Monday June 19, 2023
NOAA Fisheries —
Salmon play an essential role in Alaska ecosystems. They support commercial and recreational fisheries and are integral to the culture and food security of many Indigenous communities in Alaska. In response to historic declines of salmon runs on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, Congress passed the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act and President Biden signed it into law in December 2022.
The Act requires the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, to convene an Alaska Salmon Research Task Force. The Taske Force will identify data gaps and produce a coordinated science plan 1 year after coming into force.
The Task Force is charged with:
- Reviewing and reporting on research about the Pacific salmon in Alaska
- Identifying applied research needed to better understand salmon migration and declining salmon returns in some regions of Alaska
- Setting up a Yukon and Kuskokwim River work group
- Supporting sustainable management of salmon
“The work of the Alaska Salmon Research Task is critically important,” said Robert Foy, director, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries. “We are grateful to the individuals who have agreed to serve as task force members and share their knowledge and expertise to develop a roadmap of where to go next with research to best understand and respond to the unprecedented changes in Alaska salmon runs.”