“The Federal Subsistence Board is made of representatives from the five land-owning federal agencies in Alaska (the National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs) as well as six elected members of the public. Together the group makes decisions regarding subsistence harvest for both urban and rural users throughout the state, driven by guidance from regional advisory committees and public testimony from local residents.
Students had the chance to attend this year’s meeting in February as part of a class given by UAS. Kyah Martin, Mitchel Michel, Cayenne Boe, Dietrich Lewis, and Hayden Daniels met for virtual lectures after school at the Haa Toow’u Latseen (Tech Center). They learned how proposals get made, how regional advisory councils operate, and who votes on the board. At the meetings, they were chaperoned by Julian, Jackson Combs, and Jamie Erickson. Students’ assignments included networking with federal/state employees, interviewing professionals, following the proposals, and providing their own testimony in front of the board about “subsistence” issues of concern to them.
Hoonah students represented the region well, being active participants and providing input when they could. It was amazing to witness them taking advantage of these educational opportunities and engage with the wider scientific, political, and professional community. We have seen them grow exponentially through these experiences.”
-Julian Narvaez
NPFMC:
The Federal Subsistence Board recessed for a morning to allow everyone to attend the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council meeting being held across town. They were finally reviewing options to limit Chum salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea trawl fisheries.
Hoonah was able to meet and discuss with tribal members of the Yukon and Kuskokwim, areas that have experienced devastating losses to their fisheries and traditional food resources. The group was then able to sit in on both the Advisory Panel to the NPFMC and the head council.
Students noticed a drastic difference between this management space and the Federal Subsistence Board. The latter being much more friendly and inviting. Most of the Federal Subsistence Board members and Regional Advisors to the FSB were in attendance and many testified in front of the NPFMC, not as directors and board members, but as regular people. Which was good for the kids to see.
BoF:
It was a busy week for fisheries managers in Alaska, with not only the FSB and NPFMC meetings going on, but Alaska Department of Fish & Game’s Board of Fish meeting in Ketchikan. Well over one hundred proposals were considered, including a number of issues that affect Hoonah fishers.
I had submitted two proposals to adjust bag limits in the Basket Bay Subsistence Sockeye fishery.
Proposal #137 to match the daily limit with the annual limit was approved 7-0. This will allow fishers of Hoonah, Angoon, and Tenakee to catch their limit of 30 sockeye in one day, rather than having to make two separate trips through Chatham with the smaller limit of 15 fish per day that was in place.
Proposal #137 received a great amount of support, including Tlingit & Haida representatives from Sitka, Ketchikan, the Southeast Regional Advisory Council to the Federal Subsistence Board, the Icy Straits, Elfin Cove, Pelican, and Fairbanks ADF&G Advisory Committees.
The general trend of usage on Basket Bay has been at a steady decline and this adjustment should not lead to much if any increased pressure on the stock. HIA will be working with USFS and our friends in Angoon to keep an eye on the system as these new regulations go into effect
You can watch discussion and board deliberation on Proposal #137 here:
And other proposals on the Board of Fish Youtube Page here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLewFHBqt_nWkIu5Lj_-d72OR234t0EnD8
You can find the full list of proposals and the Board’s actions on them here:
Summary of Actions:
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/regulations/regprocess/fisheriesboard/pdfs/2024-2025/se/soa_2-18-25.pdf
-Jackson Combs
HIA-Environmental: Fisheries
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