Postmark: Feb 07,95 8:10 AM Delivered: Feb 10,95 9:59 AM
Status: Previously read
Subject: Subsistence News-2/10/95
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Message:
*The Southeast Subsistence Regional Advisory Council (RAC) public meeting took place in Hoonah, Alaska, betwwen Feb.8-10. Agenda items included: proposals for 1995-96 subsistence hunting regulations; staff and committee reports; Customary and traditional Use eligibility process updates; annual report; Regional Council Charter renewal; and other business.
*Applications for membership on the Federal Regional Advisory Councils must be submitted to the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB). Appointed members serve a three year term. Applications must be submitted to the FSB on or before Feb. 28, 1995.
*Alaska Natives are expected to sponsor legislation to amend ANILCA and ANCSA to place their land holdings under the federal subsistence program.
*A Notice is to be published in the Federal Register requesting a 60 day comment period on FSB jurisdiction of subsistence management on state and private lands.
*The primary goal of the FSB is to assure rural subsistence users have a priority over all other hunters in Alaska.
Postmark: Feb 02,95 2:12 PM Delivered: Feb 03,95 10:01 AM
Status: Previously read
Subject: Subsistence News-2/3/95
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Message:
*Republican lawmakers within the Alaska state legislature have hired Robert Bork, noted constitutional attorney and former Supreme Court nominee, to intercede for the state with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. They want to convince the court that the State v. Babbitt lawsuit should not be dropped. Recently, Governor Tony Knowles announced the state was dropping the appeal of the State v. Babbitt lawsuit.
*Potential options currently open to Alaska Governor Tony Knowles concerning subsistence:
press for federal legislation to amend ANILCA-not likely to succeed;
press for a state constitutional amendment through the state legislature-not likely to succeed;
pursue litigation-not likely to succeed;
pursue executive actions to defuse the subsistence dilemma-this might be successful.
*Actions which have the potential to defuse the subsistence dilemma: propose a referendum on subsistence; campaign to educate the public and build support for ANILCA subsistence compliance; avoid mitigation of the Federal Subsistence Management Program; Reform the Boards of Fish and Game process; Develop strategic proposals to phase in ANILCA compliance; Negotitate a co-management agreement with the Federal Subsistence Board (FSB) to the extent possible (ANILCA 809).
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.
