New podcast episode launched: We Are in a Salmon Crisis

The Arctic Council released a new episode of its podcast, This Way Up, addressing the salmon crisis in the Arctic.

In this episode, we travel to the Deatnu River on the border of northern Norway and Finland in Sápmi, where declining Atlantic salmon stocks have led to fishing bans and disagreement on how to move forward in the future. We speak to a fisher from Alaska, where declining salmon stocks in rivers there raise similar questions about food security and what it means when the very foundation of a culture is in crisis.

Through the voices of local fishers Áslat Holmberg and Deenaalee Chase-Hodgdon, as well as scientist Jaakko Erkinaro, we explore the ongoing salmon crisis in the Arctic and what food security and food sovereignty mean in practice. You'll learn about why some salmon species are rapidly declining, new invasive species on the rise and how measures to conserve them have upended the foundation of communities. You'll also learn about different cultures' connections with salmon, how Indigenous Peoples are adapting to new realities and why management decisions can't be made on science alone. This is a story about knowledge, identity and building bridges that raises the question - how do you manage a river and species in crisis, and who gets to decide the future?

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Part 1: Who are the Salmon People of the Arctic?

Meet Áslat Holmberg, a Sámi fisher, on the shores of the Deatnu river that forms the border between Arctic Norway and Finland. He speaks about how salmon has formed the basis of his community and shaped the livelihoods of everyone who lives there.

Next, hear from Deenaalee Chase-Hodgdon, a Deg Xit'an Dene, Sugpiaq and Yupʼik fisher from Alaska. They share how their culture is so intrinsically linked to salmon, including their clothing, relationship to one another and even the names of the months/seasons in their Indigenous language.

Part 2: The salmon crisis

Scientist Jaakko Erkinaro explains that salmon are not returning to the Deatnu river, and the factors that may contribute to why.

Áslat and Deenaalee share how - even on opposite ends of the Arctic with different salmon species - the salmon crisis impacts their communities from an economic, cultural and food security perspective.

Part 3: Food security and sovereignty in a changing Arctic

How does the salmon crisis impact food security and sovereignty in the Arctic? And what is the difference between the two concepts? Áslat and Deenaalee explain the impacts in their communities, and how the crisis is not just about food on the table, it's about identity.

Part 4: How to manage the salmon crisis. Who decides the way forward?

We explore how a new salmon species in the Deatnu river has created an opportunity for locals to adapt in a changing Arctic. However, disagreement on how this new species should be managed has created tension between local communities, scientists and state authorities.

Should an invasive species that could alter ecosystems be eradicated? Or could it be an opportunity to revitalize culture, economies and communities? Importantly - who gets to decide, and based off of what information?

This episode also delves into how science and Indigenous Knowledge can come together to inform the best solutions.

Listen and subscribe on all podcast platforms.