Each spring, the return of hooligan — also known as eulachon orsaak in Tlingit — signals a seasonal shift in the Chilkat Valley. These small, nutrient-rich fish have sustained the Chilkoot and Chilkat Tlingit people for generations and play a foundational role in the region’s ecosystem.
In this KHNS report, Haines resident Sonny Williams reflects on a lifetime of harvesting and observing hooligan runs, noting how their timing and abundance can vary dramatically from year to year. For decades, much of what was known came from lived experience and traditional knowledge, with limited formal monitoring.
That is beginning to change. Researchers with the Chilkoot Indian Association, alongside local partners, are now tracking hooligan populations using environmental DNA sampling across multiple rivers, including the Chilkoot and Chilkat. Their work helps document when runs arrive, how long they last, and how they support a burst of spring wildlife activity.
As the fish return, so do thousands of gulls, sea lions, and other species that depend on hooligan as a key food source. The story highlights how this annual event connects culture, science, and ecology — and why understanding hooligan is essential to protecting the life they sustain in the Chilkat Valley.
👉 Read the full story at KHNS: [‘The buffet is open’: The hooligan, and spring, return to Haines]
Avery Ellfeldt, KHNS Published May 1, 2025
