Three Alaska Native Organizations Representing 98 Tribes Unite to Combat an Ongoing Food Security Crisis in Western and Interior Alaska — Launch Website
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2026 | Alaska — To combat plummeting salmon returns, three tribal organizations from the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim regions have formalized a coordinated effort to raise a unified voice to protect ways of life dependent on healthy salmon runs in the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers.
The Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP), Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (YRITFC), and Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (KRITFC) have formed the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Tribal Consortium (AYKTC). They are working together to elevate tribal leadership, strengthen fisheries management and ensure Indigenous knowledge informs decision-making in Alaska.
“We are salmon people,” says Vivian Korthuis, AVCP CEO. “Our Way of Life here on the
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is very precious to us because that is what we will leave to our children and our grandchildren. AVCP has partnered with the Yukon River and Kuskokwim River Fish Commissions to continue to protect Our Way of Life by creating a website dedicated to salmon and their return to our rivers.”
AYKTC’s newly launched SalmonPeople.org serves as a central hub for news, stories and updates from villages affected by rapid salmon run declines across the AYK region. The site highlights Native leadership, shares perspectives from impacted communities, and provides resources for people to stay informed and take action. Visitors can learn how to support policies that protect salmon habitat and strengthen fisheries management while still upholding subsistence rights. SalmonPeople.org is a place for advocates to share stories, stay updated on current policy, and learn how to support the salmon that feed people who have stewarded their waters since time immemorial.
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About:
Association of Village Council Presidents: Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP) is a regional non-profit tribal consortium comprising 56 federally recognized tribes of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. AVCP’s region is approximately 55,000 square miles, with a population of 27,000 residing in 48 communities along the Yukon River, Kuskokwim River, and Bering Sea coast. The residents of the region are primarily Yup’ik, Cup’ik, and Athabascan. AVCP is dedicated to supporting the interests of its member tribes, including through community development, education, social services, culturally relevant programs, and advocacy. AVCP promotes self-determination and protection and enhancement of cultural and traditional values. As part of its mission, AVCP has long been committed to advocating for the protection of the Bering Sea and its resources.
