REPORT ON THE YUKON · INDIAN FOOD FISHERY Prepared by N. Seigel Project Coordinator Fisheries Resource Employment Development for Youth Program for Department of Fisheries and Oceans Pacific Region March . 1985 LIBRARY FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA 200 - 401 BURRARD ST. .. VANCOUVER, B.C. V6C 3S4 ..·· _ 604-666-3851 :\ ~1 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This "Report on the Yukon Indian Food Fishery" was made possible through the Fis her ies Resource Employment Development for Youtt, Program. I would like to thank Chris de Wirth, Bill Caspell and Lorrie Pella for their help and support. I would also like to thank fisheries personnel in the Native Affairs Branch in Ottawa and in the District Office in Whitehorse, particularly Gordon Zealand, and Sandy Johnston. Ray Kendel, Pat Milligan, Tom Munson, Mary Ellen Jarvis, and Graham Baird assisted in the production of this report. The following individuals participated in the program: Kerry Horoscoe, Dick Dewhurst, Wayne Williams, Douglas Billy, Mitchell Alfred, Ted James, Ernie Caesar, Linda Blair, Gina Alaric, Gary Jim, Laurie Catto, Darrell Bouvier, Stewart Moses, Earl Benjamin, Victor Le Cheminant, and Norma Johnstone. iii SUMMAR.Y This report presents the harvest information collected from the Yukon Indian food fishery by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Fisheries personnel have estimated the catches of thl$ fishery since 1909, although collection methods have been inconsistent and the accuracy of some of the estimates are questionable. The harvest information, however, may indicate the general trends in this fishery. Based on the information presented in this report it appears that both the salmon and freshwater fisheries have declined from historic levels, the freshwater fishery to a greater degree than the salmon. Despite this decline, fishing is still an important means of obtaining food for Indian people, and it continues to be an important social and cultural activity. The information presented in this report may provide the insight required for those agencies making management decisions to ensure harvest requirements of the Yukon Indian food fishery are met. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements ii Summary iii List of Tables vi List of Figures vii List of Appendices viii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Study Area 1 1.2 Definition, Background 1 1.3 Purpose 4 1.4 Information Sources 4 1.5 Scope 4 2.0 METHODS 5 3.0 RESULTS 7 3.1 Indian Food Fish Harvest Information 7 3.1.1 Prior to 1909 7 3.1.2 Freshwater Harvests from 1909-1916 7 3.1.3 Salmon Harvests from 1909-1916 9 3.1.4 1918-1958 9 3.1.5 Freshwater Harvests from 1958-1984 12 3.1.6 ·Salmon Harvests from 1959-1984 16 3.2 L~censing Information 18 4.0 DISCUSSION 21 4.1 Harvest Information 21 4.1.1 1909-1916 Harvest Estimates 21 4.1.2 1958-1967 Freshwater Harvest Estimates 22 4.1.3 1974-1983 Salmon Harvest Estimates 23 4.1.4 1984 Harvest Estimates 24 4.1.4.1 Carcross 25 4.1.4.2 Little Salmon/Carmacks 25 4.1.4.3 Champagne/Aishlhik 26 4.1.4.4 Dawson 27 4.1.4.5 Kluane Tribal Council 27' 4.1.4.6 Liard (Watson Lake) 27 4.1.4.7 Mayo 28 4.1.4.8 Old Crow 28 4.1.4.9 Ross River 29 4.1.4.10 Selkirk (Pelly Crossing) 29 4.1.4.11 Teslin 30 4.1.4.12 Kwanlin Dun (Whitehorse) 31 4.2 Trends in the Fishery 31· v 5.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 33 5.1 Continuation of Collection Program 33 5.2 Negotiation for Additional Salmon Stocks 34 5.3 Further Recommendations 34 5.3.1 Community Education Programs 34 5.3.2 Fishery for Suckers· 34 5.3.3 Commercial Salmon Licences 35 5.3.4 Beaver dams on Mica Creek 35 5.3.5 Salmon Enhancement Programs 35 6.0 CONCLUSION 36 7.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 38 8.0 APPENDICES 39 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Yukon IFF Freshwater Harvests in Pounds, 1909 - 1916. 2. Yukon IFF Salmon Harvests by Area, 1909 10 - 1916. 3. Yukon IFF Freshwater Harvests in Pounds, 13 1958 - 1970. 4. Yukon IFF Freshwater Harvests in Pounds, 14 1974 - 1979. 5. Yukon IFF Freshwater Harvest in Pieces, 15 1984. 6. Yukon River Basin IFF Salmon Harvests in 17 Pieces, 1960 - 1984. 7. Yukon IFF Licences Issued, 1972 - 1984. 19 ---·------·---------------- vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Study Area, Yukon - Northern B.C. 2 Fisheries District. viii LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1. Common and Scientific Names of Yukon 40 Fish Species Referred to in this Report. 2. Yukon IFF Harvests of Lake Trout and 41 Whitefish by Area in Pounds, 1909 - 191R. 3. Yukon IFF Lake Trout and Whitefish Harvests 43 by Area in Pounds, 1958 - 1967. 4. Yukon River Basin IFF Harvests of Chinook 46 Salmon· in Pieces, 1959 - 1984. 5. Yukon River Basin IFF Harvests of Chum 47 Salmon in Pieces, 1959 - 1984. 