salmon
Newsletter
Credit: Andrey Burmakin/Big Stock Photo
Warming waters and overfishing threaten Alaska's salmon and culture
Native Alaskan communities face declining salmon populations due to warming river waters and industrial fishing practices, which disrupt traditional lifestyles and food sources.
In short:
- Rising river temperatures force salmon to migrate north to cooler Arctic waters, impacting the migratory patterns and survival of several species.
- Indigenous communities in Alaska, heavily reliant on salmon for sustenance and culture, are now turning to other food sources due to depleted salmon stocks.
- The combination of climate change and industrial fishing practices, such as bycatch from trawlers, exacerbates salmon scarcity in regions like the Yukon River.
Key quote:
"This will be the fifth year of not fishing. We had a lot of heat stress in 2019. Salmon were floating up dead in the river and we saw salmon divert into cooler streams much more downriver. After that, everything was shut down."
— Eva Dawn Burk, Nenana native Village.
Why this matters:
Salmon scarcity threatens the cultural and food sovereignty of native Alaskan communities that rely on salmon for survival. But this species is not the only one impacted by rising temperatures: a 2024 global study by the World Fish Migration Foundation found migratory freshwater fish populations declined 81% on average between 1970 and 2020. Industrial fishing and climate change require urgent management reforms to preserve these critical ecosystems and cultural heritage.
Related: “We are a salmon people”.
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Credit: Susan Montgomery/Big Stock Photo
Hot weather poses new threat to salmon migration
Record-high temperatures in Washington state threaten the migration of sockeye salmon in the Columbia River Basin, raising concerns among fisheries managers about the future of these fish.
In short:
- A heat wave has pushed water temperatures in the Columbia River Basin above the 68-degree threshold preferred by sockeye salmon.
- The Okanogan River, a critical path for migrating sockeye, has seen temperatures near 83 degrees, risking the fish's journey to spawning grounds.
- Fisheries managers are considering interventions like trucking fish upstream to help them bypass dangerous thermal barriers.
Key quote:
“Those water temperatures are warmer than ever this year. Literally, they’re almost too warm to swim in.”
— Tom Iverson, regional coordinator for the Yakama Nation Fisheries
Why this matters:
Warmer water can severely impede salmon migration, threatening the species' survival and impacting ecosystems. Long-term climate trends could make these heatwaves more frequent, challenging conservation efforts.
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Big Stock Photo
In a major shift, Northwest tribes — not U.S. officials — will control salmon recovery fund
The Biden administration punted on key demands from Indigenous leaders to tear down hydroelectric dams hindering salmon. But tribes won control over $1 billion for other salmon efforts.
Newsletter
Photo by Greg Johnson on Unsplash
The Yukon River in Alaska is running out of salmon
Alaskan communities have seen a vital food source disappear as fewer salmon make it up the Yukon River.
Photo by Drew Farwell on Unsplash
Fish out of water: North American drought bakes salmon
An unprecedented drought across much of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington and Oregon, U.S., during the summer and fall months of June through October could have dire impacts on Pacific salmon populations, biologists warn.
Native lands lack clean water protections, but more tribes are taking charge
Some tribes have passed ordinances to regulate polluters, others have sought authority under federal law to establish water quality standards
Photo by Travis Yewell on Unsplash
The salmon on your plate has a troubling cost. These farms offer hope
Land-based aquaculture is still coming into its own, but it stands to upend an industry plagued by environmental concerns.
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