Alaska king salmon extinctions — continued

In last week’s Mat-Su Anglers column I documented Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s (ADF&G’s) estimated 85 plus % harvest decline of Northern Cook Inlet origin king salmon for the quarter century (25 years) between 1984 — 2008 to the 5-year period of 2019 — 2023. No ADF&G king salmon spawning escapement goal was attained for the Northern Cook Inlet Management Area in 2023 or 2024, and even after an inseason sport fishery closure to hatchery-enhanced Ship Creek, ADF&G was unable to collect enough Ship Creek king salmon eggs to continue king salmon stocking throughout Northern Cook Inlet at previously planned levels. With total closure of all Northern Cook Inlet sport fisheries targeting wild ocean-run king salmon, these sport fisheries have been Extinct for the past two years. Even with sport fishing extinctions and Upper Cook Inlet commercial closures of near-river set netting during the past two seasons, king salmon spawning escapements have continued to decline.

Adaptive Management Changes that could Boost Chinook Marine Productivity

Also documented in last week’s column was the department’s conclusion that the downturn in king salmon returns and harvests appeared to be driven by reduced king salmon survival, particularly during the first year of ocean life, and possibly in the near shore environment. State-wide evidence for reduced ocean survival is partially based on the fact that hatchery king salmon populations (with more consistent and known numbers of outgoing smolt ) and wild king salmon populations experienced similar levels of return decline / lost production. Although the department’s efforts to maintain major Alaska king salmon populations and some level of harvest opportunity are primarily based on the traditional management practice of controlling the harvest level of returning mature king salmon near or inriver, this practice has repeatedly proven inadequate when mature king salmon returns, from the ocean environment, are less than the spawning population they originated from. Under such circumstances, as has been experienced for a number of years, the traditional practice appears counterintuitive. To this Alaska fishing guide, lacking a college degree, it appears obvious that the only potential way to manage Alaska’s declining king salmon resources on a sustained yield basis (the constitutional mandate) when returns from the ocean environment have not replaced themselves, would be with ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT CHANGES designed to boost marine king salmon survival / production above replacement level..

For more than a decade the department has tried a mostly passive approach to lost ocean production, waiting for positive changes in ocean conditions to once again boost king salmon production throughout the state’s near shore marine environment. The result of that passive approach has been further decline of several major Alaska king salmon populations and lost (unsustainable) harvest from those declining populations. ADF&G has maintained that controlling all the conditions in the ocean environment (that may affect king salmon productivity) is beyond control, but what if a couple human caused changes (in recent history) to the ocean environment may have created a significant portion of lost marine Chinook productivity?

With the current reduced level of marine king salmon productivity, there appears to be less of a correlation between king salmon spawning escapement numbers, and the return of mature king generated from a particular spawning escapement. That correlation is what ADF&G has traditionally used to manage king salmon harvests and populations to maintain sustainability. Even though that spawner / production correlation appears to no longer provide for sustainable king salmon harvests or sustainable populations for specific major Alaska king salmon stocks, it remains the primary standard the department uses — while managing specific wild king salmon harvests and populations now declining toward extinction.

Correlation of Pink Salmon/Chinook Salmon

Many salmon researchers and scientists have observed that as pink salmon abundance has ramped up to over 400 million fish in the Northern Pacific Ocean there has been a corresponding decline in both the harvest numbers and weight of harvested Chinook salmon during the same time period. A record copy (RC178) submitted by Virgil Umphenhour of the Fairbanks Fish and Game Advisory Committee to the recent Southeast Alaska Board of Fisheries meeting in Ketchikan features graphs that vividly illustrate these correlations.

Despite these correlations between pink salmon abundances / reduction in Chinook salmon harvest numbers and weights (which may be compounded by hatchery releases of over a billion small pink salmon some years in State of Alaska waters) the Board of Fisheries and Commissioner of Fish and Game have repeatedly declined to reduce pink salmon hatchery release numbers (on a precautionary basis) to possibly aid in recovery of Alaska’s designated Chinook Salmon Stocks of Concern.

