Herring Synthesis: Documenting and Modeling Herring Spawning Areas within Socio-Ecological Systems Over Time in the Southeastern Gulf of Alaska

Local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Herring Spawning and Massing Observations

Overview

As part of this project, semi structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with Alaska Natives, commercial fishermen, sport fishermen and local residents. Both individual and focus group interview formats were utilized. A total of 86 individuals were interviewed. During these interviews, participants were asked a number of questions regarding the local and traditional knowledge of herring behavior and ecology, including observations regarding both past and present herring spawning and massing areas (see Appendix C). Each interview session was recorded, transcribed and then submitted for review to the interviewee; this process was not comprehensive however, due to time and funding restriaints, and the resultant maps should be considered a work in progress. In addition to these audio recordings, participants were invited to identify and mark herring spawning locations on maps provided by the interviewer, though not all participants chose to utilize these maps.

The resultant interview data were integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) using both line and point representation. First, participant observations of herring spawning locations recorded on the maps made available at each interview session, were manually integrated into the GIS and overlayed with a Southeast Alaska baselayer that allowed each observation to be identified with the corresponding section of coastline (see LTK Map Observations of Herring Spawn in Relation to Alaska Department of Fish and Game Herring Management Areas). Using a previously georeferenced digital image of herring spawn recorded by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) (Pritchett, personal communication 2007), it was possible to calculate and compare the temporally aggregated (c.1915 – present) total miles of spawn identified by both our interview participants (2,759 miles) in relation to the miles of spawn documented by ADFG (1,118 miles).

Second, because not all interview participants identified herring spawning and massing areas on the maps, and because 117 unpublished interviews were also analyzed as part of this project, point locations of herring spawning and massing were extracted from interview transcripts and entered into a Microsoft Access database with associated latitude and longitude coordinates (see Herring Spawning and Massing Observations (Overview Map). These coordinates were then imported into the GIS software as point locations. Using a georeferenced digital image of kwáan areas (Hope and Thornton 2000), these point locations were then identified and grouped by the
kwáan territory in which the herring observation was made. Each point location may have one or more observations of herring spawning and massing associated with it. The following sections are the results of this data conversion. Together these data can be matched against other environmental records, such as historical and prehistorical herring catches, climate variation, boat traffic (Appendix F), whale activity, and so on.

In eliciting, verifying, and synthesizing herring observations, we tried to gain as much detail as possible about space (location) and time. However, not all observations are situated precisely. We also identify themes in the observation data, such as comments on predation, to facilitate analysis. However, it is beyond the scope of the present study to comprehensively analyze all the observations collected against other historical and environmental sources. This synthesis and identification of themes is a baseline from which we propose to continue this analysis in the next phase of research, building on the present GIS mapping and database framework developed for this project.

Sanyaa and Taant’a Kwáans: Saxman/Ketchikan/Cape Fox

The following is a list of locations within the Sanyaa and Taant’a Kwáan territories that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Badger Bay, Behm Canal, Betton Island, Blank Inlet, Blank Islands, Boca de Quadra, California Head, Carroll Inlet, Cat Island, City Float, Clover Pass, Foggy Bay, Fox Island, George Inlet, Gravina Island, Herring Cove, Kah Shakes, Ketchikan Harbor, Knudsen Cove, Loring Cannery, Lucky Cove, Mary Island, Mountain Point, Point McCartey, Sargent Bay, Saxman Village, Spacious Bay, Thomas Basin, Thorne Arm, Thorne Bay, Tongass Narrows, Totem Bight, Walker Cove, Ward Cove, Weasel Cove, Wistanley Island, Yes Bay/Why Bay.

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Hinyaa Kwáan: Craig/Klawock/Hydaburg

The following is a list of locations within the Hinyaa Kwáan that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previous research efforts: Abbess Island, Alberto Islands, (Bartolome) Baker Island, Clam Island, Craig/Klawock, Eagle Island, Edna Bay, Fern Point, Fish Egg Island, Fox Island (Belanny Islands), Graveyard (Pitt) Island, Klawock River, Klawock Harbor, Kosciusko Island, Marble Island, Meares Passage, Noyes Island, Point Baker, Port Protection, Portillo Channel, Prince of Wales Island, Rocky Cove, San Fernando Island, San Juan Bautista Island, St. Joseph Island, Steamboat Bay, Tokeen area, Tonowek Narrows, Turn Point, Wadleigh Island, Warm Chuck Inlet, and Warren Channel .

