Policy documents and bill actions

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:36 a.m.: attachments changed since Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m..

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1948-0002/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "COMMUNITY\nFIRST CLASS\nEST. 1928\nCREDIT UNION\n\n### Dear Members of First Class Community Credit Union,\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union would like to thank our \nmembers for their continued support, feedback, and engagement throughout the process of \nevaluating a proposed merger with Credit Union 1 (CU1).\n\nAs many of you know, the member meeting originally scheduled for July 23 was postponed \nallowing the Board additional time to continue its evaluation of the proposed merger. One \nmessage we heard consistently from members was the importance of preserving the\nidentity, history, and heritage of First Class Community Credit Union. The Board shares that \ncommitment and took additional time to thoughtfully evaluate how those values could be \npreserved as part of the proposed partnership with CU1.\n\nAfter extensive discussion, research, and consideration, the Board has determined that \nmoving forward with a merger with CU1 is the best path to ensure First Class Community \nCredit Union remains strong and continues serving members for generations to come.\n\nThis was not an easy decision. First Class Community Credit Union has a proud history \nrooted in serving postal employees, their families, and our local communities. The Board \nspent significant time discussing with CU1 how that legacy could be preserved and honored. \nCU1 has demonstrated a strong commitment to recognizing our heritage through legacy \ndisplays, murals, signage, and other reminders of our history and postal employee roots. \nCU1 also has a long history of serving federal employees, including postal employees,\nthrough a previous merger, and understands the importance of preserving the traditions and \nrelationships that make our credit union unique.\n\nIn addition to CU1’s commitment to maintain both of our current branch locations, CU1 has \nalso committed to establishing a **_$30,000 annual scholarship program_** for five years for \npostal employees and their families to support continuing education after high school.\n\n---\n\nThese commitments reflect a shared belief that investing in our members, families, and \ncommunities is a critical part of our future.\n\nTo help ensure these commitments continue for years to come, members of the current First \nClass Community Credit Union Board of Directors will have the opportunity to serve on an \nAdvisory Committee following the merger. The committee will work with Credit Union 1 \nleadership to help preserve the history and heritage of First Class Community Credit Union \nby providing input on legacy displays, historical recognition, and other opportunities to \ncelebrate our postal employee roots. The committee will also assist in developing the \nframework for the annual scholarship program and participate in selecting the scholarship \nrecipient, or recipients, each year helping ensure the program continues to reflect the values \nand traditions that have defined our credit union for over 100 years.\n\nAs a smaller financial institution, we have always taken great pride in our ability to provide \npersonal service and a strong member experience. However, we also recognize the \nchallenges facing the credit union today and in the future as the financial services industry \ncontinues to evolve at an increasingly rapid pace. Technology expectations, cybersecurity \nrequirements, regulatory demands, digital services, and competition from banks, credit \nunions, fintech companies, and payment providers continue to grow. The resources required \nto compete successfully and provide the products, services, and convenience our members \nexpect increase every year.\n\nThe Board’s responsibility is to ensure the long-term success of this credit union and make \ndecisions that position our members and employees for continued success. After careful \nconsideration, we believe partnering with CU1 provides the strength, resources, and \nopportunities necessary to serve our members better today and in the future.\nImportantly, this merger is designed to preserve the personal relationships our members \nvalue. Members will continue to visit the same branch locations and work with the same \nemployees they know and trust. Phone calls will continue to be routed locally to our \nbranches first, allowing members to receive the same personal service they have come to \nexpect. It will also give our staff access to more resources and will allow employees to focus \neven more on helping members achieve their financial goals.\n\nAt the same time, members will gain access to significantly expanded resources, \ntechnology, products, and services. Additional information about these benefits and \nexpanded offerings is included in the accompanying merger materials.\n\n---\n\nIn addition to enhanced products and service offerings, CU1 also shares our commitment \nto serving the communities where members live and work. Through charitable giving, \ncommunity partnerships, the CU1 Cares Foundation, and thousands of hours of employee \nvolunteer service, CU1 contributes more than **_$1 million_** in annual and in-kind support to \ncharitable causes, financial literacy, and community initiatives. The merger provides an \nopportunity to increase our local impact and expand the support we can provide for our \nmembers and community.\n\nWe understand that change can be difficult, especially for an institution with such a \nmeaningful history and strong member relationships. The Board does not take that lightly. \nHowever, we believe preserving our legacy does not mean remaining unchanged; it means \nensuring that the values, relationships, and commitment to service that built this credit \nunion continue in the future.\n\nWe also understand that change can also be inconvenient at times. Support for members \nduring this process has been another item discussed extensively by the board and CU1. We \nwant to emphasize that our combined organization will have dedicated teams and resources \nto offer personalized member assistance for any changes or impact on members, such as \nfuture technology conversions.\n\nAfter months of careful evaluation, the Board believes this merger protects what makes First \nClass Community Credit Union special while providing members and employees with \ngreater opportunities, resources, and long-term stability. We encourage all members to \nreview the information provided, attend the upcoming member meeting, and participate in \nthe voting process. Your voice is an important part of the credit union’s history, and we\nappreciate your thoughtful consideration of this important decision.\n\nThank you for your membership, trust, and support as we work together to ensure our credit \nunion remains strong for generations to come. We encourage you to carefully review the \nenclosed Amended Notice of Special Meeting and accompanying materials and to \nparticipate in this important decision by promptly returning your ballot in accordance with \nthe voting instructions provided.\n\n**Sincerely,**\n\n**The Board of Directors**\n\n**First Class Community Credit Union**\n\n---\n\nCOMMUNITY\nFIRST CLASS\nEST. 1928\nCREDIT UNION\n\n**Amended Notice of Special Meeting of the** \n**Members of First Class Community Credit Union**\n\n**** ATTENTION ****\n\n**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN AMENDED NOTICE OF** \n**SPECIAL MEETING AS THE ORIGINAL SPECIAL** \n**MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JULY 23, 2026, HAD BEEN** \n**PREVIOUSLY POSTPONED BY THE BOARD OF** \n**DIRECTORS.**\n\n**IF YOU PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED YOUR BALLOT VOTE,** \n**YOU ARE** <u><strong>REQUIRED</strong></u> **TO MAIL IN A NEW BALLOT VOTE.**  \n**YOUR EXISTING BALLOT VOTE HAS BEEN VOIDED;** \n**YOU MUST SEND IN A BALLOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH** \n**THE DIRECTIONS PROVIDED ON THE ATTACHED** \n**BALLOT.**\n\n*******\n\n---\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union approved a proposition to merge \nwith Credit Union 1 and have called a special meeting of the members of this credit union at First \nClass Community Credit Union located 303 Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313 on Monday the 30<sup>th</sup>\nday of November 2026 at 5:00 pm.\n\n### Purpose of the Meeting:\n\n1. To consider and act upon a proposal to merge First Class Community Credit \nUnion with Credit Union 1, (hereinafter referred to as the “Continuing Credit \nUnion”), whereby all assets and liabilities of First Class Community Credit Union \nwill be merged with and into the Continuing Credit Union.  All members of First \nClass Community Credit Union will become members of the Continuing Credit \nUnion and will be entitled to and will receive shares in the Continuing Credit Union \nfor the shares they own in First Class Community Credit Union on the effective \ndate of the merger.\n\n2. To ratify, confirm and approve the action of the Board of Directors in authorizing \nthe officers of First Class Community Credit Union, subject to approval of \nmembers, to carry out and execute all agreements, documents, and other papers\nnecessary to carry out the proposed merger.\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union encourages you to attend the \nmeeting concerning the proposed merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, we \nurge you to sign, date and promptly return the enclosed ballot to vote on the proposed merger. No \nother vote on the subject shall be taken after the closing date of balloting except for votes cast in \nperson at the special meeting.  The close of balloting for ballots submitted other than in person at \nthe special meeting held for the purpose of voting on the merger shall be five (5) days prior to the \nspecial meeting date.  Please refer to the enclosed Ballot for Merger Proposal.\n\nIf you wish to submit comments about the merger to share with other members, you may submit \nthem to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) at the following link:\n\nhttps://www.ncua.gov/support-services/credit-union-resources-expansion/resources/comments-\n<u>proposed-credit-union-mergers</u>\n\nOr mail to:\n\nNCUA – Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion\n\n1775 Duke Street\n\nAlexandria, VA 22314\n\nRE: Member-to-Member Communication for First Class Community Credit Union\n\n---\n\nThe NCUA will post comments received from members on its website, along with the member’s \nname, subject to the limitations and requirements of its regulations.\n\n### Other Information Related to the Proposed Merger\n\nThe Board of Directors has carefully analyzed the assets and liabilities of the participating credit \nunions and appraised each credit union’s share values. The appraisal of the share values appears \non the attached individual and consolidated financial statements of the participating credit unions. \nIn addition, the following information applies to the proposed merger:\n\n**_Reasons for merger:_** The Board of Directors has concluded that the proposed merger with Credit \nUnion 1 is desirable and in the best interests of members because it will better position First Class \nCommunity Credit Union to serve its members over the long term. The Board believes the merger \nwill provide greater resources and scale to meet evolving technology, cybersecurity, regulatory, \nand member-service needs while expanding the products, services, and opportunities available to \nmembers.\n\nThe Board also considered the importance of maintaining the personal service, local presence, and \nthe history and heritage that have defined First Class Community Credit Union. After extensive \nevaluation and consideration of available alternatives and member feedback, the Board \ndetermined that Credit Union 1 provides the best opportunity to preserve these strengths while \npositioning our membership for the future.\n\n**_Net worth:_** The net worth of a merging credit union at the time of a merger transfers to the \ncontinuing credit union.  First Class Community Credit Union has a slightly higher net worth ratio \nthan the Continuing Credit Union.\n\n**_Share adjustment or distribution:_** First Class Community Credit Union will not distribute a portion \nof its net worth to its members in the merger.  Upon completion of the merger, First Class \nCommunity Credit Union's net worth will become part of the combined organization's capital base, \nwhich supports the safety and soundness of the continuing credit union and enables ongoing \ninvestment in member products, services, technology, cybersecurity, lending capacity, and future \ngrowth. The Board determined that retaining this capital within the continuing credit union will \nsupport its financial strength and its ability to invest in products, services, technology, \ncybersecurity, lending capacity, and other resources for members.\n\n**_Locations of merging and continuing credit union:_** The branch offices of First Class Community\nCredit Union will become a part of Credit Union 1’s nationwide branch locations, which will then \nconsist of the following branch locations inclusive of the First Class Community Credit Union\nlocations in addition to having access to the Continuing Credit Union’s state-of-the art mobile and \nonline banking platforms.  The Continuing Credit Union branch locations will be as follows (subject \nto pending regulatory merger and membership approvals):\n\n---\n\n1. 200 E. Champaign Avenue, Rantoul, IL\n\n2. 828 S. Wolcott, Chicago, IL (UIC)\n\n3. 750 S. Halsted, Room 220C, Chicago, IL (UIC)\n\n4. 9441 Kedzie Avenue, Evergreen Park, IL\n\n5. 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Ste. 101, Matteson, IL\n\n6. 863 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Unit 500, Vernon Hills, IL\n\n7. 450 E 22nd Street, Suite 250, Lombard, IL (Corporate Headquarters of CU1)\n\n8. 6 West North Avenue, Suite 100, Northlake, IL\n\n9. 2466 W. Wabash, Suite 240, Springfield, IL\n\n10. 2032 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL\n\n11. 4625 W. 107<sup>th</sup> Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453\n\n12. 6 W. Main Street, Plano, IL 60545\n\n13. 1500 Barber Greene Road, Dekalb, IL 60115\n\n14. 501 W. Main Street, Genoa, IL 60135\n\n15. 508 W. State Street, Sycamore, IL 60178\n\n16. 1140 East Howard Street, B3, South Bend, IN (Notre Dame)\n\n17. 680 Union Street, Hobart, IN 46342\n\n18. 2651 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, NV (West Operations Center)\n\n19. 1237 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA (East Operations Center)\n\n20. 604 13<sup>th</sup> Avenue E, Bradenton, FL 34208\n\n21. 34200 Utica Road, Fraser, MI 48026\n\n22. 15850 W. Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI 53005\n\n23. 11615 S. Avenue O, Chicago, IL 60633\n\n24. 3630 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka, IN 46545\n\n25. 1404 East Ireland Road, South Bend, IN 46614\n\n26. 1112 North Bendix Drive, South Bend, IN 46628\n\n27. 1532 W St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN 56301\n\n28. 4 2<sup>nd</sup> Avenue North, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379\n\n29. 206 First Street South, Waite Park, MN 56387\n\n30. 1725 Pine Cone Road South, Sartell, MN 56377\n\n31. 161 Glen Street, Foley, MN 56329\n\n32. 214 12<sup>th</sup> Street South, Suite 2, Sauk Centre, MN 56378\n\n33. 18146 198<sup>th</sup> Avenue, Big Lake, MN 55309\n\n34. 2401 North Broadway, Minot, ND 58703\n\n35. 1012 S. 11<sup>th</sup> Street, Niles, MI 49120\n\n36. 6554 W. Archer Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638\n\n37. 2160 S. 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue, Building 105, Maywood, IL 60153\n\n38. 2005 Ridge Road, Homewood, IL 60430\n\n39. 13912 S. Torrence Avenue, Burnham, IL 60633\n\n40. 230 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 2962, Chicago, IL 60604\n\n41. 5<sup>th</sup> Avenue & Roosevelt Road, Building 1, Room C124, Hines, IL 60141\n\n42. 906 N. Broad Street SE, Rome, GA 30161\n\n43. 317 Covered Bridge Road, Cartersville, GA 30120\n\n---\n\n44. 76 Georgia Avenue, Summerville, GA 30747\n\n45. 1200 S. Park Street, Carollton, GA 30117\n\n46. 193 Campbell Lane, Saginaw, MI 48609\n\n47. 16630 Gratiot Road, Hemlock, MI 48626\n\n48. 100 E. Erie Street, 1<sup>st</sup> Floor, Chicago, IL 60611\n\n49. 6001 W. Pershing Road, Stickney, IL 60804\n\n50. 415 Washington Avenue, Bay City, MI 48708\n\n51. 1002 W. Indiana, Bay City, MI 48706\n\n52. 9315 Tiffany Boulevard, Birch Run, MI 48415\n\n53. 322 S. Detroit Street, Warsaw, IN 46580\n\n54. 2051 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50265 (FCCCU)\n\n55. 303 Euclid Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50313 (FCCCU)\n\n**_ATM information:_** Please see www.creditunion1.org for ATM related information.\n\n**_Changes to services and member benefits:_** Members will continue to receive the personal \nservice they value while gaining access to a broader range of financial products, services, \ntechnology, and resources through the Continuing Credit Union. Both current First Class \nCommunity Credit Union branch locations will be maintained, preserving convenient access to \nfamiliar local service while expanding the services and benefits available to members, including:\n\n• **Postal Employee Scholarship Program** – Credit Union 1 has committed to establishing a \n$30,000 annual scholarship program for five years for postal employee members and their \nfamilies to support continuing education after high school.\n\n• **Expanded Products and Services** – Access to products and services designed to provide \nmembers with greater choice and financial flexibility, including high-yield checking and \nsavings accounts, second chance checking accounts, no-down-payment mortgage \noptions for qualified borrowers, and other financial solutions designed to help members \nachieve their financial goals.\n\n• **Enhanced Technology and Digital Banking** – An upgraded online and mobile banking \nexperience with expanded digital tools, including Zelle®, budgeting and financial \nmanagement resources, credit score monitoring, account alerts, enhanced debit card \ncontrols, and other digital banking capabilities.\n\n• **Early Access to Direct Deposits** – Eligible members with qualifying direct deposits and \nCredit Union 1 checking accounts may receive their deposits up to two days early. This \nbenefit, which is currently available only to eligible postal employee members, would be \nexpanded to all eligible members following the merger.\n\n---\n\n• **Business Banking Services** – Additional business banking products and services to better \nserve members who own or operate businesses.\n\n• **Financial Wellness Resources** – Access to Credit Union 1's Financial Wellbeing Center, a \nfree platform designed to help members on their financial journey through personalized \neducational content and access to certified financial experts.\n\n• **Investment and Wealth Management Services** – Access to experienced investment \nprofessionals and additional resources for investment planning, wealth management, \nretirement planning, and other long-term financial goals.\n\n• **Expanded Branch and ATM Access** – Access to Credit Union 1's expanded branch \nnetwork and more than 130,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Additionally, members \nwill continue to have access to more than 6,500 shared branching locations.\n\n**_Effective date of merger:_** The proposed effective date of this merger is December 31, 2026, or \nsuch earlier or subsequent date as approved by the Parties, Directors, Division of Financial \nInstitutions for the States of Illinois, Iowa, and the National Credit Union Administration or any \nsuccessor agency thereto.\n\n**_Employee Representation:_** Employees of First Class Community Credit Union will be offered \nemployment with the Continuing Credit Union. First Class Community Credit Union employees \nwill receive employee benefits and benefit levels at the same level as similarly situated employees \nof the Continuing Credit Union and will maintain their years of service for purposes of determining \neligibility and vesting and benefit accrual under employee benefits plans.\n\n**_Merger-related financial arrangements:_** NCUA Regulations require merging credit unions to \ndisclose certain increases in compensation that any of the merging credit union’s officials or the \nfive most highly compensated employees have received or will receive in connection with the \nmerger.\n\nIn recognition of their significant institutional knowledge, leadership, and strategic expertise \nbrought by Zac Pollock, President and CEO of First Class Community Credit Union, and Chelsea \nBullington, Chief Operations Officer of First Class Community Credit Union, and in \nacknowledgment of their essential roles in supporting a successful and seamless integration with \nthe Continuing Credit Union, Mr. Pollock will receive a merger retention incentive of $150,000 and \nMrs. Bullington will receive a merger retention incentive of $25,000, payable upon the closing of \nthe merger. To further support organizational continuity and maximize the long-term benefits of the \nmerger for members, Zac Pollock will be offered continued employment as the Iowa Market \nPresident with the Continuing Credit Union following the merger for a period of ten (10) years.  Mr. \nPollock’s post-merger annual base salary will increase by $15,000 and Mrs. Bullington’s will \nincrease by $21,621. **The retention incentive for Mr. Pollock is intended to offset the forfeiture of*\n\n---\n\n*an existing retirement benefit as the Continuing Credit Union will not renew the current executive \nretirement arrangement that will expire at year-end.*\n\nPlease note that the proposed merger must be approved by the majority of the members who vote.\nIf you cannot attend the meeting, please follow the directions for voting on the enclosed ballot.\n\n**BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:**\n\nGay Olsen\n\nSeptember 11, 2026\n\n---\n\n# Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\n\n## Why is First Class Community Credit Union considering a merger with Credit Union 1?\n\nThe Board of Directors has a responsibility to make decisions that protect the long-term \nstrength and sustainability of First Class Community Credit Union while continuing to \nprovide exceptional value and service to our members.\n\nAfter extensive evaluation and many discussions, the Board believes partnering with Credit \nUnion 1 provides the best opportunity to preserve what makes First Class Community Credit \nUnion special while providing our members and employees with greater resources, \nproducts, technology, and opportunities.\n\nThis decision was not made lightly. The Board carefully considered member feedback, \nincluding concerns about preserving our identity, history, and heritage. After further analysis \nand discussion, we believe this partnership positions our credit union for long-term \nsuccess.\n\n## Why was the July 23 member meeting postponed?\n\nThe Board postponed the original member meeting to allow the Board additional time to \ncontinue its evaluation of the proposed merger. One message we heard consistently from \nmembers was the importance of preserving the identity, history, and heritage of First Class \nCommunity Credit Union. The Board shares that commitment and took additional time to \nthoughtfully evaluate how those values could be preserved as part of the proposed \npartnership with Credit Union 1.\n\n## How will First Class Community Credit Union’s history and heritage be preserved?\n\nPreserving our history and heritage has been one of the most important considerations \nthroughout this process.\n\nFirst Class Community Credit Union has a proud legacy, including our longstanding roots \nserving postal employees and their families. The Board has had extensive discussions with \nCredit Union 1 about preserving and honoring that history.\n\nCU1 has committed to supporting our legacy through opportunities such as:\n\n---\n\n• Maintaining displays and recognition of our history.\n\n• Preserving important elements of our postal employee roots.\n\n• Incorporating legacy signage, murals, and other historical reminders.\n\n• Establishing an annual $30,000 scholarship program for postal employee families to \nsupport continuing education after high school.\n\nThe goal of this partnership is not to erase our history, but to ensure that our history \ncontinues.\n\n## Will members still see the same employees?\n\nYes.\n\nOne of the most important benefits of this partnership is continuity. All current employees \nwill be offered employment with CU1 following the merger, providing our experienced team \nwith the opportunity to remain with the combined organization and allowing members to \ncontinue working with the employees they know and trust. CU1 has expressed a strong \ncommitment to retaining our experienced team and recognizes that our employees and the \nrelationships they have built with members are an important part of what makes First Class \nCommunity Credit Union special.\n\n## Will the branches remain open?\n\nYes.\n\nBoth First Class Community Credit Union branch locations will remain open for years to \ncome.\n\nMembers will continue to visit the same locations and receive the same personal service \nthey have come to expect.\n\n## Will members still be able to call and talk to local employees?\n\nYes.\n\nMembers will continue to have access to local service. Phone calls will continue to be \nrouted to our local branches first, allowing members to speak with employees familiar with \nour members and community.\n\n---\n\n## Why does a merger make sense now?\n\nThe financial services industry is changing rapidly. Credit unions of all sizes are facing \nincreased competition, rising technology expectations, cybersecurity demands, regulatory \nrequirements, and increasing costs.\n\nMembers expect more digital services, faster transactions, more financial products, \ncompetitive rates, and convenient access wherever they are. Providing these services \nrequires significant investment in technology, staffing, security, and infrastructure.\n\nWhile First Class Community Credit Union has successfully served members for 100 years, \nthe Board must look ahead and recognize the challenges facing smaller financial \ninstitutions, including:\n\n• Increasing competition from banks, large credit unions, fintech companies, and \npayment providers.\n\n• Greater difficulty investing in technology and digital services at the same level as \nlarger organizations.\n\n• Changing member demographics.\n\n• The need for greater financial flexibility and resources to remain competitive.\n\nBy combining with Credit Union 1, we gain access to significantly greater resources and \nscale while maintaining the personal service that members value.\n\n## Will this change how members are served?\n\nThe goal is to improve the member experience.\n\nMembers will continue receiving the personal service they value while gaining access to \nexpanded products, services, and technology.\n\nThe combined organization will provide additional resources that allow employees to focus \neven more on helping members with their financial needs.\n\n## What additional products and services will members receive?\n\nMembers will gain access to a broader range of financial solutions, including:\n\n• **Postal Employee Scholarship Program** – Credit Union 1 has committed to establishing a \n$30,000 annual scholarship program for postal employee members and their families to \nsupport continuing education after high school.\n\n• **Expanded Products and Services** – Access to products and services designed to provide \nmembers with greater choice and financial flexibility, including high-yield checking and savings accounts, second chance checking accounts, no-down-payment mortgage \noptions for qualified borrowers, and other financial solutions designed to help members \nachieve their financial goals.\n\n• **Enhanced Technology and Digital Banking** – An upgraded online and mobile banking \nexperience with expanded digital tools, including Zelle®, budgeting and financial \nmanagement resources, credit score monitoring, account alerts, enhanced debit card \ncontrols, and other digital banking capabilities.\n\n• **Early Access to Direct Deposits** – Eligible members with qualifying direct deposits and \nCredit Union 1 checking accounts may receive their deposits up to two days early. This \nbenefit, which is currently available only to eligible postal employee members, would be \nexpanded to all eligible members following the merger.\n\n• **Business Banking Services** – Additional business banking products and services to better \nserve members who own or operate businesses.\n\n• **Financial Wellness Resources** – Access to Credit Union 1's Financial Wellbeing Center, a \nfree platform designed to help members on their financial journey through personalized \neducational content and access to certified financial experts.\n\n• **Investment and Wealth Management Services** – Access to experienced investment \nprofessionals and additional resources for investment planning, wealth management, \nretirement planning, and other long-term financial goals.\n\n• **Expanded Branch and ATM Access** – Access to Credit Union 1's expanded branch \nnetwork and more than 130,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Additionally, members \nwill continue to have access to more than 6,500 shared branching locations.\n\n## Will employees have more opportunities after the merger?\n\nYes.\n\nOne advantage of joining a larger organization is the increased ability to provide career \ndevelopment opportunities for employees.\n\nA larger organization creates more opportunities for advancement, specialized roles, \ntraining, and long-term career growth. This helps retain experienced employees and \nsupports the strong member relationships our members value.\n\n---\n\n## How will this benefit our local community?\n\nCommunity involvement is a core value shared by both organizations.\n\nCredit Union 1 is highly active in the communities it serves and contributes more than $1 \nmillion in annual and in-kind support to charitable causes and community initiatives.\n\nThrough its CU1 Cares Foundation, CU1 provides financial support, supplies, community \nassistance, and financial literacy workshops.\n\nThis partnership creates an opportunity to expand our ability to support local organizations, \nfamilies, and community initiatives while continuing our commitment to giving back.\n\n## Why not continue operating independently?\n\nThe Board carefully considered this option.\n\nRemaining independent would allow us to continue operating as we do today, but the \nchallenges facing smaller financial institutions are expected to continue increasing.\n\nThe resources needed to compete effectively, invest in technology, provide competitive \nproducts, maintain strong deposit offerings, and meet increasing member expectations \ncontinue to grow.\n\nThe Board believes combining with CU1 allows us to protect our legacy while providing the \nresources necessary to serve members better in the future.\n\n## Will members lose the personal service that makes First Class Community Credit Union unique?\n\nNo.\n\nThe personal relationships built over generations are one of our greatest strengths. Those \nrelationships are the result of our employees, our community connection, and our \ncommitment to members.\n\nThe merger is intended to enhance those relationships by providing employees with more \nresources and members with more options.\n\nMembers will continue seeing familiar faces, visiting familiar locations, and receiving the \npersonal service that has defined First Class Community Credit Union.\n\n---\n\n## What makes Credit Union 1 the right partner?\n\nThe Board evaluated potential options carefully and believes Credit Union 1 is the right \npartner because they share many of our values:\n\n• Commitment to members.\n\n• Strong community involvement.\n\n• Investment in employees.\n\n• A culture focused on service.\n\n• A commitment to preserving the history and identity of the credit unions they serve.\n\nCredit Union 1 also has a long history of serving federal employees and has strengthened its \nown organization through previous partnerships with credit unions that shared similar \npostal employee roots. Because of that shared appreciation for our heritage, CU1 has \ncommitted to honoring the legacy of First Class Community Credit Union through legacy \ndisplays, historical signage, murals, and other permanent recognition of our history and \npostal employee origins. These commitments reflect a shared belief that preserving our \nlegacy is not about looking backward, it is about ensuring the story of First Class Community \nCredit Union continues for future generations.\n\n## What happens next?\n\nMembers will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposed merger, ask questions, \nand vote on the proposal.\n\nThe Board encourages all members to review the information provided and participate in \nthis important decision regarding the future of First Class Community Credit Union.\n\n---\n\n#### Balance Sheet As of 7/31/2026\n\n|  | CU1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Current Assets: |  |  |  |\n| Total Loans | $ 1,889,539,946 | $ 37,653,954 | $ 1,927,193,901 |\n| Deferred Costs/Fees | 5,254,868 | - | 5,254,868 |\n| Allowance | (18,749,280) | (366,743) | (19,116,023) |\n| Total Loans (Net) | 1,876,045,534 | 37,287,211 | 1,913,332,746 |\n| Cash | 313,183,920 | 5,449,670 | 318,633,589 |\n| Investments | 291,901,359 | 50,933,683 | 342,835,043 |\n| Other Assets | 210,541,787 | 1,520,499 | 212,062,286 |\n| Total Current Assets: | 2,691,672,600 | 95,191,063 | 2,786,863,664 |\n| Fixed Assets Net | 74,354,397 | 2,077,558 | 76,431,955 |\n| Total Assets | 2,766,026,997 | 97,268,621 | 2,863,295,618 |\n| Current Liabilities: |  |  |  |\n| Accounts Payable | 84,720,715 | 852,237 | 85,572,953 |\n| Notes Payable | 44,946,968 | - | 44,946,968 |\n| Members Equity: |  |  |  |\n| Regular Shares | 725,403,819 | 51,448,843 | 776,852,663 |\n| Money Market Shares | 146,328,494 | - | 146,328,494 |\n| High Yield Savings | 516,407,907 | - | 516,407,907 |\n| Checking | 454,779,317 | 27,891,798 | 482,671,115 |\n| High Yield Checking | 88,654,256 | - | 88,654,256 |\n| Certificates | 387,312,827 | 4,171,012 | 391,483,839 |\n| IRA Shares and IRA Certificates | 62,693,457 | 3,499,608 | 66,193,065 |\n| Total Shares: | 2,381,580,077 | 87,011,262 | 2,468,591,339 |\n| Reserves | - | 5,858,703 | 5,858,703 |\n| Undivided Earnings | 227,289,924 | 3,891,772 | 231,181,697 |\n| Unrealized G/L - AFS | (394,981) | (977,382) | (1,372,363) |\n| Net Income (loss) | 27,884,292 | 632,029 | 28,516,321 |\n| Total Capital: | 254,779,236 | 9,405,122 | 264,184,358 |\n| Total Liabilities | $ 2,766,026,997 | $ 97,268,621 | $ 2,863,295,618 |\n\n---\n\n**Income and Expense Statement**\n**Year-to-Date 7/31/2026**\n\n|  | CU1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Loan Income | $ 62,783,179 | $ 1,387,945 | $ 64,171,124 |\n| Investment Income | 19,616,749 | 1,109,475 | 20,726,224 |\n| Other Income | 33,995,742 | 733,045 | 34,728,787 |\n| Total Income | 116,395,670 | 3,230,465 | 119,626,135 |\n| Compensation/Benefits | 39,349,448 | 1,036,476 | 40,385,924 |\n| Meetings, Travel &amp; Conference | 552,612 | 7,070 | 559,682 |\n| Office Occupancy | 4,770,098 | 182,984 | 4,953,082 |\n| Office Operations | 15,319,951 | 268,765 | 15,588,716 |\n| Educational &amp; Promotional | 4,076,424 | 42,000 | 4,118,424 |\n| Loan Servicing Expense | 3,340,621 | 131,639 | 3,472,260 |\n| Professional Services | 1,766,297 | 554,998 | 2,321,295 |\n| Provision for Loan losses | (10,470) | 96,199 | 85,729 |\n| Member Insurance | - | - | - |\n| Operating Fees and Association Dues | 94,500 | 7,138 | 101,638 |\n| Misc Operating Expenses | 193,973 | 50,103 | 244,075 |\n| Total Operating Expenses | 69,453,454 | 2,377,373 | 71,830,827 |\n| Operating Income/(Loss) Before Dividends | 46,942,216 | 853,092 | 47,795,308 |\n| NCUA Stabilization | - | - | - |\n| Gain/(Loss) on Disposition of Assets | 5,860,813 | (18,050) | 5,842,763 |\n| Other Non-Operating Income/(Loss) | - | - | - |\n| Income/(Loss) Before Dividends | 52,803,029 | 835,042 | 53,638,071 |\n| Dividend Expenses | 15,753,761 | 202,544 | 15,956,305 |\n| Interest on Borrowed Money | 9,164,976 | 469 | 9,165,445 |\n| Net Income | $ 27,884,292 | $ 632,029 | $ 28,516,321 |\n| Probable Asset/Share Ratio | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 |\n| Net Capital/Asset Ratio | 9.21% | 9.67% | 9.23% |\n| Delinquency Ratio | 1.79% | 0.18% | 1.76% |\n\n---\n\nForm 6311 - Probable Asset/Share Ratio\nMerger between First Class Community Credit Union and Credit Union 1\nAs of **7/31/2026**\n\n| Additions: | Credit Union 1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Cash | 313,183,920 | 5,449,670 | 318,633,589 |\n| Loans (Net) | 1,876,045,534 | 37,287,211 | 1,913,332,746 |\n| Investments | 291,901,359 | 50,933,683 | 342,835,043 |\n| Fixed Assets | 74,354,397 | 2,077,558 | 76,431,955 |\n| Other assets | 210,541,787 | 1,520,499 | 212,062,286 |\n| Total (A) | 2,766,026,997 | 97,268,621 | 2,863,295,618 |\n| Deductions: |  |  |  |\n| Notes Payable | 44,946,968 | - | 44,946,968 |\n| Accounts Payable | 84,720,715 | 852,237 | 85,572,953 |\n| Other recorded Liabilities | - | - | - |\n| Contingent and/or Unrecorded Liabilities | - | - | - |\n| Subsidiary Ledger Differences (Losses) | - | - | - |\n| Other Losses | - | - | - |\n| Total (B) | 129,667,683 | 852,237 | 130,519,920 |\n| Net Value of Assets (A-B) | 2,636,359,314 | 96,416,384 | 2,732,775,698 |\n| Total Shares | 2,381,580,077 | 87,011,262 | 2,468,591,339 |\n| Probable Asset/Share Ratio | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 |\n\n---\n\n# Ballot for Merger Proposal\n\n### Name of Member:\n\n**Account Number or Unique ID Number Assigned:**\n\n### DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING & RETURNING BALLOT:\n\nThe completed Ballot Vote must be postmarked no later than five (5) calendar days before the \nin-personal Special Meeting date to ensure that your mailed ballot will be counted. The \ndeadline to mail your ballot is Wednesday, November 25, 2026, which is five calendar days\nprior to the Special Meeting date of November 30, 2026.\n\n### If you cannot attend the Special Meeting in person:\n\n1. Complete your vote in the **“BALLOT VOTE”** section below.\n\n2. Write your name and provide your signature with date. This is required so that we may \nconfirm you as a member.\n\n3. Seal the completed Ballot Vote inside the enclosed preaddressed, postage prepaid \nBallot Return Envelope that has been provided.\n\n4. Return the pre-addressed, postage prepaid Ballot Return Envelope by one of the \nfollowing methods:\n\no **Mail:** Mail it by the postmark deadline provided above in the postage prepaid \nenvelope that has been provided.\n\no **Hand delivery:** Deliver it in person to one of our branch offices or by another \nphysical delivery method prior to or at the in-person special meeting.\n\n**Important:** Only the original Ballot Vote will be accepted. Ballots submitted by email, \nphotocopy, or fax will NOT be counted.\n\n### If you will attend the Special Meeting in person:\n\n1. Complete your vote in the **“BALLOT VOTE”** section.\n\n2. Bring your completed Ballot Vote with you to the meeting.\n\n### Ballot Confidentiality:\n\nAll ballots received will be tabulated by an independent third-party tabulator. Neither First Class\nCommunity Credit Union nor Credit Union 1 will receive any information identifying how any \nindividual member voted.\n\n---\n\n### BALLOT VOTE:\n\nI have read the Notice of Special Meeting for the Members of First Class Community Credit\nUnion regarding the Proposed Merger of First Class Community Credit Union to merge with and \ninto Credit Union 1. I hereby cast my vote on the proposal as follows (check one box):\n\n[] I Approve the proposed merger and authorize the Board of Directors to take all necessary \naction to accomplish the merger.\n\n[] I Do not approve the proposed merger.\n\nSigned:\n\nMember’s Name (Print):\n\nDate:\n\n### Mailing Address for completed Ballot and Identification Form:\n\nCUBallot - Election Processing\n\nE Space Communications Inc.\n\nP.O. Box 3156\n\nDublin, OH 43016-9842", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': 'edc91805-acba-42a4-9099-bd56a7a254a4', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1948-0002/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:36.250213+00:00', 'content_hash': '4718d2f17077c08dd4b20e10290586fca2a917fae275d4a6553dabe0d6566972'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}]}

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1948-0002/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "COMMUNITY\nFIRST CLASS\nEST. 1928\nCREDIT UNION\n\n### Dear Members of First Class Community Credit Union,\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union would like to thank our \nmembers for their continued support, feedback, and engagement throughout the process of \nevaluating a proposed merger with Credit Union 1 (CU1).\n\nAs many of you know, the member meeting originally scheduled for July 23 was postponed \nallowing the Board additional time to continue its evaluation of the proposed merger. One \nmessage we heard consistently from members was the importance of preserving the\nidentity, history, and heritage of First Class Community Credit Union. The Board shares that \ncommitment and took additional time to thoughtfully evaluate how those values could be \npreserved as part of the proposed partnership with CU1.\n\nAfter extensive discussion, research, and consideration, the Board has determined that \nmoving forward with a merger with CU1 is the best path to ensure First Class Community \nCredit Union remains strong and continues serving members for generations to come.\n\nThis was not an easy decision. First Class Community Credit Union has a proud history \nrooted in serving postal employees, their families, and our local communities. The Board \nspent significant time discussing with CU1 how that legacy could be preserved and honored. \nCU1 has demonstrated a strong commitment to recognizing our heritage through legacy \ndisplays, murals, signage, and other reminders of our history and postal employee roots. \nCU1 also has a long history of serving federal employees, including postal employees,\nthrough a previous merger, and understands the importance of preserving the traditions and \nrelationships that make our credit union unique.\n\nIn addition to CU1’s commitment to maintain both of our current branch locations, CU1 has \nalso committed to establishing a **_$30,000 annual scholarship program_** for five years for \npostal employees and their families to support continuing education after high school.\n\n---\n\nThese commitments reflect a shared belief that investing in our members, families, and \ncommunities is a critical part of our future.\n\nTo help ensure these commitments continue for years to come, members of the current First \nClass Community Credit Union Board of Directors will have the opportunity to serve on an \nAdvisory Committee following the merger. The committee will work with Credit Union 1 \nleadership to help preserve the history and heritage of First Class Community Credit Union \nby providing input on legacy displays, historical recognition, and other opportunities to \ncelebrate our postal employee roots. The committee will also assist in developing the \nframework for the annual scholarship program and participate in selecting the scholarship \nrecipient, or recipients, each year helping ensure the program continues to reflect the values \nand traditions that have defined our credit union for over 100 years.\n\nAs a smaller financial institution, we have always taken great pride in our ability to provide \npersonal service and a strong member experience. However, we also recognize the \nchallenges facing the credit union today and in the future as the financial services industry \ncontinues to evolve at an increasingly rapid pace. Technology expectations, cybersecurity \nrequirements, regulatory demands, digital services, and competition from banks, credit \nunions, fintech companies, and payment providers continue to grow. The resources required \nto compete successfully and provide the products, services, and convenience our members \nexpect increase every year.\n\nThe Board’s responsibility is to ensure the long-term success of this credit union and make \ndecisions that position our members and employees for continued success. After careful \nconsideration, we believe partnering with CU1 provides the strength, resources, and \nopportunities necessary to serve our members better today and in the future.\nImportantly, this merger is designed to preserve the personal relationships our members \nvalue. Members will continue to visit the same branch locations and work with the same \nemployees they know and trust. Phone calls will continue to be routed locally to our \nbranches first, allowing members to receive the same personal service they have come to \nexpect. It will also give our staff access to more resources and will allow employees to focus \neven more on helping members achieve their financial goals.\n\nAt the same time, members will gain access to significantly expanded resources, \ntechnology, products, and services. Additional information about these benefits and \nexpanded offerings is included in the accompanying merger materials.\n\n---\n\nIn addition to enhanced products and service offerings, CU1 also shares our commitment \nto serving the communities where members live and work. Through charitable giving, \ncommunity partnerships, the CU1 Cares Foundation, and thousands of hours of employee \nvolunteer service, CU1 contributes more than **_$1 million_** in annual and in-kind support to \ncharitable causes, financial literacy, and community initiatives. The merger provides an \nopportunity to increase our local impact and expand the support we can provide for our \nmembers and community.\n\nWe understand that change can be difficult, especially for an institution with such a \nmeaningful history and strong member relationships. The Board does not take that lightly. \nHowever, we believe preserving our legacy does not mean remaining unchanged; it means \nensuring that the values, relationships, and commitment to service that built this credit \nunion continue in the future.\n\nWe also understand that change can also be inconvenient at times. Support for members \nduring this process has been another item discussed extensively by the board and CU1. We \nwant to emphasize that our combined organization will have dedicated teams and resources \nto offer personalized member assistance for any changes or impact on members, such as \nfuture technology conversions.\n\nAfter months of careful evaluation, the Board believes this merger protects what makes First \nClass Community Credit Union special while providing members and employees with \ngreater opportunities, resources, and long-term stability. We encourage all members to \nreview the information provided, attend the upcoming member meeting, and participate in \nthe voting process. Your voice is an important part of the credit union’s history, and we\nappreciate your thoughtful consideration of this important decision.\n\nThank you for your membership, trust, and support as we work together to ensure our credit \nunion remains strong for generations to come. We encourage you to carefully review the \nenclosed Amended Notice of Special Meeting and accompanying materials and to \nparticipate in this important decision by promptly returning your ballot in accordance with \nthe voting instructions provided.\n\n**Sincerely,**\n\n**The Board of Directors**\n\n**First Class Community Credit Union**\n\n---\n\nCOMMUNITY\nFIRST CLASS\nEST. 1928\nCREDIT UNION\n\n**Amended Notice of Special Meeting of the** \n**Members of First Class Community Credit Union**\n\n**** ATTENTION ****\n\n**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN AMENDED NOTICE OF** \n**SPECIAL MEETING AS THE ORIGINAL SPECIAL** \n**MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JULY 23, 2026, HAD BEEN** \n**PREVIOUSLY POSTPONED BY THE BOARD OF** \n**DIRECTORS.**\n\n**IF YOU PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED YOUR BALLOT VOTE,** \n**YOU ARE** <u><strong>REQUIRED</strong></u> **TO MAIL IN A NEW BALLOT VOTE.**  \n**YOUR EXISTING BALLOT VOTE HAS BEEN VOIDED;** \n**YOU MUST SEND IN A BALLOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH** \n**THE DIRECTIONS PROVIDED ON THE ATTACHED** \n**BALLOT.**\n\n*******\n\n---\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union approved a proposition to merge \nwith Credit Union 1 and have called a special meeting of the members of this credit union at First \nClass Community Credit Union located 303 Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313 on Monday the 30<sup>th</sup>\nday of November 2026 at 5:00 pm.\n\n### Purpose of the Meeting:\n\n1. To consider and act upon a proposal to merge First Class Community Credit \nUnion with Credit Union 1, (hereinafter referred to as the “Continuing Credit \nUnion”), whereby all assets and liabilities of First Class Community Credit Union \nwill be merged with and into the Continuing Credit Union.  All members of First \nClass Community Credit Union will become members of the Continuing Credit \nUnion and will be entitled to and will receive shares in the Continuing Credit Union \nfor the shares they own in First Class Community Credit Union on the effective \ndate of the merger.\n\n2. To ratify, confirm and approve the action of the Board of Directors in authorizing \nthe officers of First Class Community Credit Union, subject to approval of \nmembers, to carry out and execute all agreements, documents, and other papers\nnecessary to carry out the proposed merger.\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union encourages you to attend the \nmeeting concerning the proposed merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, we \nurge you to sign, date and promptly return the enclosed ballot to vote on the proposed merger. No \nother vote on the subject shall be taken after the closing date of balloting except for votes cast in \nperson at the special meeting.  The close of balloting for ballots submitted other than in person at \nthe special meeting held for the purpose of voting on the merger shall be five (5) days prior to the \nspecial meeting date.  Please refer to the enclosed Ballot for Merger Proposal.\n\nIf you wish to submit comments about the merger to share with other members, you may submit \nthem to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) at the following link:\n\nhttps://www.ncua.gov/support-services/credit-union-resources-expansion/resources/comments-\n<u>proposed-credit-union-mergers</u>\n\nOr mail to:\n\nNCUA – Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion\n\n1775 Duke Street\n\nAlexandria, VA 22314\n\nRE: Member-to-Member Communication for First Class Community Credit Union\n\n---\n\nThe NCUA will post comments received from members on its website, along with the member’s \nname, subject to the limitations and requirements of its regulations.\n\n### Other Information Related to the Proposed Merger\n\nThe Board of Directors has carefully analyzed the assets and liabilities of the participating credit \nunions and appraised each credit union’s share values. The appraisal of the share values appears \non the attached individual and consolidated financial statements of the participating credit unions. \nIn addition, the following information applies to the proposed merger:\n\n**_Reasons for merger:_** The Board of Directors has concluded that the proposed merger with Credit \nUnion 1 is desirable and in the best interests of members because it will better position First Class \nCommunity Credit Union to serve its members over the long term. The Board believes the merger \nwill provide greater resources and scale to meet evolving technology, cybersecurity, regulatory, \nand member-service needs while expanding the products, services, and opportunities available to \nmembers.\n\nThe Board also considered the importance of maintaining the personal service, local presence, and \nthe history and heritage that have defined First Class Community Credit Union. After extensive \nevaluation and consideration of available alternatives and member feedback, the Board \ndetermined that Credit Union 1 provides the best opportunity to preserve these strengths while \npositioning our membership for the future.\n\n**_Net worth:_** The net worth of a merging credit union at the time of a merger transfers to the \ncontinuing credit union.  First Class Community Credit Union has a slightly higher net worth ratio \nthan the Continuing Credit Union.\n\n**_Share adjustment or distribution:_** First Class Community Credit Union will not distribute a portion \nof its net worth to its members in the merger.  Upon completion of the merger, First Class \nCommunity Credit Union's net worth will become part of the combined organization's capital base, \nwhich supports the safety and soundness of the continuing credit union and enables ongoing \ninvestment in member products, services, technology, cybersecurity, lending capacity, and future \ngrowth. The Board determined that retaining this capital within the continuing credit union will \nsupport its financial strength and its ability to invest in products, services, technology, \ncybersecurity, lending capacity, and other resources for members.\n\n**_Locations of merging and continuing credit union:_** The branch offices of First Class Community\nCredit Union will become a part of Credit Union 1’s nationwide branch locations, which will then \nconsist of the following branch locations inclusive of the First Class Community Credit Union\nlocations in addition to having access to the Continuing Credit Union’s state-of-the art mobile and \nonline banking platforms.  The Continuing Credit Union branch locations will be as follows (subject \nto pending regulatory merger and membership approvals):\n\n---\n\n1. 200 E. Champaign Avenue, Rantoul, IL\n\n2. 828 S. Wolcott, Chicago, IL (UIC)\n\n3. 750 S. Halsted, Room 220C, Chicago, IL (UIC)\n\n4. 9441 Kedzie Avenue, Evergreen Park, IL\n\n5. 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Ste. 101, Matteson, IL\n\n6. 863 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Unit 500, Vernon Hills, IL\n\n7. 450 E 22nd Street, Suite 250, Lombard, IL (Corporate Headquarters of CU1)\n\n8. 6 West North Avenue, Suite 100, Northlake, IL\n\n9. 2466 W. Wabash, Suite 240, Springfield, IL\n\n10. 2032 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL\n\n11. 4625 W. 107<sup>th</sup> Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453\n\n12. 6 W. Main Street, Plano, IL 60545\n\n13. 1500 Barber Greene Road, Dekalb, IL 60115\n\n14. 501 W. Main Street, Genoa, IL 60135\n\n15. 508 W. State Street, Sycamore, IL 60178\n\n16. 1140 East Howard Street, B3, South Bend, IN (Notre Dame)\n\n17. 680 Union Street, Hobart, IN 46342\n\n18. 2651 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, NV (West Operations Center)\n\n19. 1237 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA (East Operations Center)\n\n20. 604 13<sup>th</sup> Avenue E, Bradenton, FL 34208\n\n21. 34200 Utica Road, Fraser, MI 48026\n\n22. 15850 W. Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI 53005\n\n23. 11615 S. Avenue O, Chicago, IL 60633\n\n24. 3630 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka, IN 46545\n\n25. 1404 East Ireland Road, South Bend, IN 46614\n\n26. 1112 North Bendix Drive, South Bend, IN 46628\n\n27. 1532 W St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN 56301\n\n28. 4 2<sup>nd</sup> Avenue North, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379\n\n29. 206 First Street South, Waite Park, MN 56387\n\n30. 1725 Pine Cone Road South, Sartell, MN 56377\n\n31. 161 Glen Street, Foley, MN 56329\n\n32. 214 12<sup>th</sup> Street South, Suite 2, Sauk Centre, MN 56378\n\n33. 18146 198<sup>th</sup> Avenue, Big Lake, MN 55309\n\n34. 2401 North Broadway, Minot, ND 58703\n\n35. 1012 S. 11<sup>th</sup> Street, Niles, MI 49120\n\n36. 6554 W. Archer Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638\n\n37. 2160 S. 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue, Building 105, Maywood, IL 60153\n\n38. 2005 Ridge Road, Homewood, IL 60430\n\n39. 13912 S. Torrence Avenue, Burnham, IL 60633\n\n40. 230 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 2962, Chicago, IL 60604\n\n41. 5<sup>th</sup> Avenue & Roosevelt Road, Building 1, Room C124, Hines, IL 60141\n\n42. 906 N. Broad Street SE, Rome, GA 30161\n\n43. 317 Covered Bridge Road, Cartersville, GA 30120\n\n---\n\n44. 76 Georgia Avenue, Summerville, GA 30747\n\n45. 1200 S. Park Street, Carollton, GA 30117\n\n46. 193 Campbell Lane, Saginaw, MI 48609\n\n47. 16630 Gratiot Road, Hemlock, MI 48626\n\n48. 100 E. Erie Street, 1<sup>st</sup> Floor, Chicago, IL 60611\n\n49. 6001 W. Pershing Road, Stickney, IL 60804\n\n50. 415 Washington Avenue, Bay City, MI 48708\n\n51. 1002 W. Indiana, Bay City, MI 48706\n\n52. 9315 Tiffany Boulevard, Birch Run, MI 48415\n\n53. 322 S. Detroit Street, Warsaw, IN 46580\n\n54. 2051 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50265 (FCCCU)\n\n55. 303 Euclid Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50313 (FCCCU)\n\n**_ATM information:_** Please see www.creditunion1.org for ATM related information.\n\n**_Changes to services and member benefits:_** Members will continue to receive the personal \nservice they value while gaining access to a broader range of financial products, services, \ntechnology, and resources through the Continuing Credit Union. Both current First Class \nCommunity Credit Union branch locations will be maintained, preserving convenient access to \nfamiliar local service while expanding the services and benefits available to members, including:\n\n• **Postal Employee Scholarship Program** – Credit Union 1 has committed to establishing a \n$30,000 annual scholarship program for five years for postal employee members and their \nfamilies to support continuing education after high school.\n\n• **Expanded Products and Services** – Access to products and services designed to provide \nmembers with greater choice and financial flexibility, including high-yield checking and \nsavings accounts, second chance checking accounts, no-down-payment mortgage \noptions for qualified borrowers, and other financial solutions designed to help members \nachieve their financial goals.\n\n• **Enhanced Technology and Digital Banking** – An upgraded online and mobile banking \nexperience with expanded digital tools, including Zelle®, budgeting and financial \nmanagement resources, credit score monitoring, account alerts, enhanced debit card \ncontrols, and other digital banking capabilities.\n\n• **Early Access to Direct Deposits** – Eligible members with qualifying direct deposits and \nCredit Union 1 checking accounts may receive their deposits up to two days early. This \nbenefit, which is currently available only to eligible postal employee members, would be \nexpanded to all eligible members following the merger.\n\n---\n\n• **Business Banking Services** – Additional business banking products and services to better \nserve members who own or operate businesses.\n\n• **Financial Wellness Resources** – Access to Credit Union 1's Financial Wellbeing Center, a \nfree platform designed to help members on their financial journey through personalized \neducational content and access to certified financial experts.\n\n• **Investment and Wealth Management Services** – Access to experienced investment \nprofessionals and additional resources for investment planning, wealth management, \nretirement planning, and other long-term financial goals.\n\n• **Expanded Branch and ATM Access** – Access to Credit Union 1's expanded branch \nnetwork and more than 130,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Additionally, members \nwill continue to have access to more than 6,500 shared branching locations.\n\n**_Effective date of merger:_** The proposed effective date of this merger is December 31, 2026, or \nsuch earlier or subsequent date as approved by the Parties, Directors, Division of Financial \nInstitutions for the States of Illinois, Iowa, and the National Credit Union Administration or any \nsuccessor agency thereto.\n\n**_Employee Representation:_** Employees of First Class Community Credit Union will be offered \nemployment with the Continuing Credit Union. First Class Community Credit Union employees \nwill receive employee benefits and benefit levels at the same level as similarly situated employees \nof the Continuing Credit Union and will maintain their years of service for purposes of determining \neligibility and vesting and benefit accrual under employee benefits plans.\n\n**_Merger-related financial arrangements:_** NCUA Regulations require merging credit unions to \ndisclose certain increases in compensation that any of the merging credit union’s officials or the \nfive most highly compensated employees have received or will receive in connection with the \nmerger.\n\nIn recognition of their significant institutional knowledge, leadership, and strategic expertise \nbrought by Zac Pollock, President and CEO of First Class Community Credit Union, and Chelsea \nBullington, Chief Operations Officer of First Class Community Credit Union, and in \nacknowledgment of their essential roles in supporting a successful and seamless integration with \nthe Continuing Credit Union, Mr. Pollock will receive a merger retention incentive of $150,000 and \nMrs. Bullington will receive a merger retention incentive of $25,000, payable upon the closing of \nthe merger. To further support organizational continuity and maximize the long-term benefits of the \nmerger for members, Zac Pollock will be offered continued employment as the Iowa Market \nPresident with the Continuing Credit Union following the merger for a period of ten (10) years.  Mr. \nPollock’s post-merger annual base salary will increase by $15,000 and Mrs. Bullington’s will \nincrease by $21,621. **The retention incentive for Mr. Pollock is intended to offset the forfeiture of*\n\n---\n\n*an existing retirement benefit as the Continuing Credit Union will not renew the current executive \nretirement arrangement that will expire at year-end.*\n\nPlease note that the proposed merger must be approved by the majority of the members who vote.\nIf you cannot attend the meeting, please follow the directions for voting on the enclosed ballot.\n\n**BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:**\n\nGay Olsen\n\nSeptember 11, 2026\n\n---\n\n# Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\n\n## Why is First Class Community Credit Union considering a merger with Credit Union 1?\n\nThe Board of Directors has a responsibility to make decisions that protect the long-term \nstrength and sustainability of First Class Community Credit Union while continuing to \nprovide exceptional value and service to our members.\n\nAfter extensive evaluation and many discussions, the Board believes partnering with Credit \nUnion 1 provides the best opportunity to preserve what makes First Class Community Credit \nUnion special while providing our members and employees with greater resources, \nproducts, technology, and opportunities.\n\nThis decision was not made lightly. The Board carefully considered member feedback, \nincluding concerns about preserving our identity, history, and heritage. After further analysis \nand discussion, we believe this partnership positions our credit union for long-term \nsuccess.\n\n## Why was the July 23 member meeting postponed?\n\nThe Board postponed the original member meeting to allow the Board additional time to \ncontinue its evaluation of the proposed merger. One message we heard consistently from \nmembers was the importance of preserving the identity, history, and heritage of First Class \nCommunity Credit Union. The Board shares that commitment and took additional time to \nthoughtfully evaluate how those values could be preserved as part of the proposed \npartnership with Credit Union 1.\n\n## How will First Class Community Credit Union’s history and heritage be preserved?\n\nPreserving our history and heritage has been one of the most important considerations \nthroughout this process.\n\nFirst Class Community Credit Union has a proud legacy, including our longstanding roots \nserving postal employees and their families. The Board has had extensive discussions with \nCredit Union 1 about preserving and honoring that history.\n\nCU1 has committed to supporting our legacy through opportunities such as:\n\n---\n\n• Maintaining displays and recognition of our history.\n\n• Preserving important elements of our postal employee roots.\n\n• Incorporating legacy signage, murals, and other historical reminders.\n\n• Establishing an annual $30,000 scholarship program for postal employee families to \nsupport continuing education after high school.\n\nThe goal of this partnership is not to erase our history, but to ensure that our history \ncontinues.\n\n## Will members still see the same employees?\n\nYes.\n\nOne of the most important benefits of this partnership is continuity. All current employees \nwill be offered employment with CU1 following the merger, providing our experienced team \nwith the opportunity to remain with the combined organization and allowing members to \ncontinue working with the employees they know and trust. CU1 has expressed a strong \ncommitment to retaining our experienced team and recognizes that our employees and the \nrelationships they have built with members are an important part of what makes First Class \nCommunity Credit Union special.\n\n## Will the branches remain open?\n\nYes.\n\nBoth First Class Community Credit Union branch locations will remain open for years to \ncome.\n\nMembers will continue to visit the same locations and receive the same personal service \nthey have come to expect.\n\n## Will members still be able to call and talk to local employees?\n\nYes.\n\nMembers will continue to have access to local service. Phone calls will continue to be \nrouted to our local branches first, allowing members to speak with employees familiar with \nour members and community.\n\n---\n\n## Why does a merger make sense now?\n\nThe financial services industry is changing rapidly. Credit unions of all sizes are facing \nincreased competition, rising technology expectations, cybersecurity demands, regulatory \nrequirements, and increasing costs.\n\nMembers expect more digital services, faster transactions, more financial products, \ncompetitive rates, and convenient access wherever they are. Providing these services \nrequires significant investment in technology, staffing, security, and infrastructure.\n\nWhile First Class Community Credit Union has successfully served members for 100 years, \nthe Board must look ahead and recognize the challenges facing smaller financial \ninstitutions, including:\n\n• Increasing competition from banks, large credit unions, fintech companies, and \npayment providers.\n\n• Greater difficulty investing in technology and digital services at the same level as \nlarger organizations.\n\n• Changing member demographics.\n\n• The need for greater financial flexibility and resources to remain competitive.\n\nBy combining with Credit Union 1, we gain access to significantly greater resources and \nscale while maintaining the personal service that members value.\n\n## Will this change how members are served?\n\nThe goal is to improve the member experience.\n\nMembers will continue receiving the personal service they value while gaining access to \nexpanded products, services, and technology.\n\nThe combined organization will provide additional resources that allow employees to focus \neven more on helping members with their financial needs.\n\n## What additional products and services will members receive?\n\nMembers will gain access to a broader range of financial solutions, including:\n\n• **Postal Employee Scholarship Program** – Credit Union 1 has committed to establishing a \n$30,000 annual scholarship program for postal employee members and their families to \nsupport continuing education after high school.\n\n• **Expanded Products and Services** – Access to products and services designed to provide \nmembers with greater choice and financial flexibility, including high-yield checking and savings accounts, second chance checking accounts, no-down-payment mortgage \noptions for qualified borrowers, and other financial solutions designed to help members \nachieve their financial goals.\n\n• **Enhanced Technology and Digital Banking** – An upgraded online and mobile banking \nexperience with expanded digital tools, including Zelle®, budgeting and financial \nmanagement resources, credit score monitoring, account alerts, enhanced debit card \ncontrols, and other digital banking capabilities.\n\n• **Early Access to Direct Deposits** – Eligible members with qualifying direct deposits and \nCredit Union 1 checking accounts may receive their deposits up to two days early. This \nbenefit, which is currently available only to eligible postal employee members, would be \nexpanded to all eligible members following the merger.\n\n• **Business Banking Services** – Additional business banking products and services to better \nserve members who own or operate businesses.\n\n• **Financial Wellness Resources** – Access to Credit Union 1's Financial Wellbeing Center, a \nfree platform designed to help members on their financial journey through personalized \neducational content and access to certified financial experts.\n\n• **Investment and Wealth Management Services** – Access to experienced investment \nprofessionals and additional resources for investment planning, wealth management, \nretirement planning, and other long-term financial goals.\n\n• **Expanded Branch and ATM Access** – Access to Credit Union 1's expanded branch \nnetwork and more than 130,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Additionally, members \nwill continue to have access to more than 6,500 shared branching locations.\n\n## Will employees have more opportunities after the merger?\n\nYes.\n\nOne advantage of joining a larger organization is the increased ability to provide career \ndevelopment opportunities for employees.\n\nA larger organization creates more opportunities for advancement, specialized roles, \ntraining, and long-term career growth. This helps retain experienced employees and \nsupports the strong member relationships our members value.\n\n---\n\n## How will this benefit our local community?\n\nCommunity involvement is a core value shared by both organizations.\n\nCredit Union 1 is highly active in the communities it serves and contributes more than $1 \nmillion in annual and in-kind support to charitable causes and community initiatives.\n\nThrough its CU1 Cares Foundation, CU1 provides financial support, supplies, community \nassistance, and financial literacy workshops.\n\nThis partnership creates an opportunity to expand our ability to support local organizations, \nfamilies, and community initiatives while continuing our commitment to giving back.\n\n## Why not continue operating independently?\n\nThe Board carefully considered this option.\n\nRemaining independent would allow us to continue operating as we do today, but the \nchallenges facing smaller financial institutions are expected to continue increasing.\n\nThe resources needed to compete effectively, invest in technology, provide competitive \nproducts, maintain strong deposit offerings, and meet increasing member expectations \ncontinue to grow.\n\nThe Board believes combining with CU1 allows us to protect our legacy while providing the \nresources necessary to serve members better in the future.\n\n## Will members lose the personal service that makes First Class Community Credit Union unique?\n\nNo.\n\nThe personal relationships built over generations are one of our greatest strengths. Those \nrelationships are the result of our employees, our community connection, and our \ncommitment to members.\n\nThe merger is intended to enhance those relationships by providing employees with more \nresources and members with more options.\n\nMembers will continue seeing familiar faces, visiting familiar locations, and receiving the \npersonal service that has defined First Class Community Credit Union.\n\n---\n\n## What makes Credit Union 1 the right partner?\n\nThe Board evaluated potential options carefully and believes Credit Union 1 is the right \npartner because they share many of our values:\n\n• Commitment to members.\n\n• Strong community involvement.\n\n• Investment in employees.\n\n• A culture focused on service.\n\n• A commitment to preserving the history and identity of the credit unions they serve.\n\nCredit Union 1 also has a long history of serving federal employees and has strengthened its \nown organization through previous partnerships with credit unions that shared similar \npostal employee roots. Because of that shared appreciation for our heritage, CU1 has \ncommitted to honoring the legacy of First Class Community Credit Union through legacy \ndisplays, historical signage, murals, and other permanent recognition of our history and \npostal employee origins. These commitments reflect a shared belief that preserving our \nlegacy is not about looking backward, it is about ensuring the story of First Class Community \nCredit Union continues for future generations.\n\n## What happens next?\n\nMembers will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposed merger, ask questions, \nand vote on the proposal.\n\nThe Board encourages all members to review the information provided and participate in \nthis important decision regarding the future of First Class Community Credit Union.\n\n---\n\n#### Balance Sheet As of 7/31/2026\n\n|  | CU1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Current Assets: |  |  |  |\n| Total Loans | $ 1,889,539,946 | $ 37,653,954 | $ 1,927,193,901 |\n| Deferred Costs/Fees | 5,254,868 | - | 5,254,868 |\n| Allowance | (18,749,280) | (366,743) | (19,116,023) |\n| Total Loans (Net) | 1,876,045,534 | 37,287,211 | 1,913,332,746 |\n| Cash | 313,183,920 | 5,449,670 | 318,633,589 |\n| Investments | 291,901,359 | 50,933,683 | 342,835,043 |\n| Other Assets | 210,541,787 | 1,520,499 | 212,062,286 |\n| Total Current Assets: | 2,691,672,600 | 95,191,063 | 2,786,863,664 |\n| Fixed Assets Net | 74,354,397 | 2,077,558 | 76,431,955 |\n| Total Assets | 2,766,026,997 | 97,268,621 | 2,863,295,618 |\n| Current Liabilities: |  |  |  |\n| Accounts Payable | 84,720,715 | 852,237 | 85,572,953 |\n| Notes Payable | 44,946,968 | - | 44,946,968 |\n| Members Equity: |  |  |  |\n| Regular Shares | 725,403,819 | 51,448,843 | 776,852,663 |\n| Money Market Shares | 146,328,494 | - | 146,328,494 |\n| High Yield Savings | 516,407,907 | - | 516,407,907 |\n| Checking | 454,779,317 | 27,891,798 | 482,671,115 |\n| High Yield Checking | 88,654,256 | - | 88,654,256 |\n| Certificates | 387,312,827 | 4,171,012 | 391,483,839 |\n| IRA Shares and IRA Certificates | 62,693,457 | 3,499,608 | 66,193,065 |\n| Total Shares: | 2,381,580,077 | 87,011,262 | 2,468,591,339 |\n| Reserves | - | 5,858,703 | 5,858,703 |\n| Undivided Earnings | 227,289,924 | 3,891,772 | 231,181,697 |\n| Unrealized G/L - AFS | (394,981) | (977,382) | (1,372,363) |\n| Net Income (loss) | 27,884,292 | 632,029 | 28,516,321 |\n| Total Capital: | 254,779,236 | 9,405,122 | 264,184,358 |\n| Total Liabilities | $ 2,766,026,997 | $ 97,268,621 | $ 2,863,295,618 |\n\n---\n\n**Income and Expense Statement**\n**Year-to-Date 7/31/2026**\n\n|  | CU1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Loan Income | $ 62,783,179 | $ 1,387,945 | $ 64,171,124 |\n| Investment Income | 19,616,749 | 1,109,475 | 20,726,224 |\n| Other Income | 33,995,742 | 733,045 | 34,728,787 |\n| Total Income | 116,395,670 | 3,230,465 | 119,626,135 |\n| Compensation/Benefits | 39,349,448 | 1,036,476 | 40,385,924 |\n| Meetings, Travel &amp; Conference | 552,612 | 7,070 | 559,682 |\n| Office Occupancy | 4,770,098 | 182,984 | 4,953,082 |\n| Office Operations | 15,319,951 | 268,765 | 15,588,716 |\n| Educational &amp; Promotional | 4,076,424 | 42,000 | 4,118,424 |\n| Loan Servicing Expense | 3,340,621 | 131,639 | 3,472,260 |\n| Professional Services | 1,766,297 | 554,998 | 2,321,295 |\n| Provision for Loan losses | (10,470) | 96,199 | 85,729 |\n| Member Insurance | - | - | - |\n| Operating Fees and Association Dues | 94,500 | 7,138 | 101,638 |\n| Misc Operating Expenses | 193,973 | 50,103 | 244,075 |\n| Total Operating Expenses | 69,453,454 | 2,377,373 | 71,830,827 |\n| Operating Income/(Loss) Before Dividends | 46,942,216 | 853,092 | 47,795,308 |\n| NCUA Stabilization | - | - | - |\n| Gain/(Loss) on Disposition of Assets | 5,860,813 | (18,050) | 5,842,763 |\n| Other Non-Operating Income/(Loss) | - | - | - |\n| Income/(Loss) Before Dividends | 52,803,029 | 835,042 | 53,638,071 |\n| Dividend Expenses | 15,753,761 | 202,544 | 15,956,305 |\n| Interest on Borrowed Money | 9,164,976 | 469 | 9,165,445 |\n| Net Income | $ 27,884,292 | $ 632,029 | $ 28,516,321 |\n| Probable Asset/Share Ratio | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 |\n| Net Capital/Asset Ratio | 9.21% | 9.67% | 9.23% |\n| Delinquency Ratio | 1.79% | 0.18% | 1.76% |\n\n---\n\nForm 6311 - Probable Asset/Share Ratio\nMerger between First Class Community Credit Union and Credit Union 1\nAs of **7/31/2026**\n\n| Additions: | Credit Union 1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Cash | 313,183,920 | 5,449,670 | 318,633,589 |\n| Loans (Net) | 1,876,045,534 | 37,287,211 | 1,913,332,746 |\n| Investments | 291,901,359 | 50,933,683 | 342,835,043 |\n| Fixed Assets | 74,354,397 | 2,077,558 | 76,431,955 |\n| Other assets | 210,541,787 | 1,520,499 | 212,062,286 |\n| Total (A) | 2,766,026,997 | 97,268,621 | 2,863,295,618 |\n| Deductions: |  |  |  |\n| Notes Payable | 44,946,968 | - | 44,946,968 |\n| Accounts Payable | 84,720,715 | 852,237 | 85,572,953 |\n| Other recorded Liabilities | - | - | - |\n| Contingent and/or Unrecorded Liabilities | - | - | - |\n| Subsidiary Ledger Differences (Losses) | - | - | - |\n| Other Losses | - | - | - |\n| Total (B) | 129,667,683 | 852,237 | 130,519,920 |\n| Net Value of Assets (A-B) | 2,636,359,314 | 96,416,384 | 2,732,775,698 |\n| Total Shares | 2,381,580,077 | 87,011,262 | 2,468,591,339 |\n| Probable Asset/Share Ratio | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 |\n\n---\n\n# Ballot for Merger Proposal\n\n### Name of Member:\n\n**Account Number or Unique ID Number Assigned:**\n\n### DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING & RETURNING BALLOT:\n\nThe completed Ballot Vote must be postmarked no later than five (5) calendar days before the \nin-personal Special Meeting date to ensure that your mailed ballot will be counted. The \ndeadline to mail your ballot is Wednesday, November 25, 2026, which is five calendar days\nprior to the Special Meeting date of November 30, 2026.\n\n### If you cannot attend the Special Meeting in person:\n\n1. Complete your vote in the **“BALLOT VOTE”** section below.\n\n2. Write your name and provide your signature with date. This is required so that we may \nconfirm you as a member.\n\n3. Seal the completed Ballot Vote inside the enclosed preaddressed, postage prepaid \nBallot Return Envelope that has been provided.\n\n4. Return the pre-addressed, postage prepaid Ballot Return Envelope by one of the \nfollowing methods:\n\no **Mail:** Mail it by the postmark deadline provided above in the postage prepaid \nenvelope that has been provided.\n\no **Hand delivery:** Deliver it in person to one of our branch offices or by another \nphysical delivery method prior to or at the in-person special meeting.\n\n**Important:** Only the original Ballot Vote will be accepted. Ballots submitted by email, \nphotocopy, or fax will NOT be counted.\n\n### If you will attend the Special Meeting in person:\n\n1. Complete your vote in the **“BALLOT VOTE”** section.\n\n2. Bring your completed Ballot Vote with you to the meeting.\n\n### Ballot Confidentiality:\n\nAll ballots received will be tabulated by an independent third-party tabulator. Neither First Class\nCommunity Credit Union nor Credit Union 1 will receive any information identifying how any \nindividual member voted.\n\n---\n\n### BALLOT VOTE:\n\nI have read the Notice of Special Meeting for the Members of First Class Community Credit\nUnion regarding the Proposed Merger of First Class Community Credit Union to merge with and \ninto Credit Union 1. I hereby cast my vote on the proposal as follows (check one box):\n\n[] I Approve the proposed merger and authorize the Board of Directors to take all necessary \naction to accomplish the merger.\n\n[] I Do not approve the proposed merger.\n\nSigned:\n\nMember’s Name (Print):\n\nDate:\n\n### Mailing Address for completed Ballot and Identification Form:\n\nCUBallot - Election Processing\n\nE Space Communications Inc.\n\nP.O. Box 3156\n\nDublin, OH 43016-9842", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': 'edc91805-acba-42a4-9099-bd56a7a254a4', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1948-0002/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:36.250213+00:00', 'content_hash': '4718d2f17077c08dd4b20e10290586fca2a917fae275d4a6553dabe0d6566972'}, 'title': 'pdf'}]}

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m.: effective_date, abstract, document_body, attachments changed since Oct. 3, 2026, 8:03 p.m..

{'abstract': None, 'attachments': None, 'document_body': None, 'effective_date': None}

{'abstract': '', 'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1948-0002/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "COMMUNITY\nFIRST CLASS\nEST. 1928\nCREDIT UNION\n\n### Dear Members of First Class Community Credit Union,\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union would like to thank our \nmembers for their continued support, feedback, and engagement throughout the process of \nevaluating a proposed merger with Credit Union 1 (CU1).\n\nAs many of you know, the member meeting originally scheduled for July 23 was postponed \nallowing the Board additional time to continue its evaluation of the proposed merger. One \nmessage we heard consistently from members was the importance of preserving the\nidentity, history, and heritage of First Class Community Credit Union. The Board shares that \ncommitment and took additional time to thoughtfully evaluate how those values could be \npreserved as part of the proposed partnership with CU1.\n\nAfter extensive discussion, research, and consideration, the Board has determined that \nmoving forward with a merger with CU1 is the best path to ensure First Class Community \nCredit Union remains strong and continues serving members for generations to come.\n\nThis was not an easy decision. First Class Community Credit Union has a proud history \nrooted in serving postal employees, their families, and our local communities. The Board \nspent significant time discussing with CU1 how that legacy could be preserved and honored. \nCU1 has demonstrated a strong commitment to recognizing our heritage through legacy \ndisplays, murals, signage, and other reminders of our history and postal employee roots. \nCU1 also has a long history of serving federal employees, including postal employees,\nthrough a previous merger, and understands the importance of preserving the traditions and \nrelationships that make our credit union unique.\n\nIn addition to CU1’s commitment to maintain both of our current branch locations, CU1 has \nalso committed to establishing a **_$30,000 annual scholarship program_** for five years for \npostal employees and their families to support continuing education after high school.\n\n---\n\nThese commitments reflect a shared belief that investing in our members, families, and \ncommunities is a critical part of our future.\n\nTo help ensure these commitments continue for years to come, members of the current First \nClass Community Credit Union Board of Directors will have the opportunity to serve on an \nAdvisory Committee following the merger. The committee will work with Credit Union 1 \nleadership to help preserve the history and heritage of First Class Community Credit Union \nby providing input on legacy displays, historical recognition, and other opportunities to \ncelebrate our postal employee roots. The committee will also assist in developing the \nframework for the annual scholarship program and participate in selecting the scholarship \nrecipient, or recipients, each year helping ensure the program continues to reflect the values \nand traditions that have defined our credit union for over 100 years.\n\nAs a smaller financial institution, we have always taken great pride in our ability to provide \npersonal service and a strong member experience. However, we also recognize the \nchallenges facing the credit union today and in the future as the financial services industry \ncontinues to evolve at an increasingly rapid pace. Technology expectations, cybersecurity \nrequirements, regulatory demands, digital services, and competition from banks, credit \nunions, fintech companies, and payment providers continue to grow. The resources required \nto compete successfully and provide the products, services, and convenience our members \nexpect increase every year.\n\nThe Board’s responsibility is to ensure the long-term success of this credit union and make \ndecisions that position our members and employees for continued success. After careful \nconsideration, we believe partnering with CU1 provides the strength, resources, and \nopportunities necessary to serve our members better today and in the future.\nImportantly, this merger is designed to preserve the personal relationships our members \nvalue. Members will continue to visit the same branch locations and work with the same \nemployees they know and trust. Phone calls will continue to be routed locally to our \nbranches first, allowing members to receive the same personal service they have come to \nexpect. It will also give our staff access to more resources and will allow employees to focus \neven more on helping members achieve their financial goals.\n\nAt the same time, members will gain access to significantly expanded resources, \ntechnology, products, and services. Additional information about these benefits and \nexpanded offerings is included in the accompanying merger materials.\n\n---\n\nIn addition to enhanced products and service offerings, CU1 also shares our commitment \nto serving the communities where members live and work. Through charitable giving, \ncommunity partnerships, the CU1 Cares Foundation, and thousands of hours of employee \nvolunteer service, CU1 contributes more than **_$1 million_** in annual and in-kind support to \ncharitable causes, financial literacy, and community initiatives. The merger provides an \nopportunity to increase our local impact and expand the support we can provide for our \nmembers and community.\n\nWe understand that change can be difficult, especially for an institution with such a \nmeaningful history and strong member relationships. The Board does not take that lightly. \nHowever, we believe preserving our legacy does not mean remaining unchanged; it means \nensuring that the values, relationships, and commitment to service that built this credit \nunion continue in the future.\n\nWe also understand that change can also be inconvenient at times. Support for members \nduring this process has been another item discussed extensively by the board and CU1. We \nwant to emphasize that our combined organization will have dedicated teams and resources \nto offer personalized member assistance for any changes or impact on members, such as \nfuture technology conversions.\n\nAfter months of careful evaluation, the Board believes this merger protects what makes First \nClass Community Credit Union special while providing members and employees with \ngreater opportunities, resources, and long-term stability. We encourage all members to \nreview the information provided, attend the upcoming member meeting, and participate in \nthe voting process. Your voice is an important part of the credit union’s history, and we\nappreciate your thoughtful consideration of this important decision.\n\nThank you for your membership, trust, and support as we work together to ensure our credit \nunion remains strong for generations to come. We encourage you to carefully review the \nenclosed Amended Notice of Special Meeting and accompanying materials and to \nparticipate in this important decision by promptly returning your ballot in accordance with \nthe voting instructions provided.\n\n**Sincerely,**\n\n**The Board of Directors**\n\n**First Class Community Credit Union**\n\n---\n\nCOMMUNITY\nFIRST CLASS\nEST. 1928\nCREDIT UNION\n\n**Amended Notice of Special Meeting of the** \n**Members of First Class Community Credit Union**\n\n**** ATTENTION ****\n\n**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS AN AMENDED NOTICE OF** \n**SPECIAL MEETING AS THE ORIGINAL SPECIAL** \n**MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JULY 23, 2026, HAD BEEN** \n**PREVIOUSLY POSTPONED BY THE BOARD OF** \n**DIRECTORS.**\n\n**IF YOU PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED YOUR BALLOT VOTE,** \n**YOU ARE** <u><strong>REQUIRED</strong></u> **TO MAIL IN A NEW BALLOT VOTE.**  \n**YOUR EXISTING BALLOT VOTE HAS BEEN VOIDED;** \n**YOU MUST SEND IN A BALLOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH** \n**THE DIRECTIONS PROVIDED ON THE ATTACHED** \n**BALLOT.**\n\n*******\n\n---\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union approved a proposition to merge \nwith Credit Union 1 and have called a special meeting of the members of this credit union at First \nClass Community Credit Union located 303 Euclid Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313 on Monday the 30<sup>th</sup>\nday of November 2026 at 5:00 pm.\n\n### Purpose of the Meeting:\n\n1. To consider and act upon a proposal to merge First Class Community Credit \nUnion with Credit Union 1, (hereinafter referred to as the “Continuing Credit \nUnion”), whereby all assets and liabilities of First Class Community Credit Union \nwill be merged with and into the Continuing Credit Union.  All members of First \nClass Community Credit Union will become members of the Continuing Credit \nUnion and will be entitled to and will receive shares in the Continuing Credit Union \nfor the shares they own in First Class Community Credit Union on the effective \ndate of the merger.\n\n2. To ratify, confirm and approve the action of the Board of Directors in authorizing \nthe officers of First Class Community Credit Union, subject to approval of \nmembers, to carry out and execute all agreements, documents, and other papers\nnecessary to carry out the proposed merger.\n\nThe Board of Directors of First Class Community Credit Union encourages you to attend the \nmeeting concerning the proposed merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, we \nurge you to sign, date and promptly return the enclosed ballot to vote on the proposed merger. No \nother vote on the subject shall be taken after the closing date of balloting except for votes cast in \nperson at the special meeting.  The close of balloting for ballots submitted other than in person at \nthe special meeting held for the purpose of voting on the merger shall be five (5) days prior to the \nspecial meeting date.  Please refer to the enclosed Ballot for Merger Proposal.\n\nIf you wish to submit comments about the merger to share with other members, you may submit \nthem to the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) at the following link:\n\nhttps://www.ncua.gov/support-services/credit-union-resources-expansion/resources/comments-\n<u>proposed-credit-union-mergers</u>\n\nOr mail to:\n\nNCUA – Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion\n\n1775 Duke Street\n\nAlexandria, VA 22314\n\nRE: Member-to-Member Communication for First Class Community Credit Union\n\n---\n\nThe NCUA will post comments received from members on its website, along with the member’s \nname, subject to the limitations and requirements of its regulations.\n\n### Other Information Related to the Proposed Merger\n\nThe Board of Directors has carefully analyzed the assets and liabilities of the participating credit \nunions and appraised each credit union’s share values. The appraisal of the share values appears \non the attached individual and consolidated financial statements of the participating credit unions. \nIn addition, the following information applies to the proposed merger:\n\n**_Reasons for merger:_** The Board of Directors has concluded that the proposed merger with Credit \nUnion 1 is desirable and in the best interests of members because it will better position First Class \nCommunity Credit Union to serve its members over the long term. The Board believes the merger \nwill provide greater resources and scale to meet evolving technology, cybersecurity, regulatory, \nand member-service needs while expanding the products, services, and opportunities available to \nmembers.\n\nThe Board also considered the importance of maintaining the personal service, local presence, and \nthe history and heritage that have defined First Class Community Credit Union. After extensive \nevaluation and consideration of available alternatives and member feedback, the Board \ndetermined that Credit Union 1 provides the best opportunity to preserve these strengths while \npositioning our membership for the future.\n\n**_Net worth:_** The net worth of a merging credit union at the time of a merger transfers to the \ncontinuing credit union.  First Class Community Credit Union has a slightly higher net worth ratio \nthan the Continuing Credit Union.\n\n**_Share adjustment or distribution:_** First Class Community Credit Union will not distribute a portion \nof its net worth to its members in the merger.  Upon completion of the merger, First Class \nCommunity Credit Union's net worth will become part of the combined organization's capital base, \nwhich supports the safety and soundness of the continuing credit union and enables ongoing \ninvestment in member products, services, technology, cybersecurity, lending capacity, and future \ngrowth. The Board determined that retaining this capital within the continuing credit union will \nsupport its financial strength and its ability to invest in products, services, technology, \ncybersecurity, lending capacity, and other resources for members.\n\n**_Locations of merging and continuing credit union:_** The branch offices of First Class Community\nCredit Union will become a part of Credit Union 1’s nationwide branch locations, which will then \nconsist of the following branch locations inclusive of the First Class Community Credit Union\nlocations in addition to having access to the Continuing Credit Union’s state-of-the art mobile and \nonline banking platforms.  The Continuing Credit Union branch locations will be as follows (subject \nto pending regulatory merger and membership approvals):\n\n---\n\n1. 200 E. Champaign Avenue, Rantoul, IL\n\n2. 828 S. Wolcott, Chicago, IL (UIC)\n\n3. 750 S. Halsted, Room 220C, Chicago, IL (UIC)\n\n4. 9441 Kedzie Avenue, Evergreen Park, IL\n\n5. 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Ste. 101, Matteson, IL\n\n6. 863 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Unit 500, Vernon Hills, IL\n\n7. 450 E 22nd Street, Suite 250, Lombard, IL (Corporate Headquarters of CU1)\n\n8. 6 West North Avenue, Suite 100, Northlake, IL\n\n9. 2466 W. Wabash, Suite 240, Springfield, IL\n\n10. 2032 N. Halsted, Chicago, IL\n\n11. 4625 W. 107<sup>th</sup> Street, Oak Lawn, IL 60453\n\n12. 6 W. Main Street, Plano, IL 60545\n\n13. 1500 Barber Greene Road, Dekalb, IL 60115\n\n14. 501 W. Main Street, Genoa, IL 60135\n\n15. 508 W. State Street, Sycamore, IL 60178\n\n16. 1140 East Howard Street, B3, South Bend, IN (Notre Dame)\n\n17. 680 Union Street, Hobart, IN 46342\n\n18. 2651 Paseo Verde Parkway, Henderson, NV (West Operations Center)\n\n19. 1237 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA (East Operations Center)\n\n20. 604 13<sup>th</sup> Avenue E, Bradenton, FL 34208\n\n21. 34200 Utica Road, Fraser, MI 48026\n\n22. 15850 W. Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI 53005\n\n23. 11615 S. Avenue O, Chicago, IL 60633\n\n24. 3630 Edison Lakes Parkway, Mishawaka, IN 46545\n\n25. 1404 East Ireland Road, South Bend, IN 46614\n\n26. 1112 North Bendix Drive, South Bend, IN 46628\n\n27. 1532 W St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, MN 56301\n\n28. 4 2<sup>nd</sup> Avenue North, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379\n\n29. 206 First Street South, Waite Park, MN 56387\n\n30. 1725 Pine Cone Road South, Sartell, MN 56377\n\n31. 161 Glen Street, Foley, MN 56329\n\n32. 214 12<sup>th</sup> Street South, Suite 2, Sauk Centre, MN 56378\n\n33. 18146 198<sup>th</sup> Avenue, Big Lake, MN 55309\n\n34. 2401 North Broadway, Minot, ND 58703\n\n35. 1012 S. 11<sup>th</sup> Street, Niles, MI 49120\n\n36. 6554 W. Archer Avenue, Chicago, IL 60638\n\n37. 2160 S. 1<sup>st</sup> Avenue, Building 105, Maywood, IL 60153\n\n38. 2005 Ridge Road, Homewood, IL 60430\n\n39. 13912 S. Torrence Avenue, Burnham, IL 60633\n\n40. 230 S. Dearborn Street, Suite 2962, Chicago, IL 60604\n\n41. 5<sup>th</sup> Avenue & Roosevelt Road, Building 1, Room C124, Hines, IL 60141\n\n42. 906 N. Broad Street SE, Rome, GA 30161\n\n43. 317 Covered Bridge Road, Cartersville, GA 30120\n\n---\n\n44. 76 Georgia Avenue, Summerville, GA 30747\n\n45. 1200 S. Park Street, Carollton, GA 30117\n\n46. 193 Campbell Lane, Saginaw, MI 48609\n\n47. 16630 Gratiot Road, Hemlock, MI 48626\n\n48. 100 E. Erie Street, 1<sup>st</sup> Floor, Chicago, IL 60611\n\n49. 6001 W. Pershing Road, Stickney, IL 60804\n\n50. 415 Washington Avenue, Bay City, MI 48708\n\n51. 1002 W. Indiana, Bay City, MI 48706\n\n52. 9315 Tiffany Boulevard, Birch Run, MI 48415\n\n53. 322 S. Detroit Street, Warsaw, IN 46580\n\n54. 2051 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50265 (FCCCU)\n\n55. 303 Euclid Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50313 (FCCCU)\n\n**_ATM information:_** Please see www.creditunion1.org for ATM related information.\n\n**_Changes to services and member benefits:_** Members will continue to receive the personal \nservice they value while gaining access to a broader range of financial products, services, \ntechnology, and resources through the Continuing Credit Union. Both current First Class \nCommunity Credit Union branch locations will be maintained, preserving convenient access to \nfamiliar local service while expanding the services and benefits available to members, including:\n\n• **Postal Employee Scholarship Program** – Credit Union 1 has committed to establishing a \n$30,000 annual scholarship program for five years for postal employee members and their \nfamilies to support continuing education after high school.\n\n• **Expanded Products and Services** – Access to products and services designed to provide \nmembers with greater choice and financial flexibility, including high-yield checking and \nsavings accounts, second chance checking accounts, no-down-payment mortgage \noptions for qualified borrowers, and other financial solutions designed to help members \nachieve their financial goals.\n\n• **Enhanced Technology and Digital Banking** – An upgraded online and mobile banking \nexperience with expanded digital tools, including Zelle®, budgeting and financial \nmanagement resources, credit score monitoring, account alerts, enhanced debit card \ncontrols, and other digital banking capabilities.\n\n• **Early Access to Direct Deposits** – Eligible members with qualifying direct deposits and \nCredit Union 1 checking accounts may receive their deposits up to two days early. This \nbenefit, which is currently available only to eligible postal employee members, would be \nexpanded to all eligible members following the merger.\n\n---\n\n• **Business Banking Services** – Additional business banking products and services to better \nserve members who own or operate businesses.\n\n• **Financial Wellness Resources** – Access to Credit Union 1's Financial Wellbeing Center, a \nfree platform designed to help members on their financial journey through personalized \neducational content and access to certified financial experts.\n\n• **Investment and Wealth Management Services** – Access to experienced investment \nprofessionals and additional resources for investment planning, wealth management, \nretirement planning, and other long-term financial goals.\n\n• **Expanded Branch and ATM Access** – Access to Credit Union 1's expanded branch \nnetwork and more than 130,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Additionally, members \nwill continue to have access to more than 6,500 shared branching locations.\n\n**_Effective date of merger:_** The proposed effective date of this merger is December 31, 2026, or \nsuch earlier or subsequent date as approved by the Parties, Directors, Division of Financial \nInstitutions for the States of Illinois, Iowa, and the National Credit Union Administration or any \nsuccessor agency thereto.\n\n**_Employee Representation:_** Employees of First Class Community Credit Union will be offered \nemployment with the Continuing Credit Union. First Class Community Credit Union employees \nwill receive employee benefits and benefit levels at the same level as similarly situated employees \nof the Continuing Credit Union and will maintain their years of service for purposes of determining \neligibility and vesting and benefit accrual under employee benefits plans.\n\n**_Merger-related financial arrangements:_** NCUA Regulations require merging credit unions to \ndisclose certain increases in compensation that any of the merging credit union’s officials or the \nfive most highly compensated employees have received or will receive in connection with the \nmerger.\n\nIn recognition of their significant institutional knowledge, leadership, and strategic expertise \nbrought by Zac Pollock, President and CEO of First Class Community Credit Union, and Chelsea \nBullington, Chief Operations Officer of First Class Community Credit Union, and in \nacknowledgment of their essential roles in supporting a successful and seamless integration with \nthe Continuing Credit Union, Mr. Pollock will receive a merger retention incentive of $150,000 and \nMrs. Bullington will receive a merger retention incentive of $25,000, payable upon the closing of \nthe merger. To further support organizational continuity and maximize the long-term benefits of the \nmerger for members, Zac Pollock will be offered continued employment as the Iowa Market \nPresident with the Continuing Credit Union following the merger for a period of ten (10) years.  Mr. \nPollock’s post-merger annual base salary will increase by $15,000 and Mrs. Bullington’s will \nincrease by $21,621. **The retention incentive for Mr. Pollock is intended to offset the forfeiture of*\n\n---\n\n*an existing retirement benefit as the Continuing Credit Union will not renew the current executive \nretirement arrangement that will expire at year-end.*\n\nPlease note that the proposed merger must be approved by the majority of the members who vote.\nIf you cannot attend the meeting, please follow the directions for voting on the enclosed ballot.\n\n**BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:**\n\nGay Olsen\n\nSeptember 11, 2026\n\n---\n\n# Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)\n\n## Why is First Class Community Credit Union considering a merger with Credit Union 1?\n\nThe Board of Directors has a responsibility to make decisions that protect the long-term \nstrength and sustainability of First Class Community Credit Union while continuing to \nprovide exceptional value and service to our members.\n\nAfter extensive evaluation and many discussions, the Board believes partnering with Credit \nUnion 1 provides the best opportunity to preserve what makes First Class Community Credit \nUnion special while providing our members and employees with greater resources, \nproducts, technology, and opportunities.\n\nThis decision was not made lightly. The Board carefully considered member feedback, \nincluding concerns about preserving our identity, history, and heritage. After further analysis \nand discussion, we believe this partnership positions our credit union for long-term \nsuccess.\n\n## Why was the July 23 member meeting postponed?\n\nThe Board postponed the original member meeting to allow the Board additional time to \ncontinue its evaluation of the proposed merger. One message we heard consistently from \nmembers was the importance of preserving the identity, history, and heritage of First Class \nCommunity Credit Union. The Board shares that commitment and took additional time to \nthoughtfully evaluate how those values could be preserved as part of the proposed \npartnership with Credit Union 1.\n\n## How will First Class Community Credit Union’s history and heritage be preserved?\n\nPreserving our history and heritage has been one of the most important considerations \nthroughout this process.\n\nFirst Class Community Credit Union has a proud legacy, including our longstanding roots \nserving postal employees and their families. The Board has had extensive discussions with \nCredit Union 1 about preserving and honoring that history.\n\nCU1 has committed to supporting our legacy through opportunities such as:\n\n---\n\n• Maintaining displays and recognition of our history.\n\n• Preserving important elements of our postal employee roots.\n\n• Incorporating legacy signage, murals, and other historical reminders.\n\n• Establishing an annual $30,000 scholarship program for postal employee families to \nsupport continuing education after high school.\n\nThe goal of this partnership is not to erase our history, but to ensure that our history \ncontinues.\n\n## Will members still see the same employees?\n\nYes.\n\nOne of the most important benefits of this partnership is continuity. All current employees \nwill be offered employment with CU1 following the merger, providing our experienced team \nwith the opportunity to remain with the combined organization and allowing members to \ncontinue working with the employees they know and trust. CU1 has expressed a strong \ncommitment to retaining our experienced team and recognizes that our employees and the \nrelationships they have built with members are an important part of what makes First Class \nCommunity Credit Union special.\n\n## Will the branches remain open?\n\nYes.\n\nBoth First Class Community Credit Union branch locations will remain open for years to \ncome.\n\nMembers will continue to visit the same locations and receive the same personal service \nthey have come to expect.\n\n## Will members still be able to call and talk to local employees?\n\nYes.\n\nMembers will continue to have access to local service. Phone calls will continue to be \nrouted to our local branches first, allowing members to speak with employees familiar with \nour members and community.\n\n---\n\n## Why does a merger make sense now?\n\nThe financial services industry is changing rapidly. Credit unions of all sizes are facing \nincreased competition, rising technology expectations, cybersecurity demands, regulatory \nrequirements, and increasing costs.\n\nMembers expect more digital services, faster transactions, more financial products, \ncompetitive rates, and convenient access wherever they are. Providing these services \nrequires significant investment in technology, staffing, security, and infrastructure.\n\nWhile First Class Community Credit Union has successfully served members for 100 years, \nthe Board must look ahead and recognize the challenges facing smaller financial \ninstitutions, including:\n\n• Increasing competition from banks, large credit unions, fintech companies, and \npayment providers.\n\n• Greater difficulty investing in technology and digital services at the same level as \nlarger organizations.\n\n• Changing member demographics.\n\n• The need for greater financial flexibility and resources to remain competitive.\n\nBy combining with Credit Union 1, we gain access to significantly greater resources and \nscale while maintaining the personal service that members value.\n\n## Will this change how members are served?\n\nThe goal is to improve the member experience.\n\nMembers will continue receiving the personal service they value while gaining access to \nexpanded products, services, and technology.\n\nThe combined organization will provide additional resources that allow employees to focus \neven more on helping members with their financial needs.\n\n## What additional products and services will members receive?\n\nMembers will gain access to a broader range of financial solutions, including:\n\n• **Postal Employee Scholarship Program** – Credit Union 1 has committed to establishing a \n$30,000 annual scholarship program for postal employee members and their families to \nsupport continuing education after high school.\n\n• **Expanded Products and Services** – Access to products and services designed to provide \nmembers with greater choice and financial flexibility, including high-yield checking and savings accounts, second chance checking accounts, no-down-payment mortgage \noptions for qualified borrowers, and other financial solutions designed to help members \nachieve their financial goals.\n\n• **Enhanced Technology and Digital Banking** – An upgraded online and mobile banking \nexperience with expanded digital tools, including Zelle®, budgeting and financial \nmanagement resources, credit score monitoring, account alerts, enhanced debit card \ncontrols, and other digital banking capabilities.\n\n• **Early Access to Direct Deposits** – Eligible members with qualifying direct deposits and \nCredit Union 1 checking accounts may receive their deposits up to two days early. This \nbenefit, which is currently available only to eligible postal employee members, would be \nexpanded to all eligible members following the merger.\n\n• **Business Banking Services** – Additional business banking products and services to better \nserve members who own or operate businesses.\n\n• **Financial Wellness Resources** – Access to Credit Union 1's Financial Wellbeing Center, a \nfree platform designed to help members on their financial journey through personalized \neducational content and access to certified financial experts.\n\n• **Investment and Wealth Management Services** – Access to experienced investment \nprofessionals and additional resources for investment planning, wealth management, \nretirement planning, and other long-term financial goals.\n\n• **Expanded Branch and ATM Access** – Access to Credit Union 1's expanded branch \nnetwork and more than 130,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Additionally, members \nwill continue to have access to more than 6,500 shared branching locations.\n\n## Will employees have more opportunities after the merger?\n\nYes.\n\nOne advantage of joining a larger organization is the increased ability to provide career \ndevelopment opportunities for employees.\n\nA larger organization creates more opportunities for advancement, specialized roles, \ntraining, and long-term career growth. This helps retain experienced employees and \nsupports the strong member relationships our members value.\n\n---\n\n## How will this benefit our local community?\n\nCommunity involvement is a core value shared by both organizations.\n\nCredit Union 1 is highly active in the communities it serves and contributes more than $1 \nmillion in annual and in-kind support to charitable causes and community initiatives.\n\nThrough its CU1 Cares Foundation, CU1 provides financial support, supplies, community \nassistance, and financial literacy workshops.\n\nThis partnership creates an opportunity to expand our ability to support local organizations, \nfamilies, and community initiatives while continuing our commitment to giving back.\n\n## Why not continue operating independently?\n\nThe Board carefully considered this option.\n\nRemaining independent would allow us to continue operating as we do today, but the \nchallenges facing smaller financial institutions are expected to continue increasing.\n\nThe resources needed to compete effectively, invest in technology, provide competitive \nproducts, maintain strong deposit offerings, and meet increasing member expectations \ncontinue to grow.\n\nThe Board believes combining with CU1 allows us to protect our legacy while providing the \nresources necessary to serve members better in the future.\n\n## Will members lose the personal service that makes First Class Community Credit Union unique?\n\nNo.\n\nThe personal relationships built over generations are one of our greatest strengths. Those \nrelationships are the result of our employees, our community connection, and our \ncommitment to members.\n\nThe merger is intended to enhance those relationships by providing employees with more \nresources and members with more options.\n\nMembers will continue seeing familiar faces, visiting familiar locations, and receiving the \npersonal service that has defined First Class Community Credit Union.\n\n---\n\n## What makes Credit Union 1 the right partner?\n\nThe Board evaluated potential options carefully and believes Credit Union 1 is the right \npartner because they share many of our values:\n\n• Commitment to members.\n\n• Strong community involvement.\n\n• Investment in employees.\n\n• A culture focused on service.\n\n• A commitment to preserving the history and identity of the credit unions they serve.\n\nCredit Union 1 also has a long history of serving federal employees and has strengthened its \nown organization through previous partnerships with credit unions that shared similar \npostal employee roots. Because of that shared appreciation for our heritage, CU1 has \ncommitted to honoring the legacy of First Class Community Credit Union through legacy \ndisplays, historical signage, murals, and other permanent recognition of our history and \npostal employee origins. These commitments reflect a shared belief that preserving our \nlegacy is not about looking backward, it is about ensuring the story of First Class Community \nCredit Union continues for future generations.\n\n## What happens next?\n\nMembers will have the opportunity to learn more about the proposed merger, ask questions, \nand vote on the proposal.\n\nThe Board encourages all members to review the information provided and participate in \nthis important decision regarding the future of First Class Community Credit Union.\n\n---\n\n#### Balance Sheet As of 7/31/2026\n\n|  | CU1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Current Assets: |  |  |  |\n| Total Loans | $ 1,889,539,946 | $ 37,653,954 | $ 1,927,193,901 |\n| Deferred Costs/Fees | 5,254,868 | - | 5,254,868 |\n| Allowance | (18,749,280) | (366,743) | (19,116,023) |\n| Total Loans (Net) | 1,876,045,534 | 37,287,211 | 1,913,332,746 |\n| Cash | 313,183,920 | 5,449,670 | 318,633,589 |\n| Investments | 291,901,359 | 50,933,683 | 342,835,043 |\n| Other Assets | 210,541,787 | 1,520,499 | 212,062,286 |\n| Total Current Assets: | 2,691,672,600 | 95,191,063 | 2,786,863,664 |\n| Fixed Assets Net | 74,354,397 | 2,077,558 | 76,431,955 |\n| Total Assets | 2,766,026,997 | 97,268,621 | 2,863,295,618 |\n| Current Liabilities: |  |  |  |\n| Accounts Payable | 84,720,715 | 852,237 | 85,572,953 |\n| Notes Payable | 44,946,968 | - | 44,946,968 |\n| Members Equity: |  |  |  |\n| Regular Shares | 725,403,819 | 51,448,843 | 776,852,663 |\n| Money Market Shares | 146,328,494 | - | 146,328,494 |\n| High Yield Savings | 516,407,907 | - | 516,407,907 |\n| Checking | 454,779,317 | 27,891,798 | 482,671,115 |\n| High Yield Checking | 88,654,256 | - | 88,654,256 |\n| Certificates | 387,312,827 | 4,171,012 | 391,483,839 |\n| IRA Shares and IRA Certificates | 62,693,457 | 3,499,608 | 66,193,065 |\n| Total Shares: | 2,381,580,077 | 87,011,262 | 2,468,591,339 |\n| Reserves | - | 5,858,703 | 5,858,703 |\n| Undivided Earnings | 227,289,924 | 3,891,772 | 231,181,697 |\n| Unrealized G/L - AFS | (394,981) | (977,382) | (1,372,363) |\n| Net Income (loss) | 27,884,292 | 632,029 | 28,516,321 |\n| Total Capital: | 254,779,236 | 9,405,122 | 264,184,358 |\n| Total Liabilities | $ 2,766,026,997 | $ 97,268,621 | $ 2,863,295,618 |\n\n---\n\n**Income and Expense Statement**\n**Year-to-Date 7/31/2026**\n\n|  | CU1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Loan Income | $ 62,783,179 | $ 1,387,945 | $ 64,171,124 |\n| Investment Income | 19,616,749 | 1,109,475 | 20,726,224 |\n| Other Income | 33,995,742 | 733,045 | 34,728,787 |\n| Total Income | 116,395,670 | 3,230,465 | 119,626,135 |\n| Compensation/Benefits | 39,349,448 | 1,036,476 | 40,385,924 |\n| Meetings, Travel &amp; Conference | 552,612 | 7,070 | 559,682 |\n| Office Occupancy | 4,770,098 | 182,984 | 4,953,082 |\n| Office Operations | 15,319,951 | 268,765 | 15,588,716 |\n| Educational &amp; Promotional | 4,076,424 | 42,000 | 4,118,424 |\n| Loan Servicing Expense | 3,340,621 | 131,639 | 3,472,260 |\n| Professional Services | 1,766,297 | 554,998 | 2,321,295 |\n| Provision for Loan losses | (10,470) | 96,199 | 85,729 |\n| Member Insurance | - | - | - |\n| Operating Fees and Association Dues | 94,500 | 7,138 | 101,638 |\n| Misc Operating Expenses | 193,973 | 50,103 | 244,075 |\n| Total Operating Expenses | 69,453,454 | 2,377,373 | 71,830,827 |\n| Operating Income/(Loss) Before Dividends | 46,942,216 | 853,092 | 47,795,308 |\n| NCUA Stabilization | - | - | - |\n| Gain/(Loss) on Disposition of Assets | 5,860,813 | (18,050) | 5,842,763 |\n| Other Non-Operating Income/(Loss) | - | - | - |\n| Income/(Loss) Before Dividends | 52,803,029 | 835,042 | 53,638,071 |\n| Dividend Expenses | 15,753,761 | 202,544 | 15,956,305 |\n| Interest on Borrowed Money | 9,164,976 | 469 | 9,165,445 |\n| Net Income | $ 27,884,292 | $ 632,029 | $ 28,516,321 |\n| Probable Asset/Share Ratio | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 |\n| Net Capital/Asset Ratio | 9.21% | 9.67% | 9.23% |\n| Delinquency Ratio | 1.79% | 0.18% | 1.76% |\n\n---\n\nForm 6311 - Probable Asset/Share Ratio\nMerger between First Class Community Credit Union and Credit Union 1\nAs of **7/31/2026**\n\n| Additions: | Credit Union 1 | FCCCU | Combined |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Cash | 313,183,920 | 5,449,670 | 318,633,589 |\n| Loans (Net) | 1,876,045,534 | 37,287,211 | 1,913,332,746 |\n| Investments | 291,901,359 | 50,933,683 | 342,835,043 |\n| Fixed Assets | 74,354,397 | 2,077,558 | 76,431,955 |\n| Other assets | 210,541,787 | 1,520,499 | 212,062,286 |\n| Total (A) | 2,766,026,997 | 97,268,621 | 2,863,295,618 |\n| Deductions: |  |  |  |\n| Notes Payable | 44,946,968 | - | 44,946,968 |\n| Accounts Payable | 84,720,715 | 852,237 | 85,572,953 |\n| Other recorded Liabilities | - | - | - |\n| Contingent and/or Unrecorded Liabilities | - | - | - |\n| Subsidiary Ledger Differences (Losses) | - | - | - |\n| Other Losses | - | - | - |\n| Total (B) | 129,667,683 | 852,237 | 130,519,920 |\n| Net Value of Assets (A-B) | 2,636,359,314 | 96,416,384 | 2,732,775,698 |\n| Total Shares | 2,381,580,077 | 87,011,262 | 2,468,591,339 |\n| Probable Asset/Share Ratio | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 |\n\n---\n\n# Ballot for Merger Proposal\n\n### Name of Member:\n\n**Account Number or Unique ID Number Assigned:**\n\n### DIRECTIONS FOR COMPLETING & RETURNING BALLOT:\n\nThe completed Ballot Vote must be postmarked no later than five (5) calendar days before the \nin-personal Special Meeting date to ensure that your mailed ballot will be counted. The \ndeadline to mail your ballot is Wednesday, November 25, 2026, which is five calendar days\nprior to the Special Meeting date of November 30, 2026.\n\n### If you cannot attend the Special Meeting in person:\n\n1. Complete your vote in the **“BALLOT VOTE”** section below.\n\n2. Write your name and provide your signature with date. This is required so that we may \nconfirm you as a member.\n\n3. Seal the completed Ballot Vote inside the enclosed preaddressed, postage prepaid \nBallot Return Envelope that has been provided.\n\n4. Return the pre-addressed, postage prepaid Ballot Return Envelope by one of the \nfollowing methods:\n\no **Mail:** Mail it by the postmark deadline provided above in the postage prepaid \nenvelope that has been provided.\n\no **Hand delivery:** Deliver it in person to one of our branch offices or by another \nphysical delivery method prior to or at the in-person special meeting.\n\n**Important:** Only the original Ballot Vote will be accepted. Ballots submitted by email, \nphotocopy, or fax will NOT be counted.\n\n### If you will attend the Special Meeting in person:\n\n1. Complete your vote in the **“BALLOT VOTE”** section.\n\n2. Bring your completed Ballot Vote with you to the meeting.\n\n### Ballot Confidentiality:\n\nAll ballots received will be tabulated by an independent third-party tabulator. Neither First Class\nCommunity Credit Union nor Credit Union 1 will receive any information identifying how any \nindividual member voted.\n\n---\n\n### BALLOT VOTE:\n\nI have read the Notice of Special Meeting for the Members of First Class Community Credit\nUnion regarding the Proposed Merger of First Class Community Credit Union to merge with and \ninto Credit Union 1. I hereby cast my vote on the proposal as follows (check one box):\n\n[] I Approve the proposed merger and authorize the Board of Directors to take all necessary \naction to accomplish the merger.\n\n[] I Do not approve the proposed merger.\n\nSigned:\n\nMember’s Name (Print):\n\nDate:\n\n### Mailing Address for completed Ballot and Identification Form:\n\nCUBallot - Election Processing\n\nE Space Communications Inc.\n\nP.O. Box 3156\n\nDublin, OH 43016-9842", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': 'edc91805-acba-42a4-9099-bd56a7a254a4', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1948-0002/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:36.250213+00:00', 'content_hash': '4718d2f17077c08dd4b20e10290586fca2a917fae275d4a6553dabe0d6566972'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}], 'document_body': '', 'effective_date': ''}

