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History of the Program
The strength of salmon stocks in the Norton Sound has been weakening for the past two decades, with no relief in sight. One year after its inception, NSEDC formed a program to do its part in the attempt to determine the cause of this decline and eventually restore the stocks to their once abundant status. The corporation recognizes the importance of salmon to residents of its member communities, and therefore has dedicated growing effort in the race to save our salmon.
In the initial years of the program, NSEDC's contributions to the regional effort were one of funding assistance to various agencies to help conduct their fisheries programs. These included providing summer intern positions to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and Kawerak Inc. These interns generally worked in field camps designed to enumerate salmon returning to the rivers. This information is useful to state managers who must decide when to open fishing, and when it must remain closed to allow adequate escapement to provide fish in future years. Other valuable data can also be collected at these projects, such as age, sex, and length data that provide researchers and managers with vital information about the life history of the stocks.
Funds were also contributed to specific projects through ADF&G and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) such as limnology studies in Salmon and Glacial Lakes, and the subsequent fertilization of Salmon Lake (to promote sockeye salmon stocks). Significant contributions were made to the Norton Sound/Bering Strait Regional Aquaculture Association (NS/BSRAA), which ran salmon rehabilitation projects within the region. Both ADF&G and NS/BSRAA have implemented streamside incubator projects in the past, in an effort to boost survival rates during the egg-to-fry life stage with the financial help of NSEDC.
 Where we are Today
As with many things, the Salmon Rehabilitation Division has been evolving over time, and now has expanded in stature. In 2000, NSEDC hired a fisheries biologist to take over the program and become more proactive in the rehabilitation field, conducting projects from within the company in addition to generous contributions to others, such as most of those listed above.
Simon Kinneen- NSEDC Fisheries Biologist
In response to a Fishery Disaster Declaration by the Secretary of Commerce for Norton Sound salmon in 1998, congress appropriated five million dollars for the research and restoration of Norton Sound salmon stocks. A seven-member steering committee, comprised of regional, state, and federal members, was formed with the task of determining the best use of the funds. A technical advisory group, the Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) was formed to provide the Steering Committee with technical advice on the merits of research and restoration proposals submitted for funding (up to 75% of the project can be funded by the Steering Committee). The Steering Committee, working with the STC, has approved a Research and Restoration Plan that essentially lays out all the life stages of salmon, and then applies what we know about Norton Sound stocks and identifies what information we do not have. Unfortunately, the list of information gaps far outweighs what is known. Requests For Proposals are sent out annually to solicit proposals that intend to address information gaps in the NSRRP.
While playing a role in the formation of the Steering Committee, NSEDC has also been successful in receiving funding for conducting research projects. NSEDC has teamed up with LGL Alaska Research Associates to design and implement projects within the Norton Sound, that address information gaps identified in the NSRRP.
For further information and results of some of the projects NSEDC and LGL are conducting, please click on the links below.
Featured Projects
 Fecundity of Coho and Chum Salmon
Juvenile Chum Ecology
Distribution and Productive Capacity of Coho Salmon
Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation
420 L Street, Suite 310, Anchorage, AK 99501, Phone 1-907-274-2248, Fax 1-907-274-2249
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