Essay by Julia Vinciguerra

My name is Julia Vinciguerra and I am a senior at Michigan State University majoring in zoology with a concentration in marine biology. Born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, I have earned the reputation as being the abnormal one of the area since I'd rather explore the wilderness of Alaska than explore the newly stocked clothing racks at our local mall. As I implied, Toledo does not offer much in regards to cultural diversity, species diversity (depending on which movie theater you dare to visit), adventure, and especially a change in elevation! I knew being a part of a sockeye salmon fisheries study surrounded by various wildlife, subsistence lifestyles, and armies of mosquitoes was going to require some lifestyle changes on my part. With all of this in mind, I still had no idea what I was going to encounter upon my arrival (neither did my supervisor when she agreed to hire me!).

My first summer I was given the opportunity by Dr. Carol Ann Woody to work on the Lake Clark sockeye salmon research project assisting her with the Native Alaskan Intern Program. I devoted hours of research to learning behaviors and lifecycle of sockeye salmon. The research revealed how critical the return of salmon to their natal freshwater habitats is to the survival of life within and around these waters. With this information, I put together lesson plans and activities for the intern program which consisted of five students; Kristy Balluta (Nondalton), Shavela Stickman (Nondalton), Crystal Wassillie (Newhalen), Janell Kakaruk (Nondalton), and Gerald Anelon (Iliamna). Our main objective was the collection of otoliths from the Nondalton subsistence catch, along with learning the procedures of counting sockeye salmon during their upstream migration from the project's designated counting towers.

The intern program was very successful and by my second summer more interns were accepted and the program became a more collaborative effort between Lake Clark National Park and Preserve and U.S.G.S. My primary objective last summer was to focus on the collection of otoliths in partner with Kristy Balluta. Not only was the subsistence catch of Nondalton sampled, I also spent a great deal of time in Iliamna, Alaska, sampling the sports catch of local fishing lodges. U.S.G.S. is involved with the intern program by aiding in the instruction on the procedures of the collection of otoliths, as well as aiding in the instruction on the procedures for the counting towers.

While my primary purpose focuses on research pertaining to sockeye salmon, it has been the over all experience that has so impacted my life. In other words, when I was traveling to Lake Clark to work on a salmon project I knew I would learn about data collection, data analysis, scientific processes, and of course salmon. What I was not expecting to learn was a respect for the subsistence lifestyle and the demands it entails. The people of Nondalton have helped me understand the hardships they face within their villages as well as the rewards they cherish. They have welcomed me and allowed me to be part of their sacred subsistence fishing during the summer. From these people, I have learned that conveniences are not something to be taken for granted. I am so thankful for the friendships I have made in Nondalton and for their dedication in assisting Carol Ann Woody's research to improve and restore the sockeye salmon runs.

The U.S. Geological Survey, the villages of Nondalton, Newhalen, Iliamna, and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve all played a part in my understanding the importance of sockeye salmon. Through salmon, all of life surrounding their habitat celebrates their return through growth and productivity. With continual efforts from volunteers, employees, and cooperators in assisting Dr. Carol Ann Woody with her research, we can further learn about the sockeye salmon returning to the Kvichak River system and what is causing their decline. I am looking forward to spending this upcoming summer contributing to the project as well as the excitement in facing the new challenges and unexpected conditions this study provides. Thank you to everyone who has made this an incredible and memorable experience.