Collection history starts with our observations; it is not complete legislative amendment history.

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:36 a.m.: attachments changed since Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m..

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1915-0002/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "The Board of Directors of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union have called a special meeting of the \nmembers of this credit union at the Cottonwood Inn & Suites, 54250 US Highway 2, Glasgow, MT 59230\non Friday, December 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM MT. The purpose of this meeting is:\n\n1. To consider and act upon a plan and proposal for merging Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union \nwith and into Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union (hereinafter referred to as the “Continuing Credit \nUnion”), whereby all assets and liabilities of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will be merged \nwith and into the Continuing Credit Union. All members of Fort Peck Community Federal Union will \nbecome members of the Continuing Credit Union and will be entitled to and will receive shares in the \nContinuing Credit Union for the shares they own in Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union on the\neffective date of the merger.\n\n2. To ratify, confirm and approve the action of the Board of Directors in authorizing the officers of Fort \nPeck Community Federal Credit Union, subject to the approval of members, to do all things and to \nexecute all agreements, documents, and other papers necessary to carry out the proposed merger.\n\nThe Board of Directors of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union encourages you to attend the\nmeeting and vote on the proposed merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, we urge \nyou to sign, date and promptly return the enclosed ballot to vote on the proposed merger.\n\nIf you wish to submit comments about the merger to share with other members, you may submit them \nto the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) at:\n\nhttps://ncua.gov/support-services/credit-union-merger-acquisition/comments-proposed-credit-unionmergers\n\nor mail to:\n\nNCUA - Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion\n\n1775 Duke Street\n\nAlexandria, VA 22314\n\nRE: Member-to-Member Communication for Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union.\n\nThe NCUA will post comments received from members on its website, along with the member's name, \nsubject to the limitations and requirements of its regulations.\n\nOther Information Related to the Proposed Merger:\n\nThe Board of Directors has carefully evaluated and analyzed the assets and liabilities of the credit unions \nand the value of shares in both credit unions. The financial statements of both credit unions, as well as \nthe projected combined financial statement of the continuing credit union, follow as separate \ndocuments. In addition, the following information applies to the proposed merger.\n\nReasons for merger: The Board of Directors has concluded that the proposed merger is desirable and in \nthe best interests of members because Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union offers complementary\nproducts, services, and technology, as well as two additional branches. Fort Peck Community Federal\nCredit Union members will continue to enjoy service from the member care team at existing Fort Peck\n\n---\n\nCommunity Federal Credit Union locations, as well as Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union locations. In\naddition, this merger is the highest and best use of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union members’ \nnet worth relating to strategic planning, succession planning, and business continuity. It provides new \ngrowth opportunities and the potential for additional products, services, and digital experiences. See \nattached narrative for further rationale.\n\nNet worth: The net worth of a merging credit union at the time of a merger transfers to the continuing \ncredit union. Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union has a net worth ratio higher than Daniels -\nSheridan Federal Credit Union.\n\n<u>Share adjustment or distribution:</u> Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will not distribute a portion \nof its net worth to its members in the merger. The board of directors has determined a share \nadjustment, or other distribution of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union's net worth is \nunnecessary because:\n\n• The continuing credit union is expected to maintain a strong post-merger capital position more \nthan regulatory well-capitalized standards, ensuring long-term financial strength and stability.\n\n• The full net worth of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will remain within the \ncombined credit union to support continued investment in member services, technology, \ncybersecurity, products, facilities, and operational infrastructure.\n\n• Members of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union are expected to receive meaningful \nlong-term value through expanded products and services, enhanced digital banking capabilities, \nimproved operational scale, and increased access to financial resources.\n\n• Preserving capital within the continuing credit union better supports the long-term safety, \nsoundness, and sustainability of member services than a one-time distribution of net worth.\n\n• The merger is structured to preserve local service, maintain branch access, retain employees, \nand support continued investment in the Glasgow market and surrounding communities.\n\n| Credit Unions at 06/30/2026 | Total Net Worth | Total Assets | Net Worth Ratio |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union # 8037 | $1,770,291 | $14,260,269 | 12.41% |\n| Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union # 5063 | $10,971,198 | $92,185,083 | 11.90% |\n| Combined Credit Union | $12,741,489 | $106,445,352 | 11.97% |\n\n---\n\n<u>Locations of merging and continuing credit union:</u> All offices of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit \nUnion will remain open for a minimum of five years after the effective date of merger. It is the intent of \nDaniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union to retain these offices. Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union has \nthe following locations.\n\n211 Main Street, Medicine Lake, MT 59247\n\n404 Main Street, Scobey, MT 59263\n\nChanges to services and member benefits: Additional branches, products, and services.\n\nMerger-related financial arrangements: NCUA Regulations require merging credit unions to disclose \ncertain increases in compensation that any of the merging credit union's officials or the five most highly \ncompensated employees have received or will receive in connection with the merger. The following \nindividuals have received or will receive such compensation: None.\n\nPlease note that the proposed merger must have the approval of a majority of members who vote.\n\nEnclosed with this Notice of Special Meeting is a Ballot for Merger Proposal. If you cannot attend the \nmeeting, please complete the Ballot and return it to: Member Vote, Supervisory Committee, Fort Peck \nCommunity Federal Credit Union, PO Box 104, Fort Peck MT 59223; or, any branch of Fort Peck \nCommunity Federal Credit Union.\n\nTo be counted, your Ballot must be received by Friday, December 4, 7:00 PM MT.\n\nBonnie H. Meyer", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '9d262a0a-20fe-4c32-8a3a-99df585d3603', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1915-0002/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:29.089545+00:00', 'content_hash': 'bbecbea9af1be439e7bd48d91f39460e4e82a71789cd5a42917670eac3c2088e'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}]}

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1915-0002/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "The Board of Directors of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union have called a special meeting of the \nmembers of this credit union at the Cottonwood Inn & Suites, 54250 US Highway 2, Glasgow, MT 59230\non Friday, December 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM MT. The purpose of this meeting is:\n\n1. To consider and act upon a plan and proposal for merging Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union \nwith and into Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union (hereinafter referred to as the “Continuing Credit \nUnion”), whereby all assets and liabilities of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will be merged \nwith and into the Continuing Credit Union. All members of Fort Peck Community Federal Union will \nbecome members of the Continuing Credit Union and will be entitled to and will receive shares in the \nContinuing Credit Union for the shares they own in Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union on the\neffective date of the merger.\n\n2. To ratify, confirm and approve the action of the Board of Directors in authorizing the officers of Fort \nPeck Community Federal Credit Union, subject to the approval of members, to do all things and to \nexecute all agreements, documents, and other papers necessary to carry out the proposed merger.\n\nThe Board of Directors of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union encourages you to attend the\nmeeting and vote on the proposed merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, we urge \nyou to sign, date and promptly return the enclosed ballot to vote on the proposed merger.\n\nIf you wish to submit comments about the merger to share with other members, you may submit them \nto the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) at:\n\nhttps://ncua.gov/support-services/credit-union-merger-acquisition/comments-proposed-credit-unionmergers\n\nor mail to:\n\nNCUA - Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion\n\n1775 Duke Street\n\nAlexandria, VA 22314\n\nRE: Member-to-Member Communication for Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union.\n\nThe NCUA will post comments received from members on its website, along with the member's name, \nsubject to the limitations and requirements of its regulations.\n\nOther Information Related to the Proposed Merger:\n\nThe Board of Directors has carefully evaluated and analyzed the assets and liabilities of the credit unions \nand the value of shares in both credit unions. The financial statements of both credit unions, as well as \nthe projected combined financial statement of the continuing credit union, follow as separate \ndocuments. In addition, the following information applies to the proposed merger.\n\nReasons for merger: The Board of Directors has concluded that the proposed merger is desirable and in \nthe best interests of members because Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union offers complementary\nproducts, services, and technology, as well as two additional branches. Fort Peck Community Federal\nCredit Union members will continue to enjoy service from the member care team at existing Fort Peck\n\n---\n\nCommunity Federal Credit Union locations, as well as Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union locations. In\naddition, this merger is the highest and best use of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union members’ \nnet worth relating to strategic planning, succession planning, and business continuity. It provides new \ngrowth opportunities and the potential for additional products, services, and digital experiences. See \nattached narrative for further rationale.\n\nNet worth: The net worth of a merging credit union at the time of a merger transfers to the continuing \ncredit union. Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union has a net worth ratio higher than Daniels -\nSheridan Federal Credit Union.\n\n<u>Share adjustment or distribution:</u> Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will not distribute a portion \nof its net worth to its members in the merger. The board of directors has determined a share \nadjustment, or other distribution of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union's net worth is \nunnecessary because:\n\n• The continuing credit union is expected to maintain a strong post-merger capital position more \nthan regulatory well-capitalized standards, ensuring long-term financial strength and stability.\n\n• The full net worth of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will remain within the \ncombined credit union to support continued investment in member services, technology, \ncybersecurity, products, facilities, and operational infrastructure.\n\n• Members of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union are expected to receive meaningful \nlong-term value through expanded products and services, enhanced digital banking capabilities, \nimproved operational scale, and increased access to financial resources.\n\n• Preserving capital within the continuing credit union better supports the long-term safety, \nsoundness, and sustainability of member services than a one-time distribution of net worth.\n\n• The merger is structured to preserve local service, maintain branch access, retain employees, \nand support continued investment in the Glasgow market and surrounding communities.\n\n| Credit Unions at 06/30/2026 | Total Net Worth | Total Assets | Net Worth Ratio |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union # 8037 | $1,770,291 | $14,260,269 | 12.41% |\n| Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union # 5063 | $10,971,198 | $92,185,083 | 11.90% |\n| Combined Credit Union | $12,741,489 | $106,445,352 | 11.97% |\n\n---\n\n<u>Locations of merging and continuing credit union:</u> All offices of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit \nUnion will remain open for a minimum of five years after the effective date of merger. It is the intent of \nDaniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union to retain these offices. Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union has \nthe following locations.\n\n211 Main Street, Medicine Lake, MT 59247\n\n404 Main Street, Scobey, MT 59263\n\nChanges to services and member benefits: Additional branches, products, and services.\n\nMerger-related financial arrangements: NCUA Regulations require merging credit unions to disclose \ncertain increases in compensation that any of the merging credit union's officials or the five most highly \ncompensated employees have received or will receive in connection with the merger. The following \nindividuals have received or will receive such compensation: None.\n\nPlease note that the proposed merger must have the approval of a majority of members who vote.\n\nEnclosed with this Notice of Special Meeting is a Ballot for Merger Proposal. If you cannot attend the \nmeeting, please complete the Ballot and return it to: Member Vote, Supervisory Committee, Fort Peck \nCommunity Federal Credit Union, PO Box 104, Fort Peck MT 59223; or, any branch of Fort Peck \nCommunity Federal Credit Union.\n\nTo be counted, your Ballot must be received by Friday, December 4, 7:00 PM MT.\n\nBonnie H. Meyer", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '9d262a0a-20fe-4c32-8a3a-99df585d3603', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1915-0002/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:29.089545+00:00', 'content_hash': 'bbecbea9af1be439e7bd48d91f39460e4e82a71789cd5a42917670eac3c2088e'}, 'title': 'pdf'}]}

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m.: effective_date, abstract, document_body, attachments changed since Oct. 3, 2026, 8:03 p.m..

{'abstract': None, 'attachments': None, 'document_body': None, 'effective_date': None}

{'abstract': '', 'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1915-0002/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "The Board of Directors of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union have called a special meeting of the \nmembers of this credit union at the Cottonwood Inn & Suites, 54250 US Highway 2, Glasgow, MT 59230\non Friday, December 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM MT. The purpose of this meeting is:\n\n1. To consider and act upon a plan and proposal for merging Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union \nwith and into Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union (hereinafter referred to as the “Continuing Credit \nUnion”), whereby all assets and liabilities of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will be merged \nwith and into the Continuing Credit Union. All members of Fort Peck Community Federal Union will \nbecome members of the Continuing Credit Union and will be entitled to and will receive shares in the \nContinuing Credit Union for the shares they own in Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union on the\neffective date of the merger.\n\n2. To ratify, confirm and approve the action of the Board of Directors in authorizing the officers of Fort \nPeck Community Federal Credit Union, subject to the approval of members, to do all things and to \nexecute all agreements, documents, and other papers necessary to carry out the proposed merger.\n\nThe Board of Directors of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union encourages you to attend the\nmeeting and vote on the proposed merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, we urge \nyou to sign, date and promptly return the enclosed ballot to vote on the proposed merger.\n\nIf you wish to submit comments about the merger to share with other members, you may submit them \nto the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) at:\n\nhttps://ncua.gov/support-services/credit-union-merger-acquisition/comments-proposed-credit-unionmergers\n\nor mail to:\n\nNCUA - Office of Credit Union Resources and Expansion\n\n1775 Duke Street\n\nAlexandria, VA 22314\n\nRE: Member-to-Member Communication for Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union.\n\nThe NCUA will post comments received from members on its website, along with the member's name, \nsubject to the limitations and requirements of its regulations.\n\nOther Information Related to the Proposed Merger:\n\nThe Board of Directors has carefully evaluated and analyzed the assets and liabilities of the credit unions \nand the value of shares in both credit unions. The financial statements of both credit unions, as well as \nthe projected combined financial statement of the continuing credit union, follow as separate \ndocuments. In addition, the following information applies to the proposed merger.\n\nReasons for merger: The Board of Directors has concluded that the proposed merger is desirable and in \nthe best interests of members because Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union offers complementary\nproducts, services, and technology, as well as two additional branches. Fort Peck Community Federal\nCredit Union members will continue to enjoy service from the member care team at existing Fort Peck\n\n---\n\nCommunity Federal Credit Union locations, as well as Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union locations. In\naddition, this merger is the highest and best use of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union members’ \nnet worth relating to strategic planning, succession planning, and business continuity. It provides new \ngrowth opportunities and the potential for additional products, services, and digital experiences. See \nattached narrative for further rationale.\n\nNet worth: The net worth of a merging credit union at the time of a merger transfers to the continuing \ncredit union. Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union has a net worth ratio higher than Daniels -\nSheridan Federal Credit Union.\n\n<u>Share adjustment or distribution:</u> Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will not distribute a portion \nof its net worth to its members in the merger. The board of directors has determined a share \nadjustment, or other distribution of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union's net worth is \nunnecessary because:\n\n• The continuing credit union is expected to maintain a strong post-merger capital position more \nthan regulatory well-capitalized standards, ensuring long-term financial strength and stability.\n\n• The full net worth of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union will remain within the \ncombined credit union to support continued investment in member services, technology, \ncybersecurity, products, facilities, and operational infrastructure.\n\n• Members of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union are expected to receive meaningful \nlong-term value through expanded products and services, enhanced digital banking capabilities, \nimproved operational scale, and increased access to financial resources.\n\n• Preserving capital within the continuing credit union better supports the long-term safety, \nsoundness, and sustainability of member services than a one-time distribution of net worth.\n\n• The merger is structured to preserve local service, maintain branch access, retain employees, \nand support continued investment in the Glasgow market and surrounding communities.\n\n| Credit Unions at 06/30/2026 | Total Net Worth | Total Assets | Net Worth Ratio |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Fort Peck Community Federal Credit Union # 8037 | $1,770,291 | $14,260,269 | 12.41% |\n| Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union # 5063 | $10,971,198 | $92,185,083 | 11.90% |\n| Combined Credit Union | $12,741,489 | $106,445,352 | 11.97% |\n\n---\n\n<u>Locations of merging and continuing credit union:</u> All offices of Fort Peck Community Federal Credit \nUnion will remain open for a minimum of five years after the effective date of merger. It is the intent of \nDaniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union to retain these offices. Daniels-Sheridan Federal Credit Union has \nthe following locations.\n\n211 Main Street, Medicine Lake, MT 59247\n\n404 Main Street, Scobey, MT 59263\n\nChanges to services and member benefits: Additional branches, products, and services.\n\nMerger-related financial arrangements: NCUA Regulations require merging credit unions to disclose \ncertain increases in compensation that any of the merging credit union's officials or the five most highly \ncompensated employees have received or will receive in connection with the merger. The following \nindividuals have received or will receive such compensation: None.\n\nPlease note that the proposed merger must have the approval of a majority of members who vote.\n\nEnclosed with this Notice of Special Meeting is a Ballot for Merger Proposal. If you cannot attend the \nmeeting, please complete the Ballot and return it to: Member Vote, Supervisory Committee, Fort Peck \nCommunity Federal Credit Union, PO Box 104, Fort Peck MT 59223; or, any branch of Fort Peck \nCommunity Federal Credit Union.\n\nTo be counted, your Ballot must be received by Friday, December 4, 7:00 PM MT.\n\nBonnie H. Meyer", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '9d262a0a-20fe-4c32-8a3a-99df585d3603', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/NCUA-2026-1915-0002/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:29.089545+00:00', 'content_hash': 'bbecbea9af1be439e7bd48d91f39460e4e82a71789cd5a42917670eac3c2088e'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}], 'document_body': '', 'effective_date': ''}

Collection history starts with our observations; it is not complete legislative amendment history.

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:36 a.m.: attachments changed since Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m..

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/FTC-2026-1453-0004/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "| From: | Malik Singleton |\n| --- | --- |\n| To: | Electronic Filings |\n| Cc: | Leeky Leek; Husbanddd Foreverrrrr MacBook; Malik Singleton |\n| Subject: | Re: SUPPLEMENT TO PETITION UNDER 16 C.F.R. § 1.31 — MTS-AI-2026-001 — Malik Tony Singleton |\n| Date: | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 10:40:47 AM |\n\nYou don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important\n\nDear Office of the Secretary:\n\nThank you for your response concerning my petition for rulemaking,\nProposal ID **MTS-AI-2026-001.**\n\nI am submitting this supplementation specifically to cure the two\ndeficiencies identified by the Office of the Secretary under **16 C.F.R. §\n1.31(b)(1) and (b)(2).** Please associate this supplement with my original\nSeptember 10, 2026 petition and evaluate the original petition and this\nsupplementation together as one complete petition.\n\n## I. PETITIONER AND EFFECT ON PETITIONER’S INTERESTS\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(1)**\n\nI am Malik Tony Singleton, an individual consumer, worker, applicant,\nstudent, telecommunications customer, financial-services consumer,\ninsurance claimant, tenant/housing applicant, and user of products and\nservices affected by institutional record systems and, in some\ncircumstances, automated or technology-assisted decision processes.\n\nMy interests would be directly affected by the requested action because I\npersonally engage in consumer transactions and institutional processes\ninvolving money, eligibility, account information, communications\nservices, housing, insurance, employment-related services, and other\nsignificant economic interests.\n\nThrough my own experiences, I have repeatedly encountered the practical\nproblem addressed by this petition: a person may receive a decision, delay,\nrestriction, inconsistent explanation, or adverse outcome while lacking\nready access to the specific policy, material factual basis, decision record,\nresponsible reviewer, status information, or meaningful human-review\nmechanism necessary to understand and challenge the outcome.\n\nThe requested action would affect my interests by providing clearer and more standardized consumer protections concerning material decisions\nwithin the Commission’s statutory jurisdiction, including disclosure of\nmaterial reasons, identification of governing criteria where appropriate,\npreservation of decision records, meaningful human review where\nautomated systems materially contribute to significant consumer decisions,\nand procedures for correcting materially inaccurate consumer information.\n\nI am therefore not asserting merely an abstract interest in government\npolicy. I am a consumer whose ability to understand, challenge, and correct\nmaterial decisions would be affected by the requested regulatory\nprotections.\n\n## II. ACTION REQUESTED AND PROPOSED RULE TEXT\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(2)**\n\nI request that the Federal Trade Commission commence an appropriate\nrulemaking proceeding, within the limits of its statutory authority,\nconcerning unfair or deceptive practices involving material consumer\ndecisions, explanations, automated decision systems, record preservation,\nand meaningful review.\n\nI propose the following rule text for Commission consideration:\n\n### PROPOSED RULE — CONSUMER MATERIAL-DECISION TRANSPARENCY AND REVIEW\n\n### § 1. Purpose and Scope.\n\nThis rule applies, to the extent authorized by the Federal Trade\nCommission Act and other statutes administered by the Commission, to\npersons or entities subject to Commission jurisdiction that make or\nmaterially facilitate covered consumer decisions.\n\n### § 2. Definitions.\n\n(a) **Covered consumer decision** means a decision materially affecting a\nconsumer’s payment obligation, refund, eligibility, account access,\nconsumer financial information, purchase or service access, or another\nmaterial consumer economic interest within the Commission’s jurisdiction.\n\n(b) **Automated decision system** means a computational process, including an algorithmic, statistical, artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, or rulesbased system, that materially assists or determines a covered consumer\ndecision.\n\n(c) **Material adverse decision** means a covered consumer decision that\ndenies, restricts, terminates, materially delays, or imposes a material\neconomic burden upon a consumer.\n\n### § 3. Meaningful Explanation.\n\nWhen a covered entity communicates a material adverse decision to a\nconsumer, the entity shall provide, to the extent reasonably available and\nnot otherwise prohibited by law:\n\n(1) the principal reason or reasons for the decision;\n\n(2) the material policy, contractual criterion, or decision criterion relied\nupon;\n\n(3) notice of any available procedure for correcting materially inaccurate\ninformation; and\n\n(4) the procedure, if one exists, for obtaining further review.\n\nA generic conclusion that does not reasonably identify the material basis\nfor the decision shall not satisfy this section when the actual material\nreason is reasonably available to the entity.\n\n### § 4. Automated-Decision Notice and Human Review.\n\nWhen an automated decision system materially contributes to a material\nadverse decision, the covered entity shall provide reasonable notice that\nautomated processing materially contributed to the decision and shall\nprovide an accessible method of requesting human review when required\nby applicable law or Commission rule.\n\nNothing in this section requires disclosure of information whose disclosure\nis prohibited by law or disclosure of legitimately protected trade secrets,\nsecurity information, or another category of legally protected information.\n\n### § 5. Material Decision Records.\n\nA covered entity shall maintain, for a reasonable period consistent with\napplicable law, sufficient records to identify the material basis of a covered decision and permit review of a timely consumer dispute.\n\n### § 6. Consumer Disputes and Corrections.\n\nA covered entity that provides a mechanism for disputing a covered\nconsumer decision shall not represent that meaningful review occurred\nwhen the dispute was not actually reviewed under the procedures\nrepresented to the consumer.\n\nWhere a consumer identifies materially inaccurate information relied upon\nin the decision, the entity shall provide any correction or review procedure\nrequired by applicable federal law or Commission rule.\n\n### § 7. No Deception Concerning Review Rights.\n\nIt shall constitute a prohibited practice for a covered entity to materially\nmisrepresent:\n\n(1) whether human review is available;\n\n(2) whether a consumer’s dispute was reviewed;\n\n(3) the material reason for a covered decision;\n\n(4) the existence of an appeal, dispute, correction, or review procedure; or\n\n(5) whether an automated system materially determined an outcome, where\ndisclosure is otherwise required by this rule.\n\n### § 8. Limitations.\n\nNothing in this rule shall:\n\n(a) require disclosure prohibited by another federal statute;\n\n(b) override legitimate privacy, security, law-enforcement, or trade-secret\nprotections;\n\n(c) create FTC jurisdiction over an entity or activity otherwise outside the\nCommission’s statutory jurisdiction; or\n\n(d) prevent a covered entity from using automated technology where its use\nis otherwise lawful.\n\n## III. FACTUAL AND LEGAL BASIS\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(3)**\n\n---\n\nMy original petition explains the underlying problem: institutions\nincreasingly use complex internal systems and automated technologies in\ndecisions affecting consumers, while affected individuals may lack access\nto the material rule, factual explanation, decision path, or responsible\nhuman reviewer.\n\nThe petition does **not** assert that every delay, denial, nonresponse,\nautomated decision, or unfavorable result is unlawful. My original\nsubmission expressly recognizes that limitation. Rather, the concern is\nwhether opacity, materially misleading explanations, inaccurate\ninformation, nonexistent or misrepresented review, or lack of appropriate\nsafeguards can produce unfair or deceptive consumer practices.\n\nI also acknowledge considerations weighing against portions of the\nproposal. Businesses may have legitimate interests in protecting trade\nsecrets, cybersecurity information, proprietary algorithms, third-party\nprivacy, fraud-prevention systems, and confidential information.\nMandatory explanations and record-retention requirements may impose\ncompliance costs, particularly on small businesses. Automated systems\nmay also improve speed, consistency, fraud detection, accessibility, and\nefficiency.\n\nFor those reasons, the proposed text contains limitations protecting legally\nconfidential information, does not prohibit automation, and confines the\nrequested regulation to conduct within the Commission’s statutory\njurisdiction.\n\nI request that the Commission examine through public comment whether\nthe benefits of standardized explanation, correction, record-preservation,\nand review protections justify their costs and determine the appropriate\nscope of any final rule.\n\n## IV. REQUEST FOR PROCESSING UNDER § 1.31(d)\n\nSection 1.31(d) provides that when a petition meets the requirements for\nCommission consideration, the Secretary will assign it a docket number.\nSection 1.31(f) further provides that, after docketing, the Office of the\nSecretary provides public notice and makes the petition available for public\ncomment.\n\nAccordingly, because this supplement directly supplies the information identified as missing in your correspondence, I respectfully request that the Office of the Secretary:\n\n1. associate this supplement with MTS-AI-2026-001;\n2. evaluate the original petition and supplement together;\n3. confirm whether the submission now satisfies § 1.31(b)’s filing requirements;\n4. if another requirement remains unsatisfied, identify the specific subsection and specific missing information so that it may be addressed;\n5. if the requirements are satisfied, assign the petition a docket number pursuant to § 1.31(d); and\n6. provide the written notification and agency contact contemplated by that provision.\n\nThis supplementation does not withdraw or replace the original policy framework. It supplies the information requested by the Office of the Secretary and should be read together with the original submission.\n\nPlease continue to preserve the authorship and provenance information identifying Malik Tony Singleton, Proposal ID MTS-AI-2026-001, Version 1.3.\n\nRespectfully,\n\nMalik Tony Singleton\nAuthor / Policy Originator / Petitioner\nProposal ID: MTS-AI-2026-001\n\nColumbia, SC 29210", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '1311a617-444e-4ed4-8e28-f4f03958289a', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/FTC-2026-1453-0004/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:41.314020+00:00', 'content_hash': '0b9a8bc107dfb18f95ac2b0ea5b2efac145cf3d556afc9de9c721d8c9a3c9ebb'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}]}

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/FTC-2026-1453-0004/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "| From: | Malik Singleton |\n| --- | --- |\n| To: | Electronic Filings |\n| Cc: | Leeky Leek; Husbanddd Foreverrrrr MacBook; Malik Singleton |\n| Subject: | Re: SUPPLEMENT TO PETITION UNDER 16 C.F.R. § 1.31 — MTS-AI-2026-001 — Malik Tony Singleton |\n| Date: | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 10:40:47 AM |\n\nYou don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important\n\nDear Office of the Secretary:\n\nThank you for your response concerning my petition for rulemaking,\nProposal ID **MTS-AI-2026-001.**\n\nI am submitting this supplementation specifically to cure the two\ndeficiencies identified by the Office of the Secretary under **16 C.F.R. §\n1.31(b)(1) and (b)(2).** Please associate this supplement with my original\nSeptember 10, 2026 petition and evaluate the original petition and this\nsupplementation together as one complete petition.\n\n## I. PETITIONER AND EFFECT ON PETITIONER’S INTERESTS\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(1)**\n\nI am Malik Tony Singleton, an individual consumer, worker, applicant,\nstudent, telecommunications customer, financial-services consumer,\ninsurance claimant, tenant/housing applicant, and user of products and\nservices affected by institutional record systems and, in some\ncircumstances, automated or technology-assisted decision processes.\n\nMy interests would be directly affected by the requested action because I\npersonally engage in consumer transactions and institutional processes\ninvolving money, eligibility, account information, communications\nservices, housing, insurance, employment-related services, and other\nsignificant economic interests.\n\nThrough my own experiences, I have repeatedly encountered the practical\nproblem addressed by this petition: a person may receive a decision, delay,\nrestriction, inconsistent explanation, or adverse outcome while lacking\nready access to the specific policy, material factual basis, decision record,\nresponsible reviewer, status information, or meaningful human-review\nmechanism necessary to understand and challenge the outcome.\n\nThe requested action would affect my interests by providing clearer and more standardized consumer protections concerning material decisions\nwithin the Commission’s statutory jurisdiction, including disclosure of\nmaterial reasons, identification of governing criteria where appropriate,\npreservation of decision records, meaningful human review where\nautomated systems materially contribute to significant consumer decisions,\nand procedures for correcting materially inaccurate consumer information.\n\nI am therefore not asserting merely an abstract interest in government\npolicy. I am a consumer whose ability to understand, challenge, and correct\nmaterial decisions would be affected by the requested regulatory\nprotections.\n\n## II. ACTION REQUESTED AND PROPOSED RULE TEXT\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(2)**\n\nI request that the Federal Trade Commission commence an appropriate\nrulemaking proceeding, within the limits of its statutory authority,\nconcerning unfair or deceptive practices involving material consumer\ndecisions, explanations, automated decision systems, record preservation,\nand meaningful review.\n\nI propose the following rule text for Commission consideration:\n\n### PROPOSED RULE — CONSUMER MATERIAL-DECISION TRANSPARENCY AND REVIEW\n\n### § 1. Purpose and Scope.\n\nThis rule applies, to the extent authorized by the Federal Trade\nCommission Act and other statutes administered by the Commission, to\npersons or entities subject to Commission jurisdiction that make or\nmaterially facilitate covered consumer decisions.\n\n### § 2. Definitions.\n\n(a) **Covered consumer decision** means a decision materially affecting a\nconsumer’s payment obligation, refund, eligibility, account access,\nconsumer financial information, purchase or service access, or another\nmaterial consumer economic interest within the Commission’s jurisdiction.\n\n(b) **Automated decision system** means a computational process, including an algorithmic, statistical, artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, or rulesbased system, that materially assists or determines a covered consumer\ndecision.\n\n(c) **Material adverse decision** means a covered consumer decision that\ndenies, restricts, terminates, materially delays, or imposes a material\neconomic burden upon a consumer.\n\n### § 3. Meaningful Explanation.\n\nWhen a covered entity communicates a material adverse decision to a\nconsumer, the entity shall provide, to the extent reasonably available and\nnot otherwise prohibited by law:\n\n(1) the principal reason or reasons for the decision;\n\n(2) the material policy, contractual criterion, or decision criterion relied\nupon;\n\n(3) notice of any available procedure for correcting materially inaccurate\ninformation; and\n\n(4) the procedure, if one exists, for obtaining further review.\n\nA generic conclusion that does not reasonably identify the material basis\nfor the decision shall not satisfy this section when the actual material\nreason is reasonably available to the entity.\n\n### § 4. Automated-Decision Notice and Human Review.\n\nWhen an automated decision system materially contributes to a material\nadverse decision, the covered entity shall provide reasonable notice that\nautomated processing materially contributed to the decision and shall\nprovide an accessible method of requesting human review when required\nby applicable law or Commission rule.\n\nNothing in this section requires disclosure of information whose disclosure\nis prohibited by law or disclosure of legitimately protected trade secrets,\nsecurity information, or another category of legally protected information.\n\n### § 5. Material Decision Records.\n\nA covered entity shall maintain, for a reasonable period consistent with\napplicable law, sufficient records to identify the material basis of a covered decision and permit review of a timely consumer dispute.\n\n### § 6. Consumer Disputes and Corrections.\n\nA covered entity that provides a mechanism for disputing a covered\nconsumer decision shall not represent that meaningful review occurred\nwhen the dispute was not actually reviewed under the procedures\nrepresented to the consumer.\n\nWhere a consumer identifies materially inaccurate information relied upon\nin the decision, the entity shall provide any correction or review procedure\nrequired by applicable federal law or Commission rule.\n\n### § 7. No Deception Concerning Review Rights.\n\nIt shall constitute a prohibited practice for a covered entity to materially\nmisrepresent:\n\n(1) whether human review is available;\n\n(2) whether a consumer’s dispute was reviewed;\n\n(3) the material reason for a covered decision;\n\n(4) the existence of an appeal, dispute, correction, or review procedure; or\n\n(5) whether an automated system materially determined an outcome, where\ndisclosure is otherwise required by this rule.\n\n### § 8. Limitations.\n\nNothing in this rule shall:\n\n(a) require disclosure prohibited by another federal statute;\n\n(b) override legitimate privacy, security, law-enforcement, or trade-secret\nprotections;\n\n(c) create FTC jurisdiction over an entity or activity otherwise outside the\nCommission’s statutory jurisdiction; or\n\n(d) prevent a covered entity from using automated technology where its use\nis otherwise lawful.\n\n## III. FACTUAL AND LEGAL BASIS\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(3)**\n\n---\n\nMy original petition explains the underlying problem: institutions\nincreasingly use complex internal systems and automated technologies in\ndecisions affecting consumers, while affected individuals may lack access\nto the material rule, factual explanation, decision path, or responsible\nhuman reviewer.\n\nThe petition does **not** assert that every delay, denial, nonresponse,\nautomated decision, or unfavorable result is unlawful. My original\nsubmission expressly recognizes that limitation. Rather, the concern is\nwhether opacity, materially misleading explanations, inaccurate\ninformation, nonexistent or misrepresented review, or lack of appropriate\nsafeguards can produce unfair or deceptive consumer practices.\n\nI also acknowledge considerations weighing against portions of the\nproposal. Businesses may have legitimate interests in protecting trade\nsecrets, cybersecurity information, proprietary algorithms, third-party\nprivacy, fraud-prevention systems, and confidential information.\nMandatory explanations and record-retention requirements may impose\ncompliance costs, particularly on small businesses. Automated systems\nmay also improve speed, consistency, fraud detection, accessibility, and\nefficiency.\n\nFor those reasons, the proposed text contains limitations protecting legally\nconfidential information, does not prohibit automation, and confines the\nrequested regulation to conduct within the Commission’s statutory\njurisdiction.\n\nI request that the Commission examine through public comment whether\nthe benefits of standardized explanation, correction, record-preservation,\nand review protections justify their costs and determine the appropriate\nscope of any final rule.\n\n## IV. REQUEST FOR PROCESSING UNDER § 1.31(d)\n\nSection 1.31(d) provides that when a petition meets the requirements for\nCommission consideration, the Secretary will assign it a docket number.\nSection 1.31(f) further provides that, after docketing, the Office of the\nSecretary provides public notice and makes the petition available for public\ncomment.\n\nAccordingly, because this supplement directly supplies the information identified as missing in your correspondence, I respectfully request that the Office of the Secretary:\n\n1. associate this supplement with MTS-AI-2026-001;\n2. evaluate the original petition and supplement together;\n3. confirm whether the submission now satisfies § 1.31(b)’s filing requirements;\n4. if another requirement remains unsatisfied, identify the specific subsection and specific missing information so that it may be addressed;\n5. if the requirements are satisfied, assign the petition a docket number pursuant to § 1.31(d); and\n6. provide the written notification and agency contact contemplated by that provision.\n\nThis supplementation does not withdraw or replace the original policy framework. It supplies the information requested by the Office of the Secretary and should be read together with the original submission.\n\nPlease continue to preserve the authorship and provenance information identifying Malik Tony Singleton, Proposal ID MTS-AI-2026-001, Version 1.3.\n\nRespectfully,\n\nMalik Tony Singleton\nAuthor / Policy Originator / Petitioner\nProposal ID: MTS-AI-2026-001\n\nColumbia, SC 29210", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '1311a617-444e-4ed4-8e28-f4f03958289a', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/FTC-2026-1453-0004/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:41.314020+00:00', 'content_hash': '0b9a8bc107dfb18f95ac2b0ea5b2efac145cf3d556afc9de9c721d8c9a3c9ebb'}, 'title': 'pdf'}]}

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m.: effective_date, abstract, document_body, attachments changed since Oct. 3, 2026, 8:03 p.m..

{'abstract': None, 'attachments': None, 'document_body': None, 'effective_date': None}

{'abstract': '', 'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/FTC-2026-1453-0004/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "| From: | Malik Singleton |\n| --- | --- |\n| To: | Electronic Filings |\n| Cc: | Leeky Leek; Husbanddd Foreverrrrr MacBook; Malik Singleton |\n| Subject: | Re: SUPPLEMENT TO PETITION UNDER 16 C.F.R. § 1.31 — MTS-AI-2026-001 — Malik Tony Singleton |\n| Date: | Wednesday, September 16, 2026 10:40:47 AM |\n\nYou don't often get email from [email protected]. Learn why this is important\n\nDear Office of the Secretary:\n\nThank you for your response concerning my petition for rulemaking,\nProposal ID **MTS-AI-2026-001.**\n\nI am submitting this supplementation specifically to cure the two\ndeficiencies identified by the Office of the Secretary under **16 C.F.R. §\n1.31(b)(1) and (b)(2).** Please associate this supplement with my original\nSeptember 10, 2026 petition and evaluate the original petition and this\nsupplementation together as one complete petition.\n\n## I. PETITIONER AND EFFECT ON PETITIONER’S INTERESTS\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(1)**\n\nI am Malik Tony Singleton, an individual consumer, worker, applicant,\nstudent, telecommunications customer, financial-services consumer,\ninsurance claimant, tenant/housing applicant, and user of products and\nservices affected by institutional record systems and, in some\ncircumstances, automated or technology-assisted decision processes.\n\nMy interests would be directly affected by the requested action because I\npersonally engage in consumer transactions and institutional processes\ninvolving money, eligibility, account information, communications\nservices, housing, insurance, employment-related services, and other\nsignificant economic interests.\n\nThrough my own experiences, I have repeatedly encountered the practical\nproblem addressed by this petition: a person may receive a decision, delay,\nrestriction, inconsistent explanation, or adverse outcome while lacking\nready access to the specific policy, material factual basis, decision record,\nresponsible reviewer, status information, or meaningful human-review\nmechanism necessary to understand and challenge the outcome.\n\nThe requested action would affect my interests by providing clearer and more standardized consumer protections concerning material decisions\nwithin the Commission’s statutory jurisdiction, including disclosure of\nmaterial reasons, identification of governing criteria where appropriate,\npreservation of decision records, meaningful human review where\nautomated systems materially contribute to significant consumer decisions,\nand procedures for correcting materially inaccurate consumer information.\n\nI am therefore not asserting merely an abstract interest in government\npolicy. I am a consumer whose ability to understand, challenge, and correct\nmaterial decisions would be affected by the requested regulatory\nprotections.\n\n## II. ACTION REQUESTED AND PROPOSED RULE TEXT\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(2)**\n\nI request that the Federal Trade Commission commence an appropriate\nrulemaking proceeding, within the limits of its statutory authority,\nconcerning unfair or deceptive practices involving material consumer\ndecisions, explanations, automated decision systems, record preservation,\nand meaningful review.\n\nI propose the following rule text for Commission consideration:\n\n### PROPOSED RULE — CONSUMER MATERIAL-DECISION TRANSPARENCY AND REVIEW\n\n### § 1. Purpose and Scope.\n\nThis rule applies, to the extent authorized by the Federal Trade\nCommission Act and other statutes administered by the Commission, to\npersons or entities subject to Commission jurisdiction that make or\nmaterially facilitate covered consumer decisions.\n\n### § 2. Definitions.\n\n(a) **Covered consumer decision** means a decision materially affecting a\nconsumer’s payment obligation, refund, eligibility, account access,\nconsumer financial information, purchase or service access, or another\nmaterial consumer economic interest within the Commission’s jurisdiction.\n\n(b) **Automated decision system** means a computational process, including an algorithmic, statistical, artificial-intelligence, machine-learning, or rulesbased system, that materially assists or determines a covered consumer\ndecision.\n\n(c) **Material adverse decision** means a covered consumer decision that\ndenies, restricts, terminates, materially delays, or imposes a material\neconomic burden upon a consumer.\n\n### § 3. Meaningful Explanation.\n\nWhen a covered entity communicates a material adverse decision to a\nconsumer, the entity shall provide, to the extent reasonably available and\nnot otherwise prohibited by law:\n\n(1) the principal reason or reasons for the decision;\n\n(2) the material policy, contractual criterion, or decision criterion relied\nupon;\n\n(3) notice of any available procedure for correcting materially inaccurate\ninformation; and\n\n(4) the procedure, if one exists, for obtaining further review.\n\nA generic conclusion that does not reasonably identify the material basis\nfor the decision shall not satisfy this section when the actual material\nreason is reasonably available to the entity.\n\n### § 4. Automated-Decision Notice and Human Review.\n\nWhen an automated decision system materially contributes to a material\nadverse decision, the covered entity shall provide reasonable notice that\nautomated processing materially contributed to the decision and shall\nprovide an accessible method of requesting human review when required\nby applicable law or Commission rule.\n\nNothing in this section requires disclosure of information whose disclosure\nis prohibited by law or disclosure of legitimately protected trade secrets,\nsecurity information, or another category of legally protected information.\n\n### § 5. Material Decision Records.\n\nA covered entity shall maintain, for a reasonable period consistent with\napplicable law, sufficient records to identify the material basis of a covered decision and permit review of a timely consumer dispute.\n\n### § 6. Consumer Disputes and Corrections.\n\nA covered entity that provides a mechanism for disputing a covered\nconsumer decision shall not represent that meaningful review occurred\nwhen the dispute was not actually reviewed under the procedures\nrepresented to the consumer.\n\nWhere a consumer identifies materially inaccurate information relied upon\nin the decision, the entity shall provide any correction or review procedure\nrequired by applicable federal law or Commission rule.\n\n### § 7. No Deception Concerning Review Rights.\n\nIt shall constitute a prohibited practice for a covered entity to materially\nmisrepresent:\n\n(1) whether human review is available;\n\n(2) whether a consumer’s dispute was reviewed;\n\n(3) the material reason for a covered decision;\n\n(4) the existence of an appeal, dispute, correction, or review procedure; or\n\n(5) whether an automated system materially determined an outcome, where\ndisclosure is otherwise required by this rule.\n\n### § 8. Limitations.\n\nNothing in this rule shall:\n\n(a) require disclosure prohibited by another federal statute;\n\n(b) override legitimate privacy, security, law-enforcement, or trade-secret\nprotections;\n\n(c) create FTC jurisdiction over an entity or activity otherwise outside the\nCommission’s statutory jurisdiction; or\n\n(d) prevent a covered entity from using automated technology where its use\nis otherwise lawful.\n\n## III. FACTUAL AND LEGAL BASIS\n\n**16 C.F.R. § 1.31(b)(3)**\n\n---\n\nMy original petition explains the underlying problem: institutions\nincreasingly use complex internal systems and automated technologies in\ndecisions affecting consumers, while affected individuals may lack access\nto the material rule, factual explanation, decision path, or responsible\nhuman reviewer.\n\nThe petition does **not** assert that every delay, denial, nonresponse,\nautomated decision, or unfavorable result is unlawful. My original\nsubmission expressly recognizes that limitation. Rather, the concern is\nwhether opacity, materially misleading explanations, inaccurate\ninformation, nonexistent or misrepresented review, or lack of appropriate\nsafeguards can produce unfair or deceptive consumer practices.\n\nI also acknowledge considerations weighing against portions of the\nproposal. Businesses may have legitimate interests in protecting trade\nsecrets, cybersecurity information, proprietary algorithms, third-party\nprivacy, fraud-prevention systems, and confidential information.\nMandatory explanations and record-retention requirements may impose\ncompliance costs, particularly on small businesses. Automated systems\nmay also improve speed, consistency, fraud detection, accessibility, and\nefficiency.\n\nFor those reasons, the proposed text contains limitations protecting legally\nconfidential information, does not prohibit automation, and confines the\nrequested regulation to conduct within the Commission’s statutory\njurisdiction.\n\nI request that the Commission examine through public comment whether\nthe benefits of standardized explanation, correction, record-preservation,\nand review protections justify their costs and determine the appropriate\nscope of any final rule.\n\n## IV. REQUEST FOR PROCESSING UNDER § 1.31(d)\n\nSection 1.31(d) provides that when a petition meets the requirements for\nCommission consideration, the Secretary will assign it a docket number.\nSection 1.31(f) further provides that, after docketing, the Office of the\nSecretary provides public notice and makes the petition available for public\ncomment.\n\nAccordingly, because this supplement directly supplies the information identified as missing in your correspondence, I respectfully request that the Office of the Secretary:\n\n1. associate this supplement with MTS-AI-2026-001;\n2. evaluate the original petition and supplement together;\n3. confirm whether the submission now satisfies § 1.31(b)’s filing requirements;\n4. if another requirement remains unsatisfied, identify the specific subsection and specific missing information so that it may be addressed;\n5. if the requirements are satisfied, assign the petition a docket number pursuant to § 1.31(d); and\n6. provide the written notification and agency contact contemplated by that provision.\n\nThis supplementation does not withdraw or replace the original policy framework. It supplies the information requested by the Office of the Secretary and should be read together with the original submission.\n\nPlease continue to preserve the authorship and provenance information identifying Malik Tony Singleton, Proposal ID MTS-AI-2026-001, Version 1.3.\n\nRespectfully,\n\nMalik Tony Singleton\nAuthor / Policy Originator / Petitioner\nProposal ID: MTS-AI-2026-001\n\nColumbia, SC 29210", 'pages': None, 'truncated': False, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '1311a617-444e-4ed4-8e28-f4f03958289a', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/FTC-2026-1453-0004/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:20:41.314020+00:00', 'content_hash': '0b9a8bc107dfb18f95ac2b0ea5b2efac145cf3d556afc9de9c721d8c9a3c9ebb'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}], 'document_body': '', 'effective_date': ''}

Collection history starts with our observations; it is not complete legislative amendment history.

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:40 a.m.: attachments changed since Oct. 4, 2026, 12:36 a.m..

