Alaska

Salmon numbers still struggling across Alaska

Published

11 months ago

July 7, 2023

Salmon numbers still struggling across Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Low numbers of salmon continue to frustrate those who rely on some of the state’s largest fisheries.

The Bristol Bay area has been somewhat of a mixed bag, as sockeye salmon numbers are doing well but king salmon numbers remain well below escapement goals.

Tim Sands, west side of Bristol Bay area management biologist, said making sure everyone gets their fair share isn’t easy.

“When you have these conflicting goals of harvesting sockeye and trying to manage for king salmon escapement, it gets really complex,” Sands said.

According to Sands, in 2018 there was an escapement of over 97,000 chinook salmon — and fish spawned in that year’s run are due to return this year. But only 27,761 chinook salmon have crossed escapement goals as of Wednesday.

Sands said there are many theories to their absence — likely related to the ocean itself, as there are chinook shortages coastwide.

Further west, a similar situation is occurring in the Kuskokwim River area, where around 142,000 king salmon were expected — but with current trends, the run is expected to be below even that number.

Sean Larson, an ADF&G Kuskokwim area research biologist, says the numbers there are below average. Larson further said chum salmon are doing much better than in recent years in the Kuskokwim region, but that their numbers are also well below average.

A similar situation is occurring on the Yukon, where for the first time in years, communities on the headwaters are able to subsistence fish for chum salmon. However, the same cannot be said for communities further upriver.

“For the last three years, we haven’t got to fish at all and so it’s very … it hurts. Our culture really depends on king salmon and chum,” Yukon River Intertribal Fish Commission chair Karma Ulvi said.

Ulvi says communities further up the Yukon have turned to caribou for subsistence in the absence of strong salmon runs, but that their numbers are declining as well. Many families have also been purchasing food from Fairbanks and sending it as freight, which she says costs around 70 cents per pound.

“There are a few things that we are able to stop — and that human interaction like commercial fishing and bycatch, those are things that we can actually make a difference,” Ulvi said.

Down south, the president of the Area M Seiners Association Kiley Thompson said commercial fishermen in the area voluntarily took time off during the June fishery to avoid Western Alaskan chum salmon.

Matt Keyse, the South Alaska Peninsula salmon and herring area management biologist for commercial fisheries, said the sockeye harvest by the end of June was well below the past 10 year average of 1.6 million fish — down to just under 900,000 — and that chum numbers were down from around 500,000 to 200,000 on the south side of the Alaska Peninsula.

Speaking by phone, Thompson said his commercial fishing boat was headed back to port due to a combination of a lack of fish and a lower market price for salmon.

“It’s hard to make ends meet. Just paying for the fuel alone is a hard, hard challenge as low as the prices are,” Thompson said.

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Related Topics:area m Bristol Bay Commercial Featured fish fishing salmon Subsistence Yukon

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Alaska

Alaska implements limits on cruise ship passengers after record footfall

Published

7 hours ago

June 15, 2024

Press Room

Alaska implements limits on cruise ship passengers after record footfall

While many businesses benefit from tourist spending, residents are increasingly troubled by noisy helicopters, congested streets and trails, and environmental damage. To address these issues, Juneau has struck a deal with the Cruise Lines International Association in Alaska. The agreement sets daily limits of 16,000 passengers from Sundays to Fridays, and 12,000 on Saturdays
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Alaska’s capital city Juneau located on the Gastineau Channel, is taking action to manage the influx of cruise ship tourists, amid rising worries about the impact on local life.

This came also after city saw a record 1.65 million cruise passengers last year, marking a 23% increase from previous highs.

Alexandra Pierce, Juneau’s tourism manager, highlighted city’s stance on managing growth within its current infrastructure limitations. She highlighted the importance of balancing economic benefits with residents’ concerns and preserving local livelihoods.

Despite this effort, longtime critic of the cruise industry, Karla Hart, remains skeptical. She fears that even with the agreed limits, the city could still see record-breaking arrivals during the 22-week cruise season. Hart is advocating for a local referendum proposing “ship-free Saturdays” to protect community quality of life.

The global cruise industry, rebounding strongly post-pandemic, continues to grow with increasingly large ships. For instance, the Icon of the Seas, launched in January, accommodates over 7,000 passengers and boasts the world’s largest onboard waterpark.

Juneau’s concerns echo those of other cities worldwide grappling with social and environmental impacts from cruise tourism. Venice has banned large cruise ships from its lagoon, while Barcelona and Amsterdam have implemented restrictions and taxes to mitigate these effects.

