When the fish come, we go fishing: Local Ecological Knowledge of Non-Salmon Fish Used for Subsistence in the Bering Strait Region Kawerak, Inc. Social Science Program Natural Resources Division Julie Raymond-Yakoubian 2013 For Community Distribution ©KAWERAK,INC.,allrightsreserved.Thisbookoranyportionthereofmaynotbereproducedwithout thepriorexpresswrittenpermissionofKawerak,Inc.Thetraditionalknowledgeinthisbookremainsthe intellectualpropertyoftheindividualswhocontributedsuchinformation. When the fish come, we go fishing: Local Ecological Knowledge of Non-Salmon Fish Used for Subsistence in the Bering Strait Region Final Report for Study 10-151 Submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Subsistence Management, Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program Julie Raymond-Yakoubian Kawerak Incorporated Social Science Program Natural Resources Division P.O. Box 948 Nome, Alaska 99762 August 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF MAPS ............................................................................................................................................ v ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................ vii INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Background ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Community Associations with Federal Lands ...................................................................................... 2 The Bering Strait Region ...................................................................................................................... 2 Kawerak Incorporated ........................................................................................................................... 2 Shishmaref ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Wales .................................................................................................................................................... 4 Brevig Mission ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Teller ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 Stebbins ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Subsistence Use of Fish in the Region .................................................................................................. 7 Summary of Current Non-Salmon Fishing Regulations ....................................................................... 8 STUDY OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................... 10 METHODS ................................................................................................................................................. 10 Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 10 Household Harvest Surveys .................................................................................................................... 11 Study Design ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Data Collection and Reduction ........................................................................................................... 11 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 12 Semi-Structured Interviews ..................................................................................................................... 13 Study Design ....................................................................................................................................... 13 Data Collection and Reduction ........................................................................................................... 14 Mapping .............................................................................................................................................. 14 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 15 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................... 16 i Harvest Surveys ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Estimated 2009-2010 Non-Salmon Harvest ....................................................................................... 16 Evaluation of the 2009-2010 Non-Salmon Season ............................................................................. 22 Use, Harvest, Attempted Harvest, Sharing and Receiving of Non-Salmon Fish ................................ 24 Ethnographic Interviews ......................................................................................................................... 29 Shishmaref .......................................................................................................................................... 29 Wales .................................................................................................................................................. 50 Brevig Mission .................................................................................................................................... 63 Teller ................................................................................................................................................... 82 Stebbins ............................................................................................................................................. 105 Challenges, Concerns and Threats Related to Non-Salmon Fisheries .............................................. 122 Cultural Values Associated with Fish ............................................................................................... 132 CAPACITY BUILDING .......................................................................................................................... 142 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................... 146 Natural Indicators .................................................................................................................................. 147 Climate Changes ................................................................................................................................... 147 Obstacles to Fishing .............................................................................................................................. 148 Stone Fish Traps ................................................................................................................................... 148 Non-Salmon Taxonomy ........................................................................................................................ 148 Changes in Fisheries ............................................................................................................................. 149 Cultural Values ..................................................................................................................................... 150 Management Implications ..................................................................................................................... 150 RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 151 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................................. 152 APPENDIX 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 156 APPENDIX 2 ............................................................................................................................................ 158 APPENDIX 3 ............................................................................................................................................ 164 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Communities of the Bering Strait region. ...................................................................................... 3 Figure 2: View towards Shishmaref Inlet in the fall. ...................................................................................