Yukon Fisheries News A Publication of the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association WINTER 2011 Yukon River Drainage Tribal Councils & First Nations Endure Fisheries Association A United Voice for Yukon River Fishers Constraining Issues By Teddy Willoya, Program Assistant the material into the environment. As a result, This winter I had the opportunity to some of the clams, mussels, herring eggs, tomcod, interview six communities on the Yukon River and other subsistence foods are carcinogenic. from the coast all the way to Canada about their Locals ask, “Are the foods around that area safe to Success Story: Everybody Loves Eels ······················· 4 most afflicting issues. In Alaska, I spoke with harvest anymore?” High unemployment for most of Tribal Council members from Scammon Bay, St. the members of the community is also a concern. Voices from the River ············· 5 Mary’s, Holy Cross, and Eagle. On the Canadian St. Mary’s expressed some interesting How Does Fisheries Management side of the drainage, I spoke with directors from concerns. Unemployment is the top community Work in Canada? ················· 7 Dawson and Little Salmon. All six communities issue. Many people there are unemployed, and 2011 Yukon River Chinook Salmon I interviewed had big issues that need to be most applicants are not qualified to operate the Rebuilding Initiative ············· 7 addressed. programs and services offered in the community. Telling the Future: The Science The majority of the issues were related to It is a goal of the community to implement job Behind Salmon Run Forecasting ··· 8 environmental concerns, low king salmon returns, high unemployment, and landfill issues. Other Invasive Species 101: Are Pike Invasive? ················ 9 issues included the need for a new cemetery, The majority of the storage and funding for a backhaul program, Whitefish Strategic Planning Project Nears Completion ········· 9 and high levels of dust in the community. The issues were related Canadian communities were dealing with similar YRDFA’s 21st Annual Meeting issues including environmental concerns, low king in Mountain Village ············· 10 to environmental salmon returns, climate change, unemployment, Alternative Approaches to and the implementation of a land claims treaty. Commercial Fishing ············· 11 concerns, low king Scammon Bay is concerned about their Bycatch in the Bering Sea landfill. It is a Class 3 landfill that is being treated salmon returns, high Pollock Fishery ·················· 12 as an open dump. It sits on the side of a hill above FSB Forms Customary Trade one of the subsistence streams. Because of the unemployment, and Subcommittee ·················· 12 garbage that has been brought into the landfill, Children’s Book on Natural Indicators the runoff is carrying chemicals into the streams landfill issues of Salmon Now Available ········ 13 and surrounding areas. With open burning, some Spotlight on Mountain Village ···· 14 hazardous materials that aren’t supposed to be burned are being burned, posing a threat to the placement, whereby different Tribes would work Barriers on the Yukon: local environment. In the spring, the leftover together to create their own administrative How Road Culverts Can Block Salmon from Streams ············ 15 ashes cause problems for berry pickers in the programs so that they can hire locals for the surrounding areas. Cape Romanzof Radar Site is jobs. Storage and funding for a backhaul program YRDFA Board Unanimously were other concerns. The community does not Approves Creation of Yukon a military installation that was used to track the River Elders Council ············· 16 air activity in the area. According to the Scammon have a storage building for the accumulation of Bay Traditional Council, some past spills occurred backhaul items, such as old refrigerators, freezers, at the site, and some contaminants were left propane ovens, electronic waste, vehicle batteries, YRDFA reserves the right to include or omit any submissions to the Yukon Fisheries News. The views buried in the ground. The containers housing expressed in this newsletter are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of YRDFA. these contaminants have rotted away, releasing “Constraining Issues…” continued on page 14 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS LIFETIME MEMBERS Interior Alaska Fish Processors Inc. Alakanuk Fort Yukon Palmer Max Agayar* Richard Carroll, Sr. Geoff Johnson Boreal Fisheries Richard P. Agayar Peter J. Stortz Fortuna Ledge Holy Cross Traditional Council Frank T. Alstrom, Jr.