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_1.pdf', 'body': {'text': "0149\n2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME II\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 22, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/22/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n8   Good morning.  We're going  to go ahead and get started\n9   this  morning   with  the  Federal   Subsistence  Board\n10   wildlife meeting.   Welcome and first off  this morning\n11   we're  going  to go  ahead  and start  with  the public\n12   comment  period  on  non-agenda  items.    This  is  an\n13   opportunity for  the public  and tribes  and others  to\n14   speak to items that might  be of interest to the Board,\n15   but that are  not placed on the  agenda.  And so  we do\n16   have I think  green cards are they today?   No, they're\n17   green, they're not  blue.  So we have  green cards over\n18   here if  you want to  be recognized or Robbin  has them\n19   and  we'll call  you in  the order  of.   So appreciate\n20   that.  This is  your opportunity this morning  to speak\n21   to non-agenda  items.  If  you'd like to  be recognized\n22   online please wave your hand.\n\n## 24 Thank you.\n\n26                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr.  Chair, the first card\n27   we have is from Mr. Tom  Harris.  Is Mr. Tom Harris  in\n28   the room, I believe he signed up yesterday.\n\n30                   (No comments)\n\n32                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Tom Harris.\n\n34                   (No comments)\n\n36                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, we have a Grant\n37   Kopplin online.\n\n39                   Grant  Kopplin,   please  address   the\n40   Board.\n\n42                   (No comments)\n\n44                   MS.  LAVINE:    So  we understand  that\n45   there are  some folks  online who  are having  problems\n46   hearing.  Can we have people online say --check in and\n47   say yep, we can hear you or  --and if you can't you'll\n48   just say no, nothing.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n26   \n36   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   UNIDENTIFIED VOICE:  We can hear you.\n\n5                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you.  Grant Kopplin,\n6   please address the Board.\n\n8                   MR. KOPPLIN:  Thank  you.  Sorry  about\n9   the  technical difficulties there,  but I can  hear you\n10   guys  now and  I'm glad  I'm able  to give  my comments\n11   still.\n\n13                   My  name's Grant  Kopplin.   Thank  you\n14   very  much for allowing me  to give public comment this\n15   morning.    I'm  giving  comment  today  as  an  Alaska\n16   resident from Palmer who lives in a more urban setting,\n17   but whose family actively strives to live a subsistence\n18   based lifestyle.  The fish  and game we harvest are not\n19   supplemental,  they are  what we  rely on  to feed  our\n20   family.  I'm not alone in this, there are many families\n21   in  communities  like  mine who  depend  on  these same\n22   resources  despite  not  living in  a  designated rural\n23   area.  Like  many Alaskans we rely on  access to public\n24   resources and  land to maintain  a way of life  that is\n25   deeply meaningful to us and our families.\n\n27                   I  do want to be clear that I recognize\n28   the  need to  prioritize rural  subsistence  users.   I\n29   support more liberal  seasons and bag limits  for those\n30   communities  when  approp  --and  when appropriate  I\n31   understand that  closure may  at times  be biologically\n32   necessary.  However I respectfully ask that closures be\n33   implemented with  careful and  deliberate consideration\n34   and just as important that  they be rescinded when  the\n35   resources can support additional harvest.\n\n37                   Under  the dual  --under the  current\n38   dual management system we  have in Alaska and  it often\n39   feels  like Alaskans  are  being pitted  against  other\n40   Alaskans.   When  closures  are  implemented on  public\n41   lands  they can affect a  lot of other residents across\n42   the state who also depend  on these public resources on\n43   public lands.  At the same time  many rural communities\n44   already  have access to  surrounding tribal  or private\n45   lands  that non-local users cannot access.  These areas\n46   inherently provide reduced  competition for these rural\n47   communities and rural users.\n\n49                   Before  restricting  access  for  other\n\n---\n\n12   \n22   \n29   \n44   \n50\n\n1   Alaska residents  I strongly  urge the  Board to  first\n2   consider  limiting  non-resident,  AKA   out  of  State\n3   hunters.   That  is the  user group  that we  should be\n4   regulating  first  when  conservation concerns  are  --\n5   arise.   If current  regulations do  not allow for  the\n6   Board to  do that  then that is  something that  I feel\n7   should be reevaluated.   Greater coordination with  the\n8   Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Board\n9   of  Game  could  help  implement  targeted,   effective\n10   restrictions   on   non-Native   participation   before\n11   reducing opportunity for other Alaskan residents.\n\n13                   I also  ask that the  Regional Advisory\n14   Councils  dive into  the  data  for  their  areas  when\n15   concerns  of crowding  arise  and  see  what  the  non-\n16   resident  hunter numbers are.   I bet  it's higher than\n17   one would  think and it's happening all  over the state\n18   and all  Alaskans are feeling  that extra pressure.   I\n19   ask the  RACs to work  with the  Board of Game  to help\n20   manage this problem  while maintaining opportunity  for\n21   other Alaskans.\n\n23                   I am personally working on proposals to\n24   better manage  non-resident hunting  pressure in  areas\n25   such as the lower Yukon River and central Brooks Range.\n26   I  believe these types  of solutions focus  on managing\n27   demand and  participation rather than  broadly removing\n28   opportunity or a more balanced path moving forward.\n\n30                   Additionally I  encourage the  Board to\n31   consider tools that can  actively help rebuild wildlife\n32   populations   such   as   predator   management   where\n33   appropriate.   I  understand there  are limitations  on\n34   Federal lands,  but  there  are  areas  that  represent\n35   excellent habitat that are currently held in a predator\n36   pit.   Thoughtful  science  based  predator  management\n37   could  make  a   meaningful  difference  in  rebuilding\n38   ungulate   populations   and   supporting   long   term\n39   subsistence  opportunity.   Typically Federal  agencies\n40   have  been opposed to such practices or believe they're\n41   unnecessary, but there are a lot of cases when this was\n42   implemented  on  State land  where they  were extremely\n43   successful.\n\n45                   Ultimately   I    believe   maintaining\n46   sustainable  access for all Alaskans is critical.  When\n47   more  residents are able to responsibly engage with the\n48   land,  fish and  wildlife more  people  develop a  deep\n49   connection to these resources.   That connection builds\n\n---\n\n29   \n44   \n50\n\n1   a  stronger, broader  constituency that  will  fight to\n2   protect   Alaska's   land  and   wildlife   for  future\n3   generations.   If we  begin dividing Alaskans  based on\n4   where they live when it's not biologically necessary we\n5   risk  disconnecting people  from  the  resource.   That\n6   division not  only weakens  individual opportunity,  it\n7   weakens  all of  us collectively.    When Alaskans  are\n8   pitted against  each other  we lose  the unified  voice\n9   that has more  influence in protecting our  lands, fish\n10   and  wildlife.    Over time  being  divided  and taking\n11   opportunity away from other Alaska residents could lead\n12   to fewer people advocating for its protection making it\n13   more  vulnerable  to   pressures  like  development  or\n14   competing uses.   A united Alaska, rural  and non-rural\n15   together   is   far   stronger  of   an   advocate  for\n16   conservation than  a divided one.   To put that  into a\n17   possible real world  outcome let's say  I take my  wife\n18   and two daughters  on a float or  jet boat ride  up the\n19   Kobuk or Noatak River one  day to enjoy the country and\n20   potentially  harvest maybe two  bull caribou for  us to\n21   eat throughout the winter.  Will that have a biological\n22   impact  on the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, most likely\n23   not.  Will we have brought maybe some economic stimulus\n24   into  the area by paying locals for  help to get to and\n25   from  the airport  or  potentially  a  boat  rental  or\n26   whatever logistical support we might need to facilitate\n27   that family  trip, probably.  Will we have made amazing\n28   family memories along the way, I sure hope so.\n\n30                   Fast forward  to maybe  30 years  later\n31   and someone in the future  wants to build a road, maybe\n32   build a pipeline, mine critical minerals near the area,\n33   well, now my  family and my daughters'  future families\n34   will  think back to  the land and  people and resources\n35   and have a  tangible connection and  be an advocate  to\n36   protect  these places.   Without  ever  having had  the\n37   privilege  to experience and harvest and connect in the\n38   area, maybe the Western Arctic Caribou Herd and western\n39   Brooks  Range feels like another country that they were\n40   never allowed to experience so what's it matter to them\n41   if they need to mine  copper from the headwaters of the\n42   Kobuk or whatever other drainage  may be at risk in the\n43   future to development or competing uses.\n\n45                   I thank  you all.  Hope  you understand\n46   the point I'm  trying to make that  when other Alaskans\n47   are able to utilize and appreciate these areas and land\n48   and resources  it's ultimately  going to  just build  a\n49   bigger base  of people  to advocate  and protect  these\n\n---\n\n8   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n50\n\n1   places.\n\n2           So  moving forward I  just respectfully ask the\n3   Board   to  pursue   solutions   that  promote   unity,\n4   cooperation, and shared stewardship between Federal and\n5   State  managers   and  between   rural  and   non-rural\n6   Alaskans.  We all care deeply about these resources and\n7   we're stronger when we work together to protect them.\n\n9                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n10   consideration.  And  again I'm just asking  that moving\n11   forward  when   considering  closures   or  potentially\n12   reopening opportunity  for others  that we're  doing so\n13   out   of  a  place  --out  of  concern  whether  it's\n14   biologically  necessary or if  it's just an  attempt to\n15   keep  other people out.   And I  just want  you guys to\n16   know  and  think  about there's  lots  of  other Alaska\n17   residents that are  going to be negatively  impacted by\n18   these  decisions  and  that I  think  dividing  us when\n19   unnecessary  is just  going to  create future  problems\n20   down  the  line.    So  thank you  for  the  Board  and\n21   everybody in the meeting today for allowing me to speak\n22   and give you my comments though.\n\n## 24 Thank you for your time.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Appreciate that, Grant,  and appreciate you  taking the\n28   time to call in and share your concerns.\n\n30                   Anyone from the Board, any questions.\n\n## 32 Oh, Frank.\n\n34                   MR.  WOODS:   Yeah,  you mentioned  the\n35   dual management process  in Alaska, we manage  resource\n36   for all Alaska on  the State side and rural  preference\n37   for Federal  lands.  The  definition of that  is really\n38   critical because number  1 this Board has  to represent\n39   the  rural  preference  subsistence  priority  and   if\n40   subsistence isn't doing well nobody's doing well.  Just\n41   because  I live in Alaska  doesn't entitle me the right\n42   to go  wherever I want  to.  That entitlement  is gone.\n43   Every piece of land and  every piece of property is now\n44   spoke --I  work in the land department  day job and we\n45   go  in the recorder's office and that recorder's office\n46   is so busy they  can't keep up with land transfers.  If\n47   you look at  every community and every  economic driver\n48   in  this state the commercial fishery industry is taken\n49   up by non-residents who are not separating people, this\n\n---\n\n7   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n42   \n50\n\n1   is  not a  --this is  not a statement  to separate and\n2   divide our  people in the  state of Alaska.   Alaska --\n3   State  of  Alaska  now  manages  for  the  sports,  the\n4   recreation,  the guide  industry  and those  guides and\n5   State and commercial  fisheries are about  70 to 80  if\n6   not 90 percent owned by non-residents of Alaska.\n\n8                   Number 2,  the economic  in this  whole\n9   thing we are now fully engaged in the westernization as\n10   Alaska's grown-up.  The  corporate structure is hitting\n11   Alaska  to  its fullest,  we are  the last  frontier to\n12   invest  in, grab  market  share  and utilize  resource.\n13   Just because I live in  Alaska doesn't entitle me to go\n14   wherever I  need to.   We forget  that we have  to work\n15   together  and  help  and protect  and  manage  a Alaska\n16   resource for all Alaskans, not just for who I choose or\n17   not who I decide to side with  or not what career I end\n18   up.  I'm a commercial fisherman, I'm also a resident of\n19   Alaska.   I was  a guide  for six  years.   I'm also  a\n20   subsistence  user.    So those  many  hats  have to  be\n21   delineated in meetings like this and I --I applaud you\n22   for trying to keep us together and the best way we  can\n23   do that is keep at the table and keep working.\n\n25                   Thank   you   for  your   comments,   I\n26   appreciate it.\n\n## 28 Thank you.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  And\n31   again thank  you, Grant, for  calling in.  Is  there --\n32   the next card that we'd call on.\n\n34                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  In\n35   the room the next person to testify is Craig Chythlook.\n\n37                   Craig, please address the Board.\n\n39                   MR. CHYTHLOOK:  Good morning.  Sorry, I\n40   didn't  hear my name, there was a side conversation and\n41   I totally missed it.\n\n43                   Yeah, thank you, everybody.  Mr. Chair,\n44   members  of  the  Board,  it's  an  honor  to  be here.\n45   Definitely   wanting  to  start  out  as  my  boss  did\n46   yesterday  with  the  recognition  of  our  elders, our\n47   leaders and continue  to thank  them for  all of  their\n48   years of  creating this path,  paving the  way for  our\n49   meaningful  engagement   and  participation   and  just\n\n---\n\n4   \n15   \n26   \n31   \n32   \n50\n\n1   creating that clear vision  for organizations like  the\n2   one I'm currently representing, giving that opportunity\n3   for us to continue the work.\n\n5                   So good morning  again, members of  the\n6   Board.  My name is  Craig Chythlook.  I'm the Executive\n7   Director of the Yukon River and Tribal Fish Commission.\n8   A little bit of background about myself.  I'm,  Yup'ik,\n9   my Yup'ik name  is Kaviak and sitting behind  me are my\n10   parents, Joe  and Molly Chythlook  that we got  to meet\n11   and be  so graciously  recognized by  Member Woods  and\n12   very happy and  honored to be here and  that they're my\n13   folks and  that we're  all from Bristol  Bay and  we've\n14   been there for a long time.\n\n16                   Really thankful and grateful for having\n17   the  opportunity  to  speak on  non-agenda  item.   I'm\n18   thinking  about fisheries  at a  wildlife  meeting.   I\n19   think   I   was    really   listening   carefully   and\n20   intentionally  yesterday about  the different  regional\n21   reports and thinking about the discussion and listening\n22   to the debate regarding the  proposals.  And one of the\n23   things  that  was very  obvious  to my  parents  is how\n24   important salmon are to everyday life, to every chapter\n25   of our life.  So just really grateful to be here.\n\n27                   I would just like to share a little bit\n28   about our organization.  This  is really a time to kind\n29   of  introduce  our  Fish  Commission  and  our  growing\n30   excitement  to continue to participate here at the FSB.\n\n33                   So the  Yukon  River  and  Tribal  Fish\n34   Commission is currently  comprised of 44  member tribes\n35   authorized  by  tribal resolution  whose mission  is to\n36   protect  the health and  well-being of our  people, our\n37   future  generations and all  Alaskans and Canadians who\n38   rely on the health of our salmon.  After a  decade long\n39   incubation as a program of the Tanana Chiefs Conference\n40   Yukon  River and Tribal  Fish Commission was  born as a\n41   stand-alone  501(c) organization in March of 2025.  The\n42   purpose of the Commission as stated in our constitution\n43   is to act  as a unified voice for  the conservation and\n44   restoration  of all Yukon  River fisheries, protect our\n45   traditional ways  of life  and well-being,  establish a\n46   comprehensive  management   plan  program   based  upon\n47   distinct customary and traditional indigenous knowledge\n48   and  practices  while  striving  for  co-management  to\n49   ensure  meaningful  and  substantive  First  Nation  --\n\n---\n\n3   \n13   \n34   \n42   \n50\n\n1   tribal and First Nation participation in all aspects of\n2   fisheries stewardship.\n\n4                   We have three main goals and priorities\n5   that  came directly through  consensus from all  of the\n6   tribes  who  have  signed  onto  our  resolution.    To\n7   strengthen organization infrastructure  and governments\n8   building   our  institutional   capacity,  develop   an\n9   intertribal  cooperative  agreement  with  Federal  and\n10   State agencies  to achieve  co-management and  to build\n11   intertribal  unity  and  collaboration  to advance  our\n12   subsistence ways of life.\n\n14                   So I'm  really new  especially to  this\n15   Board.   FSB, the  RAC system and really  in my role at\n16   the Yukon River and Tribal Fish Commission.   I started\n17   working November  7th.   On  November 17th  we had  our\n18   first Board of Fisheries meeting so it's been kind of a\n19   nonstop  barrage  of   regulatory  meetings,  executive\n20   council meetings and nowannual meeting prep sincethe --\n21    since   the  beginning.    So  it's  been  an  amazing\n22   experience being  here, learning our organization.  I'm\n23   loving  the  opportunity  to work  for  the  tribes and\n24   thinking about our goals and  the objectives and how we\n25   can continue  to  unify and  think  about some  of  our\n26   existing MOUs with BIA looking at the gravel to  gravel\n27   initiative.  And why I'm so excited to be here  now and\n28   looking  forward to participate as an individual and as\n29   Staff within our organization  using the priorities  of\n30   subsistence as rural preference as a framing as to like\n31   how  we're going to  continue to participate  and think\n32   about collaborative management of  our salmon resources\n33   in perpetuity.\n\n35                   So I really  appreciate the discussions\n36   that were happening around the table here yesterday.  I\n37   am really excited  about the opportunities to  meet the\n38   goals,  the objectives  and the  opportunities of  this\n39   Fish Commission  to meaningfully engage  and assert the\n40   tribes' perspective  and rationale  into every  step of\n41   the way of governance.\n\n43                   So just  to give  a quick update  about\n44   what's  been going  on in the  last handful  of months.\n45   We've  really built up  our infrastructure.   Coming on\n46   board we had three Staff, by the end of this next month\n47   we'll have  seven.  So  using that gravel to  gravel as\n48   the framework  we're building  up our  ability to  take\n49   care of home, to build unity within the watershed.  And\n\n---\n\n17   \n28   \n37   \n50\n\n1   this  last  February  we worked  really  hard  to build\n2   consensus with a handful of other  tribal organizations\n3   that  unify over  a  150 tribes  at  the North  Pacific\n4   Fisheries Management Council and the Board of Fish, the\n5   area M  meeting.  Through tribal  consultation, through\n6   intentional collaboration and communication and regular\n7   get togethers to  have meaningful discussion about  how\n8   we're   going  to  come  to  consensus  when  we  don't\n9   necessarily always agree on an agenda item.  And really\n10   proud to  be a  part of  those discussions  and getting\n11   that  leadership and  guidance  from my  boss,  Charlie\n12   Wright.   A lot of  the leadership within  the interior\n13   and up  and down  the Yukon and  just listening  to the\n14   wants, the wills  and the priorities  of our tribes  to\n15   make sure  that we are  leading with love  and building\n16   consensus based off of our indigenous values.\n\n18                   And so  we're --we're  building up our\n19   infrastructure at home, we're advocating and so many of\n20   the  comments and  the  concerns  that  I  heard  about\n21   trawling,   about  bycatch,   about  intercept,   about\n22   hatcheries, we're  fighting really hard in those arenas\n23   and hiring  Staff  to meaningful  engage,  provide  the\n24   communication  directly to  our  tribes  so that  we're\n25   building  their   capacities  up  to   make  meaningful\n26   decisions and contributions to policy decisions here at\n27   the Egan Center that impact their daily life.\n\n29                   I  intentionally didn't  give any  real\n30   regional reports  and  updates because  we all  already\n31   heard  it.  The thoughts, the issues, the concerns from\n32   our leadership up  there on the  Board and Charlie  and\n33   Jacque and Jack and Jack Keith.  We've got the regional\n34   reports, we know  the concerns, they're the  exact same\n35   conversations that are  happening over  at the  Captain\n36   Cook right now at the YRDFA preseason meeting.\n\n38                   So I'll kind of end with the last hopes\n39   and  the goals and  the intention of  our organization,\n40   why I'm so  excited to bring a lot  of this information\n41   back   here  in  the  future  is  that  we're  building\n42   consensus  within the watershed  on how we're  going to\n43   manage  the returning  or a  rebuilding  of the  stock.\n44   We've --we heard quite a bit of information  yesterday\n45   about extirpation, the real  serious concerns about not\n46   having the ability  to potlatch, to give  a first name,\n47   to give a first dance, to bury your dead, to honor.  So\n48   we --we've heard  a lot about  the concerns  about --\n49   regarding a lack of salmon.  One of the things  that is\n\n---\n\n4   \n20   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   consistently  talked about over and over and over again\n2   is we can't  be fighting over the resource  in times of\n3   such stress.\n\n5                   So really looking  forward to the  next\n6   12   months,   24  months,   five   years  within   our\n7   organization to build  that consensus  and that  unity,\n8   our  own collaborative  management with  U.S.  Fish and\n9   Wildlife  and   ADF&G,   to  assert   the   will,   the\n10   expectations,  the  analysis  of  our  tribes  to  make\n11   meaningful decisions  on how --what that conservation\n12   looks like  within the watershed  with one  voice.   So\n13   really forward to  that, to spending time  in Alakanuk,\n14   in Beaver, in the communities that we represent growing\n15   those understandings,  building those  relationships so\n16   that   when  we   come  back   here   our  voice,   our\n17   organizational stance and position  is fully reflective\n18   of the  44 and hopefully  growing tribal  organizations\n19   that we represent.\n\n21                   So  again  I  don't  want  to  take  up\n22   anymore  time,  but  just   really  grateful  for   the\n23   opportunity  to  introduce ourself  and  recognize even\n24   during a  wildlife cycle how  important, like how  I --\n25   how  I view  every  chapter  of the  book  that is  us,\n26   salmon's in there  somewhere.  So just  really grateful\n27   for  this  opportunity  to  see  so  many  smiling  and\n28   familiar  faces versus maybe at a Council meeting where\n29   who knows  where folks  are coming from.   And  that --\n30   when  we get  to  an agenda  item it's  not  a 30  page\n31   presentation or we're not having to do an analysis over\n32   thousands and thousands  of pages of NEPA analysis.  So\n33   this  has been  really  nice,  I'm  really  loving  and\n34   enjoying  my  first  FSB  meeting  and  really  looking\n35   forward to engaging more.\n\n37                   So thank you.  With that I'm --I could\n38   go on and on and on, but I'll.....\n\n40                   Thank you.\n\n42                   (Applause)\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n45   Craig.  We  appreciate that kind of  morning testimony.\n46   That kind of gives us a little --little energy, right,\n47   that we see  you out  there uniting  and bringing  that\n48   voice  forward  and representing  the  family you  come\n49   from.   So hats off to you and  yeah, we'll --I'm sure\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n50\n\n1   we'll be seeing an awful lot of you and we really  as a\n2   Board lean a lot on those  relationships that are built\n3   on  the ground because that's where  the trust is built\n4   and then we do the best we can to receive that here and\n5   act  on,  you know,  when  we  have  unified  voice  in\n6   especially something like salmon that's such a critical\n7   part of our culture and  community.  So appreciate  you\n8   guys' work and effort.\n\n10                   Thank you.\n\n12                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chairman.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.\n\n16                   MR. REAKOFF:  May I make a comment?\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   The floor  is\n19   yours.\n\n21                   MR. REAKOFF:  Western Interior Regional\n22   Advisory  Council's worked  with Kuskokwim  InterTribal\n23   Fish Commission  to  a great  extent,  we're  extremely\n24   proud and happy to have the InterTribal Fish Commission\n25   in  the  Kuskokwim  working  for  the  benefit  of  the\n26   subsistence resource  and the  subsistence users.   I'm\n27   super excited to  see the Yukon River  InterTribal Fish\n28   Commission  being  formed and  look forward  to working\n29   with your organization.\n\n## 31 Thank you.\n\n## 33 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Raymond.\n\n35                   MR.  ONEY:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chairman.\n36   First of all I want to  thank you real quick for taking\n37   on the position.  I  know --and thank TCC for  running\n38   this program for  the Yukon.   I know it's been  on and\n39   off  for a  number of  times  so I'm  glad that  you've\n40   accepted the position and I'm very thankful that you're\n41   here for this meeting for this organization to hear you\n42   and to look forward to  seeing you again in the future.\n43   And also with the YKRAC, I chaired there for many years\n44   so  I'm hoping  that  they'll  invite  you over  in  --\n45   probably in their  fall or winter meeting.   So I think\n46   bringing unity to the tribes in our area is much needed\n47   knowing that we  have a disaster  that's, you know,  in\n48   front  of our eyes.   So I thank  you and setting those\n49   goals and hoping that you  guys will get off the ground\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n12   \n19   \n24   \n50\n\n1   and so I thank you  for all the work that  you're doing\n2   and also for TCC for running the program.\n\n4                   Thank you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Yeah.   Thank\n7   you  for  the  kind  words.   Appreciate  that.   Next,\n8   Robbin.\n\n10                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n11   Next person in the room is Brandy Standafer.\n\n13                   MS. STANDAFER:   (In Native).   My name\n14   is Brandy, I  come from the  Native Village of  Tyonek.\n15   I'm sure a lot of you guys or the elders know where the\n16   Tyonek  is,  but  we  are  49  air miles  southwest  of\n17   Anchorage on the west  side of Cook Inlet.   We are the\n18   only village on the west side of Cook Inlet.\n\n20                   I wanted to  speak on three things.   I\n21   am a kid,  I am too young to be speaking on these three\n22   things.  Please forgive me if I offend you, that is not\n23   my intention.\n\n25                   We  have the  due  processes that  have\n26   been  put  in  place  by  legislative  feat,  different\n27   parties.  We  have to do this a certain way, we have to\n28   go through  this door  a certain way,  we have  to jump\n29   through that hoop a certain way.   Recently our Federal\n30   subsistence has been targeted and we have been hit hard\n31   by these protocols, by  these committees, this advisory\n32   board, State,  local.   I'm a  third generation  orphan\n33   from the Kenai  area.  In the 1900s  our chief said one\n34   day the power's going to be in numbers.  1920 andthe --\n35    all  the  illness,  things we  were  never  exposed to\n36   killed off  a lot of  our people.   He sent  around the\n37   hunters to gather  --go check on all  of our villages.\n38   There is seven of them, but there is traditionally nine\n39   relative  villages of Tyonek.  We  are a migrating clan\n40   where  we travel with the season around the Cook Inlet.\n41   He  went and collected anybody  that was still alive in\n42   this area, come move  to Tyonek.  One day the  power is\n43   going  to be  in numbers.   Since  then and  Tyonek was\n44   established  way  before  the  statehood,  some of  our\n45   government to government agreements were created  right\n46   around statehood.   Our  tribe was  20, 30,000  strong.\n47   After  the  sickness that  hit this  area in  1920 that\n48   number went way down.   There is one original last name\n49   of my tribe, all the rest of us were adopted,  chose to\n\n---\n\n9   \n33   \n50\n\n1   live there, chose to learn that lifestyle.  We are born\n2   with that lifestyle.   I would say at  least 90 percent\n3   of   my  food   consumption   comes   from  the   land.\n4   Historically,  traditionally our  only  income is  when\n5   everybody started turning to  the monetary value, we're\n6   majority, almost 100 percent, commercial fishermen.  We\n7   came  into that,  why, because  times  change and  this\n8   world it takes money to make it keep on spinning.\n\n10                   Why I  bring that  up and  I heard  the\n11   young gentleman before,  the one on the  telephone, our\n12   most unregulated area, our hunting and fishing and I do\n13   not ever  like  to  mix  subsistence  with  any  to  do\n14   commercial.   And  as a  self preference  that's  why I\n15   don't sell beads, I don't sell hides, I don't sell furs\n16   because  that itself is  a monetary  value that  all of\n17   your  pocketbooks together  is not  enough.   They  say\n18   they're running out of  fish or elders are not  getting\n19   the food  that they  used to 30  years ago.   Community\n20   saying oh, they don't see a certain fish or like I said\n21   we're the only village on  the west side of Cook Inlet.\n22   Our little, tiny rivers could fit right here between me\n23   and you has been shut down for kings for over 30 years.\n24   We don't  mind that  because it's  saving what  we have\n25   left.   We  all have  to remember  that story  that was\n26   gifted to us from our grandparents and they were gifted\n27   it from their grandparents, we, the people that walk on\n28   the land, we manage it,  we've done it for millenniums.\n29   So I'm --I don't care  that our little, tiny river  is\n30   shut down for the last 30 years for kings, why, because\n31   maybe in 30 more years there will still be kings thanks\n32   to our one little river.\n\n34                   And  I bring  this up because  State of\n35   Alaska doesn't  really --the Department  of Fish  and\n36   Game and the State of Alaska  in my very young time has\n37   been reckless when it comes  to the regulation of these\n38   commercial  industries,   sports  fishing,   commercial\n39   fishing.  I've always been  the oh, like how could they\n40   issue so many license to not only, you know, residents,\n41   but non-residents.  It's appalling and it's --I'm kind\n42   of embarrassed by my own state.  You see it on the news\n43   we're  hurting,  we're  hurting   and  lack  of   fish,\n44   emergency closure and  when we have our  own leadership\n45   not  taking in  consideration how  many does 500  --my\n46   uncle did  some numbers, math,  and I could  have never\n47   thought  of that, but  to issue over  500,000 licenses.\n48   Oh, but they're worried, they're going to shut us down,\n49   the people that live here 365 days, for this very  --I\n\n---\n\n5   \n28   \n44   \n50\n\n1   wouldn't say inconsiderate  industry of commercializing\n2   our food.  I  have no idea of  who this Board,  Federal\n3   Subsistence Board  consist of and  I pray you  all live\n4   here in Alaska 365 days a year.\n\n6                   That was my  --that's Topic  Number 1.\n7   To close that part out,  why isn't this Kenai River and\n8   Ship Creek and all the  other creeks --that's scary --\n9   I'm grateful I don't have  to stand elbow to elbow with\n10   my neighbor or just another citizen of United States of\n11   America to get my food for that  day.  And don't get me\n12   wrong, I know  about the sports fishing  and commercial\n13   fishing.   I was born on this  Cook Inlet and the water\n14   took my  pinkie when I  was nine  so I know  that life.\n15   The State of Alaska, they want to shut down our little,\n16   tiny river, but  leave these rivers open.   On the east\n17   side  they  got the  Cook  Inlet taking  god  knows the\n18   amount  of fish  out of  that water  every day  for the\n19   whole --well,  Alaska we barely get  three months, 12,\n20   15 weeks of  summer.  We  don't even  like to go  visit\n21   family  that's  on  the road  system  on  the peninsula\n22   because   it's   clogged    with   traffic.      That's\n23   heartbreaking.   Not last  year, the year  before, they\n24   did shut down the Ship Creek for like the middle to the\n25   end  of the  king season,  why  not 20  years ago  when\n26   people, tribal members,  Alaskan residents raised  this\n27   concern 20, 30 years ago.\n\n29                   So our next --my  next one is we --we\n30   have  to  go  through  different  entities,   different\n31   committees, different  commissions, there's  the Alaska\n32   Fish and Game, to get  paperwork in you guys' big book.\n33   Where I  come from we  have a government  to government\n34   agreement  when  it comes  to  our Federal  subsistence\n35   rights  which  I  stated  at  the  beginning  that  was\n36   created,  signed  by  the Federal  government  in early\n37   statehood.   Since  then  our --the  State of  Alaska\n38   violated that.  And we --I --we're raised  you're not\n39   supposed  to  talk  to  elders  like  that  or  you  do\n40   something,  you say something  and that's it.   Without\n41   prior authorization and  consultation they have  tooken\n42   not  only  one day  of our  week so  now they  bring --\n43   they're taking away two days of our subsistence days.\n\n45                   Our village is big.  We have maybe less\n46   than  1,500 of  us,  but  my  daughter's  grown,  she's\n47   blessed  me   with  a   grandchild,  you   know,  great\n48   grandchildren.   To have multiple  households, multiple\n49   families living in a household and the State of Alaska,\n\n---\n\n23   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Board of Fish and Game tell us we have one day  a week,\n2   the  season.   They  would not  consider the  day, they\n3   would not  consider our  tide.  Our  tide if  you don't\n4   know in  the Cook  Inlet it's six  hours in,  six hours\n5   out.   I'm  sure that's  everywhere  the coast  touches\n6   Alaska.   The  only  difference  is  some  beaches  are\n7   slightly  slanted,  some beaches  are  very  steep, but\n8   we're grateful we get six hours going out and six hours\n9   coming in.  Mind  you the current in the Cook  Inlet is\n10   one of  the strongest in  the world.  We  can only fish\n11   coming  in  tide.    Some  of   the  State  of  Alaska,\n12   Department of Fish  and Game, Board of  Advisors, never\n13   consider.  Then we said okay, then why don't we do that\n14   one day  a week, have it  a 24 hour  --have it  for 24\n15   hours  that one  day a  week.   To  me that's  reckless\n16   because  I don't  --I  don't know,  I  mean, I  can't\n17   guarantee I'm going  to fill up  my smokehouse in  two,\n18   three weeks  out of our  12 week summer season,  our 12\n19   week where  we have to  fish, hunt, gather  our plants,\n20   our material, our berries, our  --there's got to be 10\n21   of me if I'm  going to do that in  12 weeks, one day  a\n22   week.  That was my topic number 2.\n\n24                   My third one aligns  with the last one.\n25   Our  elders are founders  of the  State of  Alaska with\n26   partnership with all of our  tribes who used to all sit\n27   at this table and  many other tables like this  created\n28   our  laws,  regulations,  they  had  a  whole  line  of\n29   lawyers, record personnel and I seen  you guys' book on\n30   how oh, we want to change  and do this and rewrite this\n31   or  I --if they  weren't real,  100 percent  it would\n32   never have made it into that final draft.  And you guys\n33   in  leadership position or on this fancy Federal Board,\n34   please consider the  laws as they were written.   I was\n35   raised where  you make a decision you're  going to live\n36   with that decision.   Oh, there's no oh,  20 years down\n37   the road of we're going to change it  to look like this\n38   or to fit this narrative or the --no.  To me and how I\n39   was raised that  is a weak --you look weak if you want\n40   to  take something  so powerful  and  so sacred  to our\n41   people and to  rewrite it.  That's like  --that's like\n42   spitting  on something  our people  once  held dear  to\n43   their heart.\n\n45                   Thank you  very  much.    I  appreciate\n46   every  single one of you.  I  pray for every single one\n47   of you.  And please forgive  me if I offended anyone of\n48   you or any member in this room.\n\n---\n\n0165\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n14   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n4   Brandy.  Any comments from the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n9   testimony this morning.\n\n11                   MS. STANDAFER:  Thank you, sir.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. STANDAFER:  You're brave for  being\n16   the Chair.\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n19   that, yeah.   It  takes patience.   Thank you  for your\n20   testimony.  I'll also be brave  enough to remind people\n21   we have  a long agenda  and as we stated  that we would\n22   like to be mindful of  maybe around eight to 10 minutes\n23   if we're passionate, shorter and brevity and pointed if\n24   you're  here to  move something  up the  chain.   So we\n25   would appreciate that.\n\n27                   Thank you.\n\n29                   MS.  LAVINE:   Next  in  the  queue  is\n30   Sterling Spilinek.\n\n32                   Sterling, please  come and  address the\n33   Board.\n\n35                   MR. SPILINEK:   Hello,  everybody.   My\n36   name's Sterling Spilinek, I  am the Wildlife  Biologist\n37   for  Ahtna InterTribal Resource Commission.  I just had\n38   two  topics  I wanted  to  touch  on.   One,  I  wanted\n39   everyone on  the Board  to consider  in your  decisions\n40   through  this  meeting  the NPS  proposed  rule  that's\n41   coming through, make  sure that whatever  decisions you\n42   make that you keep that in mind.  In the six years that\n43   I've been doing  this work up in Alaska  and looking at\n44   almost  every single Federal  Register that affects our\n45   area,  this NPS  proposed  rule  is  by  far  the  most\n46   convoluted, most confusing and most vague public record\n47   that  I've  been   a  part  of.     I've  reached   out\n48   collaborators,   I've   reached   out   to   regulatory\n49   specialist,  I've  reached  out to  organizations  that\n\n---\n\n6   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1   special --specialize  in policy and there  seems to be\n2   no clear consensus on what it does and what the impacts\n3   might be.   Even asking  some of  our Federal  partners\n4   what to  get some  insight into it,  it just  makes the\n5   water more muddy.\n\n7                   So the second thing I wanted to mention\n8   is  I did  get reached  out to  by quite   few  Federal\n9   partners and  agencies  about  the  collaborative  hare\n10   snare  project that AITRC, ADF&G and UAF conducted from\n11   2020 to 2022.  We do have a density estimate for  bears\n12   within GMU  13.   I  am unable  to  share any  of  that\n13   information with this  Board at this time based  on our\n14   data  sharing  agreement  we  need  to  have  consensus\n15   between all  the collaborators  and we  have not  heard\n16   back from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  So I\n17   apologize  for  that,  but  as  soon  as  we  get  that\n18   information we will  be sharing it with  the management\n19   agencies.\n\n21                   And  that's all that I had for you guys\n22   today.  Do you have any questions?\n\n24                   Thank you.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Appreciate it.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n32   taking the time this morning to share that.\n\n34                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair,  next in  the\n35   queue is Tom Harris.  Tom Harris, are you in the room?\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, next  in the\n40   room is Mr. Rick Delkitty.\n\n42                   MR. DELKITTY:   Hello, my name is  Rick\n43   Delkitty, I'm  from Nondalton.   I'm  well over  10,000\n44   generation Athabaskan.   I  fought Pebble  for over  20\n45   years  and those presentations  that I did  during that\n46   time  is  exactly  what  we're  talking  about   today,\n47   cultural, customary and traditional  values and it goes\n48   back a  long way.   We  have birthdays,  anniversaries,\n49   holidays and these times I have to hunt.  And we share.\n\n---\n\n6   \n31   \n34   \n37   \n40   \n50\n\n1   In my younger days I would hunt for my aunts, my uncle,\n2   my grandma, my  grandpa, mom  and dad.   If my dad  was\n3   here today  and at this forum  he would go home  and he\n4   would  write   letters  to  the   Alaska  Congressional\n5   Delegation with concerns and maybe some ideas.\n\n7                   The sports fishing industry, the Alaska\n8   Department of  Fish and  Game,  they sell  quite a  few\n9   sport  fishing licenses.   The resources that  they are\n10   after cannot sustain that kind of numbers.  If you look\n11   at the historic resources of Alaska whether it's in the\n12   water  or  walking   around  on  the  land   it's  been\n13   diminished,  some  of  them collapsed.    You  guys are\n14   charged with making  determination on these  resources.\n15   That determination  made today needs to have definition\n16   of  sustainability for tomorrow.   And to  have success\n17   with  that  for  tomorrow you  have  to  understand the\n18   history.  And in the '50s  and the '60s they called  it\n19   the abundant land, the land  of plenty.  It's no longer\n20   like that.   I witnessed a lot  of changes in my  time.\n21   I'm  not far  --very far  away  from being  70 and  I\n22   witnessed  changes as I --traveling through time.  And\n23   these  changes  are   alarming.    Some  of   them  are\n24   escalating  at a very fast rate.   Where I'm from I can\n25   no longer hunt for caribou.  Now them hunters are going\n26   to the Brooks Range to hunt caribou.   Do you guys know\n27   how many  caribous we  killed in  2020,  211,000.   Now\n28   let's take  a close  look at  that number,  that's what\n29   ADF&G's  reporting.    These   resources  have  natural\n30   adversaries.\n\n32                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n33   interference).\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Could   you\n36   please mute the line, please.\n\n38                   Sorry  about  that, we  keep  getting a\n39   leak in the audio here.  Now you have the floor.\n\n41                   MR.  DELKITTY:   Okay.    These caribou\n42   they have natural  adversaries that they rely  on them.\n43   They also during  mating they are fighting  each other,\n44   the  bulls.   Sometimes one bull  would kill  the other\n45   bull or  they would lock  the horn and they  can't come\n46   apart so  they don't  make it.   That's  another number\n47   adding to --oh, no, it was 21,000 caribou harvested in\n48   2020.  So  you add that number  to that.  Then  you add\n49   another  number where the  calves don't make  it, that'\n\n---\n\n13   \n20   \n27   \n39   \n50\n\n1   another number.   And then  you add another to  that, a\n2   good  portion  of them  are going  to die  from natural\n3   causes.   Then that's  also one  more, climate  change.\n4   And  I'm a  witness to  that.   In  2014 in  Nondalton,\n5   December it rained  most of the night.  Before daylight\n6   the weather changed to below  zero, it was a cold snap.\n7   It  killed a  lot of  fur bearing  animals.  This  is a\n8   regular trend now.  We see  rain in December and we see\n9   rain in January.  That never  used to be when I was  in\n10   elementary  school.    So  these  changes  have  to  be\n11   recognized by  you guys that  are making determinations\n12   on these resources.\n\n14                   The moose in  2020, there was 7,000  of\n15   them harvested and it parallels the caribou.  They have\n16   natural  adversaries,  they  butt  heads,  some of  the\n17   calves don't make it and climate change have an adverse\n18   impact.  Everything,  all fur bearing animals  and even\n19   in the water.\n\n21                   Now let's take a look  at sport fishing\n22   industry.  The  State of Alaska, they're going  to sell\n23   all the licenses  that they can.  Oh,  and getting back\n24   to  the  hunting  there's also  a  permit  hunting that\n25   individuals can apply for.  So that's another number to\n26   add to that.\n\n28                   The fishing, there's  approximately 350\n29   lodges  in the  state of  Alaska.   And  let's stick  a\n30   number on that,  clients.  A lodge can --they take --\n31   this is a  very conservative number, eight  clients per\n32   weeks.   Now there's four weeks  in a month.  They have\n33   four  months  of fishing.    So  do  the math.    These\n34   resources  can't  sustain  these kind  of  numbers.   I\n35   witness  --I'm  a witness to  rivers where  there's no\n36   longer fish and there's more coming online that's going\n37   to be the same way.  You guys are in charge, we look to\n38   you guys for leadership.\n\n40                   The Alaska Department  of Fish and Game\n41   in my view they don't understand us because I see where\n42   resources, renewable  resources that  collapsed, Kodiak\n43   king  crab, Bering Sea crab, Mulchatna Caribou Herd and\n44   it's got their  names written all over it.   My wish is\n45   that  you guys  work with  them  and when  they have  a\n46   meeting  you guys  are there.   And  I know  that's not\n47   going  to  happen.    In  1959 they  didn't  allow  the\n48   indigenous  community to  vote.   Here  in just  recent\n49   times  the  State of  Alaska finally  recognized tribal\n\n---\n\n15   \n18   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1   institution.     There's  something  wrong   with  this\n2   picture.    The  Sierra  Club  and  the  Sport  Fishing\n3   Association have a lobbyist that go to Juneau and lobby\n4   the Legislature  and tell  them what they  want.   That\n5   discriminates against me.   It's really sad to see that\n6   the leaders  of this country  don't recognize us.   And\n7   the only time seems like that they recognize us is when\n8   it's time to vote.  You guys have responsibility to the\n9   indigenous  community in the  state and these resources\n10   are on their  way to diminish, some  of them collapsed.\n11   We  look to you  guys for guidance  and help.   We have\n12   thousands  of years  of customary  and traditional  use\n13   knowledge.   We are at arms length from these resources\n14   and we understand them.\n\n16                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n17   interference).\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Could you mute\n20   that line, please.\n\n22                   MR.  DELKITTY:  So I thank you guys for\n23   your  service, your  dedication.   I come  here  with a\n24   heavy heart.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:      I   truly\n29   appreciate  your  testimony this  morning  and bringing\n30   that perspective to the room.  You know, we all need to\n31   be reminded  of why  we're here and  the history  of it\n32   because it  bears a lot  of weight  on how  we do  make\n33   those decisions.  So I appreciate that this morning and\n34   definitely apologize for  the technical difficulties we\n35   keep having that are causing slight disruptions.\n\n37                   So  thank   you  for  your   time  this\n38   morning.  Is  there anybody  from the  Board who  would\n39   like to make comment, statement.\n\n41                   (No comments)\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n44   Thank you.  We appreciate your time.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n47   Before we get  into the next  presentation we have  the\n48   southeast  students here to introduce themselves to the\n49   Board.\n\n---\n\n9   \n12   \n14   \n27   \n50\n\n1                   I  would like to make a request for all\n2   of you listening  online, occasionally throughout  this\n3   morning's testimony  we  have  been  interrupted  quite\n4   loudly by different processes going on.  I want to make\n5   sure that you all know how to mute your phone line.  So\n6   please check that your phones  are muted and you can do\n7   so by pressing star, six on your phone.  If you  are on\n8   Teams also make sure that your microphone is muted.\n\n10                   Thank  you.   Mr.  Chair,  I'd like  to\n11   request Heather Bauscher approach the table.\n\n## 13 Thank you.\n\n15                   MS.  BAUSCHER:   Good  morning.   Thank\n16   you, Mr. Chair, members of the Board.  I'm delighted to\n17   be  here with  another group  of  students through  the\n18   University of  Alaska Southeast, Policy  and Procedures\n19   class  about navigating  the Federal  Subsistence Board\n20   process.  My  name is Heather  Bauscher, I'm the  rural\n21   resident  of  Petersburg, Alaska.    I'm  the Fisheries\n22   Community   Engagement   Specialist   for   the   Sitka\n23   Conservation  Society working  with communities  across\n24   southeast  Alaska  and  an  adjunct  professor  at  the\n25   University  of Alaska  Southeast teaching  these policy\n26   classes.\n\n28                   I'm  here today  with another  group of\n29   students.  I'm very excited  and grateful to be able to\n30   bring them to this meeting once again.   Special thanks\n31   for  Forest  Service  for  the  continued  support  and\n32   funding, Ashley  Bulworth has been  helping to instruct\n33   these classes.  This continues to be supported by folks\n34   in the  Tongass Subsistence  Program.   Thank you,  Rob\n35   Cross and Greg Rishdahl.   A number of you in this room\n36   have also  called in to  the class to help  support the\n37   students so  I want to  say thank you to  Mr. Chairman,\n38   Tony Christianson, Rhonda in the past, Jerry spent some\n39   time with them yesterday over lunch and Frank Woods too\n40   so  thank you  so much.    Your interactions  with them\n41   really help  make  this  experience  a  positive  first\n42   experience in this  space.  And a  note on some of  the\n43   aspects of  this class,  it's an experiential  learning\n44   course so all of the assignments are about building the\n45   skills needed to be effective in these spaces.  So some\n46   of their assignments include giving testimony and  they\n47   will  be  coming  up  next  after  me  and  we've  been\n48   preparing this for the last two weeks and  they're very\n49   excited  to share.   They also have  to collect contact\n\n---\n\n0171\n9   \n12   \n15   \n21   \n30   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   lists for networking purposes  and they're required  to\n2   do  a couple  interviews.    So  please  interact  them\n3   throughout  the meeting  so they  can accomplish  those\n4   assignments.  And their final paper is about picking an\n5   issue of  their choice.   So  they're also supposed  to\n6   talk to  everybody on  all the  different sides  of the\n7   issue.  So  please be willing to talk to them and share\n8   your perspectives on the different proposals.\n\n10                   So  without further  ado  I'm going  to\n11   turn it over to the students.\n\n13                   MS.  LAVINE:    Next  on  our  list  is\n14   Dettrich Lewis.  Dettrich.\n\n16                   MR.  LEWIS:  Thank  you, Mr.  Chair and\n17   the  members of the Board.  First I would like to thank\n18   all of  you for giving  me this opportunity as  well as\n19   UAS.  My  name is Dettrich Lewis, of course,  I am here\n20   from Hoonah and I'll be representing myself.\n\n22                   While  I  do  not  hunt  personally  my\n23   family has consumed  deer and other subsistence  use --\n24   subsistence resources my whole life  as a vital part of\n25   our  diet.   These resources  are a  vital part  of our\n26   traditions and  our cultural practices and  they matter\n27   because they show that people are capable of living off\n28   the land in a way that is respectful and sustainable as\n29   they have done since time immemorial.\n\n31                   I'm  concerned  about the  winter  kill\n32   from  this particularly  harsh season  that  all of  us\n33   across  southeast  and  the  rest  of  the  state  have\n34   experienced.  We do not know --we do not yet  know the\n35   full  extent of the damage, but anecdotal evidence from\n36   hunters shows  that possible  die-offs and poor  health\n37   for the survivors  have happened.  I urge  the Board to\n38   be open  to limiting  the deer hunt  for out  of region\n39   hunters and non-Federally-qualified  subsistence users.\n40   The  people of rural  areas rely on  these resources to\n41   feed their  families and  we cannot  be competing  with\n42   non-rural  hunters if  the  numbers  drop.    If  these\n43   resources  decline it  would  be  devastating  for  the\n44   people of my community and the rest of southeast.\n\n46                   Thank you for hearing my testimony.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n49   Appreciate  your  time coming  in, appreciate  you guys\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n21   \n26   \n37   \n50\n\n1   stepping  up and,  you  know,  engaging  in  the  Board\n2   process.  So keep it up, partner.\n\n4                   MS. LAVINE:  Next we have Lucas Sterns.\n\n6                   MR. STERNS:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n7   and members of the Board.  My name is Lucas Sterns, I'm\n8   a sophomore at Wrangell High School and I have lived in\n9   southeast  Alaska  my  entire  life.    Today  I'll  be\n10   representing myself as  a subsistence fisherman, hunter\n11   and  constant  user  of  salmon.    I  enjoy  trolling,\n12   gillnetting, alpine  hunting for Sitka black  tail deer\n13   and moose hunting on the  Stikine River.  A change that\n14   I see  in trolling for  salmon is that it  continues to\n15   get harder and harder to  go out and get salmon because\n16   areas around my community continue  to be shut down  to\n17   the  resource.  Communities  on the inside  passage are\n18   restricted due  to stocks of  concern and to  allow the\n19   trans-boundary  fish to make it to the spawning grounds\n20   where mines are being built at the headwaters.\n\n22                   I  feel that  these resources  are very\n23   important  to preserve because I  don't want to live in\n24   an  Alaska where my kids and my  kids' kids do not have\n25   access to them.\n\n27                   I'm  also going to be talking about the\n28   designated  hunter program in our region.  This program\n29   is  very important because  it ensures that  elders and\n30   people  with disabilities and those who cannot hunt for\n31   themselves can  continue to have access  to traditional\n32   foods.   Southeast relies heavily  on this system and I\n33   believe it should  remain in place.   However there are\n34   increasing  concerns  that  this  program  could  allow\n35   hunters using these permits to expand their subsistence\n36   harvest opportunities beyond what is intended.\n\n38                   In  our area  a person  can  go up  the\n39   Stikine, shoot an illegal moose, return to town, obtain\n40   a designated hunter tag or return to the river to shoot\n41   yet another moose.  Occasionally illegal animals can be\n42   harvested  without  consequences tied  specifically  to\n43   designated  hunter  privileges.   This  could  begin to\n44   create  a strain on moose populations if enough illegal\n45   moose  are killed.    One  possibly  solution  to  this\n46   problem  could  be  to  adopt  a  tiered accountability\n47   system  where minor  violations result  in warning  and\n48   more serious  violations such  as  shooting an  illegal\n49   moose could  lead to a  one year or more  suspension of\n\n---\n\n0173\n9   \n14   \n18   \n23   \n25   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n50\n\n1   designated  hunting   privileges.     Another  possible\n2   solution  would  be to  limit  the number  of  people a\n3   designated hunter  can serve  each year  with room  for\n4   tribal  or community  exceptions  when needed.    These\n5   changes would  enhance the  program's effectiveness  by\n6   reducing   misuse   and   protecting   wildlife   while\n7   maintaining access for people who rely strongly on this\n8   resource.\n\n10                   Thank  you,  Heather Bauscher  and  Kim\n11   Harmindarious, for helping me to bring this opportunity\n12   to my  town and  giving me the  ability to  attend this\n13   meeting.\n\n15                   Thank you, Mr. Chair and Board for your\n16   time  and consideration as  well as the  opportunity to\n17   speak to you all.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n20   Appreciate your presentation this morning and good luck\n21   with  your  class.    Any  questions  from  the  Board,\n22   comments.\n\n24                   (No comments)\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   And  good luck\n27   with your sports seasons too.  If you get out  and know\n28   the  kids you  get  to find  out  what they  do  in the\n29   background.  So.....\n\n31                   MR. STERNS:  Thank you.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     .....that's\n34   good, we got a lot in common when you're an Alaskan.\n\n36                   MS. LAVINE:  Next we have Ki Wick.\n\n38                   MR.  WICK:    Hello,  Mr. Chairman  and\n39   members of the Board.  I will be representing myself as\n40   a subsistence user.   My name is Ki Wick and I've lived\n41   in  southeast  Alaska  my  entire  life.    I  am  from\n42   Wrangell,  Alaska.    I  enjoy   hunting,  fishing  and\n43   trapping.  I also really enjoy fishing commercially and\n44   sport  fishing with  my friends and  family.   I really\n45   enjoy  fly  fishing  in freshwater  for  steelhead  and\n46   trout.   I didn't really  get into hunting until  I was\n47   about 10  years old.   I really enjoy hunting  deer and\n48   grouse  and spending time in nature  with my family and\n49   friends.\n\n---\n\n21   \n26   \n29   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   Today I  will like  to speak about  the\n2   designator hunter  program  and hunting  by  proxy  for\n3   other  people.   One of  my main  concerns is  that the\n4   current  system allows  individuals to  obtain multiple\n5   tags  sometimes by  printing  or  purchasing them  from\n6   people who do not hunt.  This creates a situation where\n7   a  single person could  harvest an excessive  amount of\n8   deer  which   may  negatively  impact  the  local  deer\n9   population in  the fear --in the near future  and for\n10   future generations.  I believe there should be stricter\n11   regulations  in place including limits on the number of\n12   tags  an individual  can  use.   There  should also  be\n13   consideration   of   an   age  restriction   or   other\n14   qualifications to  ensure responsible  participation in\n15   the  program.  Additionally  there are open  --ongoing\n16   concerns  about illegal hunting  practices such as road\n17   hunting, spotlighting and  poaching.  These  activities\n18   by  bad actors not  only violate regulations,  but also\n19   contribute to an  unsustainable harvesting that impacts\n20   responsible users of the resources.\n\n22                   I respectfully ask  the Board to review\n23   these  issues  and consider  implementing  changes that\n24   will  change and help  protect the deer  population and\n25   promote fair, ethical hunting practices.\n\n27                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n28   consideration.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n31   that presentation.   And  I like the  way we  have some\n32   solutions built in.  So any questions from the Board or\n33   comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n38   Thank you, Ki.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next on our list is James\n41   Erickson.\n\n43                   MR. ERICKSON:  Mr. Chair and members of\n44   the Board.  My name is James Erickson, I'm from Hoonah,\n45   Alaska  and  I've  lived there  my  entire  life.   I'm\n46   representing myself as a lifelong subsistence user  and\n47   I'm a hunter and fisherman and I come from a commercial\n48   fishing family  where I grew  up fishing for  kings and\n49   cohos on my grandpa's troller.\n\n---\n\n13   \n22   \n26   \n29   \n32   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   I am  concerned about the  impacts that\n2   large scale industrial trawlers have on  the population\n3   of salmon in particular.  Many people in  the community\n4   rely  on fishing  for income  and  due to  conservation\n5   concerns in the  spring if people  from Hoonah want  to\n6   catch  king salmon  they have  to travel  well over  40\n7   miles instead of  going to more accessible  areas which\n8   will  become even more  difficult with the  fuel prices\n9   going up.   I feel  that this  has had  a pretty  harsh\n10   impact  on the local trolling community and people that\n11   fish  king salmon  for  subsistence because  our region\n12   hasn't had a spring king opener in years.\n\n14                   I  would  like  to  see these  concerns\n15   addressed  by  greater  collaboration  with  the  North\n16   Pacific  Fisheries Management  Council and  support for\n17   changes in  the amount  of  bycatch per  season or  per\n18   trip.  I  also think that a  change in the size  of the\n19   net or other  modifications would also be  a reasonable\n20   change that could  limit the impact that  trawlers have\n21   on fish populations.\n\n23                   I'd like to thank you for your time and\n24   consideration and  the opportunity to speak  before you\n25   here today.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n28   Appreciate that presentation.\n\n30                   MS. LAVINE:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n31   Next in the queue is Jora Sovlind.\n\n33                   MS. SOVLIND:   Good  morning, everyone,\n34   Mr. Chair  and members of the  Board.  My  name is Jora\n35   Sovlind, I'm from Hoonah, Alaska and I've lived in  the\n36   southeast my whole life.  I'm speaking on behalf of the\n37   subsistence user.   I grew up spending time  out on the\n38   boat hunting and fishing with my family, mostly my dad.\n39   And it's always  been a big part of my life.  It's very\n40   important to  me and  I want my  kids to have  the same\n41   experiences.   Some of  the best  memories didn't  just\n42   come from catching  a deer, but spending  time with the\n43   people who I enjoyed that  with.  Being outdoors is one\n44   of the main things  to do in  southeast and I love  it.\n45   It's easy to take that for granted.  This is why I want\n46   to  share my  concerns about  the impacts  of the  past\n47   winter  on   the  deer  population  in   the  northwest\n48   Chichagof area.\n\n---\n\n14   \n27   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   Over  the last  couple winters  --over\n2   the last couple years  winters have been hard  all over\n3   southeast compared to  earlier years.  And  this season\n4   in  particular brought cold  temperatures and a  lot of\n5   snowfall that made it hard  for deer to access food and\n6   find  enough to eat.   As of March,  2026 we also broke\n7   our all time seasonal snowfall record with close to 201\n8   inches recorded.  Because of these conditions many deer\n9   were lost.   From what I've seen and  heard from others\n10   in the  community there  are noticeably  fewer deer  in\n11   that area and  the ones I have seen  have looked skinny\n12   and had less fat.   I'm concerned that the harsh winter\n13   will impact the population in the seasons upcoming.\n\n15                   I  ask that  the Board  take  this into\n16   consideration   when    reviewing   future    proposals\n17   concerning deer bag limits and access to issues in  the\n18   northeast  Chichagof area.    Given these  conditions I\n19   believe that four deer per  person is more than enough.\n20   In  a  two person  household  a  limit  of 12  deer  is\n21   excessive.    We've harvested  three  deer  in multiple\n22   winters and hadenough to feed ourselves inthe season --\n23    throughout  the  season  while  still  harvesting  and\n24   giving  others  to  family  members.    Based  on  that\n25   experience I  would support reducing  the harvest limit\n26   from six to four deer.\n\n28                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n29   consideration.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n32   Appreciate your testimony this morning.  Any  questions\n33   or comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Well  done.\n38   Thank you.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:     Next  we  have  Julian\n41   Narvaez.\n\n43                   MR.  NARVAEZ:    Thank  you,  Chairman,\n44   members of the Board.  My name is Julian Narvaez.   I'm\n45   a resident of  Hoonah and I work for  the Hoonah Indian\n46   Association and this is my third time bringing students\n47   to these meetings.  I want  to say thank you to Heather\n48   Bauscher and  her team and  I want to give  everyone on\n49   the  Board and everyone else here thanks for evaluating\n\n---\n\n0177\n5   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n48   \n50\n\n1   our youths' voices.  I  think our students have impacts\n2   into listening  skills  during these  meetings  and  it\n3   helps volumes as  you know when it comes  time for them\n4   to speak they are held in high regard.\n\n6                   So thanks again.  This experience stays\n7   with them and  hopefully means that they  keep engaging\n8   with  the process throughout their lives and, you know,\n9   involves their families, it involves people  they know,\n10   hopefully  there's  people  adding to  our  --I think\n11   there's people in  Hoonah right now that  are listening\n12   in so thanks to them  and this whole process, you know,\n13   we've been able to widen the engagement.\n\n15                   So thanks, everyone.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n\n18   Julian.  Questions, comments.\n\n20                   (No comments)\n\n22                   MS.  LAVINE:     Next  we  have  Keenan\n23   Sanderson.\n\n25                   MR.  SANDERSON:     Good  morning,  Mr.\n26   Chairman, Federal Subsistence Board.  For the record my\n27   name is Keenan Sanderson.   I come by way of Ketchikan,\n28   I was born and raised there, but I have a lot of family\n29   in Prince of Wales, particularly in Hydaburg and Craig.\n30   And I wanted to talk to you about two different things.\n31   First and foremost  I'd like to thank  Heather Bauscher\n32   for her support of the students that were able to speak\n33   to you this morning.   She's put together an incredible\n34   program and this is my first time being able to support\n35   her and here  students through the Federal  Subsistence\n36   Board process and  I can tell you it --what they have\n37   been able  to put together  is incredible.  And  I just\n38   hope that, you know, we're  able to continue to do that\n39   in the  future  both  for  our Southeast  RAC  and  the\n40   Federal  Subsistence Board, but also in hopes that this\n41   opportunity may be extended to other regions around the\n42   state as --from one year of  being able to be directly\n43   involved in this process it has been  really awesome to\n44   see  what these  kids have  put  together within  their\n45   testimony and their  assignments to get ready  for this\n46   meeting.  So  I just want to really  commend the people\n47   who put that program together.\n\n49                   One other thing  that I  would like  to\n\n---\n\n38   \n50\n\n1   really discuss  while I have  the floor is --isn't --\n2   isn't something  that  necessarily is  the--under  the\n3   direct purview of the Federal Subsistence Board, but is\n4   within the  world  of some  of  the entities  that  are\n5   affiliated  --not  affiliated, but  that are  involved\n6   with the  Federal Subsistence  Board process  including\n7   the  Department of Fish  and Game and  Federal agencies\n8   and that is  the oncoming invasive European  green crab\n9   problem  that's happening in southeast Alaska.  I first\n10   learned  about this problem  about three or  four years\n11   ago and  really learned  a lot of  it with  my own  use\n12   program that  I run back  home in  Ketchikan when  they\n13   wrote  up about a 15 page resource project on potential\n14   impacts   from   invasive   European   green  crab   on\n15   traditional foods in southeast Alaska.  And let me tell\n16   you it is a bit horrifying to see what has  happened in\n17   other regions  around the world and how  quickly it has\n18   happened and  how much it  has impacted the  local food\n19   sources in  other areas.  I  don't have the most  up to\n20   date numbers, but I do have a couple of numbers I would\n21   like to  share with you.   In Haida Gwaii  they --they\n22   first  observed their first European green crab in 2020\n23   and  between  that time  they  were able  to  develop a\n24   pretty  strong removal  program down  there  and as  of\n25   October of 2024 they have removed over  1 million green\n26   crab from their  waters.  One million and  that --that\n27   is just what  they removed, but that was  within a four\n28   year time  frame.  It  is very scary how  quickly their\n29   population  can explode.  They were then first observed\n30   in Alaskan waters  in 2022 within the  Metlakata Indian\n31   community.   And I don't remember the exact number, but\n32   within their first  two years of their  program they've\n33   caught tens of thousands of crabs within their small --\n34   relatively  small jurisdiction.   Also  very horrifying\n35   because  Metlakata  Indian community  is very  close to\n36   where I live  in Ketchikan and were I  have family over\n37   in Prince of Wales.\n\n39                   And  the reason  why  I bring  this  up\n40   because  I  do  feel  like  entities  like  the  Alaska\n41   Department  of Fish and Game  and the Fish and Wildlife\n42   Service  and  to a  lesser  extent  some of  the  other\n43   Federal agencies, this is --this is an issue that more\n44   people need  to be  paying attention  with and  putting\n45   effort  and   resources  into  mitigating   the  issue.\n46   Invasive  European green  crab  are problematic  for  a\n47   number of  reasons.   They eat  just about  everything,\n48   clams,  other crab,  and  a ton  of  other things  that\n49   Alaska Native people found need to sustain their way of\n\n---\n\n2   \n34   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n50\n\n3                   And   in  particular   one  region   of\n4   southeast    that   I    think    is   going    to   be\n5   disproportionately impacted  by this  invasion compared\n6   to other  places it is  pretty much anyplace  that also\n7   has  sea otters.   There are  large populations  of sea\n8   otters because in those places where and I often use my\n9   home community  of Hydaburg  as an  example,  a lot  of\n10   people there really rely onindigenous crab for their --\n11    to  practice  their  way  of  life  and  they've  been\n12   hammered  really hard by  the nuisance species  that is\n13   sea otters.  It's --hasn't been --that problem alone\n14   hasn't  been dealt  with in  an effective  way  to help\n15   benefit traditional food  resources, but if you  add in\n16   invasive  European green crab it is going to completely\n17   annihilate  dungeness crab  populations.    And I  know\n18   there are several entities that are working on it.  I'm\n19   very thankful  for the  Metlakata Indian  Community for\n20   doing  a  lot  of  good  work in  their  region.    The\n21   Ketchikan Indian Community's also starting to develop a\n22   program  of  which  I'm  very  thankful  for  and  then\n23   entities like  Alaska Sea  Grant and  some places  down\n24   south are doing a lot of  good work as well, but it  is\n25   my  hope through whatever funding avenue, whether it be\n26   Federal appropriations, more  effort through the  State\n27   budget or  if we're lucky  to get several  large grants\n28   that every community has the  infrastructure and people\n29   to help deal with this  problem with --in every single\n30   community across  Alaska because unfortunately  it's --\n31   there's not really  much we can do  to stop it, but  we\n32   need to work  on mitigating this  issue before it  gets\n33   out of hand.\n\n35                   There's  a lot more  that I can  say on\n36   that, but I just wanted to use this opportunity because\n37   I know there are several people who represent State and\n38   Federal agencies here that can and do have the power to\n39   help these communities with this problem.\n\n41                   And with that  that is all I  have, Mr.\n42   Chair.  Thank you for your time.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n45   Keenan.  Yes, Frank.\n\n47                   MR. WOODS:  Comment.  Thank you for the\n48   youth  and your  testimony.   Under  the Marine  Mammal\n49   Protection Act  I  think  would  be  a  good  venue  to\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n13   \n18   \n38   \n50\n\n1   challenge  you and  your  youth group  to  look at  co-\n2   managing, addressing the Marine  Mammal Protection Act,\n3   co-management  agreement  between the  tribes,  Federal\n4   government and the  State of Alaska.  I  see a solution\n5   as part of it and being it forwarded is important.  And\n6   great  testimony and leadership in the last couple days\n7   to your youth.  Thank you, Heather, again and southeast\n8   group there.\n\n10                   Thank you.\n\n12                   (Applause)\n\n14                   MR.  SANDERSON:    And   just  for  the\n15   record, Mr. Chair, I did  --forgot to put this at  the\n16   start of my testimony.  I'm representing  myself and no\n17   other entity.\n\n19                   MS. BAUSCHER:   I  failed to  mention a\n20   few things earlier.  My name  is Heather Bauscher again\n21   for  the record.   I  also wanted  to thank  the adults\n22   helping  to support the students and mention the hybrid\n23   model we're  working with  now.   Hoonah was the  first\n24   remote cohort and they've  been participating for three\n25   years now.  I --so big thank you to Julian Narvaez and\n26   Jackson Cones.   There's other adult  participants with\n27   support from  Tlingit and  Haida and  the Alaska  Youth\n28   Stewards Program.  We now have participants from Prince\n29   of Wales, Angoon.   Two  of those  folks will  probably\n30   speak tomorrow.   One is listening online  because they\n31   weren't  able to  attend in  person,  but we're  really\n32   trying   to  build   these   cohorts  in   these  other\n33   communities  and this  all started  in  Sitka about  10\n34   years  ago, but  now we  have  Sitka, Hoonah,  Wrangle,\n35   Petersburg and the  hopes of bringing on  through these\n36   adults  that are now  participating folks in  Prince of\n37   Wales and Angoon in the future.\n\n39                   I also wanted  to say thank you  to the\n40   Southeast RAC.  I failed  to mention that earlier.  Don\n41   has been a  supporter for years and often  calls in and\n42   talks  to the  students.   And  it's  really only  been\n43   because of the support of  the members of the  Regional\n44   Council  in Southeast that  this program has  grown the\n45   way it has.   And I appreciate their continued  support\n46   and adding it  in the annual report  every year because\n47   that's what allowed this to continue and to expand.  So\n48   also  thank you  to  the Seward  Peninsula  RAC.   They\n49   recently requested a presentation.  Thank you, Louis.\n\n---\n\n21   \n23   \n26   \n28   \n50\n\n1                   So we're  looking at  ways that we  can\n2   expand  this  and  I  also  wanted  to  add  thanks  to\n3   everybody  that showed up  at the reception  last night\n4   and   interacted  with   the   students,  it's   really\n5   meaningful as you can see.   And I mentioned last night\n6   that there is a teaching guide and I will have physical\n7   copies of this  teaching guide in the back  of the room\n8   this afternoon.  So come talk to  me if you want one of\n9   those,  I want  to keep  everybody's contact so  we can\n10   track  where  they're  going,  but  that  is  really  a\n11   combination of all of the work over the last decade and\n12   all  the contributions of everybody in  this room.  You\n13   all  have  contributed  to  this  program  whether  you\n14   realize it or not.   So that's what's been attempted to\n15   capture  in  this guide  and  it's  really more  of  an\n16   offering  that is  meant to  be  built upon  so I  hope\n17   others can use it and we're looking forward to  finding\n18   ways to collaborate  to support folks across  the state\n19   being more engaged in helping to bring their youth into\n20   these spaces.\n\n## 22 So thank you very much.\n\n## 24 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you,\n\n25   Heather.  And we truly do appreciate that.\n\n27                   (Applause)\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yeah, we truly\n30   appreciate  the  students  and  their  engagement   and\n31   continued  involvement and  the  testimony they  placed\n32   here was things that were  close to their heart and the\n33   way of life  that they live.   And so it's good  to see\n34   that they mix that both with, you know, where they come\n35   from and  the management side of it,  you know, getting\n36   the bells  and whistles in the  book.  And we  use this\n37   training and a traditional guardian program as well and\n38   some of the stuff like we're getting pictures right now\n39   of real time  green crab training going on  in that and\n40   buckets  full of green  crab training going  on Met and\n41   buckets full  of green  crab they're  picking up as  we\n42   speak, right.  And so there's other spaces that they've\n43   been  educating and  doing  outreach  in  and  actually\n44   handing,  you know, front line workers which are tribal\n45   employees those  tools so that they can apply and start\n46   to  address resource  management  issues in  real  time\n47   rather than let's keep talking about  it and passing up\n48   sometimes  to leadership that don't grab paper and move\n49   tools and punch keyboards, right.  So we're looking for\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n50\n\n1   this keyboard  lawyer next  generation that can  really\n2   dial down these issues and make it pertinent to protect\n3   your  way of  life because  this is  your Alaska  so we\n4   appreciate you guys' enthusiasm.\n\n## 6 I think we have --oh, Jack, yes.\n\n8                   MR. REAKOFF:   Mr. Chair, I worked with\n9   Heather  Bauscher  for  years  on  this   project,  did\n10   interviews,  virtual  interviews   with  her  students.\n11   She's  funded  through   the  Agricultural  Department,\n12   Forest Service.   I feel that DOI needs to not run OSM,\n13   but DOI  needs to prime  the program like this  for the\n14   rest of  the state of  Alaska so  that we can  have the\n15   same kind  of  effect on  our --you see  the kind  of\n16   quality commentors we're getting out of these students,\n17   we are  asking for young people to  join these Regional\n18   Councils and this is --this has --this is the funding\n19   source is  necessary so I  would --if  DOI's listening\n20   they need to cough up  some money for a program similar\n21   to this for the rest of Alaska.\n\n## 23 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n26   Jack, and appreciate the comments.  We do have two more\n27   public this morning, two green cards.\n\n29                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n30   have two more people who  signed up for testimony and I\n31   would  remind everybody  that  this  is an  opportunity\n32   that's available every morning.  And so after these two\n33   I imagine we can proceed with the meeting.\n\n35                   Next  on  our list  is  Emily Edenshaw.\n36   Emily, please address the Board.\n\n38                   (Pause)\n\n40                   MS.  EDENSHAW:    (In  Native).    Good\n41   morning.   I apologize.  I  was having a heart to heart\n42   with my president.   Good morning.  My  English name is\n43   Emily Edenshaw.  I am both Yup'ik and Inupiaq.  I  am a\n44   tribal citizen  of the Native Village of  Emmonak.  I'm\n45   also a  shareholder of Doyon  and Calista.  I  was also\n46   ceremonially  adopted  an  old (indiscernible),  I'm  a\n47   Raven Thunderbird woman.  I  have the honor to serve as\n48   the  CEO and  tribal administrator of  Ketchikan Indian\n49   Community.  I  have some prepared remarks that  I would\n\n---\n\n2   \n27   \n50\n\n1   like to share with the Board.\n\n3                   So good  morning (in Native)  Chair and\n4   members of the  Federal Subsistence Board.  My  name is\n5   Emily Edenshaw.  I serve as the Tribal Administrator of\n6   KIC.  I come before  you today with both a professional\n7   responsibility  and a personal  conviction.  I  want to\n8   begin by sharing something deeply personal.  I am truly\n9   proud, proud  to live  in a rural  community.   That is\n10   something I did not grow up with, I did not always have\n11   consistent  access to the land, to traditional foods or\n12   to the  systems of knowledge  that many  here know  are\n13   foundational  to  who  we  are  as  indigenous  people.\n14   Because  of that I  carry a firsthand  understanding of\n15   both sides  of what  it means  to be  disconnected from\n16   subsistence and our  traditional ways of life  and what\n17   it  means  to reclaim  them.   I  have  experienced the\n18   struggle of  not having access,  of not knowing  and of\n19   trying to find your place.   But I also have experience\n20   of success, of  learning, of harvesting,  of processing\n21   foods  for the family in Hydaburg  and in Ketchikan, of\n22   reconnecting to culture and of seeing what happens when\n23   a community has access to  its resources.  This is what\n24   rural --this is what  rural Alaska represents.   It's\n25   not just geography,  it's identity, it is  survival and\n26   it is continuity.\n\n28                   And  in  Ketchikan,   Ketchikan  Indian\n29   Community it is the heartbeat of our community.  We are\n30   not just  a tribal government,  we are the  provider of\n31   essential  services, a cultural anchor and for many the\n32   bridge between hardship  and stability.  Whether  if it\n33   is  healthcare,  food  security,  shelter  or  cultural\n34   programming we are  there every day meeting  our people\n35   where they are.  Subsistence is not theoretical for us,\n36   it is lived, it is practiced and it is necessary.  That\n37   is why  I am here today with a  very clear request.  On\n38   behalf  of  Ketchikan  Indian Community  I  ask  you to\n39   reaffirm  and   to  protect  the   Federal  Subsistence\n40   Management Program as it was  intended.  I ask that you\n41   keep the Federal  Subsistence Board intact.  I ask that\n42   the Office of  Subsistence Management  remain where  it\n43   is,  grounded  in  the structure  that  understands and\n44   prioritizes rural  needs.   And importantly  I want  to\n45   emphasize that the current rural designation process is\n46   working.  It is functioning as it was designated to and\n47   designed to, grounded  in data, law and  lived reality.\n48   It  provides  a  clear  and  consistent  framework  for\n49   determining eligibility and it should remain as is.  We\n\n---\n\n6   \n34   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   should not be reinvesting or weakening a system that is\n2   already doing  what it  was intended to  do.   And most\n3   importantly  I ask you to uphold rural priority because\n4   without   rural  priority   there   is  no   meaningful\n5   protection of subsistence.\n\n7                   I  would also like  to --I  would also\n8   like to go on record and say that a unified system that\n9   requires  Alaska Native people  and rural  residents to\n10   give  up  their  Federally protected  priority  is  not\n11   unity,  it is  erasure.    The  rural  priority  exists\n12   because it must, it is  a recognition backed by law and\n13   history   that  rural   communities  depend   on  these\n14   resources  not for sport,  not for recreation,  but for\n15   survival.    We  cannot  ignore  that  reality  without\n16   causing real  harm.   Federal management  exists for  a\n17   reason.   It was established to ensure that subsistence\n18   users, particularly in rural Alaska, are protected when\n19   State  systems fail to meet that obligation.  Weakening\n20   that  framework  would not  create  fairness, it  would\n21   create inequity.   I urge  you to stay grounded  in the\n22   original intent of this program, protect the structure,\n23   protect the process and protect the priority and please\n24   protect  the people because  for a community  like mine\n25   this is not about policy language, it  is about whether\n26   our  children,   my  children,   will  have   the  same\n27   opportunities  to  learn,  to harvest  and  to  live in\n28   connection  with the land,  with our cultures  and with\n29   our  communities.   I stand  here today  not just  as a\n30   leader,  but as someone who has  had the opportunity to\n31   find her  way back  to our lifeways  and who  now works\n32   every  day  to ensure  that  others do  not  lose them.\n33   Please I ask you all to stand with us.\n\n35                   Thank you for your time,  thank you for\n36   your service and thank you for your commitment to rural\n37   Alaska.  (In Native)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n40   Emily.  Any questions or comments for Emily.\n\n## 42 (No comments)\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n45   testimony this morning and the work you do in our area.\n\n47                   MS. LAVINE:  This  is our last speakers\n48   to provide testimony today are Joe and Molly Chythlook.\n\n---\n\n27   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   MR. CHYTHLOOK:  Well, I guess I've been\n2   chosen by Joe and Molly's family to say a few words.  I\n3   don't  have  anything  written   and  I've  heard  most\n4   everything that's --that has been said for many years.\n5   Both my wife and I have spent  a good share of our life\n6   serving in  the public  sector, both  on the  State and\n7   Federal   level   and  then   also  with   our  village\n8   corporations  and  our regional  corporations,  AFN and\n9   several different  Boards that's we've got into.  And I\n10   just want to get up here and say that I appreciate what\n11   you guys are trying  to do.  You're part of  a group of\n12   people  that   have   been   appointed   by   different\n13   governments  or in this case our Federal government, to\n14   try  to  make  this Federal  subsistence  work  for all\n15   people that  are involved here.   And from  my personal\n16   experience  as Regional Coordinator  for Bristol Bay on\n17   the  Board of Fish and  Board of Game  level I know how\n18   hard it is to be in a position where you are and at the\n19   same time, you know, what you have heard is reality and\n20   people have been able to come up and tell you what they\n21   feel, what  they think  is important.   And I  think in\n22   your  position you realize that --how important it is,\n23   tradition.   And sometimes, you know, people think that\n24   just because they  come up here and  say something that\n25   things  are going to  change overnight.   And  that has\n26   never happened in my --in my lifetime.\n\n28                   I guess I've been a Yup'ik for about 83\n29   years  and  when I  was --when  I was  born I  --and\n30   started  realizing what was happening I spoke my Native\n31   language and  what  I didn't  realize  is that  in  the\n32   village of Togiak which had moved from the east side to\n33   the west side,  and as a result  the government reneged\n34   their responsibility to our people and did not move the\n35   school building  from one  side to the  other.   So for\n36   about  20 years  there was  no education offered  to my\n37   older brothers and others about that age that his group\n38   that could have been educated for 20 years.  Finally in\n39   19  --I  couldn't remember,  1954,  '52, somewhere  in\n40   there, '52  I was nine  years old, one of  our churches\n41   started a school in Togiak and another one too.  And as\n42   a result the government realized that they had --maybe\n43   they ought  to get back  and do something.   And that's\n44   how  --somehow I  think governments  overlook problems\n45   that the  people have  when they  don't understand  the\n46   affects that may cause on a community.\n\n48                   And  having been part of the process in\n49   trying  to address some of these concerns I realize how\n\n---\n\n16   \n29   \n50\n\n1   hard  it is  and  also  realize how  much  --it  is  a\n2   sacrifice too when you're appointed to sit on the seats\n3   where  you are  because  it  takes a  lot  of time  and\n4   effort.   However the responsibility  still stands that\n5   after you're here  --once you're here that  you try to\n6   determine what would be the  best answer to some of the\n7   concerns that you heard people express for last several\n8   days or so.   And it's a  tough job, folks, but  I know\n9   that you can do it.  What  I also appreciate about this\n10   Board is that there's a  lot more younger Native people\n11   sitting on this Board.  When I first attended a Federal\n12   Subsistence  Board  meeting  a few  years  back  it was\n13   composed mainly of government people.  Now we have some\n14   people  who  are  representing  us from  our  different\n15   regional communities.  And I appreciate that.\n\n17                   And  also just  from a  blurry today  I\n18   also realize that things  change through the years.   I\n19   have --my wife and I have been married for going on 59\n20   years.  There's things that makes  a difference that in\n21   spite of  a change when  you're relating to  people you\n22   need  to make a commitment for a lifelong relationship,\n23   as long as you can to try to help people in the instant\n24   that you are faced in.   You know, my wife and I  we've\n25   raised three boys and we're proud that  we've been able\n26   to at least give them some instruction in life to where\n27   I think when we pass on I hope that they  will continue\n28   to be responsible to help people wherever they can.\n\n30                   And,  you know, I could have said a lot\n31   of things either positive or negative about the process\n32   here, but having  been involved and I notice that there\n33   are things that need to be fixed.  As an Alaska  Native\n34   when  the State of  Alaska came into  play my immediate\n35   family on my father's side being living in Togiak  were\n36   the first to  be arrested by people for  trying to hunt\n37   in the traditional way that  they used to hunt prior to\n38   statehood.    And that  created a  rift for  many years\n39   between   our  people  and  the  State  of  Alaska  and\n40   sometimes a misunderstanding to  all agencies in trying\n41   to help  our people.   Because  we thought telling  the\n42   people  and spending time prior to closing Round Island\n43   and turning  it  into a  State sanctuary  they and  the\n44   Native people in Togiak were not able to understand why\n45   they  were arrested.   And so  when Molly and  I got to\n46   work in the  --in the 2000s,  my --my job  started in\n47   1988 I think  it was, 2000 --yeah, 1988  and Molly was\n48   prior  to that  and we  spend time  trying to  help our\n49   people  to understand, you know, given time process can\n\n---\n\n6   \n25   \n37   \n39   \n49   \n50\n\n1   work, but in  order to make it  work we have to  try to\n2   understand where everybody's coming from and listen and\n3   then  try  our  best  to  I  guess  come  up  with  the\n4   regulations  that will  address  what is  being brought\n5   before them.\n\n7                   So but anyway I just  wanted to mention\n8   that   whatever  you've  heard  so  far  I  think  from\n9   different people I know it's a lot  on your mind, but I\n10   know  that in the outcome and  I trust that you will do\n11   your best job  and this is will  not be the end  of the\n12   discussion.   I know we --after I retired from being a\n13   port support I'm  back on Nushagak  Advisory Committee.\n14   I still want to be involved.  And I don't know how long\n15   I will live,  but and I've also been on BBNA for 35, 36\n16   years, my term  was up this  year, but I thought  I was\n17   young  enough to  submit an  application  to run  again\n18   because I want  to help my people.   And I  applaud you\n19   folks and I  applaud everybody throughout the  state of\n20   Alaska who have  been places like Molly and  I and have\n21   tried  to support their people to under they're complex\n22   issues that we're face with, Alaska Native people.  But\n23   then  working  together  and  understanding each  other\n24   better we can accomplish a lot.\n\n26                   And  so I  guess that  you  don't --I\n27   don't have any notes, but I thought I would --I guess\n28   as  an old  elder  I've had  a  lot to  think  about my\n29   participation and whether it's  been effective or  not,\n30   but as  I look back and  see some of the  changes which\n31   are positive,  sometimes few,  but still  some positive\n32   changes  have taken place.  I  guess I can rest and say\n33   that it's been worth  it.  And  I guess my wife  didn't\n34   want  to come up  and --in  our family we  have a joke\n35   that says I --I ask the  boys, you know, I always have\n36   the last word, they all laugh, they know mamma does.\n\n## 38 (Laughter)\n\n40                   MR.  CHYTHLOOK:   But anyway  thank you\n41   for the opportunity  to say what I wanted  to say today\n42   and I also  want to thank  all the  people who had  the\n43   courage to  come up and  say what's in their  heart and\n44   all the reports  that have been given by  all the Staff\n45   and both on the Federal and State side.  We try to make\n46   this meeting one  that will produce a  result that will\n47   be good  for all people.   So  thank you very  much for\n48   this opportunity, Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n1                   (Applause)\n2   \n5   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n33   \n44   \n50\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Me   first,\n4   Frank.  I'm just teasing Frank there.\n\n6                   But  yeah, I'd like to thank you for --\n7   Mr.  Chythlook,  for your  comments this  morning, your\n8   leadership all  these years and  I think you do  a good\n9   job because your son got up earlier and did a wonderful\n10   job presenting his new position and unifying the tribes\n11   and the voice on  the salmon crises that  we're facing.\n12   And  so and  you're  still applying  for Boards  at 83,\n13   these little youngsters  here need to  grab inspiration\n14   and see  how hard the trail  really is and how  long it\n15   can  be when you  fight for your  community.   And so I\n16   appreciate  you  guys'  wealth  of  knowledge  and  the\n17   investment  of  time  you've taken  over  time  and the\n18   drastic change you've  seen in the lifestyle  of Alaska\n19   Natives.\n\n## 21 So appreciate it here.\n\n## 23 Frank.\n\n25                   MR. WOODS:  Well, my turn.   I might be\n26   accused  of being  passionate, I  might  be accused  of\n27   being  too  talkative,   that  couple  back   there  is\n28   responsible for that.  I can say that Molly was my boss\n29   early in my career in Natural Resources at BBNA.  I had\n30   engagement  with ADF&G doing all the surveys for Beluga\n31   whale,  otter,  migratory  birds, harvest  surveys  for\n32   moose, caribou.\n\n34                   Joe  and  Molly   are  instrumental  in\n35   helping  the  State  of  Alaska   write  the  Intensive\n36   Management Plan for the  region of Bristol Bay that  is\n37   helping cull  the  populations of  predators  and  that\n38   could be a  negative or a positive impact  on the State\n39   and Fed side.   When I was told I could not implement a\n40   predator control program and you could not say predator\n41   at  that time without being  attacked in every arena on\n42   the Federal side  and the State side  because the State\n43   got sued every time you mentioned it.\n\n45                   Molly   and   Joe   were   helpful   in\n46   implementing all the Fish Board regulations and  policy\n47   for all of  Bristol Bay.  Under that regime  we took up\n48   all  the  surveys  that  helped  implement  the  Alaska\n49   Migratory Bird Co-Management Council.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n16   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   I remember  when Molly  appointed Staff\n2   and me  to do those  surveys and handwrite policy.   We\n3   were handwriting policy with Togiak and representatives\n4   from  Kodiak  on  emperor goose  problem.    That's how\n5   important this is.\n\n7                   And their life  dedication not just for\n8   the   process,  but  this   process.    And   that's  a\n9   commitment.  I'd like  to comment you again, thank  you\n10   very  much, Molly  and  Joe and  your  family and  your\n11   rewards are being  reaped as we speak not  just for the\n12   community, but  as --personally  I steam  with Joe  as\n13   much as I can and he is the champion at the steambath.\n\n15                   (Laughter)\n\n17                   MR. WOODS:   And  we have  something to\n18   compare it.   We  call it  Joe Hot  back  home so  when\n19   everybody  mentions we're having  a Joe Hot  tonight we\n20   know --I start sweating.\n\n22                   So thank  you very  much for your  love\n23   and compassion for representing our people.\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Frank.  Yes.\n\n30                   MS. JOHN:   Mr. Chairman,  Jolene John,\n31   BIA Alaska region.   I've gotten to know  Joe and Molly\n32   through personal family extensions and first it was all\n33   on the, you  know, community gatherings and  then later\n34   on in  --as I grew up I'm  learning how much they have\n35   contributed  to many things  in the Bristol  Bay region\n36   and for  all of  rural Alaska.   So  (in Native).   And\n37   they're  both very lovable, adorable and humble and (In\n38   Native) oh, not excite that and (in Native).\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I think that's\n41   it.  And so  I bet you he can handle  that because it's\n42   pretty hot in Molly's kitchen I'd imagine.\n\n44                   (Laughter)\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Pretty hot.  So\n47   thank you,  guys.   We're going to  take a  five minute\n48   break, we're  going to come  back and  conclude the  --\n49   start the business of the day.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n18   \n20   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   (Off record)\n\n3                   (On record)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  And if we could\n6   all make our way back to our seat.\n\n8                   All right.  We're going to get started.\n9   And before we do start with the order of business we're\n10   going to also every day  now that we have concluded our\n11   public   testimony  for   the   morning  we   offer  an\n12   opportunity  for the public  to speak to  the consensus\n13   agenda  if  there is  anybody  who  would  like to  see\n14   something  that  is on  there  and speak  with  a Board\n15   member up  here who  has a  different opinion,  this is\n16   your opportunity to speak to it.  So we'd like to offer\n17   that each and every day, this is your opportunity.\n\n## 19 (No comments)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n22   Hearing  and seeing  none, we're  going  to move  on to\n23   WP26-77.\n\n25                   MS.  LAVINE:    People  online,  please\n26   check your  phone or  your Teams to  make sure  you are\n27   muted.\n\n## 29 Thank you.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n32   This one is  an Eastern Interior.   Charlie, was  there\n33   something you wanted to speak to on this one?\n\n35                   MR.  WRIGHT:  Yes, sir.  Thank you, Mr.\n36   Chair.  We want to defer this proposal back to the area\n37   and we want  to talk to the  tribes.  We've only  had a\n38   chance to talk to one of them and I will not go forward\n39   without talking to them, that's  not the right way.  So\n40   we'll be  either adding it  to the next meeting  or the\n41   next cycle, we'll know when we're done talking to those\n42   other tribes how we'll go forward.\n\n## 44 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n47   you, Charlie.   There's a request to defer  this to the\n48   next based off of the  lack of involvement of the other\n49   Regional  Advisory Council.   And  he  would like  more\n\n---\n\n4   \n9   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   time.  So that would get us through --so if there is a\n2   motion that would like to  be entertained by the --the\n3   floor is open to the.....\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:    Mr.   Chair,  Fish  and\n6   Wildlife Service.  I move  to defer proposal WP26-77 in\n7   support  of  the  Eastern  Interior  Regional  Advisory\n8   Council to the next wildlife cycle.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    There  is  a\n11   motion.  Can we get a second?\n\n13                   MS. PITKA:  I'll second.  Public Member\n14   Rhonda Pitka.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Motion made and\n17   seconded.   Well, we need clarification for the record.\n18   Is it the next wildlife cycle or is it the next Fishery\n19   meeting.\n\n21                   MR. WRIGHT:  They --the next Fisheries\n22   meeting or next round, but we want to do it at the next\n23   meeting if  we --just to  keep the ball  rolling.  And\n24   we'll know after we talk to the tribes what we'll do so\n25   I can't really  give you a clear answer  right now, but\n26   time will tell.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So we'll say to\n29   the  Fisheries meeting.   Let  the  record reflect  the\n30   motion should say to the next Fishery meeting.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Yes,  sorry.\n37   You have the floor.\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:  I remove to defer proposal\n40   WP26-77 in deference  to the RAC and in  support of the\n41   RAC until the next Fishery cycle.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n44   you.  And that  --that did  get a second from  Rhonda.\n45   So.....\n\n47                   MS. PITKA:  I concur.  Thank you.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any comments or\n\n---\n\n0192\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   discussion from the Board.\n\n3                   (No comments)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We'll go ahead\n6   and do a roll call.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:  Okay.   Just to  restate\n9   the motion again.   WP26-77, the motion is  to defer as\n10   recommended by  the Eastern Interior Council  until the\n11   February, 2027 Fisheries meeting.\n\n13                   Public Member Pitka.\n\n15                   MS. PITKA:  Yes.\n\n17                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n18   Service, Member Boario.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n21   supports.\n\n23                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n25                   MS.  JOHN:    BIA  votes  to  defer  as\n26   recommended.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n30                   MR. ONEY:  Support to defer.\n\n32                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n34                   MR.  WOODS:   Vote  yes, public  Member\n35   Woods.\n\n37                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n39                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n\n40   votes yes.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Aye.\n\n46                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n47   Striker.\n\n49                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service supports.\n\n---\n\n0193\n3   \n6   \n8   \n11   \n14   \n18   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n2   Ingersoll.\n\n4                   MR.   INGERSOLL:       Forest   Service\n5   supports.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   I support  as\n10   stated.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank you.   The motion\n13   to defer is passed unanimously.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n16   We're moving on to the  Northwest Arctic.  Next will be\n17   WP26-65, Unit 23 muskox.\n\n19                   MS.  PITKA:   Tony, while  we wait  I'd\n20   like   to  thank  everybody  today  for  their  amazing\n21   testimony on non-public agenda items.  I think  that is\n22   such an important  opportunity to maintain and  I truly\n23   appreciate all the words today.\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Rhonda.\n\n30                   MR. UBELAKER:  I apologize, Mr.  Chair.\n31   I'm having some  technical difficulties.  Give  me just\n32   half a second to get my stuff open.\n\n34                   (Pause)\n\n36                   MR. UBELAKER:  Okay.   I apologize  for\n37   the delay.   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair, Board  members.\n38   For  the record  my    name is  Brian  Ubelaker, I'm  a\n39   Wildlife Biologist with OSM and  I will be giving you a\n40   brief summary  of proposal WP26-65 regarding  muskox in\n41   Unit 65 --in Unit 23.   Excuse me.  This  proposal --\n42   the analysis can be found  on page 1295 of your meeting\n43   books.\n\n45                   Wildlife Proposal WP26-65  submitted by\n46   the  Northwest  Arctic  Subsistence  Regional  Advisory\n47   Council requests to establish a muskox  hunt in Unit 23\n48   remainder.   The proponent  states their  intent is  to\n49   provide Federal  opportunity for residents  of Selawik.\n\n---\n\n4   \n15   \n26   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Recently   muskox  sightings   have  increased   around\n2   Selawik, but unlike other areas  of Unit 23 there is no\n3   open season.\n\n5                   Muskoxen are  seen as  a new  potential\n6   source  of  meat  since caribou  and  salmon  have been\n7   declining.    According  to  the  proponent  there  are\n8   currently muskox  hunts in other areas of  Unit 23, but\n9   those hunts  are  difficult for  Selawik  residents  to\n10   access.   The proposed  regulation would  open an  area\n11   more  easily accessed by residents in Unit 23 remainder\n12   and allows  for one bull  muskox by Federal  drawing or\n13   State permit from  August 1st through March  15th which\n14   would mirror existing hunts elsewhere in Unit 23.\n\n16                   Muskox   management   on   the   Seward\n17   Peninsula has evolved  from a more liberal  approach in\n18   the  1990s   which  emphasized  local   involvement  in\n19   expanding  access through  limited Federal  subsistence\n20   hunts to a  more conservative harvest system  of today.\n21   Over  the years  regulatory  action including  aligning\n22   Federal    and    State    regulations,    establishing\n23   registration permits, quota systems and matching season\n24   dates to  balance hunter access with  protection during\n25   sensitive periods.\n\n27                   In   Unit   23   southwest  cooperative\n28   management  helped address  access  challenges and  low\n29   hunter  success  through combined  permits  and aligned\n30   regulations.  However population declines in late 2000s\n31   led   to  more   restrictive  measures   including  the\n32   elimination  of  cow  harvest,  threshold based  permit\n33   systems, limited permits and closures of Federal public\n34   lands.  Since 2020 management has remained conservative\n35   with most closures  retained though  Unit 23  southwest\n36   saw  a partial  reopening  of  Federal  lands  in  2024\n37   reflecting  ongoing   reliance  on  local   input  with\n38   conservative framework.\n\n40                   Muskox   populations   on   the  Seward\n41   Peninsula  are  currently   stable  and  healthy   with\n42   indications  that  numbers  are  meeting  or  exceeding\n43   management   objectives  and   the   herds  show   good\n44   distribution across  their available  range.   Bull/cow\n45   ratios remain  strong which  indicate there  are mature\n46   bulls  available for  harvest  while still  maintaining\n47   herd productivity.\n\n49                   While   there   are    three   distinct\n\n---\n\n13   \n21   \n30   \n44   \n50\n\n1   populations  of  muskox  in Unit  23,  those  being the\n2   Seward Peninsula,  Cape Krusenstern  and Cape  Thompson\n3   populations, little is currently known about the muskox\n4   population in Unit  23 remainder.  No  official surveys\n5   have  been conducted  there so  it  is unknown  whether\n6   these muskoxen are resident or transient.  There's also\n7   no data showing which population  these muskoxen belong\n8   to, either the  Seward Peninsula or the  Cape Thompson.\n9   Without that information it's impossible to determine a\n10   sustainable harvest level.   Because muskox populations\n11   are  small and  highly  vulnerable to  overharvest this\n12   lack of data presents serious risk.\n\n14                   Reported   harvest  in   Unit  23   has\n15   remained within establish quotas.  Most of this harvest\n16   is  being carried out by Kotzebue and Noorvik residents\n17   using  State permits.   Federal  harvest  on all  three\n18   muskox groups in  Unit 23 remains very low.   Levels of\n19   participation remain  steady and  there is  no evidence\n20   that harvest is negatively affecting the population.\n\n22                   Several  alternatives  were  considered\n23   during  the analysis phase  of this  proposal including\n24   limited  the  hunt  only  to  Selawik  River  drainage,\n25   delegating the authority to the Selawik Refuge  manager\n26   and  extending the season  closing date to  March 31st.\n27   None of  these  alternatives  were  considered  further\n28   because they all depend on having solid biological data\n29   with which to manage the hunt.\n\n31                   Establishing a Federal  muskoxen season\n32   in   Unit   23  remainder   would   provide  additional\n33   opportunity for residents of Selawik who currently have\n34   no easily  accessed Federal opportunity.   Conservation\n35   concerns  could be mitigated through the use of harvest\n36   quotas,  drawing permits  and establishment  of  an in-\n37   season  manager.  However  muskoxen need to  be closely\n38   managed  due  to their  susceptibility  to overharvest.