Lake Minchumina, Telida, Nikolai, and Cantwell Subsistence Community Use Profiles and Traditional Fisheries Use Technical Paper No. 295 Liz Williams,1 Chelsie Venechuk,2 Davin L. Holen,1 & William E. Simeone1 1 Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence 2 Denali National Park and Preserve, National Park Service Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence Juneau, Alaska April 2005 Lake Minchumina, Telida, Nikolai, and Cantwell Subsistence Community Use Profiles and Traditional Fisheries Use Technical Paper No. 295 Liz Williams,1 Chelsie Venechuk,2 Davin L. Holen,1 & William E. Simeone1 1 Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence 2 Denali National Park and Preserve, National Park Service Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence Juneau, Alaska April 2005 This report was prepared as part of the final report series of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Subsistence Management, Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program, as the final report for Study No. FIS 01-235. It is a companion report to Technical Paper No. 296 in the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence, Technical Paper Series. The harvest survey data from Study No. FIS 01-235 is in Technical Paper No. 296. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. The department administers all programs and activities in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire further information please write to ADF&G, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802-5526; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 300 Webb, Arlington, VA 22203 or O.E.O., U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington DC 20240. For information on alternative formats for this and other department publications, please contact the department ADA Coordinator at (voice) 907-465-4120, (TDD) 907- 465-3646, or (FAX) 907-465-2440. TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents......................................................................................................................... i Abstract ..................................................................................................................................1 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................3 Traditional Ecological Knowledge ......................................................................................5 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program .............................................................................5 Logistics...............................................................................................................................6 Demography ........................................................................................................................7 2. Objectives… .............................................................................................................................11 Capacity Building ..............................................................................................................11 3. Methods.…................................................................................................................................15 Community Description: Nikolai.......................................................................................16 Fieldwork in Nikolai..........................................................................................................18 Community Description: Telida ........................................................................................20 Fieldwork in Telida............................................................................................................20 Community Description: Lake Minchumina .....................................................................21 Demographic Shifts ...............................................................................................23 Fieldwork in Lake Minchumina.........................................................................................24 Community Description: Cantwell ....................................................................................25 Fieldwork in Cantwell........................................................................................................27 4. Results……...............................................................................................................................29 Current and Traditional Fisheries Use In Nikolai and Telida............................................29 Chinook (King) Salmon.........................................................................................29 Coho Salmon or “Reds”.........................................................................................39 Chum Salmon.........................................................................................................40 Whitefish................................................................................................................41 Sheefish..................................................................................................................47 Arctic Grayling ......................................................................................................48 Northern Pike.........................................................................................................49 Other Freshwater Species ......................................................................................51 Nikolai Fish and Habitat Issues .............................................................................55 Discussion: Nikolai and Telida..............................................................................59 Management Applications .....................................................................................63 Current and Traditional Fisheries Use in Lake Minchumina..........................................65 Fish Locations and Spawning Habitat ...................................................................65 Preferred Fish Species............................................................................................68 Fish Abundance in Lake Minchumina...................................................................68 Contemporary Fishing Technology .......................................................................69 Conservation Measures Related to Subsistence Fishing........................................69 i Current and Traditional Fisheries Use In Cantwell ...........................................................72 Salmon Harvests ....................................................................................................72 Freshwater Fish Harvests.......................................................................................73 Local Concerns ......................................................................................................75 Discussion: Cantwell .............................................................................................77 5. Conclusion…… ........................................................................................................................79 6. Recommendations…….............................................................................................................81 Nikolai and Telida.............................................................................................................81 Lake Minchumina .............................................................................................................81 Cantwell ............................................................................................................................82 Acknowledgements……................................................................................................................83 Literature Cited…… ......................................................................................................................85 LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1. Populations of the Study Communities .........................................................................7 Table 2.1. Fish Harvested in the Upper Kuskokwim River Drainage ..........................................30 Table 3.1. Species of Fish Harvest and Used by Residents of Cantwell, 1999-200.....................73 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Study Area Map............................................................................................................4 Figure 3.1 Nikolai and Telida Study Area...................................................................................17 Figure 3.2 Lake Minchumina.......................................................................................................22 Figure 3.3 Cantwell Study Area...................................................................................................26 Figure 4.1 Nikolai Salmon Fishing Locations, 2002 ...................................................................32 Figure 4.2 Nikolai Salmon Fishing Locations, 1967-1984 and 2002..........................................34