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Conflicts regarding salmon harvest and conservation have been intensified by the highly
migratory nature of the species often moving between the Pacific Northwest, British
Columbia, and Alaska. Pacific salmon stocks migrate across international boundaries
to rear and mature before returning to their river of origin to spawn. Consequently,
salmon that spawned in the rivers of one country are subject to interceptions in another
country. Negotiated in 1985 between Canada and the U.S., the Pacific Salmon Treaty
represents decades of effort toward collaborative management to prevent overfishing
and to provide for the optimum production and fair allocation of salmon harvest for
Pacific salmon fisheries.
This report broadly seeks to understand the impacts international fishery agreements
have had on small-scale, community-based fisheries through a case study evaluating
the Pacific Salmon Treaty’s impacts on the Southeast Alaska commercial Chinook salmon
troll fishery over time. The Southeast Alaska Chinook salmon commercial troll fishery
was selected due to its dependence on Chinook salmon as a substantial component of
its harvest, as along with the small boat characteristics of the fishery. Chinook
salmon negotiations within the Pacific Salmon Treaty have been a chronic source of
tension within negotiations, and the impacts of negotiations for the Southeast Alaska
Chinook salmon commercial troll fishery have resulted in dramatic reductions in harvest
opportunity. Reductions in harvest have not been offset by increased consumer demand
and fish prices, although these have increased over time. Domestic rivalry is apparent
between Alaska and the southern U.S., and Endangered Species Act listings have further
complicated negotiations and U.S. Section relations.
The report concludes with policy conclusions and recommendations intended to improve
salmon management and impacts to affected stakeholders. Concluding that management
actions beyond fishery harvest controls will likely be necessary to support healthy
salmon populations, consideration of approaches to salmon conservation outside of
Pacific Salmon Treaty jurisdiction is recommended. Recommendations also include improved
process transparency, the development of a framework to evaluate long-term impacts
to stakeholders resulting from management decisions, and increased accountability
to maintain habitat responsibly and for the benefit of all.
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