Salmon are dying in dried-up river beds in northern Yukon | 24CA News

Yukon River chinook and chum salmon within the Old Crow area of the territory are being hit with the proper storm — not solely are this yr’s runs anticipated to be dismal, however the life cycle of the salmon is being damaged.

Over the final a number of years, decrease numbers of chinook and chum salmon have made the lengthy journey from the ocean to creeks and streams on the mouth of the Porcupine River, spawned, after which died. The small fry would then make their means again to the Bering Sea in spring. 

But now most of the fertilized eggs left behind within the rivers are dying as a result of giant stretches of river are drying up within the early spring — and it isn’t precisely clear why.

“In the last few years what we have been seeing, particularly this last year, is that dewatered area was much, much, much larger than it had been in the past,” mentioned Elizabeth MacDonald, vice chair of the Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee, a non-government advisory physique.

“So that is concerning, that now there is a larger section of the river where fish are dying and eggs are dying.”

The Vuntut Gwitchin authorities in Old Crow, which is about 800 kilometres north of Whitehorse, says a 33-kilometre stretch of the Fishing Branch River, a tributary of the Porcupine, was dewatered upstream of Bear Cave Mountain, between Old Crow and Dawson City. 

Water is now steadily returning to the river mattress, but it surely’s too late for 1000’s of salmon fry and unhatched eggs.

The river backside additionally has sporadic small swimming pools of water crammed with stranded salmon fry, most of them lifeless.

Dewatering has occurred earlier than on the Fishing Branch River however now it’s an annual occasion. The Vuntut Gwitchin authorities has seen more and more bigger areas this spring which have dried up, leaving the salmon eggs and tens of 1000’s of salmon fry for birds and mammals to feast on.

“The conversation that is happening right now with the Yukon River Panel and the technical advisers is how and what do we do with the declining stocks, because there have to be some measures taken,” mentioned Pauline Frost, chief of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

Frost suggests instream incubation might be thought of. It’s a pure means of planting fertilized eggs right into a stream backside the place there’s going to be water flowing all yr lengthy.

Frost says elders in her neighborhood are towards utilizing a fish hatchery.

She says final yr, there have been solely 349 chinook that got here up the Porcupine River, and it was additionally a dismal run of chum salmon.

MacDonald says this pre-season forecasts additionally do not look promising.

“Things are really bad for salmon right now … We could be looking at extinction within, you know, 20 years — it’s bad,” she mentioned.

It’s not clear what’s behind the dewatered riverbeds within the Old Crow space, although Frost believes it is linked to local weather change. 

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) can also be desirous about figuring it out. 

“We’re looking forward to working closely with our partners and [Vuntut Gwitchin] to understand potentially what are some theories that are happening there, and then utilizing our Pacific salmon strategy initiative, and the funding with that program, to help halt the decline of Pacific salmon throughout the Yukon in general,” mentioned Marc Ross with DFO. 

“Though the numbers are low, DFO is confident that collectively we can make a meaningful difference for the future of salmon and [the] Yukon River and Porcupine River.”