6. Alsek and Stikine River IFF Harvests of 48 Chinook Salmon in Pieces, 1959 - 1984. 7. Alsek and Stikine River IFF Harvests of 49 Sockeye Salmon in Pieces, 1959 - 1984. 8. Alsek, Stikine and Porcupine-River IFF 50 Harvests of Coho Salmon in Pieces, 1959 - 1984. 9. Indian Food Fish Survey Forms. 51 -1- 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1. 1 Study Area Fourteen Indian bands partlclpate in Indian food fisheri'' _ located in Northern B.C. and the Yukon Territory. This fishery is managed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO~ , Pacific Region. Twelve Yukon bands associated with the Counc11. for Yukon Indians are as follows: Carcross, Little Salmon/Carmacks, Charnpagne/Aishihik, Dawson, Kluane Tribal Council, Liard (Watson Lake), Mayo, Old Crow, Ross River, Selkirk (Pelly Crossing), Teslin and Kwanlin Dun (Whiteho~se). The two additional bands from Northern B.C., include the Atlin Indian Band of Atlin and the Tahltan Indian Band of Telegraph Creek. Five species of Pacific salmon and nine species of freshwater fish are harvested by the Indian fishery (Appendix 1). Indian salmon fishing occurs in four river drainages (Figure 1) in this region lncludlng the Yukon (and Porcupine River), Alsek, Taku and Stlkine River basins. Freshwater flshlng occurs year round on various rivers and lakes within the region. The largest lakes include: Atlin, Aishihik, Bennett, Kluane, Laberge, Marsh, Tagish and Teslin. 1.2 Definition, Background The native use of the fisheries resource has changed over the past century, although fishing remains an important part of Yukon Indian life. Harvest estimates have been periodically recorded over the past eighty-five years. Thls report - presents the Department of Fisherles and Oceans (DFO) historic harvest information of the Indian food fishery (IFF). In addition, detailed catch information collected during the 1984-19R5 season is presented. Trends in the fishery, as indicated from the harvest information, are also discussed. At present, freshwater and salmon stocks within the Yukon Territory are managed and protected by DFO. Four licensed fisheries utilize the resource. An Indian food fish licence (free of charge) entitles anyone who ls defined as an Indian under the Indian Act to fish for personal use. Flsh caught under this permit are not to be bartered, or sold. Flsh which are to be sold must be caught under a commercial f lshing licence ($25.00) whlch entitles the holder to flsh with either gillnets or fishwheels. A domestic licence ($10.00) permits non-Indians to fish with a gillnet or fishwheel for personal consumption. Sport fish licences (price varies according to type) permii angling within specified guildlines. -2- ~ Beau tort ,,~ ; Seo LAKES A Aishihik I~ t I 8 Kluane I I I c Bennet Crow/ I D Marsh ' I I ,/ E Tagish •... F Atlin G Teslin H Laberge J Hutshi I I I I I ALASKA I I I I I I I I I NORTHWEST TERRITORIES RIVERS Yukon 2 Porcupine 3 Stewart 4 Kluane s Pelly BRITISH 6 Teslin COLUMBIA 7 Alsek a Tatshenshini 9 Peel 10 Liard II Taku 12 Stikine .,...'-...,--- Fig. I. Study area, Yukon - Northern B.C. Fisheries District -3- The allocation policy of the Department of Fisheries and OceanE places the Indian food fishery second in importance only to th~ conservation of the stocks ("Native Fisheries" 1982:C5), Commercial, domestic, and recreational fisheries have third priori~y to the resource. The following goals regarding the IFP have been established within the DFO. management plan: 1) To incorporate appropriate Native fishing rights into department policy; 2) To make the Native food fishery an integral part of the total fisheries resource management plan; and 3) To involve Native food fishermen more closely in fisheries management ("Native Fisheries" 1982:C4). Though the stated policy of DFO is to insure that the IFF receives an adequate supply of fish, th{s is not always a simple matter. In the case of salmon returning to the Yukon and Alsek river systems, the fish must first pass through substantial commercial and subsistence fisheries located in the United States. A Canadian commercial fishery operates on the Yukon River in the vicinity of Dawson City, downriver from most Indian communities within the Territory. ·Thus, though the IFF has priority to the salmon under departmental policy, other substantial fisheries have the opportunity to catch the fish first. Administering DFO policy with regards to the freshwater fishery presents similar difficulties. A large sport fishery and a small .commercial and domestic net fishery also utilize the freshwater fish resources. The total catch of. the sport fishery may be significant, particularly with regards to lake trout. At present, the commercial and domestic fisheries are the only two fisheries which have participated to any extent in a catch recording system.