August 24, 2018

Happy fall-time!

The summer of 2018 has been a summer of bounty for most people on the Kuskokwim. Many friends and neighbors have enjoyed the plentiful salmon season all along the river and the bumper crop of berries in the middle and lower river. A lot of people are thankful for more time to fish this summer, decent catches and a few stretches of good weather.

In addition to being grateful for the fish and windows of good weather, I am thankful to the Fish Commission’s four in-season managers, Fish and Wildlife, and Fish and Game for taking such a thoughtful and balanced approach to people’s harvest needs and the king salmon’s spawning needs. By incorporating traditional knowledge, this summer people had five fishing days in June versus last summer’s two fishing days in the month of June. Both summers the restrictions were lifted on July 6. 

Please also join us in welcoming two new staff members to the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission: 

• Kevin Whitworth is now the Fish Commission's biologist, beginning in May 2018. He graduated in 2005 with a degree in biology from UAF and lives in McGrath with his wife and kids. Kevin can be reached at kevin.whitworth@bfsaak.org. 

• Jonathan Samuelson joined the Fish Commission as a Commissioner Liaison in June 2018. Jonathan attended UAF's tribal management program and currently splits his time between McGrath and Anchorage. He can be reached at jonathan@kritfc.org. 

If you have questions or concerns you would like to share, please reach out to your community’s commissioner, executive director Mary Peltola, Jonathan Samuelson, or Kevin Whitworth.

Quyana agayun.

—UPCOMING MEETINGS—

• Indigenizing Salmon Management Project, University of Alaska, KRITFC, and Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council, August 27, Bethel, AK (not a public meeting)

• KRITFC Executive Council Meeting, August 28-29, Bethel (not a public meeting)

• Kuskokwim Regional Planning Team Meeting, Comprehensive Salmon Fishery Enhancement Plan, September 25-26, Bethel, AK.

• Yukon-Kuskokwim Regional Advisory Council Meeting, September 27-28, Bethel, AK

• Western Interior Regional Advisory Council Meeting, October 10-11, Galena, AK

• Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention, October 18-20, Anchorage, AK

• Federal Subsistence Board, January 29 - February 1, 2019, Anchorage, AK

NOTE: Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group meetings have concluded for the season.