Salmon returning to the chilkat watershed are vital to the culture, traditions, and livelihoods of the chilkat indian village (CIV) klukwan jilkat kwan people

Yet, there are limited data and methods to assess the critical habitats and population structure of salmon in the chilkat river basin, one of the pacific rims most productive watersheds. The chilkat river watershed is home to all five species of wild pacific salmon, and this includes the second largest coho (silver) salmon run in southeast alaska. As keystone species, healthy salmon returns are crucial for the ecosystems of the watershed. Our valley is home to the worlds largest congregation of bald eagles found near our traditional village. These salmon waters are critical to the culture and economic well-being of jilkat kwan. However, our peoples face significant challenges in sustaining chilkat salmon due to environmental impacts from climate change and mining development. Chilkat indian village (klukwan) proposes a project to map and analyze the habitat and populations of sockeye salmon using advanced microchemical (strontium isotope) tracking techniques. Supported by the U.S. Fish and wildlife service tribal wildlife grant, this project will create the first detailed map of strontium isotope variation across the watershed s rivers, providing our sovereign government with a new tool for tracking fish populations and critical habitats in the chilkat river watershed. As fish move throughout the watershed, they naturally record the chemical trace elements of river water in their ear stones (otoliths), which can be matched to the strontium river map to predict their habitats, freshwater life histories, and spawning populations. The project will conduct a comprehensive sampling campaign of river waters to build this strontium river map, serving as a baseline dataset for ongoing salmon population monitoring. This initial phase of the project will be followed by analyzing otoliths from 300 sockeye salmon caught our tribal members during subsistence harvests. Strontium signatures in these otoliths will be statistically matched to the strontium river map to provide high-resolution assessments of previously unrecognized populations and their habitats in the watershed. The university of utahs strontium isotope laboratory and ocean earth environmental scientists will provide crucial analysis and technical support as subrecipients, enhancing the project s capacity to deliver detailed and actionable data. The results will have multifaceted impacts, enhancing capacities for targeted restoration and conservation of critical habitats and populations while also serving as a springboard for ongoing monitoring of other vital or vulnerable salmon populations such as productive coho and at-risk chinook stocks, respectively. The findings from this work will be available digitally and in print. CIV will share the results in meetings with the tribal community, borough, state, and federal agencies, and other regional tribal governments, fostering unified engagement with stewards and management agencies to utilize these results in future management and conservation efforts.