: PARTICIPANT LIST ........................................................................59