\n39   Proper management  of this sort  comes from information\n40   provided  by  basic  population   data  which  doe  not\n41   currently  exist  for  this   population  of  muskoxen.\n42   Without this basic  knowledge no informed decision  can\n43   be made regarding the management of this population.\n\n45                   Therefore  it  is OSM's  conclusion  to\n46   oppose  proposal WP26-65.   Establishment of a  hunt on\n47   this  population  of  musk --muskoxen  without  basic\n48   population data may  result in overharvest.   Gathering\n49   of  population metrics  through  surveying is  required\n\n---\n\n0196\n4   \n7   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n24   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n41   \n50\n\n1   prior to  proper hunt  management.   Once this  data is\n2   collected and  analyzed  a harvestable  surplus may  be\n3   identified.\n\n5                   And with  that I'd  be happy  to answer\n6   any questions.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n9   the presentation.   Any  questions from  the Board  for\n10   Staff.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Appreciate that.   Next we'll go to  summary of written\n16   public comment.\n\n18                   MR. UBELAKER:  Mr. Chair, there were no\n19   written public comments submitted for this proposal.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n22   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native corporation\n23   comments.\n\n25                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,  Board\n26   members.  Orville Lind, Native Liaison for OSM.  During\n27   the  consultation sessions we did not have any comments\n28   or resolutions for this proposal.\n\n30                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n33   Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n## 35 (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n38   seeing none, we'll move on to Advisory Group testimony,\n39   Subsistence   Resource   Commission,   State   Advisory\n40   Committee, multiagency work group.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n43   have two comments from the  SRCs.  The Kobuk Valley SRC\n44   met  on March 12th  and 13th of  this year.   The Kobuk\n45   Valley Subsistence Resource Commission has reviewed 26-\n46   65  and supports  this  proposal  as  written.    Their\n47   justification  is  the  SRC  reviewed  OSM's  analysis,\n48   looked  over options  A  and B  and heard  from Selawik\n49   National  Wildlife  Refuge manager.   The  SRC believes\n\n---\n\n0197\n9   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   that  there  needs  to be  further  research  into this\n2   expanded  population,  more  in  depth  discussions  on\n3   better  ways  to  manage  muskoxen  especially   around\n4   communities and has questions about ultimate population\n5   goals of the herd.   The SRC believes that local people\n6   should  have as much opportunity as possible to harvest\n7   these animals and  support opening the harvest  to more\n8   of this opportunity.\n\n10                   Thank  you, Mr. Chair.  Oh, and now the\n11   Cape   Krusenstern   Subsistence   Resource  Commission\n12   supports 26.65 as written.\n\n14                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n17   public testimony here or online.\n\n19                   (No comments)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n22   seeing none, Council recommendations.\n\n24                   Northwest Arctic.\n\n26                   MS. PILCHER:  This is Nissa Pilcher for\n27   the record,  Council Coordinator  for Northwest  Arctic\n28   speaking  for the Council  today.  The  Council opposed\n29   WP26-65  which   they  did   submit.    After   hearing\n30   population  information  from   relevant  agencies  the\n31   Council  believes that there  are too many  unknown and\n32   data gaps  to establish  this hunt at  this time.   The\n33   Council noted  that with  subsistence resources  across\n34   the  region  becoming  increasingly more  difficult  to\n35   harvest there  may be  a time in  the near  future when\n36   muskoxen  become an important  food source and  at this\n37   time it is more important  to see if the population can\n38   become  more established  and grow  to  allow for  more\n39   harvest  in the  future  rather than  to allow  a small\n40   harvest now.\n\n42                   Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n45   questions.\n\n47                   (No comments)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n17   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   seeing none, thank you.\n\n## 3 Next North Slope RAC.\n\n5                   MS. CHAPA:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair,\n6   members of the Board.  My name is Gisela Chapa, I'm the\n7   Council  Coordinator  for   the  North  Slope  Regional\n8   Advisory Council.   And  the Council supported  WP26-65\n9   with  the  belief  that  it  is  important  to  support\n10   subsistence  users  in  adjacent regions.    Since  the\n11   Western Arctic Caribou Herd has declined in  population\n12   size and  believe that  this opportunity  would provide\n13   supplemental meat to Unit 23 residents.  At the time of\n14   the  meeting  the Council  also stated  that population\n15   estimates are  needed since  there's no data  available\n16   since 2009.\n\n18                   And  I also  wanted  to note  that  the\n19   North  Slope RAC  met in  February, 2026.   It  was the\n20   first meeting of the Council meeting cycle and actually\n21   North Slope RAC  met in September, 2025,  apologize for\n22   that, and  the Northwest  Arctic had  their meeting  in\n23   January, 2025 [sic].\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   questions.\n\n## 30 (No comments)\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n33   seeing none, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   For  the  record  Alaska Department  of  Fish  and Game\n37   opposes the  proposal.  As  you've heard from  OSM just\n38   for  the  lack  of  information,  but then  also  as  a\n39   misalignment  of regulations.    Currently there  is no\n40   State authorized muskox hunt under our own regulations.\n41   And I checked back into the  records and we have yet to\n42   even  consider a  proposal to  open up  a hunt  in this\n43   area.\n\n## 45 Thank you, sir.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n48   questions from the Board.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n15   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n41   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Sara.\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   Fish and Wildlife Service.   Mr. Mulligan, I just noted\n7   in  the OSM  analysis  that  it  encourages  ADF&G  and\n8   Federal  land   management  agencies  in  the  area  to\n9   cooperate in expanding  muskox survey areas in  Unit 23\n10   remainder so  that muskox can possibly  responsibly and\n11   sustainably be open there.  And I just wondered is that\n12   something that the State is open to or sees a potential\n13   future for,  recognizing resources capacity  issues, et\n14   cetera, in all surveys?\n\n16                   MR.  MULLIGAN:     Through  the  Chair,\n17   Member Boario.  As you as the head of Fish and Wildlife\n18   Service  here  in  Alaska and  the  other  Federal land\n19   agencies know that we collaborate  in a lot of areas in\n20   the State for assessment  of a lot of the species.   So\n21   to join forces  in regard to this specific  one I can't\n22   specifically speak  to, but I  know a lot of  our folks\n23   especially in  region  5 do  collaborate  with  various\n24   agencies.  And so I --it's a safe bet to say  they're\n25   not going to say no if you guys come into play  and say\n26   hey, can we share resources to get this done.\n\n28                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Mulligan.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate that\n31   question.  InterAgency Staff comments.\n\n33                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n34   InterAgency  Staff  Committee provided  their  standard\n35   comment.    I  will read  it  once  for the  day.   The\n36   InterAgency  Staff Committee found the analysis to be a\n37   thorough  and accurate evaluation  of the  proposal and\n38   that  it provides  sufficient  basis  for the  Regional\n39   Advisory  Council   recommendations  and   the  Federal\n40   Subsistence Board action on this proposal.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n45   Board discussion with Liaison,  Council Chair and State\n46   rep.    This is  an  opportunity  for  us to  get  some\n47   clarification if we need some before  we open the floor\n48   for Board motion.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n15   \n17   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n4   seeing none, the floor is open for Board action.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n9   floor, Sara.\n\n11                   MS.  BOARIO:    Mr.   Chair,  Fish  and\n12   Wildlife Service moves to support WP26-65 and if  I get\n13   a second I will  share my rationale for why I will vote\n14   to oppose my motion.\n\n## 16 MR. PENDERGAST: BLM seconds.\n\n18                   MS. BOARIO:  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife\n19   Service  recognizes   the  Northwest   Arctic  Regional\n20   Advisory  Council  as  well as  the  North  Slope RAC's\n21   concern of loss of caribou and salmon in the area along\n22   with the high cost of food in the region and the desire\n23   to support a hunt for muskox around Selawik in Unit 23.\n24   The OSM analysis showed that  this unit has not had any\n25   official surveys  conducted to determine  the status of\n26   the muskoxen located there,  from which population they\n27   originate  or whether  they are transient  or resident.\n28   Without the formal  surveys a  harvestable surplus  for\n29   muskox  occurring   in  Unit  23  remainder  cannot  be\n30   determined.   Also per the OSM  conclusion the Fish and\n31   Wildlife  Service is  open to  working  with State  and\n32   Federal partners to identify ways to support surveys in\n33   the future.   While  the Northwest  Arctic RAC  was the\n34   original  proponent of the  proposal as we  heard after\n35   gathering more  information the  Council believes  that\n36   there are  too many unknowns and data gaps to establish\n37   this hunt at this time.\n\n39                   In  deference to  the Northwest  Arctic\n40   Council the Fish and  Wildlife Service opposes Proposal\n41   WP26-65.\n\n43                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Sara.  That opens the floor for Board discussion.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n33   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none we'll  go ahead  and do roll  call.  If  we\n3   could have the motion read into the record before we do\n4   roll call.\n\n## 6 Thank you.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n9   The motion  is to adopt WP26-65 which would establish a\n10   muskox hunt around  Selawik in Unit 23  remainder.  I'm\n11   going to mix it up.\n\n13                   Forest Service, Member Ingersoll.\n\n15                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Forest Service opposes\n16   the motion in deference to the Northwest Arctic RAC and\n17   our colleagues in the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n19                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n20   Striker.\n\n22                   MR. STRIKER:  I  may be confused  here.\n23   I thought the motion was to oppose.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  The motion will\n26   always be to the positive and then  we vote on it up or\n27   down.\n\n29                   MR. STRIKER:  I support opposing for --\n30   in deference  to the Northwest  Arctic RAC and  for the\n31   reasons  so eloquently stated by my colleague from Fish\n32   and Wildlife.\n\n34                   MS.  LEONETTI:  Thank you.  BLM, Member\n35   Pendergast.\n\n37                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   BLM opposes  for the\n38   reasons stated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n42                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n43   opposes  in deference  to  the  RAC  and  the  comments\n44   submitted by Ms. Boario.\n\n46                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n48                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods opposes\n49   with  the  recommendations   of  the   RAC  and   OSM's\n\n---\n\n0202\n3   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n18   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   conclusions  that --yeah, conclusion  at  the end  of\n2   their assessment.  So public Member Woods opposes.\n\n4                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n6                   MR. ONEY:   Public Member  Oney motions\n7   to oppose.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n11                   MS. JOHN:  BIA votes to oppose  WP26-65\n12   as  recommended by  and per  the  justification of  the\n13   Northwest Arctic RAC.  I appreciate that there has been\n14   expression for need for sufficient data, we concur with\n15   the Council and Fish  and Wildlife's justification  for\n16   this recommendation  and appreciate  their considerable\n17   efforts on this proposal.\n\n19                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n20   Service Member Boario.\n\n22                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n23   votes to oppose.\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n27                   MS.  PITKA:  I vote no on this proposal\n28   in deference to the Northwest  Arctic Regional Advisory\n29   Council  and the recognition  that there is  not enough\n30   information and data on this particular species.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     I  vote  to\n37   oppose as stated by Rhonda.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Mr. Chair, the motion to\n40   adopt WP26-65 fails.\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n43   We'll move on to the next proposal which is 26-66.\n\n45                   MS. LEONETTI:  Page 351 in your books.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Staff, you have\n48   the floor.\n\n---\n\n7   \n26   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  PLANK:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair,\n2   members of the  Board.  My  name's Tom Plank,  Wildlife\n3   Biologist with  the Office  of Subsistence  Management.\n4   And I will be presenting  a summary of the analysis for\n5   Wildlife  Proposal WP26-66.   And as you  already heard\n6   it's on page 351 in your books.\n\n8                   So   Wildlife   Proposal   WP26-66  was\n9   submitted  by  the  Northwest  Arctic  Council  and  it\n10   requests to increase  the harvest limit and  extend the\n11   season  for  wolf hunting  in  Unit 23  to  match State\n12   regulations.   The proponent  states that  aligning the\n13   Federal wolf  hunting regulations  to  match the  State\n14   hunt   will   help   reduce   confusion  and   increase\n15   opportunity.   Hunters have indicated an increased wolf\n16   population  in  Unit  23.   The  Unit  23  Federal wolf\n17   hunting season and harvest limits were adopted from the\n18   State regulations when the Federal Subsistence  Program\n19   began  in  1990.   The  Unit  23 Federal  wolf  hunting\n20   regulations changed to the current regulations in 2005.\n21   The State liberalized  wolf hunting harvest limits  for\n22   the 2002, 2003 season and then to the current 20 wolves\n23   in 2024/'5 season.  In 2007 the Board of Game increased\n24   the  Unit 23  wolf hunting  season  opening August  1st\n25   instead of August 10.\n\n27                   Wolves   occur   throughout   Unit  23.\n28   Although  biological  information is  extremely  sparse\n29   their  current status and abundance are unknown.  While\n30   there have  been  no  unit  wide surveys  of  the  wolf\n31   population  for  Unit   23  testimony  provided  during\n32   Northwest  Arctic  Council  meetings  attests that  the\n33   local abundance of wolves in  Unit 23 is high including\n34   in  areas close to  communities.  In  2020 the National\n35   Park Service began a pilot study within Noatak National\n36   Preserve titled Evaluating the Feasibility of Mixed DNA\n37   Sampling  to  Obtain  Wolf Population  Demographics  in\n38   Northwest Alaska.   And the purpose of the  study is to\n39   try  and gain more knowledge in local wolf demographics\n40   and behavior using  genetics and observational methods.\n41   Spring aerial den  surveys conducted from 2020  to 2022\n42   estimates  four to five  active wolf groups  within the\n43   Noatak National Preserve.\n\n45                   Wolves  are   required  to   be  sealed\n46   although compliance  with State fur  sealing program is\n47   low in Unit 23.  Therefore  the harvest levels reported\n48   should  be viewed as minimal estimates  of harvest.  In\n49   Unit  23  wolves  are  primarily   harvested  by  local\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n24   \n33   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   residents  with firearms  and by  snowmachines.   Local\n2   hunters  are  opportunistic  and  will  harvest  wolves\n3   incidental to travel between  villages or while hunting\n4   caribou  typically taking  as  many wolves  as possible\n5   during these  opportunities.   From 2018  to 2022  most\n6   reported  wolf harvests occurred in September and March\n7   and  few  wolves  were  reported harvested  in  August,\n8   October or November.\n\n10                   One   alternative   considered   is  to\n11   exclude  the  Kobuk  Valley  National  Park  and   Cape\n12   Krusenstern National  Monument from  the harvest  limit\n13   increase  and season extension.  These areas are closed\n14   to anyone hunting or trapping  under State regulations.\n15   Excluding these  areas from the harvest limit increases\n16   and  season extension could  provide refugia  and would\n17   represent  a conservative approach to the status of the\n18   Unit 23 wolf population.\n\n20                   And   their   harvest   is  essentially\n21   unknown.    This alternative  would  result  in Federal\n22   regulations  remaining  more   restrictive  than  State\n23   regulations within the excluded area.\n\n25                   If  proposal  WP26-66  is  adopted  the\n26   Federal  wolf hunting season  would be extended  by two\n27   months and  the harvest  limit would  increase by  five\n28   wolves.  As 20 wolves  can already be harvested on most\n29   Federal  public  lands in  Unit 23  from August  1st to\n30   April 30th under State regulations.  The impact  to the\n31   wolf  population   is  expected  to  be   minimal,  but\n32   ultimately.....\n\n34                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n35   interference)\n\n37                   MR. PLANK:   .....ultimately  uncertain\n38   due to the unknown status of.....\n\n40                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n41   interference)\n\n43                   MR. PLANK:  .....of the wolf population\n44   and harvest  in Unit  23.  Somebody  has their  mic on.\n45   However.....\n\n47                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n48   interference)\n\n---\n\n12   \n24   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MR. PLANK:   However the trapping limit\n2   is no limit and local area  residents indicate that the\n3   wolf  population   is  increasing  and  there   are  no\n4   conservation  concerns.     Harvest  in   September  is\n5   primarily  of  non-resident  and   local  --non-local\n6   hunters who are in the unit for caribou, bear or moose.\n7   State  regulations  do not  apply  in  Cape Krusenstern\n8   National  Monument  and  Kobuk  Valley  National  Park.\n9   Therefore additional wolves may be harvested from these\n10   areas by  resident zone  communities during  August and\n11   September if this proposal is adopted.\n\n13                   Additionally   National  Park   Service\n14   lands prohibit  the take  of free  ranging fur  bearers\n15   with a firearm  under a trapping license  and while few\n16   users likely  harvest more  than 15  wolves by  firearm\n17   each  year  adopting   proposal  WP26-66  would   allow\n18   resident  zoned communities  to  harvest an  additional\n19   five wolves from Cape Krusenstern National Monument and\n20   Kobuk  Valley  National  Park  by  firearm  each  year.\n21   Adopting  this   proposal  would   decrease  regulatory\n22   complexity and  confusion by aligning State and Federal\n23   regulations.\n\n25                   So  OSM's  conclusion  was  to  support\n26   WP26-66   with   the  modification   to   exclude  Cape\n27   Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National\n28   Park.    Adoption  of  this   proposal  would  increase\n29   subsistence  opportunity and  would benefit  Federally-\n30   qualified  subsistence  users.    Impacts  to the  wolf\n31   population  are expected  to be  minimal  as users  are\n32   already  --may already  harvest 20 wolves  from August\n33   1st  to April 30th  under State hunting  regulations on\n34   most Federal public  lands in unit 23.   And local user\n35   report an abundance  and increase  in wolf  population.\n36   Additionally Federal  and State regulations  for wolves\n37   in the portion of Unit 23 where State regulations apply\n38   would be aligned reducing regulatory complexity.  State\n39   regulations  do   not  apply   on  National   Parklands\n40   including Cape Krusenstern  National Monument and Kobuk\n41   Valley  National Park in  Unit 23.   Excluding National\n42   Park  Service  managed lands  would retain  the current\n43   Federal  regulations  as  a  conservative  approach  to\n44   provide  refugia to Unit  23 wolf populations  as their\n45   population status and harvest is unknown.\n\n47                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair,  members of  the\n48   Board.  I'd be happy to answer any questions.\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n2   the presentation.  Any questions for Tom.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none,\n7   we'll move on to the  next portion, summary of  written\n8   public comment.\n\n10                   MR.  PLANK:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Tom\n11   at   OSM.    There  were  no  written  public  comments\n12   submitted during the open period.\n\n14                   Thank you.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n17   Summary of tribal government and Alaska Native corp.\n\n19                   MR.  LIND:     Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n20   Orville  Lind,  Native  Liaison for  OSM.    During the\n21   consultation  on  April  20th  the  Native  Village  of\n22   Kotzebue spoke in support of Wildlife Proposal 26-66.\n\n24                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n29                   MS. CRAVALHO:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n32   the phone.\n\n34                   MS. CRAVALHO:   Thank  you.   This  Liz\n35   Cravalho,  Vice  President  of Lands  for  NANA.   NANA\n36   supports the proposal.\n\n38                   Thank you.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n41   Advisory Group testimony, SRC  comments, State Advisory\n42   or multiagency group.\n\n44                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n45   Kobuk Valley  Subsistence Resource  Commission supports\n46   this proposal as written.  SRC members are concerned if\n47   the dates and  bag limits  are not  aligned people  may\n48   misunderstand  what they're able  to harvest.   The SRC\n49   understands  OSM's  analysis  and modification  to  not\n\n---\n\n8   \n11   \n12   \n14   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n49   \n50\n\n1   include KAKR  and KOVA,  but feel  that when  things --\n2   then  things will remain  misaligned which goes against\n3   the point of this proposal.  And as the representatives\n4   for KOVA and  the SRC believes that there  is no reason\n5   to  limit opportunities  for  harvest  in Kobuk  Valley\n6   National Park especially as increased wolf activity has\n7   been noticed.\n\n9                   And  the   Cape  Krusenstern   National\n10   Monument SRC supports as  written with no modification.\n\n13                   And that is all.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n15                   I'm sorry, and the Gates of the Arctic,\n16   Wildlife  Proposal 26-66,  increase the  harvest limit.\n17   They  voted  unanimously  to   support  this  proposal.\n18   There's a large presence of wolves throughout the whole\n19   area and the Northwest Arctic Regional Advisory Council\n20   wants   to   increase  the   opportunity   for  people.\n21   Residents are out there through all of the  seasons and\n22   would have the opportunity  to harvest wolf  throughout\n23   different  seasons.    This  would  affect   the  Kobuk\n24   Preserve  Area within Gates of the Arctic National Park\n25   and Preserve and it's foreseen that this  would have no\n26   affect on the wolf population.  Wolves are seen in late\n27   September or October and rarely do hunters achieve this\n28   large of a bag limit.\n\n30                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n33   public testimony here or online.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Counsel\n38   recommendations.\n\n40                   MS.  PILCHER:     Good  morning  again.\n41   Nissa Pilcher for  the record, Council  Coordinator for\n42   Northwest Arctic.  The Council voted to support WP26-66\n43   as modified by OSM.  The Council supports the increased\n44   hunting opportunity for  the take of wolves  on Federal\n45   public land.   The council also noted that aligning the\n46   State and Federal harvest limits for wolves will remove\n47   the possibility for subsistence  users to inadvertently\n48   violate the law.\n\n---\n\n0208\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n16   \n19   \n33   \n35   \n39   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n4   questions from the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n9   North Slope.\n\n11                   MS.  CHAPA:    Gisela   Chapa  for  the\n12   record, Council Coordinator  for North Slope RAC.   The\n13   Council supported  WP 26-66  as modified by  OSM.   The\n14   Council  supported this proposal due to declines of the\n15   Western Arctic Caribou Herd.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n18   Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n20                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n21   For  the record the Alaska Department  of Fish and Game\n22   supports the proposal and during the ISC meeting we did\n23   support OSM's modification,  but I will say  given what\n24   we've heard  from the  SRCs we  would be  supportive if\n25   given  their support of  a more inclusive  alignment if\n26   that is so desired by the Board.  I will make note that\n27   even though  the Federal  subsistence regulations  have\n28   not  been  liberalized  there was  nothing  prohibiting\n29   folks   from   that   region  to   enjoy   the  State's\n30   liberalization of  wolf  hunting and  trapping in  that\n31   area and so could take more for that extended amount of\n32   time.\n\n## 34 Thank you.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n37   that.   We like wolf  hunters here.   InterAgency Staff\n38   Committee.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n41   Before I give the InterAgency Staff Committee comment I\n42   would  like  to provide  the Cape  Krusenstern National\n43   Monument SRC's full comment on this and  I'm sorry that\n44   I --I kind of jumped over it.  So the Cape Krusenstern\n45   National  Monument SRC  has  had  a  chance  to  review\n46   Wildlife Proposal  26-66 that would  change the Federal\n47   season start date for wolf hunting  from October 1st to\n48   August  1st and the  bag limit  from 15  to 20.   After\n49   reviewing  the  OSM analysis  and  their  reasoning for\n\n---\n\n7   \n24   \n40   \n50\n\n1   supporting  the proposal,  but to  specifically exclude\n2   Cape Krusenstern National Monument, exclude NPS managed\n3   lands that would retain the current Federal regulations\n4   as a conservative approach to providing refugia in Unit\n5   23 wolf  population as their population  status harvest\n6   is unknown, we have the following comments.\n\n8                   KAKR is not  an ecological refugia  for\n9   most  small  mammals,  it  is  the  exact  opposite  in\n10   relation to wolves.  It  does not produce wolves, it is\n11   in  fact  an ecological  sink.   Wolves rarely  if ever\n12   breed in KAKR, it is too close to human activity and at\n13   the edge of any one  pack's territory.  The most common\n14   pack size  of wolves in  KAKRC is one to  three animals\n15   generally encountered  in the  falltime near the  coast\n16   that have been pushed out of core wolf territories east\n17   and north of  KAKR and the Noatak River  for one reason\n18   or another.   These  are the  animals  that are  either\n19   observed  directly  or  by tracks  in  the  falltime by\n20   campers  and hunters along the coastline.  Taking these\n21   animals  out of the  population does nothing  to impact\n22   wolf conservation  overall nor their  social structure.\n23   It is statistically insignificant.\n\n25                   The  purpose  of  KAKR is  to  maximize\n26   subsistence opportunities for Federally-qualified users\n27   and support the thriving of the Inupiaq culture.  It is\n28   not to  create a  refugia which again  even if  it were\n29   KAKR is ecologically unable to be  a refugia because of\n30   its marginal habitat, overflow habitat, and  from other\n31   areas further inland that are refugia by default due to\n32   their remoteness and light harvesting pressure if  any.\n33   The majority  of KAKR  is at the  extreme edge  of core\n34   habitat  of multiple species, wolves being one of them.\n35   This  proposal  should  be  viewed  as  a  housekeeping\n36   proposal and more than any other kind since it will not\n37   significantly change the behavior of people or increase\n38   the harvest.  What  it will do is  maximize opportunity\n39   for subsistence users in CAKR.\n\n41                   While there is discussion about priming\n42   of pelts there's  only one consideration in  regards to\n43   harvesting wolves.    While it  is  true that  for  the\n44   purpose  of the  fur  market  wolves  taken  in  August\n45   through October  are far from prime for the fur market,\n46   there are many other reasons  and values for why wolves\n47   are harvested.   First it  should be  pointed out  that\n48   wolves only  become fully  prime  sometime in  January,\n49   before  that they are  in various stages  of pre-prime.\n\n---\n\n13   \n31   \n48   \n50\n\n1   So  focusing  on  prime  is not  a  useful  metric  for\n2   justifying season dates.   Some camper in  the falltime\n3   may see  a wolf when  getting water, checking  on their\n4   dogs, picking berries or riding down the coast.  It may\n5   be a young person, an elder or middle aged person, male\n6   or  female that  will be  --that  will have  their own\n7   personal reasons for harvesting a wolf and the use it's\n8   put to.  It's also very likely  that it may be the only\n9   time  in their  life that  they have an  opportunity to\n10   harvest a  wolf.  These  scenarios are way  more likely\n11   than some super hunter loading  up for the season --on\n12   early season wolves because of the regulation change.\n\n14                   Providing these  kind of  opportunities\n15   that maximize  subsistence is  in part  the reason  for\n16   CAKR.  So if anything  the change --the season changes\n17   should only  apply to CAKR and KOVA,  not exclude them.\n18   It is  also disappointing that OSM is putting forth the\n19   notion that using CAKR and  KOVA as a refugia when they\n20   are  ill-informed what  they  --when  they  are  ill-\n21   informed about the  ecology of these areas,  the actual\n22   uses that occur in these  areas and one can only assume\n23   based on their  discussion the reason for  the creation\n24   of these areas.   Before using reasoning  for excluding\n25   these Federal  units from regulation  changes that will\n26   increase subsistence  hunting opportunities  we believe\n27   that  OSM should  actually discuss their  position with\n28   the Subsistence Resource  Commissions that were created\n29   to  assist the  Secretary  of  Interior  with  managing\n30   subsistence hunting opportunities in these areas.\n\n32                   The  CAKR SRC  disagrees strongly  with\n33   OSM in their modification of the proposal.  It will set\n34   a  bad precedent and  a slippery slope  for subsistence\n35   management for CAKR  and KOVA without any  conservation\n36   benefit.   It  is  basically  in  our  opinion  totally\n37   gratuitous undermining of the founding purpose of these\n38   units and the co-management spirit and intent of ANILCA\n39   wherein the  Secretary in  this case  through OSM  will\n40   look  to  the  knowledge of  the  Subsistence  Resource\n41   Commissions  to   help  inform   Federal  policy   when\n42   developing hunting regulations  in these areas.   Their\n43   proposed modification  should be struck down because it\n44   goes against part of the  purpose of CAKR and KOVA, but\n45   also  is a  message to  do  better in  the future  when\n46   creating novel  justifications based on  theory and not\n47   reality for their recommendations.\n\n49                   The CAKR SRC supports Wildlife Proposal\n\n---\n\n0211\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n28   \n31   \n46   \n50\n\n1   WP26-66 with no exclusions for CAKR or KOVA.\n\n3                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n5                   And now the ISC,  the InterAgency Staff\n6   Committee provided their standard comment.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n9   that.   Board  discussion with  your  Liaison,  Council\n10   Chair  or State  rep, this  is our  opportunity to  ask\n11   questions, clarity.\n\n13                   (No comments)\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All looks good.\n16   All right.  We'll go ahead and move to Board  action on\n17   this.\n\n19                   MR. STRIKER:  Mr. Chair.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  Don, you\n22   have the floor.\n\n24                   MR.  STRIKER:   National  Park  Service\n25   moves to adopt  proposal WP26-66 as written.   And if I\n26   get  a second  I'll explain  why  I intend  to vote  in\n27   support of my motion.\n\n29                   MS. PITKA:  Public  Member Rhonda Pitka\n30   supports --seconds.\n\n32                   MR.  STRIKER:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n33   National Park Service supports  WP26-66 as supported by\n34   Cape Krusenstern,  Kobuk Valley  and the  Gates of  the\n35   Arctic SRC.  I'll note that while the Northwest  Arctic\n36   RAC  supported the  OSM modification  their  reasons to\n37   support  did  not   address  excluding  Parklands,  but\n38   overall supporting increased  subsistence opportunities\n39   for the  take of wolves  on Federal lands and  to align\n40   the State  and the  Federal subsistence  regulations so\n41   that we --no one would inadvertently violate the law.\n42   I  think the  testimony  we just  heard  from the  SRCs\n43   provides  substantial  evidence  in the  form  of their\n44   recommendations that were  not available to the  RAC at\n45   the time of their recommendation.\n\n47                   And that's sufficient justification for\n48   supporting this proposal as written and for the reasons\n49   specified by the three SRCs.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n11   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don.\n4   Any further deliberation by the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n9   seeing none we'll do  roll call.  Do we read  that into\n10   the record?\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Yeah.  The motion on the\n13   floor  is to  adopt WP26-66  which  is to  increase the\n14   harvest limit and extend the season for wolf hunting in\n15   Unit 23 to match State regulations.\n\n## 17 MS. LEONETTI: BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n19                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM votes to support.\n20   There's limited survey data on Unit 23 wolf population,\n21   but public testimony  suggests the  local abundance  of\n22   wolves  is  high.   And  the  overall  wolf harvest  is\n23   estimated  to  relatively  low.    Data  suggests  that\n24   increasing the  harvest limit and extending  the season\n25   for  Unit 23  wolves  will provide  Federally-qualified\n26   users additional  opportunities to  harvest wolves  for\n27   subsistence  uses without  significantly impacting  the\n28   population or causing conservation concerns.\n\n30                   MS.  LEONETTI:   National Park  Service\n31   Member Striker.\n\n33                   MR. STRIKER:  Support.\n\n35                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n36   Ingersoll.\n\n38                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n39   in deference  to the RAC  and our  colleagues from  the\n40   Park  Service and  also  to  align  Federal  and  State\n41   regulations.\n\n43                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n45                   MS. PITKA:   I vote to  support WP26-66\n46   as  written  in  deference  to  the  Regional  Advisory\n47   Councils and  in recognition  of the  SRC's excellently\n48   worded justification.\n\n---\n\n0213\n2   \n5   \n9   \n11   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n37   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n4   Service Member Boario.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n7   votes to support as written for the reasons articulated\n8   by my colleague.\n\n10                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n12                   MS.  JOHN:  And  BIA votes to  adopt as\n13   recommended  by the  National Park Service  without the\n14   modifications.\n\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n18                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Oney moves  to\n19   support as commented by Rhonda.\n\n21                   Thank you.\n\n23                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n25                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n26   supports WP26-66.\n\n28                   Thank you.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n32                   MR. PAYENNA:  I vote to support WP26-66\n33   in  deference to  the RAC  and also  agreeing with  the\n34   comments made by BLM and partners.\n\n36                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I  support for\n39   reasons stated on the record.\n\n41                   Thank you.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Okay.   The  motion to\n44   adopt WP26-66 as written passes unanimously.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We'll come back\n47   at 1:30,  lunch.   Hour and 15,  house and  20 minutes.\n48   Thank you, guys.  We'll be back here.\n\n---\n\n1                   (Off record)\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n46   \n50\n\n3                   (On record)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   If the  Board\n6   members  can hear this, it is 1:31 so we will resume as\n7   soon as we have a quorum established here.\n\n9                   (Pause)\n\n11                   All right.  We're going to go ahead and\n12   get started with our presentations this afternoon.\n\n14                   Did you have something, Robbin.\n\n16                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, members  of the\n17   Board.  I know that this is a little out of sequence in\n18   regards to  our procedures, however  we do a  member of\n19   the  community of --of a southcentral  community that\n20   has a proposal before you that made travel arrangements\n21   based on  the original order  of the agenda.   He would\n22   like  to  give  his comments  on  proposal  --Wildlife\n23   Proposal 26-15 before he leaves this evening.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Okay.    Any\n26   opposition that he does that now, Board, just for --so\n27   we can clear up, get it off the floor?\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.  We have\n32   no opposition to that, we'll take that now.\n\n34                   MR. JONES:   Good afternoon, Mr. Chair,\n35   and esteemed members of the  Federal Subsistence Board.\n36   Thank you for this  opportunity and I apologize that  I\n37   needed  to speak out  of order.  My  name is Kenneth B.\n38   Jones,   I'm   a    resident   of   Cordova,    Alaska.\n39   Unfortunately  the  change  to  work  the  proposals in\n40   reverse has created a scheduling conflict and I must be\n41   on the  ferry traveling  home  tomorrow for  responders\n42   training  on Friday  that I  tried  to reschedule,  but\n43   cannot move.   I will  try to call in,  but I'm worried\n44   that it may  not be a reliable connection  on the ferry\n45   and appreciate the opportunity to speak with you now.\n\n47                   I'm a  lifelong born  and raised  local\n48   and third generation  rural residence of Cordova.   I'm\n49   also a commercial fisherman, assistant  guide, big game\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n46   \n50\n\n1   transporter, waterfowl guide and a sport fish guide.  I\n2   have dedicated much of  my adult life to  promoting and\n3   preserving the community and opportunities that  raised\n4   me.   While I recently stepped away from public service\n5   roles to focus on my  family and business over the last\n6   15  years  I  have  served   four  terms  as  a  harbor\n7   commissioner, two terms as city councilman and multiple\n8   terms as an executive committee member of both CDFU and\n9   PWSAC.    In  more  recent  years  I  have  focused  on\n10   purchasing long derelict  properties and rehabilitating\n11   them to create  much needed housing and  small business\n12   opportunities in  my  home  town.   Nearly  all  of  my\n13   personal and business resources are reinvested directly\n14   back into strengthening  the community that I  love and\n15   have  watched struggle since the Exxon Valdez oil spill\n16   that drastically  damaged and devastated  our community\n17   and economy.\n\n19                   I  mention  this   not  to  talk  about\n20   myself,  but to  show that  I do  not just  speak about\n21   improving  and  supporting  Cordova,  I  actively   and\n22   consistently  invest my  time,  labor  and  all  of  my\n23   limited resources into  doing it.   With more and  more\n24   commercial fishery  closures every season  coupled with\n25   multiple  Federally declared  disaster returns  and the\n26   rising cost of insurance, moorage and fuel and having a\n27   crew of local guys who  all have families and depend on\n28   me as their  captain to find economic  opportunities so\n29   they can fee  their families.  Just  --10 years  ago I\n30   launched Serenity Adventures.\n\n32                   I  am  here today  because  this life's\n33   work of supporting  my community is now  being severely\n34   threatened  by  WP26-15.   I  strongly oppose  proposal\n35   WP26-15   to   close  deer   hunting   access   on  the\n36   transplanted population  of Sitka  black tail deer  for\n37   non-Federally-qualified    users    on    Hawkins   and\n38   Hinchinbrook Island.   Anecdotally  around town  it has\n39   become  a  repetitive  narrative  that  this   proposal\n40   originated  from a personal vendetta by some members of\n41   the  tribe who  were upset  by  my boats  being on  the\n42   landscape.  And as  a targeted way to curb or  alter my\n43   business activities.  All despite the many self-imposed\n44   practices that I have implemented for local respect and\n45   local deference.\n\n47                   Serenity Adventures, my  small, locally\n48   owned transporter  business, operates  in the  proposed\n49   closure  area.  We operate DIY, fair chase, mature buck\n\n---\n\n17   \n46   \n50\n\n1   only  harvest  and  have self-imposed  limits    on our\n2   clients  to  promote  sustainability  and overall  herd\n3   health.   Overall harvest by my clients represents less\n4   than 1 percent  of the total annual deer  harvest and a\n5   fraction  of a percent of  the total mortality when you\n6   include  winter kill.    We  are  one  small  transport\n7   company  in  an  area  and community  that  when  I was\n8   growing up  had seven legally licensed transporters all\n9   operating at the  same time.   To say  that there is  a\n10   steep increase in  activity is false and  not supported\n11   by the data as seen in the  OSM and ADF&G reports.  The\n12   only  thing that  has  increased  is  a  perception  of\n13   increased  pressure  stemming   from  my  social  media\n14   presence when I ramped up ads to make it yet --through\n15   yet another  disaster commercial fishing season in 2023\n16   and 2024.\n\n18                   If passed this  proposal would directly\n19   and negatively  impact the  six local  hire crew  whose\n20   households all rely on hosting and transporting a small\n21   number of non-Federally-qualified users during the fall\n22   season.  For my family and the families of the people I\n23   employ this  work  is not  some  abstract  recreational\n24   business, it is part  of how we were raised, it is part\n25   of how we make a living and how we help to put food not\n26   just  on  our  tables,  but  many  tables  in  a remote\n27   community where  the cost of  living is high  and these\n28   seasonal employment  opportunities matter.   This would\n29   also  negatively  impact  the  local  ADF&G  management\n30   budget  through the loss  of lucrative non-resident tag\n31   sales and many  of the struggling restaurant  and hotel\n32   businesses and employees if this were passed.\n\n33           This work also supports  our subsistence way of\n34   life in another  important way.  More than  half of the\n35   deer  meat harvested by my clients are donated locally.\n36   Much of  that meat  goes into  either  my own  family's\n37   freezer,  our  extended  family's  freezer  or  to  the\n38   families of my employees, to friends in need and to our\n39   church widow program that supports elders and widows in\n40   the  community.   That donated  meat  helps offset  the\n41   number  of  deer  our  own  families  need  to  harvest\n42   ourselves  in  order to  maintain  a  rural subsistence\n43   lifestyle.   So  this proposal  would  not just  affect\n44   access, it  would reduce  food sharing  and local  food\n45   security.\n\n47                   This proposal would also create harmful\n48   social and  cultural impacts  in  our already  strained\n49   small  community.  Because of the economic pressures in\n\n---\n\n19   \n36   \n50\n\n1   Cordova,   high  housing   costs,  limited   employment\n2   opportunities and  access to  health care  many of  the\n3   local people that I grew up with have unfortunately had\n4   to relocate out of town for one reason  or another.  If\n5   this proposal  passes many  residents, both  tribal and\n6   non-tribal members who were born and raised in Cordova,\n7   who grew up hunting these lands with  their fathers and\n8   grandfathers,  but who  no  longer  qualify  for  rural\n9   status, will  lose the ability  to return and  hunt the\n10   places that  shaped their families and  their families'\n11   traditions.    It  would  also  divide  families across\n12   generations.  Children  who are non-Federally-qualified\n13   would be unable  to hunt with their  local grandparents\n14   on the  same lands  that their  families have used  for\n15   generations.   Instead  of  preserving traditions  this\n16   proposal risks breaking  those connections and reducing\n17   the transfer  of hunting  knowledge, ethics  and family\n18   heritage.\n\n20                   Most  importantly this  closure is  not\n21   biologically  justified.     My   clients  cumulatively\n22   harvest fewer than  60 deer annually.   That represents\n23   less  than 1 percent of  total hunting mortality in the\n24   area.  We  conduct a  mere six weeks  per year of  fair\n25   chase,  buck  only  style hunts.    Meanwhile  one boat\n26   engaged  in December beach  hunting can kill  more deer\n27   than all  my clients combined  in one weekend.   I know\n28   because I've done it growing  up in the community.  And\n29   this often includes  the harvest of --the unfortunate\n30   harvest of pregnant does.  If conversation is truly the\n31   concern  then this proposal is not targeting the actual\n32   source  of the pressure which  is beach hunting by non-\n33   local boats.   Which if  this is passes would  still be\n34   allowed as the  beaches would remain open  because they\n35   are State land.\n\n37                   It is also  important to recognize that\n38   Cordova  and  Prince  William  Sound  have  experienced\n39   different  recent  winter  conditions  than  parts   of\n40   southeast  Alaska.    Our   recent  winters  have  been\n41   unusually  clear, cold  and marked by  historically low\n42   snowpack.  We have also had very warm springs and rainy\n43   springs.    The  deer have  wintered  well  under those\n44   conditions.  ADF&G has theorized that  the historically\n45   low  snowpack over  the  last three  years  may be  one\n46   reason the pellet surveys appear lower because the snow\n47   has not been  there to push the deer  into the transect\n48   area for their winter range.  And that warm rain in the\n49   spring dissolves the  pellets before the pellet  counts\n\n---\n\n5   \n22   \n40   \n50\n\n1   can be conducted in the summer.  Under these conditions\n2   --so pellet  counts under these conditions  should not\n3   automatically  be interpreted as evidence of a low deer\n4   abundance.\n\n6                   Both ADF&G  and  the  OSM  oppose  this\n7   closure  and have  provided  substantial science  based\n8   analysis showing there is  no biological necessity  for\n9   such an  extreme  action and  that  professional  input\n10   deserves serious consideration  and deference.  There's\n11   also no broad consensus supporting this proposal.  Half\n12   of the  Southcentral Regional Advisory  Council opposed\n13   it.  The local Cordova Fish and Game Advisory Committee\n14   made  up entirely of  Cordova residents opposed  it and\n15   submitted public comment.   The Whittier Fish  and Game\n16   Advisory   Committee  opposed   it,  submitted   public\n17   comment.  The  Valdez Fish and Game  Advisory Committee\n18   opposed  it and submitted  public comment.   The public\n19   comment  in general  has  been overwhelmingly  opposed,\n20   even half of the Native Village  of Eyak's own internal\n21   advisory voices opposed it.\n\n23                   There is already a 29 week  deer season\n24   with  up to  five tags  available  for local  qualified\n25   users.   That  is ample  opportunity  for   subsistence\n26   harvest.  My business operates only six weeks per  year\n27   with two boats right  across two or three large  island\n28   with multiple bays.  I can count on one hand the number\n29   of  other boats  I see  out  there every  season.   The\n30   suggestion that this small, seasonal operations is out-\n31   competing local  residents for opportunity  across that\n32   entire  landscape  is  simply not  credible.    If this\n33   proposal  passes it  will not  even  solve the  claimed\n34   issue.   It  does not  close the  beaches, it  does not\n35   close  the private  land and does  not close  the State\n36   Parkland.   It  will simply  push  those non-Federally-\n37   qualified  users  into  the  remaining  open areas  and\n38   concentrate users there creating  more conflict instead\n39   of less.\n\n41                   There  are  many   common  sense  tools\n42   available before imposing  such a  broad, drastic  full\n43   closure.  Some ideas are  close the eastern portion  of\n44   Hawkins that is closest to  town.  Close all of Hawkins\n45   if crowding  near town is  the real concern,  but leave\n46   Hinchinbrook open.      Lower     the    non-Federally-\n47   qualified  user   bag  limit,  close  doe   harvest  in\n48   December, close  the second  half of  December to  non-\n49   Federally-qualified  users,  prohibit shooting  from  a\n\n---\n\n10   \n16   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n31   \n37   \n39   \n44   \n50\n\n**0219**\n\n1   boat,  restrict non-Federally-qualified  users to  buck\n2   only  harvest.    Any of  these  options  would address\n3   pressure  concerns  while preserving  fairness,  family\n4   traditions,  local  jobs   and  local  food  resources.\n5   Unfortunately the  proposal did  not include  any broad\n6   community  engagement prior to being input and these --\n7   and  we couldn't  --didn't  have  an  opportunity  to\n8   identify  these  workable  compromises  as a  community\n9   before it was proposed.\n\n11                   With all  this in  mind I  respectfully\n12   ask  that the Board  reject WP26-15 and  instead pursue\n13   balanced management solutions routed in science, common\n14   sense and the  realities of rural  life in a  community\n15   like Cordova.\n\n17                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n18   consideration.  I'm  happy to answer any  questions and\n19   will be here  for the rest of the day  and available on\n20   breaks and invite anybody including audience members to\n21   come up to me and chat.\n\n## 23 Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Appreciate that.  Rhonda has something.\n\n28                   MS. PITKA:   Yeah, you  mentioned three\n29   of the ACs that oppose, Valdez, Kodiak and what was the\n30   third one?\n\n32                   MR. JONES:   It  was the  Cordova.   So\n33   it's the Prince  William Sound Copper River  AC I think\n34   is what that one's called,  but it's based in  Cordova.\n35   And then you've  got the Whittier AC and  the Valdez AC\n36   which are all in Unit 6.\n\n## 38 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Frank.\n\n40                   MR. WOODS:   Public Member Frank Woods.\n41   Thanks  for the testimony, I  appreciate we need you at\n42   the  table.   We need  industry, we  need guided,  non-\n43   guided, we need fishermen, we need public.\n\n45                   You mentioned  that number  1 that  you\n46   are  --I'm  trying   to  --you're  a   non-guided\n47   transporter, or is it a guidedand you said there was --\n48    number  1,  first question,  definition  of what  your\n49   operation  does.  The  second you mentioned  the number\n\n---\n\n3   \n12   \n33   \n47   \n50\n\n1   sitting  in  --affected  by  this  recent --by  this\n2   proposal?\n\n4                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, so I operate Serenity\n5   Adventures, we  are primarily  a DIY for  big game.   I\n6   also   operate  guided  fishing  and  guided  sea  duck\n7   hunting.  But for the  big game side it is transported,\n8   DIY.    I do  not  have  a  big game  registered  guide\n9   license.  I'm  an assistant guide, I'm  working towards\n10   eventually maybe  someday I'll  be a  registered guide,\n11   but as of right now I'm not.\n\n13                   MR. WOODS:  No, economically that makes\n14   sense  especially in  the  --on  the  coastal  recent\n15   downturn  of the  seafood market.   The  red meat  hunt\n16   we're talking  about is  under ANILCA,  Alaska or  it's\n17   American  National Interest Lands Act or, you know, the\n18   rural  preference subsistence  priority has  precedence\n19   and  there are  laws  as  a State  and  the Feds,  it's\n20   allowable  on Federal  land, they have  concessions for\n21   guides.  Those things are important because number 1 we\n22   have run out of places to put people, state of Alaska's\n23   run out  of land,  your operation  and operations  like\n24   yours  have  been  overcrowded  and  crowding  all  the\n25   different users.   At the  table and all the  seats you\n26   sit on you see that conflict looks like.   And from now\n27   on I'd love to see you at the table to help us sort out\n28   the exact  issue that  you have  before you  and you're\n29   testifying  on.  So in our --for me it's a --it's not\n30   just a  protein commodity to  feed people and  like you\n31   pointed  out it's a cultural --have you presented this\n32   to the tribal council of Cordova?\n\n34                   MR. JONES:  Yes, I wrote them an email,\n35   I sent them all Facebook  messages, I did not receive a\n36   response other than received.   And I asked to come and\n37   speak with them and work  on a compromise.  I submitted\n38   a proposal to  the Board of  Game --well, it  wasn't a\n39   proposal  it was a agenda change  request to limit non-\n40   residents to two  because right now it's four.   I felt\n41   like that  was a  pretty good  starting point to  prove\n42   that  I'm  willing   to  work  towards  a   compromise.\n43   Unfortunately the Board of Game did not adopt it, but I\n44   am  planning  on  submitting that  as  a  proposal next\n45   cycle.   And I do believe that the tribe had, you know,\n46   wanted to do something to that effect as well.\n\n48                   MR.  WOODS:     So  this   proposal  is\n49   submitted by  the Native  Village of Eyak  and the  RAC\n\n---\n\n4   \n22   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n36   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   approves,  supports.   Southcentral Alaska  Subsistence\n2   Regional Advisory  Council  supports this.    Have  you\n3   testified before them?\n\n5                   MR. JONES:  So  I did not unfortunately\n6   testify  in front of the Southcentral RAC.  I --it was\n7   supported with a decision I  believe it was six to five\n8   so  it was  pretty split.   And  had --there was  two\n9   members of  the RAC  that are from  Cordova and  one of\n10   them was not present at the meeting.  Had he been there\n11   and   voted   against   it   it   would   have  failed.\n12   Unfortunately it still went forward.  I was down south,\n13   I  didn't --yeah, I should have  been there.  I wasn't\n14   aware of how to call into it, this is --I'm pretty new\n15   to this process.  I've been  to a lot of Board of  Game\n16   and Board of Fish meetings, but this Federal process is\n17   a learning curve  for me.  So I'll  definitely be there\n18   next time.   And I did reach out to, I believe her name\n19   is Nissa, and  I put my name forward if  they wanted to\n20   place me on the RAC I am willing to serve and be at the\n21   table.\n\n23                   MR.  WOODS:   Well,  I  appreciate your\n24   testimony.  Thank you for the answers.\n\n26                   Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n29   comments.\n\n31                   (No comments)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n34   your testimony.   And we do appreciate,  always looking\n35   to recruit.....\n\n37                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, thank you.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:       .....RAC\n40   members with in  depth knowledge so appreciate  that as\n41   well.\n\n43                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n46   We'll  go  ahead and  get  started  with the  order  of\n47   business for the day --this  afternoon and we'll start\n48   with WP-26-69, mink and weasel.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n25   \n40   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Tom has it, he's already there.\n\n3                   MR.  PLANK:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair,\n4   members of the  Board.  Again for the  record my name's\n5   Tom Plank and I'm a Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  And I\n6   will  be presenting  a  summary  of  the  analysis  for\n7   Wildlife Proposal WP26-69 starting on page 1307 in your\n8   books.\n\n10                   Wildlife Proposal WP26-69 was submitted\n11   by  the Northwest  Arctic Council  and  it requests  to\n12   extend the trapping season for mink and weasel to close\n13   April  15th in Unit 23.  Proponent states that aligning\n14   the Federal season  to match the State season will help\n15   reduce confusion  and increase  opportunity.   Trappers\n16   have indicated increased mink and weasel populations in\n17   Unit  23.  Federal subsistence regulations for mink and\n18   weasel in Unit 23 have  not changed since 1990 when the\n19   Federal  management of  subsistence  fish and  wildlife\n20   resources on  Federal public  lands began  and at  that\n21   time  the current regulation was adopted from the State\n22   regulation.   In 2003  the Board of  Game extended  the\n23   trapping season for mink and weasel in Unit 23 to close\n24   April 15th.\n\n26                   Population dynamics of  mink and weasel\n27   in  Unit 23  are  not  well  documented.    Mink  occur\n28   throughout Unit  23, but  little is  known about  their\n29   abundance or  population trend.  Mink numbers fluctuate\n30   locally making it difficult to monitor their population\n31   trends.   Snow  in spruce  forests  in the  upper Kobuk\n32   drainage  are generally  suitable  for mink  while  the\n33   hardpacked  snow conditions in the remainder of Unit 23\n34   may limit the distribution of mink.  And from 2013, '14\n35   season  to 2023, '24 season, according to the voluntary\n36   trapping question  --trapper questionnaires,  mink was\n37   reported  as common with no change in population trends\n38   in region  5 which also  includes units 18, 22,  23 and\n39   26A.\n\n41                   There are two  species of weasels  that\n42   can be  found in forested,  brushy and open  country in\n43   Alaska,  however weasels are  not included in  the most\n44   recent ADF&G fur  bearer management report for  Unit 23\n45   or   indicated  to  occur  there.    And  according  to\n46   voluntary  trapper  reports  ermine  were  reported  as\n47   common with no change in population trend in unit --in\n48   region 5.\n\n---\n\n7   \n20   \n39   \n50\n\n1                   The harvest of mink  and weasel is  not\n2   well documented for Unit  23.  Sealing is  not required\n3   in Unit 23  and the only harvest  information available\n4   is from the voluntary trapping questionnaires and there\n5   were no responses  to the questionnaires for Unit 23 in\n6   recent years.\n\n8                   One  alternative   considered  was   to\n9   exclude Cape  Krusenstern National  Monument and  Kobuk\n10   Valley National Park  for the season extension.   These\n11   areas  are closed to  anyone hunting or  trapping under\n12   State  regulations.   Excluding  these  areas from  the\n13   season  extension  could   provide  refugia  and  would\n14   represent a conservative approach to the status of Unit\n15   23 mink  and weasel population.   And their  harvest is\n16   essentially unknown.    These areas  appear to  contain\n17   excellent  habitat  for  mink   and  weasels  and  this\n18   alternative   would  result   in  Federal   regulations\n19   remaining more restrictive than State regulations.\n\n21                   If this  proposal is  adopted the  mink\n22   and weasel trapping season in Unit 23 would be extended\n23   until  April 15th.  This would increase opportunity for\n24   Federally-qualified  subsistence  users  under  Federal\n25   regulations  although units  may  already trap  on most\n26   Federal lands until April 15th under State regulations.\n27   However this proposal  would allow users to  trap until\n28   April  15  in Cape  Krusenstern  National  Monument and\n29   Kobuk Valley National  Park which are closed  to anyone\n30   trapping under  State regulations.   No  impact to  the\n31   mink  or weasel populations  are expected as  users can\n32   already  trap until April 15th  on most Federal land in\n33   Unit   23  under   State   regulations.     And   while\n34   undocumented  harvest  pressure   on  mink  and  weasel\n35   populations  throughout  Unit 23  is  also  likely low.\n36   Adopting this  proposal would also  decrease regularity\n37   complexity and confusion by aligning State  and Federal\n38   regulations.\n\n40                   OSM's   conclusion   was   to   support\n41   proposal  WP26-69  with  modification  to exclude  Cape\n42   Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National\n43   Park.     This   proposal  increases   opportunity  for\n44   Federally-qualified subsistence users and  there are no\n45   conservation concerns as users are already able to trap\n46   until April 15th  on most Federal public  lands in Unit\n47   23 under State  regulations.  State regulations  do not\n48   apply to National Parklands including Cape  Krusenstern\n49   National  Monument  and Kobuk  Valley National  Park in\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n44   \n50\n\n1   Unit 23.  Excluding National Park Service managed lands\n2   would  retain  the  current  Federal  regulations as  a\n3   conservative  approach to  provide refugia  to Unit  23\n4   mink and weasel populations as their population  status\n5   and harvest is unknown.\n\n7                   Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of Board.\n8   I'd be happy to answer any questions.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Tom.\n11   Any questions from the Board for Tom.\n\n13                   (No comments)\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIA", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '4a279aed-42b5-443f-8c42-fb1941b31be9', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_1.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:35:35.806695+00:00', 'content_hash': '52c8d29a78feb553a4013b93ddea00abb853bc7c6d5c2ca334b045a26a3f38a0'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.22.26', 'check_failed': False}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_2.pdf', 'body': {'text': "2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n1                  FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME III\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 23, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n22   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/23/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN     CHRISTIANSON:     (Speaker\n8   echoing) Good  morning, everybody.  Welcome to Thursday\n9   night fights!   Oh, sorry.   That's later  this evening\n10   downstairs.\n\n12                   (Laughter)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I like the echo\n15   effect.\n\n17                   Good morning.  We're going to start our\n18   morning off before public testimony, fixing the  lines.\n19   I could probably karaoke on this.\n\n21                   (Laughter)\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    This morning\n24   before  we do start  with public testimony  the Special\n25   Assistant of the Secretary is going to --Kara Moriarty\n26   is going to give us an update this  morning.  We really\n27   appreciate her taking the  time to come here and  share\n28   with us and the public an update.\n\n30                   Thank you.  You have the floor.\n\n32                   MS. MORIARTY:   Good morning, everyone.\n33   Oh, I'm  echoing too. Anthony,  are we going to  have a\n34   choir karaoke?\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Choir  choir\n37   choir.....\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:   It's a  sport center, you\n40   know.   And  for  the  Department  of  Interior  number\n41   four.....\n\n43                   (Laughter)\n\n45                   MS. MORIARTY:   Hey, that was  my son's\n46   baseball number.   Nice job,  Sara.  Nice work.   Well,\n47   good morning, everyone.   For those  that have not  had\n48   the  opportunity to meet --and  it's always weird when\n49   there's  people sitting behind you as you're talking --\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n22   \n34   \n40   \n48   \n50\n\n1   my name is Kara Moriarty and I'm the Senior Advisor for\n2   Alaskan Affairs for Secretary Burgum.\n\n4                   I just  flew in from  D.C. last  night.\n5   Landed about  1:00 a.m. this  morning.  I was  with the\n6   Secretary  yesterday in front of our Senior Senator who\n7   chairs  the Interior  Appropriations Committee,  as you\n8   were hearing testimony  on Interior's --or as he  was\n9   providing  testimony on the  President's budget for the\n10   Department of the Interior.\n\n12                   It is  an honor to  be in front  of the\n13   full Subsistence Board  once again.  I met  many of you\n14   back last July during your summer work session and I've\n15   seen many of  you over the prevailing  months either at\n16   RAC meetings that I've been  able to attend in  person.\n17   One in Wrangell, one in  Nome, as well as other various\n18   public   listening   sessions    around   the   Federal\n19   Subsistence review  that is  currently taking  place as\n20   well  as some individual tribal consultations.  Some of\n21   you have been involved in that as well.\n\n23                   As   far   as  the   report   from  the\n24   Secretary, as you  all know, the public  comment period\n25   for the  scoping review ended  a couple weeks ago.   We\n26   are just  starting that  process of  going through  the\n27   various comments  that were submitted.   So for  all of\n28   you either on the Subsistence  Board or those behind me\n29   that may have provided public comment we appreciate the\n30   input.  We're learning a lot about the program and it's\n31   going to take  us a while to  get through all of  those\n32   comments  to  have  a thoughtful  review  to  provide a\n33   potential recommendation to the Secretary.\n\n35                   All of that is yet to be determined.  I\n36   guess I would emphasize that it  was just a review.  No\n37   proposed changes are being made at this time.  If there\n38   were, of course that would start  a full public comment\n39   through the APA process.\n\n41                   I did have  a chance to visit  with the\n42   Under Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and I\n43   think  that when I was back  in D.C. last week and with\n44   everyone's schedules it's --you know,  just everything\n45   that we're all --all the departments are working on, I\n46   think it is going to take some time to work through all\n47   the various comments to see what we come up with.\n\n49                   I'm  happy, Mr.  Chairman, to  take any\n\n---\n\n7   \n12   \n19   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n39   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   questions.   That's really  the only  update I  have to\n2   speak of and look forward to being in and out.  I'll be\n3   in and  out today  and tomorrow as  you finish  up your\n4   meetings.  With  that, Mr. Chairman, I'll turn  it over\n5   to  you for  any questions  that you  or others  on the\n6   Subsistence Board may have.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n9   Kara.    Thank  you  for  the update.    Is  there  any\n10   questions or comments from the  Board.  RAC Chairs.  Go\n11   ahead, Jack.\n\n13                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  Jack Reakoff,\n14   Western Interior.   Once you evaluate all  the comments\n15   I'm  wondering about  the timeframe  for  the Councils'\n16   comments if  there's a change.  Are  we going to have a\n17   period  during our fall meetings to address any changes\n18   suggested by the DOI?\n\n20                   MS.  MORIARTY:  Good question.  I would\n21   be surprised if we get through all of that by your fall\n22   meetings  to be quite candid. With everything that's --\n23   other priorities that USDA has  and that we have at the\n24   Department of  the Interior, we're  in the middle  of a\n25   couple other  rulemaking processes  that is  more of  a\n26   prescriptive  time  period  than   the  scoping  review\n27   because  there's no  time  certain.    So  I  would  be\n28   surprised if we saw any recommendations if there are to\n29   come before your fall meetings later this year.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Louis.\n\n33                   MR.  GREEN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  How\n34   are you doing, Kara?\n\n36                   MS. MORIARTY:  Oh, there you are.  Hi.\n38                   (Laughter)\n\n40                   MR. GREEN:   I'm  the biggest  guy here\n41   besides.....\n\n43                   MS. MORIARTY:   I'm like  who's talking\n44   to me.  This is such a big --this is such a big room.\n\n46                   MR. GREEN:   I'm the  biggest guy  here\n47   besides that guy and you thought I was somewhere.\n\n49                   MS. MORIARTY:  Yeah.  Well, you know, I\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n15   \n17   \n24   \n33   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   did land  a couple hours  ago, so like I  apologize for\n2   the sleep deprivation this morning.\n\n4                   MR. GREEN:  Well, I'm everywhere.\n\n6                   MS.  MORIARTY:    Yeah,  that's  right.\n7   Nice to see you.\n\n9                   MR. GREEN:  Thank you.  Good to see you\n10   again.   Just a question.   You don't need to answer it\n11   if you don't have an answer.  Is there any thought that\n12   the Secretaries  of Interior  and Agriculture  are ever\n13   going to  pow-wow a  little bit with  the Secretary  of\n14   Commerce?\n\n## 16 MS. MORIARTY: On subsistence?\n\n18                   MR. GREEN: On our issues, yeah.   Well,\n19   we have salmon issues and there's other things going on\n20   out there that we don't have any control over and I was\n21   just wondering if, seeing as the Department of Commerce\n22   is  overseeing NOAA that there's an issue in the Bering\n23   Sea and the Gulf of Alaska.\n\n25                   MS. MORIARTY:   That's a good question.\n26   You  know, the three Secretaries were all together last\n27   week   actually.    We   were  at  the   Department  of\n28   Agriculture  for  a  roundtable.    Our  Secretary  was\n29   invited to  participate.   Secretary Lutnick was  there\n30   with  Secretary Rollins and our Secretary to talk about\n31   the seafood,  office of  the seafood  liaison that  the\n32   Department of Ag created.\n\n34                   So  the  three  of them  were  actually\n35   together talking about  seafood in a general  sense, so\n36   it's a  good question and something we can consider and\n37   try to find  a counterpart at Commerce  to discuss some\n38   of those issues.\n\n40                   MR.  GREEN:  Thank you.  Thank you, Mr.\n41   Chair.\n\n## 43 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Frank.\n\n45                   MR. WOODS:  Thank you for  representing\n46   us here in Alaska.  I've still got to invite you out to\n47   Bristol Bay.  In the  last few days you've heard public\n48   testimony from  all the rural  areas and tribes.   What\n49   I'd  like  to   ask  is  that,  number  one,   we  keep\n\n---\n\n8   \n19   \n26   \n30   \n44   \n50\n\n1   perspective  that  this  Board helps  regulate  the 300\n2   million acres in Alaska.   That we are unique, that the\n3   public  perspective is still in place,  and if you read\n4   the  1,500 pages  of  information  we  review  and  the\n5   70-plus  regulations that we're  doing the next  day or\n6   so,  you understand the  magnitude of what  we're faced\n7   with.\n\n9                   Also,  you know,  the consolidation  of\n10   all  the Federal programs,  every program in  Alaska is\n11   suffering with the  budget crisis.   Not only a  budget\n12   crisis,  but a work  force development problem  that we\n13   don't have enough people to  recruit to do all the work\n14   that we do.  Everybody I  know in every field are doing\n15   two  to three jobs.   And to  pass on  to the Secretary\n16   that not only this Board,  but I think every  governing\n17   body   that  regulates   land  or   issues  and   human\n18   interaction is being taxed right now.\n\n20                   We try  to --and we  think we  manage\n21   resource,  but  what  we're  doing  is  managing  human\n22   beings.  And  to be human about it,  that's not fair to\n23   the  system, it's not fair  to the government, and it's\n24   not fair  to the people.   So I appreciate  your charge\n25   and your representing us in Washington D.C.  Thank you.\n\n27                   MS. MORIARTY:  Thank you, Frank. I look\n28   forward to  getting out  to Bristol Bay.   It's  been a\n29   couple years, so I look forward to it.\n\n31                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dan\n32   Dunaway,  Bristol Bay  RAC Vice  Chair.   Welcome,  and\n33   thank  you for  coming.   It just  occurred to  me what\n34   Frank  was  mentioning   how  complex  subsistence  is,\n35   particularly to get that point across to the people  in\n36   the lower  48.  We  have a new educational  manual that\n37   just got  printed and delivered  yesterday to here.   I\n38   was thinking maybe a few of those manuals going back to\n39   D.C.  I think  they're  more aimed  at school  kids and\n40   stuff, but might  be --and I  haven't had a  chance to\n41   look  through it,  but might  be a  handy tool  to help\n42   explain to people  in the Lower 48 that  just don't get\n43   this at all and how important it is.\n\n45                   So I just  wanted to bring that  up and\n46   also  kind of  echo  what Louis  brought  up about  the\n47   concerns of bycatch.   You're probably aware,  it's all\n48   over the  internet and all  of the social  media that's\n49   around  Alaska, I  don't think  trawlers  are the  only\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n31   \n38   \n46   \n50\n\n1   thing, but  it is a huge concern with the lack of Kings\n2   and lack of other fish.  Thank you very much.\n\n4                   MS. MORIARTY:   Thank you,  Dan.  Yeah,\n5   if there  are extra copies,  I would be happy  to share\n6   with my colleagues back in D.C. And I think that's part\n7   of the reason why the more --some of us who  are newer\n8   to  this issue,  either here in  Alaska like  myself or\n9   those that I  work with  back in  D.C. --the more  we\n10   learn through the review, the more we have to learn.\n\n12                   So we're  trying to  be thoughtful  and\n13   learn and understand  the legal foundations  around the\n14   Board  and the  RACs, and  all of  the other  issues as\n15   well.   But, yes, happy  to take back  some educational\n16   materials for my colleagues back  in D.C. if there  are\n17   some extra copies, so thanks for pointing that out.  As\n18   a  former school teacher,  it's probably in  a language\n19   that I can  relate to if it's targeted  to school kids,\n20   so that's perfect.  Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan,\n23   and  I'm sure Heather appreciates  the plug.  Any other\n24   questions. Comments.\n\n## 26 (No comments)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I definitely\n29   appreciate your  time in coming  to get a pulse  on the\n30   program.  Here we go, Rhonda.\n\n32                   MS. PITKA:   I think  earlier when  the\n33   scoping   process  started  you  said  that  we  had  a\n34   compressed  time frame  so recommendations  should come\n35   out by the spring.   If I'm remembering that right, and\n36   now  --so  there's no  deadlines?    There's  no hard\n37   deadlines?\n\n39                   MS.  MORIARTY:   No,  there were  never\n40   hard deadlines.  Nice to see you, Chief Pitka.  Nice to\n41   see  you.   No,  there  were never  any  hard deadlines\n42   because it's  a scoping process,  so we could  take our\n43   time.   Again, the more  we learn, the more  we need to\n44   learn.  So we are going to be thoughtful about any type\n45   of --if any recommendations come forward for sure.\n\n47                   I just would like to say, Mr. Chairman,\n48   if  --you know,  yes, I'll be here  for a couple hours\n49   today,  a couple hours  tomorrow, but I  would just say\n\n---\n\n5   \n16   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   that my door is always open to any of the Board members\n2   individually, the  RAC  members, other  members of  the\n3   public.   That's my job  is to represent  the Secretary\n4   and I can't get everywhere.\n\n6                   I  know  I've  had  lots  of  wonderful\n7   invitations to  be  in every  corner of  the state  and\n8   visit all 229  tribes, which I would love to  do, but I\n9   am doing my best and Sarah Taylor  in my office as well\n10   to try  and get to  as many of the  region as possible.\n11   We are looking  to see how many of  the RAC meetings we\n12   can get to in person again this fall.  It's a great way\n13   to try to get  to at least some of the regional centers\n14   across Alaska.  But my phone is always open, my door is\n15   always open, and again I appreciate the invitation.\n\n17                   MS. PITKA:  Sorry, just one more.  When\n18   we  do get  the  recommendations from  the  Secretary's\n19   Office do you think that there would be support to have\n20   an  All Regional Advisory  Council meeting?   We've had\n21   joint  Regional Council meetings in the past when we've\n22   had major issues to discuss like the Yukon River Salmon\n23   disaster or other issues that affect all of Alaska.\n\n25                   MS. MORIARTY:  We understand that there\n26   is a request for that and it's under consideration.\n\n28                   MS. PITKA:  Thank you, I appreciate it.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n31   Kara. I see  no further questions.  We  appreciate your\n32   time this morning.\n\n## 34 MS. MORIARTY: Thanks, everybody.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n37   We'll now open  up the floor for  public comment period\n38   on non-agenda items.  Again  we do have a packed agenda\n39   the  next two  days so  we  would ask  for brevity  and\n40   respect for other people as they want to testify today.\n41   If you want to go longer, it's your process.  I think a\n42   green card or a  blue card, what color do we  have here\n43   today?    Robbin  will  call  you  up and  we'll  start\n44   receiving public testimony this morning.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n47   have eight  folks that have signed  up in the room.   I\n48   don't know who has signed up online.  That's so that we\n49   can  kind  of  keep  track  of who  is  in  the  queue.\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n18   \n29   \n37   \n38   \n46   \n50\n\n1   Additionally  we will  have --after  the comments  on\n2   non-agenda items we will have an opportunity to comment\n3   on the  consensus agenda before  we move back  into our\n4   action items.\n\n6                   The  first person in the room is Jimmie\n7   Hurley, Sr.  Jimmy Hurley.\n\n9                   MR.  HURLEY:   Chairman, Federal  Board\n10   members, respective Board  members.  My name  is Jimmie\n11   Hurley.   I  am from  Bristol  Bay area,  Ekwok.   I've\n12   fished Bristol Bay  for 45 years and  fished Petersburg\n13   for a longline.  All my life I've been on boats.  I run\n14   barges up and down the Nushagak and it's just a life of\n15   fish.  I've helped kickstart  the CDQ program. I helped\n16   pretty much voice our opinion about Pebble Mine.  I was\n17   the very first one who stood up against Pebble Mine.\n\n19                   So I've been in  the political arena of\n20   Bristol Bay a long  time and I am  not done.  I  had to\n21   move in  here about five  years ago to  be here,  to be\n22   with  my family, and to testify about North Pacific and\n23   some of the  other ones because Nushagak River --we've\n24   seen some really declining in  King salmon and chum, so\n25   I teamed  up with  other tribes to  make more  aware of\n26   what's going on.  It's a real battle  to see our Native\n27   people on the Yukon-Kuskokwim pretty much starving, you\n28   know.\n\n30                   So I'm not going to sit around and keep\n31   my mouth shut about that, you know.  I want to voice my\n32   opinion on this and  that is partly why I moved  in.  A\n33   little  bit more.    I spotted  herring  in Togiak  and\n34   worked my  way up to so many others.   But I'm not here\n35   for  all  that. I  just  --that's  another  issue, but\n36   people  should be aware of, you know, your perspective.\n\n39                   This is  the first meeting  I ever went\n40   to  a  Federal meeting.  I've  been  to  all the  North\n41   Pacific and  all the  Fish and  Game meetings with  the\n42   State.   I  was made  aware that  Ekwok, Koliganek  and\n43   Stuyahok, we  can't  --we  can't  get any  caribou  up\n44   there.   It's  closed out and  everybody around  us has\n45   been --has access to caribou.\n\n47                   You  know, when I  go back, it's  $10 a\n48   gallon for me to go  up and we travel --I have to team\n49   up with somebody  who will go moose hunting.   And here\n\n---\n\n6   \n15   \n22   \n34   \n41   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   we see these woodland caribou all the way up Mulchatna.\n2   You know, the  Mulchatna Herd used  to be over  200,000\n3   and  it's depleted  down to  --I  don't know  what the\n4   numbers are,  but it  sure would be  good to  have that\n5   open.\n\n7                   If we can't get a moose, at least we'll\n8   come back with a caribou.  It's just common  knowledge,\n9   you know.   We're there to  to bring  meat back to  our\n10   table.   We have  a lot of  salmon.   I've sat  on many\n11   meetings.  Nushagak Advisory.   I pushed along a lot of\n12   things to  help. I've done  value added  at BBDC.  I've\n13   done  everything  pretty  much to  my  ability  to help\n14   Bristol Bay.\n\n16                   I need  some  help with  a proposal  to\n17   open up  at least one  caribou for each --for anybody\n18   going up the  river, you know.  So I'm not too sure how\n19   this works  with proposals.   I  mean it's  the Federal\n20   level here, but I  know how it works at the  State when\n21   we shut down King salmon fisheries.\n\n23                   Peter   Christopher   and   I   started\n24   Value-added King Salmon.  We  process salmon and it was\n25   probably the best in the world.  We did it.   It wasn't\n26   no  company, but it  came out of Bristol  Bay.  So it's\n27   not --you  know, it's something that --you know, you\n28   think that some people bring  these ideas.  You know, I\n29   learned all this  out of Indian Valley down  there.  We\n30   try to  put value  to our  fish.   But, anyway,  I sure\n31   could use  some  help  at  trying  to  get  a  proposal\n32   together to  open that  area because  there's a lot  of\n33   hungry mouths.\n\n35                   It's pretty sad to go back home and you\n36   hunt a moose.  You know,  you travel maybe 150 miles up\n37   the  main  river  or Nuyakuk  or  Mulchatna,  you know.\n38   That's a long ways to  travel for nothing and come back\n39   empty.   That's not a  good sign for  your family.  You\n40   got to maybe work on putting up more salmon.\n\n42                   So I appreciate all your time and thank\n43   you very much.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Jimmy.  Any comments from the Board?  And I know  we do\n47   have staff here that can  help you with that, getting a\n48   proposal put together for that area.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n22   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   MR. HURLEY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n5                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   Next on  our list  is Tom Harris.   Tom  Harris, please\n7   address the Board.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   MS.  LAVINE:    If  we  don't  have Tom\n12   Harris, the next on the list is Stanley Pete.  Stanley.\n\n14                   MR.  PETE:    Thank  you, Chairman  and\n15   members  of  the  Board.   Good  morning,  Chairman and\n16   members of the Board.  Thank you  for this opportunity.\n17   (In  Yup'ik).   My name  is Stanley  Pete.   My mother,\n18   Donna Pete, and  my father, Dennis Pete.   I am  from a\n19   small village on Yukon Delta, Nunam Iqua.  It's on wind\n20   swept  tundra with  permafrost.   My  family's bond  is\n21   strengthened through subsistence.\n\n23                   I come from a small Yup'ik village.  My\n24   family  and   community   have   always   depended   on\n25   subsistence.   The  subsistence harvest  opportunity of\n26   salmon  on Yukon  River is next  to non-existent.   The\n27   Yup'ik,   Cup'ik,   Koyukon  and   Canada   Athabascan,\n28   Gwich'in,  Han  Hwech'in and  the Hakon  Athabascan and\n29   their  descendants   are  feeling  the  agony  of  fish\n30   collapse.\n\n32                   The  regional,  cultural  and  temporal\n33   variations  are many  in these  different user  groups.\n34   Even  with all  of our  differences  in utilization  of\n35   salmon and many beliefs and ceremonies regarding salmon\n36   are  on  pause  or not  happening.    Our  children and\n37   grandchildren  are losing their  culture or  don't know\n38   what it is.  Us few who remember cherish and  yearn for\n39   that lifestyle.  The few that get fish from other areas\n40   are comforted and reminded of happier times.\n\n42                   With the  collapse of  salmon on  Yukon\n43   some  user groups, not  many, are suggesting  they have\n44   exclusive  rights or privileges to harvest salmon.  The\n45   collapse  of these  salmon  stocks  is causing  tension\n46   between user groups.   All user groups  don't have same\n47   food  availability.    Caribou,  bison, muskox,  moose,\n48   bears, don't live on bear tundra.  Marine mammals don't\n49   go  way inland.   How can any  co-management agreements\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n17   \n25   \n33   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   exist if there is tension in river.\n\n3                   We  have many  laws  and  acts by  both\n4   State and Federal  bodies that dictate when we  can and\n5   cannot do  subsistence. Marine  Mammal Protection  Act,\n6   Migratory  Bird Treaty  Act,  Alaska National  Interest\n7   Land Conservation Act, judicial rulings, many State and\n8   Federal  regulations,  statutes.    Even which  Natives\n9   qualify to subsist.\n\n11                   On the  Yukon it seams  the sole burden\n12   of  conservation of  salmon  is  placed on  subsistence\n13   users.  Key spawning habitat are at the mercy of mining\n14   activity.   Sedimentation,  water quality  degradation,\n15   vegetation loss,  catastrophic mining  spills alter  or\n16   even wipe out discreet salmon stocks.\n\n18                   Mining activity on Yukon is governed by\n19   State and Federal  regulators.  Bureau of  Land manages\n20   mineral development.  Environmental Protection Agencies\n21   enforce regulations  to  protect  water  from  impacts.\n22   State Agencies are also delegated authority. \n23   Water qualities are  of a concern also.   Environmental\n24   protection laws and State agencies govern standards.\n\n26                   In  the   Tanana  River   11.2  million\n27   gallons  a day  of treated  sewage  is discharged  into\n28   androgynous rivers.   It affects those fish  that go up\n29   the  stream,  the  river  to  spawn.   There  are  many\n30   variables   like    permafrost   degradation,    sewage\n31   discharge,   mining   activity,   hatcheries,  bycatch,\n32   interception, hydrology changes on Yukon water site.\n\n34                   I bring my  concerns here to  this body\n35   hoping  my voice  will  be  amplified.   If  all  other\n36   factors  of decline of Yukon salmon are disregarded and\n37   only put  on subsistence  users, how  can anyone  think\n38   these stocks will rebound?  Currently there are another\n39   100 proposed  mines in different  stages of development\n40   on Yukon water site.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n45   appreciate  that testimony.   I  think it gives  a good\n46   picture to what the  rural user faces as we just try to\n47   get a fish  or a  moose or  a caribou.   It's really  a\n48   heavy-weighted  responsibility   on  the   user  so   I\n49   appreciate that testimony in encapsulating I think what\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n14   \n21   \n23   \n26   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   the Yukon goes through as it tries to continue it's way\n2   of life, so thank you.\n\n4                   Any comments from the Board?\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n9   your testimony this morning.\n\n11                   MR. PETE:  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.  Rhonda.\n\n15                   MS.  PITKA:     Thank   you  for   your\n16   testimony today. I really appreciate  it.  I know  that\n17   you do a  lot of work with the  Tribal Fish Commission,\n18   so I'd  like to  thank you for  that work also  and for\n19   protecting the salmon.  I definitely thank you for your\n20   words today.  That was excellent testimony.\n\n22                   MR. PETE:  Thank you.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:  Next  speaker in the queue\n25   is Shania Murphy.  Shania.\n\n27                   MS. MURPHY:   Directors  of the  Board,\n28   Chairman  Christianson, Director  Lee Liddy,  thank you\n29   for  the  chance  to  speak  today.   I  just  want  to\n30   acknowledge that  I am on  the ancestral  lands of  the\n31   Dena'ina people.\n\n33                   There are  two things that I  wanted to\n34   talk about today and one of them is oysters reproducing\n35   in Southeast's waters.   When I  was deckhanding for  a\n36   dive boat over in Behm Canal, this guy came up who knew\n37   my captain, had two deer in his skiff and said I had 20\n38   people out here to my beach.   Come dive it if you want\n39   some oysters.  And that  was frightening to hear.  I've\n40   seen many  one-off populations  that have  huge oysters\n41   growing in them from old dilapidated farms in the '80s,\n42   but  to  my  understanding  there  is  more  than  that\n43   happening.\n\n45                   The second thing that  I wanted to talk\n46   about was sport  fishermen all the way down  at a place\n47   called Tree Point in Ketchikan.  It's near the Canadian\n48   border.   This is  a six-hour run by  a seven knot boat\n49   and about an  hour and 45  minutes to two hours  with a\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n30   \n34   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   faster boat.\n\n3                   We've seen sport fishermen all the  way\n4   down  there.   Charter fishermen  in  the summer  time.\n5   These commercial gillnetters  will follow right  behind\n6   them and  run them off  from their gillnet  grounds and\n7   they're coming every day.  It is  really concerning and\n8   I  would  really like  to  see something  done,  like a\n9   limited entry fishery for charter fishing.\n\n11                   That is all I have to say. Gunalcheesh,\n12   thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n15   Shania.   Any questions,  comments from  the board?   I\n16   appreciate your testimony this morning.  Thank you.\n\n18                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next in the queue we have\n19   Ali Ginter.  Ali.\n\n21                   MS. GINTER:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n22   and  members  of   the  Board.    Thank  you   for  the\n23   opportunity to speak  during public comment today.   My\n24   name is  Ali Ginter.  I am a  resident of  Ketchikan, a\n25   mother of four, and a Councilwoman for Ketchikan Indian\n26   Community.  (In Tlingit) is  my Tlingit name.  It means\n27   the  raven  who stands  up.    I  am Tlingit  from  the\n28   Kaach.adi  Clan   originally  from  Wrangell,   one  of\n29   Alaska's landless communities.\n\n31                   I  am  also  a  child  of  the  Tahltan\n32   people.  I am the daughter of Kayaani Shawat, Leafwoman\n33   Trixie Bennett, and the granddaughter of Minnie Larsen.\n\n36                   I first  want to  thank this Board  for\n37   recognizing  Ketchikan's rural  status.   That decision\n38   meant a great deal  to many families in  our community,\n39   mine included.   It made  people feel  seen, heard  and\n40   understood  for many of  us.  It  was an acknowledgment\n41   that our  lived reality matters.   And I wanted  to use\n42   this  non-agenda   public  comment   period  to   speak\n43   generally about rural life  subsistence and what  these\n44   issues mean to families like mine.\n\n46                   Sometimes   communities    are   viewed\n47   through statistics, maps,  or assumptions, but  numbers\n48   alone  do not  tell  the story  of how  people actually\n49   live.   Ketchikan is an  island community.  We  are not\n\n---\n\n5   \n16   \n26   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   connected to  the road system.   To leave or  return we\n2   rely on boats  and planes.  We depend  heavily on barge\n3   crate and services for the goods that stock  our stores\n4   and support our households.\n\n6                   When    transportation   costs    rise,\n7   families  feel  it.   When  weather  impacts  travel or\n8   deliveries, families feel  it.  That  is part of  rural\n9   life.   Rural life is  not only about geography,  it is\n10   also  about cost, access, isolation and reliance on one\n11   another.     For  many  families   subsistence  is  not\n12   recreation, it's not a hobby, it's not something extra,\n13   it's food  security, it's  dignity,  it's sharing  with\n14   elders, it's teaching  children where food comes  from.\n15   It's keeping cultural practices alive.\n\n17                   For my  family of  six harvested  foods\n18   help feed  our household.  We rely on salmon, whitefish\n19   and deer throughout the year.   As my children grow, so\n20   do  those  needs.    When  we harvest,  we  also  teach\n21   responsibility.   We use what we  can, we waste little,\n22   we  pass  on  values  of  gratitude,  stewardship,  and\n23   respect for the  resources that sustain  us.  For  many\n24   Alaska families,  subsistence is also tied  to identity\n25   and healing.\n\n27                   My husband  is Aleut,  a descendant  of\n28   those  displaced at  three  seas.    Like  many  Native\n29   families there were losses that cannot be undone.  When\n30   he teaches  our sons  to hunt and  provide, it  is more\n31   than harvesting food.  It is connection, it is healing,\n32   it is  reclaiming traditions  that earlier  generations\n33   were denied.  That is something difficult to capture in\n34   policy language, but is very real in our homes.\n\n36                   I also want to recognize those who came\n37   before me and advocated for  these issues long before I\n38   stood here today.   My mother  was heavily involved  in\n39   this work along with President  Burns and I am proud to\n40   be here  to continue  this good work  lending my  voice\n41   where I can.   When discussing rural communities, I ask\n42   that decision-makers  remember that  behind every  map,\n43   chart, or number are real people.\n\n45                   There    are    elders    waiting   for\n46   traditional foods, there are parents trying to  stretch\n47   a  budget,  there  are  children  learning  to  harvest\n48   respectfully.   There are communities working to remain\n49   connected to culture  and place.  Rural is  more than a\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n27   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   label.   Rural is a way of life, rural is a resilience,\n2   rural is  community,  rural is  responsibility  to  one\n3   another.\n\n5                   Thank  you  for   your  time  and   for\n6   listening.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n9   appreciate your testimony this morning.   Any questions\n10   or comments.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n15   you taking the time to share that.  Thank you.\n\n17                   MS.  LAVINE:   Next on  our  list is  a\n18   gentleman from Togiak.   Mr. Cutchiuk.   Please correct\n19   my pronunciation.\n\n21                   MR.  CUTCHIUK:   Good  morning,  Chair.\n22   Members of the Board.  My name is Jimmy Cutchiuk. I  am\n23   from the village of Togiak in Southwest Bristol Bay.  I\n24   know Ms. Stewart  is there sitting. I  am testifying in\n25   support of opening a caribou season at  the Cape Peirce\n26   section of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.\n\n28                   Refuge memos  that these  caribous live\n29   there year round in  the refuge and should  be utilized\n30   for subsistence by the villages that live in  that area\n31   closest  to where the  caribou reside.   My people have\n32   been hunting that area for as long as I can remember. I\n33   think I  started hunting that  area 20 to 30  years ago\n34   and I've  been traveling  with older  elders back  then\n35   because my only friends were those older areas that  --\n36   I mean the  older people that know that area.   So I've\n37   been traveling a lot with them.\n\n39                   Since  the Mulchatna  Caribou Herd  has\n40   been  closed and  the travel  conditions  were good,  I\n41   traveled this  winter 15  hours round  trip to  harvest\n42   caribou from the Nushagak Peninsula.   That's Southwest\n43   of Dillingham.  And with the cost of fuel as high as it\n44   is, and it's  going to get higher, like  it says in the\n45   news if their reports are good.  Local season would cut\n46   that to an eight-hour trip from my village.\n\n48                   It  was a good different food from what\n49   we  eat every year since the Mulchatna Caribou Herd has\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n14   \n25   \n33   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1   been closed  and the  only food that  we had  is moose.\n2   That caribou is really really  good and I'm glad we had\n3   good  travel conditions.   The  refuge  memo said  that\n4   these caribou lived  year round in that area,  so I put\n5   in a proposal  a couple years  ago.  I'd like  to thank\n6   some people  for helping me  putting in a  proposal for\n7   special action.  I'd like to get a permanent season for\n8   that area before they deplete the lunch buffet.\n\n10                   Thanks for your time.  Thank you.\n\n## 12 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: We appreciate 13 that. Any questions for Jimmy.\n\n15                   MR. WOODS:  Jimmy, you talked about the\n16   Cape Peirce  caribou  population and  a second  caribou\n17   topic  from   Bristol  Bay.     Dan   Dunaway  is   our\n18   representative on  the RAC. The  management of  Federal\n19   lands  is  really  patchwork,   especially  up  on  the\n20   Nushagak  for caribou is managed by the Mulchatna Herd.\n21   The  State biologist, John, that was  in before the one\n22   we have now was real active on trying to micro --kind\n23   of giving out  maybe quota shares to  different regions\n24   for the Mulchatna is too big.\n\n26                   That  that herd  you're talking  about,\n27   you're  correct, is  on Federal  land and I  would work\n28   through the RAC process to  get a proposal for that and\n29   I  would support any decisions or proposals or anything\n30   that come up for that  population.  It's on the western\n31   side of the Togiak  Refuge.  It's a micro herd,  but it\n32   also can be utilized.\n\n34                   The  other thing  too is the  State and\n35   the Feds --it says  not an embarrassment of the people\n36   or  the system, but  they have ceremonial  permits that\n37   can  be  issued  for  caribou and  moose.    The  Lower\n38   Peninsula also issues  educational permits for  caribou\n39   and  moose so at least our people can have a taste, but\n40   also can teach  young people on harvesting and  what it\n41   takes to harvest.\n\n43                   So I'll  shut up.   I  wasn't going  to\n44   comment,  but this  is the second  --and  I appreciate\n45   both  people coming up  from Bristol Bay  and speaking,\n46   especially on caribou and wildlife populations.   Thank\n47   you.\n\n49                   MR.  CUTCHIUK:   English  is my  second\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n11    \n21   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   language so I have a hard time trying to speak clearly,\n2   but that wasn't my intent.  Thank you.\n\n4                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You did a good\n5   job and I thank Frank  for giving options on the record\n6   that what is  available to create that  access point to\n7   the  resource, you know,  in the  interim of  getting a\n8   proposal before us.\n\n10                   So thank you, Frank.  Thank you, Jim.\n\n12                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair, we  have three\n13   more folks that  have signed up for the  comment period\n14   on non-agenda  items.  I  know that we do  have someone\n15   that signed up  for the consensus agenda.   I might ask\n16   if  there is anyone  else interested in  addressing the\n17   Board  on non-agenda  items.    We  will  have  another\n18   opportunity tomorrow morning.  I will continue with the\n19   three I have here.  Next person in the queue is Heather\n20   Bauscher.\n\n22                   MS. BAUSCHER:   Good  morning everyone,\n23   Mr. Chair, members of the Board.   I had a few things I\n24   failed  to mention  yesterday  and  I  just  wanted  to\n25   announce, because it came up earlier, that the teaching\n26   guides did officially arrive hot off the presses.  They\n27   got  a little delayed but they were delivered yesterday\n28   afternoon and I do have them in the back of the room.\n\n30                   This is  a  limited first  run  of  250\n31   copies  and the  printing was  generously  funded by  a\n32   member from the Southeast RAC that contributed  content\n33   regarding the early days of the program.  So I want  to\n34   say  a big  thank  you  to Cal  Casipit  on the  record\n35   because he didn't  want this to  exist only in  digital\n36   format and recognize  the need for physical  copies for\n37   rural Alaskans.\n\n39                   I also  forgot to mention  a few  folks\n40   and I  wanted to  say thank you  to the USDA  Office of\n41   Tribal Relations  for helping  to  fund the  curriculum\n42   guide as  well as  some of the  recent support  for the\n43   program.  Kim Amanderez (ph), she is  our new logistics\n44   support person, which  is actually what is  allowing me\n45   to expand this  program beyond Sitka and  Southeast, so\n46   big thank you to her.\n\n48                   And Taylor  Bauscher  did  all  of  the\n49   graphic design  on this  guide.  She  has been  working\n\n---\n\n6   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n27   \n36   \n46   \n50\n\n1   with me on this for more than two years to try  and put\n2   this together, so I failed to mention them earlier.  If\n3   people would like a copy  of the guide, please come see\n4   me  in the back and write down your information because\n5   I'm trying to keep track of where they go.\n\n7                   Thanks  to a  lot of  the conversations\n8   that have  been had in the  room lately.  I  am hopeful\n9   that  we will  find more  funding  in partnership  with\n10   agencies  or other shared agreements to keep this going\n11   because we  will be  at the bottom  of funding  for the\n12   student  travel this  fall.   I  only have  funding for\n13   community   workshops  until   next  spring,   but  the\n14   community  workshops have also been  a good way to find\n15   the people in the communities to help support youth and\n16   future cohorts.\n\n18                   So please  reach out if  you would like\n19   to talk  about that.  Thank you so  much for all of the\n20   support.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n23   Heather.\n\n25                   MS. LAVINE:   Next in the queue  is Ben\n26   Mallott.  Ben.\n\n28                   MR. MALLOTT:   Good morning  members of\n29   the committee today.  My name is Ben Mallott, president\n30   of AFN.   I am here  to make sure that  the Subsistence\n31   Board  is aware  of National  Park Service  rulemaking.\n32   This rulemaking is reviewing  certain hunting revisions\n33   on reserve  lands in Alaska.   This goes back  to 2015.\n34   Since 2015 this  rule has included the  definition that\n35   we all know in ANILCA for rural preference.\n\n37                   The  Park  Service is  reviewing  these\n38   pre-2015 rules and is unclear to AFN in their rule --I\n39   just  want to recognize  that this deadline  was pushed\n40   back  for 15  days  for  additional  comment  from  our\n41   membership.  I also want to thank DOI and also NPS, Don\n42   Striker, for  meeting with AFN.   This is also  part of\n43   the  process too, right?   We  ask these  questions and\n44   wait  for  Interior  to  get  back  to  us  with   more\n45   information.\n\n47                   But I also want to recognize that right\n48   now  in  rural  Alaska  times  are  tough.   Our  rural\n49   preference is really for those who need it the most and\n\n---\n\n7   \n17   \n29   \n37   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   so AFN is  really concerned about any  rules that could\n2   open our rural areas for those that don't live in rural\n3   Alaska.  With that said with  AFN and how this rule has\n4   been proposed of how --sorry, I didn't write my notes\n5   down.  It's on my phone.  I didn't print it off, so I'm\n6   trying to read real small.\n\n8                   It's unclear how AFN --to AFN and also\n9   I think this is a good question  for this Board, is how\n10   the NPS can manage subsistence on Federal lands, and so\n11   a part of ANILCA  as this rule seeks to .. According to\n12   State management.   AFN wants this Board to  be sure of\n13   this rule.  I'm  sure how this Board  and also AFN  how\n14   the State regulations  can impact and also  still apply\n15   to ANILCA when this rule is kind of  written the way it\n16   is.\n\n18                   AFN  has  made  comments  asking  this.\n19   Right now we  are asking if the state --asking if NPS\n20   is  asking that the ANILCA definition of subsistence be\n21   considered with State definition.  The State definition\n22   of  subsistence  is  for  all.    That's  not  a  rural\n23   preference.    A  preference  for  everyone  is  not  a\n24   preference at all.   So AFN is asking if NPS --we also\n25   encourage this Board to also consider through different\n26   regulations and  especially a sector order,  asking how\n27   it can make deference  for state  opportunities of  how\n28   that still applies to ANILCA.\n\n30                   Right now we are in the middle of a lot\n31   of uncertainty.  We  are coming up to a new  season and\n32   our  communities are  hurting.   Right  now communities\n33   have decided between  high fuel costs for  not only for\n34   heat, but also for activities  for fishing.  Right  now\n35   it is unclear of how these rules would actually blend a\n36   State preference for all and also a rural preference.\n\n38                   With that  said, it's  confusing.   I'm\n39   still waking up.  I want to make sure this committee is\n40   aware  of these rules  and actually just  aware that --\n41   and actually  has the same  questions to NPS of  how we\n42   can blend possible  additional State  regs over  ANILCA\n43   Title VIII.\n\n45                   Gunalcheesh  and thank  you for  having\n46   me.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n49   I appreciate  the update.   Any  questions or  comments\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n14   \n25   \n35   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1   from the Board.\n\n3                   (No comments)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n6   seeing  none, thank you  for that update  this morning.\n7   Appreciate your time.\n\n9                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n10   have  a couple  more  people who  signed  up that  were\n11   misfiled for this morning.  Gayla Hoseth is next in our\n12   queue.   And  after  that will  be  Peter Angasan,  Sr.\n13   Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. HOSETH:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n16   and members  of the Board.   I just couldn't  stay away\n17   from  this  table,  I  guess.    I  wasn't  planning on\n18   testifying  at this  meeting.   But  my  name is  Gayla\n19   Hoseth.   I wear  many different  hats.   I am  here on\n20   behalf of  Curyung Tribal  Council here  today to  talk\n21   about some issues that are on non-agenda items that are\n22   really important though as  what's happening out  there\n23   affecting  our subsistence way  of life in  the Bristol\n24   Bay Region.\n\n26                   We just got out of a Board of Fisheries\n27   cycle and herring was a big topic.  Herring, as we have\n28   in Kulukak Bay, is where have our Federal waters on the\n29   west side of  Bristol Bay and Chignik is  the other one\n30   and  I think  there's  a little  section in  Iliamna of\n31   Federal waters.   