Riverside communities' food supply threatened by vicious cycle not seen in thousands of years: 'It just feels kind of wrong'

The Arctic is warming much faster than other parts of the world, and while the impact is felt globally, it's profoundly affecting the indigenous population's way of life. 

What's happening?

The Yukon is a remote region in northwestern Canada that borders Alaska. It's been inhabited by First Nations peoples for over ten thousand years. Because of a phenomenon called Arctic amplification, the area is warming at a rate three times faster than anywhere else. As NASA explains, Arctic amplification is caused by the loss of sea ice, which gives way to darker ocean water that retains heat instead of reflecting it. This creates a vicious cycle where the problem compounds as more sea ice is lost. 

The warming climate has dramatically reduced the population of Chinook salmon in the Yukon River. The EPA reports a 60% loss from 1980s levels. Salmon aren't just an important food source for the indigenous population; they hold deep cultural and spiritual significance. 

As Brooke Woods, a Koyukon Dene woman and former Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission executive chair, told This Magazine, "[Our] communities are along the Yukon River for a reason. We are salmon-dependent people."

She also mentioned the distressing sight of unseasonal weather, driving through puddles of melted snow in December: "It's [an] eerie kind of feeling where it just feels kind of wrong." 

Why are falling Chinook salmon numbers important?

The article reveals one of the great tragedies of rising global temperatures caused by burning polluting fuel sources. Those with the least responsibility for creating the situation suffer the most from the consequences. 

Losing Arctic sea ice leads to rising sea levels and massive disruptions to the food webs of many critical species. The Arctic is also losing permafrost at a worrying rate, causing it to go from a carbon sequester to a net emitter of harmful gases. 

The decline of Chinook salmon is a direct result of these developments. The salmon need fresh water to breed, and their eggs are susceptible to temperature and salt levels. At the moment, only around 1% of eggs are hatching and making it to maturity. 

They're not just important to the indigenous people; their annual migration transports crucial nutrients from the ocean to the spawning point. After they die after spawning, they sustain plants and invertebrates in the area. 

What's being done to protect Chinook salmon?

In 2024, the United States and Canada agreed to a seven-year ban on Chinook fishing from the Yukon River to protect the species' declining numbers. Brooke Woods has also called for more input from the First Nations people, pointing out, "We do have 10,000 years of stewardship that is not incorporated into the current Western science and governance structure."

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Multinational conservation efforts can work well, but ultimately, the most important thing is to address the root issue causing the crisis, and that's everyone's responsibility. Staying informed about climate issues, reducing waste, and switching to clean, renewable energy like solar are all practical ways to help. 

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