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Shtax’héen Kwáan: Wrangell

The following is a list of locations within the Shtax’héen Kwáan, that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Anan Creek, Anita Bay, Blake Channel, Bond Bay, Bradfield Canal, Caamano Point, Cleveland Peninsula, Deep Bay, Deer Island, Elephants Nose, Etolin Island, Farragut Bay, Helm Bay, Ideal Cove, Meyer’s Chuck, Olive Cove, Petersburg, Point Stewart, Quiet Harbor, Roosevelt Bay, Scow Bay, Snow Pass, Steamer Bay, Sumner Strait, Sunny Bay, Thomas Bay, Totem Bay, Union Bay, Woronkofski Island, Wrangell Harbor, Wrangell Narrows, Zimovia Straits

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Kéex’ and Kooyú Kwáans: Kake/Kuiu

The following is a list of locations within the Kéex’ and Kooyú Kwáans, that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Affleck Canal, Big Creek, Big John Bay, Cape Bendel, Chatham Strait, Conclusion Island, Dakaneek Bay, Deep Cove, Frederick Sound, Gedney Harbor, Gil Harbor, Halleck Harbor, Hamilton Bay, Kadake Bay, Kake, Keku Islands, Kuiu Island, Monte Carlo Island, No Name Bay, Pillar Bay, Pinta Point, Point Barrie, Port Armstrong, Port Beauclerc, Port Camden, Port Conclusion, Port Herbert, Port Houghton, Port Lucy, Port Malmsbury, Portage Bay, Pybus Bay, Rocky Pass Inlet, Rowan Bay, Saginaw Bay, Salt Lake, Security Bay, Table Bay, Tebenkof Bay, Threemile Arm, Turnabout Island, and Washington Bay

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Xutsnoowú Kwáan: Angoon

The following is a list of locations within the Xutsnoowú Kwáan, that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Admiralty Island, Angoon, Cedar Point, Chatham Strait, Danger Point, Distant Point, East Point, Eliza Harbor, Favorite Bay, Graveyard Island, Gut Bay, Hood Bay, Kelp Bay, Killisnoo Island, Kootznahoo Inlet, Mitchell Bay, Murder Cove, Peril Strait, Point Gardner, Point Samuel, Pond Island, Sitkoh Bay, Tenakee Inlet (Long Bay, Saltery Bay, Seal Bay), and Tyee.

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Sheet’ka Kwáan: Sitka

The following is a list of locations within the Sheet’ka Kwáan, that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Aleutkina Bay, Apple Islands, Bieli Rocks, Big Bay, Big Port Walter, Biorka Island, Camp Coogan Bay, Cape Edgecumbe, Cape Ommaney, Cedar Cove, Cedar Pass, Chaichei Islands, Crawfish Bay, Crawfish Inlet, Crow Island, Deep Inlet, Dog Point, Dorothy Narrows, Fish Bay, Freds Creek, Gagarin Island, Gavanski Islands (Big and Little), Goddard, God’s Pockets, Halibut Point, Herring Rock, Howard Strait, Hot Springs Bay, Jamestown Bay, Japonski Island, Kasiana Islands, Katlian Bay, Krestof Island, Kruzof Island, Larch Bay, Lava Island, Leesofftskaia Bay, Middle Island, Nakwasina Bay, Nakwasina Sound, Necker Bay, No Thorofare Bay, Parker Group, Partofshikof Island,
Patterson Bay, Peril Straits, Pirates Cove, Point Brown, President Bay, Promisla Cove, Redoubt, Saint Lazaria Island, Salsibury Sound, Samsing Cove, Sandy Cove, Sealing Cove, Shelikof Bay, Shoals Point, Siginaka Islands, Silver Bay, Silver Point, Sinitsin Cove, Sinitsin Island, Slocum Arm, Sitka Area (the Cove Dock, the Cape Area, Sitka Sound, Sitka Harbor, in front of Sitka Village, Old Sitka), St. John Baptist Bay, Sukoi Inlet, Three Entrance Bay, Ushk Bay, West Crawfish Inlet/Windy Passage, Whale Bay, Whiting Harbor, Windy Pass, and Yamani Island.

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Áak’w and T’aaku Kwáans: Juneau/Douglas

The following is a list of locations within the Áak’w and T’aaku Kwáans, that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Auke Bay, Benjamin Island, Berners Bay, Bridget Cove, Douglas Island, Eagle River, Echo Cove, Funter Bay, Gambier Bay, Hawk Inlet, Hobart Bay, Indian Cove, Juneau Harbor, Lynn Canal, Middle Point, Piling Point, Point Louisa, Portland Island, Seymour Canal, Stephens Passage, Windham Bay, Winning Cove, Yankee Cove.

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Xunaa Káawu: Hoonah

The following is a list of locations within the Xunaa Káawu, that were identified as notable herring spawning and massing areas during individual interviews and focus group interviews conducted during this synthesis project and in previously documented research efforts: Bell Island, Burnt Point, Cedar Point, Chimney Rock, Dundas Bay, Dundas River, Eight Fathom Bight, Elfin Cove, Excursion Inlet, False Bay, Fingers Bay, Flynn Cove, Freshwater Bay, Gallagher Creek, Game Creek, Gartina Creek, Glacier Bay (Willoughby Island), Grassy Island, Graves Harbor, Graveyard Island, Hoonah Harbor, Hoonah Island, Icy Strait, Idaho Inlet, Inian Point, Lisianski Inlet, Long Island, Neka Bay, Pelican Harbor, Pinta Cove, Pint Rock, Pleasant Island, Point Adolphus, Point Augusta, Port Frederick, Sawmill Bay, Shaw Island, Taylor Bay, The Sisters, Whitestone Harbor, Willoughby Island, Yakobi Island.

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