1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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)

6. 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)

7. 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”

8. 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

9. “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

10. “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

11. “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

14. 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

15. 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 , did not capture any crayfish
Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District trapped in Confirmed breeding population with capture of gravid female
Buskin Watershed is only known breeding population of Signal Crayfish (Pacifasticus lenisculus) in Alaska

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

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