Carol Ann Woody, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Text by Kristy Balluta of Nondalton, Alaska

Gerald Anelon (Iliamna) recording scientific data, collecting genetic samples, and preserving them in vials with alcohol.

Interns Janell Kakaruk and Kristy Balluta (Nondalton) and volunteer Carl Saunders (University of Montana) collecting salmon scales to determine age. Fish scales have daily and annual rings, like trees; therefore, we can count the rings to determine how old a fish is.

Intern Kristy Balluta (Nondalton) and Volunteer Carl Saunders (University of Montana) measure a salmon and prepare to radio tag it.

Interns Shavela Stickman (Nondalton) and Crystal Wassillie (Newhalen) counting salmon from a tower on the Newhalen River at the River Mile 22 Camp Site.

Intern Julia Vinciguerra (Michigan State University) Shavela Stickman, and Kristy Balluta of Nondalton collect salmon otoliths from the Nondalton subsistence catch.

Interns Janell Kakaruk and Kristy Balluta of Nondalton select a salmon from the fish bin to radio tag and track to their spawning sites.

Dr. Carol Ann Woody (Project Investigator), and Interns Shavela Stickman, Crystal Wassillie, Janell Kakaruk, and Julia Vinciguerra load a the boat with gear and get ready to collect otolith samples from local subsistence fishers.

Posing in front of the beautiful fireweed are Kristy Balluta, Janell Kakaruk, and Shavela Stickman of Nondalton, and Crystal Wassillie of Newhalen.

Shavela Stickman-Nondalton, and Crystal Wassillie-Newhalen riding in the boat on the Six-Mile Lake going to local fish camps around Nondalton to collect salmon otoliths.

Intern Gerald Anelon (Iliamna) and Adam leaving the Newhalen River Mile 22 Camp to haul gear up to the Tazimna Camp.

Shavela Stickman, Kristy Balluta, Julia Vinciguerra, and Janell Kakaruk hanging out after work.

Essay by Kristy Balluta from Nondalton, Alaska