Kings of the wild frontier

Every year, king salmon swim 2,000 miles up Alaska's Yukon river to spawn. Their journey is vital to the native people and animals - but now the numbers are dwindling. One man followed their run to find out whyIn 2013, I sat in a courtroom in Bethel, Alaska, and watched the trial of 23 Yup'ik fishermen, accused of flouting a ban on the fishing of king salmon the previous summer. The ban had been implemented by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as king salmon numbers plummeted, unexpectedly and inexplicably. The fishermen pleaded not guilty. They were justified in fishing, they said, because the taking of king salmon was part of their spiritual practice, their cultural heritage. First amendment. Mike Williams, then chief of the Yup'ik nation, pulled me to one side during a recess. "Gandhi had his salt, we have our salmon," he said.For the Yup'ik, getting arrested was no accident. They had issued a press release about their intention to fish before setting out. That first day in Bethel the courtroom was full, standing room only. Defendants, supporters, families hefting babies, a handful of journalists and cops. Someone produced a bag of salmon strips and passed it along the benches. Everyone took a piece and chewed on it, including the two state troopers. Continue reading...