Mary Deacon
While Yukon River peoples forgo traditional ways of life to conserve wild salmon, trawlers continue with business as usual — bycatching a documented 141 million pounds of marine life on average each year. This bycatch includes king salmon, chum salmon, halibut, herring, squid, crab, whales and more.
Trawlers trail nets the size of football fields to catch everything in the water column. When they drag the bottom, they rip up seafloor habitat and crush bottom-dwelling species in a way that never comes up to the surface to be counted. And “midwater” trawlers, which are allowed to trawl in protected areas, drag the bottom up to 100% of the time.
Right now, they’re allowed to bycatch an unlimited number of chum salmon. Take action to tell the North Pacific Fishery Management Council this needs to change: salmonstate.org/bycatch
Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association and SalmonState collaborated on sharing Wanda’s stories.
Photo by Jacqueline Cleveland
“I love salmon. That's my lifestyle. My elders taught me and raised me on salmon. It was hard to go out and get meat and they could catch salmon because they had fish nets, and they had a certain way of building a little container that catches fish.
My favorite memory is catching enough fish to feed my family for the year and to feed my dogs and to share with the elders that were unable to get their own. There used to be elders that stayed home year-round. And our elders taught us to share with them. They used to tell us stories. Sometimes they'd be so thankful that they gave you a cracker or a strip of fish but you never ate it, you took it home to your mom and dad. Look what grandma gave me because I packed wood for her!”
—Mary Deacon, Elder from Grayling, Alaska
*Since SalmonState and the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association collected these stories, Mary Deacon has passed away. We extend our condolences to her family and friends, and our thanks to her for sharing these words, stories and wisdom with us, and with all of you.
Photos by Jacqueline Cleveland
“I'm wondering if the fish are ever going to come back for my children and great grandchildren. My extended family. I want to know that anything is going to be done.
I want to see some change.
I'd like to see it at least come back halfway to where it used to be, so my family and my grandkids would enjoy the fish and the other people that are in between. Enjoy the fish again. Because I know all the people love their strips. The way they preserve their food jar, nothing goes to waste. Our people taught us how to preserve these foods. How to keep it and how to share it.”
—Mary Deacon, Elder from Grayling, Alaska
*Since SalmonState and the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association collected these stories, Mary Deacon has passed away. We extend our condolences to her family and friends, and our thanks to her for sharing these words, stories and wisdom with us, and with all of you.
Photos by Jacqueline Cleveland
“My message to the younger generation would be, take care of each other. Look after each other. Also take care of the way you preserve your food. The way you see the animals survive. Take care of the area. And make sure everyone is well taken care of.”
—Mary Deacon, Elder from Grayling, Alaska
*Since SalmonState and the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association collected these stories, Mary Deacon has passed away. We extend our condolences to her family and friends, and our thanks to her for sharing these words, stories and wisdom with us, and with all of you.