Millions of wild salmon are being caught in Alaska's commercial fisheries before they reach their native rivers to spawn in Canada, conservation groups say. This increasing pressure on salmon stocks is causing concern among both fishers and biologists. - Story and photos by Camille Vernet, Radio-Canada.
Frustration in British Columbia
In 2023, 3 million fish from Canadian waters were intercepted by Alaskan fisheries, according to estimates by the SkeenaWild Conservation Trust.
"That's more than all of the salmon caught commercially in British Columbia," says Kaitlin Yehle, a fisheries biologist with the Skeena Wild Conservation Trust .
A total of 230 million wild salmon were caught in Alaska last year, a 43 per cent increase over the previous year. That shocks commercial fisherman Ken Lawson in Prince Rupert. “It's alarming. It's very hurtful.” "If they catch our sockeye and Pacific salmon before they get here, we're left with nothing but crumbs, he says."
Ken Lawson, a commercial fisherman in Prince Rupert, is concerned about the future of commercial fishing in British Columbia.
The fisherman is speaking out against restrictions on fishing in British Columbia that he says benefit the United States. "When the Chinook salmon come to Alaska, they close the fishery, to protect the spawning. But when it comes to our fish coming back, they stop at nothing."
Additional pressure on wild salmon
These practices come on top of the many other threats already facing salmon in British Columbia, creating unsustainable pressure, Yehle said. "In Canada, many fisheries have evolved to mitigate the impact on salmon populations. But across the border in southeast Alaska, the pressure is only increasing." "The salmon are not being given a chance to recover," adds the fisheries biologist from the SkeenaWild Conservation Trust. "The fishing season is not over yet, but the trend seems to continue this year," she says.
Kaitlin Yehle, a fisheries biologist with the SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, speaks out against Alaska's fishing practices
Yet, she says, the solution is simple: Alaska's fishing practices must change. "Fishers should move their operations to waters closer to the rivers where fish return to southern Alaska. That would reduce interceptions of salmon from British Columbia," she said.
A treaty to manage fisheries
The Pacific Salmon Treaty, established in 1985, aims to manage salmon stocks between Canada and the United States.
It is renegotiated every 10 years, with the next round of discussions beginning in 2025, says Andrew Thompson, regional director general of science for the Pacific region at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Canada's alternate commissioner on the Pacific Salmon Commission.
This body's role is to oversee the implementation of the treaty.
"I'm sure there are some fishermen who feel frustrated," he acknowledges. However, he believes the process remains inclusive, involving Indigenous, commercial and recreational fishermen. "They have the opportunity to raise those concerns during discussions."
A fishing boat in Prince Rupert
He also states that Alaska is not acting outside the limits of the treaty. "[Alaska] is acting within the constraints established by the treaty."
In July, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) expressed its dissatisfaction with the treaty, which it considers insufficient to protect salmon.
"Salmon are a vital part of life for First Nations in British Columbia. We have made sacrifices to maintain our stock and are upset to see the number of salmon that are unable to return to our waters because of the Alaskan fishery," said Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs said in a statement.
Threatened steelhead
Unlike fishers in British Columbia, Alaskan fishers are not required to record their bycatch of steelhead, underestimating the loss of tens of thousands of fish each year, according to a 2022 report from the Skeena Wild Conservation Trust and Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game did not respond to interview requests.
Since the 1990s, the sale of steelhead has been banned due to their decline.
When these trout are caught accidentally, they have to be released, except for First Nations, who have the right to fish for cultural purposes. "We estimate that the mortality of these released fish is close to 100%." observes Kaitlin Yehle.
Andrew Thompson says each species has its own rules on bycatch and the situation of steelhead is on the agenda of the Pacific Salmon Commission.
"This is one of the questions that has been raised," he adds, while specifying that he nevertheless defends the treaty. "If we insist on cutting out pieces, we do not get the whole picture. The aim is to enable appropriate management of catches in both countries."
While waiting for the next negotiations, Ken Lawson maintains his boat thanks to a second job in the trucking industry.
Although fishing is no longer as profitable, it remains essential to him, because this profession, passed down from generation to generation in his family, represents a heritage that he hopes to preserve despite the uncertainties.
"All of this was passed down to me and it is important to perpetuate it," he said.
