This project addresses a priority information need identified for the arctic region regarding changes in salmon distribution, abundance, migration, and timing in river drainages of kotzebue sound

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game received a $164,450 cooperative agreement from the Department of the Interior's Office of Subsistence Management under the Alaska Subsistence Management program (CFDA 15.636) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. The project documents traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) from residents of Ambler, Noorvik, and Kotzebue regarding changes in salmon distribution, abundance, migration, and timing in the Kobuk River, Noatak River, and Kotzebue Sound drainages. This initiative responds to identified community concerns about environmental changes affecting salmon harvest capabilities and recent reports of delayed salmon runs and poor fishing conditions.

The research employs standard anthropological methods including key respondent interviews, participant observation, and mapping to capture local knowledge from residents across the region who harvest salmon in diverse areas of the Northwest Arctic. By engaging these three strategically selected communities, the project captures perspectives from both upper and lower Kobuk River users as well as Noatak River and Kotzebue Sound harvesters. The deliverables consist of documented TEK findings that will inform subsistence fisheries management on federal public lands for rural Alaskans, building upon prior harvest assessment projects and incorporating feedback from the Northwest Arctic Regional Subsistence Advisory Council regarding environmental and climate-related impacts on salmon resources.

While chum (oncorhynchus keta) are the predominant species of salmon in the region, all five species of pacific salmon that return to alaska are found in the kobuk and noatak river drainages. Salmon species are an important part of the subsistence diet of the region and are harvested in large quantities by residents throughout the 14 communities of the kotzebue management district. Division of subsistence harvest assessment projects in 12 kotzebue district communities show a heavy reliance on salmon resources. Recent ethnographic information collected by the division of subsistence as a part of these harvest assessment projects has documented concerns by residents of the kotzebue district regarding environmental changes that have affected their ability to harvest and process salmon. Additionally, during northwest arctic regional subsistence advisory council (RAC) meetings in march and november 2020, council members expressed concern regarding water temperatures in the rivers delaying salmon runs, concerns over the potential effects of development, and the particularly poor salmon fishing season in 2020. Building on these recent studies, this project will document traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) from residents of ambler, noorvik, and kotzebue regarding changing salmon distribution, abundance, migration, and timing. These communities were chosen to include perspectives of residents of the region who harvest salmon in the lower and upper kobuk river, as well as in kotzebue sound and the noatak river. The research will employ standard anthropological data gathering methods of key respondent interviews, participant observation, and mapping to document the TEK of salmon species in northwest alaska. Investigators will use a general semi-structured interview guide developed in consultation with the tribal councils and other knowledgeable community members. During interview sessions, key respondents will be asked to map historical and contemporary subsistence harvest areas, as well as historical and contemporary areas of observed fish migration. The temporal focus of these two mapping topics will allow for the documentation of changes to productive areas of harvest as well as any changes to fish abundance and movement in key waterways utilized for subsistence. Participant observation may include visiting different harvest or habitat areas, assisting community members to set or check nets, helping to distribute a harvest to different households or assist with processing the harvest, or visiting households to learn about kinship relationships or fishing groups in the community, among many other interactions. ADF g staff will work closely with participating communities to assure effective local participation. As such, tribal governments will serve as project collaborators, supporting the research through tribal resolutions and assisting investigators in local logistics. The principal investigator will work with tribal councils in the study communities to hire local research assistants to help conduct key respondent interviews and facilitate community meetings. Researchers will visit study communities after the completion of data collection to bring draft results for review with local governments and residents.