Status and Stewardship of Salmon Stocks in Southeast Alaska

Abstract

Wild stocks of coho Oncorhynchus kisutch, chinook O. tshawytscha, sockeye O. nerka, pink O. gorbuscha, and chum O. feto salmon in Southeast Alaska were generally at historically high levels in the 1980s and 1990s, well above the weak runs that occurred in the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s. These healthy runs reflect the success of efforts to (1) protect the habitat; (2) rebuild and attain escapements that are appropriate in spatial and temporal distribution and abundance; and (3) appropriately enhance stocks. Good survival due to favorable ocean and climatic conditions also have contributed. Current stock assessment and management programs generally are adequate for recognizing and responding to conservation concerns. Fishery management actions are routinely taken to attain escapements needed to maximize yields, i.e., escapement levels that sustain healthy stocks far above levels risking collapse. A management strategy has evolved that harvests the thousands of island and coastal stocks in mixed stock fisheries; this effectively moderates exploitation rates and reduces the risk of overexploiting individual runs or temporal segments of runs, as occurred historically. The ability to reduce exploitation rates in years with weak runs is an important element for these mixed stock fisheries. Fisheries targeting local stocks are effectively managed for desired escapements, as facilitated by stock-specific estimates of runs and escapements. Habitat protection regulations are generally adequate to promote a healthy environment for salmon in the future, although the cumulative impacts of timber harvesting and localized mining and urbanization are of concern. If current escapements and habitat are maintained, future salmon production should remain healthy, fluctuating primarily with natural environmental variability.

Topics & Concepts