This project supports work under the pacific salmon treaty

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game received a $283,418 Project Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Pacific Salmon Treaty Program (CFDA 11.438), effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2028. This award supports implementation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty through improvements to salmon population monitoring and management capabilities in Southeast Alaska. Specifically, the project will enhance escapement estimates and biologically-based escapement goals, advance abundance-based management methodologies, improve stock composition analysis, and increase data availability for Chinook salmon stocks across five river systems: the Chilkat, Unuk, Chickamin, Blossom, and Keta Rivers.

Work performed under this award will be conducted in Juneau, Alaska, and will generate scientific and technical services—including monitoring data, analytical frameworks, and management recommendations—essential to fulfilling U.S. commitments under the Pacific Salmon Treaty and supporting salmon recovery objectives. The three-year award reflects NOAA's funding priority for state programs that directly address salmon recovery and support international management of salmon fishery stocks by the Pacific Salmon Commission.

The primary goals are to improve or maintain escapement estimates, biologically-based escapement goals, improvement of methods for abundance-based management, stock composition, and data availability. Work will focus on chinook salmon stocks in the chilkat, unuk, chickamin, blossom, and keta rivers.