Alaska fishing families impacted by salmon crashes on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers during the 2022 fishing season can now apply for federal disaster relief, with nearly $2 million in funding available to support affected communities.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce declared a disaster for the 2022 salmon fisheries, allocating approximately $1.6 million for the Yukon River and $330,000 for the Kuskokwim River. The majority of the funding has been designated for subsistence relief.
Eligible households include those whose access to subsistence salmon on either river was directly or indirectly impacted by the 2022 fishery disaster. Applicants must be Alaska residents and at least 18 years old, and only one application may be submitted per household.
Fishermen who live outside communities along the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers but rely on either river for subsistence fishing are also eligible to apply.
The application deadline for both fisheries is noon on Feb. 23, 2027.
The amount of relief each household will receive has not yet been determined. Payments will depend on household size and the total number of approved applications.
However, fishing families could face another lengthy wait before receiving financial assistance. KYUK reported that checks may take a year or more to be mailed following the application deadline. Disaster relief payments issued earlier this year for the 2020 Yukon and Kuskokwim salmon fisheries took approximately 16 months to process.
The funding comes as Western Alaska fishing communities continue to grapple with the impacts of declining salmon returns, which have disrupted commercial and subsistence fishing opportunities and placed additional financial pressure on households that depend on the resource.
How to apply
Applications are available through the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission’s disaster relief website.
Applicants with questions can contact the commission at AKFishDisaster@psmfc.org or 888-517-7262. Additional information is available through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game at dfg.com.fisheriesdisasters@alaska.gov, or 907-267-2593.
