By Talar Stockton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Yukon News The Whitehorse Fish Ladder has seen 685 Chinook salmon pass through as of Aug. 29: while the number is significantly surpassed last year’s numbers, experts say there’s still a long way to go for a healthy Chinook population along the Yukon River. Last year, by Aug. 26, 268 Chinook had passed through the fish ladder: a season total of just under 500 Chinook would pass through by the end of the season. This year, Aug. 26 had already seen 675 Chinook pass through the site — which is higher than the 10-year average of 578 for the fish ladder. According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Chinook salmon in the Yukon River have experienced declining populations. In 2022 and 2023,…