The Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association has begun a project to rebuild the king salmon run on Kodiak Island's Karluk River, incubating eggs from wild fish at its Pillar Creek hatchery, KTOO reports.
The Karluk run, one of only two native king runs on the island and important to the Alutiiq people, has collapsed, with just 76 fish returning two years ago and 93 last year. King salmon numbers have been at record lows across Alaska, and the association describes the effort as the first of its kind in the state.
The first season proved difficult. Staff had to catch kings with rod and reel among a huge run of pink salmon, and most of the fish they caught were male. They spawned only five females, well short of a target of 25 set for genetic diversity. Some scientists have warned that the project could do more harm than good.
Source: KTOO