The decisions that are being  made at\n32   the Board of  Fisheries and also  at the North  Pacific\n33   Fisheries Management  Council are  going to  impact our\n34   communities when it comes to subsistence.\n\n36                   How do  we tie  that together with  the\n37   Federal Subsistence Board in talking.   I was glad that\n38   the  question  that was  brought up  by Mr.  Green from\n39   Seward  Peninsula RAC  to  Ms. Kara  about what  is the\n40   connection with  the Department of Commerce  when these\n41   decisions  are being made is what's happening out there\n42   at the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.\n\n44                   At  the  Board  of  Fisheries  we  have\n45   Proposal 188.   That part  of the Togiak  Herring stock\n46   will go  to the  Dutch Harbor/Unalaska  area for  their\n47   quota.  That's only if they are not catching 80 percent\n48   of the total allowable catch for Togiak.\n\n---\n\n11   \n18   \n25   \n32   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   In January  of 2027, the  North Pacific\n2   Fisheries  Management Council is  going to be  making a\n3   decision as to how much  biomass of herring is going to\n4   be taken  out of  the Bering Sea.   Right  now it  is 1\n5   percent.  That is going to possibly increase to 2  to 3\n6   percent.  That's  going to have significant  impacts on\n7   herring and the species that rely on herring or herring\n8   roe on help.   The smaller stocks of  herring along the\n9   western  coast of  Alaska  all  the way  up  as far  as\n10   Kotzebue and the species that rely on herring.\n\n12                   I  know  that  the   next  cycle  is  a\n13   fisheries cycle.  Trying to figure out how do we put in\n14   a proposal is challenging as I'm thinking in my head of\n15   the  proposal process, but a decision could possibly be\n16   made before the next Federal Subsistence  Board meeting\n17   of 2027.\n\n19                   As we see  the subsistence declines for\n20   fish, we  see the  subsistence declines  for moose  and\n21   caribou.   When we are really  looking at the ecosystem\n22   of our  waters, herring is  a key species in  the water\n23   that connects everything  that doesn't have  boundaries\n24   of who's managing what resource.\n\n26                   So I just  wanted to bring that  to the\n27   attention of  this Board and  maybe really push  to see\n28   how  we  do  work  with the  other  agencies  on  these\n29   decisions because I don't really see a cross connection\n30   of  how   we   are  communicating   and  having   those\n31   conversations.\n\n33                   I appreciate the engagement.  I  really\n34   want  to  focus  on  education.    I'm  glad  that  Ben\n35   highlighted a little  about the  National Park  Service\n36   comment period  that we're  currently in.    We are  in\n37   comment   period  after  comment   period  and  we  are\n38   constantly  reacting to all  of these changes  that are\n39   coming our way.   One thing that is really  key is that\n40   we really figure  out how do we focus  on educating the\n41   public  on what  are the  impacts  on this.  How do  we\n42   understand all of this and  so many different areas and\n43   sometimes we  catch comment  periods, and sometimes  we\n44   don't.\n\n46                   Very proud of Heather and the team that\n47   she works  with to do  the educational guide.   I think\n48   that's  going  to  help  people  get  engaged  in  this\n49   process.   I just  have  to say  since I  am here  from\n\n---\n\n**0354**\n\n9   \n22   \n24   \n32   \n41   \n45   \n50\n\n1   Bristol  Bay, I  am  really proud  of  Dan Dunaway  for\n2   sitting  in as  RAC.   The  RAC Chairman  here at  this\n3   meeting.   Also we have  RAC member Kenneth  Nukwak who\n4   came to  this process how  many years ago when  we were\n5   talking about caribou.   And a lot of  people don't get\n6   involved in this  process unless something is  wrong or\n7   they've  been  cited  or  their way  of  life  has been\n8   drastically affected.\n\n10                   Also I  want to recognize  Frank Woods.\n11   He  is from  our tribe  and  I am  really proud  of his\n12   leadership that  he serves  on the  Federal Subsistence\n13   Board in this space  as one of the  public members.   I\n14   can't forget  Crystal as  well.  She  is also  from our\n15   tribe.   So we  have a lot of  leadership here from the\n16   Bristol Bay  Region and  I just want  to say  thank you\n17   also  for  Jimmy for  speaking  up and  those  that are\n18   possibly going to speak  after.  But the herring  issue\n19   is a  big one that I don't want  us to overlook and not\n20   have it be on our radar for  all of us to pay attention\n21   in these different spaces that we are in.\n\n## 23 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n26   Gayla. I didn't realize we were Bristol Bay surrounded.\n27   I thought  Southeast had the  floor here.  Just  I know\n28   this as a Federal Board Program has seen this in Sitka.\n29   If there is  Federal waters  in the  bay, the  Makhnati\n30   Islands  were  closed  to the  harvest  of  herring for\n31   commercial purposes.\n\n33                   And  the State,  through pressure  from\n34   the  locals,  matched  that closure  area  in  there to\n35   provide for subsistence  uses and  conserve the  stock.\n36   So  this Board has  been engaged in  herring management\n37   toolmaking I guess.  I would look at what happened with\n38   Sitka and  maybe see what  we can do to  help entertain\n39   something out there to protect and preserve if there is\n40   going to be an increase.  Thank you.\n\n42                   MS.  HOSETH:   Thank  you very  much. I\n43   would be happy  to be a part of  those conversations as\n44   well.  Thank you.\n\n46                   MR. WOODS:   I just want to  thank you,\n47   Gayla, as a  public member I always  support statewide,\n48   regionally  wide,  and  all  the  issues  that  connect\n49   subsistence  to  Alaska.   The  youth  behind  you, I'm\n\n---\n\n5   \n14   \n23   \n26   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   looking at  a kid  I saw last  year, I  would challenge\n2   ourselves to bring those entities and I would recommend\n3   this. I've been recommending.  We have a RAC meeting at\n4   the school.\n\n6                   Like  Dan   was  talking   about  also,\n7   bringing a  youth track into  this process is huge.   I\n8   know it's costly, but it is important.  Your leadership\n9   back home  has been real  honored to have, not  just in\n10   this arena, but in different arenas, state and national\n11   wide.   We have  identified Federal  waters in  Bristol\n12   Bay.  We have identified the impacts of herring and its\n13   impact.\n\n15                   So with the RAC process I think we have\n16   some traction. And  thank you, Mr. Chair,  for speaking\n17   about  Sitka  and  the  Federal  waters  that  you  are\n18   identifying.  It's a different tract, but if that's why\n19   we are here, it's a non-agenda  items and we have a lot\n20   of issues statewide.  So  I'll move on because of time.\n21   Thank you,  Gayla, for  your input  and well  received.\n22   Thank you.\n\n24                   MS. HOSETH:   Through the  Chair, thank\n25   you, Frank.\n\n27                   MR.  GREEN:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n28   Gayla, I really appreciate the fact that you brought up\n29   the herring issue and the Board of Fish taking a cut of\n30   the Togiak  supposedly  fishery that  I  guess  doesn't\n31   really exist.  Does it?\n\n33                   So  the  point  I  was  going  to  make\n34   because you  brought that out  is the fact that  if you\n35   are going to fish --if people are going to fish out in\n36   the Bering Sea,  they are going to be  fishing on mixed\n37   herring  stock.  You  know, it's not  one stock.   So I\n38   think it's an important issue to really hone in on when\n39   they can  take somebody's  --a  percent of  somebody's\n40   catch  --a  quota, excuse  me, and  go fish it  in the\n41   middle of the  ocean, they're not going to be targeting\n42   only Togiak  herring.   They're going  to be  targeting\n43   Norton Sound area.  I used to fish Norton Sound.\n\n45                   Gayla, you  mentioned the  herring that\n46   are  probably  necessary to  make  it  all the  way  to\n47   Kotzebue,  and that would  be another small  stock, but\n48   sheefish feed  on herring.   I was just talking  to the\n49   main man  of the  Northwest Borough last  night and  he\n\n---\n\n3   \n10   \n12   \n17   \n20   \n31   \n40   \n47   \n50\n\n1   said  we  don't have  a  lot  but  we really  have  our\n2   sheefish and they are really doing well.\n\n4                   I encouraged  him to come  to the table\n5   and start  bringing that  out because  if the Board  of\n6   Fish is going  to allow a mixed stock  fishery, I don't\n7   think that's  going to be  doing any good for  the west\n8   coast of  Alaska.  So I really  appreciate you bringing\n9   that out.\n\n## 11 Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   other comments from the Board?  I appreciate it, Gayla.\n15   And thank you  and to AFN for  all that you do  for the\n16   rural subsistence user.  Thank you.\n\n18                   MS. HOSETH:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n19   Next in the queue is Peter Angasan, Sr.  Peter.\n\n21                   MR. ANGASAN, SR.:  Good morning.  A lot\n22   of Bristol  Bay folks here  today, huh?  I'm  from King\n23   Salmon,  from  Bristol  Bay.    I  went  to  a  meeting\n24   yesterday --not  here, but the other one.   The Yukon.\n25   There  was some kind  of agreement made  with Canadians\n26   and  Fish and  Game concerning their  lack of  stock up\n27   there and how  they're going to try to  preserve or get\n28   their stock  back.  But  the tribes weren't  invited to\n29   make comments for the agreement that was made with this\n30   group.\n\n32                   Although they left number four. It says\n33   if you have  a funeral, Father Max brought  up we could\n34   go get some fish and bring to the people.  But  I think\n35   that  there's 200 plus tribes and they're all Federally\n36   recognized, I think, and they  should have a say at the\n37   table concerning their  resources.  If we  don't have a\n38   say  about  our  resources,  it's  going to  be  a  big\n39   problem.\n\n41                   And then  we have  another big  problem\n42   because,  you know, we've got fishing that's in decline\n43   in  some areas.   You've got communities  that are just\n44   wilting away.   Then  we have our  children who  are in\n45   jeopardy  and they're leaving  us by means  of suicide.\n46   This is an epidemic.\n\n48                   You know, subsistence is not just going\n49   out and  getting a caribou or catching  a fish.  It's a\n\n---\n\n6   \n13   \n21   \n28   \n30   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n1   way for our elders to  communicate with us about how it\n2   used to be  and how it could  be and how it  should be.\n3   We  are the  elders  now.   We're  not  the young  kids\n4   anymore that went out with our elders.  We are the ones\n5   holding --leading the wagon so to speak.\n\n7                   But we're losing  39 people plus a  day\n8   nationally in suicide.  Alaska is the highest  rate and\n9   we don't want to  be in that rate. We want  to preserve\n10   our children.  Why?   Because one day our children will\n11   be our future  and we're going  to be hopefully  saying\n12   good job, we did well.\n\n14                   I'm  just saying  that subsistence  and\n15   how  we  can  represent our  communities  and  we can't\n16   represent them  if we're not at the  table.  I know I'm\n17   talking apples and oranges, but it all mingles down  to\n18   one thing.   We need to be recognized.  We need to have\n19   a seat  and our children have to be  heard.  We have to\n20   preserve our children.\n\n22                   I  mean   I  lost  my  son  because  of\n23   suicide.  I would have  never got involved if it wasn't\n24   for him  and I  wish I  have never  got involved.   But\n25   since I got  involved I realize what we need  to do and\n26   what  we  should do  and  what  we  can do  as  people.\n27   Subsistence is a way to preserve and help our children.\n\n## 29 That's all I have to say.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n32   that,  Peter.  I think that  sums up us living in rural\n33   communities  and the things we have to really encounter\n34   as we see resources and lifestyles changing and purpose\n35   diminishing.  So a real big thing we're struggling with\n36   as well.  Thank you.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Last in the queue is Spencer Beckman.  Spencer Beckman,\n40   you might be online.  If  you are, please press --oh,\n41   he's here.  Excellent.\n\n43                   MR.  BECKMAN:   Mr.  Chair.   Respected\n44   members of the  Board.  My name is  Spencer Beckman.  I\n45   was  raised  and  currently  reside  in  Craig,  Alaska\n46   located on Prince  of Wales Island.   I'm near lifelong\n47   subsistence  user and  a  rural  resident of  Southeast\n48   Alaska.   I  currently  serve as  the  Prince of  Wales\n49   Island Alaska Youth Stewards Program Manager.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n21   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   I'm    here    today     because    I'm\n2   participating in Heather Bauscher's course supported by\n3   the Sitka Conservation Council.  I'm taking this course\n4   with the  support of  Tlingit and Haida  so that  I may\n5   bring my youth group members in the future.\n\n7                   I'm also here today representing myself\n8   as a subsistence user.  This is my first experience and\n9   exposure  to the Federal  Board Management process.   I\n10   must say  that I'm very  thankful for the work  you all\n11   have done and  continue to do.  As  an Alaskan and more\n12   specifically  a   rural   subsistence   user   I   feel\n13   represented and that my voice is heard.\n\n15                   I commend you  for your professionalism\n16   and  willingness to find  common ground amongst varying\n17   Alaskan residents.  As you stated yesterday, Mr. Chair,\n18   we all  have a  lot in common  as Alaskans.   So again,\n19   thank  you for  what you  do  and for  setting a  great\n20   example of decorum for us all.\n\n22                   I, myself, am  not indigenous; however,\n23   my raising  in rural  Alaska has  instilled in me  many\n24   indigenous  values.    While  pursuing  my  masters  in\n25   education I  was  tasked with  writing  a paper  on  my\n26   culture.  For  a while I was  stumped.  I knew  that my\n27   ancestry was European, but as far as culture I was at a\n28   loss.\n\n30                   After   some  time   I  realized   that\n31   subsistence is my culture.   It is what makes me  who I\n32   am.  It connects me to the land, water,  fish, game and\n33   edibles around me.   Subsistence creates purpose  in my\n34   life as the gentleman before  me spoke.  Each season is\n35   something  to look  forward  to.    Subsisting  off  an\n36   ever-changing  landscape   has  made  me   a  life-long\n37   learner, keeping my mind sharp and my body strong.\n\n39                   I want to express today my support  for\n40   the   rural   status   of  Ketchikan,   Alaska,   while\n41   encouraging you to prioritize the subsistence rights of\n42   Unit 2 residents whose needs  have gone unmet in recent\n43   years.   I understand the importance of the subsistence\n44   way of life to my  neighbors in Ketchikan and I support\n45   those  rights.  Subsistence  is culture and  culture is\n46   connection.\n\n48                   Thank  you for your time and effort put\n49   before these issues.\n\n---\n\n1   \n4   \n6   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n32   \n40   \n48   \n50\n\n2                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n3   Spencer and appreciate it.  Any questions or comments.\n\n5                   (No comments)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Spencer  and I\n8   got to pull  a few fish eggs this spring  together.  We\n9   work in the  same department.  Good luck  with the kids\n10   this  summer.   It's really  important to  get out  and\n11   teach  that  engagement.   It's one  of these  areas in\n12   Southeast we find  every avenue to kind of  pick up our\n13   kids and  keep  them moving  towards  a goal  of  their\n14   purpose with good guardrails like Spencer.  He's also a\n15   teacher,  so  we  appreciate  that  leadership  in  our\n16   circle.\n\n18                   Thank you, Spencer.\n\n20                   MR. BECKMAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Frank.\n\n24                   MR.  WOODS:    Mr.  Chair,  thank  you.\n25   Through the Chair.  Spencer, thank you  for bringing it\n26   to light, the reality we  have in Alaska.  Just because\n27   you're   not  indigenous  doesn't  mean  you're  not  a\n28   subsistence  user and I  appreciate that.   Number one.\n29   It's a class  of cultures that need to  be addressed in\n30   this room, inside this room, outside this room and with\n31   each other.\n\n33                   That the  value system --I  value your\n34   testimony as  much  as I  do  any other  indigenous  or\n35   tribal entity.  That needs  to happen.  But it realizes\n36   that  we have  a conflict  of cultures doesn't  mean we\n37   have to disagree  and I appreciate your  honesty and up\n38   front saying that  I come to  this as a  non-indigenous\n39   person and I live off subsistence and culture.\n\n41                   If  you  heard  my   testimony  at  the\n42   beginning of the meeting, culture  is a shared group of\n43   activities  that  we  do  as  a  people.   Heritage  is\n44   inherited and I think there's a difference between that\n45   since I'm  --I'll  refer to  my  elder Joe  Chythlook.\n46   He's my designated grandfather in a culture that I live\n47   in.  He says that we only think we manage resource.\n\n49                   I  bring   this  forward   because  the\n\n---\n\n6   \n13   \n24   \n33   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   Western way of management is  to what we're doing today\n2   and  that's  foreign  to our  people.    You come  from\n3   Southeast  that have  impacted  the  highest influx  of\n4   non-subsistence user in a resource for the last hundred\n5   years.\n\n7                   Western Alaska is  now just imposing on\n8   that   influx.     With   the   guide   industry,   the\n9   non-regulated transporters  to the  fisheries resource.\n10   The  deer population  we have  before us,  right?   All\n11   those  issues have to be delineated and disseminated at\n12   this meeting.\n\n14                   That's huge.   I thank  you because  we\n15   need more of you to  come testify and start sorting out\n16   these  issues  at  the  table.    Working them  out  in\n17   regulation.   I have  to respect everyone.   When  I go\n18   back home I'm not fully accepted in every arena.  I'm a\n19   half-breed.  So in the Western world I am Native.  I go\n20   back home to  my village and  I'm considered a  cussuck\n21   (ph).   I  don't  have the  same designation  of either\n22   world, right?   I grew up in  a world where we  have to\n23   adapt to survive.\n\n25                   The Native people  are strong, but also\n26   the pioneers of this state helped organize and they did\n27   a great job  of forming this committee  because without\n28   this committee our  rural people and Native  people and\n29   non-Native people would not be able to feed themselves.\n30   With the high cost of --there are people paying $20 a\n31   gallon  for heating fuel  right now.   Ten dollars plus\n32   for gas.  I looked at a $14 a gallon gas bill.\n\n34                   Rural  Alaska  cannot  afford  to  live\n35   without  this program.    I  appreciate  your  and  I'd\n36   appreciate to see you  in more meetings, you said  this\n37   was  your first  testimony, first  experience, welcome.\n38   You keep coming back.\n\n40                   Thank you.\n\n42                   MR. BECKMAN:  Thank you, Mr. Woods.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair, I just want\n45   to echo  some of the  comments that Frank made.   Kevin\n46   Pendergast,  BLM.   We are  here to  represent a  rural\n47   preference.   That  doesn't mean  a Native  preference.\n48   Native is an important part of that, but it's rural and\n49   these  folks  are  experiencing  the  same  challenges,\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n13   \n19   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   regardless  of where they  come from originally.   It's\n2   really important to me,  the mission that we  have here\n3   as  this body  and  kind  of  understanding  all  these\n4   perspectives.    I  just  appreciate  your  remarks and\n5   wanted to mention that.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you and\n8   appreciate that.  A true culture of sharing in Alaska.\n\n10                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, the last person\n11   to  provide testimony on  the non-agenda items  is Herb\n12   Mansavage.  Herb.\n\n14                   MR. MANSAVAGE:   Thank you, Mr.  Chair,\n15   and members of  the Board.  I apologize.  I'm not savvy\n16   to the federal  process of this  Board and so I  have a\n17   couple agenda items  that I will be speaking  to you as\n18   I'm not going to be available tomorrow or the weekend.\n\n20                   For  the  record,   my  name  is   Herb\n21   Mansavage  and I represent  the chair of  the Matanuska\n22   Valley  Advisory Committee.  But again, for the record,\n23   this is  going to be  a personal testimony, but  I just\n24   wanted to make a  note that we did  submit a letter  on\n25   behalf of WP26-15, the deer  closure.  I would ask that\n26   that letter is looked at as that was good  conversation\n27   and  unanimous support  from the advisory  committee in\n28   the Matanuska Valley.\n\n30                   Again, for the record, I'm going  to be\n31   giving  personal  testimony.   First  I'll  start  with\n32   WP26-15. I am  strongly opposed to  this.  Mostly  from\n33   the sense that I've been  involved in the Board of Game\n34   process for  the  State for  the  last 15  years,  very\n35   heavily.  As a chair I really try to do my best to work\n36   with  the biologists and the constituents from all over\n37   the state to understand our resource as best I can.\n\n39                   When these  things come up  before us I\n40   really  try to,  from the  State  perspective, look  at\n41   what's  a biological concern here.  And in this case my\n42   strong opposition comes  from the reasoning that  there\n43   is no  biological concern  on these  islands and  then,\n44   number two, it's  a transplanted species.  So  I see no\n45   reason  for  a  rural  preference  on  this  particular\n46   species in these areas.\n\n48                   Secondly, just quickly, is WP26-11, and\n49   that would be the Unit 6D black bear.  The  only reason\n\n---\n\n7   \n13   \n23   \n30   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   I wanted to make  a note is I  could not see --it  was\n2   noted that closed  portions to non-Federally  qualified\n3   users.   I didn't explicitly see  that in the proposal,\n4   but I  just wanted  to ask that  that is  considered as\n5   well for those that are non-qualified for Federal lands\n6   there.\n\n8                   It's a very traditional --at least for\n9   myself, it's  one of the most beautiful areas in Alaska\n10   that I look forward to harvesting a black bear and it's\n11   great meat and  I just ask that it  is carefully looked\n12   at when that does come about.\n\n14                   For the non-agenda items I  just have a\n15   couple  comments  I  wanted  to make.    I'd  ask  when\n16   considering   these  proposals  --while  I'm  not  a\n17   Federally-qualified subsistence user, I  would ask that\n18   the Board  recognize subsistence nature  of all Alaskan\n19   game  and  fish,  which we  harvest  for  our families.\n20   Being a true steward of the land is a responsibility of\n21   all Alaskan residents and it's held with great care and\n22   respect.\n\n24                   To  follow   with  that,  while   I  am\n25   strongly  opposed to most  closures of Federal  land to\n26   non-Federally qualified  users for  the reasons  I just\n27   stated  above, I would ask that weapons restrictions be\n28   considered  before   total  closure   to  non-Federally\n29   qualified users.\n\n31                   Again I am speaking on personal behalf,\n32   but   I  am  a  board   member  of  Alaska  Bow  Hunter\n33   Association.  Part  of that board and  reason I've been\n34   on that board  for eight years is --you know, archery\n35   is  a heritage  and it's  a different  way of  not only\n36   hunting  the animals  but  experiencing  the  land  and\n37   environment and providing that food in that way.\n\n39                   So I  would just ask,  you know, before\n40   --and this is a  broad stroke, but before closures for\n41   non-Federally qualified users  are considered, I  would\n42   ask that --you know, it's something that a term may be\n43   a  primitive weapon such as a traditional muzzle loader\n44   or archery  equipment  is considered  for  those  users\n45   before a  total  closure  for  non-Federally  qualified\n46   users.\n\n48                   Lastly, again, kind of a broad  stroke,\n49   but in a lot of these areas I think trophy hunting gets\n\n---\n\n8   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n27   \n34   \n40   \n49   \n50\n\n1   a bad name and I'd like to make note that many  times a\n2   trophy hunter is  labeled as just  that, just a  trophy\n3   hunter, but meanwhile it's much larger than that.  True\n4   conservation  is in  most cases  the  taking of  large,\n5   mature animals, and  the meat is  just as valuable,  if\n6   not more, than the impressive  set of antlers, horn, or\n7   hide.  Thank you.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n10   Appreciate  that.   Any  questions?   And  this is  the\n11   Cordova Bay proposal, just for my mind space?\n\n## 13 MR. MANSAVAGE: Yes.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n16   you.  I was just placing it to a geographical area.  Go\n17   ahead, Don.\n\n19                   MR. HERNANDEZ:   Thank  you.   It's Don\n20   Hernandez.  Chair of the Southeast RAC.  You brought up\n21   that issue of whether or not transplanted species could\n22   have  a  customary  traditional use  determination  and\n23   that's  something we've dealt  with in Southeast Alaska\n24   where  we  have  customary traditional  hunts  on  some\n25   transplanted  species   and  it  required   a  lot   of\n26   discussion as to validate that.\n\n28                   The position of Southeast RAC  --and I\n29   think  would be consistent with all Title VIII statutes\n30   would  be that  people  view --you say  customary and\n31   traditional and people  kind of take that as  one term,\n32   it's customary  and traditional, but  it's two separate\n33   concepts in our view.\n\n35                   Traditions   are   those  longstanding,\n36   deep-seated  values  that  people  have  towards  their\n37   practices,  whereas customs  is something  that changes\n38   over time.  You  grow accustomed to doing  something as\n39   situations change.  So it's two different concepts.\n\n41                   So  in  the  case   of  a  transplanted\n42   species the  tradition is to  go out and hunt  for your\n43   personal subsistence,  but over time customs change and\n44   you adapt.  So when  a species is introduced it becomes\n45   part of that tradition of hunting and gathering, so you\n46   have to  view it  in that respect.   So  hopefully that\n47   would  clarify  your   concerns  about  customary   and\n48   tradition uses of the introduced species.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n10   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n37   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  Thank you.\n\n5                   MS. PITKA:   Hi. I just wanted  to make\n6   sure to  clarify.  What's  your name and  community and\n7   which proposals were you opposed  to?  I usually  write\n8   it down at the beginning so I have a clear idea of what\n9   the testimony is for the proposal.  Thank you.\n\n11                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  For the record my  name\n12   is  Herb Mansavage.  I'm representing  myself from  Big\n13   Lake,   Alaska.    The  letter  that  I  spoke  of  was\n14   representing  the  Matanuska   Valley  Fish  and   Game\n15   Advisory  Committee.    We  are  opposed  --from  the\n16   Matanuska  Valley perspective, we  are opposed  only to\n17   WP26-15  and for  myself I was  opposed to  WP26-15 and\n18   WP26-11.\n\n20                   MS.  PITKA:     Thank   you  for   that\n21   clarification.\n\n23                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  Yes, thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you,  I\n26   appreciate your testimony today.\n\n28                   MS. LAVINE:   Thank you, Mr. Chair.   I\n29   have been made aware that there is an individual online\n30   who's  been trying  to  raise their  hand and  it's not\n31   showing up.  Her name  is Sunniaq (ph). Sunniaq, if you\n32   could unmute your phone and address the Board, you have\n33   the floor.   If you need to unmute  your phone, you can\n34   press star six.   Star 6 to  unmute your phone.   I see\n35   now that you have your hand up.  There you go.  Address\n36   the Board, please.\n\n38                   MS. LEAVITT:  Thank  you.  Dora Leavitt\n39   for the  record. I am  speaking on my  behalf.  I  am a\n40   subsistence  hunter,  lifelong   resident  of  Nuiqsut,\n41   Alaska.   I am  thankful for this  Board, but  I really\n42   feel like there needs to be more communication to folks\n43   that have no idea that these meetings are going on.\n\n45                   If it  wasn't for  Facebook I  wouldn't\n46   have listened in,  but I've been listening in.   We all\n47   depend  on  the  migration.    We  all  depend  on  the\n48   resources  from the land.   I live in  the heart of oil\n49   and gas industry  and I've been watching  the migration\n\n---\n\n4   \n12   \n22   \n28   \n35   \n43   \n50\n\n1   for years.  I am 61 years old.  Our elders  have taught\n2   us the pattern of the  migration, when to hunt, when to\n3   let the first herd pass.\n\n5                   This  is   something  that   we're  not\n6   educating the sport hunters.   We like to call it sport\n7   hunters.   I  am thankful  for the  closure of  some of\n8   these  heavily   trafficked  sports   hunting  in   the\n9   Northwest area.   A  great concern  besides  we have  a\n10   concern on the decline of  the Western Arctic Herd.  We\n11   rely on the Teshekpuk Herd.\n\n13                   Our community has put a conservation of\n14   one  million acres  that is  to  protect the  migratory\n15   birds,  the caribou  calving  area.   It  is a  heavily\n16   caribou  calving   area   that  has   been  closed   to\n17   development.   The northeast portion of  the Teshekpuk.\n18   Our community felt the  need to slow down industry  and\n19   as  a trilateral  group had  proposed  to conserve  one\n20   million acres  and it was  granted by BLM so  that they\n21   can do willow development.\n\n23                   It  seems like when  you give  and give\n24   and give our subsistence special areas that our parents\n25   took me as  a little girl to go hunt  are being covered\n26   with infrastructure and road system for the development\n27   of oil and gas.\n\n29                   So when we hear of 26A was going to get\n30   --was going to include 26A with the caribou --what do\n31   you call  it?   Closure or limiting  our bag.   I  am a\n32   whaling captain's wife.  We  do hunt before we have our\n33   blanket toss.  We are going  to have one in June.   But\n34   we do not overtake the caribou.\n\n36                   We rely  on the  migration.  I've  been\n37   watching  the caribou as  infrastructure goes up.   For\n38   the last past decade we've had  weather factors and the\n39   migration  has been  really  slowly to  go south.   For\n40   years we  didn't freeze  up until November  or snow  up\n41   until November, and then we --the migration would move\n42   when they see the first snow.  They would start moving.\n\n44                   With  road  development   and  industry\n45   infrastructure  I see  deflection of  the caribou  when\n46   they come from  the West, the Northwest,  the Teshekpuk\n47   Herd, I know that  Northwest Arctic herd is  heavily --\n48   it goes towards Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright.   We\n49   get a  little bit of the Central  Arctic herd.  A place\n\n---\n\n2   \n12   \n21   \n29   \n41   \n49   \n50\n\n1   where we can no longer hunt on State land.\n\n3                   I sit in the middle of Federal land and\n4   on  the other side  of the  river is  State land.   The\n5   regulations are different.   We no  longer can hunt  on\n6   the  other side  where  my parents  used  to hunt  that\n7   Central  Western  Herd  with  the pipeline,  corral  of\n8   pipeline.  I feel that we need to study Milne Point.  I\n9   see  pictures and pictures  of industry  workers taking\n10   pictures  of  thousand  of  caribou.    Instant  relief\n11   underneath these drill sites on the roads.\n\n13                   So  we  need  to understand  what  this\n14   development is doing to the pattern.  With the closures\n15   of  some of  these places  for sports  hunters can  not\n16   roam, can no  longer go, they  will go to  26-B on  the\n17   Dalton highway.   I see  no enforcement or I  don't see\n18   anybody  going over  there.   It's a  little camp.   It\n19   looks like a little village when we pass by in the fall\n20   time.\n\n22                   I stop there  occasionally to see who's\n23   catching  and what they're catching.   I don't see very\n24   much meat.  I  see a lot of  big trophies going  south.\n25   So  we need to  understand what other  places of sports\n26   hunters and  educate them.   I was educated to  let the\n27   first herd  pass so that  they will always go  that way\n28   and come back.\n\n30                   I am  thankful for  the testimonies  of\n31   these elders  that I hear.   We share the  same similar\n32   stories of my  elders now that I am  becoming an elder.\n33   I hunt  for a lot  of people, multiple families.   When\n34   you're awaiting captain's  flag, you hunt all  the time\n35   for everybody.   Not just for the caribou,  but we fish\n36   on  the Colville  and on  the Nigliq  Channel.   We are\n37   impacted by oil and gas.  There needs to be a study  on\n38   deflection.  When  they do wildlife survey  studies and\n39   they  use aircrafts or  loud hover boats  they displace\n40   the caribou.\n\n42                   So  I just wanted to testify and I want\n43   to thank all  the RACs.  The Eastern  RACs, the Western\n44   RACs, the Northern RAC for keeping up with the wildlife\n45   studies  and making and ensuring that the population is\n46   stable  and strong  and we  have  to slow  down on  the\n47   limits.  That's the right  way.  That's the Inupiaq way\n48   and the Athabascan way and whatever culture we live in.\n\n---\n\n7   \n14   \n15   \n22   \n24   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   So I  just wanted to share my testimony\n2   and I want to thank you for letting me on.  I do have a\n3   lot to  say.  I  watched the migration.   I used  to go\n4   only six miles south and  wait for the caribous to come\n5   to me and  they would.  For  over a decade now  I don't\n6   see them.\n\n8                   With  new  road infrastructure  on  the\n9   road system towards  the west, when I go  south to hunt\n10   caribou I  go about 30  miles upriver unless I  want to\n11   get the Central  Western Herd.  I go  up another little\n12   river towards Itkillit.  That's another river to  go on\n13   and catch another herd of caribou other than Teshekpuk.\n\n16                   So  we need to  educate about the first\n17   herd.  Someone needs to keep track of the 26-B unit.  I\n18   know we're  going to  see a  lot more.  I  go to  Happy\n19   Valley  occasionally too where  there's a lot  of guide\n20   hunters.   So  I  just  want to  thank  this Board  for\n21   letting me on and testify.\n\n23                   Thank you.  I'm done.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n26   appreciate  you taking  the time to  call in  and share\n27   concerns of the area with the caribou.  Do we  have one\n28   more online?\n\n30                   MS.  LAVINE:   Bonnie,  can you  please\n31   press star six to unmute yourself.\n\n33                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Are you able to hear me?\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.\n\n37                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Hello?\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n40   the floor.\n\n42                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Mr. Chair  and members of\n43   the  Board.   My  name  is Bonnie  Ayojiak.  I am  from\n44   Manokotak.  It's  in the Nushagak  and Togiak areas  in\n45   the Bristol Bay.\n\n47                   First  of all I would like to thank you\n48   guys.  I commend you for all that you guys do.  As I am\n49   elder, just stepping into this elder role of mentorship\n\n---\n\n7   \n19   \n29   \n34   \n39   \n43   \n50\n\n1   and passing on traditional knowledge and the use of our\n2   land  and  waters,  I'm really  thankful  for  and very\n3   fortunate to  have leaders that  keep our needs  of our\n4   smaller communities that rely on subsistence use of our\n5   lands.  Thank  you to all  that work on  behalf of  our\n6   people all over the state.\n\n8                   The  young  people have  and  will have\n9   cultural and traditional practices continued as long as\n10   they live  off the land.  It's a  way of our being, our\n11   way of  life.   We are blessed  in this  state of  this\n12   great   nation  to  be  able  to  continue  living  our\n13   traditional way of life because of the subsistence that\n14   is  protected.   And we  share what  we catch,  when we\n15   catch, and very thankful for  those who share what they\n16   catch.  It's our way of being and I am happy  that some\n17   of   the  younger   elders  are   stepping  into   this\n18   leadership.\n\n20                   Thank  you  to Frank,  Gayla,  Kenneth,\n21   Jimmy, and to that young  man that spoke, Peter.  Thank\n22   you all for speaking out for our communities that don't\n23   know what's  going on, but they  use the land.   It may\n24   not be on a daily basis, but it's traditionally our way\n25   of life.   We just have  to keep sharing what  we know,\n26   especially  to  the  youth that  are  now  growing into\n27   being, you  know (in Yup'ik). Learning to live on their\n28   own.\n\n30                   Thank you  so much for  the opportunity\n31   to  speak  on behalf  of  myself,  my  family, and  our\n32   village  Manokotak in our  region, Bristol Bay.   Thank\n33   you.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.  I\n36   appreciate you  for calling  in and  speaking for  your\n37   people.  I believe that concludes the public testimony.\n38   Next we have two on for consensus agenda.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n41   Yes,  next for the  consensus agenda testimony  we have\n42   Kenneth Nukwak, Sr.\n\n44                   MR.  NUKWAK, SR.:   Good morning to the\n45   Chair and  members of  the Board.   Thank you  for this\n46   opportunity.  I  will mainly be expressing  my feelings\n47   and my thoughts  on WP26-40 and WCR26-07.   I'd like to\n48   thank the Bristol  Bay RAC for I think  listening to me\n49   on WCR26-07, keeping it as status quo.\n\n---\n\n9   \n10   \n17   \n22   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   I had to be  really adamant in  January\n2   when I was in that Bristol Bay RAC meeting as a member.\n3   First  I'll introduce  myself.    My  name  is  Kenneth\n4   Nukwak,  Sr.   (In Yup'ik).    I sit  on the  Manokotak\n5   Native Limited Board  of Directors in Manokotak.   I've\n6   sat on  the Manokotak Village  Council and I've  sat on\n7   the Manokotak City Council, but I had to reduce my hats\n8   in order for the work.  I  could not bear so much work.\n\n11                   I  was  encouraged by  Gayla  Hoseth to\n12   fill out an  application for the Bristol Bay  RAC and I\n13   thank her for that  and believing in me.  Once I filled\n14   it out  I waited  for about  a year  and that's  when I\n15   really learned how  the system works in  this arena, in\n16   the Federal Subsistence Management Program.\n\n18                   To some of  it I disagree, and  I agree\n19   to disagree,  but I will  keep on  coming back if  I am\n20   allowed to.   If there is funding to  testify each time\n21   on the expressions of my people from Manokotak.\n\n23                   What I bring  to the table when  I come\n24   to the meetings,  it is not all from me.  It comes from\n25   my  community of Manokotak.   What they  express in our\n26   meetings.   But when  I bring it to  the table they are\n27   shot down every time.  Just about every proposal I have\n28   turned in as a Native  person has not been agreed upon.\n29   This is what I was told to  say from one of the leaders\n30   in Manokotak.   I  will say  it in  Yup'ik first.   (In\n31   Yup'ik)\n\n33                   I am translating it into English what I\n34   was  told  to  say was  mainly  because  the leadership\n35   within the Bristol Bay RAC is mainly English Caucasians\n36   and a few Natives, we are not being listened to.  Maybe\n37   that might be true.  The Western system  and my TEK and\n38   IEK do  not agree  on the same  table on  every meeting\n39   I've  been attending.  That makes me think I have to be\n40   really  careful what  is coming  before  me before  the\n41   meetings  come  up every  year  from the  time  I start\n42   attending  these   meetings  from  the   basic  initial\n43   starting in 2018.\n\n45                   Please  do not try to shut off our TEKs\n46   and our IEKs.   My traditional ecological  knowledge is\n47   fully ingrained.   My  indigenous ecological  knowledge\n48   will not  be pulled out.  I am  sorry.  Let me catch my\n49   breath.  (In  Yup'ik).  Our  way of life is  very, very\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n19   \n31   \n40   \n50\n\n1   important to us.  Whenever  I go out hunting I  have to\n2   be real careful and look behind my back every time ever\n3   since I got a citation in 2012.\n\n5                   I have  to remind the other  hunters to\n6   be careful.  If they had any citations, let me know.  I\n7   am going  to say it again.  It  is not only coming from\n8   me whatever I bring to the table.  It is coming from my\n9   community.   What I  hear in the  steam houses,  what I\n10   hear in the meeting room, I bring every time.\n\n12                   Listen to  us.   This is  with all  due\n13   respect.   If we do not agree,  I have learned to agree\n14   to disagree  and hopefully  we meet  on the same  table\n15   again with  an agreement.   On  WCR26-07 I  was worried\n16   that  it might pass,  but the way  I see it,  I read it\n17   afterwards, just a  couple days ago.  It's  on a status\n18   quo and I'm real happy for that.\n\n20                   Last year  the population  count report\n21   was 650.   If that  had passed two or  three years ago,\n22   the permits that come to our small villages (in Yup'ik)\n23   maybe they would have been less.  Less meat. How we are\n24   going to  be quartering up  the caribou to  disperse to\n25   the  people  that   cannot  hunt,  that  do   not  have\n26   snowmachines, that  do not have four-wheelers,  that do\n27   not have boats.  We know who they are because they walk\n28   on the  road from Manokotak  to the new town  site five\n29   miles  out and  we pick  them up  and bring  them where\n30   they're going.\n\n32                   The 900 clause came  into being without\n33   our knowledge in 2018.   I was  here at the meeting.  I\n34   did  not know  what it was  about.  Only  thing I heard\n35   during  that meeting in 2018 that the Nushagak Advisory\n36   Committee, if  I have my memory correct, and the Togiak\n37   Advisory Committee  had not  agreed on  it, but  yet it\n38   passed because Bristol Bay  RAC agreed on it.   Correct\n39   me if I am wrong.  I am open to being corrected.\n\n41                   On the  WP26-40 that's  when that  came\n42   into mind.  Subject went  to the idea and the proposal,\n43   I remind the group from Manokotak, Entities Group, that\n44   I turned  in a  proposal.  It  has been  very difficult\n45   trying to  educate the  community, but  that last  week\n46   they finally came together when  I called for a special\n47   Entities meeting for this meeting this  week.  We wrote\n48   up  --we  drafted  up  two letters.    The first  one,\n49   WP26-40, supporting  it and  I reminded  them that  the\n\n---\n\n3   \n13   \n25   \n32   \n43   \n50\n\n1   atmosphere for that  is already in opposition,  but yet\n2   they chose to draft up a letter in support.\n\n4                   On  WCR26-40 we  drafted  a letter  and\n5   everybody signed from the entities group.  That's about\n6   20 or 21  of them or 22  from the leadership group.   I\n7   hope  the OSM  had received  that.   When I  called the\n8   person that was going to  send it from Manokotak to the\n9   OSM office told me that it  was sent and that he got  a\n10   response that it was received,  but I never asked if it\n11   was  --I need  to  reconfirm that  they  received it.\n12   Thank you.\n\n14                   So  in  hopes of  waking  everybody up,\n15   because I am  awake, I am aware  and I am alert.   What\n16   comes  to  the   table  of  Manokotak,  and   not  just\n17   Manokotak,  I  hope  Togiak,   Twin  Hills,  Manokotak,\n18   Dillingham, Clarks  Point and Ekuk are aware.  To reach\n19   out to those  other six communities is  very difficult.\n20   Even  I  tried  on  social  media.    It's  still  very\n21   difficult.   I tried on  the phone to reach  out to the\n22   leaders of  each of  them.  Still  very difficult.   So\n23   trying to educate  those --bring this education to the\n24   leaders, to the other six communities not very easy.\n\n26                   I have  not come to Gayla  or Georgiana\n27   for this because they have  other --they are very busy\n28   and I respect that.  They have helped me a lot whenever\n29   I asked for help.   Even Frank has helped me  out.  Dan\n30   Dunaway, thank you for sitting there.  Please listen to\n31   me.\n\n33                   Rhonda Pitka, I have not forgotten  the\n34   day that you supported me  and Anthony and Charlie  and\n35   the late Gene.   When  I was rejected,  but I am  still\n36   here, that  meant a lot.   My vocabulary back  then was\n37   very --I didn't even know what the word egregious was.\n38   I didn't know I was horrible when  I got a citation.  I\n39   was just being myself.  Wouldn't anybody feel  the same\n40   way as I did if you guys got a citation for following a\n41   caribou?  I  hate the word chase.  Maybe  we chase them\n42   like the wolves do.\n\n44                   And  there is a lot that says we cannot\n45   herd them.  Our  ancestors used that term, which  makes\n46   me think  of a  scenario.  Hitting  a caribou  and it's\n47   still running and  we have to follow it.   Maybe it has\n48   happened  already.  Maybe a person  might have gotten a\n49   citation for  trying to  catch that  caribou that  they\n\n---\n\n4   \n12   \n19   \n26   \n34   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   wounded.    There's  no  problem  that  the  hunter  is\n2   protected from trying  to catch that caribou  that they\n3   wounded.\n\n5                   Maybe  the hunter  chasing the  caribou\n6   that he wounded  and then the law  enforcement comes by\n7   and tells him you cannot  chase that caribou.  But it's\n8   wounded.  So I am going to give you a citation.  That's\n9   only a scenario  I heard.  I  don't know if I  heard it\n10   from one  of my friends.   I  don't know  if it's  from\n11   Frank.\n\n13                   We must be protected for trying to live\n14   off of the land instead  of getting any citations.  The\n15   money that we have could be used for the gas, maybe for\n16   a spark  plug, maybe for  a new tank because  the tanks\n17   that we use are plastic today and they are very easy to\n18   puncture.\n\n20                   Whatever I  said that  might have  been\n21   aggressive  or too aggressive in the  meetings.  I will\n22   not apologize.  That's just who I am.  As long  as it's\n23   good to me.  I am just trying to come across, I am just\n24   trying to keep my TEK and  my IEK on the same table  in\n25   which western science has encroached upon us.\n\n27                   I  think that's  about it.    If I  may\n28   speak to Manokotak  if they're listening, maybe  one or\n29   two  are  listening, maybe  the  whole 20  of  them are\n30   listening.   (In Yup'ik)  Thank  you through the Chair.\n31   And I apologize if I did not  greet you guys with thank\n32   you, with a pat on the  back.  I am not the young  guy.\n33   (Laughs)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n36   Kenneth.    We  appreciate your  testimony  here today.\n37   And, again, he's  the young guy, Louis,  jumping around\n38   and shooting caribou.   So that presence that  you have\n39   in the room helps change the effort we make up here, so\n40   we appreciate your leadership and you hang onto the TEK\n41   and IEK and  every other way of  egregiously protecting\n42   our way of life.  We thank you for that, Kenneth.\n\n44                   MR. NUKWAK: Quyana.\n\n46                   (Applause)\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   All right.   I\n49   think we have one more consensus agenda commenter.\n\n---\n\n3   \n17   \n24   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LAVINE:   Yes.  The last  person in\n2   our queue is Linda Pete.  Linda.\n\n4                   MS.  PETE:    Good  morning,  everyone.\n5   Chair and  Board members. my name is  Linda Pete.  I am\n6   from Gakona Village.  I  was taught to introduce myself\n7   by naming my parents and grandparents, to know where my\n8   family comes from.   My parents are the  late Betty and\n9   Nick Tyone.  My mom was from Gakona and my dad was from\n10   Gulkana Village in  the Ahtna region.   My grandparents\n11   were the late  Buster and Alice  Gene.  My  grandfather\n12   was  born near  Sourdough  Lodge and  my grandma  was a\n13   Stickwan.  Her  maiden name was Stickwan and  came from\n14   --the village  got  moved.   It  was  by the  Gulkana\n15   Airport but they were forced  to move by the Army.   So\n16   she moved to Gakona.  That's where we live.\n\n18                   I am here today to represent myself and\n19   speak on  behalf of the  Native Village of Gakona.   We\n20   are the  one tribal village  in the Ahtna region.   The\n21   word you use is subsistence.  We don't use  that in our\n22   area.   We  refer to  it  as customary  and traditional\n23   hunting rights.\n\n25                   Subsistence is  a name that  came about\n26   from somebody, I don't know.  I am used to my customary\n27   and traditional ways  of life.  I grew up like that.  I\n28   lived with my  grandparents in the summer  time down in\n29   fish  camp  and  hunting,  go  berry  picking  with  my\n30   grandparents and my dad and mom.\n\n32                   We rely on  our wildlife and game.   We\n33   are on the  road system so we get  all kinds of hunters\n34   in  our area  from all  parts  of Alaska,  even out  of\n35   state.  You  know, it's hard  sometimes.  Our  village,\n36   only one family got a  moose probably in the last three\n37   years.   I live  in Copper  Center.   That is  where my\n38   husband was from.   I have three daughters  and one son\n39   and  some  grandchildren,  but  I  do  have  one  great\n40   grandson.\n\n42                   I  speak  not only  for today,  but for\n43   future generations.  We have to protect what we have or\n44   we will have none for them.  When I first got  involved\n45   in  State  and  Federal  Fish  and  Game,  under  State\n46   management  our   subsistence  designation   was  being\n47   threatened by the  State of Alaska.   There was  nobody\n48   from our  area from there,  but we  quickly formed  and\n49   went there and defended our subsistence rights.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n20   \n28   \n37   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   Just  because people  move  in and  out\n2   doesn't change our status.  We will always be customary\n3   and traditional.   The Ahtna  people have been  in that\n4   area for  generations.  Documented  over 10,000  years.\n5   Probably more but who knows.\n\n7                   I am here today to testify on the moose\n8   and caribou season,  the extension in  Unit 11 and  13.\n9   It's been  warm in August  months.  I don't  know about\n10   any other areas but my  own, but it's like sometimes in\n11   the  80's,  still in  the  80's degrees  and  the moose\n12   aren't moving.  By it being extended another  five days\n13   I don't think will hurt the harvest.\n\n15                   Has anybody  ever  seen  the  moose  or\n16   caribou the day after the hunting season  closed?  I've\n17   seen it many times.  I think that will give us a better\n18   opportunity as we rely on moose and caribou when we can\n19   have caribou.\n\n21                   My Uncle Nick Jackson, he  spoke of the\n22   caribou  decline two years before it closed, but nobody\n23   listened to him.  I always bring that up because people\n24   need  to know  that our  elders know  what's going  on.\n25   Even  though people think  science is more  better, but\n26   traditional  knowledge  is  the way  that  they  should\n27   listen to the people.\n\n29                   For the proposal,  the 26-31, to  close\n30   BLM lands  to allow for  rural hunters,  that needs  to\n31   stay that  way.   I  don't  --non-rural  hunters  have\n32   better  opportunities than  the  rural hunters  in  our\n33   area.  The State of  Alaska selected over 80 percent of\n34   their land in  the Ahtna territory,  hunting territory.\n35   So they have a lot of opportunity.  The little piece of\n36   BLM that they want to hunt in, that takes away from us.\n\n39                   If you come up to our area when hunting\n40   season  opens, it's awful.  Everybody comes there after\n41   September  1st, up in the  Eureka area, there's I don't\n42   know  how many  cars up  there,  rigs, everything  they\n43   bring.   Even in the  Cantwell area they moved  up that\n44   way more.  And on the Denali Highway up towards Paxton.\n45   I see more of them are going up in Unit 13C because the\n46   allocation has moved more up that way.\n\n48                   I know  my two daughters  are listening\n49   online and they are really interested in learning about\n\n---\n\n8   \n14   \n23   \n31   \n33   \n40   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   these  processes and  they're  going  to  be  the  ones\n2   sitting here at the table defending  what should be our\n3   right.   When the Alaska Native  Land Claims was passed\n4   our elder that  told us who was there  representing our\n5   region said that  the State of Alaska promised that our\n6   hunting and fishing rights will  be protected.  But the\n7   State has failed that process.  We are not protected.\n\n9                   I don't  know how  many lawsuits  Ahtna\n10   has  with the  State of  Alaska in  the last  20 years.\n11   It's so many.  That's what we have to do to protect our\n12   rights,  is to  file  a lawsuit  against  the State  of\n13   Alaska.\n\n15                   I sit  on the Ahtna  Incorporated Board\n16   and I sit on the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission.\n17   I  am  the president  for  my  village.   I  have  been\n18   involved in this arena since I  was 19.  I got  elected\n19   on stuff starting  at 19.  I quickly  learned about all\n20   this stuff going on and I will continue to advocate for\n21   my people  until I can't  any longer.  I  know you guys\n22   are needing a break. I'll stop at that.  Thank you.\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We  appreciate\n25   that.   Thank you for your  testimony too.  I  was just\n26   missing  Gloria Stickwan  here  and  I  said  you  look\n27   familiar  and then  you say  you are from  the Stickwan\n28   family,  so I was  like, oh, right  on.  I  can see the\n29   resemblance and hear  the passion from the area.   So I\n30   appreciate you sharing the testimony today.\n\n## 32 MS. PETE: Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. PITKA:   I'd like to thank  you for\n35   your long-standing testimony back when I first became a\n36   Regional Advisory  Council member back in 2014.  It was\n37   people from  Ahtna  that really  educated the  Regional\n38   Advisory  Council on  hunting issues.    Thank you  for\n39   that.\n\n41                   MS.  PETE: It's only me here today.  We\n42   had a death in our region, so  that's why you don't see\n43   anybody here.  It's a priority for them to  be with the\n44   family, so thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Condolences to\n47   the community as well.  Thank you.  One more?\n\n49                   MS.  LAVINE:   Thank  you, Chair.   One\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n17   \n25   \n37   \n45   \n50\n\n1   more.  Carrie Stevens.\n\n3                   MS. STEVENS:  Good morning.  I promised\n4   I would  be  very short.   For  the record  my name  is\n5   Carrie Stevens.  I am speaking for myself this morning.\n6   Through the Chair,  thank you.  Thank  you for allowing\n7   me  to  speak.    On the  consensus  you  have Wildlife\n8   Closure, I  think it's 26-22.   That is the  closure in\n9   25D West for moose.\n\n11                   And I  just wanted to  thank the  State\n12   for being in agreement.   I am grateful this is  on the\n13   consensus agenda for  all the reasons that I  stated on\n14   25D remainder and  we are just still in  the same place\n15   in 25D  West.   And so  this closure  really absolutely\n16   does provide for the subsistence users of the area.\n\n18                   We are still  seeing increased presence\n19   of  non-Federally  qualified  users in  our  area.   In\n20   particular we are seeing a lot of trespass in the early\n21   spring  around hunting  for  the big  animal.   That is\n22   fairly new.  Not sure what is going on there.  Probably\n23   one  buddy told his other  buddy, told his other buddy,\n24   and they tend to leave a lot of trash in the area.\n\n26                   I  share  that  in   relation  to  this\n27   closure  because there  are still  a  lot of  non-local\n28   residents, non-Federally qualified subsistence users in\n29   the area and we do have  a State Tier 2 permit  system.\n30   They  are harvesting moose in the river corridor, right\n31   in places where the local hunters hunt.  So we still do\n32   have  non-Federally   qualified  users   in  25D   West\n33   harvesting moose.  So I just wanted to put that on  the\n34   record that  just because  there is  a closure  doesn't\n35   mean that there  is not  non-Federally qualified  users\n36   harvesting in 25D West.\n\n38                   We  continue  to  have  very low  moose\n39   density, very high predator numbers, and a really  --I\n40   don't want to  say poor, but maybe minimal  habitat for\n41   moose.  Of course we are facing the salmon crisis and I\n42   don't believe that  we know the full effect  of that on\n43   the ecosystem and it really is quiet out there.  I just\n44   can't tell you how quiet it is without the salmon.\n\n46                   So I  just wanted  to share  that I  am\n47   grateful for  this closure.   I know the people  of the\n48   area are  very grateful  for this closure.   So  I just\n49   wanted to put that on record.\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n22   \n29   \n36   \n38   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n2   Karie.  Any comments, questions.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none.\n7   Thank you.  We will take a 10-minute break.\n\n9                   (Off record)\n\n11                   (On record)\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n14   Welcome   back.    As  we   fill  our  seats  a  little\n15   announcement here.   We are probably going  to order in\n16   for  lunch.    Seeing  as  the  agenda today  stops  at\n17   5 o'clock  sharp we have  an Executive Session  that we\n18   have to do at 5:00.  So if we leave here for an hour we\n19   will be  loggerheading and  getting started  again.   I\n20   think  the staff  is going  to  circulate something  to\n21   order form.\n\n23                   Also it's  going  to be  a  real  tight\n24   proposal,  so again  we appreciate  everybody and  them\n25   being  here and  if we  do  have testimony  that we  be\n26   respectful of  the time  today.   Not limiting  anyone,\n27   just  respectful of the  time, pointed to  the proposal\n28   and what's in before us.\n\n30                   So we just appreciate all that and look\n31   forward  to moving on and hopefully we will get through\n32   a  good part  of this  today and  looking like  a later\n33   evening tomorrow because we keep running into something\n34   to do today.  So I appreciate that we will go ahead and\n35   open up the floor for Staff for the next proposal.\n\n## 37 Thank you, Brian.\n\n39                   MR. UBELAKER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n40   For  the  record,  Brian  Ubelaker.    I  will  now  be\n41   presenting  summary   for  Wildlife   Proposal  WP26-64\n42   regarding  muskox in  Unit 22.   This  analysis can  be\n43   found on Page 1,241 of your meeting materials.\n\n45                   This proposal, submitted  by the Seward\n46   Peninsula   Subsistence   Regional   Advisory  Council,\n47   requests  changing  the  closing date  of  the  Federal\n48   muskox season from March 15th to March 31st in Units 22\n49   and  23 Southwest.   The proponent explains  that March\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n17   \n19   \n31   \n37   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   weather  and snow conditions make travel safer and more\n2   predictable than earlier in the season,  especially for\n3   local hunters using snowmachines.\n\n5                   Extending  the  season   would  improve\n6   harvest  opportunity without  biological concern  since\n7   calving occurs later  in the spring.  The  intent is to\n8   provider rural subsistence users with more flexibility,\n9   better safety  and increased  efficiency when  pursuing\n10   muskox to meet subsistence needs.\n\n12                   As this  proposal covers what  the last\n13   two  proposals  covered   on  the  biology,  regulatory\n14   history, and harvest  section, for brevity I  will skip\n15   over those unless anybody would  like me to run through\n16   them real quick.\n\n## 18 (No comments)\n\n20                   MR. UBELAKER:  Moving on.  The proposal\n21   would  extend the  Federal muskox  season  by 15  days,\n22   giving   subsistence   users   more   opportunity   and\n23   flexibility to  avoid  poor weather  and unsafe  travel\n24   conditions.   No biological  concern is  expected since\n25   the  muskox  population  is already  carefully  managed\n26   through quotas and  permits.  Pregnant cows  should not\n27   be impacted.   This calving occurs later in the spring.\n28   While late March hunts could  add some stress to muskox\n29   groups, the  overall low  harvest pressure should  make\n30   this effect minimal.\n\n32                    A   drawback   is   added   regulatory\n33   complexity since  the Federal  and State  closing dates\n34   would  no longer align, requiring hunters to be mindful\n35   of  land  status.   However,  hunters  already navigate\n36   similar land status differences under other hunts.\n\n38                   Therefore,  the  OSM conclusion  is  to\n39   support proposal WP26-64.  Adopting this proposal would\n40   provide   increased  harvest   opportunity  and   safer\n41   conditions  for   federally  qualified   users  without\n42   raising  conservation concerns.    Extending into  late\n43   March  maintains  meat   and  quality  while  improving\n44   flexibility for subsistence hunters.\n\n46                   With that I will take questions.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n11   \n15   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n2   questions for Brian on the muskox.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n7   seeing none.  Any summary of written public comment?\n\n9                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Mr.  Chair, no,  there\n10   were not.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n13   that.  Summary  of   tribal  government  Alaska  Native\n14   Corporation consultation.\n\n16                   MR.  LIND:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair.\n17   There were no comments on this proposal.  Thank you.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n20   tribal, Alaska  Native organization  testimony here  or\n21   online.\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n26   seeing  none.     Advisory  group  testimony,   comment\n27   summary, SRC State Advisory or multi-agency group.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   MS  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Not\n32   that I'm aware of.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any  public\n35   testimony here or online wave your hand.\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n40   seeing none.  We'll move on to Council recommendation.\n\n42                   MR.  GREEN:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n43   Louis  Green  for  Seward Peninsula  Regional  Advisory\n44   Council.  We  voted to support the WP26-64  in our fall\n45   meeting.   Our  justifications  were  changing  weather\n46   patterns  recently made  it  more difficult  to  access\n47   muskoxen  herds.   A  two-week  extension will  provide\n48   users  more opportunity to harvest if  there is a delay\n49   in  access  due  to  the  weather.   As  there  are  no\n\n---\n\n3   \n8   \n17   \n19   \n23   \n26   \n28   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n**0380**\n\n1   conservation concerns  and the  season will not  affect\n2   calving, the Council supports this proposal.\n\n4                   The  saying goes  when March  comes in,\n5   it's in like a lion and out like a lamb.  So the latter\n6   part of  that kind  of extending  that season  it holds\n7   true to the saying.\n\n9                   In our  winter meeting,  to follow  up,\n10   the Seward  Peninsula RAC  voted to  submit a  Board of\n11   Game proposal  to align  the season  end dates  because\n12   there  was a  mismatch.  It  goes from the  15th of the\n13   State  and we want  to go to  the 30th or  31st.  So we\n14   were going to --we voted  to submit that Board of Game\n15   proposal to align  the season end dates  if approved by\n16   this Board.\n\n## 18 That's all I have. Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n21   Louis.  I believe we do have one online  that wanted to\n22   be recognized, Robbin.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n25   Harold Napoleon, you have the floor.\n\n## 27 (No comment)\n\n29                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Napoleon, if you would\n30   like  to address the  Board on Wildlife  Proposal 26-64\n31   Unit  22  muskox,  please  press  star  six  to  unmute\n32   yourself.   If this is  a comment for non-agenda items,\n33   you will have  another opportunity tomorrow.   So, once\n34   again, if this is a comment on Wildlife Proposal 26-64,\n35   please press  star six to unmute yourself.   Thank you.\n36   If you're on Teams just raise your hand --sorry, press\n37   unmute your microphone icon.\n\n## 39 MR. NAPOLEON: Haw'aa.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hello, Harold.\n42   You have the floor. We can hear you.\n\n44                   MR. NAPOLEON:  Oh, good.  I'm sorry.  I\n45   didn't want to address specifically what you're talking\n46   about.  I  just wanted  to share my  own ideas on  what\n47   subject you're talking  about and that's what  you call\n48   subsistence.  I've  been working for the  Yup'ik people\n49   all my life.  I started at 22 and I've worked  on their\n\n---\n\n3   \n14   \n23   \n29   \n33   \n36   \n42   \n50\n\n1   hunting  and fishing  rights all  those  years securing\n2   them.\n\n4                   I just wanted to make this point.  When\n5   you talk about  --I think you missed  --we mis-coined\n6   the word.  When you're talking about the culture of the\n7   Alaskan  Native  people, hunting  and fishing  aren't a\n8   part of our culture.   That is who we are.   People, no\n9   matter how powerful  they are, can regulate  it besides\n10   our own selves.  So  that's what you are talking about.\n11   You are talking about the culture  of the Alaska Native\n12   people.  They are the  only ones who should regulate it\n13   if they want to.\n\n15                   So I believe it's  an intrusion on  the\n16   part  of  the  Federal  government  and  the  State  to\n17   regulate  the hunting  and fishing  of Alaska  Natives.\n18   Including where they  could hunt, when they  could hunt\n19   and how they  could hunt.  Where they  could fish, when\n20   they could fish, what size nets.  So you are regulating\n21   a way of life. The  only people that should regulate it\n22   are the Natives themselves.\n\n24                   So that's all  I wanted to say.   Thank\n25   you very  much  for listening  to  me.   I'll  continue\n26   listening.  I finally got on.  I've  been trying to get\n27   on.  I'm new to all of this, so excuse me and thank you\n28   for your work.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n31   calling in, Harold,  and we appreciate the  brevity and\n32   the way of life you represent.  Thank you.\n\n34                   Next we have  Alaska Department of Fish\n35   and Game.\n\n37                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n38   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n39   opposes  the proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n40   regulations,  causing confusion  amongst the  users and\n41   also makes it challenging for law enforcement.\n\n43                   If  I may, I  do have one  question for\n44   Mr. Ubelaker.  In the  OSM analysis at the beginning of\n45   the  summary it  says to  March 31st,  but then  in the\n46   proposed  Federal reg  it says  to March  30th. When  I\n47   count on  my little  fingers, 15 extra  days is  to the\n48   30th.  So I just  wanted clarification because  I heard\n49   31st, but  then I  was looking at  the material  and it\n\n---\n\n3   \n8   \n10   \n14   \n18   \n22   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n38   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n**0382**\n\n1   says 30th.  I didn't know what the date was with the 15\n2   extra days for sure.\n\n4                   MR. UBELAKER:   Through the  Chair, Mr.\n5   Mulligan.  If the proposal is asking for 15 days, I got\n6   my talking points wrong  on my math.  So  thank you for\n7   correcting me.\n\n9                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n12   InterAgency  Staff  Committee.    They  provide   their\n13   standard comment.\n\n15                   MS.  GREDIAGIN:   Mr. Chair.    We also\n16   need    to   get    the   Northwest    Arctic   Council\n17   recommendation.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, okay.   It\n20   didn't pop  up on  there.  I'm  sorry.   Northwest, you\n21   have the floor.\n\n23                   MS. PILCHER:   Good  morning, everyone.\n24   Nissa  Pilcher for the record.  Council Coordinator for\n25   Northwest  Arctic.  So the Council voted to unanimously\n26   support WP26-64.   The Council supported  extending the\n27   season as it allows  people to get out when  conditions\n28   are safer and provides more flexibility to harvest.\n\n30                   Thank you.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n33   that.  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n35                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n36   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n37   comment.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n40   Board discussion  with your  liaison, Council  Chair or\n41   State  Representative.   Any  points  of clarification,\n42   discussion.\n\n44                   (No comments)\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Hearing, seeing\n47   none.  Open the floor for Board action.\n\n49                   MR.  PENDERGAST:    Mr. Chair.    Kevin\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n25   \n31   \n34   \n38   \n42   \n50\n\n1   Pendergast, BLM.   I  think there's  a question  on the\n2   floor we need  to settle before I can  make any motion.\n3   That is are we talking about extension to March 30th or\n4   March 31st?   I  noticed the  proposed regulatory  text\n5   says  March 30th.   The general description  says March\n6   31st.  This needs to be settled, I think.  I'm not sure\n7   exactly how to  do that, but I  don't want to  make the\n8   wrong motion.\n\n10                   MS. GREDIAGIN:   Lisa Grediagin for the\n11   record.    So  I'm looking  at  the  proposal that  was\n12   actually submitted and I think that's kind of where the\n13   confusion comes in  because in the issue  statement and\n14   the submitted proposal it says from March 15th to March\n15   31st.  But then in  the proposed regulation language it\n16   says to March 30th.  You know, it was submitted  by the\n17   Council, but basically  OSM helped draft  that.  So  it\n18   was probably ultimately our fault.\n\n20                   So  I guess at this juncture I might --\n21   I mean it's  one day. I might just defer to Louis if he\n22   has  a preference  if he  wants  an extra  day or  not.\n23   Because  I think  the confusion  came  from the  actual\n24   proposal as it was submitted.\n\n26                   MR. GREEN:  So I had a little confusion\n27   when I was  bringing up the  date.  When I  was reading\n28   this it didn't make sense  because 15 days after is the\n29   30th, so  I suppose  that's appropriate.   Okay,  thank\n30   you.\n\n32                   MR. GREDIAGIN:   I mean  if that's what\n33   the RAC discussed.\n\n35                   MR.  GREEN:   Yeah, yeah.    I mean  --\n36   yeah, we asked for 15 extra  days.  So thanks for that,\n37   Kevin.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   So  we  would\n40   recognize the  date as  the 30th  based on  discussion.\n41   Thank you.  The floor is open for a motion.\n\n43                   MR.  PENDERGAST:    Mr. Chair.    Kevin\n44   Pendergast, BLM.   Mr. Chair, I move to  adopt Wildlife\n45   Proposal 26-64  to extend the Seward  Peninsula Federal\n46   muskox season closing date in  Units 22 and 23 south of\n47   Kotzebue Sound and  west of and including  the Buckland\n48   River drainage from March 15th to March 30th.  If I get\n49   a  second, I will open the discussion by explaining why\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n12   \n20   \n28   \n33   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   I plan to support my motion.\n\n3                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n4   seconds.\n\n6                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Thank you.  I'll open\n7   by  noting  that  I think  it's  always  desirable when\n8   possible to have alignment and reduce confusion between\n9   the  regulations.   So  I was  heartened  to hear  that\n10   there's thinking about,  you know, trying to  make that\n11   happen through the State process.\n\n13                   In   this    instance   the    muskoxen\n14   population throughout this range is healthy and stable.\n15   Federal subsistence harvest rates have remained low and\n16   most  muskoxen  are   harvested  under  State  permits.\n17   Extending the Federal  subsistence season is  therefore\n18   not expected to increase harvest substantially or  lead\n19   to a conservation concern.\n\n21                   At the same time extending the  Federal\n22   season  will  provide Federally  qualified  subsistence\n23   users  with a meaningful preference.  The additional 15\n24   days in  March will  provide Federally  qualified users\n25   with an additional opportunity to harvest muskox  later\n26   in the season when the  days are longer and weather and\n27   travel conditions are generally better.\n\n29                   The  additional  two  weeks  will  also\n30   provide  Federally  qualified  subsistence  users  with\n31   buffer  time  to  account for  bad  weather  conditions\n32   earlier in the season.\n\n34                   The Seward Peninsula  Regional Advisory\n35   Council also reports  that the meat and  conditions are\n36   favorable  for subsistence uses during this time of the\n37   season.\n\n39                   The  BLM support  of  this proposal  is\n40   consistent with the Seward Pen and Northwest Arctic RAC\n41   recommendation.\n\n43                   Thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Kevin.  Board deliberation, discussion.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n21   \n23   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none.   Please read into  the record the  motion\n3   and roll call.\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   The motion  is to  adopt WP26-64  to extend  the Seward\n7   Peninsula Federal muskox  season closing date in  Units\n8   22  and 23  south of  Kotzebue  Sound and  west of  and\n9   including  the Buckland River  Drainage from March 15th\n10   to March 30th.\n\n12                   BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n14                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n18                   MS. PITKA:   I support  in deference to\n19   the  Regional Advisory Councils, the Seward Pen and the\n20   Northwest Arctic.\n\n22                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n24                   MS.  JOHN:    BIA votes  to  adopt  the\n25   proposal  as recommended  and  justified by  the Seward\n26   Peninsula and Northwest Arctic RACs as it has no effect\n27   on   conservation  concerns  and  it's  safer  for  the\n28   residents and it's flexible.  Thank you.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n32                   MR. WOODS:  Public  Member Woods adopts\n33   in favor of  the RAC's recommendation and  also they're\n34   aligning proposals.  Thank you.\n\n36                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n37   Ingersoll.\n\n39                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n40   in   deference  to  the   RACs  and  for   the  reasons\n41   articulated by the Bureau of Land Management.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n44   Service Member Boario.\n\n46                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n47   supports  in  deference  to the  Seward  Peninsula  and\n48   Northwest  Arctic Advisory Councils and for the reasons\n49   outlined by BLM.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n28   \n33   \n39   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n3                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney is in\n4   support of WP26-64 as outlined  by the RACs in the area\n5   and also OSM.  Thank you.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n9                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n10   votes in  support as  in agreement  with comments  made\n11   previous to me.\n\n13                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n14   Striker.\n\n16                   MR. STRIKER:   Park Service supports in\n17   deference  to the RACs  for the reasons  articulated by\n18   Director   Pendergast.    The  two  week  and  one  day\n19   extension.\n\n21                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n23                   CHAIR  CHRISTIANSON:     I  support  in\n24   deference to the RAC.\n\n26                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n27   passes unanimously.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n30   Appreciate that.   We'll move on to the next  one.  Oh,\n31   we're on Western  Interior. WP26-50. I feel  like we're\n32   accomplishing stuff.\n\n34                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n35   Once again, Brian Ubelaker.   I will give you the brief\n36   summary  for  WP26-50  regarding  the  Upper  Kuskokwim\n37   Controlled Use Area  in Unit 19.  This  analysis can be\n38   found on Page 1,127.\n\n40                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n41   Western Interior  Alaska Subsistence  Regional Advisory\n42   Council and  requests reducing  the size  of the  Upper\n43   Kuskokwim   Controlled    Use   Area    under   Federal\n44   regulations.   So it  matches the smaller  area already\n45   defined under State regulations.\n\n47                   The  CUA  was   originally  established\n48   under State regulations  in 1981 to  reduce competition\n49   between   local   and   non-local  moose   hunters   by\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n15   \n23   \n28   \n34   \n40   \n47   \n50\n\n1   prohibiting the use of aircraft.\n\n3                   At the start of the Federal Subsistence\n4   Program  in 1992 matching  language was adopted  in the\n5   Federal regulations.   Under State regulations  between\n6   2001 and 2008  the Controlled Use Area  grew and shined\n7   through   several   different  modifications   to   the\n8   boundary.\n\n10                   At  the point when  the CUA was  at its\n11   largest  in 2006  Federal  regulations were  adopted to\n12   align the  boundaries.  Since  that time the  State has\n13   reduced the size  of the CUA while  Federal regulations\n14   have remained unchanged.\n\n16                   There  were  several   alternatives  to\n17   consider for this  proposal.  The first of  which is to\n18   align  Federal and  State season  dates.  State  CUA is\n19   only in effect during the State's moose hunting season.\n20   The  Federal  CUA however  extends  through the  entire\n21   Federal moose season, including late  September and the\n22   winter hunt.\n\n24                   If  the Federal  regulations match  the\n25   State's,  Federally qualified  subsistence users  could\n26   use aircraft for the end of September and again  during\n27   the winter season.\n\n29                   The second  alternative is  eliminating\n30   the Federal  CUA  entirely because  the  State  version\n31   already regulates aircraft use in this area and because\n32   the Federal CUA contains almost no Federal public lands\n33   the Federal CUA is essentially meaningless.\n\n35                   It  only   adds  an   extra  layer   of\n36   restrictions that  apply solely to  Federally qualified\n37   subsistence   users.     Removing  it   would  simplify\n38   regulations, reduce confusion and eliminate unnecessary\n39   complexity.\n\n41                   The  third  alternative.     There  are\n42   several Unit 19D  moose hunt areas that  are defined by\n43   the boundaries of the Upper  Kuskokwim CUA.  If the CUA\n44   is reduced or  eliminated, these hunt areas  would need\n45   to be  updated so that  seasons and harvest  limits are\n46   not unintentionally changed.\n\n48                   If adopted,  this proposal  would align\n49   Federal and State regulations, reduce confusion and may\n\n---\n\n5   \n12   \n19   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   increase opportunity  for local  users during the  late\n2   and winter seasons.   No impacts are expected  to moose\n3   populations or to Federal  opportunity since only local\n4   residents have C&T for moose in the area.\n\n6                   However, matching the current extent of\n7   the CUA under  State regulations  would be  essentially\n8   meaningless as  there are  only 33.5  acres of  Federal\n9   public lands.   These lands are located within the city\n10   limits of  McGrath, which has an  ordinance prohibiting\n11   the discharge of firearms.\n\n13                   Eliminating  the   CUA  under   Federal\n14   regulations  would  be  in  alignment with  Secretarial\n15   Order 3447, which directs the Department of Interior to\n16   identify   and   remove   unnecessary   regulatory   or\n17   administrative  barriers  to  hunting  and  fishing  on\n18   Department-managed lands and waters.\n\n20                   Therefore, OSM's  recommendation is  to\n21   support WP26-50  with  modification  to  eliminate  the\n22   Upper  Kuskokwim CUA entirely  and change the  Unit 19D\n23   moose hunt period descriptors.  I'll be happy to answer\n24   questions.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Brian.  Any questions from the Board or Staff.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n32   seeing none.   We'll move on to the  summary of written\n33   public comment.\n\n35                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Mr.  Chair,  none were\n36   submitted.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Summary  of\n39   tribal   government  and   Alaska  Native   Corporation\n40   consultation.\n\n42                   MR. LIND:  Thank you,  Mr. Chair, Board\n43   members.  There were no comments.  Thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Tribal, Alaskan\n46   Native organizational testimony.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n15   \n18   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n2   seeing  none.  Advisory  group testimony, SRC, Advisory\n3   Committees of the State or multi-agency working group.\n\n5                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n6   have no comments from ACs or SRCs.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank  you.  Is\n9   there  any public testimony  here or online,  it's your\n10   opportunity to be recognized.\n\n12                   MS.  LAVINE:  And for those of you that\n13   would  like to  provide testimony on  Wildlife Proposal\n14   26-50 you can raise your hand or press star five.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Nobody.  We'll\n17   move on to the Council recommendations.\n\n19                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  Jack Reakoff,\n20   Western  Interior  Regional   Council.    The   Council\n21   submitted this proposal  after discussion with OSM.   A\n22   motion was made.   So support the proposal  WP26-50 was\n23   modified by OSM.\n\n25                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Jack.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n30                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n31   The  Alaska Department of  Fish and Game  supported the\n32   proposal as  written.  Discussing  with my  counterpart\n33   here  and knowing  the  make-up of  the  land which  is\n34   predominantly  State and we do have that controlled use\n35   area in  place in order to reduce  regulatory burden we\n36   would support  the modification to basically remove the\n37   Federal CUA.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     InterAgency\n40   Staff Committee.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:    The  InterAgency  Staff\n43   Committee provided the standard comment.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Board  discussion  with   the  State  Liaison,  Council\n47   Chairs.  Yes, go ahead.\n\n49                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n3   \n7   \n17   \n19   \n25   \n29   \n33   \n37   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Kevin, you have\n\n2   the floor.\n\n4                   MR. PENDERGAST:  If I could trouble Mr.\n5   Mulligan to repeat  his comment.  I'm not  sure I quite\n6   heard them completely.\n\n8                   MR.  MULLIGAN:     Through  the  Chair.\n9   Member   Pendergast.    So,  as  I  said,  given  OSM's\n10   recommendation  I believe  says  to  eliminate the  CUA\n11   because you  see on  the map the  Federal one  is quite\n12   larger currently.   So instead  of doing  what the  RAC\n13   originally  intended, which was to match us down to the\n14   corridor,  like  it  is,  they  just  want  to  totally\n15   eliminate   it  because,   as   Mr.  Ubelaker   already\n16   mentioned, there is a very small portion.....\n\n## 18 MR. PENDERGAST: What, 33 acres?\n\n20                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Yeah, 33 acres.   Which\n21   would then --I mean  make this pretty obsolete when it\n22   comes  to you guys's  regulations.  So  we're good with\n23   that.  State still has  its in place and we'd  like you\n24   guys taking regs off your books.\n\n26                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Thank you.  So it's a\n27   slight modification from the original position based on\n28   information that's come to light.\n\n30                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Yeah.  I guess basically\n31   to  make  it clear  to  everybody  we  support the  OSM\n32   modification as presented by Mr. Ubelaker.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   So I  guess my\n35   next  question would  be  to  look  at Jack  about  the\n36   suggested section --second option we heard there.\n\n38                   MR.  REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  I've been on\n39   this Regional Council dealing with this Controlled  Use\n40   Area for many years.  The area was reduced by the State\n41   or wanted  to be  in alignment with  that. With  the 33\n42   acres we don't  feel that this  is an  issue.  So  just\n43   eliminating that and  going with the State  because the\n44   State-managed areas we don't have a problem with that.\n\n46                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n49   that, Jack.  So we are still not at adjournment yet.\n\n---\n\n2   \n7   \n9   \n11   \n19   \n21   \n31   \n36   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n## 1 (Laughter)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We are going to\n4   --the floor  is open for a  motion.  We just  had some\n5   point of clarification and maybe an understanding where\n6   we might motion this.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n12                   MR.   PENDERGAST:   Kevin   Pendergast,\n13   Bureau of Land  Management. Mr. Chair, I move  to adopt\n14   Wildlife Proposal 26-50 to reduce the size of the Upper\n15   Kuskokwim Controlled Use  Area or eliminate it  in Unit\n16   19D to match the current State regulations.  If I get a\n17   second, I will open the discussion by explaining why  I\n18   intend to vote in support of my motion.\n\n## 20 MR. STRIKER: NPS seconds.\n\n22                   MR. PENDERGAST:   Thank you.  First, as\n23   explained  by OSM, the  Upper Kuskokwim  Controlled Use\n24   Area in  Federal regulation  only applies  to Federally\n25   qualified  subsistence users  hunting moose  on Federal\n26   lands.   Since  the  Upper  Kuskokwim  CUA  on  Federal\n27   regulations  is not larger than the Upper Kuskokwim CUA\n28   under State regulation, Federally qualified subsistence\n29   users  are now restricted  from using aircraft  to hunt\n30   moose in Federal lands outside of the State's CUA.\n\n32                   I'm  making  some  changes  on the  fly\n33   here, so bear with me.  Eliminating the Upper Kuskokwim\n34   CUA under Federal  regulations to match the  area under\n35   State regs will align Federal and State regulations.\n\n37                   One moment.  Making some changes on the\n38   fly here.  Bear with us.   Mr. Chair, I'd like to amend\n39   my original motion.  So I'd like to amend my own motion\n40   by moving  to adopt  Wildlife Proposal  26-50 with  OSM\n41   modification to eliminate the  Kuskokwim Controlled Use\n42   Area in Unit 19D.  If I get a second on that amendment,\n43   I will provide some brief rationale.\n\n## 45 MR. STRIKER: NPS seconds.\n\n47                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank  you.  First, as\n48   explained  by OSM,  the Upper Kuskokwim  Controlled Use\n49   Area in Federal  regulation only  applies to  Federally\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n12   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n35   \n37   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n50\n\n1   qualified  subsistence users  hunting moose  in Federal\n2   lands.   Since the  Upper Kuskokwim  CUA under  Federal\n3   regs is --yeah, I think I'm going to end the rationale\n4   now in  deference to the  RAC and has analyzed  by OSM.\n5   Thank you.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   So that's  an\n8   amendment to the original motion?\n\n10                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   That's  correct,  as\n11   modified.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    As modified.\n14   So we  have two votes  on the  floor here or  just one?\n15   Just the one, okay.  It was seconded.  Okay, thank you.\n16   I  was just  making sure  I wasn't  hearing two  on the\n17   floor.\n\n19                   All right.  So we are here.  Motion and\n20   seconded.   Any further discussion, deliberation by the\n21   Board as modified?\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n26   We'll read  into the  record and do  roll call.   Thank\n27   you.\n\n29                   MS. LEONETTI:  The  motion is to  adopt\n30   Wildlife Proposal 26-50 as modified by OSM to eliminate\n31   the  Upper Kuskokwim Controlled Use Area and modify the\n32   hunt area descriptors  for moose in Unit  19D including\n33   eliminating the North  Fork hunt area. So  I'll call on\n34   BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n36                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n\n38                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n39   Striker.\n\n41                   MR. STRIKER:  Park  Service supports in\n42   deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n45   Ingersoll.\n\n47                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n48   in deference to the RAC and for the purpose of reducing\n49   regulatory burden.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n21   \n23   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n3                   MS.  PITKA:    I  support  WP26-50   as\n4   modified in deference to the Regional Advisory  Council\n5   and also for the reasons just said. Thank you.\n\n7                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n8   Service Member Boario.\n\n10                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n11   supports  in deference  to  the  RAC  for  the  reasons\n12   outlined by BLM.\n\n14                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n16                   MS.  JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt WP26-50\n17   as modified  by OSM  and  supporting the  input by  the\n18   Western Interior RAC.  I  want to thank Mr. Reakoff for\n19   his local knowledge  and the additional input  that you\n20   provided.\n\n22                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n24                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney is in\n25   support of WP26-50 as modified by OSM  and supported by\n26   Western Interior RAC.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n30                   MR. WOODS:   Public Member  Woods moves\n31   to adopt.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n35                   MR. PAYENNA:  Public  Member Payenna is\n36   in support of WP26-50 in deference to the RAC.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair.  The  motion\n43   to adopt as modified 26-50 carries unanimously.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Next we have WP26-51.\n\n48                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n37   \n40   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Oh, one second.\n2   I think we have a notice here.  Yes, go ahead, Sara.\n\n4                   MS.  BOARIO:     I  apologize  for  the\n5   process  question.  The Fish and Wildlife Service would\n6   like  to defer  this  with  the  agreement  of  Western\n7   Interior RAC.  To do  so do we need to --do  I need to\n8   adopt it to defer it or can I defer instead?\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I think we can\n11   make  a  motion  with  concurrence  with  the  Regional\n12   Advisory Council Chair.\n\n## 14 MS. BOARIO: Jack.\n\n16                   MR. REAKOFF:   I'm always supportive of\n17   deferring Proposal  WP26-51 we got out in  front of us.\n18   We don't have  a C&T.  We  have to propose  a customary\n19   and  traditional use  determination  for  muskox.   Our\n20   regional  members are seeing  muskox in our  region and\n21   they  have interest in this proposal,  but at this time\n22   it's to be  deferred so that we can  submit a Customary\n23   and  Traditional Use Determination and have to bring it\n24   back forward.\n\n## 26 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  The\n29   floor is open for that motion.\n\n31                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n32   Fish  and Wildlife Service  moves to defer  WP26-51 for\n33   the reasons stated by the Western Interior RAC.\n\n35                   MR. STRIKER:  The Park Service seconds.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n\n39   discussion?\n\n41                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Kevin.\n\n45                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n46   What I would like to do, if this is a proper procedure,\n47   is move to amend the  motion or make an amended motion.\n48   Just to clarify defer to 2028.\n\n---\n\n0395\n3   \n4                   MS. BOARIO:  Yes.\n5   \n8   \n9                   MS. BOARIO:  WIRAC?\n10   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Maker of  the\n2   motion, do you.....\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     .....concur\n7   with that?\n\n11                   MR.  REAKOFF:    That's  totally  fine.\n12   Thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So let the main\n15   motion reflect that time.\n\n17                   MS.  BOARIO:    Yes.    Move  to  defer\n18   WP26-51 to 2028 cycle.  Is that correct?\n\n20                   MR. PENDERGAST:  2028.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes.   Let the\n23   record reflect that.  Thank you, Kevin.\n\n25                   MR. PENDERGAST:  So it's not coming  up\n26   this summer.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I just said the\n29   second concurs with that change.  Okay.  Thank you.  So\n30   we have concurrence with the maker and the second.  Any\n31   more deliberation, discussion.\n\n33                   (No comments)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Read the motion\n36   into the record, please, and roll call.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to defer\n39   WP26-51 to the 2028 wildlife cycle.  Fish  and Wildlife\n40   Service, Member Boario.\n\n42                   MS. BOARIO:  Supports.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n46                   MS. PITKA:  I support.\n\n48                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n49   Ingersoll.\n\n---\n\n0396\n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n2   \n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n4   Striker.\n5   \n6                   MR. STRIKER:  Support.\n7   \n8                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n9   \n10                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n14                   MR. PAYENNA:  Support.\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n18                   MR. WOODS:  Support.\n20                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n22                   MR. ONEY:  Support.\n24                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n26                   MS. JOHN:  BIA supports to defer.\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Support\n31   deferral.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:   Motion to  defer passes\n34   unanimously.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We made  it to\n37   another page.   I can see the  end of this one.   Right\n38   on.   WP26-41/42, Yukon  Delta.  We  might just  make a\n39   move here because the Y-K Jackie isn't here and you can\n40   see how important it is for us to have our conversation\n41   piece with the RAC.  So  if there's no objection by the\n42   Board here, we might just slide down to the next region\n43   as far  as order of  business.  That  way we  can allow\n44   Jackie time to get back here.\n\n46                   If  there's no  objection  here by  the\n47   Board, we'll just step  over that region.   Sorry about\n48   that.  And we'll just jump on down  to the Bristol Bay.\n49   When they  do show up  this afternoon we'll go  back to\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n15   \n25   \n34   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   when Y-K is on the  line.  Thank you for  your patience\n2   with that.  We'll move down to Bristol Bay WCR26-05.\n\n4                   MS.  HOLMAN:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n5   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n6   wildlife  biologist  with  the  Office  of  Subsistence\n7   Management.  So this will  be a short analysis --short\n8   synopsis, there we go, the analysis for WCR26-05.\n\n10                   So this Closure Review  is for Unit 9C,\n11   that  portion draining into  the Naknek River  from the\n12   south.  Public lands are closed during December for the\n13   hunting   of  moose   except  by   Federally  qualified\n14   subsistence users hunting under these regulations.\n\n16                   Regulatory history  in the  1990s ADF&G\n17   issued emergency orders closing the December antlerless\n18   hunt.   In 1992 they  proposed the harvest limit  to be\n19   changed.  As  a result of all of these  things going on\n20   this action, the Naknek Drainage, was then divided into\n21   two  hunt  areas  and the  December  hunts  were closed\n22   except by Federally qualified  subsistence areas.   The\n23   area  draining into the Naknek  from the north and that\n24   draining from the south.\n\n26                   In 2016 it was  determined that a State\n27   permit  could  be  required for  both  fall  and winter\n28   seasons, so that  is what is currently still  used.  In\n29   '22 the State lengthened  the moose season in  Units 9B\n30   and  9C and  aligned  hunt areas.    This extended  the\n31   season by 20 days within the full  units.  Five days at\n32   the end of the fall season and 15 days at the beginning\n33   of the winter season.\n\n35                   In 2022 the  closure was also  reviewed\n36   by the  Board and  maintained.   Since  the early  20th\n37   Century moose  on  the Alaska  Peninsula gradually  has\n38   expanded their range southwestward.  This expansion was\n39   accompanied by a dramatic population increase until the\n40   1960s when the population peaked and began to decline.\n\n42                   Suitable habitat for moose in Unit 9 is\n43   relatively  limited. The  moose  population status  and\n44   trends  in  Unit  9 is  difficult  for  several reasons\n45   including  low moose  densities  and  snow and  weather\n46   conditions that are frequently inadequate for surveys.\n\n48                   Surveys started  in 1991 by  the Alaska\n49   Peninsula  and  Becharof Wildlife  Refuge.   So there's\n\n---\n\n6   \n12   \n22   \n30   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   figures 1, 2  and 3 in your  book show some of  this --\n2   the  density bull:cow calf:cow ratios.  In recent years\n3   the  bull:cow   ratios  have   been  relatively   high,\n4   averaging 60 bulls and 100 cows well above the 20 bulls\n5   per 100 cows in the State management objective.\n\n7                   I will say  you'll note  also in  those\n8   figures  there's kind of some weird information.  There\n9   was a change  around 2018 in how they  did the surveys.\n10   So that did kind of create a little goofy line there in\n11   those figures.\n\n13                   So the Alaska resident moose harvest in\n14   Units  9B  and   9C  occurs  by  registration   permit,\n15   non-resident moose harvest  occurs in those units  by a\n16   different  registration permit.   While  reported moose\n17   harvest  can  be  parsed  out  by  subunit,  it  is not\n18   possible to distribute it by hunt area.  Therefore, the\n19   number of moose  reported harvests only in  the closure\n20   area  is not available, although reported moose harvest\n21   within Unit 9C provides some insight.\n\n23                   From 2000 to  2023 total moose  harvest\n24   in Unit 9C averaged 29  moose per year, ranging from 16\n25   to  43.   Ninety percent  of the  Unit 9  moose harvest\n26   occurs in the fall.  On Figure 4 it shows the breakdown\n27   of  reported moose  harvest  in Unit  9C  by local  and\n28   non-local users.  Local users are defined as those with\n29   a customary and traditional use determination.\n\n31                   If  this  closure   is  rescinded,  the\n32   non-Federally qualified users would be able to  harvest\n33   moose on  Federal public  lands within  the portion  of\n34   Unit 9C draining into the  Naknek River from the  south\n35   during December.   It may also  result in an  increased\n36   moose  harvest although  increases are  expected  to be\n37   minimal  as  winter  conditions  make  this  area  very\n38   difficult to access.\n\n40                   While the  2022 and 2023  moose density\n41   estimates within the  closure area are above  the State\n42   management   objectives   for    a   moderate   density\n43   population,   this   low   density   moose   population\n44   fluctuates within a dynamic equilibrium.  While Unit 9C\n45   bull:cow  ratios are  above  management objectives  and\n46   could sustain additional  bull harvest, calf:cow ratios\n47   indicate a stable population.\n\n49                   While   bull:cow   ratios   within  the\n\n---\n\n9   \n14   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n28   \n36   \n43   \n50\n\n1   closure area are  well below or below  management areas\n2   the overall Unit  9C moose  populations are  not.   The\n3   adjacent  --sorry, I'm  seeing cross-eyed here.   It's\n4   been a long meeting.   The adjacent areas are very high\n5   and  bull harvest is much  more likely there during the\n6   fall   when  Federal  lands  are  open.    Conservation\n7   concerns  do   not  warrant  maintaining   the  closure\n8   although OSM looks forward to hearing from.....\n\n10                   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair, members  of the\n11   Council.   I apologize.   My notes  --this is  not the\n12   right set of notes.  It has all the information though,\n13   so that's why I got a little turned around there.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n16   Appreciate that.  Any questions?\n\n18                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Sara.\n\n22                   MS.  BOARIO:  I'm sorry.  I struggled a\n23   little  bit to  follow that  and I'm  wondering  if you\n24   could describe  the charts  again for us.   If  you can\n25   find  the  right  set  of  notes.    Sorry.    I  fully\n26   appreciate note  challenges.  I'm trying  to understand\n27   how the neighboring TCAs relate to the closure area.\n\n29                   MS.  HOLMAN:  It  might be easier  if I\n30   just open the analysis at this point.  So those figures\n31   show the trend count areas.   So there's all --there's\n32   a Big Creek Corridor and there's a Park Creek Corridor.\n33   So there was a  change in 2018  and that kind of  shows\n34   that  weird line or  2015 approximately.   That kind of\n35   shows the weird lines for the trend count areas.\n\n37                   The trend count area for the  Big Creek\n38   Corridor is relatively matched up to this closure.  The\n39   Park border area involves more of the National  Park in\n40   that area where  there's much more limited  hunting, if\n41   any,  taking place, depending on the specific location.\n42   If that helps answer some of that.\n\n44                   So the  first  Figure 1  is  the  moose\n45   density estimates  overall.  So  you have all  TCAs and\n46   then the  two separate ones.   The second one  is those\n47   bull:cow  ratios  and  the third  one  is  the calf:cow\n48   ratios.    If there's  something  else, Member  Boario,\n49   through the  Chair, if  there's something  I missed  in\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   there let me know.\n\n3                   MS.  BOARIO:   That's  helpful.   Thank\n4   you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n7   questions from the Board.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n12   that.  Was there any written public comment received?\n\n14                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair, there were  no\n15   written public comments received on this one.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n18   Summary  of   tribal  government   and  Alaska   Native\n19   corporation.\n\n21                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Board\n22   members.   There  were no  comments  or resolutions  on\n23   that.  Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Tribal, Alaska Native organization  testimony.  Here or\n27   online raise your hand.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n32   seeing  none.  The  Alaska Advisory groups,  SRC, State\n33   Advisory or multi-agency working group.\n\n35                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   We've received no  documents from any of  those groups.\n37   Thanks.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n40   public  testimony here or online please raise your hand\n41   to be recognized.\n\n43                   (No comments)\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Council\n46   recommendations.\n\n48                   MR. DUNAWAY:   Mr. Chair.   Dan Dunaway\n49   for  the  Bristol   Bay  RAC.     Council   recommended\n\n---\n\n0401\n6   \n14   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n50\n\n1   maintaining the  status quo and continuing the closure.\n2   Two  members present  at  our  meeting  that  are  very\n3   intimately  familiar   with  this  area  and   hunt  it\n4   regularly  expressed a  lot  of concern  and discomfort\n5   with the proposal and the data.\n\n7                   As  you can see in the most recent data\n8   the  numbers are  pretty erratic,  depending  on survey\n9   conditions, which are erratic, and the  limited habitat\n10   where these  animals are.   We have two  other members.\n11   One  was online and another wasn't present, but they're\n12   also very familiar with this area and we  all supported\n13   their concern that it should be continued.\n\n15                   There's  an expression,  a concern  for\n16   the predation and predators and bears in  the area that\n17   can  really disperse the  moose and keep  them somewhat\n18   depressed.  It was a very, very long meeting so we were\n19   not able  to discuss these  as deeply as we  would have\n20   liked to, but we felt that it would be better to wait a\n21   little bit until we saw stronger data trends.\n\n23                   Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan.\n26   Making sure that  was the only one.   Any questions for\n27   Dan.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:     Appreciate\n32   that.    Moving  on  to  InterAgency  Staff  Committee.\n33   Sorry.  State of Alaska.  I apologize for that.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Jumping  ahead, Robbin.\n36   Shame, shame.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Get her.\n\n40                   (Laughter)\n\n42                   MR.  MULLIGAN:    All  right.   In  all\n43   seriousness,  Mr. Chair.   For  the  record the  Alaska\n44   Department of  Fish  and Game  supports rescinding  the\n45   closure.   As you've seen, we are meeting objectives in\n46   the sub-unit.  We are meeting ANS also in the sub-unit,\n47   which is 100-140 animals,  but we average a  harvest of\n48   150 to  200 within  9C.  We  don't have  objectives for\n49   that particular sub-unit,  so it's hard to  say whether\n\n---\n\n3   \n16   \n18   \n21   \n29   \n40   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   or not this is meaning anything because we don't manage\n2   that fine of a scale as far as our objectives.\n\n4                   I will make another point.  That if you\n5   rescind  the  closure,  the   State  manages  with  the\n6   registration hunts.  Those registration hunts are based\n7   off  of quotas.   Additional animals will  not be taken\n8   because  an  additional  area  doesn't mean  additional\n9   animals.   We manage  for the population  regardless of\n10   land  status.   So  if you  do  support rescinding  the\n11   closure, no  additional opportunity  will be  provided.