Subsistence

For the next three months, an experienced herder will stay in Port Heiden to teach everyone about the reindeer.

Every summer, a team of federal exterminators set up shop in the southwest corner of the state. Their job is to root out non-native animals that might disturb the Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge.

As Yukon salmon continue their summer runs, subsistence fishermen are expressing frustration about gear restrictions, closures, and now potentially infected fish.

After fishermen pointed out what they thought was a change in the size of king salmon returning to the Copper River, researchers from Fish and Game looked at data from 10 Alaska rivers.

While subsistence has been slow, commercial chum fishing was open in the lower river with dipnets and beach seine gear.