Salmon depletion in Yukon River puts First Nations community at risk

Once there were half a million salmon in the Yukon River, but now they're almost gone. For the Little Salmon Carmacks River Nation, these salmon are an essential part of their culture and now their livelihood is in peril. IDEAS shares their story as they struggle to keep their identity after the loss of the salmon migration.

Chief of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation says there's 'grief for the salmon. It's a soul wound

CBC Radio Posted: Apr 22, 2024 3:04 PM EDT | Last Updated: April 22

The view of the Yukon river from Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation. There are yellow trees to your left and the river and mountains and clouds in the distance. — The Yukon River as seen from Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation. The Yukon River is home to the longest and once largest migration of Chinook salmon in the world. But now the salmon are gone and the livelihood, and the culture of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation is imperiled. (Pauline Holdsworth/CBC)

Ideas53:59Salmon depletion in Yukon River puts First Nations community at risk

The Yukon River is one of the longest salmon runs in the world. Each year, hundreds of thousands of salmon return to the river, half of them making their way against the current to spawn upriver from Whitehorse near the headwaters of the Yukon.

As the legend goes, there were so many salmon in the Yukon River that a person could walk across them to the other side.

CBC Interactive | When the Salmon Disappear

For the First Nations who live along that river, salmon is an essential part of their livelihood and also of their culture.

Today, the salmon are mostly gone, and the effect on Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation has been catastrophic. A sacred bond that once existed between the Nation and the salmon has been broken.

Yukon River boats — The Yukon River is one of the great waterways of the world, running more than 3,000 km from its source in the Llewellyn Glacier in B.C., northward into the Yukon Territory, then curving west into Alaska before emptying into the Bering Sea. (Pauline Holdsworth/CBC)

"Before we had final agreements or treaties or anything with any other government or culture, we had original agreements with the salmon. And because they came from such an ancient part of the Northern Tutchone people, it's important that we not forget that and the relevance of those agreements before the modern Western government's way of looking at agreements," said Chief Nicole Tom of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

"We as people are bound to respect that culture. We're bound to respect that relationship. We consider them as family and friends, and we want to see them again. We want to make sure that we have that continuous cycle.

"So when we look after the salmon, the salmon are going to look after us."

An archive photo of rows and rows of fish drying in a tall covered area with a lady standing beside the fish. — An undated archival photograph of a salmon cache, where the fish are dried in preparation for the long winter. 'There's an emotional, spiritual, physical and mental component to fishing... you know that you're doing something that's so important for your family for the next year,' Chief Nicole Tom told IDEAS. (Photograph submitted by Chief Nicole Tom)

IDEAS contributor Genesee Keevilbrings us a documentary aboutthe Little Salmon Carmacks First Nationin the Yukon and their struggle to maintain their identity after the loss of the salmon migration.

Listen to this documentary by downloading the IDEAS podcast from your favourite app.

Guests in this episode:

Nicole Tomis the Chief ofLittle Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Katana Tom is Nicole Tom's daughter.

Toni Blanchard is the heritage manager ofLittle Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Angela Johnny is an Elder inLittle Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Bill Johnny is an Elder inLittle Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Doug Billy is the river ranger inLittle Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Carl Sydney is the former chief of the Teslin Tlingit Council Carl Sydney.

*This episode was produced by Philip Coulter and Genesee Keevil.

**Special thanks to Chief Nicole Tom and the people of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation for their generosity in sharing their stories.Thanks also to Kanina Holmes and Ross Bragg at CBC in Whitehorse.

Salmon depletion in Yukon River puts First Nations community at risk

Chief of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation says there's 'grief for the salmon. It's a soul wound

Related Stories