The ADF&G Commissioner and official department staff statements have maintained, that although there is correlation between pink salmon abundance / declines in Chinook salmon harvests and individual Chinook salmon size, those correlations and / or food competition from large pink salmon hatchery releases may not be the cause or sole cause of declines in Alaska-origin Chinook salmon populations.

Since significant reductions in so-called Private Non Profit (PNP) salmon hatchery operations / salmon release numbers would undoubtedly have some negative economic impacts, it is understandable that the Commissioner, Board of Fisheries, and those possibly benefiting from raising / harvesting / processing large volumes of hatchery fish could be reluctant to make or see any reductions in Alaska’s PNP hatchery operations / releases. Meanwhile, ADF&G data shows continued decline in specific major wild Alaska chinook salmon populations — even after near-river commercial and inriver subsistence, personal use, sport and / or commercial fisheries have been reduced for more than decade, and some reduced to total king salmon fishery extinction. With many traditional Alaska chinook salmon fisheries now extinct, and major Alaska Chinook populations still in decline, or not showing much recovery, how long will it be before specific Alaska Chinook population extinctions may occur?

Does anyone else believe that the correlation between pink salmon abundance / Chinook salmon reductions, if addressed through adaptive management, has a an inexplicably greater likelihood of increasing marine Chinook salmon productivity / survival than total harvest closures of near - river / inriver Chinook salmon returns (AFTER poor marine survival has already reduced Chinook returns below spawner replacement levels)?

Trawl Fishery Bycatch

Chinook salmon bycatch in the federally managed pollok trawl fishery, off the coast of Alaska, has long been recognized for negatively impacting Chinook salmon populations and returns. Overtime, however, the federal fishery has evolved to include more complete observer coverage to better document the amount of Chinook salmon bycatch, and better ensure that the fishery remains within the allowable Chinook Salmon bycatch limit.

From consideration of a trawl fishery regulation proposal at the Prince William Sound Alaska Board of Fisheries in Cordova seeking to close trawl fishery within state-managed waters of Prince William Sound there was wide spread support to close the fishery entirely, but also questions as to why the State of Alaska trawl fishery was not managed to at least similar bycatch observer requirements / allowable Chinook bycatch regulations as the federal fishery. Better documenting and potentially reducing negative Chinook salmon impacts, from this state-managed trawl fishery, should be a no-braner in consideration of a way to possibly increase marine Chinook salmon productivity / reduce Chinook mortalities. While the board did not adopt this particular trawl fishery proposal at the Cordova meeting, Board of Fishery member Stan Zurray submitted RC78 (see the online edition for the link) at the Ketchikan meeting that members of the public may want to support before the Alaska legislature.

In closing, I find writing this column on the present extinctions of entire Alaska Chinook salmon fisheries, and the possible pending extinction(s) of major Alaska Chinook salmon population(s) —rather unpleasant and tedious. Even so, I would much more abhor an Alaska where major king salmon populations cease to exist. I have fished for, caught, and harvested wild Alaska king salmon from some of Alaska’s major king salmon populations (freshwaters) for more than 3/4 of my life. As a sport, personal use, and subsistence user, I can think of no more appropriate Alaska state fish than the king or Chinook Salmon — as designated by the Alaska legislature in 1965.

It is my hope this column may spur others to recognize the significance of Alaska’s state fish, spur them to ask for more responsive management of wild Alaska king salmon populations — that would meet or exceed an average Alaskan’s definition for providing sustainable king salmon populations and sustainable and reasonable king salmon fisheries throughout the State of Alaska. I would encourage Governor Dunleavy, along with all Alaska state legislators, Alaska's U.S. Congressional Delegation, and all concerned Alaskans to join in this mission.

See 2025 ADF&G emergency regulation changes for Mat-Su Valley king salmon conservation purposes on the ADF&G website. See the online version for the link.

Good luck and future King Salmon On!

Andy Couch currently chairs the Matanuska Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission and is a Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee member, however, the positions expressed in this column are his own.