$4.5M Federal Grant Allocated for Salmon Restoration in Alaska
A $4.5 million grant announced Sept. 23 by the Interior Department is earmarked for co-stewardship and salmon restoration in Alaska’s Yukon, Kuskokwim and Norton Sound regions.
The funds are part of Phase 4 of the Biden administration’s “Gravel to Gravel Initiative,” recognizing salmon as among traditional foods vital to dozens of tribes who have lived in the regions for thousands of years, sustained by subsistence and also commercial fisheries.
Due to climate change, as well as other factors, there’s been a severe decline in salmon returns to these areas, justifying a need for immediate and lasting ‘gravel to gravel’ action by the federal government, the announcement said.
The Interior Department, coordinated through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, is partnering with tribes, indigenous leaders, other agencies and community partners on the “gravel to gravel” approach.
It is designed to enhance the resilience of the region’s ecosystems and communities through transformational federal, philanthropic and other investments.
The grant is one of 50 ecosystem restoration projects that include on-the-ground action in 34 states and multiple U.S. territories, as well as many projects earmarked for building climate resilience, improved habitats and healthier communities.
“At a time when tackling the dual climate and biodiversity crises could not be more critical, these investments in clean air, wildlife habitat, cultural resources and open spaces will benefit people, wildlife and local economies for generations to come,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
