YUKON FISHERIES 245 



Even if the stocks allowed larger catches, expansion of 

 this industry is constrained by the small size of the local 

 market and the incapability of processing plants to pro- 

 duce products of sufficiently high value to justify trans- 

 port to external markets. 



A new commercial venture has recently been estab- 

 lished by native groups, with support from the federal 

 Departments of Regional and Economic Expansion and 

 Indian and Northern Affairs, for processing fresh and 

 frozen salmon and marketing it in Yukon and British 

 Columbia. Some anxiety has been expressed about addi- 

 tional pressure on stocks that could result from this oper- 

 ation. 



Commercial fishing for freshwater species, primarily 

 lake trout and whitefish, is authorized on 20 Yukon lakes. 

 As in the salmon fishery, markets for the products have 

 been unstable and uncertain. Table 20-2 shows the size 

 and composition of commercial catches in recent years. 



Commercial fishing licences are issued annually at a 

 fee of $25. and specify the location of fishing, the species 

 to be taken, and the time and method of fishing author- 

 ized. The number of licences issued for salmon fishing in 

 the Yukon River has been limited since 1980 in the inter- 

 ests of conservation. In that year nontransferable licences 

 were issued only to those who fished in any of the preced- 

 ing three seasons. In the 1981-82 licence year, only 39 

 were issued. 



Within the Yukon River, management of the salmon 

 fishery has been orderly. The commercial fishery gener- 

 ally operates six days a week when the salmon are run- 

 ning in the rivers, but the number of days may be cur- 

 tailed if the runs appear low, as was the case for chinook 

 salmon this year. 



The number of commercial fishing licences for fresh- 

 water species is not limited. Fifty licences were issued in 

 1981 and I understand the number increased sharply this 

 year. For each lake in which commercial fishing is 

 authorized, an annual quota is fixed according to a some- 

 what arbitrary productivity estimate of approximately 

 one-half pound per acre of lake per year. When the quota 

 has been reached, the lake is clo.sed to both commercial 

 and domestic fishing (discussed below). The total quota 

 for all commercial fishing lakes is 145 thousand pounds 

 of whitefish and 73 thousand pounds of lake trout. Cur- 

 rent landings are only a fraction of the quota, but pro- 

 duction is spread very unevenly over the various lakes. 

 Some are fished to their quotas regularly, while others are 

 untouched or only lightly exploited. 



Domestic Fishing 



Domestic fishing licences are issued annually to people 

 other than Indians at a fee of $10 to authorize them to 



take fish for their own food requirements. These licences, 

 like commercial licences, specify the location of fishing, 

 the species to be taken, and the time and method of 

 fishing authorized. In 1981, 47 domestic licences were 

 issued for salmon fishing, and 76 for freshwater species. 

 This fishery is believed to account for only about one 

 percent of the total catch in the territory. 



The domestic fishery is managed flexibly to accommo- 

 date varying needs and circumstances. In southern 

 Yukon, where concerns about declining stocks and com- 

 petition with the sport fishery are most acute, domestic 

 fishing has been confined in recent years to lakes with 

 commercial quotas, and the domestic catch is subject to 

 these quotas. Elsewhere domestic fishing is permitted at 

 the discretion of fishery officers. 



Indian Food Fishing 



Fishing has always been and remains today 

 an integral component of Yukon Indian cul- 

 ture.'* 



In recognition of their traditional dependence on fish, 

 certificates are issued without charge to Indians to 

 authorize them to take fi.sh for food. In 1981-82, some 204 

 certificates were issued, but this undoubtedly represents 

 only a fraction of the number of Indians who engage in 

 this fishery, because most are unaware of or do not com- 

 ply with, the requirement. Certificates authorize fishing 

 for both salmon and freshwater species, but no reliable 

 information is available on the catch taken. Only recently 

 has an attempt been made to estimate catches. 



Management of Indian fishing relies mainly on sugges- 

 tions of fishery officers to constrain harvests where this is 

 felt to be necessary. While the total catch is believed to 

 be modest, some controversy has developed over compe- 

 tition between Indian and sport fishermen for salmon in 

 the KJukshu-Tatshenshini river system. 



Last year, the Council of Yukon Indians and the fed- 

 eral government negotiated an agreement-in-principle for 

 Indian fishing. This provides a framework for a final 

 agreement to be reached within two years. According to 

 testimony presented at this Commission's hearings, the 

 agreement will call for substantial changes in the man- 

 agement of the Indian fishery, requiring that certain 

 rights to fish be defined quantitatively, that priorities be 

 assigned among fisheries and that Indians have the 

 opportunity to participate in commercial fisheries.'' 



Once in effect, this agreement will provide for consulta- 

 tion with Indians in the development of Yukon fisheries 

 policy. This will require improved information about the 

 stocks and their yield capabilities, consistent monitoring 

 and catch information, and closer consultation with other 

 fishing interests. 



