Postmark: Feb 15,96 3:10 PM Delivered: Feb 15,96 3:10 PM
Subject: Subsistence News-2/16/96
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Message:
*The Southeast Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Council (RAC) recently met in Wrangell, February 8-9.
*Highlights of the RAC meeting provide a glimpse of pending litigation concerning the management of fisheries in navigable waters of Alaska. The US Supreme Court is expected to rule on the Katie John vs. US lawsuit this spring.
*A new proposal was adopted by the RAC which allows for the taking and use of wildlife for food in traditional Alaska Native religious ceremonies. These specific ceremonies must be part of a funerary or mortuary cycle, which includes memorial potlatches. Under the adopted proposal, wildlife may be taken outside of the seasons and bag limits.
*Another adopted proposal opens federal public lands on the Stikine River drainage to the harvest of moose. This proposal reinstates the Alaska state registration permit system in place of the existing federal permit system.
*The fall Southeast RAC meeting is scheduled for Kake. Specific dates have not been finalized.
Postmark: Feb 07,96 11:41 AM Delivered: Feb 07,96 11:41 AM
Subject: Subsistence News-2/9/96
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Message:
*Alaska’s Lt. Gov. has released a new draft version of her “Alaska Solution to the Subsistence Impasse”. This latest edition is dated 1/31/96.
*Major changes between the two versions are highlighted here:
allow educational/cultural permits for people surrounded by non-subsistence peoples. It would also expand “proxy” hunt system to allow urban subsistence users to hunt for those in rural communities.
Enhance the current management structure to utilize local fish and game advisory committees, Regional Subsistence advisory councils, and Boards of Fish and Game.
State constitutional amendment change to “may” rather than “should” (e.g., the state legislature may grant a subsistence preference for rural residents). And
Congress will revise definition for “reasonable opportunity”. Additionally, the courts will defer to the Fish and Game Boards concerning biological or questions of fact.
*The Southeast Native Subsistence Commission (SENSC) and the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska received $49,000 from the National Park Service for Phase II of the Traditional Place Names Survey in southeast Alaska. Phase II place name maps will be made available for Saxman, Ketchikan, Klukwan, and Haines.
Postmark: Jan 29,96 9:08 AM Delivered: Jan 29,96 9:08 AM
Subject: Subsistence News-2/2/96
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Message:
*In 1989, the Alaska State Supreme Court specifically made it clear that the state could no longer link its Subsistence priority to a person’s place of residence. Because of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), Alaska’s failure to maintain its long standing rural preference resulted in the Interior & Agriculture Departments taking over subsistence management on all federal public lands in 1990.
*The federal government assumed subsistence management of fish and wildlife on federal public lands, and the state continued management on state and private lands.
*”The challenge is to find common ground that all groups will support, and create a structure to permanently solve the problem.” Alaska Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer.
*The Alaska congressional delegation continues to say that it will not change ANILCA without an Alaskan consensus, no solution will work without widespread support; nor can a plan work that is not a complete package that balances competing interests and links each component to all others.
