At NCAI Mid Year Convention, Alaska Native Leaders Call for United Front to Protect Salmon and Tribal Lifeways

Alaska Native leaders used the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Mid Year Convention in Memphis, Tennessee, to spotlight the continuing collapse of salmon populations across Alaska and to urge Tribal Nations from across Indian Country to stand together in defense of Indigenous food systems, cultural traditions, and Tribal stewardship.

During a panel discussion titled “One People, One Voice: Standing Up for Alaska’s Salmon & Our Way of Life,” representatives from the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), Craig Tribal Association, the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), and The Tatitlek Corporation described the devastating impacts of declining Chinook and chum salmon runs throughout Alaska’s Arctic, Yukon, and Kuskokwim river systems.

Speakers emphasized that salmon are central not only to subsistence but also to the cultural identity and survival of Alaska Native communities that have relied on the fish for thousands of years.

“Salmon are not simply a resource to our people—they are part of who we are,” said Angela Totemoff, AFN Board Member (Chugach Villages) and Subsistence Chair and Vice President of Community and Shareholder Relations for The Tatitlek Corporation. “When our communities lose access to salmon, we lose far more than food. We lose opportunities to teach our children, to gather as families, and to pass on the knowledge and values that have sustained our people for generations. The response to this crisis must reflect the importance of salmon to our cultures and our future.”

Panelists said years of historically low salmon returns have led to severe restrictions and closures of subsistence fisheries, placing additional strain on rural communities already grappling with high food costs, climate-related challenges, and population decline.

“Across Alaska, families have made extraordinary sacrifices in the name of conservation,” said Sharon Hildebrand, AFN Board Member (Interior) and Chief of Tanana Chiefs Conference. “Many of our communities have gone years without the opportunity to harvest the salmon that have sustained them for generations. Yet the burden of conservation continues to fall disproportionately on subsistence users. We must ensure that management decisions prioritize the people who depend on these fish for their food security, cultural wellbeing, and way of life.”

The discussion also examined the complex patchwork of state and federal salmon management systems and highlighted the need for stronger Tribal participation in fisheries decision-making, including recognition of subsistence as a primary management priority.

“Tribal Nations have stewarded these resources since time immemorial,” said Clinton Cook, AFN Subsistence Committee Member and President of Craig Tribal Association. “Our traditional knowledge, our stewardship values, and our lived experiences must be part of the decisions affecting salmon and the communities that rely on them. Protecting salmon is not only about conservation—it is about protecting Tribal sovereignty, food sovereignty, and the ability of future generations to continue living our cultures.”

Vivian Korthuis, AFN Board Member (Yukon Kuskokwim) and President and CEO of the Association of Village Council Presidents, said the current situation underscores the importance of incorporating Tribal knowledge and leadership into resource management.

“Alaska Native people have cared for salmon since time immemorial, guided by values of stewardship, reciprocity, and responsibility to future generations,” Korthuis said. “The current crisis demonstrates the need for management systems that recognize Tribal knowledge, respect Tribal leadership, and prioritize the long-term health of our salmon and communities. We cannot continue asking our people to shoulder the burden of conservation while decisions are made without meaningful Tribal partnership. The path forward must include stronger Tribal co-management and a commitment to protecting the resources that sustain our cultures and way of life.”

The panel concluded by calling for expanded collaboration among Tribal Nations, stronger support for Tribal co-management, reforms to federal fisheries policy, and management approaches that emphasize long-term sustainability and ecosystem health.

In a visible show of solidarity, Alaska Native leaders and representatives attending the convention asked members of the Alaska Caucus to stand in support of the panel’s message. The group rose together, signaling a shared commitment to protecting salmon, defending subsistence traditions, and advancing Tribal stewardship and self-determination.

AFN leaders also encouraged Tribal Nations across the country to recognize Alaska’s salmon crisis as part of a broader Indigenous struggle to preserve traditional foods, cultural practices, and Tribal sovereignty.

“What is happening in Alaska is a reminder that when Indigenous voices are not fully included in resource management decisions, communities bear the consequences,” Totemoff said. “The support and solidarity shown by Tribal leaders from across Indian Country reinforces that protecting our traditional foods and ways of life is a shared responsibility.”

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