Kelly Krueger, Tribal Biologist Tom Lance, Natural Resources Director Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak Invasive Crayfish and Tribal Youth Project Success Kelly Krueger, Tribal Biologist Tom Lance, Natural Resources Director Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak BIA Providers Conference 11/30/2017

Kelly Krueger, Tribal Biologist Tom Lance, Natural Resources Director Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak Invasive Crayfish and Tribal Youth Project Success Where, What, Why You Can Do This Too ! Shelikof Strait, (peaks NE to SW) Mount Kukak, Stellar, Dennison, Snowy Mtn, Mount Katmai/Novarupta Kelly Krueger, Tribal Biologist Tom Lance, Natural Resources Director Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak BIA Providers Conference 11/30/2017

Sugpiaq People of Alaska South Central Coastal Environments Alutiiq or Sugpiaq People of Alaska One of Eight Alaska Native Peoples South Central Coastal Environments Alaska Peninsula Kodiak Archipelago Outer Kenai Peninsula Prince William Sound

Alutiiq or Sugpiaq People of Alaska 10 Federally Recognized Tribes on Kodiak Archipelago Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak Native Village of Afognak Tangirnaq Native Village Native Village of Ouzinkie Native Village of Port Lions Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor Native Village of Larsen Bay Native Village of Karluk Native Village of Akhiok Kaguyak Village

BIA – Tribal Youth Initiative Program Program Titles BIA – Tribal Youth Initiative Program Project: Incorporating Tribal Youth into Natural Resource Management on Kodiak Island, Alaska ($45,000) May 4, 2016 – September 30, 2017 (extended to 2018) BIA – Invasive Species Program Project: Preliminary Electrofishing and Kick Seining Survey for Invasive Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) in Buskin River Watershed on Kodiak Island, Alaska ($55,832)

BIA – Tribal Youth Initiative Program Program Titles BIA – Tribal Youth Initiative Program Project: Incorporating Tribal Youth into Natural Resource Management on Kodiak Island, Alaska ($45,000) May 4, 2016 – September 30, 2017 (extended to 2018) BIA – Invasive Species Program Project: Preliminary Electrofishing and Kick Seining Survey for Invasive Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) in Buskin River Watershed on Kodiak Island, Alaska ($55,832)

Why ? Engage tribal youth in natural resources management through fieldwork and data collection Find out what you like, or dislike Help build capacity within Sun’aq Tribe to safeguard traditional or subsistence resources … “Healthy Foods Forever”

Tribal Youth Interns Three interns hired for 2017 season: Fisheries Intern Natural Resources Intern Wildlife Intern Multiple non-profit, state, and federal partners Alaska Department of Fish & Game Alaska Sea Grant Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District

“I took part in the captures. Got to ride in the helicopter. So cool “I took part in the captures! Got to ride in the helicopter. So cool!! 2 bear, 2 elk captured. 1 not collared. They dropped on a nearby hilltop for all but 2 chases. 3 chases got away… I spotted my first bear capture!” –Jessica Rich, Wildlife Intern

“We went to Salonie Creek and checked the air data logger first and found a deer carcass. We collected data from two water temperature loggers (HOBO). Then we went to Russian River, Sargent Creek, Devils Creek, Bear Creek, and upper Buskin Tributaries to download more loggers”. –Mandi Cox, Natural Resources Intern

“Working on these two projects taught me how to sample sockeye smolt and adult salmon for length, weight, sex, and age (otolith and scales). Upon return from a month in the field, back in the lab, I learned how to read scales and otoliths to determine the age of salmon.” –Brandon Mahle, Fisheries Intern

Lessons Learned/Next Steps Partner with local organizations to give Tribal youth a well rounded experience Hire locally or find housing for Tribal youth in advance Build on the work you started Next Steps Secured BIA Tribal Youth Initiative funding for two interns (Fisheries and Wildlife) for 2018 field season Will be applying for BIA Tribal Youth Initiative FY18 funding

Signal Crayfish on Kodiak Island Timeline First noted presence in Buskin Watershed on Kodiak Island in 2002 Alaska Department of Fish & Game set traps in 2012-2013, did not capture any crayfish Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District trapped in 2014-2015. Confirmed breeding population with capture of gravid female Buskin Watershed is only known breeding population of Signal Crayfish (Pacifasticus lenisculus) in Alaska

Tribal Concerns Buskin Watershed is one of the largest subsistence salmon fisheries in the Kodiak region Salmon fishing and consumption is an integral part of the Tribe’s culture Signal crayfish have the potential to significantly harm the resources of Buskin Watershed

Project Design Goal: assess the effectiveness of electrofishing and kick seining for signal crayfish in Buskin River Watershed Secondary goal: determine where the crayfish are located within the watershed Any crayfish encountered would be sampled (species, total length and carapace length, sex, life stage, location) and removed from the watershed

Results (2016 & 2017) 14 44 220 169 436 195 52 Method # Captured Electrofishing 169 Kick Seine Snorkeling 195 Dip netting/hand capture 14 Minnow trapping 44 Total 422 Method # Captured Electrofishing 436 Kick Seine Snorkeling 52 Dip netting/hand capture 220 Minnow trapping Total 708

Lessons Learned/Next Steps Electrofishing and hand capture/dip netting methods are most effective Capturing crayfish is extremely weather dependent Getting youth involved is vital Next Steps Received funding from USFWS Tribal Wildlife Grant to learn more about the population dynamics of Signal Crayfish in Buskin Watershed Project planning starts this winter and fieldwork will commence Spring 2018

STK Natural Resources Department Questions- Comments? Quyanaasinaq Thank you very much ! www.sunaq.org STK Natural Resources Department (907) 486 – 4449