Kamchatka Region and Koryak Autonomous Okrug

	Physical geography and climate
	Population, economic development and infrastructure
	Indigenous land use and dependence on the environment
	Environmental threats
	Map (1997)
	Article collection

Indigenous land use and dependence on the environment

The main indigenous occupations of the Koryak Autonomous Okrug are reindeer breeding and salmon fishing. Subsidiary traditional occupations are crab fishing, fur animal hunt (winter) and gathering of wild plants etc. Hunting of larger animals is mainly a means to protect reindeer herds from predators. Reindeer breeding is the basic economy of the indigenous population. Both Koryaks, Evens and Chukchi are semi-nomadic breeders, still using reindeer for transportation and yarangas (yurts) for seasonal accommodation on the pastures. Modern transportation is in use, but today very expensive. The number of domestic reindeer in the okrug in 1996 was 97,000 (plus 12,000 in the remaining part of the Region) and rapidly decreasingdue to high slaughtering rates, wild animal attacks, decrease in transportation facilities, etc. The increasing problem of wild animal attacks is partly due to depletion of the salmon population in the rivers, the main food of e.g. bears, by commercial over-fishing of the coastal waters.

Salmon fishing is equally important, though restricted to the summer months. The rivers of Kamchatka are very rich in salmon and yielded catches of approximately 1.5 mill. tons a year, but the increase in commercial coastal fishing with international (American and Japanese) participation, threatens the existence of inland salmon fishers. Salmon is an important diet as a supplement to reindeer meat. Salmon and other fishing is the main occupation of the Itelmens in Kovran, who were experiencing a severe crisis at present due to a very low quota and the lack of other food supply during the 1990s. Hunting and gathering are restricted in the populated areas and fees are charged. The Kamchadals of the Kamchatka Valley also participate in salmon fishing, but live mostly of vegetable gardening and stock farming.

The Commander Islands occupy a special position in the economy of the Kamchatskaya Oblast due to their completely maritime environment. Aleut subsistence is a sedentary combination economy seal and sea otter hunting, fishing, birding and gathering, while fur farming, stock farming and vegetable gardening have been introduced. There are efforts to reorganise traditional occupations, including coastal fishing, crab fishing, marine and terrestrial plant gathering, both for economic and self-sufficiency purposes.