1 Lisa Hutchinson-Scarbrough Division of Subsistence Alaska Department of Fish and Game Chignik Management Area Subsistence Salmon Fisheries Overview Chignik Lake Subsistence Salmon Fishery Ethnographic Study Chignik Lake sockeye in smokehouse, October Photograph by Lisa Scarbrough Oral Report: RC 3 - Tab 4 Written Report:RC 3 - Tab 9 Staff Comments: RC 2 - Tab 10

Purpose of Presentation  Review Chignik Management Area (CMA) subsistence salmon regulation history.  Provide brief overview of CMA subsistence salmon fisheries.  Summarize preliminary findings from current subsistence salmon research in Chignik Lake.  Provide background on Proposals 95 and 96, which addresses open areas and legal gear to the subsistence salmon fishery. 2

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Chignik Management Area Customary and Traditional Uses (C&T) and Amounts Necessary for Subsistence (ANS)  Positive C&T finding, establishment of ANS for salmon [5 AAC (a),(b)].  The Board modified the original ANS as follows: Chignik Bay, Central, and Eastern districts combined: 5,200–9,600 early-run sockeye salmon; 2,000–3,800 late-run sockeye salmon; 100–150 Chinook salmon; 400–700 salmon other than sockeye or Chinook salmon There is a separate ANS for Perryville and Western Districts combined. 4

Research: CMA Subsistence Salmon Fishery 5 Chignik Lake resident preparing to brine his bright sockeye before putting them in his smokehouse. Chignik River, October Photograph by Lisa Scarbrough

Research Methods  Annual subsistence salmon harvest estimate developed from returned subsistence permit harvest reports and community postseason household surveys.  Periodic baseline harvest estimates for home use developed from comprehensive in-person household surveys in CMA communities (1984, 1989, 1991, 2003).  Chignik subsistence salmon ethnographic studies, (1990, ).  6

Annual Harvest Monitoring: Chignik Subsistence Salmon Permit  Individual (not household) permits.  Issued by local area vendors or at the ADF&G weir.  Limit = 250 salmon per permit.  Harvest report returned to Division of Subsistence by December 31. 7

Annual Harvest Monitoring: Subsistence Salmon Harvest Estimates,  95 permits were issued.  82 permit harvest reports were returned.  Estimated subsistence salmon harvest for the CMA was 8,907 salmon: 6,785 sockeye 1,174 coho 707 pink 137 chum 104 king  2009 harvest is less than:  11,056 salmon (recent 5-year average),  12,183 salmon (recent 10-year average), and  11,351 salmon (1977–2008 average).  sockeye harvests were less than the total sockeye ANS. Chignik Lagoon girl with spawning sockeye, Clark River Photograph courtesy of Kathleen Anderson

Annual Harvest Monitoring: Species composition of subsistence salmon harvests, Chignik Management Area HarvestCombined Average Harvest,

Annual Harvest Monitoring: Subsistence salmon harvests by species and community, Chignik Management Area,

11 Annual Harvest Monitoring: Reported freshwater sockeye salmon subsistence harvests in the Chignik subsistence salmon fishery, 20052009 Source ADF&G Div. of Sub ASFDB

Comprehensive Household Harvest Surveys: Subsistence Gear 12 Subsistence regulations allow set gillnets and seines (5 AAC ). Photosgraphs courtesy of Kathleen Anderson

Comprehensive Household Harvest Surveys: What other methods are used in the CMA? 13  Rod and reel/ hook and line  Removal from commercial catches (“home pack” )  Spears Chignik Lagoon Subsistence Harvest June 1990 Photograph by Lisa Scarbrough

Comprehensive Household Harvest Surveys: Salmon Harvests Estimates for Home Use 14

Comprehensive Household Harvest Surveys: Chignik Bay, Chignik Lake, Chignik Lagoon, and Perryville, Source ADF&G Division of Subsistence, Household Surveys, AKFDB, 2004.

