The Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association (BSFA) has formally requested all Area M Seiners to voluntarily stand-down from their commercial salmon fishing in June to prevent the interception of Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) Region bound chum stocks. As a part of the BSFA, Kawerak supports this message and advocates on behalf of the protection and support of subsistence rights across rural Alaska.
The Area M purse seine fleet has historically foregone the commercial season through June in 2010-2012 to avoid the interception of chum stocks to the AYK region. It’s imperative for this to happen again, as the AYK Region’s loss of subsistence and commercial harvest of chum season occurred in 2021, in both the summer and fall, where in contrast the Area M fishery saw a record breaking harvest. Dire chum salmon harvests are projected for 2022 for the AYK harvest as well, and likely will shut down subsistence and commercial fisheries once more, further devastating local economies and compounding food insecurity throughout the AYK region.
Read the full request letter to the Area M Seiners Association:
