Decline in Big Lake sockeye returns could spell disaster

Bruce Knowles

Spectrum

Several years ago this comment was made at a Board of Fisheries hearing, "There appears to be a lot of smoke concerning the salmon problems in Knik Arm."

It now appears a fire has broken out and we may have another Big Lake disaster. The health of fish stocks and salmon stocks in Big Lake and its tributaries continues to be depressed, which is of great concern to local fishermen and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game fishery biologists.

As sockeye salmon returns to Big Lake continue their downward spiral so does the health of resident stocks such as arctic char, rainbow trout and other fresh-water fish that depend on these sockeye salmon as a primary food source. Has the time come to identify the Fish Creek sockeye salmon as a stock on concern?

This is not a new problem. Big Lake has had a checkered past with ups and downs since the ‘40s and ‘50s, but the problem surfaced again about eight to 10 years ago.

Although there are a few theories, fisheries biologists are no closer to identifying the problem following very limited studies and monitoring than they were when the problem first surfaced. New testing has been started but answers are at least two to four years away.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Board of Fisheries have taken a long list of actions to protect Knik Arm and Fish Creek stocks, the latest action taken by the Board of Fisheries was in 1998. Actions such as eliminating the directed commercial harvest on Fish Creek sockeye salmon, limiting the harvest of returning salmon stocks to Knik Arm, and reducing the harvest of fish caught by sport fisherman.

To date, the closure of commercial fishing and subsistence fishing in Knik Arm, and the early closure of the personal-use fishery on Fish Creek for the past four years, has failed to stem the decline of the Big Lake sockeye salmon stocks. The board reduced the harvest of sports fishermen by limiting the numbers and size of fish that could be retained and restricting ice fishing to artificial lures only.

All of these actions have failed to stem the decline in the depressed Big Lake sockeye salmon returns. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game escapement report shows the sockeye salmon returns have fallen from more than 63,000 in 1996 to less than 20,000 in 2000.

It is not clearly known whether this is directly related to low productivity within the system or a product of a reduced stocking program. Low returns of sockeye salmon to the system have likely impacted the resident fish populations as well by eliminating one of their primary food sources, juvenile salmon.

If the sockeye salmon returns to this system further decline so will the health of resident fish populations as well. An arctic char caught by an ice fisherman earlier this winter showed signs of being malnourished. The char was 22 inches long and weighed less than two pounds, which is well below what a healthy fish of that size should weigh.

The Palmer office of the Department of Fish and Game sport fish division is making plans to further restrict, or possibly eliminate, the personal-use fishery at Fish Creek for this year, and quite possibly for the foreseeable future.

It could until such times as sockeye salmon numbers increase to what is perceived to be a sustainable level. This action is needed to protect returning sockeye salmon. This is the only personal-use salmon fishery in the Municipality of Anchorage and the Mat-Su Borough. Many Alaskans depend on these fish for their winter food supply.

Given the poor track record in this system the Board of Fisheries must identify the Fish Creek sockeye salmon returns as a stock of concern under the new sustainable fisheries program. If the board were to take this action it would require that these Big Lake sockeye salmon stocks be given additional protection.

The Board of Fisheries will meet in just a little over a year to review and act on problems identified by the department and other users.

If the health of salmon returning to Big Lake and other streams is important to you, let the Board of Fisheries, your legislators and your local government know how you feel. The public input is important to their decision-making process. No action now could mean no salmon later! Do your part!

Bruce Knowles has lived in the Valley since 1982. He has been active in fishery issues for seven or eight years and has served on numerous committees associated with fishery management issues, fishing guide legislation and management of the recreational rivers.