The Knowledge of Kuskokwim Salmon & People Project 

 In 2024 and 2025, KRITFC collaborated with the Ocean Conservancy (OC) and the University of Alaska Tamamta Program to build the Knowledge of Kuskokwim Salmon and People project. Our high-level project aims were to document Kuskokwim Knowledge Holders’: 

  1. Relationships with salmon and traditional teachings about salmon stewardship. 

  2. Understandings of Kuskokwim River salmon ecologies and declines. 

  3. Recommendations for improving gravel-to-gravel salmon management aimed at salmon restoration and including Kuskokwim people and Traditional Knowledge systems in decision-making processes. 

Through this Knowledge of Kuskokwim Salmon and People project, our team: 

  • Held a kick-off workshop in May 2024 with KRITFC’s Executive Council to set this project’s goals and questions and determine which communities to work with. 

  • Conducted interviews with 25 Knowledge Holders across 7 communities of the Kuskokwim: Nikolai, Georgetown, Chuathbaluk, Aniak, Kwethluk, Nunapitchuk, and Tuntutuliak.  

  • Hired a Youth Knowledge Steward Intern, Kristen Maxie of Napaskiak, to assist our team with conducting, transcribing, and analyzing interviews and workshop outcomes. 

  • Brought our Knowledge Holders together in November 2024 to meet and share with one another, review our draft products, and share ideas for future knowledge documentation and salmon management work. 

  • Revisited our Knowledge Holders in the winter and spring of 2025 to share updated project results. 

Images from the spring and fall 2024 workshops.

We are humbled to be able to share these products from this project: 

  • A Kuskokwim River Salmon Atlas – link coming soon! 

  • “Our Salmon Means Life: A StoryMap Collection” – link coming soon! 

  • Notable Sites of Kuskokwim River Salmon ArcGIS hub – link coming soon! 

To learn more about this project: 

  • Review our Knowledge Holder interview questions here. 

This project was funded by the Lenfest Ocean Program, part of Pew Charitable Trusts.