\n12   It's a registration hunt.   We have those reported in a\n13   certain amount of time.  We have that quota and then if\n14   it is  reached, we  close those  hunts under the  State\n15   regulations.\n\n## 17 Thank you.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n20   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n22                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I'm\n23   going to read  an abbreviated version of  our comments.\n24   You  can find  the full  comment on  Page 1036  of your\n25   meeting materials.  The Federal Subsistence Board  will\n26   need to consider  a few key  sections of ANILCA  before\n27   taking action  on  proposals  requesting  closures  and\n28   closure reviews.\n\n30                   Specifically those  sections pertaining\n31   to   Council  deference,   Section  805(c)   and  those\n32   pertaining to limitations  to closures or  restrictions\n33   of subsistence  and  non-subsistence  uses  on  Federal\n34   public  lands  and  those are  in  Sections  815(3) and\n35   816(b).   These  three sections speak  to the  heart of\n36   Board authority and require  a careful balance  between\n37   the Federal  Priority, the continuation  of subsistence\n38   uses, the  necessary conservation  of subsistence  fish\n39   and wildlife and unnecessary restrictions.\n\n41                   In  the  case   of  WCR26-05  the   ISC\n42   suggests that the Council's recommendation may not meet\n43   the criteria for deference.\n\n45                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n48   Robbin.  Board  discussion with their  liaison, Council\n49   Chairs,  State reps.   This is your  opportunity to ask\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n11   \n21   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n44   \n50\n\n1   for clarification.\n\n3                   Sara.\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, to the RAC, to\n6   Dan.   I just wonder  if you have  any thoughts on  the\n7   additional  information  from  Mr. Mulligan  about  the\n8   added area not being additional.   And I know you can't\n9   speak for the  whole RAC, but I am  wondering what your\n10   thoughts are on that.\n\n12                   MR. DUNAWAY:   Through  the Chair,  Ms.\n13   Boario.  Actually  I really appreciate Fish  and Game's\n14   analysis.  I was trying to  remember.  I don't think we\n15   had Fish and Game biologists  present at our meeting to\n16   explain that.  I know the king salmon in Naknek area in\n17   the past has --when they were in Tier  II for caribou\n18   they  were   dumfounded  how   many  Anchorage   people\n19   qualified and how many king salmon Naknek people didn't\n20   qualify.\n\n22                   They're also in  a very convenient path\n23   from Anchorage,  so there  also were  concerns. If  the\n24   quota  analysis  as  Mr. Mulligan  described  that  may\n25   suffice, but  it did get  back to the local  folks that\n26   hunted and  were pretty uncomfortable with  the numbers\n27   that were offered and that's the best I can say.\n\n29                   Thank you.\n\n31                   MS.  BOARIO:    Appreciate  that,  Dan.\n32   Thank you.\n\n34                   MR. WOODS:  A question for Dan.  During\n35   this deliberation, you  know, it's a low  density area.\n36   It's south  of the Naknek  River.  That area,  like you\n37   pointed  out,  has   a  high  density  of   brown  bear\n38   population  right  at  the  Katmai  National  Park  and\n39   Preserve  on the  upper  end.   But they  distribute it\n40   throughout the  whole area and that  high concentration\n41   of predators impact  that Federal side, but  also along\n42   the whole  drainage because  they're up  and down  that\n43   corridor the whole season.\n\n45                   That  means  they're   in  the  calving\n46   season  during  the  hunting  season  when  fish aren't\n47   running and they  only congregate on  the upper end  of\n48   Katmai during the salmon season.  So the low density of\n49   moose reported I see --and there might be a  number in\n\n---\n\n4   \n8   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1   ANS, but  then you  look at  the numbers  for different\n2   units.  It's really apparent that they're not --I mean\n3   really low numbers.\n\n5                   Thank you  for that.   I'm  inclined to\n6   rescind  this.  I'd like to support your recommendation\n7   just for that purpose.  Thank you.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n10   questions, clarification.  RAC Chairs or State.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n15   seeing none.  We'll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n17                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, can I request a\n18   two-minute break.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Two minutes.\n\n22                   MS. BOARIO:  Thanks.\n\n24                   (Off record)\n\n26                   (On record)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Almost  two\n29   minutes, huh?\n\n31                   MS. BOARIO:  I'm ready.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Oh,  you're\n34   ready?   I'm ready.  You guys ready?  We've been ready.\n35   I really like these Native  ladies next to me.  They're\n36   keeping me well fed under the table, keeping us going.\n\n38                   Sara, you have the floor.\n\n40                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, thank you.  Mr.\n41   Chair,  I move  to rescind  the closure.   If  I get  a\n42   second, I will explain my justification.\n\n44                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service seconds.\n\n46                   MS. BOARIO:   Mr. Chair.   I appreciate\n47   the   Council's   concerns    and   perspective   about\n48   potentially erratic  data.   However, with  what we  do\n49   have  biologically there is  no reason to  continue the\n\n---\n\n0405\n4   \n10   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   closure to moose  in Unit 9C south of  the Naknek River\n2   to  non-Federally qualified users  and moose density is\n3   above State population objectives.\n\n5                   The closure has been  in place for some\n6   time, over many years, leading  to a lack of historical\n7   use in this area and  the area is relatively  difficult\n8   to  get  to  especially in  December  with  a harvested\n9   moose.\n\n11                   The   Fish    and   Wildlife    Service\n12   understands  the  recommendation  of  the  Bristol  Bay\n13   Regional  Advisory  Council   to  retain  the  closure.\n14   However, the new  information provided by Mr.  Mulligan\n15   about  how the hunt is managed underscores that opening\n16   this area will not lead to more moose being harvested.\n\n18                   It is  for these reasons  that the Fish\n19   and Wildlife Service recommends  to rescind the closure\n20   in Unit 9C.  Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n23   Board discussion, deliberation.\n\n25                   (No comments)\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n28   seeing none.  We'll read into the record the motion and\n29   roll call.\n\n31                   MS. LEONETTI:  The motion is to rescind\n32   the  closure for  WCR26-05.   We will  start  with FWS,\n33   Member Boario.\n\n35                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n36   supports.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n40                   MS. JOHN:  BIA opposes the motion.  BIA\n41   supports retaining the  existing moose hunting  closure\n42   for Unit 9C as recommended  by the Bristol Bay Regional\n43   Advisory Council.  We  concur with their  justification\n44   as they  consider  testimony and  information from  its\n45   members,   tribal  representatives   and  other   rural\n46   residents regarding  the importance of  the closed area\n47   for local Federally qualified users.\n\n49                   This  will  help  to  provide  for  and\n\n---\n\n6   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n25   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   continue  to maintain  moose hunting  opportunities for\n2   subsistence hunters  to better  meet their  needs.   We\n3   appreciate the additional detailed information provided\n4   by  Mr. Dunaway regarding this moose population and the\n5   factors affecting their abundance.\n\n7                   Quyana.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n11                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney  does\n12   oppose as stated by BIA and Bristol Bay RAC.\n\n14                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n16                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods opposes\n17   through  the information passed  on our RAC  along with\n18   the  full analysis  and  different areas.    Unit 9  is\n19   different  sections and  only south  of  the Naknek  is\n20   identified  on my  map.   We  have heard  from the  RAC\n21   members and  I respect the  Bristol Bay  RAC and  their\n22   recommendations  and  along  with  BIA's  comments  for\n23   helping  Federally  qualified  subsistence  users  meet\n24   their needs.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n30                   MR. PAYENNA:  Public Member Payenna, in\n31   alignment with BIA's  comments and in deference  to the\n32   RAC, we vote to oppose.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n36                   MS. PITKA:  I  vote to oppose  WCR26-05\n37   to rescind the  closure.  I vote to  retain the closure\n38   in  deference to the  Regional Advisory Council  and in\n39   recognition of the continuation of subsistence uses  of\n40   the resource.   And also in recognition that  there are\n41   data  gaps for that particular  species and I hope that\n42   surveys  can be  stronger  in the  future  and be  more\n43   supportive.\n\n45                   Thank you.\n\n47                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n49                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports  for the\n\n---\n\n0407\n2   \n5   \n14   \n17   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   reasons stated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n4   Striker.\n\n6                   MR.  STRIKER:   Park  Service  supports\n7   rescinding  for  the  reasons  well articulated  by  my\n8   sister   agency.      Furthermore   we  think   there's\n9   necessarily a  high bar  for a closure.   I  think that\n10   that same high bar in terms of substantial evidence has\n11   to exist to continue closures.  And we should celebrate\n12   when we can rescind closures.  That's something that we\n13   should all be proud of.  So thank you.\n\n15                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n16   Ingersoll.\n\n18                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n19   the  motion.     It's  challenging  with  the   bar  of\n20   substantial  evidence  and what  constitutes  evidence.\n21   There is  limited evidence here  and I think  the doubt\n22   must  err on the side of rescinding closures when there\n23   is limited evidence in either direction.\n\n25                   And also I think the Department of Fish\n26   and Game  has articulated  that rescinding  the closure\n27   will not lead to an increasing harvest.\n\n## 29 MS. LEONETTI: Chair Christianson.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   I support  in\n32   deference  to the RAC.  I  mean oppose.  Like you said,\n33   both ways  here.  Not  enough information to  really go\n34   one  way or  the other.   So I'll lean  on our Regional\n35   Advisory Council and  the statement we heard  there. It\n36   might not  change the  amount of  moose,  but it  might\n37   change  the people harvesting them inside of the state.\n38   So I mean  that's the testimony we heard  there is that\n39   sometimes  it's   the  people  around   too  that   are\n40   competition  with each other.   So in  deference to the\n41   RAC.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair,  the motion\n44   fails.  Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   We'll move on to the Kodiak, WP-32.\n\n49                   MR.   ROBERTS:     Hello,  Mr.   Chair.\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n31   \n39   \n50\n\n1   Members  of the  Board.   I'm  Jason Roberts.   I'm  an\n2   anthropologist at OSM  and I'll be providing  a summary\n3   of  the analysis  of  Wildlife  Proposal WP26-32.  This\n4   analysis begins on Page 925  of your meeting book.  The\n5   proposal was submitted by  the Kodiak Aleutians Council\n6   and  it requests that the Board recognize the customary\n7   and  traditional  use  of  brown  bears  in Unit  8  by\n8   residents of Kodiak.\n\n10                   The Council initially defined Kodiak as\n11   including all the communities located along the  Kodiak\n12   road  system except for the U.S.  Coast Guard Base, the\n13   Nemetz  Housing Development  and the  Pacific Spaceport\n14   Complex.  A map of this  proposal area is shown on Page\n15   936 of  your meeting  book.  But  there have  been some\n16   kind  of leak breaking modifications to this area since\n17   the  proposal  was  originally  submitted  and  I  will\n18   describe those a bit later.\n\n20                   The proponents note  that all residents\n21   of  Kodiak Island  have a  long  history of  harvesting\n22   brown  bears for  food and  using  brown bear  parts in\n23   traditional  handicrafts.     They  explain  that   the\n24   importance of accessing  brown bear for food  and other\n25   needs on Kodiak is well documented, and they argue that\n26   residents of  the more  remote communities  located off\n27   the islands  road system already have a C&T finding for\n28   brown bear  and that residents  of Kodiak who  have the\n29   same history of  use should not  be excluded from  this\n30   finding.\n\n32                   Looking  at  a  bit  of the  regulatory\n33   history here in 1986.  The Alaska Board of Game made  a\n34   positive  customary  and  traditional use  finding  for\n35   brown  bear in  Unit  8.    However, that  finding  was\n36   reversed  in 1987 after no residents requested a permit\n37   for the special subsistence registration hunt that took\n38   place for that one year.\n\n40                   There  was  no   Federal  hunt  and  no\n41   communities  were  recognized as  having  customary and\n42   traditional  use of  brown  bears in  Unit  8 when  the\n43   Federal   program  began   and   announced  its   first\n44   regulations in '92.  However, the Board did carry  over\n45   several  C&T  determinations  in  Unit  8,  such  as  a\n46   determination for deer for all  Unit 8 residents.  This\n47   determination is notable because deer are an introduced\n48   species on Kodiak Island while the Kodiak brown bear is\n49   an  endemic  species  whose name  is  derived  from the\n\n---\n\n3   \n16   \n24   \n25   \n37   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Alutiiq word for island and  has been present there for\n2   thousands of years.\n\n4                   In '96,  a proposal requested  that the\n5   Board recognize  the customary  and traditional  use of\n6   brown  bears in Unit 8  by all Unit  8 residents.  When\n7   considering this proposal, the Kodiak Aleutians Council\n8   at the time  noted concerns that allowing  residents of\n9   Kodiak  City  to  harvest  brown  bears  under  Federal\n10   regulations   could  negatively   impact  the   guiding\n11   industry by  reducing the number  of permits  available\n12   for other  Alaska residents  and non-resident  hunters.\n13   At this time  it appears that during  these discussions\n14   it  wasn't  clear  that  the  Board  could  allocate  a\n15   specific number of permits to individual communities.\n\n17                   The Council ultimately recommended that\n18   the Board recognize C&T for brown bears by residents of\n19   Akiak,  Karluk, Larson  Bay, Old  Harbor, Ouzinkie  and\n20   Port  Lyons,  all of  which  are located  off  the road\n21   system.      The  Council   also  requested   that  the\n22   communities  of Ouzinkie and Port Lyons be added to the\n23   C&T based on histories of migration  and intermarriage.\n\n26                   In   '97  the   Board  recognized   the\n27   customary and traditional  use of elk in Unit  8 by all\n28   Unit 8 residents.   This determination is  also notable\n29   because  elk, like deer,  are an introduced  species on\n30   Kodiak.     The   Council   recommended   that   Kodiak\n31   communities  located both on and off the road system be\n32   included  in the  C&T due  to the  history  of kinship,\n33   connections and sharing between these communities.  The\n34   current proposal is  the first to request  an expansion\n35   of  the  C&T  for  brown  bear  in  Unit  8  since  the\n36   determination was made for off-road communities.\n\n38                   Subsistence practices remain central to\n39   the identity, family life, community well being  across\n40   both remote and road  accessible communities on Kodiak.\n41   In a 2021  subsistence survey households on  the Kodiak\n42   Road System harvested an average  of 224 pounds of wild\n43   resources, with  salmon, non-salmon fish and large land\n44   mammals accounting for much of this harvest.  It's also\n45   noted that  close social  connections link  communities\n46   across  the island and the sharing of subsistence foods\n47   between road system and  off-road system communities is\n48   common.\n\n---\n\n13   \n19   \n25   \n26   \n34   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   In recent  years residents  of off-road\n2   communities  are  increasingly relocating  to  the road\n3   system  area   due  to  declining   commercial  fishing\n4   opportunities,   rising  cost   of  living   and  aging\n5   populations.  The  road system includes the  U.S. Coast\n6   Guard  base,  the  Nemetz  and  the  Pacific  Spaceport\n7   Complex,  which  the proponents  would like  to exclude\n8   from this proposed C&T determination due to differences\n9   in the  average length of residence, harvest and use of\n10   subsistence resources, subsistence knowledge and access\n11   to facilities and  services that are distinct  from the\n12   rest of the communities.\n\n14                   The Coast Guard Base is a discrete area\n15   within  Kodiak  station, CDP.    The  Nemetz is  a  new\n16   off-base Coast Guard  housing development within Kodiak\n17   Station,  and the Pacific Spaceport is located South of\n18   Kodiak City at Narrow Cape.\n\n20                   The current land use  agreement for the\n21   Spaceport though does  not permit  the construction  of\n22   long-term lodging facilities.  Research from 2021 shows\n23   that the demographic characteristics  of Kodiak Station\n24   CDP differ from those of other road system communities.\n\n27                   Residents of Kodiak Station tend to  be\n28   younger,  have  shorter  residency  periods,  are  more\n29   likely  to be employed year round and generally harvest\n30   fewer subsistence resources.  These patterns  are shown\n31   in more detail in  Table 2 on Page 938 of  your meeting\n32   book  and  they're  consistent  with previous  research\n33   documenting these trends in the early '90s.\n\n35                   Coast Guard  personnel typically  serve\n36   three-year tours,  but the  Kodiak Base  sees a  pretty\n37   high  number   of   extension  requests   due  to   the\n38   attractiveness  of  living,  hunting,  and fishing  and\n39   perusing outdoor  opportunities  in  the  Kodiak  area.\n40   Even   so,   shorter    residency   generally   affects\n41   subsistence participation.   And  while Kodiak  Station\n42   residents  do  harvest  fish  and  wildlife,   previous\n43   studies  conducted  in  the '90s  noted  that newcomers\n44   participate less in  traditional subsistence activities\n45   than long-term  residents  and  often  require  several\n46   years  to  learn  harvest  methods,  gear  and seasonal\n47   locations of wild resources.\n\n49                   So  Kodiak  brown  bears  have  been  a\n\n---\n\n5   \n13   \n24   \n34   \n44   \n50\n\n1   distinct  subspecies  on  the  Kodiak  Archipelago  for\n2   roughly 12,000 years. Archeological evidence shows that\n3   Alutiiq  people have  consistently  harvested and  used\n4   brown bears throughout their history on the islands.\n\n6                   Historic  records  and  oral  histories\n7   document  strong cultural  and  spiritual ties  between\n8   Kodiak residents and  brown bears.  These  beliefs have\n9", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': 'da1b68b3-9e16-4841-9310-2c74a35c7317', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_2.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:35:47.080661+00:00', 'content_hash': '984740c4fdaecdc77f99f16671e62f75cc24861fbd93692c42378991052ec174'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.23.26', 'check_failed': False}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_3.pdf', 'body': {'text': '2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME IV\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 24, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n1                    P R O C E E D I N G S\n2   \n4   \n6   \n10   \n12   \n18   \n37   \n50\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/24/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Good  morning,\n8   we\'re going  to get started with the  last day, Friday.\n9   Kudos to those who made it.\n\n11                   (Laughter)\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I mean up here\n14   on the  Board.  All  right, we\'re going to  get started\n15   with the order of business this morning.   We do have a\n16   quorum  established.  So  first off this  morning we\'re\n17   going to do public testimony on non-agenda items.\n\n19                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  And\n20   for the members of the public, people listening online,\n21   I\'m  going to  give  a few  updates  and guidelines  in\n22   regards  to how we  are going to  streamline our public\n23   comment process.   As you know public  participation in\n24   the Federal  Subsistence  Management  Program  is  what\n25   makes our  program special and  it is how we  can track\n26   and document and rely on the knowledge and expertise of\n27   our  Staff, our Chairs, our Regional Advisory Councils,\n28   and the public all across  this very big state.  Today,\n29   we  have three  different  types  of  opportunities  to\n30   provide testimony to  the Board.  The first  is on non-\n31   agenda  items, the second is going to be momentarily on\n32   the  consensus agenda, if there  are any items you wish\n33   to  speak  to on  the  consensus  agenda and  then,  of\n34   course, always the  opportunity to speak  to regulatory\n35   action items on  the non-consensus agenda as  they come\n36   up on the public agenda, in their order.\n\n38                   We\'ve had such a successful meeting and\n39   we  have  extended  our  days  and  we  really want  to\n40   complete  this agenda  and  we  owe it  to  you all  to\n41   finalize  Board action and decisionmaking on all of the\n42   proposals that we have before us and to do that we need\n43   to limit  public comments.   So today I\'m going  to ask\n44   you all to be  mindful of your  time.  More than  that,\n45   I\'m  going to  ask you  to  limit it  to five  minutes.\n46   People  in the room, you may see  me wave or stand when\n47   we get close  to it.  I\'m  not going to come  and yoink\n48   [sic] you, but I\'m really going to try  my very best to\n49   give an opportunity  for everybody  to participate  and\n\n---\n\n2   \n14   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n26   \n35   \n50\n\n1   for us to get through this agenda.\n\n3                   For people  online,  you  are  able  to\n4   raise your  hand to  get in the  que by  pressing star,\n5   five.  You can do so now if you are online and you wish\n6   to make  comments on  non-agenda items,  you can  press\n7   star, five and, again, I\'m  going to limit you to about\n8   five minutes.  We also, so that  we can get on with our\n9   business, have asked that you complete your sign up for\n10   testimony on non-agenda items or consensus agenda items\n11   by --well, the non-agenda items by 9:30.  So people on\n12   the phone,  you can press star, five to get in the que.\n13   People in the room you can fill out the cards.\n\n15                   And with  that, our first person in the\n16   que is Emily Edenshaw.\n\n18                   (Pause)\n\n20                   MS.  LAVINE:    Emily  Edenshaw is  not\n21   available and will likely call in later, maybe.\n\n23                   The  next in the que, in line, or sorry\n24   in the room, is Mr. Luls  from Togiak.  Oh, Mr. --oh,\n25   thank you, oh, Lelani Lulrs, thank you.\n\n27                   MS. LULRS:   Oh, the first  to testify,\n28   I\'m  so nervous.  Wacaa\' Mr. Chair, and the Board.  (In\n29   Native).  Hello, Mr. Chair and  the Board.  My name  is\n30   Lelani Lulrs and I\'m from Togiak, Alaska.   My mother\'s\n31   name  is Rosa,  my father\'s  name  is Steven  Lulrs, my\n32   grandmother\'s name is Fannie and my grandfather\'s  name\n33   is Henry  Kohuk (ph).   Quyana, for the  opportunity to\n34   speak today.\n\n36                   I wanted to give you a brief history of\n37   my upbringing  and way of  life.  My  grandfather would\n38   travel from the  headwaters of the Kuskokwim  River all\n39   the way down to  Ugashik and to the mouth  of the lake,\n40   and if you\'re  familiar with the Bristol Bay  region or\n41   above it  and beyond it,  it encompasses all of  Wes --\n42   almost all of Western Alaska.    Upon meeting his wife,\n43   Fannie, and having eight children he was a leader among\n44   the region bringing his children along to teach our way\n45   of life.   As a child,  we would leave  school early to\n46   travel to our fish camp in (In Native), Alaska, we were\n47   the last family to head to  our fish camp for months at\n48   a time.  There at  fish camp is where we would  harvest\n49   nearly 150 kings, the last  time we stayed at fish camp\n\n---\n\n13   \n27   \n31   \n49   \n50\n\n1   was nearly 15 years ago where our last harvest was only\n2   10 kings.  At fish camp is where my sister and I caught\n3   our first caribou.  We packed it nearly five miles back\n4   to our skiff.  And I don\'t know if you could imagine or\n5   perhaps imagine in your heads  two young kids, 11 and 9\n6   year old, crying across the  tundra with a pack of ribs\n7   on our backs yelling at our  mom and dad, like why  did\n8   we kill a caribou so far away from our skiff but that\'s\n9   our family, right.   And as we\'ve grown  we\'ve seen the\n10   fluctuations of  our relatives  in our  waters and  our\n11   lands and as our salmon stocks have been on the decline\n12   we\'re seeing a higher resilience on our land relatives.\n\n14                   As subsistence users  within the region\n15   we are  the first to  notice when our relatives  are in\n16   trouble,  or what to harvest when others are suffering.\n17   We  are  the  first  to  notice  when  stocks  are   in\n18   abundance.   Our caribou  herds have  grown in  numbers\n19   within the last  few years, however, State  and Federal\n20   recommendations  have not  considered that our  need to\n21   feed our families has grown due to the decrease in king\n22   salmon.  The  past fall we spent nearly  three grand to\n23   harvest one single  moose.  With  the increase in  fuel\n24   prices,  the cost to  feed our families  has increased.\n25   I\'m  watching families  unable  to feed  their families\n26   their traditional foods due to the increase in cost.\n\n28                   I   also  wanted   to   speak  on   the\n29   importance  of herring and  herring roe on  kelp within\n30   our region.\n\n32                   Currently,  the  State   has  increased\n33   allocation in the  Dutch Harbor food and  bait industry\n34   and  the fleet of  trawlers in  the Federal  waters are\n35   asking for more  allocation of herring.   I do  realize\n36   that this  is not the  fish, but  I wanted to  make the\n37   Board  aware of what\'s happening within our Federal and\n38   State waters.  Herring is a key pelagic fish that feeds\n39   our salmon  and are the  first foods in the  spring for\n40   our people within our region and across the west coast.\n41   They  did  not take  into  consideration that  families\n42   along the  western coast  that rely  on herring  in the\n43   spring.    Just  because we\'re  not  harvesting herring\n44   commercially does not  mean that we are  not harvesting\n45   herring  for subsistence.   I really do  appreciate the\n46   Board Chair and your comments on protecting the herring\n47   in the Southeast and would  love to move forward on how\n48   we can protect our herring along the west coast.\n\n---\n\n10   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   One  recommendation  that  I had  as  a\n2   subsistence users  in the  region is  to have  regional\n3   leaders travel along  Federal and State surveys  of our\n4   animals so that  we have an equal determination  of our\n5   animals  and I would also  invite those that would like\n6   to participate in  our hunts to observe  how we harvest\n7   in  our area.   And  as  a hunter  and  gatherer and  a\n8   subsistence users within  my region I would  invite any\n9   of you that would want to come along to come along.\n\n## 11 Quyana for listening.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n\n14   Appreciate your testimony this morning.  Any comments.\n\n## 16 Frank.\n\n18                   MR. WOODS:  Well, Lelani, I\'m glad  I\'m\n19   not the only  one that had a  struggle with pronouncing\n20   your name.  I appreciate your testimony and input.  Not\n21   only that your knowledge of the area, real honorable to\n22   sit here and  listen to your --and  the group that you\n23   came with, BBNA,  and Togiak, you  come from a  village\n24   that  set precedence,  the  State  of  Alaska  and  the\n25   Federal government, that  sat down and said  let\'s work\n26   this out  with the Walrus Commission.   They have their\n27   own traditional council that has wildlife citations and\n28   proposals before them.   They also take  control of the\n29   village  to  the point  where  we  model  at.   It\'s  a\n30   cooperative management.  I see you in many meetings and\n31   I  appreciate that knowledge just as a community member\n32   and  a  subsistence  users  of  the  resource,  but  an\n33   Alaskan, because what you\'re talking about is we\'re all\n34   affected  by all these  things.   And as  a traditional\n35   indigenous  Native Alaskan, I think we have a different\n36   perspective.  We have a  holistic approach.  We look at\n37   things coordinated and  are connected and that  means a\n38   lot in our area.  Because No. 1, we help try to come to\n39   --when you  speak  you  help come  try  to solve  the\n40   problem,   whether  it\'s  good  or  bad  and  we\'re  on\n41   different  pages, coming to the table with solutions is\n42   what I hear you talk about.\n\n## 44 So, thank you.\n\n46                   MS. LULRS:   Quyana for  your comments,\n47   Woodsy --or Frank.  Growing up --because I have a (In\n48   Native) dad,  he\'s a  White man,  he always  instilled,\n49   like he adopted our Yup\'ik values as his own and when I\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n14   \n17   \n24   \n50\n\n1   see  that we  can  come  together  whether  we\'re  from\n2   outside Alaska that moved  in here to be  a subsistence\n3   users or as  an Alaska Native that lives  off the land,\n4   that we\'ve lived on for the last 10,000 years, I think,\n5   we could come to an agreement for the betterment of our\n6   lands and waters  and air, so it\'s not  always a fight.\n7   And that\'s what I look to do, I  just like to be in the\n8   middle and mediate things.\n\n10                   MR. WOODS:  Thank you.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n13   appreciate that.   Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. LAVINE:  Next in the room is Gloria\n16   Burns.\n\n18                   MS. BURNS:   (In Native)  Good morning,\n19   thank  you,   Chairman  Christianson  and  Board.     I\n20   appreciate the opportunity  to share some  observations\n21   and to be  present with all of  you.  I feel  like I\'ve\n22   seen you all so much you\'re getting to be very familiar\n23   faces.\n\n25                   I\'m the  president of  Ketchikan Indian\n26   Community.   The  first thing that  I wanted  to really\n27   talk about is the  disjointed way in which the  Federal\n28   agencies are  approaching consultation with  tribes and\n29   how  it affects the trust and treaty responsibility and\n30   then, in  turn, affects your  ability to listen  and to\n31   effectively  manage  this  effort to  move  the  Forest\n32   Service out  of Alaska  while we\'re  doing a TLMP  land\n33   management plan  in Southeast,  while we\'re  increasing\n34   outsourcing  and essentially, you know, pillaging of my\n35   non-human  relatives,  at  the  same time  we\'re  going\n36   through these processes of regulatory and it feels like\n37   every system  is being  broken.  And  when you  look at\n38   some of the rules  around consultation and the  ways in\n39   which the Federal  government is supposed to  honor the\n40   trust  and treaty  responsibility to  tribes, it\'s  not\n41   supposed to be in a vacuum,  separate of each other.  I\n42   would  say that  these  management practices  regarding\n43   Federally-qualified  users  on  the Tongass  cannot  be\n44   looked  as separate from  the Roadless Rule,  cannot be\n45   looked  separate from  the intention  to dismantle  the\n46   Federal Subsistence Board, cannot be looked at separate\n47   from the moving of the Forest Service management out of\n48   Alaska,  from the consolidation of the Bureau of Indian\n49   Affairs out of  Alaska.  Literally every  single system\n\n---\n\n21   \n34   \n41   \n50\n\n1   that  supports the  rural  subsistence  users  who  are\n2   indigenous are  being destroyed  and I  would say  that\n3   it\'s destroying  the quality  of life  for every  rural\n4   subsistence user, indigenous or not.  And I want to say\n5   that  it   really  is  frustrating  to   watch  Federal\n6   agencies, as the State who has been, in my opinion, and\n7   the opinion of  the Ketchikan Indian Community,  a poor\n8   management  of  some of  the  resources we  find  to be\n9   extremely important,  as  this happens  and then  we\'re\n10   moving on to,  you know, a conversation  we\'re not even\n11   having is, like  the Governor\'s --the  Governor\'s idea\n12   of changing the Constitution for a unified system while\n13   we\'re sitting here.   So it\'s very hard  to pour energy\n14   and love  into a system that  I know needs to  stand up\n15   because it\'s  so important to  all of us, while  I know\n16   that  every single system that should be supporting and\n17   protecting my  people is  currently  in a  system of  a\n18   disarray or pulled  down.  And I  just had to  say that\n19   because so  much of the  time and energy is  going into\n20   that.\n\n22                   I   want  to   say  that   the  Federal\n23   Subsistence Board and  its make up and it\'s  make up of\n24   the RACs  is extremely  important and  Ketchikan Indian\n25   Community will continue  to support that because  it is\n26   what is  good for  the Federally-qualified  user and  I\n27   think what\'s good  for the Federally-qualified  user is\n28   good for all of Alaska and that I would love to come to\n29   a meeting  some day  in which the  State is  looking to\n30   align  their  regulations  with  the  traditional   and\n31   ecological knowledge that is  being presented through a\n32   very  thought  out  process that  is  not  a popularity\n33   contest as is the ACs.  You know so I want to say that.\n\n35                   I want to  say that as we  move through\n36   what is becoming  a very divisive time in  my region, I\n37   want to say  that Ketchikan showed up, we  knew all the\n38   rules, we indicated the importance  of our life.  And I\n39   just want  to say,  because I think  I want  to explain\n40   what rural is to me, how I grew up.\n\n42                   I grew up  five miles out of  Ketchikan\n43   when I  wasn\'t  living with  my Noni,  you know,  right\n44   outside, you  know,  essentially in  Ketchikan with  no\n45   running water half the year.  The running water that we\n46   did have was from a muskeg dam where we cut all  of our\n47   wood, where we  chopped all of our wood,  where when we\n48   didn\'t have food  we didn\'t have money for  a bullet to\n49   go  get a deer,  we went ahead  and we went  in a giant\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n34   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   clam pit and we didn\'t have gas for a car so you walked\n2   in to town and  then you went ahead, if you didn\'t have\n3   a relative who was from out  of town who might give you\n4   a ride, you went ahead and you called  a cab, we called\n5   Mr. Tatsu because he drove  cab and, Neil, and we\'d say\n6   drop me off  out at the Saxman Beach  where the cockles\n7   were big  and we would  get dropped off and  you\'d work\n8   the tide  in and out and  then you\'d go home  and you\'d\n9   eat  your seamers, your  half clams, you  know, shells,\n10   your  clam chowder, smoke your cockles, you know, that.\n11   And because of  where we lived, our catch  was often my\n12   uncle  Robert Omquest, it was from  his boat, he\'d fish\n13   then he\'d bring his home catch and we\'d take care of it\n14   or you  were,  you  know, doing  things  that  I  guess\n15   everybody in this room wouldn\'t actually consider legal\n16   to put  a fish  on your table.   And  so that  was that\n17   experience.\n\n19                   And so I  just want to say  I know that\n20   you\'re in a difficult  situation right now and  say, we\n21   fought this fought since we  were left out by 153 votes\n22   from  being Federally-qualified,  we\'ve done  this vote\n23   three times,  Ketchikan  just shut  two  schools  down,\n24   Ketchikan had a landslide that separated everybody from\n25   everywhere else and when we go --if we go through this\n26   process again  we\'ll only look more rural  in two years\n27   --in  one year, we\'re  going to look much  more rural.\n28   So I\'m thankful you have  a very limited scope in which\n29   to  judge  whether  or not  to  address  this threshold\n30   analysis.\n\n## 32 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you, 33 Gloria.\n\n35                   MS. LAVINE:   Once, again,  I will  ask\n36   everyone to please work to limit their comments to five\n37   minutes.  I will stand to help keep  track when you are\n38   approaching your limit.   For people online  and people\n39   in the room,  we will take comments or  raised hands to\n40   provide  comments on non-agenda items until 9:30.  That\n41   means you need to sign up by 9:30.\n\n## 43 Next in the room is Leslie Isaacs.\n\n45                   MR. ISAACS:  You got to hit the button,\n46   technology challenged  this morning, sorry  about that.\n47   My coffee cup, for the  record, is only this full, that\n48   means I only had half a cup so far.\n\n---\n\n34   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   So  good  morning.    My  name  is  (In\n2   Native) I am Haida Eagle Frog from the (In Native) Clan\n3   and this morning  I\'m speaking to you on  behalf of the\n4   Hydaburg   Cooperative   Association,    a   Federally-\n5   recognized tribe located in  Hydaburg, Alaska on Prince\n6   of  Wales Island.   The  agenda item  that I  wanted to\n7   speak to is the reduction and the change of the make up\n8   of the  Board that is  here this  morning.  And  what I\n9   want  to share  is how  important  subsistence or  what\n10   would technically  be called  subsistence, but  what is\n11   our way of  life in the village, how  important that is\n12   to us.    In  Hydaburg,  we have,  depending  on  whose\n13   statistics you  look  at we  have  about a  28  percent\n14   unemployment rate, so  if you go one, two, three you\'re\n15   unemployed; one,  two, three,  you\'re unemployed;  one,\n16   two, three  you\'re  unemployed, which  means you  don\'t\n17   have  an income to drive  45 minutes to  an hour to the\n18   nearest grocery store to buy  a piece of meat that cost\n19   120 or 130  bucks that here at Costco you\'d  be able to\n20   buy for $25.   So your  resources are already  strained\n21   and  limited.  And then what  I know, because I used to\n22   work   for   the   state  of   Alaska,   Department  of\n23   Administration,  I\'m chairman of a  few --or one board\n24   and on  several boards,  that are  looking at  economic\n25   development issues.  I worked  for the city of  Klawock\n26   as a city administrator for a dozen years.   And what I\n27   know is meetings like this take place and if you\'re not\n28   represented at  the table  your voice  is never  heard.\n29   And that lack of  representation exists all  throughout\n30   our  villages.  There\'s  decisions that are  being made\n31   that are going to impact my tribal citizens at Hydaburg\n32   Cooperative Association in  very detrimental ways  that\n33   they don\'t even know are being made.\n\n35                   Now,  I  recognize our  Board  Chair is\n36   from Hydaburg  and I thank  you for that.   However, if\n37   you take away  the representation of our  people in our\n38   villages it has a very harmful effect because our voice\n39   isn\'t even  heard.  Our  opinions are kept  to ourself.\n40   We\'re going to go  do what we need to do to put food on\n41   the table  to take care  of our families but  it\'s very\n42   important that  we work  with the  systems that  are in\n43   play and that we\'re part of that system.\n\n45                   I want to share with you a really quick\n46   story about fishing and I know it\'s not relevant to the\n47   deer  stories but one summer we\'re out sockeye fishing,\n48   beach seining,  putting up fish  for the winter  and my\n49   son, he was about 12 or 13 years old, and my father who\n\n---\n\n16   \n25   \n27   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n41   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1   now can  no longer fish with us because he\'s 87, but at\n2   the  time he was about my age,  which I thought was old\n3   then and now I think is kind of pretty young but my dad\n4   turned to me and --because my son was in the skiff, my\n5   dad turned  to me  and said,  he\'s really getting  this\n6   figured  out, he\'s going to  be a good  skiff man.  And\n7   the importance of  that to me is that I remember when I\n8   was my father\'s skiff man  and now my son is practicing\n9   our way  of life,  helping put up  fish but  there\'s my\n10   father, who very proudly is  telling me how good my son\n11   is doing.   And if you  can\'t tell I  have tears in  my\n12   eyes because of  the emotional connection we  have with\n13   our  way of life.  This isn\'t  just putting food on the\n14   table, this is generation to  generation to generation,\n15   teaching our young ones who we are.\n\n17                   I sat in front of a U.S. Forest Service\n18   presentation  down on Prince of Wales Island, they were\n19   talking about  the LWDs  and some of  us know  what the\n20   large woody debris  is, but at the  time I had no  clue\n21   and   the   scientists   in   the  room,   the   Forest\n22   practitioners, the stream  management people, they were\n23   all getting up giving a very technical presentation and\n24   in my --I got 10 seconds left.\n\n26                   (Laughter)\n\n28                   MR. ISAACS:  And in my response to them\n29   I said, this,  I don\'t care what  you call it,  I don\'t\n30   care how  you do  it, you just  make sure  that there\'s\n31   fish there so that I could teach my grandson our way of\n32   life.\n\n34                   And with that I\'ll close.\n\n36                   Haw\'aa.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n39   Scooter,  appreciate  you representing  Hydaburg  today\n40   too.  Thank you.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next in the que is Shania\n43   Murphy who is going to speak for Emily Edenshaw.  Thank\n44   you.\n\n46                   MS. MURPHY:  Ms. Emily Edenshaw had  to\n47   fly out for a family medical and as we all know, family\n48   comes first and she\'s asked me to say this for her.\n\n---\n\n22   \n29   \n50\n\n1                   Good morning, Chair  and members of the\n2   Federal  Subsistence Board,  My name is Emily Edenshaw.\n3   I serve  as the Tribal  Administrator and  CEO for  the\n4   Ketchikan Indian Community.  Before stepping into  this\n5   role, I had  the honor of serving as  President and CEO\n6   of the Alaska Native Heritage  Center. I also served on\n7   the  State of Alaska\'s tourism board, and I co-authored\n8   an academic paper  examining the origins of  tourism in\n9   Alaska tracing how the  industry, in part, grew out  of\n10   the  boarding school  era  and  the commodification  of\n11   Alaska  Native cultures.  I  share  that  not  just  as\n12   background  but to  underscore  that  I  come  to  this\n13   conversation  with   both  professional   and  academic\n14   experience  in  tourism,in  addition to  my  role  as a\n15   Tribal  administrator.    But above  all  else,  I come\n16   before  you as  a mother  and an  auntie to  many young\n17   people  across Southeast  Alaska, including  Ketchikan,\n18   Craig, Hydaburg,  Anchorage, and Fairbanks.  I\'m also a\n19   homeowner  in Ketchikan, and  my family has  deep roots\n20   across this region. I\'m speaking from both professional\n21   responsibility and lived experience.\n\n23                   Today, I want  to talk about  something\n24   that is often treated separately  but in reality, it is\n25   deeply  interconnected:  tourism,   sport  fishing  and\n26   hunting, along with the health  of our waters.  And why\n27   that  matters  directly  to your  role  as  the Federal\n28   Subsistence Board.\n\n30                   Southeast   Alaska    is   experiencing\n31   unprecedented  levels of  tourism  in communities  like\n32   Ketchikan,  Juneau, Craig, and more, we are seeing more\n33   visitors  than ever before.  Tourism is Alaska\'s third-\n34   largest industry and with that scale comes real impact.\n35   Strain on infrastructure.   Strain on housing.   Strain\n36   on public  safety.  And most importantly, strain on the\n37   natural resources that subsistence users depend on.  At\n38   the same time,  we are seeing increasing  pressure from\n39   sportfishing   and  hunting   industries.  Lodges   are\n40   expanding.  Guided  operations  are  growing.  And  the\n41   cumulative  harvest and  use of  fish  and wildlife  is\n42   intensifying.  Let me be clear, this is not about being\n43   against tourism or sportfishing, this is about balance,\n44   this is about sustainability and this is about ensuring\n45   that subsistence is  not pushed to the  margins because\n46   right now, what we are  seeing is an imbalance. We have\n47   large-scale, profit-driven activities  operating in the\n48   same ecosystems that our people rely on for subsistence\n49   yet  the cumulative impacts of those activities are not\n\n---\n\n12   \n14   \n34   \n50\n\n1   always fully  accounted for in management decisions and\n2   when you  add pollution  into that  equation, when  you\n3   consider  what is being  discharged or dumped  into our\n4   waters,  the concern  becomes even  more  urgent.   Our\n5   waters  are not  just  resources,  they  are  our  food\n6   systems, they are our culture, they are where knowledge\n7   is passed down  from one generation to the  next.  Last\n8   summer, I  processed my  first  batch of  fish with  my\n9   mother-in-law.  I remember  complaining  about my  back\n10   hurting, and  she said,  you\'re only  working on  three\n11   fish.\n\n## 13 (Laughter)\n\n15                   MS. MURPHY:  She taught me how to filet\n16   a fish,  how to follow the spine  with the knife and to\n17   this  day, I love the  sound of cutting  fish.  That is\n18   not just a memory,  that is culture, that is  identity.\n19   And the  question before  us is  this: what  happens if\n20   access to those experiences is diminished? What happens\n21   if the resources themselves are no longer there  in the\n22   same  way?  That  is where your  role becomes critical.\n23   Under  federal law, this Board  has a clear mandate: to\n24   provide  a priority  for  subsistence  uses on  Federal\n25   public  lands and waters.   That responsibility  is not\n26   passive,    it    requires    active,   forward-looking\n27   management.    It  requires you  to  consider  not just\n28   individual  regulations  but  cumulative impacts.    It\n29   requires you  to recognize  when increasing  commercial\n30   activity,  including  guided  sport  use  and  tourism-\n31   related  pressures  begin  to encroach  on  subsistence\n32   opportunity and  it requires  you to  act before  those\n33   impacts become irreversible.\n\n35                   When I spoke  in support of HB  366, my\n36   message  was grounded in a simple principle: the people\n37   closest to  the impact must  have a meaningful  role in\n38   decision-making.    The  same  principle applies  here.\n39   Rural and tribal communities are not just stakeholders,\n40   we  are rights holders, we are knowledge holders and we\n41   are   the  ones  living  with  the  outcomes  of  these\n42   decisions  every day.   So  I ask  this Board  to fully\n43   utilize  its authority  to  strengthen oversight  where\n44   pressure  is  increasing,  to  account  for  cumulative\n45   impacts    across   tourism,    sport   harvest,    and\n46   environmental  stressors  to  ensure  that  subsistence\n47   priority is not just protected in  theory but upheld in\n48   practice because these issues are not separate they are\n49   connected  and  so is  your  responsibility  to address\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n10   \n13   \n21   \n25   \n49   \n50\n\n1   them.   If we are serious about protecting subsistence,\n2   about honoring rural priority, and about  ensuring that\n3   future  generations can  live, harvest,  and thrive  in\n4   Southeast Alaska then we must act with intention now.\n\n6                   Gunalch esh. Haw\'aa. Thank you.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n9   Shania, appreciate the testimony.\n\n11                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n12   Next in the que is Mr. Joe Williams.\n\n14                   MR. WILLIAMS:   Good morning.  My  name\n15   is   Joe  Williams.    I\'m  tribal  President  for  the\n16   Organized  Village of Saxman.   I choose  to stand this\n17   morning primarily because I\'m old school.  I grew up in\n18   the  Alaska   Native  Brotherhood  and   Alaska  Native\n19   Sisterhood and we were taught then when you\'re speaking\n20   you must stand so that people will see who is speaking.\n\n22                   I\'m  here today  to share  a  couple of\n23   stories  with you  and this  should tell  you  that I\'m\n24   already very old, if you hadn\'t already figured it out.\n\n26                   When  I was growing  up we had  a young\n27   man in our  village and since he\'s passed  it\'s okay to\n28   use  his  name, his  name  was  Henry Jackson.    Henry\n29   Jackson stood 5.3"  He was our hunter in our community.\n30   When hunting season came it  was when he decided it was\n31   hunting season.   This  will tell you  this was  during\n32   Territorial days.   And  when he  hunted he would  come\n33   home  with two  or  three deer,  fed  the community  of\n34   Saxman.  Today we have right at about 440 in population\n35   in our small community of Saxman.  Traditionally, early\n36   on it was  right at about 120 to 130 if you counted all\n37   the dogs  and cats in  the community of Saxman,  but we\n38   fed --he fed us during those  winter months.  Then we\n39   became a state.   And often times we --please know, I\n40   give  tours for a  living during the  summer months and\n41   I\'m always asked,  has becoming a  state been good  for\n42   you?  Initially I  would say yes.  But I  remember when\n43   my dad was asked to pay 25 cents for a fishing license,\n44   a commercial fishing license and he said, what for,  so\n45   we can  find out how  many commercial fishermen  are in\n46   Southeast Alaska.   So I\'m not sure how  many folks can\n47   afford  that 25 cent fishing license today because it\'s\n48   no longer 25 cents.\n\n---\n\n18   \n25   \n37   \n44   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   I want you  to think in terms  of this.\n2   Here we  are sitting  in a committee  event, the  way I\n3   view this.   I\'m a president of  a Federally-recognized\n4   tribe,  the  574  Federally-recognized  tribes  in  the\n5   United States,  of that 229  of them are right  here in\n6   Alaska.  Federally-recognized tribes bring more Federal\n7   dollars  to the community  of Alaska than  --if Alaska\n8   had to  service us,  they would be  truly in  a serious\n9   financial challenge.   Federally-recognized tribe.   We\n10   have  a  direct  relationship with  the  United  States\n11   government.   And when  we\'re talking about  fishing we\n12   are set  in a committee  with no  authority other  than\n13   those that are representing us.  That, I struggle with.\n14   A Federally-recognized  tribe and  the committee  picks\n15   presidents over  our authority.   This  may not  be the\n16   venue to  say that  but I need  to start  someplace and\n17   this is where I happen to start this morning.\n\n19                   Often   times   when    Alaska   Native\n20   Brotherhood, we judge our  speaker by the color  of his\n21   hair, if it  was grey like mine is, we were going to be\n22   here for a  long time.  I  was told I had  five minutes\n23   and I just took  30 seconds of that 4 to  5 minute time\n24   period this morning.\n\n26                   I  appreciate the  opportunity to  come\n27   and address you this morning,  please know that.  But I\n28   would like to  leave you with this  thought, Federally-\n29   recognized tribe has the authority of the United States\n30   government  and, yet,  we  sit on  a committee  and our\n31   voice  is   not  heard   if  we  should   not  have   a\n32   representative on this Board.  So when you hear someone\n33   saying  that   they  are   representing  a   Federally-\n34   recognized tribe,  they are representing  a government.\n35   It was given  by the United  States government to  that\n36   Federally-recognized tribe.\n\n38                   Mr. Chairman, thank  you very much  for\n39   your time.  Members here today on the Board, appreciate\n40   your time, and those of you  who are here today to  say\n41   what you  have to say, please  say do so as  was stated\n42   earlier, if  you don\'t speak  who\'s going to  speak for\n43   your community.\n\n45                   Gunalcheesh.  Gunalcheesh.\n\n47                   (Applause)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you, Mr.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n16   \n42   \n50\n\n1   Williams.\n\n3                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair, we have  a few\n4   more people in the room,  we have one person online, we\n5   will be taking no more requests for non-agenda items at\n6   this time.  I just wanted to let the person online know\n7   that we\'ll get  to him at the end of the in-room folks.\n8   Next in the que is Clinton Cook.\n\n10                   MR.  COOK:  Good  morning.  My  name is\n11   Clinton  Cook.   I  am  also a  tribal  President of  a\n12   Federally-recognized tribe in Craig, Alaska.  I\'ve been\n13   sitting  over here  for five  days  calm as  a cucumber\n14   listening to my right as a tribal President to stick up\n15   for my resource that is being attacked.\n\n17                   A  few  years  ago this  body,  of  the\n18   Federal Subsistence  Board, recognized  our subsistence\n19   rights were harmed  by the reduction of  deer, our only\n20   game we can  harvest, was  in decline,  and we  changed\n21   your  position so  we had  access to  that animal  by a\n22   rural priority.  That was in place until rural priority\n23   of  Unit  1 got  switched  so where  did  our pre-rural\n24   status of Unit 1 go?  Did you just wad up that piece of\n25   paper  and throw  it  out  like we  didn\'t  matter?   I\n26   believe  the process  was flawed one  year ago  when we\n27   were told  we did not  come testify and Unit  1 flooded\n28   the room, I have no idea what room it was in.   There\'s\n29   been lots of talk up here  about fishing, that priority\n30   has nothing  to do with fishing.   I can get  a Federal\n31   subsistence permit to spear salmon in the river but all\n32   of our  permits for  fish come from  the State.   Let\'s\n33   make that clear,  there\'s no rural priority  for salmon\n34   in our area,  I still have to  go to the State  and ask\n35   for a  permit in  once  was  the day  was traditionally\n36   ours.   I  respect our  salmon.   If you  don\'t realize\n37   where I live in Craig,  Alaska, just Google it and then\n38   Google Hunters Bay,  Alaska, we\'re four miles  from the\n39   border of   Canada to go get sockeyes  because we don\'t\n40   want to put more pressure on our streams that are close\n41   to home.\n\n43                   I\'ve  been  sitting   there  listening,\n44   wondering  why people can  talk about non-agenda items.\n45   I\'ve respected that until now.   When every day  public\n46   testimony talks about  agenda items.  I\'ll  be clear of\n47   that.  The comments  about fishing isn\'t about  a rural\n48   priority,  fishing is a State fishery  where we have to\n49   buy a license or get  a permit to harvest sockeyes, the\n\n---\n\n13   \n24   \n29   \n50\n\n1   same with deer, we have  to buy a permit, they  give us\n2   tags, we harvest  --try to harvest our  animals.  Look\n3   at  the  data.    Over  five  days  for one  Federally-\n4   qualified  user to harvest one deer.  Gas, we\'re fairly\n5   lucky, we haven\'t  hit the $6 plateau yet  for a gallon\n6   of gas but  we still pay $10  for a loaf of bread.   We\n7   still pay $9.50  for a gallon of milk.  We\'re forced to\n8   start eating food that we don\'t like to eat because our\n9   rural  priority hasn\'t been  met, our subsistence needs\n10   are  not being met.  I  don\'t like eating pork chops or\n11   hamburger.   But when my rural priority and subsistence\n12   is not being met we have no choice.\n\n14                   I\'m passionate  about my  region and  I\n15   will defend it to the end  if needed.  You guys have  a\n16   daunting task in front of you but I felt --I followed\n17   the law just  like everybody else did, I  had the right\n18   to challenge the request for reconsideration because  I\n19   felt we weren\'t allowed in  the process.  All week, all\n20   week I\'ve heard  everybody say, with  the mic in  their\n21   hand,  I give deference to the  RAC.  Then I heard, oh,\n22   we can\'t give deference to  the RAC on a rural priority\n23   because it doesn\'t affect harvest.  It affects harvest.\n\n25                   But  I don\'t want  to take too  much of\n26   your time.  I\'m a tribal leader.  I feel giving me five\n27   minutes  in front  of this  body once  a year  is once,\n28   again, not okay.\n\n30                   The  last thing I\'d like to speak on is\n31   the challenge  that came  to Interior  from the  Safari\n32   Club.   We sit  as an alliance  of Southeast  tribes in\n33   Alaska, we  formed a body  of an alliance  of Southeast\n34   tribes  in Southeast  Alaska.    The  priority  was  to\n35   defence everybody in  this semi-circle.   Everybody  in\n36   this room  we defended adamantly.   My tribe  has trust\n37   land.  On that trust land we have a gift shop  and duty\n38   free tobacco, a  very popular place on our  island.  It\n39   felt so  important  to  me  to protect  the  Office  of\n40   Subsistence  Management,  the   RAC  Councils  and  the\n41   Federal  Subsistence Board, we had Staff sitting in our\n42   businesses  day  after  day  taking their  name,  their\n43   address,  and  we  forwarded   that  document  to   the\n44   Department  of Interior protecting  this right  we have\n45   for  a rural  priority in  Alaska.   This  is our  only\n46   voice.  We took it serious.  We had other businesses we\n47   posted up in to protect you guys as a body.  We have  a\n48   cannabis store,  the first tribe  in Alaska  to have  a\n49   dispensary, we posted  people up in there to  make sure\n\n---\n\n15   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n34   \n46   \n50\n\n1   our voices were  heard.  I put those  same documents on\n2   the Inter  Island Ferry  Authority, a  ferry that  runs\n3   from Ketchikan to Hollis every day, just like  a cruise\n4   ship docking up on our island.  We  got comments off of\n5   that ferry boat to protect our way  of life.  I took it\n6   as  a serious harm to the rural people of Alaska to not\n7   have a voice in subsistence.   I believe in the end  we\n8   submitted well over 250 documents to Interior out of my\n9   village because  I felt the passion to protect my voice\n10   as a rural user and to protect you, who listen to me as\n11   a rural user.  I wanted to make sure that you guys know\n12   we took it serious to  protect the process we are given\n13   and one percent  of the fish and game  that subsistence\n14   users use every year in Alaska.\n\n16                   Thank  you for your  time.   Thanks for\n17   the five minutes.  And  I look forward to the proposals\n18   coming that affect my area.\n\n## 20 Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n23   President Cook, appreciate your testimony this morning.\n\n25                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, President Cook.\n26   Mr. Aaron  Beam conceded  some of his  time to  you but\n27   there is some time left, Mr. Beam.\n\n29                   MR. BEAN:  Good morning.  Aaron Bean of\n30   the Craig Tribe.  I\'m not going to repeat a lot of what\n31   President Cook said but I would like to just, you know,\n32   incorporate all  that testimony by  reference, apply it\n33   to mine.\n\n35                   And mainly I wanted to  ensure that, in\n36   fact,  the people  making  the  decisions  here  today,\n37   received  our   request  for  consideration   that  was\n38   submitted on July  21st, 2025.  I went  through some of\n39   these  things  in  the almanacs  that  are  provided by\n40   volume  for these meetings, which is impressive, if you\n41   people can get through that,  but I wanted to make sure\n42   that you read that and that you  read it word for word,\n43   and that  you took it  the same way you  would if there\n44   were  an  analysis  given  by  any  other  governmental\n45   official sitting before you, with the same weight.\n\n47                   And to speak briefly  to what President\n48   Cook  had mentioned, I  understand that you  guys can\'t\n49   manage wolves and bears and  predators, we get it.  The\n\n---\n\n20   \n22   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   deer population on Prince of Wales Island is plummeting\n2   at  alarming rates prior to Ketchikan getting its rural\n3   status.   So  I just  want to  make that  really clear.\n4   This is not  conjecture, this is not  speculation, this\n5   isn\'t something that people feel is happening, the data\n6   is  there if you read it.  You know the bear population\n7   is growing  because you have  to have a guided  hunt in\n8   order  to take  it, which means  people are  not paying\n9   that much money  to go kill a  bear on Prince of  Wales\n10   when  they  can the  next  island  up, just  plain  and\n11   simple.    The wolves,  we believe,  and we\'ve  made it\n12   really clear through the  RAC process, again, supported\n13   with the  data, traditional ecological  knowledge, that\n14   it\'s not being managed the way  that we think it is, we\n15   think that there\'s  more wolves.  And  speaking briefly\n16   to  the study that\'s  cited with radio  collars, that\'s\n17   over  20 years  old,  talking  that there\'s  unreported\n18   poaching and like it\'s absurd.  The data set should not\n19   be considered.\n\n## 21 Anyway, I\'m going to wrap it up here.\n\n23                   All we\'re asking is that you  take this\n24   into  consideration the  same way  you  would with  any\n25   other government.  I\'ve spent a lot of time, our tribe,\n26   our Council,  our elders,  we\'ve  spent a  lot of  time\n27   trying to articulate our position and we\'re just asking\n28   that you consider that.   And I appreciate your time, I\n29   look forward to the  discussion and you guys  taking up\n30   the request  for  reconsideration  because  we  believe\n31   firmly that it meets all the criteria needed.\n\n## 33 Thank you.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n36   Aaron, appreciate your testimony this morning.\n\n38                   MS. LAVINE:  We have one more person in\n39   the room and at his request  we will --I will let  the\n40   person online go first.   We have one person online and\n41   that  is  Eric Benedict.    Eric, you  may  address the\n42   Board.\n\n44                   MR.  BENEDICT:  Hello,  thank you.  Can\n45   you all hear me?\n\n47                   REPORTER:  Yes.\n\n49                   MR. BENEDICT:  Hello, can you hear me?\n\n---\n\n3   \n12   \n26   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, yes, I can\n2   hear you, sorry.\n\n4                   MR. BENEDICT:   Oh, perfect,  thank you\n5   so much.  Hello.  Members of  the Board.  Thank you for\n6   hearing my  testimony.  My  name is Aaron Benedict.   I\n7   live in Juneau and spend my summers  working with youth\n8   in Angoon but  I grew up in the wilderness  of New York\n9   City.   I represent  myself as a  non-rural subsistence\n10   users  who regularly  interacts with  rural subsistence\n11   users.\n\n13                   My biggest  concern is that  the people\n14   who  rely  on   these  resources  are  not   adequately\n15   compensated  by visitors  and  outfitters who  directly\n16   profit off the extraction of resources.   I am grateful\n17   for  the generosity of  the subsistence users  who have\n18   taught me and shared with me both resources and method.\n19   I think  we should look  at creative ways to  have non-\n20   subsistence users  compensate, subsistence  communities\n21   appropriately for  extracted resources in  places where\n22   fish and wildlife  numbers are decreasing.  I  think it\n23   is  important that fees for commercial and personal use\n24   permits  somehow find their way to the communities that\n25   they may be in competition with.\n\n27                   I am grateful  to have been  invited to\n28   partake in subsistence and in the traditional lands and\n29   waters of the clans and  people of Kootznoowoo.  I have\n30   been lucky to take part in beach seining, berrypicking,\n31   crabbing,  collecting   gumboots  and   cockles,  black\n32   seaweed  and enjoy these resources  as a guest in these\n33   lands.\n\n35                   That is my short statement.\n\n37                   Gunalcheesh  and  thank   you  all  for\n38   listening.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n41   your testimony this morning, appreciate it.\n\n43                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair.   We had  one\n44   misfiled  comment.    Oh,  actually,  please  go  ahead\n45   Lawrence Amore [sic].\n\n47                   MR. ARMOR:   Good morning.  My  name is\n48   Lawrence Armor.  I am speaking on behalf of the Klawock\n49   Cooperative  Association  and   my  role  as  Community\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n25   \n50\n\n1   Catalyst  charged with  protecting  and sustaining  our\n2   customary and traditional uses and practices.\n\n4                   I want to address recent petitions from\n5   the Safari  Club International directed at  the Federal\n6   Subsistence  Board.   These proposals to  remove public\n7   seats, require deference  to the  Alaska Department  of\n8   Fish  and  Game  and  limit  special  actions  are  not\n9   neutral.   They represent  a fundamental  shift in  who\n10   holds authority and whose voices matter.\n\n12                   For   our   community,   customary  and\n13   traditional use is  not theoretical, it is how  we feed\n14   our families,  how we  teach our  children, and how  we\n15   maintain our  cultural identity.   Federal  protections\n16   under the Alaska  National Interests Lands Conservation\n17   Act exist  because Congress  recognized that  rural and\n18   Alaska Native communities require a priority, not  just\n19   equal  footing, to  continue  this way  of  life.   For\n20   Alaska Native people  customary and traditional  use is\n21   not  simply access to resources, it  is the exercise of\n22   inherent rights  and responsibility to  pass knowledge,\n23   stewardship  and food security  from one  generation to\n24   the next.\n\n26                   The  current  proposals  would  require\n27   deference  to  the  State  of  Alaska  on  conservation\n28   matters, curtail  the Board\'s temporary  special action\n29   authority   and  fundamentally   undermine  the   rural\n30   priority  established  under  ANILCA.    We view  these\n31   proposals as a  direct attack on subsistence  rights of\n32   Alaska  Native people  and  rural Alaskans.    Congress\n33   created  the Federal  Subsistence  Program because  the\n34   State  of  Alaska   cannot  constitutionally  implement\n35   ANILCA\'s  rural  priority as  affirmed  in  McDowell v.\n36   State, the  Katie John  cases, and  most recently,  the\n37   United States v.  Alaska.  The State has  had more than\n38   three  decades to amend its Constitution and has chosen\n39   not to.  Any management  authority back to the State or\n40   weakening  the  Board  and the  Office  of  Subsistence\n41   Management would  betray the  original  intent and  the\n42   Federal trust  responsibility.   Removing public  seats\n43   removes a lived experience of  people on the land  from\n44   the decisionmaking process.   Limiting special  actions\n45   restricts the  Board\'s ability  to respond  to realtime\n46   conditions that directly affect our access, our safety,\n47   and our food  security.  Taken together,  these changes\n48   move decisionmaking further away from communities  most\n49   impacted  and toward outside interests that do not rely\n\n---\n\n2   \n8   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n25   \n33   \n50\n\n1   on these resources to survive.\n\n3                   I\'m   here  to   be  clear   protecting\n4   customary and traditional use is not just about access,\n5   it\'s  about upholding a legal obligation and honoring a\n6   way of life that has  existed long before these systems\n7   were put in place.\n\n9                   On  behalf of  the Klawock  Cooperative\n10   Association,  I  urge  the  Board  to  maintain  public\n11   representation,  uphold  independent  Federal authority\n12   under  ANILCA, preserve the full use of special actions\n13   to   protect  customary   and   traditional  uses   and\n14   practices.  Because if these  protections are weakened,\n15   the  consequences will not be abstract, they\'ll be felt\n16   in our homes, our freezers and our future generations.\n\n## 18 Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n21   Lawrence, for your testimony this morning.\n\n23                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, the last on the\n24   non-agenda item testimony is Karen Linnell.\n\n26                   MS.  LINNELL:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n27   For  the record  my name is  Karen Linnell.   I  am the\n28   Executive  Director   of  Ahtna   InterTribal  Resource\n29   Commission, which is comprised  of eight Federally---\n30   and State recognized tribes and two ANCSA Corporations,\n31   who are  the land  owners and that  participate in  our\n32   Board and the work that we do.\n\n34                   This week has  been a rough week.   I\'m\n35   sorry  I  missed yesterday,  apparently there  was some\n36   conversation  that happened, and the day before, but we\n37   had  to put an  elder away.   He took  his last journey\n38   home.  Just  a few weeks  ago I saw him  in Glennallen,\n39   and  he rarely leaves Chistochina, which is my village,\n40   where I grew  up, because he\'s caring for  his autistic\n41   grandson.  And so I called him  and I said, is that you\n42   that I  saw in Glennallen,  he started laughing  and he\n43   said,  yeah, I  had to  run to  Glennallen while  I can\n44   because my boy\'s --while my boy\'s  in school.  And  I\n45   told him to swing by  the house, I got some  moose meat\n46   for you.   He came by, I sent  him home with some moose\n47   burger  and moose  meat.    And we  talked  just for  a\n48   minute,  he said I  got to get home  before he gets off\n49   the bus  and he  took off  and left.   He  called me  a\n\n---\n\n18   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   couple  days  later  and  he said,  gee,  I  made  some\n2   spaghetti for that  boy with that  moose burger and  he\n3   just ate it up, he said, he almost ate the whole thing.\n4   And  16 years he\'s  been taking care  of that  boy.  As\n5   soon as he retired, he --first thing he ended up doing\n6   was caring for his grandson.   This last couple days, I\n7   got home at 2:00 o\'clock in the  morning yesterday from\n8   Mentasta  for the  potlatch, and  I  watched the  young\n9   people there  in Mentasta care for the elders, they did\n10   all the cooking,  they were in their teens  and 20s and\n11   doing everything.  They had a little bit of supervision\n12   in the kitchen but they  did everything.  They were out\n13   boiling the  meat, the bones  in the cook shack.   They\n14   were in the  kitchen prepping all  the salads and  food\n15   for everybody.  There was a couple hundred people there\n16   for a few days.  They took care of them.  That moose is\n17   so important to who we are and what we do.\n\n19                   I sit here and I\'ve been doing this for\n20   close to 30 years now, coming to meetings and trying to\n21   fight  for our subsistence  and protecting our  ways of\n22   life,  I  don\'t know  how  many  --how many  Regional\n23   Directors  I\'ve been through,  that we\'ve had  to train\n24   and educate on why  Alaska\'s different, especially with\n25   the Park Service, BLM, you know, in our ability to hunt\n26   and do  subsistence to feed our families  and can carry\n27   on our  cultural practices.    Every Administration  it\n28   seems  we get a new director and we have to educate you\n29   on  the  laws that  fit  Alaska, we\'re  not  like other\n30   states.   We  have dual  management  because the  State\n31   cannot  provide for a rural priority and so this public\n32   process  is  an  important  step  to  protecting  those\n33   rights.  I was going to say, Mr. Williams, I went white\n34   so  I can  talk longer and  stand up in  front of these\n35   people more too.\n\n## 37 (Laughter)\n\n39                   MS. LINNELL:  I just wanted to say that\n40   this body  has a  duty to protect  the rural  priority.\n41   You have a  duty to provide  for subsistence needs  for\n42   rural Alaskans.   There are several proposals  in front\n43   of  you   to  close  Federal  lands  to  non-Federally-\n44   qualified users.   They\'re looking for that  little bit\n45   of  extra  edge  on being  able  to  provide  for their\n46   families.  This is a  wildlife season on proposals, and\n47   we  participate  in  all  the  different  arenas.    We\n48   participate in  the State arena  and I get to  ball out\n49   Ben  every  now  and  then  at  the  State  level,  Ben\n\n---\n\n16   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Mulligan,  and I  get to  do that.   But  participating\n2   there,  actively  participating in  our  local Advisory\n3   Committees,  our Regional  Advisory Committees,  that\'s\n4   what we have to do in order to  protect our hunting and\n5   fishing rights.   And  having ANCSA  and having  ANILCA\n6   watered down, you know, 1972.   We\'re over 50 years now\n7   of trying to get this  right and the McDowell case made\n8   sure that  we didn\'t  get  a rural  priority under  the\n9   State and  we ended up  in dual management and  here we\n10   are and  it\'s not going  to get fixed by  watering down\n11   the  Federal Subsistence  Board  and I\'ll  believe  the\n12   Constitutional  amendment when  I see  it actually  get\n13   passed but  this is  something that  they\'re trying  to\n14   rush through so don\'t act  on what might happen but act\n15   on what\'s going on right now.\n\n17                   I\'m seeing threats to  our habitats and\n18   things through executive orders and Secretarial  orders\n19   that affect the  habitat for our moose  and our caribou\n20   and we need to do what\'s right  for the resource.  When\n21   you  start worrying  about taking  care  of people  and\n22   doing that, I watch that  happen at ADF&G, the Board of\n23   Game, they  start  worrying about  people,  they  start\n24   worrying about money even and how many permits from out\n25   of state, how  many non-resident permits can  they sell\n26   in  their lotteries and  drawings because they  need to\n27   bring money  in to the  Department and that\'s  not what\n28   they\'re there for.  Alaska  subsistence needs to be the\n29   priority for Alaskan people.\n\n31                   And  I know  I\'ve exceeded  my time,  I\n32   want to  just thank  you for  the opportunity to  speak\n33   this morning.\n\n35                   Chin\'an.\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n38   your continued  leadership and  condolences to  you and\n39   your community.\n\n41                   MS. LINNELL:  Thank you, sir.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   That concludes\n44   public comment this morning.  Let\'s take a five  minute\n45   break.   Oh, next, real  quick before we take  a break,\n46   sorry, we\'re going to  do a comment on --what was that\n47   again?\n\n49                   MS. LEONETTI:  On the consensus agenda.\n\n---\n\n4   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n34   \n40   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:       On   the\n2   consensus  agenda.  So  this is another  opportunity to\n3   speak.\n\n5                   MS. LAVINE:  If anyone online wishes to\n6   speak  to proposals or closure reviews on the consensus\n7   agenda listed online you can raise your hand.\n\n9                   (Pause)\n\n11                   MS. LAVINE:  No hands.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n14   Take a five minute break.\n\n16                   (Off record)\n\n18                   (On record)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Let\'s   get\n21   started again here please.  If we could take our seats.\n\n23                   (Pause)\n\n```\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   It  looks like\n26   WP26-12-13(a)-14(a).\n```\n\n28                   MS. VOORHEES:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n29   Members of the  Board.  My name is Hannah Voorhees.  It\n30   looks like --oh, good there\'s the correct slide, thank\n31   you.    I\'m an  Anthropologist  with  OSM  and I\'ll  be\n32   presenting Proposal  WP26-12-13(a)-14(a), which  begins\n33   on Page 737 of your Board book.\n\n35                   Proposals 26-12-13(a) submitted  by the\n36   Native Village  of Eyak and Dennis Zadra, respectively,\n37   request that  the  Board recognize  the  customary  and\n38   traditional use of brown  bears in Unit 6  by residents\n39   of Cordova.\n\n41                   WP26-14(a)     submitted     by     the\n42   Southcentral Council requests that the Board  recognize\n43   the customary  and traditional  use of  brown bears  in\n44   Unit 6 by residents of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.\n\n46                   Native  Village  of  Eyak  states  that\n47   brown bear use is well documented  in our local Cordova\n48   history and within the tribes traditional  storytelling\n49   and  has been passed  down through generations  of Eyak\n\n---\n\n8   \n14   \n26   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   tribal members  who have lived  in the area  since time\n2   immemorial.   Dennis  Zadra states  that  residents  of\n3   Cordova have  a deep history of  practicing subsistence\n4   for  brown  bears.    The  Southcentral  Council, which\n5   submitted  WP26-14(a) states  that subsistence  hunting\n6   for  brown bears  is a  time honored  practice for  the\n7   communities of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.\n\n9                   Companion   Proposal   WP26-13(b)/14(b)\n10   requests to establish a brown  bear hunt in Unit 6 with\n11   a harvest  limit of  one bear  by Federal  registration\n12   permit and a season of August 1st through June 30th and\n13   that will be coming before you next, I believe.\n\n15                   So  currently   there  is   no  Federal\n16   subsistence  priority  for  brown  bears  in   Unit  6.\n17   Residents  of  Cordova   already  have  customary   and\n18   traditional  use   determinations  for   the  following\n19   species in  areas in  Unit 6.   Black bears  and wolves\n20   throughout the unit,  goats in Units 6A, 6C  and 6D and\n21   moose in Units 6A, 6B and 6C.  Residents of Chenega Bay\n22   and  Tatitlek already  have  C&T  for  several  species\n23   within  Unit  6,  including  black  bears   and  wolves\n24   throughout the unit,  goats in 6A, 6C and  6D and moose\n25   in Unit 16.\n\n27                   When   considering   a   customary  and\n28   traditional  use determination  analysis eight  factors\n29   are  considered, these are listed beginning on Page 743\n30   of  your Board  book.   The  Board makes  customary and\n31   traditional  use  determinations  based on  a  holistic\n32   application  of  these  eight factors  as  well  as the\n33   reports and  recommendations of  the Regional  Advisory\n34   Council.\n\n36                   The subsistence practices  of residents\n37   of Chenega, Tatitlek and Cordova are about the cultural\n38   traditions of  the Chugach  Sugpiaq, Alutiiq  of Prince\n39   William Sound, the  dAXunhyuu Eyak of the  Copper River\n40   Delta and  Russian and American settlers.   Subsistence\n41   patterns  in the region focus on the marine environment\n42   but bears  and goats  were utilized  and they  were the\n43   largest  and  most  important land  mammals  originally\n44   available.\n\n46                   Native  Village  of Eyak  affirms  that\n47   brown  bears  have  been traditionally  used  by  their\n48   people.    Ancestral  knowledge,  memory  and  cultural\n49   continuity establish that the traditional  use of brown\n\n---\n\n12   \n13   \n45   \n50\n\n1   bears  is  an  integral part  of  the  regions cultural\n2   heritage.  Researchers beyond the tribe have, likewise,\n3   demonstrated a  deep record of  brown bear  use in  the\n4   region  going back thousands of years which is detailed\n5   in the  analysis, and this begins on  Page 744.  I just\n6   wanted to flag this,  I\'m not going to go  into all the\n7   detail of the archeological sites just for brevity, but\n8   there\'s  a  robust  body of  evidence  about  very deep\n9   history of brown bear use in this  region.  I just want\n10   us to  keep that in  mind because  I am  going to  talk\n11   about some more recent interruptions in use since 1900.\n\n14                   So   while   black  bears   are   still\n15   harvested there is  less evidence for the  use of brown\n16   bears  in  the  region  since  1900,  particularly  for\n17   Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.  The reasons for this are not\n18   entirely  clear.   Looking  at Division  of Subsistence\n19   surveys  across study areas  between 1985 and  2003, an\n20   average  of approximately 4 percent of surveyed Cordova\n21   households  attempted  to harvest  brown bears  and one\n22   percent  of households  were successful.    There\'s one\n23   year of data  with some harvest locations from 1985 and\n24   in that year all the brown bears were harvested in Unit\n25   6.   During  all the  years  in which  Chenega Bay  and\n26   Tatitlek  were  surveyed  between   1984  and  2003  no\n27   households reported  harvesting or  using brown  bears.\n28   Chenega Bay was surveyed seven times during this period\n29   and  Tatitlek was surveyed  five times.   However, just\n30   over six percent of Chenega Bay households attempted to\n31   harvest  brown bears in  two survey years.   Brown bear\n32   hunting  tends to be very specialized and it\'s possible\n33   that some  households that  harvested brown  bears were\n34   not included  in  the surveys  or the  surveys did  not\n35   capture harvest for  other reasons and regulations  may\n36   have contributed to  harvest of black bears  over brown\n37   bears in  Prince William  Sound.   The State  limit for\n38   black bears throughout  Unit 6 is one bear.   The State\n39   limit for  brown bears  in Unit  6D, which  encompasses\n40   Prince  William Sound,  is one  brown  bear every  four\n41   regulatory years.  The State limit for brown bears is a\n42   little  bit more  liberal  in  Unit 6A  to  6C east  of\n43   Cordova where  hunters can  take one  brown bear  every\n44   regulatory year.\n\n46                   So  looking  next   at  reported  State\n47   harvest, between  1988 and  2023, residents  of Cordova\n48   harvested a  total of  169 brown bears  in Unit  6 with\n49   most harvest occurring in Units  6B and 6D.  During the\n\n---\n\n7   \n15   \n29   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n41   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   same time residents of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek did not\n2   report harvesting  any  brown bears  within the  units.\n3   There are no brown bear sealing records for Chenega Bay\n4   in Unit 6 for any  year in ADF&G;s records although two\n5   brown bears were sealed for  Tatitlek in Unit 6, one in\n6   1984 and one in 1985.\n\n8                   The OSM conclusion is  to support these\n9   proposals.   In addition  to testimony from  the Native\n10   Village  of   Eyak  there\'s  strong   ethnographic  and\n11   archeological evidence that both brown and black  bears\n12   play  an essential role in Chugach Sugpiaq, Alutiiq and\n13   dAXunhyuu Eyak  culture and  alignment  with the  eight\n14   factors.\n\n16                   Since 1900 there\'s more evidence of use\n17   of  black  bears  than  brown  bears  particularly  for\n18   Chenega  Bay   and  Tatitlek.     However,  subsistence\n19   practices are characterized  for their adaptability and\n20   shifting use of brown and black bears may reflect local\n21   preference, shifting  opportunity as  well as  external\n22   constraints.   Under  Federal Subsistence  regulations,\n23   residents of Cordova, Chenega Bay and  Tatitlek already\n24   have C&T for  black bears throughout Unit 6.   Based on\n25   this and other  determinations for land mammals  in the\n26   region the three communities have already established a\n27   recognized pattern of harvest and use of wild resources\n28   in Unit 6 consistent with the eight factors.\n\n30                   Thank   you.      That   completes   my\n31   presentation and I\'m happy to take any questions.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n34   the presentation, Staff.  Any questions for Staff.\n\n36                   (No comments)\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n39   seeing  none, any  written  comment --public  written\n40   comments received.\n\n42                   MS.  VOORHEES:    Mr.  Chair,  this  is\n43   Hannah  Voorhees.    There   were  no  written   public\n44   comments.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   Summary of tribal government and Alaska Native Corp.\n\n49                   MR.  LIND:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair.\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n17   \n19   \n23   \n26   \n29   \n34   \n41   \n50\n\n**0582**\n\n1   Orville  Lind,  Native  Liaison for  OSM.    During the\n2   consultation  sessions  there   were  no  comments   or\n3   questions on this proposal.  Thank you.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n6   Orville.  Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n8                   MS. LAVINE:   If you are representing a\n9   tribe or Alaska  Native --oh, we have  somebody in the\n10   room --please.\n\n12                   MR.   SMITH:     Hi,   I\'m  Jim   Smith\n13   representing NVE, Native  Village of Eyak.   We support\n14   this.   Brown  bear has  been traditional  to  the Eyak\n15   people and  the Sugpiaq people  and so we put  this one\n16   forward alongside our relatives in Chenega.\n\n## 18 Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you, Mr.\n21   Smith.  Advisory Group, SRC,  State Advisory Committee,\n22   multiagency work group.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:  We  received no comment on\n25   those proposals.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n30                   MS.  LAVINE:    In  the  room  we  have\n31   Michael Opheim or Dustin Carl --oh, I\'m sorry, not for\n32   this --are you signed  up for this  one --yes, very\n33   good, okay.\n\n35                   MR. OPHEIM:  Good morning Board.  Thank\n36   you for  the opportunity  to speak  on WP26-12,  13(a),\n37   14(a).  My name is Michael Opheim.  I\'m the Tribal Fish\n38   and Wildlife Liaison  for our tribal Fish  and Wildlife\n39   Department at Chugach Regional Resources Commission and\n40   happy to give our  testimony.\n\n42                   The    Chugach    Regional    Resources\n43   Commission would like to voice the support for WP26-12,\n44   13(a)  and  14(a).    The  Chugach  Regional  Resources\n45   Commission  or  CRRC  serves the  seven  tribes  of the\n46   Chugach  Region  in  Southcentral  Alaska;  the  Native\n47   Village of Eyak, Valdez Native Tribe, Native Village of\n48   Tatitlek, Chenega  IRA Council, Qutekcak  Native Tribe,\n49   Port  Graham  Village  Council  and  the  Nanwalek  IRA\n\n---\n\n8   \n10   \n14   \n25   \n32   \n35   \n38   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Council.   The  proposals recognize  the  customary and\n2   traditional use of brown bears by residents of Cordova,\n3   Chenega  Bay, and  Tatitlek.   The  residents of  these\n4   tribal communities have traditionally used bear harvest\n5   for  food  and  clothing  as  recorded  throughout  the\n6   history  by the tribes traditional storytelling and the\n7   C&T determination should reflect that.\n\n## 9 Thank you for your time.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n12   your  testimony.   Hearing or  seeing  no other  public\n13   testimony, Council recommendation.\n\n15                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n16   These  proposals are  beneficial to  subsistence users.\n17   The  C&T is  well justified.   As Michael  mentioned we\n18   heard a lot  of testimony to that and  the OSM analysis\n19   is  quite  thorough   and  keeps  the  door   open  for\n20   subsistence users to perhaps switch to other resources,\n21   as  needed, due  to the  fluctuation  of resources  and\n22   their  availability.  There\'s  a long history  of brown\n23   bear use  in Unit  6 documented  orally and written  in\n24   historical records.\n\n26                   The   Southcentral   RAC    takes   C&T\n27   determinations  really  seriously and  we  particularly\n28   appreciate it when  those communities affected come  to\n29   our  meeting,  as  happened here,  and  explained  it a\n30   little  bit better to us, their personal and historical\n31   use.\n\n33                   So, once, again, this is beneficial  to\n34   subsistence users and we would support it.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n37   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n39                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n40   For  the record, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game\n41   opposes   the   proposals.     Currently   under  State\n42   regulations we have  a negative C&T finding  for Unit 6\n43   brown bear.\n\n45                   Thank you.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n48   InterAgency Staff Committee comment.\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n2   I\'ll read an abbreviated comment.  The full comment can\n3   be found in your meeting materials.\n\n5                   The   Board    makes   customary    and\n6   traditional  use determinations for the sole purpose of\n7   recognizing  the  pool of  users who  generally exhibit\n8   some or all  of the eight factors.  The  Board does not\n9   use such  determinations  for  resource  management  or\n10   restricting harvest.\n\n12                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Board discussion  with Liaison,  Council Chairs,  State\n16   rep.\n\n18                   (No comments)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n21   seeing none, open the floor for Board action.\n\n23                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.   The Forest\n24   Service moves to adopt WP26-12, 13(a), 14(a), following\n25   a second  I\'ll  explain why  I  intend to  support  the\n26   motion.\n\n28                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service seconds.\n\n30                   MR. WOODS:  Second.\n\n32                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Thank you for  seconds\n33   and thirds, right.  I  support this motion in deference\n34   to the RAC and in  acknowledgement of the testimony  of\n35   the Native Village of Eyak and the long history of oral\n36   tradition and archeological evidence in support of this\n37   determination.   Even  though recent  harvest of  brown\n38   bears has not  been as much  as it perhaps  was in  the\n39   past, the  customary and traditional  use determination\n40   is based on the long history and there\'s an opportunity\n41   here  for subsistence  users  to  shift  their  use  of\n42   resources over time.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n47   comments, discussion, deliberation.\n\n49                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n9   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n28   \n30   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none, we\'ll  go ahead and  read into the  record\n3   the motion and roll call.\n\n```\n5                   MS.  LEONETTI:  Okay.  The motion is to\n6   adopt Wildlife Proposal 26-12, 13(a) and 14(a).\n```\n\n8                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n10                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n14                   MS. PITKA:   I support as outlined  and\n15   in  deference to  the  Southcentral Alaska  Subsistence\n16   Regional Advisory Council.\n\n18                   MS. LEONETTI:   Forest  Service --or,\n19   Fish and Wildlife Service, Member Boario.\n\n21                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n22   supports   for  the   reasons  outlined   by   the  OSM\n23   justification  which  underscores  just   that  we  are\n24   stepping into a  story that is thousands  of years long\n25   and I appreciate the write  up and also as  articulated\n26   by  the  Forest   Service  and  in  deference   to  the\n27   Southcentral RAC.\n\n## 29 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n31                   MS. JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt WP26-12,\n32   13(a),  14(a)  in support  of  the motion  made  by the\n33   Forest   Service.     This  gives   deference  to   the\n34   recommendation of  the  Southcentral  RAC  on  the  C&T\n35   determinations  and  proposals and  we concur  with the\n36   Councils justification for each of them.\n\n38                   Quyana.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n42                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n43   to adopt WP26-12,  13(a) and 14(a) as  testimonies from\n44   Eyak and supported by Southcentral RAC.\n\n46                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n48                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n49   approved  for all  the reasons  above  and the  RAC and\n\n---\n\n0586\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n30   \n36   \n50\n\n1   OSM\'s analysis.  Thank you.\n\n3                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n5                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n6   supports WP26-12, 13(a)  and 14(a) in deference  to the\n7   RAC.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n11                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports for  the\n12   reasons stated by the U.S. Forest Service.  Thank you.\n\n14                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n15   Striker.\n\n17                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service  supports in\n18   deference to the RAC  for the reasons summarized by  my\n19   Forest Service colleague.\n\n21                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair.   The motion\n26   passes unanimously.\n\n```\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n29   We\'ll move on to WP26-13(b), 14(b).\n```\n\n31                   MS. HOLMAN:   Good morning,  Mr. Chair.\n32   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n33   Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  This will be for Wildlife\n34   Proposal  WP26-13(b) and 14(b) --can be found starting\n35   on Page 757 of your meeting book.\n\n37                   You  heard kind of  a little  bit about\n38   who submitted  these proposals and what  they\'re asking\n39   for.    Specifically  these  --this  one  covers  the\n40   establishment of the brown bear hunts in Units 6C --or\n41   excuse me, 6 --I\'m not sure what I put there --with a\n42   harvest  limit  of  one  bear by  Federal  registration\n43   permit  and a season  of August 1st  through June 30th.\n44   Both  of these  proponents state  that  a time  honored\n45   subsistence practice  of brown bears in  Prince William\n46   Sound  date far  back.   Most of  Prince William  Sound\n47   consists of Federal  public lands, which consist  of --\n48   which  are   --which   contain   robust  brown   bear\n49   populations that can  withstand limited Federal harvest\n\n---\n\n2   \n13   \n34   \n50\n\n1   and provide subsistence opportunity.\n\n3                   So the  regulatory history.   The  last\n4   Federal Subsistence  regulatory change for  brown bears\n5   in Unit 6  was in the early 1990s.   Biologically brown\n6   bears can be found throughout most of Unit 6, including\n7   Hinchinbrook, Montague, Hawkins and Kayak Islands and a\n8   --and the  portion of  Unit 6D  East of  the Columbia\n9   Glacier to Icy Bay on the mainland.  No population data\n10   exists.   Population data  is --full population  data\n11   exists because it\'s sparse for brown bears in Unit 6 so\n12   a conservative approach to managing them is warranted.\n\n14                   No  permits  or   harvest  tickets  are\n15   required  to hunt brown  bears in Unit 6A,  6B, 6C or D\n16   Remainder under State regulations, while a registration\n17   permit  is  required to  hunt  brown bears  in  Unit 6D\n18   Montague  Island.    All  harvested  brown  bears   are\n19   required to  be sealed within  30 days of the  kill and\n20   provide harvest information.   Table 1  on Page 763  of\n21   your meeting  book shows the  harvest of brown  bear in\n22   Unit 6 broken down by subunit most --with most of  the\n23   bears Units --in  Unit 6 --in Unit 6  --harvested in\n24   6D and 6A.  6A  is primarily guided participants and 6D\n25   is participation by non-local Alaskans who hunt without\n26   a  gu --has  more participation of  non-local Alaskans\n27   who  hunt without a guide.  Non-residents and non-local\n28   residents account  for 88 percent  of the Unit  6 brown\n29   bear  harvest between 2014  and 2023.   Unit-wide local\n30   residents, so residents  of Unit 6C, not  including the\n31   non-rural community of Valdez,  harvested an average of\n32   6.2 bears per year from  2014 to 2023 accounting for 12\n33   percent of the harvest during the same time period.\n\n35                   One  alternative   considered  was   to\n36   delegate authority  to the Federal in-season manager to\n37   limit the number of permits issued.  This could be done\n38   through a first come,  first serve registration permits\n39   or through a random draw.   Permits could be limited by\n40   subunit requiring division of Unit 6 into multiple hunt\n41   areas.  While  local residents harvest few  bears under\n42   State regulations the proposed Federal season is longer\n43   than  existing State seasons  and the harvest  limit is\n44   higher for  Unit 6D.    The Federal  season would  open\n45   August 1st through June 30th.   Unit 6, while the State\n46   season opens September  1st in Unit 6A, 6B  and 6C, and\n47   October 15th in  Unit 6D.   Brown  bear harvest  during\n48   early October and September may be higher as  bears are\n49   concentrated near salmon  streams and deer hunters  may\n\n---\n\n**0588**\n\n3   \n11   \n22   \n29   \n32   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   harvest  a brown  bear opportunistically  while hunting\n2   deer or if a brown bear threatens their deer kill.\n\n4                   If Proposal  WP26-13(b) and  14(b) were\n5   adopted Federal brown bear hunt would be established in\n6   Unit  6 increasing subsistence opportunity.  Impacts to\n7   the  brown bear  population is  uncertain  as there  is\n8   little biological information regarding  brown bears in\n9   Unit 6 so a  conservative approach to managing them  is\n10   warranted.\n\n12                   This  proposal   increases  subsistence\n13   opportunity.  Harvest  pressure is expected to  be very\n14   low and there is no conservation concern in Unit 6A, 6B\n15   and  6C.   The additional  Federal  subsistence hunting\n16   opportunity during August and late June is not expected\n17   to  substantially  increase   harvest  and  provide   a\n18   subsistence  opportunity.    Limiting  the  number   of\n19   permits   issued  in   Unit  6D   balances  subsistence\n20   opportunity with conservation  concerns and provides  a\n21   safeguard against over harvest.\n\n23                   So  the  OSM conclusion  is  to support\n24   with modification to divide Unit  6 into two hunt areas\n25   and delegate  authority to the  Cordova Ranger District\n26   to  set or adjust  annual harvest quotas  determined by\n27   permit type and limit  the number of permits issued  in\n28   6D.\n\n30                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair,  Members of  the\n31   Board.  I\'d be happy to address any questions.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n34   Thank  you for  the presentation.    Any questions  for\n35   Staff on this proposal.\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Was  there any\n40   written public comment received?\n\n42                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair,  there was  no\n43   written public comment received on this proposal.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corp.\n\n48                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n49   were no comments or questions.  Thank you.\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n9   \n11   \n14   \n17   \n20   \n28   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   This  is  the\n2   opportunity for tribal  and Alaska Native  organization\n3   testimony.\n\n5                   (No comments)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n8   seeing none.....\n\n10                   MS. LAVINE:  Wait, Mr. Chair.....\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, you  have\n13   one.\n\n15                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, I do  believe\n16   Michael Opheim is.....\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Oh, Michael,\n19   you have the floor, yes.\n\n21                   MR. OPHEIM:  Good morning again.  Thank\n22   you  for the opportunity.   My name  is Michael Opheim.\n23   I\'m the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Liaison for our tribal\n24   Fish  and  Wildlife  Department  at  Chugach   Regional\n25   Resources  Commission and we\'d like to show our support\n26   for  WP26-13(b) and  14(b) for the  same reason  as the\n27   previous proposals.\n\n29                   The   residents    of   these    tribal\n30   communities have  traditionally used  bear harvest  for\n31   food and clothing as recorded throughout history by the\n32   tribes   traditional    storytelling   and    the   C&T\n33   determination should reflect that.\n\n35                   Thank you for your time.\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n38   your testimony, appreciate that.  Any other testimony.\n\n40                   (No comments)\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   No.   Advisory\n43   group, RAC, SRC, multiagency working group.\n\n45                   MS. LAVINE:  We received no comments.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n48   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n11   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n## 1 (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n4   seeing none, Council recommendation.\n\n6                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n7   Now that the Board has established a C&T, the next step\n8   usually is Federal hunt and a State is already  allowed\n9   so  it  seems  fitting that  a  Federal  hunt  would be\n10   established as well.\n\n12                   We  did have  some  concerns about  the\n13   brown bear populations but noted that the harvest limit\n14   of  one bear is reasonable and conservative.  Providing\n15   additional subsistence  opportunities is  important and\n16   the Federal manager can assess  the season how best  to\n17   manage  this   hunt  in   6D.     Providing  additional\n18   subsistence  opportunities  is  important.    We   have\n19   confidence in  the Federal manager to  assess in-season\n20   how best to manage.   The analysis was thorough for the\n21   C&T  so one bear  is good, conservative  and additional\n22   opportunity for subsistence users.\n\n## 24 Thank you.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n29                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n30   For the record, the Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n31   opposes  this   as  it  misaligns  State   and  Federal\n32   regulations  and even the OSM recommendation.  Just for\n33   the record we manage brown bears, not by just splitting\n34   the unit, we  have a separate regulatory  structure for\n35   subunit A, B and C,  which is one bear every regulatory\n36   year,  but then specifically in 6D, Montague Island, we\n37   have registration hunts  that occur there and  it\'s one\n38   bear every four regulatory  years, and the same  for 6D\n39   Remainder.  And looking at the latest management report\n40   that  we  have from  Staff,  that  is  done every  four\n41   regulatory  years  because of  population  concerns and\n42   overharvest.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   Oh, sorry, one more thing.\n\n48                   We encourage  a robust  consultation if\n49   this is  adopted  given if  you  do adopt  a  differing\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n14   \n16   \n21   \n23   \n26   \n37   \n39   \n50\n\n1   management scheme  with only  two hunts  as opposed  to\n2   ours and given the population concerns within 6D.\n\n4                   Thank you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n7   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:   Yes,  Mr. Chair.   I  was\n10   reminded that  yesterday Mr. Dennis Zadra  commented on\n11   this  proposal and  expressed  his disapproval  of  the\n12   August part of the season.  And for the ISC comment, we\n13   provided the standard comment.\n\n15                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n18   Robbin.   Board  discussion  with the  Liaison, Council\n19   Chair,  State   rep,  opportunity  to  ask   a  pointed\n20   question, clarification.\n\n22                   (No comments)\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n25   seeing none, the floor is open for a Board action.\n\n27                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair,  the Forest\n28   Service moves to adopt WP26-13(b)  and 14(b), following\n29   a  --as   modified  by  the  Office   of  Subsistence\n30   Management, specifically to divide Unit 6 into two hunt\n31   areas and  delegate authority  to the  Cordova District\n32   Ranger  to set  or adjust  annual  harvest quotas  with\n33   robust  consultation  with  the  State  of  Alaska  and\n34   determine  the type of permits and determine the number\n35   of permits issued in  Unit 6D.  If I get  a second I\'ll\n36   explain my rationale.\n\n## 38 MR. STRIKER: Park Service seconds.\n\n40                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr.  Chair.  This would\n41   provide  for a subsistence  priority within Unit  6 for\n42   brown bears.   Harvest pressure is expected  to be very\n43   low  and  the   record  reflects  that  local   use  is\n44   approximately  12 percent of the historic use there and\n45   providing  a local  subsistence  priority through  this\n46   action  would  fulfill  the  purposes  of  ANILCA   and\n47   delegation of  authority by  letter and  Forest Service\n48   commits to robust consultation with the State of Alaska\n49   in managing that season.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n11   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n4   Jerry.  Any other Board discussion, deliberation.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n9   seeing none, please read into the record the motion and\n10   roll call.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n13   Wildlife Proposal 26-13(b) and 14(b) as modified by OSM\n14   to  divide  Unit 6  into  two hunt  areas  and delegate\n15   authority to  the Cordova  District Ranger with  robust\n16   consultation with ADF&G to set or adjust annual harvest\n17   quotas, determine  the type  of permits  and limit  the\n18   number of permits issued  in Unit 6D via delegation  of\n19   authority letter only.\n\n21                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n23                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Supports.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n\n26   Striker.\n\n28                   MR. STRIKER:  The Park Service supports\n29   in deference to the  RAC for the reasons  enumerated by\n30   Regional Forester Ingersoll including his commitment to\n31   robust consultation with the State.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n35                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports for  the\n36   reasons stated by the Forest Service.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n40                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n41   supports  for reasons articulated by the Forest Service\n42   and in deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n46                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n47   supports with the robust coordination with the State of\n48   Alaska  along with the  recommendations by the  RAC and\n49   Forest Service.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n16   \n19   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n3                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n4   to support as modified by OSM WP-26-13(b) and 14(b) and\n5   supported by Southcentral RAC.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n9                   MS. JOHN:    BIA votes  to adopt  WP26-\n10   13(b) and 14(b) in support of the motion made by Forest\n11   Service.   This gives deference to the Southcentral RAC\n12   recommendations on these brown bear harvest  proposals.\n13   We  concur with the Council\'s justification for each of\n14   them and thank  them for their  efforts to provide  the\n15   subsistence opportunities to rural users.\n\n17                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n18   Service Member Boario.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n21   supports  with  OSM modification  and  for  the reasons\n22   justified by the Forest Service.  And we recognize that\n23   the  Southcentral   RAC   supports  one   bear   as   a\n24   conservative approach and harvest pressure is  expected\n25   to be low.  This will provide subsistence opportunity.\n\n27                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n29                   MS.  PITKA:    I  vote  to  support  as\n30   modified  by OSM  and  in  deference  to  the  Regional\n31   Advisory Council and as outlined by the Forest Service.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n37                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair,  the motion\n38   passes unanimously.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n41   Next we\'ll move on to WP26-16.