Tribes and the Yukon Delta Refuge Uniting to Address the Salmon Collapse on the Kuskokwim River: Tues, 11/18, 5pm AK

Note:  This program will take place even if the government shutdown continues.  However, watch parties for Homer and Soldotna will need to be relocated.   Watch this page for updates.

• Bethel – Spencer will present at the Kuskokwim Campus, UAF, Rm 118, 201 Akiak Dr; Kevin will zoom from McGrath
• Anchorage – Watch Party at REI’s Community Room, 500 E. Northern Lights Blvd.
• Homer – Watch Party at Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, 95 Sterling Hwy.
• Soldotna – Watch Party at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, Ski Hill Road
• ZOOM from wherever you are – link will be posted here closer to the program 

Salmon have been the lifeblood of Kuskokwim River communities for thousands of years. PC Therese Vicente/KRITFC

First it was the Chinook salmon that drastically declined in the Kuskokwim River.  Then the chums and coho salmon followed with steep declines.  This multi-year, multi-species salmon disaster was not just an ecological crisis for the Kuskokwim River drainages of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge but a significant humanitarian crisis for all the peoples’ that depend on salmon for food security and cultural integrity.  Come hear from Kevin Whitworth of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and Yukon Delta Refuge Manager Spencer Rearden about this crisis and how a unique partnership of local tribes and the refuge formed up to manage salmon on the river.  They will address the current state of salmon and how we got here.  How Tribes of the Kuskokwim came together to form the Fish Commission to attack this problem that threatened their way of life.  And how the refuge came to managing a fishery, setting openings and closings for fish harvest, that under normal circumstances would be done by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

The Kuskokwim River is the second largest in Alaska and home to all five species of Alaska salmon.  The drainage contains about 38 communities of mostly Athabascan and Yup’ik people that have been depending on salmon as the mainstay of their diet for thousands of years.  Gathering subsistence foods is a central part of village life and cultural identity.  When the salmon runs collapsed in 2010 and remained depressed, tribal leaders came together to form the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission in 2015.  

Yukon Delta Refuge’s fish biologist Nate Akers (left) with Evan Waska of Kwethluk collecting salmon smolt from the live trap for identification and measurements. PC KRITFC

Salmon are also key to the wildlife and ecology of the 20 million-acre Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, the largest refuge in the nation.  Predators such as bear and eagle depend on the fish as do other fish species such as the record sized rainbow trout and Dolly Vardin who feast on salmon eggs.  But these impacts on the refuge were not the main reason the refuge was drawn into salmon management.  The 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) that established the 16 national wildlife refuges in Alaska as they exist today also specified a local rural subsistence priority for use of Alaska wildlife in times of shortage.  This was a time of shortage.  The refuge had to take over management of the fishery from the state to ensure subsistence preference which meant reducing harvest and determining fishing opportunities while balancing subsistence and conservation needs.

Biographies

Growing up in McGrath, Kevin Whitworth learned from his elders to love the land, the river, and the natural world from an early age. He spent many hours exploring, hunting, fishing, and trapping out in the woods and on the rivers. Through high school and college, Kevin spent his summers working as a biological technician at several wildlife refuges across the state. After graduating from University of Alaska Fairbanks, he worked a number of full-time positions for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, including Deputy Refuge Manager for the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge in McGrath. Kevin has also worked for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and as the Lands and Natural Resources Manager for MTNT Limited, the McGrath village corporation. While working for the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Kevin met his wife, Dara who also worked for the refuge. They have a young son and two daughters and enjoy spending time at their remote cabin, dogsledding with their team of dogs, and being outside as much as possible. He joined Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission team in May 2018 and has served as Executive Director since 2022.

Spencer Rearden grew up in rural Alaska, where wide open spaces, vast public lands, and a deep connection to the environment shaped his passion for conservation and science. Spencer was raised in a subsistence lifestyle centered on fishing, berry picking, and hunting — traditions that continue to influence both his personal and professional life.  Spencer earned his Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. He started his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as a Wildlife Biologist with the Office of Subsistence Management, where he became well-versed in the Federal subsistence regulatory process and Title VIII of ANILCA. Through this work, he helped develop and justify regulatory changes to conserve fish and wildlife resources while supporting rural and Native subsistence users. Over the past 20 years, Spencer has worked in both private and government positions, primarily in Alaska.

At the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, he has held several roles, including Big Game Biologist,  Assistant Refuge Manager, Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, and Refuge Manager since 2023.  Spencer’s education, professional expertise, and firsthand understanding of Alaska’s subsistence traditions have helped him build strong partnerships with local and Native communities to advance conservation goals. He remains dedicated to ensuring that subsistence practices, and the cultural values they represent, endure for future generations.

The Kisaralik River, an important tributary to the Kuskokwim, was the scene of the Friends Discovery trip to the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in 2024.  Anecdotally, we noted sharply decreased numbers of Dolly Vardin and rainbow trout compared to a decade ago.  Trout and Dolly Vardin are predators on salmon eggs so likely their populations are affected by the salmon collapse.  PC Poppy Benson/Friends