1. Yukon River salmon declines: Learning from Tradition
King salmon on the Lower Yukon River
Funded by the National Science Foundation

2. Yup’ik Language Workshop
Objectives:
Host Chinook (king) salmon workshop in Yup’ik with Yukon River Elders
Transcribe, translate, and analyze findings
Share results with Yukon River communities, resource managers, and scientists
In Feburary 2017, six Yup’ik Elders from the Yukon River and coastal communities gathered in Anchorage to share knowledge and experiences about one of the most important resources in their area - king salmon
Our purpose was to document Yup’ik understandings of king salmon and to share that information with the Yukon River communities and with organizations and agencies involved in fisheries management.

3. The participants Nominated by Lower Yukon and Coastal Tribal Councils
Six Elders selected:
Frances Charlie (Acqaq), Scammon Bay
Nick Andrew, Sr. (Apirtaq), Marshall
Michael Hunt (Amiksuguin), Kotlik
Raymond Waska (Iraluq), Emmonak
Paul Beans (Nalqilria), Mountain Village
Evan Polty (Utuan), Pilot Station
To select the participants, we reached out to all the Tribal Councils in the lower Yukon Area. They each made nominations to represent their area. From this list, the Elders themselves, and Calista Education and Culture cultural director, Mark John, pared it down to the six who attended. (Read list from slide)
Though living in different villages today, all of the Elders knew one another and shared a common background. All had been born and raised in small winter settlements, moving routinely with their families to seasonal camps to harvest fish and food they needed to survive.

4. After the workshop… Recordings were translated and transcribed
Summary shared with managers, community contacts, and Elders
Brochure created for wide distribution
Brochure and summary shared with Yukon River Tribal Councils, schools, agencies, and other interested individuals.
Posted to YRDFA website and Facebook page
After the workshop the recordings were translated and transcribed by Rebecca Gower of Scammon Bay. Ann Fienup-Riordan and I turned the transcription into a summary document which we shared with agencies, Calista Education and Culture, community contacts and the Elders who requested to review the draft.
In an effort to reach a larger audience, we also turned the summary report into a brochure for wide distribution.
These documents were shared with every Yukon River Tribal Council and school within the Alaska portion of the Yukon River. They were also shared with fishery agencies, other interested individuals and posted on our website.
We, and the Elders, hope that results of this project can communicate lessons learned about the history and current conditions of king salmon on the lower Yukon River.

5. Highlights of Results Yup’ik Understandings of King Salmon
Natural Indicators
Kinds of King Salmon
Concerns for Fisheries Management
Recommendations
We summarized the results into these sections or categories listed on this slide. On the next few slides I will describe these results further. You can also find this in the brochure on our handout table and in summary document on our website.

6. Yup’ik Understandings of King Salmon
Every single creature has a spirit
All parts of the king salmon were used in the past
They only arrive once a year, so be ready
Fish avoid nets of people who do not take care of them
King salmon follow their own path to the spawning grounds
King salmon is a very important food and valued as medicine
Welcome the king salmon and celebrate the first catch
The Elders explained their understandings of king salmon. This discussion included their spirit, their treatment required by humans, their path to their spawning grounds, their medicinal value, and the admonitions taught to them by their Elders.

7. Kinds of King Salmon (Taryaqviit)
Aciirturtet- under the ice
Tasaqvaqpiit – large king salmon
Tungulrianeg nasqulget – ones with black heads
Allirkat- Whitenose
Massret – old salmon near spawning
The Elders talked about the different kinds of king salmon they have observed in their different parts of the river, including the different names and characteristics of each group of king salmon. Their view of Yukon River king salmon is very detailed and based on close observations over time. Today’s managers have learned a great deal from the Elders about the variations within the king salmon run and pay attention to these details especially early in the run.

8. Natural Indicators Wind – determines which mouth the salmon will enter
Fish Eggs – If roe is small, they spawn farther upriver
Other Animals – observe land animals to predict seasonal changes
River Ice – More ice during breakup indicates abundance of fish
Birds – Salmon arrive the way that migratory birds arrive
Qapnet (Foam) on the water’s surface in spring may indicate a lot of fish
The Elders talked about ways that they know when the salmon will arrive and how many salmon to expect. There are many natural indicators that they used prior to western style fisheries management including observations of the wind, fish eggs, other animals such as birds, river ice, and the growth of plants.
As you can see from this slide…

9. Concerns for Fisheries Management
Yup’ik people recognize regular fluctuations in salmon abundance
But recent declines of king salmon are more severe and long lasting
Top Concerns
Bycatch of salmon in Bering Sea
Unprecedented decline in king salmon numbers
Unprecedented king salmon shrinking size
Fish waste in river from century of canneries
Beaver dams blocking fish passage
Climate change and how it may be affecting salmon
Pilot Station Sonar and its perceived inability to accurately count salmon
The Elders explained that Yup’ik people recognize regular fluctuations between abundance and shortages in salmon cycles, however they agreed that the recent declines of king salmon are more severe and longer lasting than the regular fluctuations observed in the past.
These are their top concerns related to king salmon. (read list)

10. Recommendations
Unite the people of the Yukon River – Do not make noise over fish
Clean up fish waste in river from canneries, end practice of dumping fish waste in river
End or reduce bycatch of king salmon in ocean
Reduce beaver population to protect salmon passage
Improve communication surrounding sonar
Explain methods to fishermen so they understand
Allow fishermen to provide local detailed knowledge
In conclusion, the Elders recommended that we:
Do not fight or make noise over fish, that we are united as a river
To clean up the fish waste in the lower river from the canneries and end the practice of dumping fish waste in the river in their area
Reduce bycatch of king salmon in the ocean
Reduce beaver populations to protect salmon passage
And improve communication surrounding the Pilot Station sonar
This could be explaining the methods so that fishermen understand the methods
And allowing the fishermen to provide local detailed knowledge that they feel may improve the sonar

11. Thank you to the Elders who participated, the Tribal Councils, the agencies who review drafts, and the National Science Foundation for their support!
Thank you also to Mark John, Ann Fienup-Riordan, Alice Rearden, Rebecca Nayamin, and Davina Carl
I would like to thank the Elders, the Tribal Councils, the agencies who provided reviews and the National Science Foundation. I would also like to thank Mark John, Ann Fienup Riordan, Alice Rearden, Rebecca Nayamin, and Davina Carl of Calista Education and Culture for sharing their model, hosting the workshop, and doing the translations.
We were so very sorry that Paul Beans is no longer with us and feel very grateful to have been able to spend this time with him. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and community.
Catherine Moncrieff
Yukon River Drainage
Fisheries Association

12. Feedback on sharing results
Seeking ideas on best ways to share results
Audiences (children, young fishers, fisheries agencies)
Format (children’s book, teacher tool kit, posters, etc)
For the Young Fishers:
As this is a newly completed project, we are looking for your ideas on the best ways to share results. Please consider and share your ideas on who would be the right audience for this information and how we would best share it with them.
As you have seen, in the past we have created a children’s book and teacher tool kit. Other ideas could be more modern, relating to social media, computers and apps.
-Who do you think we should share this with in your communities? Outside of your communities?
-what format should it take? Printed materials, maybe for use in a school? Electronic, maybe on our website or social media? What are other ideas?