\n\n43                   MR. UBELAKER:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n44   Board Members.   For the record,  Brian Ubelaker and  I\n45   will be providing you  a brief summary of the  analysis\n46   of Wildlife Proposal 26-16, which  can be found on Page\n47   787 of your meeting materials.\n\n49                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n\n---\n\n10   \n27   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Southcentral  Alaska   Subsistence  Regional   Advisory\n2   Council and  requests  two changes  to  Federal  beaver\n3   hunting  regulations in  Unit  6.   First,  it asks  to\n4   increase the possession limit from one beaver to three;\n5   the  second,  to  extend the  hunting  season  from the\n6   current May through October to a yearround season.  The\n7   proponent states  the intent  is to  better align  with\n8   traditional   subsistence  practices   which  is   more\n9   opportunistic in nature.\n\n11                   Currently, the Federal harvest limit is\n12   one beaver per day with only one in possession from May\n13   through  October.   Federal trapping  regulations allow\n14   unlimited harvest from  December through April.   There\n15   is no State  beaver hunting season in Unit  6 but there\n16   is  no limit during the November through April trapping\n17   season.   Beaver are not rigorously surveyed  in Unit 6\n18   and    most   information    comes   from    incidental\n19   observations,  trapper  reports  and  sealing  records.\n20   Based  on  this   information  beaver  are   considered\n21   abundant in Unit 6 especially in Subunits 6A through 6C\n22   and  there are  no indications  of  population decline.\n23   Harvest is estimated as sustainable averaging  about 60\n24   beaver a year since 2002,  of which over 90 percent are\n25   taken  by trapping.   Very few beaver  are harvested by\n26   firearms.\n\n28                   If adopted,  this proposal  would allow\n29   Federally-qualified  subsistence users  to hunt  beaver\n30   yearround and keep up to three in possession at a time.\n31   Because trapping  already allows unlimited  harvest and\n32   very few  beaver are taken  under hunting  regulations,\n33   only a  minimal increase  in harvest  is expected.   No\n34   conservation concerns have  been identified and  Unit 6\n35   is about 75 percent Federal public lands, these changes\n36   would benefit a wide range of subsistence users.\n\n38                   Therefore,  OSM\'s   conclusion  is   to\n39   support  this  proposal  as  it  increases  subsistence\n40   opportunity, supports traditional harvest practices and\n41   poses no conservation concerns.\n\n43                   And,   with   that,   I\'m   happy   for\n44   questions.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n47   Brian.  Any questions for Staff.\n\n49                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n2   seeing none, any written public comment.\n\n4                   MR. UBELAKER:  No, Mr. Chair.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n7   appreciate  that.   Summary  of  tribal  government and\n8   Alaska Native Corporation consultation.\n\n10                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n11   were no comments or questions on  this proposal.  Thank\n12   you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n15   ACs, SRCs, State Advisory or multiagency workgroup.\n\n17                   MS.  LAVINE:     We  did  not   receive\n18   comments, Mr. Chair.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any public like\n21   to testify here or online please raise your hand.\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Seeing   or\n26   hearing none, Council recommendation on this.\n\n28                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you  very much, Mr.\n29   Chair. Judy Caminer from the Southcentral RAC. About 60\n30   beaver   have  been  taken,   which  isn\'t   very  much\n31   considering the large area we\'re talking about.  People\n32   felt  that  beaver  are  abundant  and  no conservation\n33   concern.  Fish  and Game had no  comments, again, might\n34   have been  a timing problem on that.  We also said that\n35   people,  when they\'re spending  time out in  the field,\n36   would be --it would be easier, better for  them to --\n37   if they\'re  unable to  process their  take right  away,\n38   it\'s  better  to  have  a  higher  limit,  or  more  in\n39   possession I\'ll  say.  Also  we felt  that local  users\n40   certainly  utilize beaver for  food as well  as for fur\n41   and there are no conservation concerns.\n\n43                   Thank you very much.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Judy.  Kodiak.\n\n48                   MS.  SKINNER: Rebecca  Skinner for  the\n49   Kodiak/Aleutians  RAC.   We  did discuss  this proposal\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1   because our  people from our  area have the  ability to\n2   hunt beaver  in Unit  6.  In  discussion we  noted that\n3   people from our area don\'t  tend to hunt beaver in Unit\n4   6 and we deferred to  the home RAC, Southcentral RAC to\n5   make a determination.  Thanks.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n8   Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n10                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n11   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n12   opposes  the proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n13   regulations.  As you\'ve heard there\'s currently no open\n14   season in GMU 6 under State regulations to hunt beaver.\n15   However,   there  is   beaver   trapping  under   State\n16   regulations from November 10th to April 30th, no limit,\n17   and  a  beaver can  be  taken with  steel  trap, snare,\n18   firearm  or   bow  and  arrow.    There  is  a  sealing\n19   requirement as well.\n\n21                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n24   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n26                   MS.   LAVINE:      Mr.   Chair.     The\n27   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n28   comment.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n31   Board discussion, any questions.\n\n33                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n36   floor.\n\n38                   MR.   INGERSOLL:     To  the   Advisory\n39   Council, would you consider making an aligned  proposal\n40   to  the Board of  Game to address  the inconsistency in\n41   regulation?\n\n43                   MS.  CAMINER:   I  can certainly  bring\n44   that up to the RAC, thank you for the suggestion.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   Hearing and seeing no more comments  we\'ll go ahead and\n48   move for Board action.\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair.  The Forest\n2   Service moves to adopt WP26-16.  If I get a second I\'ll\n3   explain why I intend to support my motion.\n\n## 5 MR. PENDERGAST: BLM seconds.\n\n7                   MR.  INGERSOLL:     Thank  you.  Forest\n8   Service  supports  this  proposal in  deference  to the\n9   Advisory Councils and because yearround beaver  hunting\n10   is a  traditional cultural  practice and  there are  no\n11   conservation concerns.  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   further Board discussion or deliberation.\n\n## 16 Frank.\n\n18                   MR. WOODS:  One comment for the RAC and\n19   participation of the  ADF&G.  We have  the same problem\n20   with  beaver  back  home  is  that  number  1,  there\'s\n21   trappers and  we have avid  hunters in the  fall, looks\n22   like this  proposal is  to help  satisfy a  subsistence\n23   need.   Separate, I\'ll  guarantee you  that subsistence\n24   beaver  tastes better  than  the  sports or  commercial\n25   beaver.\n\n## 27 (Laughter)\n\n29                   MR. WOODS:   That\'s a joke.   Back home\n30   we prize that  as red meat especially in  the spring or\n31   fall  I could say,  especially when you\'re  camping and\n32   out  hunting  and  then  provides  the  opportunity  to\n33   families to provide red meat.   So anything we could do\n34   to help that I\'m in support.  And I\'d encourage the RAC\n35   to work --at some point to robustly work with ADF&G to\n36   align  those proposals because  I think Dan  can concur\n37   that the beaver  proposal just before the  ACs has been\n38   long due but it\'s a lot of work.  So thank you.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n41   comment, deliberation.\n\n## 43 (No comments)\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n46   seeing none, please read into the record and roll call.\n\n48                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n49   Wildlife Proposal 26-16.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n10   \n13   \n19   \n21   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n3                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n7                   MS.  PITKA:     I  support  WP26-16  in\n8   deference  to the  Regional  Advisory  Council  and  as\n9   outlined.  Thank you.\n\n11                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n12   Service Member Boario.\n\n14                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n15   supports   as   outlined   by   the   Forest    Service\n16   justification  acknowledging  that   local  subsistence\n17   users use beaver for food  and their food and there are\n18   no conservation concerns and in deference to the RAC.\n\n## 20 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n22                   MS. JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt  WP26-16\n23   in support of  the motion made  by the Forest  Service.\n24   This gives  deference to  the Southcentral  Alaska RAC.\n25   And recommendations on this beaver harvest proposal, we\n26   concur with the Councils justification as well.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n30                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n31   to support  WP26-16 which  is outlined  by Southcentral\n32   RAC and in support by OSM and no conservation concerns.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n36                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n37   approves.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n41                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n42   supports WP26-16 in deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n46                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports  for the\n47   reasons already stated by my colleagues.\n\n49                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n22   \n36   \n50\n\n1   Striker.\n\n3                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service supports  in\n4   deference  to the RAC  and for the  reasons outlined by\n5   the Forest Service.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n11                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n12   passes unanimously.\n\n```\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Next we\'ll call\n15   WP26-17.\n```\n\n17                   MR. SANDERS:  Good  morning, Mr. Chair.\n18   Members of  the Board.   My name is Andrew  Sanders and\n19   I\'m a Biologist with the Chugach National Forest.  I\'ll\n20   be presenting WP26-17, which begins on Page 797 of your\n21   meeting materials.\n\n23                   This  proposal  was submitted  by  Onie\n24   Wilkes of Cooper Landing and requests the creation of a\n25   late fall season for moose  in Unit 7 from October 20th\n26   to  November 10th.  The proponent states that residents\n27   of  Cooper Landing  are allowed  to hunt moose  in both\n28   Unit 7 and Unit 15B but that there\'s only an additional\n29   late fall season  in Unit 15B.   Establishing the  same\n30   late  fall season in Unit 7  would allow Cooper Landing\n31   residents the  opportunity to  participate in  the late\n32   fall  season hunt closer to home where they customarily\n33   and  traditionally hunt.   Rural  residents of  Chenega\n34   Bay, Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, Hope and Tatitlek have\n35   C&T for moose in Unit 7.\n\n37                   A moose  population estimate  has never\n38   been performed moose in Unit 7.  Trend counts have been\n39   conducted every  other year  since the  1990s and  have\n40   been declining since  then.  Taken with  other historic\n41   data  the  Unit 7  moose  herd  appears  to  have  been\n42   declining since the 1970s.  The most recent demographic\n43   survey was performed in 2013 and indicated a population\n44   in decline with  a low calf  to cow ratio.   Unit 7  is\n45   very  mountainous and  below  Alpine  and is  primarily\n46   mature  Forest in  late  successional stages  with some\n47   extensive  areas of spruce  beetle kill.   Poor habitat\n48   due  to Forest  succession is  suspected  of being  the\n49   limiting  factor  for  the  Unit  7  moose  population,\n\n---\n\n11   \n14   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   however, U.S.  Forest Service active  Forest management\n2   in areas of spruce beetle kill  is resulting in patches\n3   of  early seroral* habitat that are expected to benefit\n4   moose.   Severe winters  with heavy snow  are normal in\n5   the Kenai mountains.   During winter  Unit 7 moose  are\n6   observed to  concentrate in  low  elevation areas  with\n7   lower snow depth and more  winter browse.  These  areas\n8   are near roads and railroads and approximately 23 moose\n9   are  killed by  motor vehicle  and  train strikes  each\n10   year.\n\n12                   I\'d  like  to   include  some  cultural\n13   knowledge and traditional practices.\n\n15                   Present day  Unit 7  Remainder overlaps\n16   with   the  traditional   territory  of   the  Dena\'ina\n17   Athbascans  of the  Northern  Kenai  Peninsula and  the\n18   Alutiiq  of   the  outer  Kenai   Peninsula  Coast  and\n19   neighboring  Prince  William   Sound.    Dena\'ina  oral\n20   traditional  and   historical  reports   indicate  that\n21   caribou  were  the  dominant  ungulate   on  the  Kenai\n22   Peninsula until large  wildfires in the 1880s  and that\n23   moose were scarce  or unknown throughout most  of their\n24   territory until around that same time.  A comprehensive\n25   subsistence  survey  was  performed in  Cooper  Landing\n26   during the  winter of  1990/1991 and  found that  moose\n27   were the most widely used land mammal in the community.\n28   Hope  Sunrise  was  surveyed  in   1991  and  residents\n29   reported   that   prior   to   the  implementation   of\n30   regulations  mandating   hunting  seasons   moose  were\n31   traditionally hunted in late October or early November.\n\n33                   Moose  harvest  in   Unit  7  Remainder\n34   occurs   under  Federal   regulations   by  a   Federal\n35   registration  permit  and  under  State regulations  by\n36   harvest ticket.   Federal moose  harvest in Unit  7 has\n37   ranged from zero  to 7 moose since  Moose Pass received\n38   customary and  traditional use.   The  average reported\n39   combined  harvest  for  both  State  and  Federal hunts\n40   during the most recent five year period was 22.6 moose,\n41   which is up from 20 moose during the previous five year\n42   period but still far below  the historic average of 104\n43   moose per year.\n\n45                   Currently,   subsistence  priority   is\n46   provided by opening  the Federal season 11  days before\n47   the State season and allowing the harvest of bulls with\n48   forked  antlers in  addition to  the  spike 50-inch  or\n49   three brow tine  antler restriction in the  State hunt.\n\n---\n\n17   \n20   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n42   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   An additional  late fall season would provide increased\n2   moose   harvest   opportunity   to  Federally-qualified\n3   subsistence users  and  would  provide  opportunity  to\n4   harvest  during cooler weather.  It could also increase\n5   harvest  success by  allowing hunters  to target  moose\n6   that early winter  conditions have concentrated  in the\n7   low  elevation habitat.   It  would  also align  season\n8   dates with Unit 15B  simplifying management.   However,\n9   the moose population in Unit 7 appears to be decreasing\n10   and stressed by limited  winter habitat.  Additionally,\n11   approximately  one moose is  killed by train  and motor\n12   vehicle  strike in  Unit  7 for  every  moose taken  by\n13   hunters.     A  late   season  hunt   could  create   a\n14   conservation   concern   by   significantly  increasing\n15   harvest success  and placing  additional stress on  the\n16   moose.\n\n18                   The  OSM preliminary  conclusion is  to\n19   oppose Proposal WP26-17.\n\n21                   While  adoption  of   Proposal  WP26-17\n22   would   provide  greater   opportunity  to   Federally-\n23   qualified subsistence users, the limited data available\n24   for  Unit 7  moose raises  concerns  about whether  the\n25   population could  support additional  harvest pressure.\n26   The  Unit 7  moose population appears  to occur  at low\n27   density  due  to habitat  limitations  and is  possibly\n28   declining.   Federally-qualified  users currently  have\n29   priority  through an  early season  and  reduced antler\n30   restrictions,  therefore,  conservative  management  is\n31   warranted  and  additional   harvest  pressure  is  not\n32   recommended at this time.\n\n## 34 Thank you.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n37   Andrew.  Any questions for Staff on the presentation.\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, go ahead.\n\n43                   MS. BOARIO:  Question, thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Sure.\n\n47                   MS. BOARIO:  And  I apologize if others\n48   need to  answer this because  I see information  in two\n49   sections and I just want to make sure I\'m tracking.\n\n---\n\n0602\n7   \n10   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n35   \n38   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   So as  you recounted, the  limited data\n2   available  suggests a  potential conservation  concern,\n3   that\'s on Page 806.  And then on Page 811 under the ISC\n4   comment it says, current State data suggests that there\n5   is a conservation  concern.  And so I\'m  trying to make\n6   sure I\'m following.\n\n8                   MR. SANDERS:  I think I\'ll defer to the\n9   State on why they.....\n\n11                   MS. BOARIO:  Totally fine.\n\n13                   MR.   SANDERS:     .....came  to   that\n14   conclusion.\n\n16                   MS.  BOARIO:  Well,  it\'s under the ISC\n17   section so just noted, whoever needs to answer at  some\n18   point, I just  see two different kind  of perspectives.\n19   Thank you.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n22   other questions.\n\n24                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Well, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n28                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin with BLM.  I was\n29   going through  the materials  as well  and maybe  it\'ll\n30   become more  clear as more  testimony is  given but  it\n31   seemed to me that the  ISC was looking forward toward a\n32   potential future concern instead of looking backward at\n33   existing data.   Maybe that\'s a bit of  the space we\'re\n34   seeing, but that was my sense.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n37   questions for Staff on their presentation.\n\n40                   (No comments)\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n43   seeing none.....\n\n45                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Woods, you have\n48   the floor.\n\n---\n\n12   \n15   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  WOODS:   The recommendations  were\n2   outlined.  Population appear  to be low in  density due\n3   to  habitat limitations.  The formation  of a new hunt.\n4   It looks like  the recommendation is to close  the fall\n5   hunt, as one of the options, and  then open up so it --\n6   maybe it would have  been better to go back  to the RAC\n7   and ask for  a winter hunt just  for Federal --on the\n8   Federal side besides  this extended moose season.   I\'m\n9   reading  through the  --I\'ll  finish  so maybe  public\n10   testimony  will  bring  that  out  along  with  ADF&G\'s\n11   report.  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   other questions from the Board for Staff.\n\n16                   (No comments)\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n19   seeing  none,  was  there any  written  public  comment\n20   received.\n\n22                   MR. SANDERS:  No comments were received\n23   during the open public comment period.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corporation\n27   consultation.\n\n29                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n30   were no comments or questions.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n33   Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n38   seeing none,  Advisory group,  SRC, State  committee or\n39   multiagency group.\n\n41                   MS.  LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, we received no\n42   comments, thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n45   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n47                   (No comments)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n\n---\n\n3   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n50\n\n0604\n\n1   seeing  none we\'ll  move to  Council  recommendation on\n2   this proposal.\n\n4                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n5   Southcentral Council supported establishing a late fall\n6   season  as  proposed in  the  submitted proposal  which\n7   mirrors  the season  in Unit  15B and  C.   The Council\n8   stated   a   late  fall   season   provides  additional\n9   opportunity to harvest moose for subsistence  users who\n10   were not successful earlier in the season.  The Council\n11   acknowledged there are  some conservation concerns  for\n12   the Unit  7 moose population  and the lack of  data but\n13   successful harvesting of  moose in that unit  is really\n14   very  difficult.    however,  we felt  that  additional\n15   harvest  pressure  and  the few  additional  moose that\n16   might  be  harvested  during the  late  fall  season is\n17   manageable   and  would   not  add   to  the   existing\n18   conservation  concerns or  situations.   We  also agree\n19   that  moose  seasons   during  the  peak  of   rut,  as\n20   recommended at their  fall 202 --at our 2025  meeting\n21   were  not a  good idea  so  we wanted  to adjust  those\n22   dates.\n\n24                   Thank you very much.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Judy.  Any questions.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n32   seeing none, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n34                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n35   For the  record the Alaska Department of  Fish and Game\n36   opposes the proposal.   Similar to what you heard  from\n37   the  Forest Service analysis,  we agree that additional\n38   harvest, given the information that  we --I mean to be\n39   honest, don\'t know, will give us pause for conservation\n40   measures.  Knowing  that and knowing that  Member Pitka\n41   always asks us about information, after reading through\n42   our latest --our management report, we are going to --\n43   I  mean we  are trying.    The situation  is that  your\n44   traditional moose  surveys are not the best  use and so\n45   we\'re looking  at things that,  you know, say,  even 10\n46   years ago weren\'t available to us and so I just want to\n47   kind of highlight the  things that we\'re looking  at in\n48   order to  try to  get an assessment  in this  region is\n49   things  like  forward  looking  infrared  radar  and  a\n\n---\n\n10   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n50\n\n1   genetic-based population survey and all of that is very\n2   new technology, things that we didn\'t have in the past.\n3   So we are trying new and  innovative ways to try to get\n4   a  handle on populations but until this point it\'s been\n5   challenging.   We haven\'t  done an assessment  and even\n6   when we did have the  funding to conduct it, conditions\n7   haven\'t been right, and so we do hold that as more of a\n8   conservative  population and so we get worried a little\n9   easier than we do in other places.\n\n11                   The other  thing I  wanted to  mention,\n12   just  for this body, not in  particular to our position\n13   on the proposal, is that, you know, this body is always\n14   interested in every  --you know,  our efforts, on  the\n15   Federal  side,  just  in  general,  educating  hunters,\n16   having  hunters having additional  education on what it\n17   is to be responsible hunters, legal hunters and in Unit\n18   7, this one  and as well as 15, we require them to read\n19   additional material and take a  quiz and pass that quiz\n20   in order to go hunting.  It\'s one of those things that,\n21   you   know,   given   the   --where   it\'s   located\n22   geographically in  the state,  we have a  lot of  folks\n23   that like to utilize this area, we have a lot of people\n24   around so we want to make sure that, you know, they are\n25   getting   that  extra   learning   in  order   to  hunt\n26   responsibly and legally.\n\n28                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n\n31   Questions.\n\n33                   (No comments)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n36   seeing none,  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Good moose  habitat has declined  during recent decades\n40   in parts  of Unit  7 and throughout  much of  the Kenai\n41   Peninsula  because  of a  warming  and drying  climate.\n42   This has  resulted in an  overall decline in  the moose\n43   population.   Meanwhile hunting pressure  has increased\n44   from  non-Federally-qualified  users   and  that  group\n45   continues  to  harvest  most moose  in  the  unit.   In\n46   contrast the number  of Federally-qualified subsistence\n47   users  has remained relatively small and stable.  Since\n48   2018 an average of 62 Federal permits have  been issued\n49   annually to  Federally-qualified subsistence  users and\n\n---\n\n11   \n13   \n18   \n20   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n36   \n39   \n50\n\n**0606**\n\n1   an average of 29 hunters  have participated in the hunt\n2   resulting in an annual harvest of  zero to seven moose.\n3   It is  unlikely that either  an extended  season or  an\n4   addition  of a late season after the rut would increase\n5   harvest   by   Federally-qualified   subsistence  users\n6   substantially.  Current State data suggests there isn\'t\n7   a  conservation   concern,  however,   if  conservation\n8   concerns  arise  delegating  authority  to  the  Seward\n9   District  Ranger to close the Federal hunt would enable\n10   a rapid and timely response.\n\n## 12 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n15   Robbin.   Board  discussion with  the  Liaison, Council\n16   Chair,  State  rep,  this is  your  opportunity  to get\n17   clarification, ask a question.\n\n## 19 Rhonda.\n\n21                   MS. PITKA:  I\'d like to thank the State\n22   for   taking  that  information  that  I  ask  and  the\n23   questions  that  I  ask  seriously  and providing  that\n24   information in  the analysis,  it\'s really  helpful for\n25   decisionmaking and in managing moose populations.\n\n## 27 Thank you.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   If  there\'s no\n30   discussion we\'ll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n32                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   Mr.  Chair,  from the\n33   Forest Service.  Forest Service moves to adopt Proposal\n34   26-17.  If I get a second I\'ll explain why I  intend to\n35   support my motion.\n\n37                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n38   seconds.\n\n40                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair.  This  is a\n41   complex one.   There is a  conservation concern and  we\n42   acknowledge  and appreciate  the  partnership with  the\n43   State  of   Alaska  in  assessing  the  population  and\n44   managing  for a sustainable  population there.  Habitat\n45   is in decline  and that seems to be  driving factor and\n46   Federally-qualified  subsistence users  take only  less\n47   than 20 percent of  the total moose harvested  and even\n48   more  are taken by collisions with vehicles and trains.\n49   So there is  a conservation concern but  the Federally-\n\n---\n\n0607\n8   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n39   \n41   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   qualified use is  small and a subsistence  priority for\n2   rural  users  is  important and  matters  here.   If  a\n3   conservation  concern  increases  the  Seward  District\n4   Ranger  has the authority to restrict harvest as an in-\n5   season manager.   And so, therefore, for  these reasons\n6   and  in deference to the Southcentral Advisory Council,\n7   Forest Service supports.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Any  further\n10   deliberation, discussion.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Read it  into\n15   the record and roll call, please.\n\n17                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n18   Wildlife Proposal 26-17.\n\n20                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n22                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n24                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n26                   MS. PITKA:   I support for  the reasons\n27   articulated  already and  in deference to  the Regional\n28   Advisory Council.\n\n## 30 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n32                   MS. JOHN:   BIA votes  to adopt WP26-17\n33   in support  of the motion  made by the  Forest Service.\n34   This gives deference to the Southcentral Alaska RAC and\n35   we concur with  their justification.  Avoiding  harvest\n36   during the rut and extending the hunt to early November\n37   should  not create conservation  issues as indicated by\n38   the Council.\n\n## 40 MS. LEONETTI: Public Member Woods.\n\n42                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods  adopts\n43   the recommendations by the RAC in coordination with the\n44   State and to provide subsistence opportunity for --our\n45   charge  is  under  that  regulation  helps  subsistence\n46   opportunity for Federally-qualified subsistence users.\n\n48                   Thank you.\n\n---\n\n2   \n8   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n3                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports WP26-17.\n4   I want  to  provide just  a  little bit  of  additional\n5   rationale  from  our  perspective  since we\'re  talking\n6   about moose on  the road system, right  in our backyard\n7   from where we\'re sitting here.\n\n9                   Acknowledge  there  are  concerns about\n10   moose  population but from  what I\'m tracking  and what\n11   the  ISC  analyzed  I\'m  not  hearing  that  there\'s  a\n12   conservation  concern  at  this time.    And  given the\n13   number  of users  we\'re  talking  about  that  and  the\n14   difficulty  of this terrain and the success they\'ve had\n15   to date I\'m not convinced that if we  open this up it\'s\n16   going  to create,    you  know, or  lead  quickly to  a\n17   conservation concern.   Federally-qualified subsistence\n18   users have harvested  a relatively low number  of moose\n19   on average and  the additional late fall  season is not\n20   expected  to  significantly increase  that  harvest but\n21   adopting this will  provide a meaningful preference  to\n22   Federally-qualified subsistence users.   So our support\n23   is based on that rationale and in deference to the RAC.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n26   Service Member Boario.\n\n28                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n29   supports for the reasons outlined by the Forest Service\n30   and the speakers that followed and in deference  to the\n31   RAC.  Thank you.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n35                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n36   to support WP26-17 in deference to Southcentral RAC and\n37   comments by Forest Service.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n41                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n42   votes to support WP26-17 in deference to the RAC and in\n43   agreement  with comments  submitted by  BLM  and Forest\n44   Service.  Thank you.\n\n46                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n47   Striker.\n\n49                   MR. STRIKER:   Park Service supports in\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n36   \n43   \n50\n\n1   deference to  the RAC  for the  reasons articulated  by\n2   Jerry.\n\n4                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n9   carries unanimously.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n13                   MS.  PITKA:  At this time I\'d just like\n14   to state on the record that I\'ll be absent for about an\n15   hour and a  half this afternoon and during  that time I\n16   would like  to  give my  proxy to  Public Member  Frank\n17   Woods to  vote in  deference to  the Regional  Advisory\n18   Council  and also  in recognition  if  there\'s any  new\n19   information  presented  he  withhold voting  my  proxy.\n20   Thank you.\n\n22                   I\'m  also  just  stating  this  on  the\n23   record  because it\'s  been proven  this  week that  the\n24   Chairman doesn\'t like to eat lunch.\n\n26                   (Laughter)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You\'ve seen my\n29   stomach, it needs a day off.\n\n31                   (Laughter)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You\'ve got the\n34   floor Brian.\n\n37                   MR. UBELAKER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I\n38   will be presenting --oh, sorry.  For the record, Brian\n39   Ubelaker and I will be presenting a summary of Wildlife\n40   Proposal WP26-22 which was removed off of the consensus\n41   agenda  and can  be found  on Page  73 of  said meeting\n42   materials.\n\n44                   Proposal   WP26-22  is   one  of   five\n45   proposals submitted  by the Cooper Landing  Safe Trails\n46   Committee   which  requests   trapping  setbacks   from\n47   designated roads,  trails, beaches  and campgrounds  in\n48   the Cooper Landing area.  WP26-22 specifically requests\n49   establishing  setback  distances   of  100  yards  from\n\n---\n\n0610\n6   \n13   \n23   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   designated pullouts  and roads.   These setbacks  would\n2   not apply to  traps that  are elevated  at least  three\n3   feet above  hard ground, placed  under water or  ice or\n4   otherwise  enclosed.    The  remaining  four  proposals\n5   submitted by the Committee are on the consensus agenda.\n\n7                   The  proponent  states  these  measures\n8   would make Cooper  Landing safer for families  and pets\n9   benefiting  the local recreation  based economy.   They\n10   cite support from community  surveys, search and rescue\n11   groups  and   provide  examples   from  other   Alaskan\n12   communities where similar setbacks have been adopted.\n\n14                   The  proponent   also  submitted   five\n15   similar trapping  setback proposals to the Alaska Board\n16   of Game for their 2025/26  meeting cycle.  Of those the\n17   Board of Game adopted Proposal 145 in their March  2026\n18   meeting   with  modification,   reducing  the   setback\n19   requirement to  50 yards.   Board of Game  Proposal 145\n20   most closely mirrors  Federal Proposal WP26-22  in that\n21   it  also  requested 100  yard setbacks  from designated\n22   roads and pullouts.\n\n24                   To  maintain consistency  for all  user\n25   groups OSM  supports aligning Federal  regulations with\n26   the State\'s recent  adoption of Board of  Game Proposal\n27   145.  However, Proposal 145 included roads and pullouts\n28   not  covered  in WP26-22  and  the  codified regulation\n29   resulting  from its adoption has not yet been published\n30   in  the  Alaska  Administrative  Code,  therefore,  OSM\n31   recommends either opposing  WP26-22 or deferring action\n32   until   the   State\'s   codified   regulation   becomes\n33   available.\n\n35                   Thank  you,  with that,  I will  try to\n36   answer any questions.\n\n38                   MR. PENDERGAST:  I have a question.\n\n40                   MS. PITKA:  Please, go ahead, BLM.\n\n42                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n43   I am hopelessly confused and  at this point I\'m  hoping\n44   you can  help out.  Which proposal  aligns with current\n45   --well,  with recently passed State  regulations which\n46   will eventually become part of the AAC?\n\n48                   MR.  UBELAKER:     Through  the  Chair.\n49   Member  Pendergast.   Wildlife Proposal  WP26-22 aligns\n\n---\n\n3   \n7   \n19   \n29   \n36   \n41   \n49   \n50\n\n1   with three of the requested  areas that were adopted by\n2   Proposal 145.\n\n4                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   145.   South  Quartz\n5   Creek Road,  Forest Service  Sectional joining  highway\n6   and all pullouts on Federal land, et cetera, et cetera?\n\n8                   MR. UBELAKER:  No.  All pullouts on the\n9   Sterling Highway  doesn\'t  100 percent  match what  was\n10   adopted in  Proposal 145.   Proposal 145 asked  for all\n11   Sterling  Highway pullouts  from  Tern Lake  to Russian\n12   River Ferry and the boat launch, where Proposal  --the\n13   Federal  Proposal  26-22   asks  for  Sterling  Highway\n14   pullouts from Tern  Lake to Cooper Landing.  So there\'s\n15   a section of,  I think, like 12-ish miles  on the other\n16   side of  Cooper Landing that  are not asked for  in the\n17   Federal proposal that  will be adopted under  the State\n18   side.\n\n20                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Feel free to punt this\n21   as more  people like  the State get  on the  ability to\n22   speak here, but  my struggle right now, my  question is\n23   like we\'re talking  about Southcentral road  accessible\n24   areas  where people can  set traps, I\'m  very concerned\n25   about creating confusion between State and Federal regs\n26   so  I\'m --I  think I\'m looking  for how  I can support\n27   aligning those, I\'m just not  --it\'s just not clear to\n28   me what that is.\n\n30                   MR. UBELAKER:   It\'s  our opinion  that\n31   once the Statehas codified regulations in AACthen if --\n32    if 26-22 is deferred it can be modified to 100 percent\n33   match what the State has  in their regulation, if not a\n34   new proposal could be submitted to match  what\'s in the\n35   codified regulation.\n\n37                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Stating it another way\n38   then, is it fair to  say that there\'s nothing before us\n39   today that  an up or  down vote  would achieve  perfect\n40   alignment with State regulation?\n\n42                   MR. UBELAKER:  My opinion, OSM opinion,\n43   no.  There is --there are too many mismatches.   Some\n44   of the language  adopted in the  State Proposal 145  is\n45   also  covered in  Federal Proposal  26-23.  There  --I\n46   think there are  too many variables if we  try to match\n47   anything before the State  has language solidified that\n48   we can 100 percent word for word match.\n\n---\n\n7   \n9   \n11   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n37   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Okay.   So if  I were\n2   motivated towards eventual match, one possibility could\n3   be to defer this for additional State AAC  attached and\n4   some  additional work come  back to get  this in place.\n5   If  that  were  of  interest  to me  that  might  be  a\n6   potential path?\n\n8                   MR. UBELAKER:  Correct.\n\n10                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank you.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n13   questions.\n\n15                   (No comments)\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n18   written comment received.\n\n20                   MR. UBELAKER:  Oh boy were there ever.\n\n22                   (Laughter)\n\n24                   MR. UBELAKER:   Yes, Mr. Chair.   There\n25   were 10  written public comments  submitted in  support\n26   with  the common  topics of  the  comments being  these\n27   proposals protect families, pets and recreational users\n28   while still allowing  responsible trapping.   Traps  in\n29   multi-use areas  create real  safety risks and  current\n30   regulations  are difficult to  enforce.   Most trappers\n31   follow  ethical guidelines but some do not and setbacks\n32   provide  clear  rules  to  prevent  conflicts.     With\n33   overwhelming community support  and successful examples\n34   elsewhere in Alaska these common sense measures balance\n35   public safety,  recreation and  traditional subsistence\n36   practices.\n\n38                   There were also five comments submitted\n39   in  opposition with the  common topics of  the comments\n40   being   these   proposals   are   overly   restrictive,\n41   unnecessary and would burden subsistence trappers under\n42   ANILCA.   Many commentors  stating they have  never had\n43   any incident with traps and informal communication with\n44   local trappers has always ensured safety.  Trapping has\n45   been part  of Alaska\'s  heritage and  these regulations\n46   would  remove large  areas  from traditional  use while\n47   creating confusion about  land boundaries.   Education,\n48   responsible  dog handling  and community  communication\n49   are far better solutions than restricting trapping.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n19   \n22   \n26   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n4   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corporation\n5   consultation.\n\n7                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Board\n8   members.  There were no questions or comments on  these\n9   proposals.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n12   Orville.  Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n14                   (No comments)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n17   seeing  none, Advisory  Group, SRC,  State Advisory  or\n18   multiagency.\n\n20                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n21   There were no comments submitted for this proposal.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n24   Robbin.   Any public testimony  here or online  show of\n25   hands.\n\n27                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair.  First  in the\n28   que  is Sandy  Vanbrunt.   Please  unmute yourself  and\n29   address the Board.\n\n31                   (Pause)\n\n33                   MS. LAVINE:  Go ahead.\n\n35                   (Pause)\n\n37                   MS.  LAVINE:  Sandy, if you --your mic\n38   appears unmuted but we cannot hear  you.  Maybe there\'s\n39   also a mute function on your computer.\n\n41                   (Pause)\n\n43                   MS. LAVINE:   And  we still can\'t  hear\n44   you.   Sandy, while  we wait for  you to try  again the\n45   next person in the que is Chris Perry.\n\n47                   MR. PERRY:  Can you hear me?\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n50\n\n1   the floor.\n\n3                   MR. PERRY:    Yeah,  good  morning  and\n4   thanks for this  opportunity to speak on  this WP26-22.\n5   My name is  Chris Perry, I\'ve been a  resident of Homer\n6   for 43 years and have  done winter recreation in Cooper\n7   Landing for most  of this time.  I\'d like to comment on\n8   support of WP26-22.\n\n10                   This  proposal  setback are  not  anti-\n11   trapping proposals and any consideration that they  are\n12   in any way is not --does an injustice to any and  all\n13   comments concerning  this  proposal.    These  are  not\n14   allocative  issues and should not be considered only --\n15   they should  be considered  only as  public safety  and\n16   cooperation  between  user  groups.    There  are  some\n17   restrictions in the  state considering closed  trapping\n18   areas and setbacks, these are mostly in municipalities.\n19   ADF&G   code  of   ethics   is  mostly   non-regulatory\n20   recommendations  that suggest  and recommends  avoiding\n21   multi-use areas to avoid conflict, posting signage back\n22   to  trapping  areas.   There  are  no  restrictions for\n23   placing  traps  on  or  in  close  proximity  to  these\n24   pullouts, rest areas or on  these roads.  These highway\n25   pullouts and rest areas are a very small portion of the\n26   actual highway miles in the area being considered.  The\n27   new  Sterling  Highway bypass  will  provide many  more\n28   miles  of  remote access.    There  are many  miles  of\n29   highway shoulder that a trapper can  safely pull off to\n30   set traps in close proximity to the highway with little\n31   chance of  user conflict.   ADF&G  Trappers Association\n32   and some  individual trappers and  most importantly the\n33   trapper code  of ethics  support, encourage  and direct\n34   trappers  to avoid  these  areas  where  there  may  be\n35   conflict  between user  groups.  This  is all  good and\n36   many trappers adhere closely to these guidelines.  Most\n37   trappers  will not  use signage  as they  say it  draws\n38   attention  to  their  trapline   and  exposes  them  to\n39   vandalism.   The problem is that  most trail users have\n40   no  idea identifying  active trapping  areas, and  many\n41   non-trappers  can\'t believe that trapping is allowed on\n42   and in close  proximity to public maintained,  publicly\n43   used and often  dedicated easement trails.   There have\n44   been 11  dogs trapped within  two miles of my  house in\n45   the last eight  years.  Most of these  dogs are trapped\n46   within 20  feet of a  road easement with no  signage of\n47   active trapping.   Five of these  dogs were trapped  by\n48   the same  trapper  who  considers  himself  an  ethical\n49   trapper  who will not post signage and checks his traps\n\n---\n\n21   \n25   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   only weekly.   Two dogs  were trapped at the  same trap\n2   set  location.   One dog  spent  four days  in a  trap,\n3   melting four  feet deep in  the snow --four  foot deep\n4   hole in the  snow before being released 100  yards from\n5   their owners property.  There  are no leash laws in any\n6   of these  areas.   Dog owners  are supposed  to control\n7   their  animals.    The  leashes  I  use   are  24  foot\n8   retractable and allow the dog  to be more than three to\n9   six feet from  the owner.  As traps can be set in close\n10   proximity or on a trail  this will not prevent trapping\n11   conflict.  The Sterling Highway through Cooper  Landing\n12   is one of the most highly used roads in the state.  I\'m\n13   horrified to consider an unsuspecting traveler stopping\n14   at a pullout  or rest area  to exercise themselves  and\n15   their dog  to be confronted  with their dog dying  in a\n16   conibear trap.  It\'s very  difficult to release a  dog,\n17   and  no signage  or indication of  legal trails  in the\n18   area.   At this time  it\'s completely legal to  place a\n19   trap in the middle of  a dedicated easement without any\n20   notification.\n\n22                   Thank you  so much  for your  time.   I\n23   hope you can consider this  for passage now, this is an\n24   important issue that needs to be dealt with.\n\n26                   Thank you so much for your time.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n29   taking the time to call  in and testify.  Any questions\n30   for the public testifier.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n36                   MR. PERRY:  Thank you again.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Next  in the  que is  Sandy Vanbrunt.   Sandy,  can you\n40   unmute your phone, you can --or unmute your --oh,  I\n41   see.\n\n43                   MS. VANBRUNT:  I am --can  you hear me\n44   now?\n\n46                   MS. LAVINE:  Yes, we can.\n\n48                   MS. VANBRUNT:  Okay.\n\n---\n\n6   \n8   \n14   \n23   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LAVINE:  Oh, Sandy, we need you to\n2   call back in  so we will  wait --oh,  are you on  your\n3   computer,  can you  speak.   Sandy,  we can\'t  hear you\n4   through  your computer so please call in and we\'ll give\n5   you a minute.\n\n7                   (Pause)\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:    So,  Sandy,  please  try\n10   calling in  one more time.   We heard you  briefly when\n11   you called in with your phone and you will need to mute\n12   your --okay, great, you  can speak into your  phone. \n13   You have the floor.\n\n15                   MS.  VANBRUNT:  Okay.  Thank you.  Good\n16   afternoon  --or  good  morning.    My name  is  Sandy\n17   Vanbrunt  and I\'m  presenting  testimony  on behalf  of\n18   Lorraine Temple,  President of the  Cooper Landing Safe\n19   Trails.  I\'m going to move away from my computer so you\n20   don\'t  get  that reverberation  from  two different  --\n21   unfortunately  Lorraine is unable  to be here  today so\n22   I\'m going to read her testimony.\n\n24                   My name  is  Lorraine  Temple  and  I\'m\n25   President of the Cooper Landing Safe Trails.  I am a 42\n26   year resident of the Kenai Peninsula and 22 of those in\n27   the Cooper  Landing area.  I am submitting testimony on\n28   Proposal  WP26-22, which  would regulate  trap setbacks\n29   for  certain roads and  highway pullouts in  the Cooper\n30   Landing area.  Cooper Landing residents  utilize public\n31   lands for many uses with recreation as its highest use.\n32   This  area has also  become a destination  for visiting\n33   recreationalists and that  number is growing.   As with\n34   any  area where there  is multiple  use there  has been\n35   some conflict, this  is why Cooper Landing  Safe Trails\n36   was  founded.    Our  goal  is  to  help  resolve  user\n37   conflicts  in a manner  that acknowledges  and respects\n38   these various uses.  We are here today to ask  for your\n39   support on  WP26-22 which  would require  the 100  yard\n40   setback  for trapping  snares  from  certain roads  and\n41   pullouts in the Cooper Landing area, with exception for\n42   non-lethal  traps set three  feet above ground  or snow\n43   level  enclosed underwater or  under ice.   We  ask for\n44   this  support of  this proposal  with  an amendment  to\n45   change  the 100  yards to the  50 yards.   In March the\n46   Alaska  Department  of  Fish and  Game,  Board  of Game\n47   passed a proposal, No. 145, which has the same language\n48   as 26-22  with an amendment  for the  50 yard  setback.\n49   This is why we are asking for the 50 yard amendment for\n\n---\n\n13   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   26-22.   Passage of WP26-22  would then align  with the\n2   new State of Alaska  regulations and would be  far less\n3   complicated for  the users.  Further  implementation of\n4   this  proposal will also align with U.S. Forest Service\n5   core values,  one of which  is to manage for  safety in\n6   every way, physical,  psychological and social.   While\n7   we have additional reasoning for  this proposal overall\n8   the core of our request is to help the public by having\n9   consistency  across   the  different   land  management\n10   agencies.   On behalf  of Cooper  Landing Safe  Trails,\n11   thank  you  for  your  consideration  of  WP26-22  with\n12   amendment.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Thank you for  your time to call in  and testify today,\n16   any questions.\n\n18                   (No comments)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n21   seeing none, appreciate it.  Any more Robbin.\n\n23                   MS. LAVINE:  (Shakes head negatively)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   That concludes\n26   our public testimony.  Council recommendation.\n\n28                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n29   Looking  back  at our  notes, it  was quite  a thorough\n30   discussion because we had many, many  comments, written\n31   and verbal, on both sides.\n\n33                   We specifically  took action on  19, so\n34   in  some ways  I can\'t help  you too much  on this one,\n35   however, I do have it in my notes and we had heard from\n36   Fish and  Game that the Board  of Game was going  to be\n37   taking  up those proposals, similar proposals.  I think\n38   we wanted  to wait to see how  that turned out and then\n39   ask  the Board to perhaps do  something similar, but in\n40   general  we   did  say  that  we   opposed  unnecessary\n41   restrictions on subsistence users.  We do have sympathy\n42   for dogs  getting injured,  of course,  but I  think we\n43   just want  to  look a  little bit  more at  consistency\n44   between the regulations.\n\n46                   Thank you.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n49   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n---\n\n16   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n2   For the record the Alaska Department  of Fish and Game,\n3   we  --I  don\'t  know if  that\'s quite  right.   So  in\n4   conversations  we had once  the Board met,  OSM reached\n5   out and asked about this  proposal going on to the non-\n6   consensus  agenda, in  my response  I  said, given  the\n7   action  that was just  taken and you  taking up similar\n8   actions   here  it  would  be  appropriate  to  have  a\n9   conversation so  the Board knew  what had been  done in\n10   our March  meeting.  As  far as how  that goes,  it was\n11   going  to be  up  to  you because  as  OSM has  already\n12   acknowledged,  it\'s different.   22 has beaches  in it,\n13   145  only had roads and pulloffs, so there\'s definitely\n14   some differences and also the Board of Game modified it\n15   for the 50 yard instead of the 100.\n\n17                   Knowing there\'s all these little things\n18   at play and in order to get it right, you know, I guess\n19   here\'s the  thing, is as  I know Member  Pendergast has\n20   said, he prefers to  vote it up or down and,  or if you\n21   guys want to defer, either  way it\'s going to happen in\n22   two  years because in order to support anything we like\n23   to  see the regulatory  --our own  regulatory language\n24   and then  see what comes  forward to the Board  just so\n25   it\'s  clear because as  you guys are  well familiar, if\n26   you guys do alignments we  tend to support those but in\n27   order  to do  that and  with, I  would say  100 percent\n28   confidence, knowing that  it is exactly what  our Board\n29   passed, it\'s probably a good idea not to take action on\n30   this one until at such time we have that certainty.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Forest Service.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Forest Service.\n\n38                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   Yeah, if  we were  to\n39   defer  action on this proposal, how  long would we need\n40   to go  in order  to understand  exactly the  regulatory\n41   language passed by the Board of Game?\n\n43                   MR.  MULLIGAN: So  --oh, through  the\n44   Chair,  Member  Ingersoll.     We  like  to   have  our\n45   regulations promulgated by June 30th because that\'s the\n46   new regulatory cycle and that\'s --but as soon as I get\n47   a final copy that we\'re comfortable with I can share it\n48   but we will know for sure once we get those approved by\n49   the Lt. Governor\'s office, which  given print schedule,\n\n---\n\n0619\n4   \n6   \n9   \n13   \n16   \n18   \n42   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   I\'m thinking it\'s  going to be by the  beginning of the\n2   June,  so you might not need to  defer it that long but\n3   that\'s up to you guys but that\'s our timeframe.\n\n5                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Thank you.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n8   State.  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n10                   MS.   LAVINE:      Mr.  Chair.      The\n11   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n12   comment.  Thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:         Board\n15   discussion.  Any more questions.\n\n17                   MS. CAMINER:  Mr. Chair.\n\n19                   MR.  WOODS:   So,  Mr.  Chair, and  the\n20   Council  and  OSM,  State  and  the  RAC,  adoption  of\n21   Proposal  WP26-19   would  allow   conservation  safety\n22   concern, but I have a question on adopting proposals of\n23   secondary recommendation from OSM and it\'s addressed in\n24   different parts of this analysis,  is, do away with all\n25   the other proposals  and that would include  18 through\n26   22 and  23 would  result in  Federal regulations  being\n27   more restrictive and those questions for me are hanging\n28   in the air on --I like the recommendation of deferring\n29   for a short period to catch up.   It\'s almost like a --\n30   if  anybody\'s been involved  in the State  process with\n31   RS2477,  that\'s exactly  what  we\'re  faced with  right\n32   here,  that there\'s  different restrictions,  different\n33   requirements and I\'m reluctant to  pass but I\'d like to\n34   see  defer  if  that  makes  passage  and  --it\'s  so\n35   complicated without a  map, so complicated without  the\n36   easements, it\'s a very needed clarification in not only\n37   State  and Federal regulations  but for user  groups to\n38   make it a more, not only safe, but enjoyable experience\n39   to  work and  operate  off our  trails, but  also we\'re\n40   going  to   provide  subsistence  opportunity   in  the\n41   trapping world.\n\n## 43 So, thank you.\n\n## 45 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Judy.\n\n47                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n48   Well,  I\'m just wondering, if the  Council or the Board\n49   could   take  these  proposals  up  once  we  have  the\n\n---\n\n7   \n15   \n25   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n50\n\n0620\n\n1   information  from  the  Board  of  Game,  could  it  be\n2   considered  somewhat out of cycle, either with the fall\n3   RAC  meetings or perhaps a special  action by the Board\n4   rather  than  waiting  a  couple  years  for  the  next\n5   wildlife cycle.  You probably don\'t have to answer that\n6   for me now but just something to think about.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:   Well, I --Mr. Chair,\n9   Kevin Pendergast,  BLM.   You know  I  was giving  some\n10   thought to timelines and we do have a fisheries meeting\n11   coming  up in a  little over a  year and that  might be\n12   kind  of a  middle  road providing  ample  time to  get\n13   things  aligned and so  forth so that\'s  something I\'ve\n14   been thinking over here.\n\n16                   MR.  INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.  I think in\n17   reference to Frank\'s comment,  several of these actions\n18   remain on  the consensus agenda.   So the  WP26-19 with\n19   modification is on the consensus agenda for support and\n20   then 18, 20, 21  and 23 are on the consensus  agenda to\n21   take no action so I believe if we take --if we were to\n22   take 22 and defer it for a future action we could --if\n23   it\'s  the  will of  the  Board, align  with  the recent\n24   action from the Board of Game.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Maybe  we just\n27   --at this time, I\'m hearing pretty much concurrence by\n28   the Board  that we can  entertain a motion to  defer at\n29   this time.\n\n31                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n\n34   floor.\n\n36                   MR. PENDERGAST:    BLM  moves  that  we\n37   defer  this  wildlife  proposal,  22,  until  the  2027\n38   fisheries  meeting.  The intent being hopefully to give\n39   the RAC time to work this at a little bit finer detail,\n40   the  State  regulation  will presumably  have  time  to\n41   attach and  it just  --I  appreciate the testimony,  I\n42   appreciate that the public safety  concerns that exist,\n43   I think in a certain sense those  probably have existed\n44   for awhile and may be on the uptick but I\'m not hearing\n45   that one year  is going to tip the scale one way or the\n46   other, but from the matter of good policy when I\'ve got\n47   five  different proposals before me and a pending State\n48   regulations, you know,  there\'s just so  many unknowns,\n49   it just seems a little irresponsible to kind of just --\n\n---\n\n0621\n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n42   \n47   \n50\n\n1   even though I like the  up or down votes, you  know, to\n2   go there right now.  So I\'m moving that we go ahead and\n3   defer.\n\n5                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   I  will  second BLM\'s\n6   motion having  to do  mainly with  the National  Forest\n7   system land.\n\n9                   (Laughter)\n\n11                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Oops,  sorry, yep, for\n12   stealing the motion.\n\n14                   (Laughter)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We all got each\n17   other\'s back.\n\n19                   (Laughter)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Motion\'s  been\n22   made to defer, any other deliberation or discussion.\n\n24                   (No comments)\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Any opposition\n27   to defer this motion.\n\n29                   (No opposing votes)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n32   seeing none, motion carries unanimous.  26-24.\n\n34                   MS. HOLMAN:   Again, hello,  Mr. Chair.\n35   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n36   Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  This will be a summary of\n37   the analysis for  Proposal WP24-2 --26-24  that can be\n38   found starting on Page 813  of your meeting book.  This\n39   proposal was submitted by the Eastern Interior Regional\n40   Advisory Council requesting to  increase the brown bear\n41   harvest limit to two bears in Unit 11.\n\n43                   The proponent states that this proposal\n44   would  provide  additional opportunity  for  Federally-\n45   qualified  subsistence   users   and   there   are   no\n46   conservation concerns for brown bears in the unit.\n\n48                   As far as regulatory history goes there\n49   was no Federal hunting for brown bears in Unit 11 prior\n\n---\n\n23   \n47   \n50\n\n1   to 1999  and the last  change was around 2016  when the\n2   Board allowed  for hunting  for brown  bears over  bait\n3   following the Board of Game adopting a similar proposal\n4   in 2015.  Management objectives for brown bears in Unit\n5   11  is to provide the greatest sustained opportunity to\n6   participate   in  hunting   them.    Brown   bears  are\n7   considered abundant in  Unit 11, frequent sightings  of\n8   females  with cubs suggest good productivity.  Based on\n9   incidental  observations  and harvest  locations  brown\n10   bears  habitat --brown  bears inhibit  --in --I\'m\n11   getting tongue-tied  here --inhabit most  of Unit  11\n12   except  the high  elevation  glaciers.    In  2019  the\n13   National  Park Service  conducted an aerial  survey for\n14   brown  bears that covered  much of Unit  11 preliminary\n15   results suggested that brown bear densities within Unit\n16   11 are  consistent  with recent  density  estimates  in\n17   nearby units.   Given  the low  yearly harvest,  access\n18   limitations and the large amount of habitat that serves\n19   as  refugia due to  a restricted eligibility  for users\n20   for  the  National  Park  Service  regulations  hunting\n21   likely  has  no   influence  on  brown  bear   numbers,\n22   composition, or productivity trends in the unit.\n\n24                   No  permits  or   harvest  tickets  are\n25   required to hunt brown bears  in Unit 11 under State or\n26   Federal  regulations.    Although  all harvested  brown\n27   bears are required  to be sealed within 30  days of the\n28   kill providing harvest  information.  Bait may  be used\n29   to  hunt brown  bears  under  both  State  and  Federal\n30   regulations.  Local residents defined as hunters living\n31   in Units 11 or  13 harvested an average of one  to five\n32   bears annually  from  2010  to 2013.    Over  the  same\n33   timeframe  they averaged  2.6  bears  per  year  or  25\n34   percent of the total report  harvest.  Info on this can\n35   be  found on Table 1 on Page  819 of your meeting book.\n36   While an annual harvest composed of at least 50 percent\n37   males is not  a management objective for  Unit 11, this\n38   metrics is monitored in Unit 11.  From 2014 to 2018 the\n39   percent of females in the reported harvest averaged 34.\n40   This can  be found,  again, on Table  --in Table  1 on\n41   Page   819.    Brown  morta  --brown  bear  mortality\n42   occurring as DLP in Unit  11 are typically --typically\n43   ranges from zero  to one bear in a  five year reporting\n44   period.   Unreported  human caused  mortality of  brown\n45   bears in Unit 11 is likely minimal given the relatively\n46   low levels of harvest pressure.\n\n48                   If this  proposal were  to be  adopted,\n49   the  brown bear harvest limit in Unit 11 would increase\n\n---\n\n11   \n23   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n47   \n50\n\n1   from   one   to   two  bears   increasing   subsistence\n2   opportunity.  This  proposal would increase  regulatory\n3   complexity by misaligning State  and Federal limits for\n4   brown bears in  Unit 11.  However, a  proposal could be\n5   submitted to  the State  for their  2027/2028 Board  of\n6   Game  cycle which considers this region.  A prohibition\n7   on  the take of  cubs and sows  with --of  cubs --and\n8   sows with cubs under both State and Federal regulations\n9   helps to  protect  the reproductive  component  of  the\n10   population and promit --and promote recruitment.\n\n12                   Additionally,  most of  the brown  bear\n13   harvest    is    by    non-Federally-qualified   users.\n14   Federally-qualified subsistence users have historically\n15   only harvested a few brown bears in Unit 11 and most --\n16   and must salvage  both the meat and the  hide.  Harvest\n17   is  not expected  to increase  substantially from  this\n18   additional  limit increase.    This proposal  increases\n19   subsistence opportunity  and there are  no conservation\n20   concerns due to the low harvest pressure of brown bears\n21   and brown bear populations that are considered abundant\n22   and healthy.\n\n24                   The OSM  conclusion is to  support this\n25   proposal.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Members of the Board.\n26   Happy to address any questions.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n29   Thank  you for that  presentation.  Any  questions from\n30   the Board for Staff.\n\n## 32 (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Appreciate it.\n35   Summary of written public comment.\n\n37                   MS.  HOLMAN:  So,  Mr. Chair, there was\n38   one  written public  comment  received  from the  Ahtna\n39   InterTribal   Resource   Commission   supporting   this\n40   proposal.   This proposal would change --this proposed\n41   change   would   provide    greater   flexibility   and\n42   opportunity for Federally-qualified  subsistence users.\n43   Brown bears are an important part of the Ahtna cultural\n44   traditions  --is  a short part  of what  their comment\n45   included.   I\'ll let them add additional detail to that\n46   if they would like when they come up.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n49   Summary of tribal, ANCSA Corporation.\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n10   --\n13   \n16   \n18   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n30                   (Laughter)\n31   \n34   \n38   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  LIND:     Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n2   During  the  August  consultation  sessions  we  had  a\n3   representative from Ahtna  who were in support  of that\n4   proposal.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n7   Orville.  Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair.   Karen Linnell\noh, actually she did not put her name down for 24 --\n11   actually --sorry --sorry, not for 24 so --and I do\n12   not see anyone with their hands raised online.\n\n14                   MS.  LINNELL:   Are  you calling  me or\n15   not?\n\n17                   MS. LAVINE:  Nope.\n\n19                   (Laughter)\n\n21                   MS. LAVINE:  Nope.\n\n23                   MS. LINNELL:  Okay.\n\n25                   (Laughter)\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Get your steps\n28   in Auntie.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Advisory group\n33   testimony, SRC, State Advisory, multi-agency.\n\n35                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair,  we  do have\n36   comments from  the Wrangell-St.  Elias Advisory  Group.\n37   Just one moment.\n\n39                   For  Wildlife Proposals  26-24, 25,  26\n40   and 71  increase the  harvest limit of  brown bears  in\n41   Units  11, 12 and 13.   The Wrangell-St. Elias National\n42   Park   Subsistence   Resource   Commission  unanimously\n43   supported a group of  proposals increasing the  harvest\n44   limit  of brown  bear in  Units  11, 12  and 13  with a\n45   modification  requesting that  monitoring continues  of\n46   brown bear  populations.  Many  observations have shown\n47   that brown bear have been doing well in these units but\n48   it is important to prevent overharvest.  Increasing the\n49   harvest limit will allow for more harvest opportunities\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   for local subsistence users.\n\n3                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n6   Robbin.   Any public  testimony here  or online  please\n7   raise your hand.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  RAC Chair.\n\n13                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n14   Southcentral.  This proposal is an area which is really\n15   challenging for hunter  access and that will  limit the\n16   harvest.  Any additional harvest could help local moose\n17   and caribou populations.   Additionally, there is local\n18   tribal support.   And as Robbin just  said, Subsistence\n19   Resource  Commission  for  the  Park  Service  for  the\n20   proposal as well as from the Ahtna InterTribal Resource\n21   Commission.       This    would   provide    additional\n22   opportunities   for   Federally-qualified   subsistence\n23   users.   The Council  noted that while  there is  not a\n24   conservation concern  regarding brown  bear populations\n25   it\'s  always  good  to  have  additional  monitoring if\n26   finances allow.   Again,  it\'s very  inaccessible, very\n27   low  harvest  pressure, this  is  kind of  compensatory\n28   mortality, not additional  mortality.   Agree with  the\n29   SRC   about   the  continued   monitoring   and  ensure\n30   conservation  concerns do not  develop.  And  we always\n31   appreciate our relationship  with the Ahtna InterTribal\n32   Resource Commission,  they supply a  lot of information\n33   to the RAC  and to the Board that\'s  very valuable.  So\n34   as long as they support  it we also feel comfortable in\n35   supporting this as well.\n\n## 37 Thank you.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n40   Judy.  Eastern Interior.\n\n42                   MS.  MCDAVID:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n43   Brooke McJesus,  Eastern Interior  Council Coordinator.\n44   The  Eastern Interior Council  voted to take  no action\n45   and  defer to  the home  Council but  they did  want to\n46   submit a comment just for consideration to the Board.\n\n48                   EIRAC   actually   did    submit   this\n49   proposal, they have C&T for this area for and folks who\n\n---\n\n0626\n23   \n26   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   live  in  Unit  12  have  C&T  for  this  part  of  the\n2   Southcentral region.    Their intent  was  to  increase\n3   subsistence opportunity but they ultimately decided not\n4   to take action  on this proposal since it\'s  outside of\n5   their  region and  there were  some constraints  during\n6   their  meeting.   Although they  deferred  to the  home\n7   region, they did just want  to note that this  proposal\n8   would misalign State and Federal regulations so perhaps\n9   consider  --maybe  the  Southcentral  Council   could\n10   consider  a Board  of  Game  proposal  in  the  future.\n11   Additionally, the Council agrees with the comments that\n12   were  submitted  by  the  Ahtna  InterTribal   Resource\n13   Commission  and the Wrangell-St. Elias SRC that if this\n14   proposal  is  adopted   there  needs  to  be   improved\n15   monitoring  of brown  bear populations  in  Unit 11  in\n16   coordination with  AITRC and other  local stakeholders.\n17   Brown bear population  information is severely  lacking\n18   and the Council expressed concerns about increasing the\n19   harvest limit  without a way  to assess the  impacts to\n20   the  population.     They   also   noted  the   Federal\n21   Subsistence  Board  cannot guarantee  monitoring  would\n22   occur if this proposal is adopted.\n\n24                   So  thank  you  for  considering  their\n25   comments.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   questions from the Board.\n\n## 30 (No comments)\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n33   seeing none, Department of Fish and Game.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish and  Game\n37   opposes this proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n38   regulations.  We did look back in to the records and we\n39   haven\'t seen  a similar proposal  at the Board  of Game\n40   for  at least  the last  few  cycles.   Thank you,  Mr.\n41   Chair.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n44   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n46                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n47   ISC provided the standard comment.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n\n---\n\n0627\n3   \n5   \n8   \n13   \n16   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n50\n\n1   Robbin.   Board discussion with their Liaisons, Council\n2   Chair and State rep.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n7   seeing none we\'ll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n9                   MR. STRIKER:  Mr. Chair.   The National\n10   Park Service moves to adopt  WP26-24 and if I receive a\n11   second I\'ll explain why I  intend to vote in support of\n12   my motion.\n\n14                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n15   supports.\n\n18                   MR. STRIKER:  Thank you.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Seconds.\n\n22                   (Laughter)\n\n24                   MR. STRIKER:  The National Park Service\n25   supports  WP26-24  in  deference  to  the  Southcentral\n26   Subsistence Regional  Advisory Council.  No  impacts to\n27   the Unit 11 brown bear are expected from this proposal.\n28   Unit  11 is  a  very large  remote  area and  currently\n29   experiences very low harvest  pressure for brown  bear.\n30   While no  formal population assessments  have occurred,\n31   brown  bear  populations  in  Unit  11  are  considered\n32   generally abundant, healthy and well distributed across\n33   the unit.   Federally-qualified subsistence  users have\n34   historically only harvested a few brown bears from Unit\n35   11 and must salvage both meat for human consumption and\n36   the hide.   Harvest  is not  expected to  substantially\n37   increase by --to increase substantially  by increasing\n38   the subsistence harvest  limit to two  bears.  It  will\n39   allow those that do hunt  brown bear for food though to\n40   harvest two if  they wish to do so.  The prohibition on\n41   the take  of cubs and  sows with cubs under  both State\n42   and Federal regulations will remain and help to protect\n43   the  reproductive component  of the  population.   Park\n44   Service also  agrees with  Councils recommendation  and\n45   others  recommendation   that   while   there   is   no\n46   conservation  concern right  now  regarding brown  bear\n47   populations  in  the  unit,   we  do  desperately  need\n48   additional  monitoring  of  the  population  to  ensure\n49   sustainable harvest.  The proposal is further supported\n\n---\n\n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n31   \n34   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   by Wrangell-St. Elias  Subsistence Resource Commission.\n2   Many local observations  by that group have  also shown\n3   that brown bears  are doing well and as  you heard they\n4   also  encourage additional  monitoring to  prevent over\n5   harvest.   Increasing the  harvest limit,  bottom line,\n6   will allow  for more  harvest  opportunities for  local\n7   subsistence users.\n\n9                   Thank you.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don.\n12   Questions, comments, deliberation.\n\n14                   (No comments)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none,\n17   please read into the record and roll call.\n\n19                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n20   Wildlife  Proposal 26-24.  Forest Service Member --oh,\n21   Park Service Member Striker.\n\n23                   MR. STRIKER: Park Service supports.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n26   Ingersoll.\n\n28                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n29   in deference  to the RAC  and to our colleagues  in the\n30   Park Service.\n\n32                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public  Member Pitka via\n33   Mr. Woods.\n\n35                   MR. WOODS:  Mr. Woods votes in favor of\n36   the  recommendations  of  the RAC  and  information, no\n37   conservation  concern,  and  provides  opportunity  and\n38   thank you.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Mr. Woods, that was your\n41   vote, correct?\n\n43                   MR. WOODS:  Yes.\n\n45                   MS. LEONETTI:   Would you like  to vote\n46   your proxy for Rhonda Pitka.\n\n48                   MR. WOODS:  Voting for Ms. Pitka I also\n49   would concur and approve for reasons stated.  Thanks.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n10   \n12   \n20   \n22   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Thank you.\n\n3                   Fish   and   Wildlife   Service  Member\n4   Boario.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n7   votes  in  support  for the  reasons  outlined  by Park\n8   Service  Member  Striker  and   in  deference  to   the\n9   Southcentral Subsistence Regional Advisory Council.\n\n## 11 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n13                   MS. JOHN:   BIA  votes  to support  the\n14   National  Park Service motion  and in deference  to the\n15   Southcentral  RAC.   We  concur   with  the   Council\'s\n16   justification  plus we  support  the Ahtna  InterTribal\n17   Resources Commission on this  proposed regulation which\n18   would provide additional  subsistence opportunities for\n19   rural users in the area.\n\n## 21 MS. LEONETTI: Public Member Oney.\n\n23                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n24   to  support  WP26-24  in  deference  to  the  RACs  and\n25   National Park Service.\n\n27                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n29                   MR.  PAYENNA:     In  concurrence  with\n30   comments submitted by the Park Service and in deference\n31   to the RAC I support WP26-24.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n35                   MR.  PENDERGAST:     BLM  supports  for\n36   reasons stated by the Park Service.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Support.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n43   passes unanimously.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   We\'re going to take a little break --1:00 o\'clock.\n\n48                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n11   \n15   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n28   \n31   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n## 1 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Yes.\n\n3                   MS.  LAVINE:    Can   I  just  make  an\n4   announcement as we break for a shortened lunch, we have\n5   50  minutes and  so  if  you have  not  got your  lunch\n6   organized and you need time, OSM Staff is willing to do\n7   a head count and order pizza locally.  You\'ll just need\n8   to support the order.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n## 10 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you.\n\n12                   MS. GREDIAGIN:   Yeah, and,  Gisela, do\n13   you  want to stand up and raise  your hand, if you want\n14   pizza talk to Gisela, thanks.  Thank you, Gisela.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n17   That sounds  good.   1:00  o\'clock, we\'ll  just take  a\n18   short break.  1:00 o\'clock.\n\n20                   (Off record)\n\n22                   (On record)\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Good afternoon.\n25   That was  a  refreshing lunch  break.   Before  we  get\n26   started  with the  next proposal  we\'re  going to  have\n27   Robbin give a little update on something.\n\n29                   UNIDENTIFIED  SPEAKER:   A student  art\n30   contest.\n\n32                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  For\n33   those of you  --our Board members,  our Council Chairs\n34   and representatives and  our ISC members, for  those of\n35   you  that have voting  slips in your  meeting materials\n36   this is  your last opportunity  to vote on  the student\n37   art contest.  Please do so within the next hour and get\n38   your  voting  form to  Caron McKee.   Hopefully  we can\n39   tally and announce the winners before we adjourn.\n\n41                   Thank you.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n44   Robbin.  WP26-27.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, WP26-27  was\n47   withdrawn.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  WP26-28.\n\n---\n\n6   \n15   \n21   \n27   \n34   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair, Members of the\n2   Board.     For  the   record  Kendra  Holman,  Wildlife\n3   Biologist with OSM.  This  is a summary of the analysis\n4   for  Wildlife  Proposal  WP26-28a  that  can  be  found\n5   starting on Page 847 of your meeting book.\n\n7                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n8   Southcentral   Alaska    Regional   Advisory    Council\n9   requesting  to extend  the closing  date  of the  moose\n10   season in  Unit 11  to September  30th.   The proponent\n11   states that this proposal would extend the moose season\n12   to  compensate for  changes in  climate  and allow  for\n13   additional   harvest   opportunity    and   provide   a\n14   subsistence priority.\n\n16                   There have been many regulation changes\n17   since the Federal regulations were established in 1992.\n18   Most recently  in July of  2020 the Board  adopted with\n19   modification temporary  --oh, sorry. Ignore  that one.\n20   I added something in there I shouldn\'t have.\n\n22                   In   2022  the   Board  established   a\n23   community harvest system for moose and caribou in Units\n24   11  and  13  administered   by  the  Ahtna  Intertribal\n25   Resource  Commission  by   adopting  deferred  proposal\n26   WP18-19.\n\n28                   The   moose    population   has    been\n29   considered low density  across Unit 11 for  many years.\n30   High  brown  bear  and  wolf  numbers  in  Unit 11  may\n31   contribute  to the low calf:cow ratios observed in this\n32   unit, as well  as the overall  low, but stable  density\n33   moose population.\n\n35                   The State management objective for Unit\n36   11 is to maintain a population with a post hunt --post\n37   fall  hunt minimum bull:cow ratio of 30 bulls:100 cows.\n38   ADF&G conducts  aerial surveys along the  western slope\n39   of  Mt. Drum  in  Unit  11 about  every  other year  to\n40   determine population and composition trends. While this\n41   survey area only  comprises a small portion of Unit 11,\n42   it is a  long-term consistent data set  and provides an\n43   index for moose status in  Unit 11 unit-wide.  This can\n44   be found on Table 1 of Page 855 of your meeting book.\n\n46                   With  low  hunting   pressure,  limited\n47   access and  relatively low  levels of  predator harvest\n48   the  moose  population  is  expected  to  remain  at  a\n49   relatively  stable  but low  density.   Bull:cow ratios\n\n---\n\n0632\n3   \n11   \n16   \n25   \n32   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n1   remain  well above  management  objectives while  other\n2   matrixes remain stable.\n\n4                   Wrangell-St.  Elias  conducts  periodic\n5   moose  surveys across Unit 11  and portions of Unit 12.\n6   The results of these surveys can be found on Table 2 on\n7   Page 855 of your meeting  book.  The most recent survey\n8   results established a record low number of moose at  an\n9   almost 40  percent  decline from  the previous  survey,\n10   which was in 2013.\n\n12                   Harvest   from   2000-2024   the  moose\n13   averaged  55 per year,  which included an  estimated 10\n14   unreported harvested.  Harvest information can be found\n15   on Table 3 of Page 858 of your meeting book.\n\n17                   From 2014-2024  Federal permits  FM1106\n18   and FM1107  averaged 15  percent success  rate and  the\n19   joint Federal/State permit RM291  averaged a 16 percent\n20   success rate.   Figure  1 on Page  857 of  your meeting\n21   book shows  the moose harvest  during each week  of the\n22   general  season,   State  harvest  ticket  in  Unit  11\n23   Remainder.  Specifically  on average 58 percent  of the\n24   harvest occurs during the last two weeks of the season.\n\n26                   While    this    proposal     increases\n27   subsistence opportunity there is a conservation concern\n28   for  the Unit 11  moose population, which  has declined\n29   substantially in recent years.   Increasing harvest  in\n30   Unit 11  moose population  is not  recommended at  this\n31   time.  The OSM conclusion is to oppose this proposal.\n\n33                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.  Members  of the\n34   Board.  I\'d be happy to address any questions.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n37   questions for Staff on this one?\n\n39                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n42   floor.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n45   I\'ve  heard and read the statement moose population has\n46   declined  substantially in recent years.  I\'m trying to\n47   find out where can I  find that information in the book\n48   other than just  a statement?  I\'m looking  at Table 2,\n49   but  I don\'t  think that\'s  --that\'s just  kind of  a\n\n--', 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '8ba6ba6b-26bc-48e1-b968-03399472f6b8', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_3.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:36:03.109605+00:00', 'content_hash': '1e654f5d32fe001b5470091b2d0e7b1e67d3f4edfdefb99ad3789f52c9a3e8a2'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.24.26', 'check_failed': False}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "0001\n2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n38   \n39   \n40   \n41   \n42   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1                  FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                           VOLUME I\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 21, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n44   Recorded and transcribed by:\n45   Computer Matrix Court Reporters, LLC\n46   329 F Street, Suite 222\n47   Anchorage, AK  99501\n48   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n12   \n20   \n25   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/21/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Welcome to the Wildlife\n8   regulatory meeting of the Federal Subsistence Board. \n9   (In Native) my Yup'ik name is Ciiquq, I also go by\n10   Crystal Leonetti and I'm the Director for Office of\n11   Subsistence Management.\n\n13                   I have a few announcements to make\n14   before the meeting gets underway.  This meeting of the\n15   Federal Subsistence Board and the public process we\n16   rely upon is crucial to upholding the Alaska National\n17   Interest Lands Conservation Act, Title VIII, and to\n18   support the rural priority for subsistence hunting,\n19   trapping and fishing on Federal public lands in Alaska.\n\n21                   This meeting is being recorded and\n22   transcribed.  Anything you say to the Board will become\n23   a part of the public record.  Transcripts will be\n24   available on our website.\n\n26                   For those attending our meeting in\n27   person please make sure you sign-in at the table just\n28   outside the meeting room doors.  There's a sign-in\n29   sheet for each day of the meeting and we'd appreciate\n30   if you would sign-in each day that you are here.  For\n31   those joining online the agenda and meeting materials\n32   can be found online at doi.gov\\subsistence\\board under\n33   the meetings tab.\n\n35                   Our progress through the agenda will be\n36   updated daily on the web.\n\n38                   For those online please remember to\n39   mute yourselves when you are not addressing the Board. \n40   If you are calling in on your phone you can press star,\n41   six to mute yourself or use the mute feature on Teams.\n\n43                   This is a regulatory meeting and the\n44   Board will be discussing and deliberating on proposals\n45   to change wildlife regulations for 2026 to 2028 as well\n46   as reviewing existing closures that are up for review. \n47   There will be an opportunity for tribal and public\n48   comments during that proposal periods.  You can see the\n49   steps of the proposal presentation procedure on the\n\n---\n\n26   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1   non-consensus agenda.  There will be an opportunity for\n2   public to comment on non-agenda items at the beginning\n3   of each day starting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22nd. \n4   The Chair will announce this each morning and that will\n5   be an opportunity for those present as well as those\n6   participating on the phone to speak on non-agenda\n7   items.  We would ask you hold any comments on proposals\n8   or agenda items until such time as they come up before\n9   the Board so that the Board will hear all pertinent\n10   information at the time they're working on that item. \n11   However the Chair can make exceptions.  This is a very\n12   full agenda with 78 wildlife proposals, 46 of those on\n13   the non-consensus agenda and 17 closure reviews.  This\n14   is definitely the most proposals the Board has seen at\n15   any meeting in the last 10 years.  We recognize there\n16   are many large issues like the Park Service proposed\n17   rule, Public Land Order 5150, a request for\n18   reconsideration on Ketchikan Rural, the Federal\n19   Subsistence Management Program review and Fisheries\n20   issues at large that we all care about.  We're going to\n21   have an update from the Department of Interior, Senior\n22   Advisor for Alaska, on the program review later this\n23   week.  There is still outstanding requests for tribal\n24   consultation that are being honored, but this isn't the\n25   venue to provide input on the review.\n\n27                   So with that full agenda we're going to\n28   ask you to keep your comments very succinct and to the\n29   point so that we don't go --we don't have to go late\n30   into the evenings or late on Friday.\n\n32                   This way of life, living with and in\n33   relationship to the land is precious for so many people\n34   across Alaska.  In this program we're limited in how we\n35   can support it.  It is bigger than just fish and\n36   wildlife.  Updating publicly informed fish and wildlife\n37   is the focus and the authority of the Federal\n38   Subsistence Management Program.  We ask to remain\n39   focused, succinct and focus on the most important\n40   aspects of the regulations in front of us this week.\n\n42                   If you would like to address the Board\n43   during the meeting for folks in the room please fill\n44   out a blue testifier form that you'll find at the front\n45   table.  This helps us keep track of anyone who'd like\n46   to speak regarding a specific agenda item.  If you are\n47   online using the Teams platform you can raise your hand\n48   by pressing the button.  If you're calling in you may\n49   raise your hand by pressing star, five.  If you would\n\n---\n\n16   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   like to email your comments in you may do that as well\n2   by emailing [email protected].  If you're unable\n3   to stay with us until the public comment opportunity is\n4   open for the particular proposal you'd like to address\n5   you may consider submitting a written comment instead. \n6   You can do that by emailing your comment to that same\n7   email address, [email protected].  You need to\n8   indicate your name, affiliation and what proposal or\n9   closure your comment addresses.  Written comments will\n10   be accepted until the start of the presentation of each\n11   proposal or closure review analysis.  We will share\n12   those with the Board.  When you address the Board\n13   please state your name for the record before making a\n14   comment or presenting a topic.  This helps us get an\n15   accurate record of our meeting.\n\n17                   Our meetings are conducted by Robert's\n18   Rules which helps us provide structure and maintain\n19   order throughout the meeting.  All participants, Board,\n20   Staff and public members are expected to be courteous\n21   and respectful in all interactions as a matter of\n22   meeting etiquette.  It's understood that the nature of\n23   some of the issues discussed at these meetings can be\n24   difficult and controversial.  We are all here because\n25   we care about subsistence and we all need to strive\n26   together to work on issues before us.  Although some\n27   comments shared throughout this meeting may be\n28   passionate no insults will be tolerated.\n\n30                   So with that, Mr. Chair, I'll do a roll\n31   call to establish quorum.\n\n33                   Chair Tony Christianson.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Present.\n\n37                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member Charlie\n38   Brower is excused from this meeting.\n\n40                   Public member Chief Rhonda Pitka.\n\n42                   MS. PITKA:  Here.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  U.S. Fish and Wildlife\n45   Service, Sara Boario.\n\n47                   MS. BOARIO:  Good morning.  Present.\n\n49                   MS. LEONETTI:  National Park Service,\n\n---\n\n0005\n1   Don Striker.\n2   \n3                   MR. STRIKER:  Present.\n4   \n7   \n9   \n12   \n14   \n17   \n18                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Present.\n19   \n21   Woods.\n22   \n23                   MR. WOODS:  Here.\n24   \n27   \n28                   MR. ONEY:  Here.\n29   \n32   \n34   \n44   \n50\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:  Bureau of Indian\n6   Affairs, Jolene John.\n\n8                   MS. JOHN:  (In Native)\n\n10                   MS. LEONETTI:  U.S. Forest Service,\n11   Jerry Ingersoll.\n\n13                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Good morning.  Present.\n\n15                   MS. LEONETTI:  Bureau of Land\n16   Management, Kevin Pendergast.\n\n20                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member, Frank\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member, Raymond\n26   Oney.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Public member, Ben\n31   Payenna.\n\n33                   MR. PAYENNA:  I am here.\n\n35                   MS. LEONETTI:  Thank you.  And, Mr.\n36   Chair, we do have a quorum.  I'll also note that we\n37   have our Department of Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n38   here.  We also have on the line U.S. Forest Service\n39   General Counsel, Randall Lockyear.  We are joined by\n40   Alaska Department of Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner,\n41   Ben Mulligan and Subsistence Liaison, Aaron Poetter. \n42   And all of the RAC Chairs that are present here in the\n43   room and online.  We have a quorum.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n46   that, Crystal.  And then we'll just begin.  Welcome\n47   everybody this morning to the Federal Subsistence Board\n48   Wildlife meeting and look forward to a productive\n49   meeting.  Crystal said all the detailed stuff and so we\n\n---\n\n0006\n10   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n40   \n50\n\n1   just try to put out as a precursor to the meeting just\n2   what the expectations are so that you're --you're\n3   informed and know when you can testify and do what you\n4   need to do to get yourself heard here on the record. \n5   And so we welcome the new Board members to this\n6   meeting, the new rural and tribal seat members as well\n7   as the actings that we have sitting here.  We\n8   appreciate the service that we work on here as we focus\n9   on the --setting regulations on the public lands.\n\n11                   And so with that we look to review and\n12   adopt the agenda at this time.\n\n14                   MR. WOODS:  Move to approve.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yeah, Robbin.\n\n18                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,\n19   members of the Board.  This is Robbin Lavine,\n20   Subsistence Policy Coordinator.  And I have a couple of\n21   changes to the agenda that I'm aware of, but before we\n22   move forward with that I would like to request a pause. \n23   There are a couple of --we want to connect to the\n24   screens and the meeting appropriately.  If you'd give\n25   us about five minutes.\n\n27                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Five minutes.\n\n31                   (Off record)\n\n33                   (On record)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right.  We\n36   apologize about the technical difficulties.  We're\n37   going to go ahead and resume again where we left off\n38   and we were reviewing and adopting the agenda so we'll\n39   go ahead and return it back to Robbin Lavine.\n\n41                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,\n42   members of the Board.  OSM has --is aware of a couple\n43   of modifications to the agenda, some that OSM would\n44   like to request and I think other Board members or\n45   members of the Federal Subsistence Management Program\n46   have some suggested changes as well.  So I'd like to\n47   bring those forward.  And before I talk about changes\n48   or modifications to the agenda I want to make an\n49   announcement on the order of our regions that we are\n\n---\n\n0007\n10   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n50\n\n1   taking up the proposals in.  And we are starting for\n2   the very first time with North Slope and we are working\n3   through the proposals in consecutive order by --from\n4   the North Slope to Eastern Interior, et cetera, et\n5   cetera, all the way down, finishing with Southeast on\n6   the last day.  And we are printing up some agendas with\n7   the order of the proposals as we take them up during\n8   the meeting and they will be available at the front\n9   desk or in the back of the room.\n\n11                   So with that announcement made there\n12   are a couple of items that I would like to request for\n13   OSM is that we defer the Wood Bison Management Plan to\n14   the summer work session.  That will give more time for\n15   that discussion during the work session and also with\n16   Chairs in attendance hopefully.  We are also requesting\n17   to defer 26-01 to the Fisheries regulatory meeting.  If\n18   deferred the Board may want to consider any changes\n19   that might need to be made in actions on Wildlife\n20   proposals 26-10, 26-13(b) and 14, 27, 28(a), 43/44, 51,\n21   61 and 62(b) which is on the consensus agenda and 65. \n22   These are things that OSM Staff is tracking and we\n23   imagine that the suggested changes would be more\n24   administrative than --something easy that hopefully we\n25   might be able to deal with at the time that we take up\n26   those proposals.\n\n28                   Those are the changes that I want to\n29   note and request the Board approve.  And I believe\n30   there are other requests for changes to the agenda that\n31   Board members can bring forward.\n\n33                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Robbin,\n36   the floor is open for Board members.\n\n38                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.  Kevin\n39   Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management.  I do have a\n40   request to withdraw one proposal.  Mr. Chair, I request\n41   withdrawing Wildlife proposal 26-27 from the agenda. \n42   This was BLM proposed.  BLM submitted the proposal with\n43   the intent of providing the BLM Glennallen Field Office\n44   in-season manager with more flexibility in managing the\n45   Nelchina Caribou Herd by delegating the manager the\n46   authority to set harvest limits on Federal lands in\n47   Unit 13 remainder.  In an effort to reduce regulatory\n48   complexity and provide the in-season manager with the\n49   same management flexibilities it has in Unit 13A and B,\n\n---\n\n0008\n13   \n16   \n19   \n30   \n32   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   BLM also requests delegating the manager with the\n2   authority to set sex restrictions.  In its comments the\n3   Alaska Department of Fish and Game opposed this\n4   proposal because the Nelchina Herd has not recovered to\n5   a level in which any proposed liberalization of the\n6   Federal regulations should be considered.  It's not\n7   expected for the herd to recover to such population\n8   level for at least another year.  BLM would therefore\n9   like to have more time to consult and coordinate with\n10   Fish and Game as well as AITRC, the National Park\n11   Service and other stakeholders before deciding the best\n12   plan for co-management of the herd.\n\n14                   So again for that reason we'd request\n15   to change and withdraw Wildlife proposal 26-27.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n18   Kevin.  Any other Board members, changes?\n\n20                   MR. STRIKER:  I'm a little bit out of\n21   my depth here so I'll ask for my fellow Board members\n22   to help me out.  We did get a request yesterday to\n23   remove 66, 67 and 69 from the consent agenda and to put\n24   it on the regular agenda.  I think that perhaps only 66\n25   is relevant in this case for reasons that we can get\n26   into when we actually have the conversation, but I\n27   would request that we also consider moving those off of\n28   the consent agenda and having them as part of the\n29   conversation.\n\n## 31 Thank you.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  And we'll get\n34   to that procedurally when we get to that portion of the\n35   agenda and it will be an opportunity for us then.  So\n36   that will probably be this afternoon as we start to get\n37   into that presentation from the Staff and do that.  So\n38   there's another opportunity here, this is just the\n39   first stab at that.\n\n41                   Thank you, Don.\n\n43                   Any other Board action request,\n44   deferral.\n\n46                   (No comments)\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Hearing and\n49   seeing none, move to adopt the agenda as presented\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n10   \n18   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n40   \n44   \n50\n\n```\n1   with.....\n```\n\n3                   MR. WOODS:  So moved.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So moved.  Can\n6   I get a second?\n\n8                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife Service\n9   seconds.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Can we --and\n12   just so the record reflects that we are reviewing and\n13   adopting by second a request to change the agenda to\n14   defer the Wood Management Bison Plan to the summer work\n15   session, defer WP26-01 to the Fisheries regulatory\n16   meeting and then to withdraw the BLM 26-27 Wildlife\n17   proposal.\n\n19                   All in favor signify by saying aye.\n\n21                   IN UNISON:  Aye.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Opposed same\n24   sign.\n\n26                   (No opposing votes)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Motion carries\n29   unanimous to accept the agenda with the changes.\n\n31                   Thank you.  Next we move into Board\n32   information sharing session.  Board members and OSM\n33   Director, this is an opportunity for the Board members\n34   here that represent different agencies to share things\n35   that they have going on that affect the --this\n36   program, the way of life and then --and then what it\n37   is that they're mandated to manage.  So at this time\n38   we'll go ahead and open the floor and maybe we'll start\n39   down with Jerry.\n\n41                   I --do we have a list?  Oh, wait,\n42   sorry.  Yeah.  We're good.  Crystal will take over\n43   after this.\n\n45                   Jerry, you got it.  He --we're going\n46   to let Jerry go first because Jerry is the winner of\n47   jeopardy, Federal Subsistence Board big game we played,\n48   I was real competitive.  We were talking about --but,\n49   yeah, there's our winner of jeopardy, Jerry.  Welcome.\n\n---\n\n11   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n2   And it is an honor to be here and to be taking part in\n3   these deliberations.  And I say that because I will be\n4   retiring from Federal service next week on April 30th\n5   after serving 38 and a half years with the Forest\n6   Service.  And I have to say that the work on the\n7   Subsistence Program is among the highlights of my\n8   career because this work matters to Alaskans and to\n9   rural communities and to Native and non-Native\n10   residents and I believe in this work.\n\n12                   The Forest Service is also going\n13   through a reorganization.  And I want to assure you\n14   that we will continue to have an active role and play\n15   an active role in subsistence management.  The position\n16   of Regional Forester is planned to be abolished and\n17   that is the position that I am acting in today, but\n18   there will be a State Director for Alaska in the new\n19   organization and that position has just been advertised\n20   yesterday.  And we'll receive competitive applications\n21   and the agency intends to move as quickly as reasonably\n22   possible to fill that job.  In the interim between my\n23   retirement and when that position is filled, the\n24   Regional Forester in Portland will provide coverage for\n25   Alaska.  The Deputy Regional Forester in Juneau will be\n26   delegated the authority to act as Acting Regional\n27   Forester for the purposes of subsistence management and\n28   of course our outstanding Staff continues to work in\n29   this field.  So I want to provide assurance that my\n30   retirement will not interrupt our commitment to this\n31   program and our engagement with the rest of you.\n\n33                   Thank you very much.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you and\n36   congratulations with your retirement.  Appreciate your\n37   service on here, Jerry.\n\n39                   All right.  Next we've got Mr. Striker.\n\n41                   MR. STRIKER:  Wow, was that just\n42   anticipation.  Thank you, Crystal.\n\n44                   Don Striker with the National Park\n45   Service.  Good to see everybody.  I echo Jerry's\n46   sentiment in the importance of these proceedings and\n47   this process.  It's one of the highlights of my career\n48   too and I take the responsibility really, really\n49   seriously.  On that note I'm sure many people have\n\n---\n\n9   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   noticed that the National Park Service recently\n2   proposed a draft regulation for hunting and trapping in\n3   national park system units in Alaska.  Originally this\n4   was a 30 day review period, about a week ago Friday we\n5   decided to extend the comment period so the comment\n6   period for that rule is now this Friday.  And you can\n7   see in the listing in the Federal Register all the\n8   different ways that you can send comments in on that.\n\n10                   I would like to take the opportunity to\n11   remind folks here though that our responsibilities and\n12   regulations guiding consultation doesn't have a\n13   deadline.  So even though there's a hard deadline for\n14   getting written comments in on this rule, whether it's\n15   the State or the ANCs or any other entity that wishes\n16   to do consultation with the National Park Service, we\n17   will continue that consultation throughout the process\n18   of the draft, the review of the comments on the reg,\n19   publication of a final regulation, et cetera, et\n20   cetera, et cetera, and that's not going to happen fast. \n21   So I offer this because although it was unintended I\n22   should have noticed that this particular rule coming\n23   out at the same time that there was a review of Federal\n24   Subsistence Board activities put squarely in the\n25   spotlight any effort anywhere that has anything\n26   potentially to do with subsistence and that has served\n27   to be a third rail for me in the last couple of --in\n28   the last couple of weeks.  I should have seen that\n29   coming, I just totally whiffed on it.  So everybody has\n30   plenty of opportunity to continue to consult with me is\n31   the take home message.\n\n33                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n37                   Raymond, Mr. Oney.\n\n39                   MR. ONEY:  Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  My\n40   name is Raymond Oney, my Yup'ik name is (in Native). \n41   I'm from the village of Alakanuk on the mouth of the\n42   Yukon River that spills out into the Bering Sea.  I've\n43   been a lifelong resident of the Yukon.  I'd like to\n44   thank my family for allowing me to come to meetings\n45   like this.  It's been hard over the year, but I'm very\n46   fortunate that my wife has allowed me to come to these\n47   meetings.  I want to thank the people from the YK area\n48   also too for all their support over the years serving\n49   as the YKRAC member.  I learned a lot from different\n\n---\n\n7   \n9   \n11   \n13   \n34   \n43   \n50\n\n1   areas of the YK area and also being in this position\n2   has given me a greater view of what's going on\n3   throughout the state of Alaska in our backyard, in our\n4   --in our home --home village.  So looking forward to\n5   all the comments and all the deliberations that will be\n6   going on this week.\n\n8                   So again thank you.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ray.\n\n12                   Jolene.\n\n14                   MS. JOHN:  Yeah, good morning.  (In\n15   Native) Jolene John, Regional Director, BIA.  Just want\n16   to share that just this week we're seeing releases of\n17   the President's budget for fiscal year '27.  I have\n18   seen just briefly what BIA's budget looks like so if\n19   you're interested that should be available.  For those\n20   that are familiar with the Tribal Interior Budget\n21   Council process they are going to revisit that\n22   structure and meet with tribes of May 19 and 20 in\n23   Washington, DC.  Alaska has been experiencing a lot of\n24   water and fuel crises across mostly the rural coastal\n25   communities and areas where they've experienced extreme\n26   winter temperatures.  And so the senior leadership of\n27   BIA has taken --made a decision to contribute toward\n28   providing some relief for those that are seriously\n29   struggling with the source.  And similarly the Senate\n30   Committee on Indian Affairs is going to Bethel the week\n31   of May 4 at which time the BIA leadership will be there\n32   to hear what the impacts have been following Typhoon\n33   Halong.