The salmon crisis in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers has a greater impact on than local economies as well as food security and cultural values, according to residents living in the area. The crisis is also affecting human health.
This was a point that was made on Friday during an field hearing, which was hosted by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska in Bethel the regional hub of the Delta of Yukon and Kuskokwim. Hearings in the field, that are held out of Washington, D.C. usually take place in areas directly impacted by particular issues.
Murkowski stated that she called an Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing in Bethel to ensure that Alaskans can explain the consequences of the collapse of the salmon to people who are not from the region and even outside of the state, who may not understand the magnitude of the problem.
“Part of my responsibility is to communicate the urgency of this issue,” she said at the beginning of 5-hour court hearing.
The other witness among those who testified was Dan Winkelman, president of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation. The tribal group that serves as the region’s primary health care provider. The Friday’s hearing took place at the group’s Bethel headquarters.
Insufficient salmon intake according to Winkelman, “is not just negatively impacting our culture or well-being, but also our well-being,” he said.
He listed the many known benefits of salmon’s nutritional value. It is a high-quality, complete protein that helps build lean body mass, and aids in helping the body function properly He said. It is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important minerals essential to brain immunity, and the control of inflammation he added. It is a food that is high in nutrients which helps people maintain healthy weight and avoid health issues, he explained.
Because of these reasons and others to support these reasons and others, for these and other reasons, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has advised that people consume at least two servings per week of fish such as salmon, Winkelman explained. With the widespread intake of salmon people in the area easily complied with this recommendation, he explained.
“However in the event that there is no fish available, meals are substituted with processed, store-bought foods that have sodium, sugars along with saturated fats and usually lower levels of in protein” the researcher said. “Diets are more energy-rich rather than nutrient dense which could lead to an increased risk of weight gain and higher rates of developing chronic diseases. A lot of times, I’ve heard doctors say that it is becoming a problem in over the past decade or so in within the Y-K region.”
In rural areas throughout in the entire state, natural food sources typically provide all the necessary nutritional protein, as per research conducted conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Salmon is the most popular wild food of numerous rural areas and is particularly within the Yukon-Kuskokwim region as per federal and state experts.
Furthermore, the harvesting of salmon itself is a physical activity that keeps residents healthy In his testimony.
The scarcity of salmon influences mental health, as stated by people testifying in the court hearing.
Jonathan Samuelson, executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, explained that salmon harvesting is a an integral part of an overall method of well-being.
“When we’re forced to break away from our customary practices of living and culture, it only increases our health issues. The way we live and our cultural understanding and manner in which we interact with the world are our paths towards wellness We know this,” he said.
Kara Dominick of Bethel spoke about how returning to the traditional methods of salmon harvesting helped her overcome an addiction to opioids that was serious.
“The water and my tundra gave me peace. It was what helped me be meaningful and complete. I wouldn’t be in this position today if I didn’t have that connection, and access to my culture as well as subsistence options,” she wrote during her testimonies.
It is believed that the “deeper relationship to culture as well as lifestyle” is essential to address the problem of substance abuse which is affecting a large portion of the populace, Dominick said. However, that route to recovery is at risk Dominick said.
“With the declining salmon populations comes further disconnection from our society. What will this do to impact our mental well-being? How much worse can it become? I am afraid for the people of our country,” she said.
Charles Menadelook, subsistence resources program director of Kawerak Inc., a Nome-based tribal association, voiced similar concerns.
He teaches his younger relatives about the significance of subsistence harvesting the voice shaky with emotion. “I inform them that they must go fishing. They should go out snow hunting. Since I don’t believe that it will last for very long,” he said.
The story was originally published in Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.
