Salmon 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. 

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.

“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.”

IDEAS contributor Genesee Keevil brings us a documentary about the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation in 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 Tom is the Chief of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Katana Tom is Nicole Tom’s daughter.

Toni Blanchard is the heritage manager of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Angela Johnny is an Elder in Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Bill Johnny is an Elder in Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation.

Doug Billy is the river ranger in Little 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.