Calendar of Events Children's Book on Natural Indicators Newsletter - Fall 2012

The Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (YRDFA) is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit association of subsistence and commercial fishers with a mission of protecting and promoting all healthy fisheries and cultures along the Yukon River drainage.

The Yukon River is home to the longest salmon migration in the world. These salmon provide key dietary and cultural support for over forty-two rural Alaskan villages. For many families, the commercial salmon harvest provides the only means of income, and salmon provides a primary source of food for humans and the sled dogs that are integral to their subsistence way of life.

YRDFA was created in 1990 to conserve these salmon runs by giving a voice to the people who have managed the resource for thousands of years. YRDFA has become an essential part of the communications between fishers and fishery managers in this region. YRDFA represents village fishers at important state, federal and international decision-making tables, works to document and utilize Traditional Ecological Knowledge in fisheries management and strengthens the long-term economic viability and sustainability of Yukon River communities through preserving subsistence fisheries and enhancing commercial fisheries. YRDFA also serves as a leading research organization aimed at conserving Yukon River wild salmon throughout their lifecycles.

Articles of Incorporation

YRDFA was started in 1990 to:

• Establish communications between all user groups: subsistence, commercial, personal use, and sport, the management agencies to include all state and federal agencies that have jurisdiction over any activity that will affect the fish stocks in the Yukon River drainage whether it be direct or indirect.
• Take whatever actions are necessary to insure that all fish stocks in the Yukon River drainage are managed in such a manner as to provide for a stable and healthy fishery in the future.