Postmark: Jan 26,95 9:28 AM Delivered: Jan 27,95 10:01 AM
Status: Previously read
Subject: Subsistence News-1/27/95
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Message:
*Recently, Alaska’s governor, Tony Knowles, dropped the state lawsuit challenging the federal government’s authority to manage subsistence hunting and fishing on Alaskan federal lands (Alaska v. Babbitt). However, the governor plans to continue the appeal of the Katie John v. U.S. lawsuit. The decision in this latter lawsuit extended federal subsistence management to fisheries in navigable waters of the state.
*Native plaintiffs and leaders in the Katie John lawsuit believe the federal government should manage subsistence fisheries in all navigable waters, while the federal government says it should do so only in waters of select National Parks and Wildlife Refuges. The State of Alaska contends that the federal government’s authority should not extend to fisheries or related issues.
*The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously denied the petition for rehearing of Quinhagak, et.al. v. U.S. The Native community had requested a “preliminary injunction” against the U.S. in order to preclude state and federal prohibitions against taking rainbow trout from freshwater rivers for subsistence purposes. The court may have denied the appeal because the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) lifted the prohibitions against such fishing in 1993.
*Dale Kanen,Sitka Subsistence Manager,was named Craig District Ranger.
Postmark: Jan 19,95 1:18 PM Delivered: Jan 20,95 9:59 AM
Status: Previously read
Subject: Subsistence News-1/20/95
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Message:
*The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from plaintiffs to let the Alaska State courts decide remaining cases in the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Alaska Natives had sought to pursue claims that the oil spill caused adverse impacts to their traditional culture.
*The Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) has approved a winter subsistence caribou hunt for 14 interior villages along the Yukon River. The season will run from Feb.1 to Mar.31. Each rural resident will be eligible to harvest one caribou from the Western Arctic herd.
*The FSB has banned subsistence hunting of moose on federal public lands along a stretch of the Yukon River. The restriction prohibits hunting within a mile of the river in Game Management Unit (GMU) 21E during the winter season, Feb.1-10. The ruling affects the communities of Paimiut, Anvik, Holy Cross, and Grayling. The closure is to prevent over harvest and minimize disturbance to the moose that congregate along the river during the winter.
*A U.S. District Court judge has ruled in what has been termed the “Bold II” lawsuit. The judge ruled that Indians in Washington’s Puget Sound may gather shellfish on private property. Crab, shrimp, sea cucumber, sea urchin, and many other shellfish are included under the ruling, which upholds Treaties signed in 1854 and 1855.
Postmark: Jan 12,95 2:32 PM Delivered: Jan 13,95 10:02 AM
Status: Previously read
Subject: Subsistence News-1/13/95
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Message:
*Public review of the proposed 1995-96 Subsistence Regulations for the taking of wildlife on federal public lands in Alaska ends January 13th.
*Regional Advisory Council (RAC) meetings involve local subsistence users and agency specialists. The Councils discuss proposals, hear additional public comment, and make recommendations to the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB).
*The southeast Regional Advisory Council will meet in Hoonah’s Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB) Hall, February 8-10.
*The southcentral Regional Advisory Council will meet in the Anchorage Sheraton Hotel, February 28-March 2.
*The FSB makes final decisions on the above proposals at a formal public hearing in Anchorage, April 10-14.