Hart highlighted ongoing concerns about emissions, ship strikes, and climate change attributed to cruise ship and urged further measures to safeguard Juneau’s environment and community well-being.

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Alaska

YMCA of Alaska and Alyeska Ski Resort break down new development plans

Published

14 hours ago

June 15, 2024

Press Room

YMCA of Alaska and Alyeska Ski Resort break down new development plans

The Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, the rapid-fire gun accessory used in the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that killed 60 people — including the gunman — and wounded more than 400. Alaskans reacted to the ruling Friday, many expressing mixed reactions.

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Alaska

Steady progress continues to protect cabins near the McDonald Fire

Published

21 hours ago

June 14, 2024

Press Room

Steady progress continues to protect cabins near the McDonald Fire

Size: 32,725.9 acres

Personnel: 49

Start Date: June 8, 2024

Cause: Lightning

Minimal activity observed on the McDonald Fire on Thursday

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – The McDonald Fire experienced thunderstorms with lightning and an estimated .15 inch of rain Thursday night. A flight over the fire Thursday afternoon showed minimal fire activity – smoldering and creeping – with some smoke on the northern edge. No fire growth was observed. The fire remains west of the Tanana River.

Isolated to scattered showers will continue the rest of Friday with widely scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. These thunderstorms could have strong and gusty winds, small hail, and lightning. A portable weather station was set up Thursday to provide a more accurate weather forecast for the fire area closest to where firefighters are working.

BLM Alaska Fire Service Smokejumpers, the Midnight Sun Hotshot Crew and the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) White Mountain module continue working on structure protection on cabins to the south the fire along 5 Mile Creek. This includes more cutting and clearing around the cabins to create defensible space. Smokejumpers reached the last two remote cabin sites Thursday and will start working on constructing protection measures Friday.

Firefighters are removing fire-weakened trees along the creek to prevent blowdown that would block access and egress to the area. Keeping the creek clear will allow safe travel for firefighters and for the cabin owners after firefighters leave.

DOF has 42 personnel staged near the McDonald Fire at Harding Lake. These crews, the Pioneer Peak Hotshots and Gannet Glacier, continue fuels mitigation work at the Harding Lake State Park and are prepared to quickly respond to any new starts in the Interior.

Weather Forecast: Thunderstorms will end before midnight, but isolated to scattered showers will continue into Saturday morning. Warmer and drier conditions are expected over the weekend with a slight chance of evening thunderstorms. A high temperature of 69 degrees with a low humidity of 40% is expected for Friday.

Burn Permits: There are no DOF burn suspensions for the area. Please check https://dnr.alaska.gov/burn/fireareas or call the burn permit hotline for the Fairbanks Area Forestry at (907) 451-2631 for the most current updates.

Air Quality: The Alaska Department of Conservation Air Quality Advisory for the Central and Eastern Alaska has expired and none are issued for this area. Find information on how to protect yourself from wildfire smoke at the Smoke Management page on akfireinfo.com.

Evacuation notices: The Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) issued a Level 2: SET evacuation notice for the approximately 20 cabins that are near the fire’s southern edge. The FNSB also put areas along the lower Salcha River, Harding Lake, Hollies Acres, and Canaday neighborhoods in a READY status. Find more information and an interactive map of these areas on the Fairbanks North Star Borough Emergency Services website.

-BLM-

Bureau of Land Management, Alaska Fire Service, P.O. Box 35005 1541 Gaffney Road, Fort Wainwright, Ak 99703

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Learn more at www.blm.gov/AlaskaFireService, and on Facebook and Twitter.

The Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service (AFS) located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, provides wildland fire suppression services for over 240 million acres of Department of the Interior and Native Corporation Lands in Alaska. In addition, AFS has other statewide responsibilities that include: interpretation of fire management policy; oversight of the BLM Alaska Aviation program; fuels management projects; and operating and maintaining advanced communication and computer systems such as the Alaska Lightning Detection System. AFS also maintains a National Incident Support Cache with a $18.1 million inventory. The Alaska Fire Service provides wildland fire suppression services for America’s “Last Frontier” on an interagency basis with the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Military in Alaska.

‹ Red Flag Warning issued in northeast Alaska for dry lightning

Categories: Active Wildland Fire, AK Fire Info, BLM Alaska Fire Service

Tags: 2024 Alaska Fire Season, McDonald Fire

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