The Arctic

Kamchatka-Bering Sea ecoregion map
© WWF

Salmon is the biological foundation, or keystone species, of coastal ecosystems and human economies in the Pacific Rim. It connects ecosystems and human livelihoods across Russia/USA border. Salmon annual migrations are a miracle of nature, they feed us and their presence tells us that our rivers are still healthy.

In 2006, WWF, with support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, launched an ambitious salmon conservation program to address the complex challenges facing the salmon populations along the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, and in the Bering Sea.

Click on the pictures to be taken to each section:

Campaign against driftnet fishing in Russian waters 

In 2004 WWF launched a successful campaign to effectively ban scientific driftnet fishing – often a cover for commercial driftnet fishing in the Russian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). In 2009 Russian President Vladimir Putin put a halt on driftnet fishing.

However, strong lobbying from the Russian Driftnet Association led to the approval of a 2010 driftnet fishing season, approximately 48.5 million pounds of salmon for Russian and Japanese vessels and consistent with the long term average for driftnet allocations.

Learn more about WWF’s work on the Pacific Salmon Fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Russian Federation.
© Dmitry Utkin

WWF is now working to develop both legal and public outreach strategies to contest this decision.

Learn more:

• Large-scale drift-net fishing: a catastrophe for Kamchatka (Feb 15, 2010)
• WWF calls upon Russian State Agency on Fisheries to change their position on “death walls” (27 April 2009)
• Battle against “Death Walls” continues (31 March 2009)

The prevention of Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing 

IUU fishing is a broad term that includes several types of poaching:

1. Illegal and unrecorded commercial fishing (in excess of allocated quotas) in the seas and large rivers.
2. Illegal fishing for the purpose of roe extraction at the approaches to spawning grounds.
3. Fishing by the local people, without permission, for personal consumption.

IUU is a threat to salmon sustainability. Well-organized illegal fishing undermines the management of the salmon stock, and in many cases leads to stock depletion. In addition, organized illegal fishing contributes to corruption and criminalization of society, draws fishing income out of the region, and weakens incentives for economic development of the region and sustainable fishing. Read the comprehensive report on IUU salmon fishing in Kamchatka.

Anti-poaching brigade 

Anti-poaching brigade is burning confiscated nets
© WWF Russia

In 2009, the South Kamchatka Sanctuary anti-poaching team – supported by WWF – spent 240 days in the field, wrote up 107 citations and confiscated 145 illegal weapons, including traps, snares, nets and rifles. The team has purchased a boat to patrol marine waters and is now able to stop and search ships in the marine portion of the Sanctuary.

Kronotsky Federal Reserve developed its own anti-poaching brigade modeled on the experience of the team in the South Kamchatka Sanctuary. WWF provided financial support for the Kronotsky brigade, which confiscated 11 tons of illegally harvested salmon.

Sustainable fisheries certification 

The Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) fishery certification program and seafood ecolabel recognize and reward sustainable fishing. It is a global organization working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental choice in seafood.

Learn more:

• Gidrostroy’s Iturup Island Fishery (Kuril Islands) is the first MSC certified fishery in Russia! For more info visit Iturup’s page.
• Kamchatka youth works towards promotion of sustainable salmon. Read about the joint work between WWF Russia and the Kamchatka Youth Government.

© TRAFFIC

Traceability of salmon products 

Traceability of salmon products is very important for decreasing the amount of Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fish. Knowing where the fish on the market comes from helps establish better conservation measures for salmon populations and keeps poaching levels low.

The WWF Kamchatka office collected independently verifiable data on the export of Kamchatka sockeye salmon. We now know which companies sell sockeye to foreign buyers, when they sell it and in what quantities. Next, data will be gathered on export of Kamchatka chum and pink salmon. We also established a preliminary agreement with the U.S. traceability firm, Trace Register, to assist in the design and execution of a traceability study for a selected Kamchatka salmon fishery.

Indigenous participation in salmon conservation 

© WWF Canon

WWF Kamchatka strives to work together with indigenous groups in salmon sustainability work. In December 2009, the WWF Kamchatka office organized an indigenous people's workshop to coordinate the efforts of indigenous groups to ensure their rights to fishery resources and their involvement in the decision-making process. Fifty-five people attended the workshop where participants drafted recommendations and resolutions for the Kamchatka Regional Government. We will use these recommendations and resolutions, which identify clear priorities of the indigenous community, as a guideline to direct our future work on indigenous rights and fisheries.

Learn more about WWF’s salmon conservation work at WWF Russia’s site