* Grace C. Alstrom* Vassily Sergie Pilot Station Albert Beans, Jr*** Koyukuk Tribal Council Latrell Alstrom Galena Ragnar Alstrom Bruce Beans*** Gilbert Huntington Moses Edwards*** Ruby Marine Robert S. Alstrom* Sidney Huntington John Ayunerak John Joe Evan Kathy Fancyboy*** City of Nulato Joe Buster* Grayling Louis T. Chikigak* Shirley Clark Paul Fancyboy*** Raymond Fancyboy*** Pitka’s Point Tribal Council Clifford Damian Harry Maillelle Jonathan Damian* Carl Walker Debbie Francis*** Art Heckman, Sr.*** Yupiit of Andreafski Lawrence T. Edmund* Kevin A. Joseph* Holy cross Arthur Heckman, Jr*** Raymond T. Joseph* Jeffrey Demientieff, Sr. Candace Heckman Wilfred Joseph* William Newman Charlie Heckman*** Frank K. Lamont Lloyd C. Heckman BOARD OF DIRECTORS John H. Lamont III Hooper Bay Matushka Heckman Raymond J.T. Lamont Lester Wilde Fr. Stan Heckman*** Lorraine Murphy* Stuart Heckman*** DistRict / SEAT # RePResentAtiVE Kaltag Abraham Kelly*** Edward Phillip* Richard Burnham Coastal, Seat 1 Lester Wilde Emmanuel P. Stanislaus* Andrew N. Makaily, Jr. Y-1, Seat 1 Frank Alstrom Kotlik Andrew N. Makaily, III Anchorage Peter Elachik** Nicky Myers*** Y-1, Seat 2 Aloysius Unok William R. Beans Rudolph Hootch** William Myers*** Y-1, Seat 3 Ephrim Thompson Steve Hayes Clement Matthias** Rita Nick*** Nina Heyano Evan Polty, Sr.*** Y-2, Seat 1 Alexie Walters, Sr. Joseph P. Mike** Jill Klein Martin P. Okitkun, Sr.** John Tinker, Jr*** Y-2, Seat 2 Paul Beans Larry Lujan Robert Okitkun** Norman Xavier*** Pearl Yunak*** Y-2, Seat 3 William Alstrom Aniak Michael Prince** Billy Teeluk** Y-3, Seat 1 Leroy Peters Stephen L. Hill RamparT Victor Tonuchuk** Georgianna Lincoln Y-4, Seat 1 Fred Huntington, Sr. Anvik Aloysius Unok** George Williams** Y-4, Seat 2 Richard Burnham Ronald Kruger, Sr. Ruby Robert Walker Florence L. Esmailka Y-5, Seat 1 Charlie Wright Manley Hot Springs Harold Esmailka Bethel Linda Johnson Y-5, Seat 2 Stan Zuray Timothy C. Andrew St. Mary’s Y-6, Seat 1 Philip ‘Jeep’ Titus Terence Reeve Marshall Jerry W. Alexie Andy Boot Y-6, Seat 2 Victor Lord Aloysius Wasuli** William F. Alstrom Aloysius Coffee Francis Beans Koyukuk, Seat 1 William Derendoff Cooper Landing Gabe Evan Lillian Johnson David C. Fitka Yukon Flats, Seat 1 Jan Woodruff Robert Gibson Jaylene Fitka Tanana Canadian (non-voting) Ron Chambers Delta Junction William Manumik Lester Erhart David Davenport Mike P. Peters Gerald Nicholia Stan Zuray Eagle Mountain Village EMPLOYEE DIRECTORY Andrew Bassich Fred M. Beans, II Tok Jan Woodruff Fred P. Beans Bronk Jorgensen Meghan A. Beans Thor Jorgensen Jill Klein, Executive Director Emmonak Morgan C. Beans Phone: 907-272-3141, ext. 102 Andrew C. Kelly, Sr. William Lawrence Wasilla Email: [email protected] John Lamont Sarah Peterson Axel Alstrom* fairbanks Matthew Waskey, Sr. Ernie Chase Becca Robbins Gisclair, Policy Director Dane Mikisoq Koponen Harry Wilde, Sr. Ernest Demoski Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 106 Heather Koponen Nenana Outside alaska Email: [email protected] Sherry Modrow Doug Bowers Bill Fliris Donald Robert Moore Ted Suckling Richard Kocan Richell Carmichael, Finance Manager Denise C. Newman Donald Kramer Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 104 Susan Robinson Nome Email: [email protected] Brian Rogers Frank Carruthers Darlene Sweat Doug Sweat Nulato Catherine Moncrieff, Anthropologist Pat Madros Eric Umphenour * sponsored by Alakanuk Native Corp. Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 107 Victor Nicholas Email: [email protected] Michael Stickman ** sponsored by Kotlik Yupik Corp. *** sponsored by Pilot Station Inc. Teddy Willoya, Program Assistant Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 108 Email: [email protected] Bob Massengale, Program Assistant Yukon Fisheries News is published by the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 107 725 Christensen Drive, Suite 3-B, Anchorage, AK 99501 Email: [email protected] Phone: (907) 272-3141 / Fax: (907) 272-3142 • Toll-free 1-877-99-YUKON (98566) www.yukonsalmon.org Jason Hale, Communications Director Phone: 907-272-3141 ext. 105 Funding is provided by the USFWS, pursuant to grant #70181AG035, Email: [email protected] to support dissemination of information regarding the Yukon River Salmon Agreement and the management of Yukon River salmon. 2 YUKON FISHERIES NEWS WINTER 2011 W W W.YUKONSALMON.ORG A Message From the Director By Jill Klein, Executive Director tools for spreading information and gaining Mountain Village, several attendees from the comments and discussion from users. However, upper river were invited to someone’s house Spring is upon us, and nothing works better than a face-to-face for dinner. They struck out in the evening to it brings many wonderful meeting, where attendees can shake hands, find the house, and after a bit of a walk they things: return of the light, share meals, look one another in the eye, and knocked on a door and were welcomed inside. more pleasant temperatures talk. That’s how real relationships are built. The