16 Research: Chignik Subsistence Salmon Ethnographic Study, 2010 Preliminary Research Findings Family harvesting spawning sockeye salmon, Hatchery Beach, November 2010 Photograph Courtesy K. Anderson

Ethnographic Study 2010: Overview of Preliminary Findings 17  Sockeye harvested at various life stages.  Specific locations based on availability and time of year harvested.  Harvested by a variety of gear types chosen for specific reasons.  Preserved by a variety of methods.  Multiple households and multiple generations work together to harvest and process salmon. Chignik Lake Woman prepares to cook a “redfish” caught at Clark River, October, Photograph by Lisa Scarbrough

Ethnographic Study 2010: Harvest Patterns on Early-Run Sockeye Salmon 18  Harvests of early-run sockeye occur primarily in early June in Chignik Lagoon using seines and gillnets.  Harvests of early-run sockeye also occur in but less frequently in all locations of the Chignik watershed from Chignik River to Black Lake.  Hook and line and seines are used in Black Lake.  Salmon are processed by smoking, freezing, salting or canning, and drying. Chignik Lagoon family processes sockeye caught in early June 1990 Photograph by Lisa Scarbrough

Ethnographic Study 2010: Harvest Patterns on Late-Run Sockeye Salmon 19  Late-run sockeye are harvested in Chignik Lagoon, Chignik River, Chignik Lake, Clark River, and Home Creek (July through January).  Occasionally harvested in other tributaries in Chignik Lake.  When starting to spawn, locally referred to as “redfish” or “spawned-outs”.  Fewer flies and bears at this time of the year means opportune time for drying fish. Brown Bear at Clark River Photograph courtesy of Mark Anderson

Ethnographic Study 2010: Harvest Patterns on Late-Run Sockeye Salmon 20  Late-run sockeye are harvested using seines, gillnets and hook and line gear.  Hook and line gear is a traditional method of harvest for “spawned out” sockeye salmon harvested in tributaries.  Males are preferred due to large hump. Hook and line allows for selective harvest of males.  Gillnets are not used for “spawned-outs” because they damage the fish, which have large heads and soft bodies. Sockeye soak in salt brine prior to being put in smokehouse for smoking Chignik Lake, October photograph by Lisa Scarbrough

21 Ethnographic Study 2010: Black Lake and upper Chignik River subsistence salmon harvest areas

22 Ethnographic Study 2010: Chignik Lake and Chignik River sockeye salmon harvest locations

Current Regulations: Waters closed to subsistence fishing in the CMA 5 AAC  Black Lake or any tributary to Black Lake  All tributaries to Chignik Lake, except allowed in the lower 1 mile reaches of Clark River and Home Creek  Chignik River- Closed only from July 1-August 31, 300 feet above the Chignik weir to Chignik Lake.

Recent Regulation Changes: 5 AAC (2) Waters Open to Subsistence in Chignik Watershed 24  January 2008 – BOF recognized C&T uses of salmon in Clark River and Home Creek  Board opened lower one mile of Clark River and Home Creek to subsistence fishing  Subsistence users target spawning sockeye in these locations. Chignik Lagoon family prepares fresh “redfish” for drying. The salmon was caught with a beach seine at Hatchery Beach near Clark River in November, Photograph courtesy of Kathleen Anderson

Relevant Proposals 25 Proposal 95 – Change open areas and gear allowed under subsistence regulations. Proposal 96 – Change open areas and gear allowed under subsistence regulations. The department’s position is NEUTRAL on these proposals.

26 Proposals 95 and 96: X = current and proposed areas open to subsistence by gear type Proposal 96: Does not include proposed gill nets circled in X Current and proposed areas open to subsistence fishing, by gear type in Chignik River watershed. Fishing LocationGill NetHand SeineHook/LineSpearGill NetHand SeineHook/LineSpear Chignik Lagoon to MensisXXXXXX Chignik RiverXXXXX Chignik LakeXX a XXXX Lower one mile Clark RiverXXXX Lower one mile Home CreekXXXX All Chignik Lake TributariesXXX Black RiverXXX Black River TributariesXXX Black LakeXXX Black Lake TributariesXXX a Hand seine may not have a purse line. CurrentProposed

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Summary  Harvests of total sockeye harvests were below the ANS for  Gear types used for harvesting salmon depend on the location, species of salmon, time of year, and conservation practices linked to harvest goals.  Most salmon are harvested by gillnet and seine.  Hook and line gear is also used occasionally for all species of salmon, but primarily for “redfish” taken from tributaries and for kings. Sockeye in smokehouse, Chignik Lake- October 2010 Photograph by Lisa Scarbrough 28

Thank You- Questions? 29 Chignik Lake boy offers to share a piece of dried “spawned-out” or redfish, October photo Lisa Scarbrough