Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

The Yukon River delta is home to many subsistence Tribal communities that rely heavily on salmon as a food source. These communities structure resource use and management around Local/Traditional Ecological Knowledge (LTEK). LTEK is a rich source of data built on observations and natural indicators throughout generations. The use of LTEK is growing in interest across the world, as governments, scientists, and local people struggle with declining resources, climate change and environmental changes. Recently, the Yukon River salmon runs have been declining, jeopardizing the well being of subsistence communities. Additionally, climate change may be impacting these communities’ food security. This paper will assess the concerns and observations of the Alakanuk Tribal community in relation to food security in order to explore the potential use of participatory methodologies, generated from a combination s of LTEK, western science and resource management. Approaching concerns of food security, salmon health, climate change, and impacts of large-scale fisheries through the human dimension and a participatory approach, may bring fisheries science and management to the level of ecosystem-based management, further incorporating a holistic approach to fisheries management.