The Tŝilhqot’in Nation is calling on Alaska, Canada, and the US to stop the interception of Fraser bound sockeye in the Alaska District 104 Fishery due to dire forecasts about the state of Fraser River sockeye returns this season. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) predicts the return of Fraser sockeye this year to be the “lowest on record”.

The Alaska District 104 Fishery, located in Alaskan waters north of Haida Gwaii, targets Canadian-bound salmon, including Fraser River sockeye, in addition to US-bound pink salmon. Based on Alaska’s own monitoring data, the Alaska District 104 Fishery impacts Fraser River sockeye every year and can have substantial impacts on Fraser sockeye when returns are critically low.

The Alaska District 104 fishery is authorized by Canada and the US under the Pacific Salmon Treaty and is managed by Alaska. In recent years, Tsilhqot’in Chiefs have called on the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) to address critical problems with the Alaska District 104 fishery: this fishery harvests before monitoring information on returning stocks is available and there are no limits on the amount of Fraser sockeye that are harvested in this fishery, even under the most extreme conservation conditions.

In 2020, the catastrophically low return of Fraser sockeye prompted the closure of all Washington State and Canadian fisheries. The Tŝilhqot’in Nation made the difficult decision to close its own traditional, community-based fishery at tremendous sacrifice to the community’s cultural practices and food security.  The Tŝilhqot’in Nation was alarmed to later learn that the Alaskan fishery harvested 9% of Chilko River sockeye — the foundation of the Tŝilhqot’in traditional fishery.

The Tŝilhqot’in Nation Leadership has repeatedly called on the PSC in past years to address the problems with this “authorized” fishery. Given the documented impact on Fraser sockeye each year, the Tsilhqot’in Nation calls for urgent action to stop the interception by Alaska fisheries on historically low returns of Fraser sockeye this year.

“We make huge sacrifices to protect our Territory and our salmon. The stakes are too high for our Tŝilhqot’in communities who rely on Chilko sockeye as the foundation of our traditional fishery. The Chilko sockeye are central to our Aboriginal fishing rights, culture, and identity as Tŝilhqot’in people. Our Nation has consistently and repeatedly called on Canada, the US, and Alaska to take urgent action and remove the unacceptable risk to our fish. Record-low returns of Chilko sockeye hurts the Tŝilhqot’in people’s way of life and immediate action is critical.”

—Nits’ilʔin (Chief) Joe Alphonse, O.B.C, LL.D. (hon.). Tribal Chair
Tŝilhqot’in National Government

Contact:

Nikki Berreth
Communications Manager

nberreth@tsilhqotin.ca
Cell  250 302 3979