Yukon River Panel Meets

Yukon River Salmon are the subject of this week's meetings

The Yukon River Panel met today at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse to review fishery management measures on the Yukon River in both Alaska and the Yukon.

Closed sessions began this weekend, which were followed by public sessions that began today and will continue tomorrow.  The Yukon River Panel is a body formed by the governments of Canada and United States to implement the Yukon River Salmon Agreement, which is an international commitment to the restoration, conservation and management of salmon upon which Yukon River communities depend.   The panel itself is composed of 12 individuals; 6 from Canada, 6 from the US.  The members represent the interests of Yukon River fishers, First Nations, Tribal Councils, fisheries managers and others who depend upon salmon for subsistence, cultural, commercial or recreational purposes.

Steve Gotch is the Canadian Co-Chair of the Yukon River Panel, and he says this meeting is a chance to review fishery measures meant to protect salmon on the both the Alaska and Yukon side of the river.  Both salmon to fisheries and salmon to spawning grounds are being considered.   The public meetings allow residents to learn what is happening with Yukon River Salmon stocks. Hear about issues being dealt with by the panel, and to voice views and concerns during and after the panel.

This is one of wo occasions a year when Canadian and US representatives who are responsible for Yukon river salmon stocks get together to discuss the salmon treaty.  The next meetings of this type will be hosted in Alaska next year in March or April, and once again in December.   The public panel continues until December 10th at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre until 5 pm.   

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