Pacific Salmon: Ecology and Management of Western Alaska’s Populations

Salmon Fishery Management within the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Region: Emergent Issues and Unspoken Themes

Roy A. Stein and Charles C. Krueger

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781934874110.ch61

Abstract.—As part of the Sustainability of the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) Salmon Fisheries Symposium held in Anchorage, Alaska during February 5–9, 2007, we identify and discuss the issues that connect the symposium’s presentations and papers (this volume), especially those focusing on AYK stock status and management. We also describe themes that, based on our experience, we know exist but were not explicitly discussed by symposium participants. Issues emerging from the symposium included: different mechanisms affecting stock abundance, cooperation between industry and management, the challenges of stock-recruit curves, effects of broad-scale environmental instability, biocomplexity and stock-specific management, management power-sharing, and conflicts among fisheries. Two unspoken themes were (1) the management tensions between up-river and down-river fishers on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers and between state and federal management authorities, and (2) data sharing among the scientific, management, and stakeholder communities. Understanding how escapement goals were set, and identifying where shared values exist among stakeholder groups and managers were themes that should have gained attention and discussion. Each of the themes could provide a focus for future discussion, research, and resolution, thus leading to alternative ways to manage salmon in the region.