‘A cultural tragedy’: Karuk Tribe cuts salmon harvest to 200 fish Karuk Tribe cuts harvest; fishery council to finalize 2017 season rules

For the first time in its history, the Karuk Tribe will be limiting ceremonial salmon harvests for tribal members because of the record low forecast for returning Chinook salmon on the Klamath River. Karuk Tribal Chairman Russell “Buster” Attebery said in a Monday statement that it was his “saddest day as chairman” to announce the tribe will limit harvest for sustenance and ceremonial purposes to just 200 salmon. “This is the first time in our history that we have imposed limits on traditional dip net fishermen working to feed their extended families and tribal elders,” he stated.About 12,000 Chinook salmon are forecast to return to the Klamath River to spawn this year, which is a record low, according to the council. The Karuk Tribe states this year’s forecast represents about 10 percent of the average run size during the past three decades. Tribes and fishery scientists have attributed the low return to poor ocean conditions, drought and parasitic outbreaks in 2014 and 2015 that are estimated to have killed up to 90 percent of juvenile Chinook salmon in the river.