In Alaska, the future of wild sockeye salmon and the environment are more important than the immediate opportunities for harvest.
As a wild resource, there is variability in the number of salmon that return to freshwater to spawn annually. Managers in Alaska set ‘escapement goals’ using the best science available to ensure enough fish return safely to the freshwater spawning grounds to reproduce. Biologists account for natural fluctuations in returns of salmon by managing the fisheries in-season to ensure the sustainability of Alaska’s wild sockeye salmon.
This principle of sustainability is written into Alaska’s state constitution. In Alaska, fish are to be ‘utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustainable yield principle,’ ensuring wild sockeye salmon inhabit Alaska waters for generations to come.
Wild Alaska sockeye salmon also have cultural significance. Wild Alaska sockeye salmon are not only important ecologically, they are intrinsically tied to subsistence fishing in rural Alaska. Families in Alaska’s coastal communities depend on subsistence salmon fishing to survive. In Alaska’s salmon fisheries management, subsistence has priority before sport, commercial or personal use fishing.
Certification
The Alaska sockeye salmon fishery is certified under two independent certification standards for sustainable fisheries:
- Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM)
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Well traveled, sockeye salmon spend their time in salt water swimming and feeding in the Alaska Gyre in the Gulf of Alaska before returning to their natal streams to spawn.
Choosy eaters, the sockeye eats more crustaceans and plankton than other species, which leads to its darker colored meat.
As a wild-capture fishery, Alaska sockeye salmon are harvested and then transported to processing facilities located in small fishing communities scattered along Alaska’s coastline.
