For the past three years, Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak (STK) Natural Resources Department received funding from Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Youth Initiative Program to engage Tribal youth in natural resources management through fieldwork and data collection on Kodiak Archipelago.

From 2017-2019 , STK hired a total of seven Tribal youth for the following internships: Fisheries Intern, Natural Resources Intern, and Wildlife Intern. To teach youth about the interdisciplinary approach to natural resource management, STK partnered with Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Kodiak Area Native Association, Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association, Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District, Native Village of Afognak, Old Harbor Native Corporation, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.

The interns spent the summer assisting staff with the following project activities: salmon hatchery management; salmon fisheries monitoring; invasive species control; subsistence food toxin testing and monitoring; marine and wildlife species monitoring; environmental education; Alutiiq culture and subsistence activities; and water temperature monitoring.

Here is what the Tribal youth said about their internships:

“I have gained a multitude of experiences with this internship here in Kodiak, Alaska. Although it is a different ecosystem here in Alaska there are a lot of resources and similarity in the preservation in the wildlife and fisheries studies here in Alaska that I will be able to take back to my homeland. As an ambitious, young, Native American woman that hopes to have a future in wildlife and fisheries research, attending this internship in Kodiak, Alaska has been a life changing experience.”
-Sattie Fisher, 2019 Natural Resources Intern

“My favorite part (of the internship) was when we went out fishing for rockfish. We spent the entire day dropping the lines and bringing up rockfish… We would weigh them, measure them, gender them, and if it was a female of the right size we would keep it. I observed how the sampling and counting of the fish actually worked.”
-Peter Seeganna, 2019 Natural Resources Intern

“Prior to this summer I knew almost nothing about fisheries management. Over the course of this internship I learned how to work in fisheries research and monitoring, how hatcheries operate, and how to work with invasive species. Overall, I gained experience that I believe will be of great use for my future.”
-Brandon Mahle, 2017 Fisheries Intern

“Before the start of my internship here in Kodiak my knowledge of fisheries management was very limited. I had the opportunity to perform various jobs such as working at a weir, hatchery and on several projects including the invasive signal crayfish and clam collection. Over the course of this internship, I have learned the importance of fisheries management and environmental preservation. I had the opportunity to work with a lot of great people who taught me many valuable skills that I’m sure I will be using for the rest of my life and future career.”
-Tristan Keith, 2018 Fisheries Intern

“As the Natural Resources Intern at the Sun’aq Tribe, I was given many opportunities to learn about our natural resources and how we manage them here on Kodiak Island. I learned quite a few things about management and what is vital to maintaining our wildlife, plants, and their habitats. I got to experience so much more of my home this summer, and learned more than I could ever fit into a short summary.”
-Mandi Cox, 2017 Natural Resources Intern

“This summer I spent twelve weeks working as the Wildlife Intern for the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, Alaska. The big part of the project that was worked on this summer was the immobilization and collaring of the animals (Kodiak brown bear and Roosevelt elk). I was able to experience the entire immobilization process, from preparing in town, to going on captures in the field, to entering and analyzing data afterwards. This summer was an absolutely amazing experience that I would have never expected to get this early in my career as a wildlife biologist. I am very grateful to have gotten this opportunity this summer.”
-Jessica Rich, 2017 Wildlife Intern

“Given the opportunity to intern for the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak has broadened my knowledge for wildlife conservation and learning of the rich Alaskan Native American culture. I was able to gain wildlife ecology, biology, and management skills. The knowledge I have gained from the experience will be shared with my community and useful for earning my Bachelor Degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management.”
-Cameron Tenorio, 2018 Wildlife Intern