Developing a Research and Restoration Plan for Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (Western Alaska) Salmon

Recent declines in the abundance of salmon in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) region of western Alaska have created hardships for the people and communities who depend on this resource. In 2002, the AYK Sustainable Salmon Initiative (SSI) was created to undertake research to understand the reasons for this decline and to help support sustainable management in the region. This report makes recommendations for developing the research that the AYK SSI science plan should be based on, and relates the development of a restoration plan to the results of that research.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Salmon Life History and Background3 Historical and Recent Arctic-Yukon- Kuskokwim Research4 Foundations for a Restoration and Research Plan5 Conclusions and RecommendationsReferencesAppendix A: Chronology of State and Federal Subsistence ManagementAppendix B: Visits and Meetings of the NRC Committee