All animals are a gift

by Peter Twitchell

I want to share what I’ve been told about fishing here in this part of Alaska, and what I’ve been told by local native fishermen of Bush Alaska.

I’ve been told fishermen in the Kuskokwim and those living along the Yukon River is they aren’t allowed a fish opening to feed their families, which is one comment I heard from the Bush. On the other hand, tourists have been allowed to fish for salmon by the State.

All the tourists were allowed to do was buy a twenty dollar – $20.00 fishing permit and go get their salmon!

A fisherman on the Yukon River was told they couldn’t go get their salmon until the Canadians got their 10% quota of salmon. The Yukon fisherman said all the salmon passed their villages in order for the Canadians to get their 10% of salmon.

Three years ago I witnessed Kuskokwim fishermen tell the Alaska Federation of Natives all they got for their families was two (2) chum salmon! That summer!

Our own Alaska people in western Alaska go without their fish which they have eaten for centuries while outsiders can buy a permit for twenty bucks and eat a grilled salmon steak!

It’s not the idea of not sharing what little fish stock in rural parts of Alaska, it is making sure our people in Southwest Alaska remain healthy with what little they are allowed to have. Since time immemorial Alaskans in the rural areas were healthy and strong.

Then we began hearing deep sea fishing was responsible for the rapid decline of our ocean’s fish stock and salmon populations were on the decline.

On the news across Alaska’s airwaves we began hearing that bycatch of salmon was being tossed or thrown overboard. Wasting food was forbidden by our Elders because all animals and fish were a gift from God.