SalmonState welcomes the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act as a first step towards addressing devastating salmon declines

JUNEAU—On December 17, U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski introduced the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act which, if passed, would form a panel of salmon stakeholders and experts to assess current salmon research and develop recommendations to guide future salmon research and management.

The proposed legislation came just days after a two-day Salmon Roundtable that the Alaska Congressional delegation hosted with a panel of Alaska Native leaders and state and federal officials. During the Salmon Roundtable, Alaska Native leaders from the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Unalakleet, and Chignik regions spoke to the impacts that issues like climate change and salmon bycatch are having on local wild salmon runs, which have returned at record-low levels in recent years.

“As was shared during the Salmon Roundtable, we are at a critical moment for the Yukon, Kuskokwim, Unalakleet, and Chignik watersheds. Dozens of Alaska Native communities are facing a long winter without salmon and a potential future without salmon. We can’t allow that in Alaska -— not on our watch,” said Tim Bristol, Executive Director of SalmonState. “And it’s not just those watersheds where salmon are struggling; we are seeing low salmon returns throughout much of the state and it’s taking a toll on Alaska’s local fishermen, businesses, and communities.”

“We applaud the Senators for taking an important first step towards ensuring Alaska remains a place where wild salmon and the people who depend on them thrive. We hope that their bill passes swiftly and we look forward to seeing what recommendations come from the task force. In the meantime, we encourage the Senators and state and federal agencies to utilize the research and information that’s already available and deploy immediate measures that we know for a fact will help Alaska’s wild salmon: protect Alaska’s most productive salmon watersheds, integrate Indigenous knowledge in management decisions, minimize any potential salmon bycatch, and invest in salmon habitat restoration and climate resiliency.”