Global warming in Alaska is hitting harder than ever, and it’s not just the fish feeling the heat – native communities are struggling too.
Not Just a Fish Tale
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The rivers that were once home to salmon are warming up, making life impossible for the fish and for those who rely on them.
Salmon Sizzling
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Global warming is changing the planet’s ecosystems, and Alaska’s salmon are receiving some of the worst of the fallout. As river temperatures increase, these fish – known for their crazy migrations – are forced to find new, colder water.
A Risky Relocation
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That sounds like it should be straightforward, but the journey these salmon take is full of dangers. Now, they have to swim further, which burns more energy and puts them in the way of more predators. And if they head too far north, they won’t have enough food, so they will starve.
Arctic Invasion
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Many experts are alarmed by the salmon’s new swimming route. They’ve started to move into colder Arctic rivers, a region that was previously too chilly for them. This indicates that climate change is seriously messing with their usual routes and spawning grounds.
Too Hot to Handle
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But the issues don’t end at their migration. The warmer temperatures are also causing major declines in salmon populations – especially in the southern parts of Alaska.
Heat Stress And Death
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Some areas are getting so hot that salmon are struggling with heat stress and dying before they can even complete their migration.
A Global Crisis
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This isn’t just a local issue – it’s a global pattern. A recent study found there had been a massive drop in migratory freshwater fish populations worldwide.
Worldwide Freshwater Fish Decline
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Over the last 50 years, there’s been a massive 81% decline – and the situation might be even worse than the numbers suggest. Overfishing and habitat loss are big contributors to this crisis, not just climate change.
Yukon’s Yikes
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One of the hardest-hit areas is the Yukon River. Stretching nearly 2000 miles from the mountains of Canada to the Bering Sea, this river is a key breeding ground for many different species of salmon. But the decline in fish has led to severe food shortages for the native communities who live along the Yukon.
Communities Adapt
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These communities have relied on salmon for thousands of years, but the shortage has forced them to start turning to other food sources – like beavers, ducks, and moose.
Too Little, Too Late?
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There has been a fishing ban put on chinook salmon in the Yukon River until 2030, but experts are worried that this is too little too late. And it’s also caused a lot of trouble.
Local Anger
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Locals are frustrated because, while they’re banned from fishing, large commercial trawlers are still catching huge numbers of salmon as bycatch (byproducts of their catches).
Trawler Trouble
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These trawlers, which scoop up huge amounts of fish in massive nets, are disrupting salmon migrations and destroying their numbers even more than climate change.
The Great Fishery Debate
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The debate over how to manage fisheries is fiery. On one side, there’s a push to reduce the harm from commercial fishing and focus more on protecting fishing for local communities. On the other side, there’s pressure to keep the financial benefits that come from commercial fishing. This is making it difficult to find any solutions.
Hatchery Havoc
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The issue gets worse when you factor in off-coast hatchery salmon. Millions of young salmon are released from hatcheries into the wild every year.
Fighting For Food
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These hatchery fish can compete with wild salmon for food and resources, making life even tougher for the already struggling wild salmon.
Glimmers of Hope
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Despite the gloomy outlook, there’s still some hope. Experts believe that recovery is possible, although it will be a challenge.
Reining in the Big Nets
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They’re working on multiple ways to sort the situation, from pushing for stricter regulations on trawlers to exploring new ways to support salmon habitats.
Cool Solutions for Hot Waters
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Things like kelp farming are being looked at to help improve the salmon’s habitat and cool the water.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Stavros Papavasiliou.
