Review of the Draft Research and Restoration Plan for Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (Western Alaska) Salmon

Declines in the abundance of salmon in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) region of western Alaska in the late 1990s and early 2000s created hardships for the people and communities who depend on this resource. Based on recommendations from a 2004 National Academies report, the AYK Sustainable Salmon Initiative (SSI) developed a research and restoration plan to help understand the reasons for this decline and to help support sustainable management in the region. This report reviews the draft plan, recommending some clarification, shortening, and other improvements, with a better focus on the relationship between the underlying intellectual model and the research questions, and a clearer discussion of local and traditional knowledge and capacity building.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 General Comments3 The Research Framework4 Capacity Building5 Specifics of the Research and Restoration Plan6 Summary of Conclusions and RecommendationsReferencesAppendix A: Summary from First ReportAppendix B: Biographic Information on the Committee on Review ofWestern Alaska (AYK) Research and Restoration Plan for Salmon