\n\n35                   Bureau of Indian Affairs' employees\n36   were offered the third round of the deferred\n37   resignation program and fortunately we only have one\n38   employee at this time and through the efforts of our\n39   senior leadership in DC we also may have a chance to\n40   open a few positions at our region, mostly the lower\n41   grade levels and that should offer some relief for\n42   support.\n\n44                   Across the nation BIA is also focusing\n45   on probate programs.  Recently during the Tribal Self-\n46   Governance Conference our --Kena Spellmark\n47   particularly spoke about this effort and encouraged\n48   tribes that my be interested to really dig deep and see\n49   if they can assist in the process by way of contracting\n\n---\n\n8   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n22   \n35   \n48   \n50\n\n1   or compacting this program.  Our tribes in Alaska are\n2   very interested in how probate works and so we're\n3   seeing increases of requests for detailed proposals and\n4   presentations in the region.  So we welcome those\n5   invites.  Also as a result there's --I'm talking with\n6   the Alaska Federation of Natives to see if we can have\n7   some kind of space for a probate surge activity.\n\n9                   And good news this week that we heard\n10   our providers conference package has reached the\n11   Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs' office which is\n12   more hopeful than what it was last year.  Hopefully we\n13   will see providers conference happen this year, the\n14   first week of December.\n\n16                   And that is it for me.  Quyana.\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n\n19   Jolene.\n\n## 21 Rhonda.\n\n23                   MS. PITKA:  Good morning.  I'm Rhonda\n24   Pitka from the village of Beaver.  I've been Chief of\n25   the village of Beaver since 2011.  I was elected\n26   Chairman of CATG, Council of Athabaskan Tribal\n27   Governments in the same year --two months after I was\n28   elected Chief.  So it's a --it's always been an\n29   interesting role in leadership in the Yukon Flats and\n30   it's one that I hold very dear to my heart.  I was\n31   recently appointed as Vice President of Tanana Chiefs\n32   Conference and I look forward to the next two years of\n33   my term finishing up Chief Sharon Hildebrand's Vice\n34   President term.\n\n36                   We're one of the tribes that was\n37   extremely cold this year.  The temperatures reached\n38   minus 50 for five weeks in a row.  We didn't get a\n39   plane for three weeks in a row and when the temperature\n40   dropped down to minus 70 every --every fuse that could\n41   break in our generator broke.  This comes at a time\n42   when we're already being chronically under funded and\n43   Federal funding has been cut back considerably.  We\n44   thank the BIA for their assistance and their help with\n45   getting water and fuel to our village.  We --the\n46   challenges that we face on the ground in our villages\n47   can't be overstated.\n\n49                   The Yukon River salmon disaster.  We\n\n---\n\n10   \n32   \n50\n\n1   have had no fishing on the Yukon River since 2019. \n2   This has been a critical fishing disaster.  It's been\n3   heartbreaking to say the least.  We --I just got done\n4   with Yukon River Panel last week and the forecast is\n5   low again.  And it's going to continue to be low until\n6   we actually get very serious about a unified plan to\n7   manage Yukon River salmon that involves all of the\n8   entities along the river that don't work in silos and,\n9   you know, generally work against each other.\n\n11                   One of the other things that the salmon\n12   disaster brought on was our reliance on moose as a\n13   protein source because we don't have any fish anymore. \n14   In our area we've always had poor moose browse and\n15   we've always had low moose numbers.  We live in a\n16   wildlife refuge and because of laws that are none of\n17   our making we don't have easy access to predator\n18   control.  And that combined with the overrun of hunters\n19   from out of state, from Wasilla, from Anchorage, from\n20   Fairbanks into our areas has caused a considerable\n21   disaster.  Families are having to go out 10 to 20 days\n22   in order to have success in feeding their families and\n23   getting a moose.  And a lot of people haven't.  These\n24   aren't wealthy people that have jet boats and all of\n25   this stuff, you know, they're poor and the cost of gas\n26   that they use to go harvest for their families is\n27   extremely expensive, if it's even available.  The\n28   continued war in Iran is affecting the price of gas\n29   considerably to the point where villages in the region\n30   are considering turning off their generators at night\n31   to save fuel.\n\n33                   So our ability to live our way of life\n34   has been --has always been marginalized, it's always\n35   been on the edge, but now with these further cut backs\n36   from the Federal government in ways that they've never\n37   cut back before in the name of efficiency, has caused\n38   our way of life to be in considerable decline.  So it's\n39   been a very, very serious years and I really would like\n40   to congratulate everybody on their retirement and it's\n41   --and it's actually really said because whenever we\n42   have this many retirements in a row we lose\n43   considerable knowledge on this Board and then we have\n44   to go through and educate everybody else again.  We've\n45   taken considerable effort on this Board as public\n46   members to make sure that our agency heads are educated\n47   properly in our way of life and we will continue to do\n48   that and continue to do so no matter what\n49   Administration we're in.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n16   \n31   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n4   that update, Rhonda.\n\n6                   We'll move on down.  Kevin.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n9   I'll be brief.  Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land\n10   Management.  I've been State Director at the BLM since\n11   last June so coming up on one year anniversary, with\n12   BLM in Alaska for six years prior to that, in Alaska 26\n13   years, came up in the year 2000.  Lived and worked all\n14   over the state.  So this is actually my first wildlife\n15   cycle meeting so looking forward to the proceedings.\n\n17                   Just a couple of updates from BLM's\n18   perspective.  And someone brought up the topic of, you\n19   know, staffing these days, continues to be a challenge. \n20   We're operating in an environment of reduced staffing\n21   and that's consistent with one of the priorities of\n22   this Administration and so we're all working to pivot\n23   and really make sure our work is focused on priorities\n24   at any given time.  So in certain senses we're busier\n25   than we ever have been at BLM and our staffing picture\n26   looks different, but we're also extremely proud of all\n27   the progress we're making, we've got great folks doing\n28   good work and again just, you know, trying to make sure\n29   we're keeping the right things moving at all the right\n30   times and not let any balls drop.\n\n32                   I know top of mind for many folks\n33   across the state and I would expect we hear a little\n34   bit it during the proceedings, but is what's happening\n35   with public land orders.  Public Land Order 5150 up in\n36   the central part of the state running along the Dalton\n37   Corridor is of particular interest to many folks.  And\n38   that Public Land Order was rescinded and the Secretary\n39   signed what I'll call an opening order on those lands. \n40   And what's important about that in this context is that\n41   when that happens what had been state top filings\n42   attach just by operation of law, nothing we need to do\n43   further, and become State selections.  So right now\n44   we've got in the Dalton Corridor a little over 2\n45   million acres which is State selected land which\n46   removes from Federal rural subsistence priority. \n47   That's not the end of the story, there's more work to\n48   come in that area, but that's the current status quo\n49   today.  We've had great partnership from the State\n\n---\n\n0016\n12   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n37                   Ben.\n38   \n50\n\n1   thinking about subsistence impacts of these actions and\n2   what might be done to facilitate access for users going\n3   forward in and across those lands to subsist under\n4   State law to reach Federal lands and subsist in that\n5   way, so really pleased with the dialogue we've got\n6   going there as these actions take place.  Executive\n7   Order 14153 has more instruction for us and things we\n8   need to focus on with respect to public land orders. \n9   So some more work to come around the state, it's early\n10   days, but you'll hear more about steps as we move\n11   through the pieces and parts of that executive order.\n\n13                   Shifting to the North Slope just for a\n14   second, there's been a lot of activity up there.  Again\n15   much of it directed and very in-line with\n16   Administration priorities, but there's been a return to\n17   and an emphasis on oil and gas leasing in the National\n18   Petroleum Reserve in Alaska as well as to the east in\n19   the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. \n20   So what's coming in the near term, we had a very\n21   successful sale in March in the NPR-A, but what's\n22   coming in the near term is a lease sale in the coastal\n23   plain of ANWR in early June.  That was publicly\n24   announced late last week and then --and then documents\n25   published this past Monday.  So that's kind of the\n26   latest up there.\n\n28                   But again just an extraordinarily busy\n29   time at BLM.  Happy to be able to take out several days\n30   and focus in on these issues.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n35   Kevin.\n\n39                   MR. PAYENNA:  Hey, good morning,\n40   everybody.  I'm brand new to the Federal Subsistence\n41   Board, this is my first official meeting.  Just a\n42   little background on myself.  I'm a lifelong Nome\n43   resident, my father was born and raised on King Island\n44   so I grew up doing a lot of marine mammal hunting as\n45   well as land hunting.  And I've served on other boards\n46   and chairman and vice chairman seats for Kawerak Board\n47   of Directors, Alaska Co-Management Council, Eskimo\n48   Walrus Commission and other boards like that so I am a\n49   little bit familiar with board processes, but this is\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n23   \n48   \n50\n\n1   my very first Federal Subsistence Wildlife Board\n2   meeting so I'm anxious to learn how the process goes\n3   and be a part of it.\n\n## 5 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Sara.\n\n7                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n8   Good morning, everyone.  Sara Boario, Regional Director\n9   for the Fish and Wildlife Service.  It's great to see\n10   the room filling up this morning.  I think this is the\n11   biggest rooms we've been in since my tenure on the\n12   Board.  So some of you are really small and far away,\n13   but doing my best to look around and see all the\n14   wonderful, familiar faces.  This is a position I've had\n15   the privilege to serve in for the last just over four\n16   years and the far greater privilege is to have spent a\n17   lifetime in Alaska, living, working, learning alongside\n18   so many folks across this state.  This work is, as\n19   Jerry noted, and congratulations, Jerry, we will miss\n20   your experience, but as Jerry noted this work is so\n21   important to so many people and their lives across the\n22   state.\n\n24                   So as part of my information sharing\n25   this morning I wanted to introduce some key program\n26   leadership, just three very important folks that are\n27   here to serve you, know how they can assist you finding\n28   information on a range of issues.  They support me in\n29   all I do as well, but they're here to work for all of\n30   you.  Wendy Loyla, you can just raise your hand, I'll\n31   make this quick, but Wendy Loyla is our program lead\n32   for the Migratory Bird Program here in Alaska and she\n33   also serves as the Fish and Wildlife Service\n34   representative on the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-\n35   Management Council alongside Mark Burch with the Alaska\n36   Department of Fish and Game and Randy Mayo who many of\n37   you know from the interior region who serves as the\n38   Native Caucus Chair.  And of course the Executive\n39   Director for many years, Patty Schwalenberg, who has\n40   hosted at Ahtna InterTribal Resource Commission.  I\n41   would be remiss if I didn't notice --note that AMBCC\n42   recognized our Board colleague who can't be with us\n43   here this week, Charlie Brower, for his extraordinary\n44   role in founding --being one of the handful of\n45   founding members for AMBCC.  So, Charlie, wherever you\n46   are, thank you for just your many decades of service\n47   and contributions to AMBCC.\n\n49                   The migratory bird team is preparing to\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n42   \n50\n\n1   fly their statewide aerial surveys that inform both the\n2   spring/summer subsistence and fall/winter bird harvest. \n3   We should know by August, I know it's been on many\n4   people's minds how the emperor goose population is\n5   doing, we should know by August what those numbers are\n6   looking like and for now we know this year that harvest\n7   remains --and egging remain closed and we hope for\n8   better numbers here in the future.\n\n10                   Our shorebird team is --continues to\n11   evaluate the health of populations on the North Slope\n12   and other areas and will be supporting the fourth\n13   annual Utqiagvik migratory bird festival in mid June. \n14   They continue to track seabird die-offs and continue to\n15   share information on avian influenza which we get many\n16   questions about.  So thank you, Wendy, to you and your\n17   team.  If you have anymore questions, folks, Wendy's\n18   here and happy to meet you.\n\n20                   Karlin Itchoak, he serves as our\n21   Assistant Regional Director for our National Wildlife\n22   Refuge System in Alaska.  He works with all of us,\n23   everyone in this room, to oversee and steward 16\n24   national wildlife refuges, managing and conserving over\n25   76.8 million acres, approximately 85 percent of the\n26   public lands within the National Wildlife Refuge System\n27   nationwide.  His work also includes shared and co-\n28   stewardship and recently he and his team just\n29   negotiated and finalized a 638 agreement with --\n30   between Koniag, Inc. and Kodiak National Wildlife\n31   Refuge.  Karlin also, and I know we get many questions\n32   about this, I wanted to make sure folks were aware. \n33   Karlin also oversees our refuge law enforcement.  His\n34   Chief, Dan Shamhart, wanted to be with us here today\n35   too and be in the room, be able to meet request and he\n36   is out at previously scheduled training.  But our\n37   Federal wildlife officers, we know we hear from folks\n38   lots of questions about subsistence enforcement and the\n39   critical role they play in working with communities to\n40   protect our resources.  So thank you, Karlin, and your\n41   team for that.\n\n43                   Finally Pete Fasbender is our Assistant\n44   Regional Director for fish and aquatic conservation in\n45   our Ecological Services Program.  His Staff helped\n46   manage our in-season fisheries and monitor populations\n47   of non-salmon species like whitefish and sheefish. \n48   Their Staff, his Staff also manages threatened and\n49   endangered species, prepares for and responds to oil\n\n---\n\n12   \n20   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n47   \n50\n\n1   spills and under the Marine Mammal Protection Act works\n2   alongside the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council and\n3   the Eskimo Walrus Commission as well which also Charlie\n4   serves on.  He and his many hats so lots of shout outs\n5   to Charlie today.  A noted intersection with Pete's\n6   team's work, yesterday during tribal testimony we heard\n7   about some of the tribe on Prince of Wales work with\n8   Pete's team on combining their indigenous science into\n9   our Alexander Archipelago wolf species status\n10   assessment.  That was Pete's team that worked with them\n11   in just a concrete intersection with people's lives.\n\n13                   And last but not least, Jill Klein,\n14   behind me, our Regional Subsistence Coordinator and a\n15   crucial member of the InterAgency Staff Committee. \n16   She's also been wearing many hats lately.  She's been\n17   assisting Karlin as one of his Refuge Supervisors.  She\n18   brings just a tremendous amount of statewide knowledge,\n19   huge support to me.\n\n21                   So thank you to my team and I hope\n22   folks get a chance to meet them and know that we're all\n23   here to serve you and help answer questions on your\n24   mind.\n\n26                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n29   Sara.\n\n## 31 Frank.\n\n33                   MR. WOODS:  Hey, good morning, public\n34   member Frank Woods.  I'm from Dillingham.  I am a\n35   resident, born and raised in Clark's Point, but raised\n36   in Dillingham, graduated.  I'm a Curyung tribal member,\n37   an avid --not just a subsistence user, but a rural\n38   resident.  I'm also Native under the tribal designation\n39   of Curyung which makes my --my lineage goes back a\n40   long time.  I follow that because number 1, each one of\n41   our agencies that approached this Board yesterday, you\n42   know, had a consultation with us which was\n43   unprecedented and has grown up.  We had no voice when I\n44   was growing up.  We didn't have a say in what was\n45   supposed to be done with our resources and how we're\n46   supposed to manage.\n\n48                   I'd like to address that.  Number 1, I\n49   recognize RAC, Dan Dunaway is our representative.  We\n\n---\n\n20   \n27   \n36   \n50\n\n1   have a whole group, please raise your hand or stand up,\n2   from Bristol Bay, from Kenneth, to Jorjana, looks like\n3   Jimmy, Jimmy's wife, and all the people in Bristol Bay\n4   last --at this meeting last wildlife cycle we put in a\n5   proposal with that group and proponents back there to\n6   change the regulation and expand the area for caribou. \n7   We are the last caribou hunt, I never imagined running\n8   out of caribou in Bristol Bay when we had 200,000 in\n9   the Mulchatna Herd.  We're down to two a year for the\n10   villages that are in the consortium of Federally-\n11   qualified subsistence users in Bristol Bay.  When we\n12   expanded that region and expanded that hunt it got --\n13   started getting utilized this last year.  We got calls\n14   that the herd had moved up into the expanded area and\n15   people were hunting.  And so that proposal and the\n16   proponents that address that, I was on that end asking\n17   this Board to change that regulation.  It actually\n18   implemented and worked for that purpose.  So I thank\n19   this Board and the proponents and the people engaged.\n\n21                   As anybody knows I work hard, number 1,\n22   at highly educating our youth in the process because\n23   that's our future.  I engage and help in trying to get\n24   people here, get people interested.  There are a lot of\n25   highly bright and educated people that need to be\n26   engaged in our process.\n\n28                   So regionally we just intercept --this\n29   is the first where the Board cycle --we have Board of\n30   Fish and all the regulation processes that go with\n31   that.  In our area there's only like 7,000 people, the\n32   size of Ohio.  There ain't enough people engaged in the\n33   regulatory process, State, Federal or local management. \n34   And we have to recruit heavily because that needs to\n35   happen not just regionally, but statewide.\n\n37                   I'll shut up and that, you know,\n38   there's one thing I'd like to have got from John\n39   Elliott.  It says tolerance is a responsibility of\n40   those with the higher vision.  And each one of us in\n41   here are sitting here for that reason, that we have a\n42   higher vision for our people.  Subsistence is changing\n43   dramatically, it is a constant --we are growing as a\n44   state, we have run out of land and places to put\n45   people, we are conflicting with each other and our own\n46   user groups have a hard time putting anything on the\n47   table.  I say that because we have the responsibility\n48   to help the rural residents, feed our people that live\n49   there.  And I'd like to thank you for all attending\n\n---\n\n12   \n16   \n23   \n50\n\n1   because we need this and more, right, we need to help\n2   young --we need young people to help us write the laws\n3   that make sense to them because I'm not doing this for\n4   me, you know, I know what the laws are, I know what the\n5   rules are.  We abide by those rules as subsistence\n6   users and harvesters because we don't want to lose that\n7   right.  But Federal and State managers, they put those\n8   regulations for the best intentions, sometimes they're\n9   wrong and that's why we live in America is if the rules\n10   and the laws are wrong our responsibility is to help\n11   guide them rules.\n\n13                   I'll shut up because we've got a long\n14   meeting and I'm --welcome to the Federal Subsistence\n15   Board.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n18   Frank, for being --your brevity.  Appreciate your\n19   passion.  I think everything Frank said --that's why\n20   we sit here, we appreciate to see the growth like he\n21   said yesterday having the longest, largest consultation\n22   process.\n\n24                   My name's Anthony Christianson, I've\n25   been on the Board since 2012.  And so watching it\n26   happen from the start when we'd have one tribal\n27   representative I think in the room if we were lucky and\n28   we'd sit here and kind of look at ourselves and ask\n29   ourselves how long we should keep the door open because\n30   somebody might call in.  Now we're like we got five\n31   minutes until the door closes and can we fit one more\n32   in.  And so that's the growth we see with our tribal\n33   representation.  The public you can see the rooms are\n34   full, the youth groups out there are now --you know,\n35   we're calling in and being guest speakers to people who\n36   have a learning curve higher than ours.  Like Frank's\n37   stating, the ball's always changing and evolving and\n38   we're learning as it --as it goes how to manage the\n39   system and in a changing environment.  And it takes the\n40   eyes and ears of our Regional Advisory Council Chairs,\n41   the RAC members who sit and listen to all the testimony\n42   from the public lands that need addressing to make sure\n43   our way of life is protected, to the students that are\n44   educating themselves and looking at this process so\n45   it's not something that's a weird science, but an\n46   applicable way to help drive your lifeway like Frank\n47   was stating.  So we really encourage everyone to\n48   continue to do what we see happening out there, full\n49   hallways, full classrooms and then education happening\n\n---\n\n0022\n4   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   across the landscape at a real critical time for the\n2   conservation of a way of life and a species that we all\n3   depend on, salmon and especially this week, wildlife.\n\n5                   And so we do have a huge agenda here\n6   before us, lots to go through that does affect our way\n7   of life to bring balance to the user groups and so I'll\n8   be brief in mine as well.  I've been mayor of Hydaburg\n9   19 years, grandfather to three kids already even though\n10   it doesn't look like it.  But hey, Sara, I just found\n11   out --as you know we go through training, Sara was a\n12   ball star so recently just won the gold medal\n13   basketball tournament at 50.  So, you know, these\n14   things matter, right, like because you've got to stay\n15   in this lifestyle healthy, right, we have to be able to\n16   hike mountains and we got to be able to pull fish and\n17   we have to be a uncle that is visibly, actively engaged\n18   in a lifestyle not just for myself, but for the next\n19   generation and the people that we serve here because if\n20   I sat here and was just a pumpkin that wouldn't make\n21   sense to our constituents.  So my way of life is like\n22   Frank a rural user, I depend on the land, the resources\n23   and all that abound in our great state.  And it still\n24   continues to serve us, you know, and some areas are\n25   really tight and hopefully we can find solutions to\n26   those and some areas are abundant, but experiencing\n27   user conflict because of the abundance in that area and\n28   lack in others.  And so it's just a moving target as\n29   far as how this body continues to manage these\n30   resources.  Hopefully in a holistic approach that makes\n31   sure our subsistence user gets their need met in these\n32   regions.  And that's the priority focus for this Board\n33   and hopefully we can nail that down this week with the\n34   proposals we have before us.\n\n36                   And so appreciate everybody and their\n37   time.\n\n39                   And next we have Crystal.\n\n41                   MS. LEONETTI:  Well, I don't know if I\n42   can play ball anymore, but I did run three miles this\n43   morning.  So.....\n\n45                   (Laughter)\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I made it sound\n48   better than it was.\n\n---\n\n2   \n16   \n23   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   (Laughter)\n\n3                   MS. LEONETTI:  Well, just a little bit\n4   about me.  I'm the Director for Office of Subsistence\n5   Management, lifelong Alaskan, born and raised in Homer\n6   and Anchor Point, Alaska.  My dad's side of the family\n7   are homesteaders that came up from Texas and Nebraska\n8   so I grew up on a little farm in Anchor Point.  And my\n9   mom's side of the family, Yup'ik from Curyung, so\n10   Dillingham area.  And I am a tribal citizen of Curyung\n11   and shareholder of Curyung Unlimited and Bristol Bay\n12   Native Corporation.  And I see my elder, Joe Chythlook\n13   in the audience and I just want to say hi to Joe and\n14   acknowledge all my elders out there, good to see all of\n15   you and I hope we do you proud this week.\n\n17                   I live in Anchorage where I always said\n18   I would never live and I live here with my husband and\n19   our two kids.  So I have the honor and privilege of\n20   working for all of you and for the Federal Subsistence\n21   Management Program and with an awesome Staff at Office\n22   of Subsistence Management.\n\n24                   So the Federal Subsistence Management\n25   Program is closing out a wildlife regulatory cycle at\n26   this meeting and in the beginning stages of a fisheries\n27   regulatory cycle.  The window to submit Federal\n28   fisheries proposals closed in early April.  We\n29   currently have eight proposals and 10 closure reviews\n30   for the 2027 to 2029 Federal subsistence fish and\n31   shellfish regulations cycle.  The proposals and closure\n32   reviews are available on the OSM website at\n33   doi.gov\\subsistence\\fisheries.  Public comments on the\n34   fisheries proposals and closure reviews will be\n35   accepted through July 31st and the public an also\n36   attend the Regional Advisory Council meetings in the\n37   fall to provide verbal testimony for the Council's\n38   deliberation and recommendations to the Board.  I would\n39   say the RACs, the Council meetings, is where the rubber\n40   meets the road, that's where the work happens.  The\n41   Board will meet to take up the fisheries proposals and\n42   closure reviews on February 1 through 5, 2027.\n\n44                   The OSM's fiscal year budget.  We are\n45   currently receiving for this fiscal year $9.4 million. \n46   It's lower than usual, but OSM will continue delivering\n47   essential services that protect and support rural\n48   subsistence opportunities across 220 million acres of\n49   Federal lands and waters in Alaska.  This work includes\n\n---\n\n8   \n31   \n50\n\n1   core functions that keep fish and wildlife resources\n2   healthy and available for rural residents including\n3   processing regulatory proposals, supporting the Federal\n4   Subsistence Board and Regional Advisory Councils and\n5   conducting public meetings and consultations and\n6   maintaining critical permitting and regulatory\n7   publications.\n\n9                   A little bit about the Fisheries\n10   Resource Monitoring Program.  The FRMP has announced\n11   the 2026 monitoring plan listing funded projects which\n12   is now available in its entirety on the Federal\n13   Subsistence Management Program website.  This program\n14   identifies regional priority information needs\n15   identified by the Councils and through funding\n16   assistance to partner organizations provides\n17   information to sustain subsistence fisheries on Federal\n18   public lands for rural Alaskans.  The program proposal\n19   review process is rigorous and with the available from\n20   USDA and Department of Interior we were able to approve\n21   10 projects addressing priority needs in all fisheries\n22   regions of Alaska.  Five projects are funded by USDA in\n23   southeast Alaska and five projects are funded by DOI,\n24   one for each of the remaining regions in Alaska.  USDA\n25   has allocated just under 600,000 towards the southeast\n26   Alaska projects for year one of this four year cycle. \n27   Looking at Jerry, saying thank you for that.  And\n28   Department of Interior has allocated just over $750,000\n29   towards year one of the cycle for the projects in the\n30   rest of the regions of the state.\n\n32                   Just briefly about staffing.  OSM has\n33   been creative in utilizing three to four month long job\n34   exchange opportunities for remaining Staff to gain\n35   skills and new perspectives while remaining on track to\n36   fulfill ANILCA Title VIII.  We've had a rotating cast\n37   in our Operations Deputy position, our State Liaison\n38   position, several administrative positions and in our\n39   Fisheries and Anthropology Division Lead positions.  Of\n40   those in the room please stand, the Acting Subsistence\n41   Liaison --State Liaison is currently Jarred Stone\n42   whose permanent position is Fisheries Biologist. \n43   Thanks, Jarred.  And also Kevin Foley, Acting Fisheries\n44   Division Lead whose normal job is Fisheries Biologist. \n45   Thanks, Kevin.  And also Liz Williams, Acting\n46   Anthropology Division Lead whose normal job is\n47   anthropologist.  Thanks, Liz.  We've been fortunate\n48   enough to welcome temporary job assignments from the\n49   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service so thank you, Sara, and\n\n---\n\n22   \n30   \n43   \n50\n\n1   from the Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance. \n2   And at our front table outside the door there is Glenn\n3   Westdahl who many of you have seen and gotten to know\n4   over the years and he is retiring at the end of this\n5   month which we're very sad about, but we're wishing him\n6   well in his journey in his next chapter.  So be sure to\n7   congratulate Glenn when you see him.  And law\n8   enforcement.  Are there any law enforcement in the\n9   room, I'd like to say thank you to you if you are. \n10   Hopefully we'll have some law enforcement for\n11   professionals joining us throughout the week.  OSM has\n12   been working to increase their involvement to provide\n13   that on the ground knowledge of how regulations are\n14   applied and to respond to priorities of the Regional\n15   Advisory Councils.  OSM met with a very large\n16   contingent of Federal agency law enforcement in\n17   February and we appreciate their utmost integrity in\n18   showing up to provide support.  The Regional Advisory\n19   Councils have been asking for that support and we're\n20   glad that they can provide information to them at their\n21   meetings.\n\n23                   I'd like to thank the Deputy\n24   Commissioner of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Ben\n25   Mulligan, for his ongoing presence and involvement,\n26   willingness to discuss the goals our two programs have\n27   in common and participate in candid discussions both on\n28   long term issues and ever changing fish and wildlife\n29   around the state.  So thank you, Ben.\n\n31                   Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. \n32   As we continue to do our diligence and the Federal\n33   fiduciary responsibility to engage with the sovereign\n34   tribal governments of Alaska as well as our\n35   responsibility to consult with ANCSA corporations, OSM\n36   has been working to update our contact list.  So you\n37   may be seeing an email to update your tribe or\n38   corporation's information and we appreciate your\n39   response so that we can stay in full communication with\n40   you.  Thank you to all the tribal governments and\n41   Alaska Native corporations for continuing to work with\n42   the Federal Subsistence Management Program.\n\n44                   And lastly the Council Chairs.  Thank\n45   you for meeting yesterday and coming in just a little\n46   bit early to do that.  We appreciate all the work that\n47   you do.  We met and we collaborated on addressing\n48   critical subsistence issues across your diverse\n49   regions, we shared information and coordinated on\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n15   \n20   \n33   \n50\n\n1   several matters including introductions to each other,\n2   some of you are new and correspondence, some policies\n3   and future coordination.  So thanks to all the Council\n4   Chairs for that.\n\n## 6 All right. Mr. Chair, that's all I\n\n7   have.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you. \n10   Thank you, everyone, for your information sharing and\n11   again farewell to all those who are retiring and thank\n12   Glenn for his service, I just now heard --found that\n13   out, I probably heard it before, but he does a good job\n14   keeping us in line so we appreciate that service.\n\n16                   Next we'll move on to our Regional\n17   Advisory Council Chair discussion, topics of concern\n18   with the Board.  And we'll start over here with Mr. Don\n19   Hernandez.\n\n21                   MR. HERNANDEZ:  Thank you, Chairman\n22   Christianson.  Good morning, Board.  I'm Don Hernandez,\n23   Chairman of the Southeast RAC and I live in the little\n24   community of Point Baker which is on Prince of Wales\n25   Island.  It's a pleasure to be here with you in\n26   Anchorage for this meeting.  Unfortunately I did not\n27   make the last Board meeting, I got stranded at home due\n28   to the bad weather, I'm glad to be here this time.  I'd\n29   like to welcome the new members to the Board and I'd\n30   also like to thank Jerry Ingersoll for attending our\n31   Council meeting in Juneau this winter.  It was much\n32   appreciated by the Council.\n\n34                   So I think I'll start with kind of a\n35   situation that the whole state experienced this year,\n36   very severe weather in southeast Alaska as well.  We\n37   had several storms with hurricane force winds in the\n38   fall and it was overall a very mild fall through most\n39   of the hunting season, the temperatures were really\n40   mild, wet, stormy, not the best for hunting deer.  And\n41   then in December everything drastically changed, got\n42   bitter cold, heavy snows, snow just kept piling up all\n43   through December.  January was a major thaw with\n44   unseasonably mild weather again, very wet, stormy. \n45   Completely turned around again in February, I mean,\n46   more bitter cold and started snowing and kept snowing\n47   right up through March.  And snow piled up clean up\n48   until 1st of April which is a little unusual for\n49   southeast, it was record setting snowfalls.  And that\n\n---\n\n7   \n44   \n50\n\n1   all kind of raised a lot of concerns about our deer\n2   populations in southeast and maybe some concerns with\n3   fisheries as well, you know, you got these extreme rain\n4   events with extreme scouring and landslides and things\n5   like that happening throughout the region.  So there's\n6   a lot of concern there.\n\n8                   This past year has been a really busy\n9   one for the Southeast RAC.  We've dealt with some very\n10   consequential issues for our region and also besides\n11   the regular business of making recommendations on\n12   proposals and closure reviews and our Fisheries\n13   Resource Management Projects.  We also reviewed and\n14   made comments on game proposals to the Alaska Board of\n15   Game and we submitted comments on the Secretarial\n16   Review.  And we added more input to the Tongass Forest\n17   Plan revision which is an ongoing project which has,\n18   you know, a lot of implications for subsistence uses in\n19   southeast Alaska.  The Council's greatest challenge for\n20   the past year came as a result of the Board's decision\n21   last year to change Ketchikan's status from non-rural\n22   to rural.  That caused the Council to take immediate\n23   action to protect the continuation of subsistence uses\n24   by residents of Unit 2 who are experiencing a decline\n25   in deer population and that's kind of resulted in a\n26   failure of a lot of local harvesters to be able to meet\n27   their needs.  The Council submitted a special action\n28   request to deal with the season that we just had, 2025\n29   season.  The Board took no action on those special\n30   actions that we requested, they essentially said they\n31   wanted to see how the first season with Ketchikan\n32   hunters being Federally-qualified, how that went.  So\n33   at our March meeting we also at the same time we put in\n34   the special action request we also put forward some\n35   proposals for this meeting.  One of the proposals was\n36   to initiate an .804 analysis to do a prioritization to\n37   take place at this Board cycle.  I should note that the\n38   Board also has received a request for reconsideration\n39   on your decision on Ketchikan rural determination.  I\n40   think it's important that the Board take action on our\n41   .804 prioritization determination just due to the time\n42   frame of a request for reconsideration and the\n43   uncertainty of how that may turn out.\n\n45                   So yesterday I attended the tribal\n46   consultation session and heard lots of testimony about\n47   the deer situation in Unit 2.  So you are aware of the\n48   importance of making a fair and equitable .804\n49   prioritization for Unit 2.  I should point out that the\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n50\n\n1   Southeast RAC had never done an .804 determination\n2   prior to this one.  And I think you'd be pleased with\n3   how we went about this process.  First and foremost the\n4   Council heard many hours of testimony and we listened\n5   to that testimony.  It was real important testimony,\n6   very informative and the Council paid a lot of\n7   attention to all of the testimony that we received on\n8   that.  Also we had some very excellent analysis from\n9   the OSM Staff on this and we also reached out to the\n10   Staff several times for guidance on how to proceed and\n11   how to evaluate criteria and what was necessary for\n12   justifications on our actions.  And Staff assistance\n13   was very helpful and they should be commended for that. \n14   So after a lot of deliberation from Council members\n15   from throughout the region, we were able to present to\n16   you what we think is a fair and equitable proposal that\n17   is called for in this situation.\n\n19                   So now I'd like to give you a little\n20   synopsis of other actions taken by the Council.  Okay. \n21   Sitka meeting last spring, they said we would put\n22   forward the special action requests and drafted the\n23   proposals you're going to be dealing with here at this\n24   meeting.  And also at that meeting we had more --we\n25   dealt with the Forest Plan, we made comments to the\n26   Forest Plan at that meeting.  We also wrote a letter to\n27   the Board concerned with wolf management in Unit 2 and\n28   we also drafted a letter with concerns on one of the\n29   sockeye systems in our region.  Eek Lake is a major\n30   subsistence sockeye stream in the Hydaburg area.\n\n32                   So then we had our fall meeting and it\n33   took place in Wrangell.  And as you know all the\n34   Council meetings got delayed due to the Federal\n35   furlough so we didn't have a lot of --so our meeting\n36   got delayed from October until December.  And we also\n37   shortened the meeting because there wasn't a whole lot\n38   of Staff available at that time due to all the changes\n39   and meeting schedules and whatnot.  So normally we\n40   would have done our wildlife recommendations at that\n41   meeting, but we only took up a couple of those and we\n42   pushed all of our wildlife recommendations back to our\n43   winter meeting which just happened a month ago which\n44   kind of made for kind of a short time period between\n45   our meeting and your deliberations, but I think\n46   hopefully, you know, the Staff got everything written\n47   up the way we wanted it and were prepared.  So it was a\n48   two day --only a two day meeting.  December, bad time\n49   for travel in southeast Alaska.  Myself and two other\n\n---\n\n12   \n25   \n28   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n40   \n50\n\n1   Council members didn't make it to the meeting, had to\n2   attend by phone, but we got some stuff done at that\n3   meeting as well.  Took up a closure review and did a\n4   couple of other wildlife proposals that weren't as\n5   controversial.  And the Council also spent a fair\n6   amount of time drafting the comment letter on the\n7   Secretarial Review on the Management Program, Federal\n8   Management Program.  And we also spent some time, a\n9   fair amount of time, drafting a comment letter with our\n10   comments on the wildlife proposals before the Alaska\n11   Board of Game.\n\n13                   So at our Juneau meeting is where we\n14   did the bulk of our work for this year and instead of\n15   our normal three day meeting we asked for an extra half\n16   of day so we had three and a half day meeting so we\n17   could go through all these wildlife proposals and like\n18   I say that's where we spent a huge amount of time\n19   discussing the .804 determination that you'll be\n20   dealing with here.  And we also added another\n21   opportunity to add more comments on the --on the\n22   updated Forest Plan for the Tongass Forest, we took\n23   some time to work on that as well.  So it was a very\n24   busy --some very busy meetings this year.\n\n26                   So thank you.  That concludes my\n27   report.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don. \n30   Any questions from the Board for Don.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I always\n35   appreciate Southeast work.  Thank you.  Dan.\n\n37                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n38   Dan Dunaway, I'm the Vice Chair of the Bristol Bay RAC. \n39   Our Chair, Nanci Morris, couldn't be here.\n\n41                   So where to start.  First I was glad\n42   that Frank acknowledged Bristol Bay elders and\n43   residents that are in attendance and are going to keep\n44   me honest and squared away and correct me if I've made\n45   a mistake.  I'm Dan Dunaway, born and raised in\n46   Anchorage.  I've lived in the Dillingham area for 37\n47   years and before that I lived in Alaska Peninsula\n48   Aleutians since 1978.  So southwest Alaska's kind of\n49   been my home since --I forget when that was, whenever\n\n---\n\n2   \n19   \n38   \n50\n\n1   '78, however old I was.\n\n3                   The Council continues to observe\n4   subsistence in the Bristol Bay region in strong and\n5   critical.  Conditions are getting, especially for\n6   weather and population, are getting variable and less\n7   predictable.  Across a --during our most recent\n8   meeting communities reported highly unusual weather\n9   patterns.  Last year we basically had no snow to travel\n10   on, it was very difficult, we were --very hard to\n11   access a lot of our hunting areas.  This year we got\n12   snow and it was generally pretty good, but you're also\n13   a little weary when they don't have safe ice, but one\n14   friend of mine said that the --one of the rivers had\n15   like five feet of ice on it so it's a little easier to\n16   feel good about traveling in those conditions.  It's\n17   melting rapidly now, but access to hunting areas and\n18   free travel is still really a concern.\n\n20                   Among wildlife we have mixed trends,\n21   moose and caribou populations are present in many of\n22   these areas, but like I said access is difficult, but\n23   the Mulchatna Caribou Herd is still very poor.  It may\n24   be increasing, it's difficult to know.  The RAC has\n25   supported the Bear Reduction Program that the State has\n26   started, but keeps getting stopped by court action.  As\n27   we go into these days with rapidly increasing food\n28   prices, especially meat, getting these herd --this\n29   herd back stable and harvestable is really important to\n30   us.  Interestingly enough the Nushagak Caribou Herd is\n31   doing well, partly because we haven't been able to hunt\n32   it much.  Now we're a little concerned that --about\n33   over-grazing.  I have not gotten reports on how many\n34   were harvested this year, but I know several folks\n35   managed to get a few.  I went out for three days,\n36   didn't get anything, moose or caribou.  We didn't go\n37   far enough.\n\nas Frank\n\n39                   But let's see.  That --\n40   mentioned the Nushagak Peninsula hunt areas was\n41   expanded and that was really valuable to people because\n42   they are moving around because they are eating their\n43   main area and they're starting to wander around looking\n44   for food farther afield.  The North Alaska Peninsula\n45   Herd is doing a little better.  I believe some people\n46   are catching a few caribou.  One really part I really\n47   want to notice and compliment the Park Service for is\n48   the Kukaklek Bench caribou hunt.  That's been an\n49   important issue for me as I'm pretty close with people\n\n---\n\n12   \n31   \n50\n\n1   in Egegik and a few in Iliamna and Kokhanok and we\n2   started pushing for this years ago and I thought it\n3   would be one of these forever, some day we'll get a\n4   hunt and lo and behold it started happening way before\n5   we expected and it's making a difference.  Egegik takes\n6   a lot of their young folks out to teach them to hunt. \n7   The middle of winter and the cost of meat, four or\n8   five, six caribou in a village makes a big difference. \n9   And there's no sneaking around, they can do it right\n10   out front.  So I really want to thank the Park Service\n11   for accommodating that, it's wonderful.\n\n13                   Going on to fish, salmon, especially\n14   king salmon are a high concern.  We're overwhelmed with\n15   reds right now almost, but kings are looking worse and\n16   worse all the time and that's so important to people\n17   around the Bay.  Nushagak has been hurting the most,\n18   but now I hear Naknek River, Egegik, Togiak, they're\n19   not doing so well and the first are smaller, they're\n20   sparse.  Whatever can be done to help that is really,\n21   really important.  Silvers have been really poor and\n22   little.  There was a time when I could catch enough\n23   using sports gear that I didn't need to put a net out\n24   and now there's so few fish I don't bother putting a\n25   net out and some of them are so dinky they'd squirt\n26   through anyway.  So what's going on there, the concern. \n27   Some salmon did better, humpies are okay I guess,\n28   they're not as critical to us, but they are an\n29   important species in the whole mix so we don't want to\n30   ignore them.\n\n32                   We've also been --through the Council\n33   we've been getting regular reports from the North\n34   Pacific Fisheries Management Council on the bycatch. \n35   They make some very nice presentations, but I usually\n36   end up in others so doesn't really give us a clear path\n37   to how to fix the problem so we remain very concerned. \n38   Years ago when I was still on the RAC early on the\n39   Chair and I, and I think other members, our meeting was\n40   here, the Anchorage Westward or whatever it is now,\n41   Hilton, was right next door to the North Pacific\n42   Council so we ran through our meeting quick and a whole\n43   bunch of us led by I think Donald Mike went over and\n44   testified at the Council.  And we saw some significant\n45   changes that dramatically reduced bycatch around 2007,\n46   2008.  We thought it was fixed and then I start seen\n47   fusses on Facebook and hearing other stuff and I --\n48   well, we got that fixed.  But no, the bycatch is way\n49   back up.  So we are again extremely concerned about\n\n---\n\n8   \n21   \n38   \n50\n\n1   that.  I'm not sure if trawlers the entire blame, from\n2   my experience around trawlers in Unalaska and so on,\n3   but I've seen the quality of fish and salmon that are\n4   intercepted in photos and all, it's a --I hope we can\n5   somehow coordinate with other Federal agencies to get a\n6   handle on this.  And not just me, the whole Council, I\n7   shouldn't be just speaking for me.\n\n9                   Other key issues.  We were brought up\n10   at this --our last meeting was a need to improve\n11   tribal consultation.  I hope some of the folks that\n12   raised those concerns could have seen this meeting\n13   yesterday, I think there was a massive response to the\n14   concerns like ours on that regard.  A lot of the\n15   consultations in the past have kind of --they come in\n16   the summer and people are scattered and so distracted. \n17   I've talked to Orville about this, called village after\n18   village and there's nobody to talk to or they're just\n19   too busy so I compliment the effort that occurred\n20   yesterday at an easier time.\n\n22                   Several folks brought up the\n23   representation of smaller, remote --more remote\n24   communities.  We bounce our meetings between Naknek and\n25   Dillingham.  We've tried to have meetings that --in\n26   Togiak to Port Heiden, but the logistics --we get the\n27   word back from OSM that it's just not practical.  We\n28   even used to say we're willing to sleep on the gym\n29   floor, but it is very difficult and the air services\n30   are a little more limited in our area now than they\n31   used to be.  But communities like Manokotak, New Stu --\n32   New Stuyahok, Koliganek face barriers in participation. \n33   We do try hard, I --I especially like to say I have a\n34   lot of friends in Egegik, Kokhanok, Iliamna and we have\n35   some like Kenneth Nukwak now's from Manokotak and he's\n36   been an eloquent spokesman for his community at our RAC\n37   and our Advisory Committee meetings, he's on both.\n\n39                   Third issue.  Council emphasized the\n40   importance of maintaining adequate staffing and\n41   resources.  We're really concerned with this shift over\n42   to --when OSM moves we want to make sure they get some\n43   Staff support because I know they used to draw a lot on\n44   Fish and Wildlife.  Also with knowing we have public\n45   members on the main Board here, we hope they're getting\n46   the support as much as the agency heads who can draw on\n47   their whole agency.  Our public members put a lot of\n48   extra personal effort in this and they need the support\n49   too.  And I feel wonderfully supported by our Staff\n\n---\n\n3   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1   when we have these meetings and expect to help me with\n2   the script here.\n\n4                   The Council continues to stress the\n5   importance of local knowledge, community observations\n6   are the first indicators of change and concern. \n7   Hopefully I'm adequately reporting them here. \n8   Subsistence resources are available, but access, timing\n9   and predictability become more challenging again\n10   especially in the winter, but also some of the salmon\n11   runs, we've got a little tiny king run and it --you\n12   might have a couple of pulses in --unpredictably in\n13   late June and if you're not there you don't get them. \n14   And then kind of added to this, it's been really\n15   growing over the wintertime, the fuel costs and food\n16   costs are just skyrocketing.  My wife comments every\n17   time she goes to the store.  I watched some folks, I\n18   was getting --well, I'm actually buying gas now and\n19   stashing it because the rumors are when the barge comes\n20   it's going to go way up.  We pay 6.40 a gallon now\n21   which is nothing compared to what Beaver and other\n22   places do, but I see people from Manokotak loading up\n23   big jugs of gas and before the trails go to pot they're\n24   hauling them back to Manokotak.  I don't think\n25   anybody's hauling it to Togiak, but even the people\n26   selling the gas are expressing real concerns.  And it's\n27   not just gas, it'll be the heating oil.  So there's a\n28   lot of effort going out and cutting wood and that. \n29   There's a lot of Native lands and they're trying to\n30   control the proper use of their lands.  There's\n31   poaching going on I believe and other folks have to go\n32   to State lands or Federal lands to get wood.  I'm lucky\n33   I have a chunk of land that the trees are dying from\n34   the beetle so I can't keep up.\n\n36                   So that about summarizes it.  Thank you\n37   very much.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan. \n40   Any questions.\n\n42                   MR. WOODS:  Yeah, thank you, Dan, for\n43   your report.  As a public member you got a proposal,\n44   W26-05, it'll be brought up later, but appreciate all\n45   the work that Rock's doing in recruiting.  Looks like\n46   there's public outreach for the village participation\n47   and also I like your idea of bring it back to the\n48   schools and rural villages because that's needed\n49   especially --you know, putting the RAC meetings in the\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n21   \n36   \n50\n\n1   school engages the youth, engages the communities and\n2   introduces people to start communicating better.\n\n4                   So thank you, Dan.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n7   Frank.  I think we'll go to Ms. Judy and then after Ms.\n8   Judy we'll take a short break.\n\n10                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and\n11   thank you, Board members.  I'm Judy Caminer, I am\n12   representing the Southcentral Regional Advisory Council\n13   because our Chair, Greg Encelewski, who was I believe\n14   at the morning member yesterday isn't available today. \n15   So you'll see me today and then when we get to our\n16   proposals as well.  I also have a couple of my\n17   colleagues from the Council here today in the audience,\n18   Michael Opheim, Angela Totemoff, so appreciate their\n19   support and there may be others showing up when we get\n20   to proposals too.\n\n22                   The Southcentral region has about 50\n23   communities.  And I know there's Councils with other\n24   regions with larger number of communities, but the bulk\n25   of this region is connected by roads and many of the\n26   region's subsistence users are more --I think I'll say\n27   that a different way then.  User conflict as you've\n28   heard from many others and competition for limited\n29   resources are of course one of the highest concerns\n30   here.  We have miles and miles of roads, trails and\n31   freshwater marine access points.  How should these\n32   resources be distributed including how should these\n33   resources be distributed among just rural users is a\n34   topic that seems to be coming more and more before the\n35   Council and very regularly.\n\n37                   I'm glad Crystal started off the\n38   meeting mentioning Title VIII and I'm very pleased that\n39   all of you echoed the importance of Title VIII and your\n40   responsibilities to uphold it.  Our RAC takes those\n41   responsibilities likewise very seriously and when we\n42   see something like the program review and we attended\n43   and saw many, many, many people providing comments. \n44   When Crystal and Katya and Crystal's team stayed late\n45   into the night to take all those comments, that's very\n46   much appreciated, but we don't like the concept that\n47   the Board or the regulations might turn into State\n48   regulations.  That's not upholding Title VIII.  And\n49   similarly with the Park Service proposed rule where it\n\n---\n\n24   \n34   \n40   \n42   \n50\n\n1   says in there let's just be like the State regulations. \n2   That doesn't sit well with us because we know State\n3   regulations may not uphold Title VIII.  And sorry, Don,\n4   your comment on timing is exactly true.  Many of the\n5   RACs met before the regulation --the draft rule came\n6   out.  Many of the Subsistence Resource Commissions\n7   which are Park Service Commissions established to\n8   advise the Superintendents had met already.  And\n9   unfortunately the presentation --we had very little\n10   time to even look at it and the presentation was pretty\n11   slim let's say.  So to hand us a press release and then\n12   one copy of the Federal Register notice, it's a lot to\n13   absorb and it's not enough for a group to have that\n14   and, you know, what do you think about it when people\n15   don't have a basis to make constructive comments.  So\n16   we did put together comments, we got them done and then\n17   we find out the deadline's been extended.  That didn't\n18   help us unfortunately and it probably may not have\n19   helped many other people either.  I mean, you have a\n20   deadline, you get it done and then you find out it's\n21   extended.  I think we look forward to seeing the\n22   environmental assessment and specifically of course the\n23   810 analysis, but we really can't support it.\n\n25                   So some of our specific areas of\n26   concern are the crash of the Nelchina Caribou Herd and\n27   then those impacts that --to the people who relied on\n28   it, much of which you've heard already and much of\n29   which you'll hear as we go through it.  The reduced\n30   number of resources with plenty of users wanting to\n31   have them.  We have concern over we're displaced non-\n32   Federally-qualified Federal hunters are now focusing on\n33   since they can't harvest the Nelchina Caribou.\n\n35                   And the concern over salmon populations\n36   across the region and specifically of course the upper\n37   Copper River as has almost always been a concern and\n38   the Kenai River.  We also have a concern about just the\n39   region-wide increases in populations of users.\n\n## 41 Some regional priorities still remain.\n\n43                   We'd like further research on climate\n44   change and how it affects all of us and how to mitigate\n45   further affects on subsistence needs.  We also hear as\n46   we always do that funding is reduced, but it's going to\n47   be very challenging for us, for you to make decisions\n48   without the needed information.  We advocate for our\n49   region to receive more Fisheries Resource Monitoring\n\n---\n\n21   \n24   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   money.  Again we hear that there's not much money and\n2   we know that there's not much Staff, but at some point\n3   everything gets to a breaking point is something for\n4   you to consider there too.  We'd also advocate and\n5   you'll hear this I'm sure over and over of getting more\n6   youth involved and particularly for our Council, we're\n7   interested in that.  We'd also like to --in our annual\n8   report we'll once again ask for some compensation for\n9   time.  I know there's many rules against that, but it's\n10   something to look into again.  Commercial traveling\n11   operations --excuse me, commercial trawling operations\n12   and how they're detrimental to subsistence uses.  I\n13   think that's something that needs to be --continued to\n14   be looked into whether at North Pacific or otherwise. \n15   And we'd like adequate signage in areas that are used\n16   for subsistence hunting and fishing where you know\n17   you're going to have a large influx of people, that's\n18   really important.  We do have a concern about marine\n19   resources in light of the changing ecosystems that we\n20   mentioned before.\n\n22                   So we will be transmitting that report\n23   to you and look forward to your advice on that.\n\n25                   We had 24 wildlife proposals including\n26   one statewide and two crossover proposals and we'll\n27   talk about that as the meeting progresses.\n\n29                   But thank you for your time here today\n30   and your dedication.  We appreciate it.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n33   Judy.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right. \n38   Hearing and seeing none we're going to go ahead and\n39   take a five minute break.  And when we do return the\n40   Board up here has to take a quick picture just so you\n41   know.  So quick break.\n\n43                   MS. LEONETTI:  We're going to ask for\n44   audience involvement in that too so be prepared.\n\n46                   (Off record)\n\n48                   (On record)\n\n---\n\n18   \n21   \n25   \n34   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right. \n2   Thank you all for that.  Appreciate everybody getting\n3   into the picture.  I think that gives a good snapshot\n4   that we're all in it together, you know, that this is\n5   what the Federal Board process looks like, you know,\n6   with the leadership here, with the leadership from our\n7   Regional Advisory Councils and the leadership from our\n8   tribal, ANCSA and village people and rural Alaskans. \n9   So we appreciate you stepping into the picture and\n10   giving, you know, big uncle a snapshot of what we look\n11   like, that, you know, we're --we're actually human\n12   beings that are working through a process and, you\n13   know, whether it's decisive or not or might not all\n14   agree, we can all stand up and take one good smiling\n15   picture together.  And I think that really encapsulates\n16   what this program is about.  So appreciate that and\n17   everybody willing to step in and do that.\n\n19                   We'll get back to Regional Advisory\n20   Council Chairmen and we'll start with Rebecca.\n\n22                   MS. SKINNER:  Thank you.  My name is\n23   Rebecca Skinner, I'm the Chair of the Kodiak-Aleutians\n24   RAC.  Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the Board.\n\n26                   Just to remind people that KRAC has\n27   three sub-regions.  We have the Kodiak-Archipelago, the\n28   Alaska Peninsula and then the Aleutian Islands.  We are\n29   currently one member short and we have a --kind of a\n30   gap in representation from the Peninsula sub-area.  I\n31   bring this up because we have had less discussion on\n32   caribou than we would in the past.  You'll notice that\n33   later in my report.\n\n35                   I want to also note that communities in\n36   our region which is the Southwest Alaska region rely on\n37   commercial fishing.  And our region is home to all of\n38   the trawling ports in the state as well as Area M\n39   salmon fishery.  I appreciate the RAC Chairs meeting\n40   yesterday.  This was the start of an opportunity for\n41   dialogue among the different regions and I'm looking\n42   forward to the ongoing opportunity to share our\n43   regional perspective, knowledge and accurate\n44   information about what happens in our region.\n\n46                   The Kodiak-Aleutians RAC was able to\n47   meet in September of 2025 prior to the government\n48   shutdown.  We generated a comment letter on the\n49   Subsistence Program review and that's available in the\n\n---\n\n12   \n37   \n50\n\n1   correspondence section of our website so I'm not going\n2   to speak in detail to that.  But I did want to note the\n3   importance of the Councils, the fact that they are\n4   regional and they are made up of residents in each\n5   respective region.  This is not the case with the State\n6   Fish and Game Advisory Committees or really any other\n7   regulatory body that has advisory committees.  And I\n8   wanted to note the importance of maintaining this\n9   requirement for residency in the area and then the\n10   local perspective that that brings to the management\n11   process.\n\n13                   I also wanted to note in regards to\n14   FRMP that at our last RAC meeting a couple of months\n15   ago we had a mini strategic planning session to talk\n16   about the FRMP program, the grant opportunities and\n17   then the PINs or the priority information needs that we\n18   have as a RAC.  So we weren't developing the PINs, we\n19   were more talking about FRMP more broadly.  So we went\n20   through this process, I think it was well received by\n21   the RAC, everyone was really excited and then we\n22   learned about the cut in funding.  So consequently the\n23   Kodiak-Aleutians RAC doesn't have a funded FRMP\n24   project, but because we had a really good strategic\n25   discussion if we expect the current FRMP funding levels\n26   to continue I'm hopeful that as a RAC we can continue\n27   our strategic discussion at our next meeting, maybe\n28   have the same facilitation and brainstorm about how we\n29   can meet our fishery monitoring needs for our region\n30   and the state as well given the very limited resources. \n31   So this may mean coming up with ideas, pretty bold\n32   ideas, about how the program could be restructured or\n33   how the funding can best be leveraged because dividing\n34   all that --the fund --the smaller funding among all\n35   of the regions, it doesn't work very well because\n36   there's just too many regions and too many needs.\n\n38                   This winter in Kodiak we did have --it\n39   was a pretty cold winter, we have a fairly extended\n40   cold period so for us, fairly extended I mean somewhere\n41   between three and five weeks and very cold is in the\n42   single digits.  I realize other regions that's not even\n43   cold, but for us that's pretty cold and we had pretty\n44   high winds.  One thing I wanted to share is that this\n45   longer and colder period created thicker sea ice,\n46   normally we don't get sea ice, it was thick enough that\n47   I saw a seal lounging on the ice in Womens Bay, that's\n48   the first time I've ever seen that.  Normally we get\n49   kind of like slushy ice that builds up in the bay, but\n\n---\n\n7   \n21   \n49   \n50\n\n1   this time it was clearly thick enough for the --this\n2   fat seal to haul himself out and sit on the ice.  So\n3   that was pretty exciting.  But that is going to have\n4   impacts on our deer population because the deer\n5   population is most susceptible to winter overkill when\n6   we have high winters or hard winters.\n\n8                   For this wildlife cycle the Council\n9   continues to observe a mix of stability and growing\n10   uncertainty across the Kodiak-Aleutians region.  In\n11   terms of wildlife populations we're seeing mixed\n12   trends.  Some species like ptarmigan and certain\n13   waterfowl appear to be doing well in localized areas. \n14   At the same time there are concerns about deer\n15   populations following the more severe winter conditions\n16   and then ongoing variability in marine mammal\n17   observations.  We also have reports of whale strandings\n18   and other mortality events and we may --remain\n19   concerned that these may be tied to broader ecosystem\n20   changes.\n\n22                   Bird populations continue to be a\n23   significant issue for our region.  So we do have within\n24   our region is Izembek which I --I've heard is kind of\n25   known as the --not like the waterfowl capital of the\n26   world, but that's kind of how it's been presented.  We\n27   had our last RAC meeting out in Cold Bay and we got to\n28   go out on the lagoon and see the huge flocks of --I\n29   think they were black brant that were flying around the\n30   lagoon.  We don't have those kinds of aggregations of\n31   birds in Kodiak so seeing that at Izembek was pretty\n32   impressive.  And I was told they weren't even large\n33   flocks, that it was actually fairly small flocks for\n34   that time of year.  So migratory birds are very\n35   important in our region.  We remain concerned about\n36   decline in emperor geese, brant and cackling geese and\n37   we do understand the need for conservation measures,\n38   but we note that fall closures and restrictions in\n39   particular have a disproportionate impact on our region\n40   because the species that we hunt are primarily\n41   available in the fall.  So they --for example emperor\n42   geese do come to Kodiak, but the time when they're\n43   there, the spring season isn't open.  So really the\n44   only time to hunt these birds would be in the fall.  So\n45   fall closures basically preclude any hunting\n46   opportunity.  And then when those opportunities are\n47   limited it does directly affect subsistence users and\n48   cultural practices.\n\n---\n\n15   \n24   \n35   \n40   \n43   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   We're also hearing consistent\n2   observations from our communities about changing\n3   environmental conditions.  This can mean warmer\n4   summers, more variable winters so some winters are much\n5   warmer with less snow, some winters like this winter\n6   are much colder.  We always have wind in Kodiak, but\n7   this winter seemed particularly high winds.  And then\n8   shifting seasonal timing of when animals or fish --\n9   when they show up.  It's been different in the last\n10   probably five years we're seeing really big shifts in\n11   availability, things are not where we expect to see\n12   them.  These changes are affecting wildlife\n13   distribution, overwinter survival, migration patterns\n14   and ultimately subsistence access and success.\n\n16                   From our annual report the Council\n17   continues to emphasize the need for improved wildlife\n18   monitoring and data collection.  Gaps in surveys and\n19   limited resources make it difficult to fully understand\n20   population trends and to make informed management\n21   decisions.  We also continue to raise concerns about\n22   limited enforcement capacity throughout our region and\n23   the need for better coordination across agencies.\n\n25                   Finally I want to highlight again the\n26   importance of local knowledge.  Many of these changes\n27   are being first observed at the community level and\n28   that information is critical to understanding what's\n29   happening on the ground.  Overall the Council is seeing\n30   a system that still supports subsistence, but with\n31   increasing variability.  We encourage the Board to\n32   continue prioritizing data, communication and local\n33   input while ensuring that conservation measures also\n34   consider meaningful subsistence access.\n\n36                   Finally I want to thank our\n37   coordinator, Leigh Honig, for her great work and\n38   continually positive attitude, both are much\n39   appreciated.\n\n41                   That's all I have.  Happy to try to\n42   answer any questions.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n47   that, Rebecca.  Any questions or comments from the\n48   Board.\n\n---\n\n2   \n7   \n9   \n13   \n44   \n50\n\n## 1 (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate the\n4   report there.  We do see the same thing in Southeast,\n5   similar to Kodiak, a big shift in cycles and timings\n6   based on weather patterns.  So thank you for that.\n\n8                   Next we'll call on Leonard.\n\n10                   MR. BARGER:  Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. \n11   Put my other glasses on, after you get to the old age. \n12   So before I start I gave you guys a handout earlier so.\n\n14                   First of all, good morning, Mr. Chair,\n15   and members of the Board.  I'm here today and I wish\n16   I'd be home right now.  My nephew caught a whale last\n17   night and he was --that's his second whale so it was,\n18   you know, pretty good and pretty cold, but they just\n19   put it up this morning, about 6:00 this morning.  And\n20   so that's his second whale.  He was the first one that\n21   caught the whale at Point Hope, the first one.  We call\n22   him the king and queen, him and his wife.  So he'll set\n23   the date for the whaling festival in June.  So he's got\n24   the honor to do that.  So he'll --I just want to, you\n25   know, give a background of Point Hope, you know, we're\n26   pretty traditional.  And I've been asked to be a\n27   captain and I told some people heck no, F' no, you\n28   know, I don't want to be a captain because if I become\n29   a captain it's only this village here in Point Hope\n30   that we've got these young greedy elders nowadays, you\n31   know.  They want cars, trucks, snowmachines, four-\n32   wheeler.  They could get them if I catch my first\n33   whale.  They'll take my wife's car, they'll take my\n34   truck, they'll take my snowmachines, snow --Hondas,\n35   guns, TVs, anything.  Back then they used to distribute\n36   pots and pans, but no, like I said we've got these\n37   young greedy elders nowadays that, you know, they want\n38   cars, snowmachines, four-wheelers, but, you know, I\n39   don't want to be a --I'm a good driver now so I drive\n40   the boat for my nephew.  I've been offered, you know,\n41   snowmachines, boats to be on different crews, but I\n42   told my nephew I'm whaling with you because my former\n43   captain he lives in Anchorage.\n\n45                   And, you know, we take it very serious. \n46   You know, before I got here I never sleep for two days\n47   and a good rest.  So, you know, when we're out on the\n48   ice, you know, we're hunting.  You know, we hunt for\n49   our people.  We barter and we trade, you know, for --\n\n---\n\n9   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   you know, we don't sell that, you know, we're not\n2   allowed to sell the muktuk and beluga and stuff, you\n3   know, we barter.  You know, I got friends that, you\n4   know, my daughter, she's got friends from, you know,\n5   other places, she wants blueberries and, you know, all\n6   the other stuff, but, you know, I just want to give\n7   that brief, you know, view, you know, me and Point Hope\n8   and stuff.\n\n10                   My name is Leonard Barger, I'm from\n11   Point Hope and I serve as the Vice Chair of the North\n12   Slope Borough Advisory Council.  Thank you for the\n13   opportunity to speak today and to participate in the\n14   importance of regulation process.  I also want to\n15   express the --my gratitude for the chance to share\n16   several key priorities that are deeply important to the\n17   subsistence users in the North Slope.  And like I\n18   stated, you know, North Slope is pretty, you know,\n19   people in the North Slope are --you know, this is a\n20   bad time for us right now, we're out there whaling.  I\n21   know Charlie's not here, I know he's excused.  He's a\n22   captain, you know, he'd rather be out there.  And our\n23   Chairman, he's a whaling captain, you know, he couldn't\n24   make it.  He called me up, hey, Leonard, you better go\n25   to the Fish and Game Board meeting.  I was like I'm\n26   driving for my nephew.  No, no, you got to go.  So I'm\n27   here now.  So I'm --I would like to stay until, you\n28   know, when this meeting's over, but I'm leaving\n29   tomorrow because my nephew --my other nephew's been\n30   bugging me, you better get home, you better get home,\n31   you know, we need you to drive because the other drive\n32   he just --he came here last night to Anchorage so he's\n33   without a driver.  So I told him I'll be there, you\n34   know, tomorrow afternoon.  So and, you know, it's\n35   pretty hard, you know, I couldn't sleep, people were\n36   texting me all night last night, I didn't go to sleep\n37   until about 3:00 o'clock this morning.  So I was\n38   getting texts left and right and my nieces and my\n39   nephews, my daughters and my uncle were calling me and\n40   texting me.  So I had to turn my phone off to go to\n41   sleep.\n\n43                   (Laughter)\n\n45                   MR. BARGER:  So anyways I would like to\n46   --the users of the conflict between subsistence and\n47   sport users in the North Slope region remains one of\n48   our community's most processed concerns as mainly the\n49   sport hunters like Anaktuvuk Pass, their --they have a\n\n---\n\n29   \n45   \n50\n\n1   big issue over there.  I have a lady, she --she's on\n2   the Board, you know, she's on the Fish and Game Board,\n3   she's been on the Board for a long time and she brings\n4   up this issue over and over, nothing has --hasn't been\n5   done.  Nothing.  She brings it up over and over.  And\n6   she tears --tears up and brought the issues and stuff\n7   and still nothing the past 10 years she's been bringing\n8   it up.  So she's getting tired of it, you know.  This\n9   lady's been, you know, the backbone of the community,\n10   you know, voicing their concerns for their community. \n11   And also, you know, we talked about the caribou.  You\n12   know, Point Hope and Point Lay we have only one stock\n13   of caribou that we hunt, the Western Arctic Caribou\n14   Herd.  And that's the main caribou.  This time of the\n15   year like right now in March I would have to travel --\n16   I would have to go to Buckland or call my friends, you\n17   guys getting caribou and, you know, there's caribou.  I\n18   had --I had to drive all the way from Point Hope all\n19   the way to Buckland just to get caribou.  Why, I get\n20   that animal for captains that we depend on it during\n21   whaling time, keeps us warm out there on that --that\n22   animal that we catch.  We don't get males during the\n23   winter, lot of people know that we don't get whale --\n24   males during the winter, we get the cows and now\n25   they're regulating.  I know northwest is regulating the\n26   --you know, the proposal on the cow.  Us North Slope\n27   Borough we went, you know, one cow and four, you know,\n28   bulls and that's good, but, you know.\n\n30                   And the other thing is on the behavior\n31   of the caribou that, you know, a lot of people that go\n32   out and hunt, you know, especially the sport hunters,\n33   that's the major concern we have in the North Slope.  A\n34   lot of sport --you know, we see them fly in, fly out. \n35   And Nuiqsut, you know, that's --they're --you know,\n36   they see them there and they had the excuse, oh, my\n37   meat got rotten.  And they --you know, they got the\n38   big antlers.  We know that they --they just hunt the\n39   antlers only.  And there's quite a few seen, you know,\n40   that their ant --you know, that their meat, they said\n41   oh, it got rotten.  Us people here in Alaska, we take\n42   care of our meat, we know how to take care of our meat,\n43   how to process it, you know, how to take care of it\n44   through the whole summer or winter, to prepare.\n\n46                   So also I'd like to --behavior studies\n47   has been conducted and examined whether repeated short\n48   terms, should be in long term affected on their\n49   migration behavior.  This lack of research leaves our\n\n---\n\n21   \n50\n\n1   communities with unanswered questions while the\n2   problems grow more urgent each year.  Likewise the\n3   comprehensive studies has been conducted to study on\n4   the impact of users conflict, subsistence users.  In\n5   the previous annual report to the Board we informed the\n6   Board of the needs, of the importance of the studies,\n7   types and interactions among other things through\n8   wildlife research monitoring programs.  And that's\n9   another --you know, we'd love to have to see\n10   monitoring programs and stuff that these animals.  And\n11   also the food source, primary food source, are being\n12   out competed by wealth and access.  This is not equal\n13   playing field and the Council feels responsible to\n14   bring forward.  Look to your leadership and your\n15   expertise as technical experts and quite honestly as a\n16   space where we can gauge the dialogue that will bring\n17   real resources, solutions, reach in the ground.  I\n18   think we are in the point of the history that need\n19   coordination and collaboration between Federal agency\n20   and State to help address this conflict issue.\n\n22                   And also I know people were talking\n23   about gas prices.  When I went to Noatak in February I\n24   went there just to go get fish and stuff, you know,\n25   prepare for whaling and I got sled load of trout.  And\n26   I had to call my wife and I said I'm low on money.  I\n27   had to pay 17 bucks a gallon of gas over there.  That's\n28   how much their gas prices were there at Noatak,  17\n29   bucks a gallon of gas.  Heating fuel was 19.95 a gallon\n30   and they're limiting households five gallons for, you\n31   know, to buy.  So those kinds of issues and stuff, you\n32   know, we talked about gas prices all over, it's hurting\n33   all over the world, not just, you know, any other\n34   place, you know, people were complaining here in\n35   Anchorage, oh, gas prices are high.  You go to the\n36   villages they're a lot higher, you know, we pay more. \n37   You know, you guys are lucky you guys are only pay five\n38   bucks, you know, other villages are paying six, seven\n39   bucks a gallon of gas.  And you guys got more access\n40   and more, you know, food that you guys have here.  You\n41   guys got Walmart, you guys got, you know, all these\n42   places that you have.  I always order food from Amazon,\n43   you know, cheaper, you know, it's a lot cheaper.  And\n44   at our store we --you know, when --my kids like to\n45   have hamburger.  A bag of hamburger, you know, you guys\n46   see here it's only like 12 bucks here, in my store at\n47   AC, 65 bucks for the bag, one bag of hamburger patties\n48   65 bucks.  And you --we all celebrate, you know,\n49   Thanksgiving.  We want that ham.  Guess how much I had\n\n---\n\n5   \n21   \n50\n\n1   to pay for --well, my wife wanted the ham and it was a\n2   hundred and 25 bucks just for that ham.  Those kinds of\n3   things, real high price, you know, that we pay now at\n4   our local stores.\n\n6                   So I just bring, you know, all these\n7   issues.  You know, fish, I had to --you know, we talk\n8   about fish, this year --this summer --last summer I\n9   just only caught 40 to 50 and I kept only seven for me,\n10   for my family.  The other ones I give to elders and\n11   widows.  My first catch, I'll go bring it to them right\n12   away because they want that taste of the --what they\n13   eat.  That's my priority, I give them first the elders,\n14   the widows.  I respect them and that's the way of life\n15   that us Natives that we bring up, we hunt for our\n16   elders first and widows.  And right now I know my\n17   nephew is bringing elders --and we have a lot of\n18   ladies and men that are widows, he's over there feeding\n19   them right now, the taste of that muktuk.  That's our\n20   tradition, we honor them and we feed them.\n\n22                   And so back to my letter.  I'm getting\n23   way off on my things that are not in there.  But anyway\n24   first of all, you know, thank you for, you know,\n25   hearing me out and this is my first time, you know, as\n26   coming here to the Board.  You know, you guys listen to\n27   us as a RAC.  I'm just one, I'm talking to all our RAC\n28   members in the North Slope, I'm their voice, I'm there\n29   --you know, I --I listen to them and I'm here, you\n30   know, I wish we had all of our members were --you\n31   know, be here talking about their issues instead of the\n32   Chairs, you know, it would be nice to have them here,\n33   you know.  Like I talked about that lady that lives in\n34   Anaktuvuk, she's been there on the Board for so many\n35   years and, you know, she's been bringing up, bringing\n36   up all these issues and stuff, but nothing's being\n37   done.  And she was getting tears, tears every time she\n38   talk over and over.  And we tell her, you know, we're a\n39   hundred percent behind you, we fight for everyone. \n40   We're, you know, talking about the issues that we need,\n41   the proposals, the --you know, the laws and stuff. \n42   One elder tell me hey, go get me a caribou.  I say hey,\n43   I got to --I got to get my hunting license.  No, no,\n44   you go get me a caribou, I want it.  I said no, no, I\n45   got to wait until I get my hunting license.  We don't\n46   have a guy that, you know, gives out hunting license. \n47   We don't know --some people don't know about the, you\n48   know, tech, you go on your phone, you can get it\n49   online, you know, some people don't know about it.  And\n\n---\n\n14   \n35   \n50\n\n1   so that elder wanted that --you know, that meat.  And\n2   there was caribou close by in our town and I said I --\n3   can you wait, I've got to call a friend of mine, see if\n4   she can get me a hunting license.  So I called her in\n5   Barrow so she ordered it for me and send it --send it\n6   to me on email so I was good to go.  And I went to go\n7   get that caribou for him and it was a cow.  And, you\n8   know, he doesn't want male because they're stinky, you\n9   know, they rut, we --we know it's rut during, you\n10   know, February, December, we don't want that male, but\n11   young ones, the young males, you know, they're good,\n12   but we don't want to get them, we want them to grow. \n13   So that's the issue, you know.\n\n15                   Present in the North Slope communities\n16   what does matter.  Our communities are not only dealing\n17   with regulatory complexes, they are dealing with rapid\n18   ecological changes, weather patterns are shifting,\n19   animal behavior and changes.  Communities like\n20   Anaktuvuk --like I said Anaktuvuk Pass have struggled\n21   through the difficult periods not having caribou to\n22   harvest.  Now we hear that the Western Arctic Caribou\n23   Herd had dropped to roughly 100 animals --100,000\n24   animals and it has the --caused deep concern from the\n25   place like Tikigaq, Point Hope and Point Lay.  The\n26   people most affected by regulation changes and\n27   decisions must be able to understand them.  Weighing in\n28   their --on them and see that their voices matter.  We\n29   have a lot of voices over there, but, you know, when we\n30   have meetings some of them don't want to go to the\n31   meetings.  And we --you know, I'm just one voice, I\n32   can't make that decision or rule for my community, we\n33   have to have their voice heard too.  So they also need\n34   the opportunity to ask questions.\n\n36                   I bring this to your attention because\n37   there are --there's room for improvement.  We operate\n38   under the assumption that people know how to engage to\n39   make their voices heard, but that is not the case.  In\n40   my region alone I think there's opportunities to\n41   strengthen and expand outreach effort across the North\n42   Slope communities, to provide similar explanations of\n43   proposals, decisions and program roles, vitals and\n44   diagrams are helpful.  Develop community level maps. \n45   there are maps, you know, like Unit 23 and that covers\n46   Point Hope and that's in, you know, the Northwest\n47   Arctic region.  And, you know, I'm happy and thankful,\n48   Crystal, that approves me to go to the Northwest RAC\n49   because I rep --I'm with the North Slope, but the\n\n---\n\n10   \n36   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   issues and stuff in the Northwest Arctic, they concern\n2   us too in Point Hope because we're in Unit 23.  We get\n3   the same animals.  And I brought up in our RAC that,\n4   you know, mapping, they should follow the North Slope,\n5   you know, boundaries or the ANCSA boundaries to put us\n6   instead of, you know, putting us in Unit 23, put us in\n7   that same unit for --so we don't have to voice our\n8   concern because we don't have representation in\n9   Kotzebue.  And I brought that up in our meetings.\n\n11                   So increase in persons visiting and\n12   opportunities for two-way conversation, ensure\n13   materials and translate and interpret because we would\n14   go to meetings like some of us here, you know, we're\n15   Inupiaq or, you know, Indian --translate, some of --\n16   you know, some of us (in Native) we don't --when I\n17   say, (in Native) means we can't understand.  Like when\n18   we regulate some of the elders think, you know, four\n19   caribou plus one, they think it's for a family, it's\n20   not, it's per person, that's what they think, you know. \n21   We have to give them more understanding of what we, you\n22   know, regulate on their proposals and stuff that, you\n23   know, like --because like some elders --I talk to a\n24   lot of elders myself and I talked to a lot of them\n25   passed on and, you know, hate to see them, but they're\n26   in a better place, no more suffering, they're eating --\n27   you know, they're eating, you know, healthy up there. \n28   But, you know, I'd like to go back again, increase in\n29   persons visiting and opportunities for two-way\n30   conversation.  One more education about land\n31   management, regulate history and how to navigate the\n32   complicate of Unit 26A and widen our region.  This\n33   investment is not optional, it is essential for the\n34   functions, responsible public driven Subsistence\n35   Management Program.\n\n37                   And I would like to thank you for the\n38   opportunity to share this priority with you and I hope\n39   we can discuss with more details.  And I bless you and\n40   thank you for listening to me about my --you know, my\n41   thing that we have here.\n\n## 43 Thanks, Mr. Chair.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n46   Leonard.  I think this is the most valuable part of it\n47   and getting to know each other and what you represent\n48   and how you serve your people is probably the pinnacle\n49   of the program.  So thank you for feeding the elders\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n12   \n18   \n20   \n50\n\n1   and appreciate those super subsisters that are always\n2   looking out for the needs of our people in the\n3   community.\n\n5                   We'll move on next to --are there any\n6   questions from the Board or comments?\n\n8                   We need to take a real --one five\n9   second pause, not a long one, we have a little\n10   technical Teams difficulty so we going to give the IT\n11   that time.\n\n13                   We can continue here since that's just\n14   between us here.  We'll go ahead and step over to Mr.\n15   Mulligan from the State and we'll give him an\n16   opportunity to information share as well as we do get\n17   our IT together.\n\n## 19 Thank you.\n\n21                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. \n22   For the record Ben Mulligan, Deputy Commissioner for\n23   the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  I come into\n24   these meetings and I've been coming to them for eight\n25   years now trying to think of a way to succinctly give\n26   the Board, the RACs, the public, a summary of what the\n27   Department is doing.  I mean, there's so much going on\n28   right now, you know, we had some of the Board talk\n29   about, you know, things that are going on with their\n30   budgets.  And right now we are in Legislative session\n31   still and so our budget is still in the air.  And I\n32   think the one thing that I've seen floating around\n33   Facebook and the press that you guys all may have seen\n34   as a decision by the --at least on the House side, may\n35   jeopardize the continued function of the Fairbanks\n36   sport fish hatchery.  There's several pieces of\n37   legislation out there that would impact the Department. \n38   And so like I said in order to facilitate the meeting\n39   going by smoothly I would say if you have a specific\n40   thing you want to know about your region come chat. \n41   Most of the time you'll see me sitting right here, I\n42   won't move because I'm trying to prepare for the next\n43   proposal or closure review comments that I'm going to\n44   give, but I will always take the time if you come sit\n45   down and ask me a question about what's going on in\n46   your region, more than happy to --you know, Dan came\n47   by real quick just to ask about a proposal and I gave\n48   him the low down, more than happy to do that with\n49   anybody else as well because, I mean, I do --we just\n\n---\n\n14   \n20   \n22   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n45   \n50\n\n1   came out of --I mean, kind of springtime I guess\n2   depending on where you're at which meant that a lot of\n3   wildlife surveys had been conducted.  And at the same\n4   time as all of you know this is the time to gear up for\n5   field projects so we have a lot of folks hiring,\n6   getting training related for all the projects that you\n7   see out in your areas that we're conducting.  We also\n8   have subsistence household surveys that are wrapping up\n9   in --but in some areas they will still be continuing\n10   into the spring.  There's just a ton of stuff that we\n11   do and no way that I could tell you all about it in a\n12   way that would lead us to probably getting done until\n13   after you all went to lunch.\n\n15                   So with that and not to, you know,\n16   speak lightly because we do do a lot is just say come\n17   by, pick my brain for a few minutes, and if I don't\n18   know I'll take notes and I will try to get back to you\n19   with that information.\n\n## 21 So thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Mr.\n24   Mulligan.  Any questions or comments from the Board for\n25   Ben.\n\n## 27 (No comments)\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I appreciate\n30   the State being here.  And we're good.  We'll move on\n31   to Mr. Louis Green.\n\n33                   MR. GREEN:  Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. \n34   My name is Louis Green, I'm the Chairman of the Seward\n35   Peninsula RAC in the Bering Straits region.  I wear a\n36   lot of hats, but not as many as Charlie over here, but\n37   I serve on the regional ANCSA Board, Bering Straits,\n38   and I serve on the village corp Board Sitnasauk for\n39   Nome.  I think I'm going to be dipping my toes in the\n40   water with the AFN Subsistence Committee, Bering\n41   Straits put my name forward for that.  And that gives\n42   me a pretty wide range of people who I represent so\n43   it's, you know, we, the people, I think.  I --that's\n44   where I come from.\n\n46                   Just personally my --through my\n47   lifetime I've fathered seven children, got three\n48   natural born grandchildren and a couple others that --\n49   is that loud enough, I could hear my echo out here\n\n---\n\n33   \n39   \n50\n\n1   which is kind of rare because I'm not so good at\n2   hearing.  So anyway --thank you, Katya, I served on\n3   the Northern Norton Sound Advisory Committee for about\n4   13 years back in '93 to '05, part of the --most --\n5   half time as Vice Chair.  I'm giving out kind of who I\n6   am because I know there's new people in here and\n7   there's new people coming.  I spent a lot of time in my\n8   life --the reason I'm in this arena here and I've been\n9   for over 25 years between the State and the Fed systems\n10   is --I guess it's a passion of mine because my\n11   grandmother bringing me up from the time I --at least\n12   I can recall five years old, trying to be part of\n13   fishing salmon at the time.  It's been a --you know,\n14   my whole life I've been hunting and gathering and I\n15   always brought my family and friends and their friends\n16   through times of those seasons to hunt and gather.  So\n17   I'm kind of --like I said it's a passion of mine. \n18   I've commercial fished from Kodiak to the Bering Strait\n19   and around the corner, familiar with the halibut\n20   fisheries, the king crab fisheries, we have red king\n21   crab there in the Norton Sound, the herring fishery\n22   that kind of came and went, see a lot of the need for\n23   that to come back.  I spent time herding reindeer with\n24   an airplane as well as handling in the chutes with\n25   people up on the Northern Seward Peninsula.  I also was\n26   a spotter pilot out of Togiak and Norton Sound for\n27   herring.  Marine mammal hunter, walrus, seals, Beluga. \n28   And what I do with that is I try to pass it on to the\n29   younger generation, I always have.  It's been a passion\n30   of mine to make sure that these younger people have the\n31   skills to be able to continue to feed the families that\n32   they bring up into the world.\n\n34                   So I have a --like I said I was the\n35   father of seven.  I also have a friend in life that's\n36   my partner in life, Gayla Hoseth, and we have similar\n37   passions about our natural fish and game, natural\n38   resources, which is a rare thing maybe.\n\n40                   As far as the Board, we're here to --I\n41   appreciate the ability to be here and the opportunity\n42   to speak to you to elevate the concerns of --there's\n43   several concerns brought forward of our Council\n44   members.  I go back to the early '90s and Board of Fish\n45   meetings and it's been --you know, it's really heart\n46   wrenching because I sit there and I listen to what I\n47   heard over 30 years ago from people now, it's all the\n48   way across the state and western Alaska especially and\n49   I just don't understand why things are so bad that --\n\n---\n\n19   \n21   \n23   \n28   \n50\n\n1   and then nobody's really seemingly doing anything about\n2   it.  We know there's --there's a industry out there\n3   that's not on the beach like the rest of us.  And I'll\n4   speak a little more to that, but I wanted to get to a\n5   point here that one of my lifelong friends, a grandma's\n6   boy like me, I wanted to recognize Tommy Gray and his\n7   lifelong service for, you know, decades of service to\n8   the Advisory Committees, the Beluga Commission, the\n9   Federal Subsistence RAC process.  And, you know, Tommy\n10   was one of the regulars, his voice, commitment shaped\n11   every discussion.  You know, I used to tell him, I said\n12   I'm sure glad you're sitting here because, you know,\n13   everybody tells me I talk too much, but, man, when\n14   you're there at the table you put me in a good light\n15   because you talk more than me.  And we'd laugh and go\n16   about our business.  It's --he's well missed there at\n17   the table.  So I just wanted a moment of silence for\n18   Tommy Gray and I'd ask everybody to stand.\n\n## 20 Thank you.\n\n## 22 (Moment of silence)\n\n24                   MR. GREEN:  Okay.  Thank you and that\n25   honor that.  He always called me young man, I was\n26   almost as old as him.  And thank you, folks, for doing\n27   that.\n\n29                   One of the things that --you know,\n30   many of us have served on these Councils and Committee\n31   for, you know, decades and one of the --you know, for\n32   the idea that continuity flows, we have the information\n33   and we hear how people up here from the government side\n34   of things are changing out and we're seeing it, you\n35   know, hearing it today.  The people that are there that\n36   have been there for a long time are there because they\n37   want to be like myself, we have one fellow that's been\n38   over 30 years, Elmer Seetot, and Tom Gray was, you\n39   know, two or three decades himself.  I've been there\n40   since 2010 at the Federal level.  So looking at the\n41   future is looking into the youth that we have in our\n42   region and trying to foster the interested ones into\n43   coming to the table and taking part in here and taking\n44   over for us.  Like I said, you know, we're --we can't\n45   do this forever, but we probably will anyway, you know,\n46   but we do this because it's part of our life story and\n47   so we want to pass that on and have it continue.  The\n48   unfortunate thing for those of us that do this, there's\n49   no retirement plan so here we are.\n\n---\n\n40   \n50\n\n1                   Our youth today, they face a time where\n2   their fish and their game resources are down and, you\n3   know, we came from a time when there was abundant --\n4   lots, we've --we seen lots, we had easy opportunity,\n5   but nowadays it's not like that anymore for different\n6   reasons.  I say, you know, bringing these younger\n7   people into the system --I like what I heard somewhere\n8   somebody was doing this in the school system.  Mr.\n9   Woods might have mentioned that where they do their\n10   meetings in a school and during a school --when it's\n11   in session sounded like to me.  I think that might be\n12   something that my region might want to --we might want\n13   to look into.  We're already looking into the program\n14   to bring our youth into the regulatory system and\n15   learning how to navigate it and our Council's explored\n16   some ways to engage our youth and the one thing that we\n17   really appreciated was the fact of adding a non-voting\n18   youth seat to our charters which we thought was a step\n19   forward.  Unfortunately haven't had that happen in our\n20   area yet where we have one on the Council, but I think\n21   that we were really interested in seeing how the\n22   Federal agencies such as BLM and the National Park\n23   Service could help support that youth involvement in\n24   our region.  Like planting a seed, we'd like to see\n25   someway to have those youth engaged.  And a friend here\n26   from Southeast, Heather Bauscher, Bauscher, excuse me,\n27   did come up to our Council meeting in March and present\n28   what she's doing here with these youth back here with\n29   her now.  We want to see that from up there, I'd like\n30   to see that in every region.  I think it would be the\n31   smartest thing that we could do is bringing our youth\n32   forward so I'm putting a lot of emphasis on that.  She\n33   does actually have a manual for this I think she's\n34   coming out with and if you're interested in something\n35   like that in your region I would suggest that you have\n36   a sidebar conversation with her.  She's very willing to\n37   have those conversations.  So appreciate her being here\n38   today and that was really a pleasure to have her up\n39   there when we conducted out last meeting.\n\n41                   The talk about salmon.  The idea that\n42   salmon have played a part in human history is\n43   phenomenal, you know, they've been around for 5 million\n44   years.  Knowing of a study that took place back in the\n45   late '80s pointing out that the --the importance of\n46   salmon to the whole Pacific Rim was interesting.  I --\n47   I'm not --I don't have a name on that, but there was a\n48   hell of a presentation done by the guy that was part of\n49   that.  At one time I watched a short film there.  But\n\n---\n\n17   \n50\n\n1   what was interesting was they had identified two salmon\n2   production areas or regions in Western Alaska and one\n3   was Bristol Bay, one we can all understand that, we\n4   look at millions of sockeye fish --salmon that go\n5   there.  But the other one was which has been in sad\n6   shape since probably the late '70s is the Norton Sound. \n7   So when you talk about salmon it plays a part in every\n8   part --everything from marine world to the --to the\n9   land, you know.  I made an example to somebody, I said,\n10   you know, of all the sea mammals that feed on that and\n11   all the sharks and whatever else feeds on salmon on the\n12   way, when they're out there rearing in the sea and then\n13   they return to the river systems and lakes, the\n14   predation of those fish, not just man, when it hits\n15   land it's bears and wolves, human beings and everything\n16   in between.\n\n18                   But one of the things that I drew an\n19   example of was, you know, the moose we eat and we're\n20   having moose herd problems, we all know that too,\n21   that's another factor in our lives out in rural Alaska\n22   is that, you know, that big animal on four legs is --\n23   provides a lot of --a lot of protein for people.  And\n24   what I said was, you know, the salmon, they come up the\n25   river and people always see a river like this, right,\n26   it's --there's the bank and there's the other bank. \n27   There's willows growing on that bank.  But what they\n28   don't think about is the water table underneath it\n29   stretches out beyond that bank and the way to identify\n30   how far it reaches is kind of like the willow pattern\n31   that's on the side of the rivers, it kind of goes back\n32   aways and then fades away.  Well, moose eat those\n33   willows and for decades now I can say that Norton Sound\n34   has been pretty sad for those types of animals that\n35   feed on that because the salmon, the marine river\n36   nutrients that they deliver to those rivers is not\n37   really being delivered anymore.  Just for instance we\n38   got involved in this in '93 at the Board of Fish level\n39   and we had salmon, we had problems with salmon, chums\n40   and kings were going, silvers were going.  The idea\n41   that that far back was involved and I thought we were\n42   doing things to progress forward, to come to a point\n43   where management would actually do something and we\n44   would retain those runs and everything would get\n45   better, but, you know what, I went down to the Nome\n46   River last summer where there's a spawning bed there,\n47   it's below a spring and there wasn't one king there. \n48   One --there wasn't anything in that section of the\n49   river.  And I thought where have we come from 1993 to\n\n---\n\n27   \n39   \n50\n\n1   now, we've come from fish and fighting for fish to the\n2   point where there is none.  So something's absolutely\n3   wrong and I don't think it's the people that are\n4   sitting here at the table that are representing our\n5   folks, it's the people that are in the management side\n6   of things in the governments, they --Federal that\n7   aren't listening.  And, you know, talking about\n8   traditional knowledge we all bring it to the table, we\n9   have biological knowledge come to the table and yet\n10   we're still dealing with --it's like a monetary issue,\n11   it's not about how a person can feed themselves because\n12   for 20,000 years, I say 20,000, people have been\n13   walking down to a river and feeding themselves.  They\n14   didn't have to buy 16 and $17 gas to go fishing, they\n15   didn't have to buy 16 and $17 gas worth a gallon of gas\n16   to go caribou hunting 90 to a hundred miles which we do\n17   now, it's pathetic.  So the problem isn't the people\n18   that come here representing the masses of people, it's\n19   the management systems that we're dealing with that\n20   aren't doing what they need to be doing to preserve\n21   things for the future.  And, man, when I look at\n22   listening to my friend over there on the North Slope\n23   talking about the difficulties of just going and taking\n24   care of business and paying $17 for a gallon of gas I\n25   go my goodness.  We shouldn't have to do that, nobody\n26   should.\n\n28                   So in the interests of our natural\n29   resources being intact I think that if we were --if\n30   we're managing --if our systems were managed for\n31   subsistence first then everybody would have a piece of\n32   the pie, all the other user groups would have\n33   something.  So when I look at from the Norton Sound's\n34   Nome sub-district all the way down to Bristol Bay I\n35   just --it's a sad thing to witness in my lifetime. \n36   I'm going to be 68 years old in a couple of weeks.  And\n37   to think that, you know, at the age of 35 I started\n38   this and it's --it's worse than it ever was.\n\n40                   The caribou, what's the answer for the\n41   caribou.  You know, we deal with that too up there in\n42   Norton Sound, up on the Seward Peninsula, we're both of\n43   that WACH, Western Arctic Caribou Herd.  We seen where\n44   we protected the people's who are Federally-qualified,\n45   people's right to hunt them close by and it made a\n46   difference like up in the Noatak, I know that we closed\n47   the Federal lands and it gave opportunity for people to\n48   go out there.  And one was an old man that went out\n49   there, we had a young fellow come in here and talk to\n\n---\n\n12   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   us at a meeting and he said he was so happy, he got up\n2   there and he's --he described what that old man told\n3   him about hunting that animal and how he had to stalk\n4   it and he got it and how he was dancing around, the guy\n5   was imitating him.  And it was like, you know, you see\n6   that and then --and realize that all the people that\n7   sat at the table from the '80s on, the elders that are\n8   all dead and gone now and we've become the elders, am I\n9   going to have to dance like that someday because I got\n10   opportunity.  I sure hope not and that's why we're\n11   here.\n\n13                   So the Norton Sound stocks have been\n14   depressed for decades and I always say we're the canary\n15   in the coal mine, we got hit first, then the next was\n16   Unalakleet, and then the next was the Yukon and then\n17   the Kuskokwim and I see it in --down in Bristol Bay. \n18   I fished there last year, subsistence with my partner,\n19   Gayla Hoseth.  And we're lucky there was a few kings,\n20   but to see that big system down there starting to get\n21   hit, when are we going to wake up the people that are\n22   supposed to be doing the job of preserving those\n23   resources.  I hear mining, mining, mining.  Well, it\n24   ain't mining that's doing that to our fish except it is\n25   considered in my mind mining out in the ocean with\n26   those trawlers.  I've never spoken well of them since\n27   they first started with the CDQ program, I didn't like\n28   what we were getting involved in up there in my region\n29   and I told my Board member not to get into it and buy\n30   into it, just --you got the quota, just stay out of\n31   the infrastructure.  Didn't happen.  Now we're part of\n32   it.\n\n## 34 So where do we go from here.\n\n36                   Our Council has been at the table and\n37   we've had discussions about that and we talk about the\n38   fact that --I know we sent letters in that say there's\n39   the Department of Agriculture and the Department of\n40   Interior, where is the Department of Commerce and why\n41   doesn't this Federal Subsistence Board have the ability\n42   not to have any authority over those Federal water\n43   fishes.  There's some questions to be answered.\n\n45                   And I'm about ready to rest here.  I\n46   think we all have the same thoughts, I heard other\n47   people speak of the Department of Commerce.  The\n48   Department of Commerce needs to be engaged with us and\n49   sit at the table so that they can take that information\n\n---\n\n11   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n35   \n37   \n39   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   back to the --to DC and tell whoever's Administration\n2   is at the time that this is what's going on up there. \n3   It's not the land of plenty anymore.  The people up\n4   there need what they have, they don't have it, they\n5   need it.  So the Superintendent --excuse me, the --I\n6   think the idea of the Department of Commerce directly\n7   in a cross jurisdictional dialogue and decision-making\n8   particularly when we're having salmon bycatch and\n9   trawlers, we --impacts is the very top of the priority\n10   list, we should find some way to get to that.\n\n12                   In closing the Seward Peninsula\n13   Regional Advisory Council appreciates the Board's time\n14   and attention to these matters and we look forward to a\n15   continued partnership and ensuring that the needs and\n16   the rights and the voices of our subsistence users\n17   present and future bringing from the past, that we have\n18   here at the table are heard and respected.  We need to\n19   manage for subsistence.  I want to see that before the\n20   day I take my last breath.\n\n22                   So thank you.  Sorry about the passion.\n\n24                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  That's why we\n27   love you, Louis.  Any questions from the Board.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I think that's\n32   a good place to take lunch and think about everything\n33   Louis said and we'll come back at --one hour and 15\n34   minutes.  We'll see you guys back here at 1:30.\n\n36                   (Off record)\n\n38                   (On record)\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Caron McKee. \n41   Caron McKee.  We want you to come --if you're willing\n42   to do a little introduction we're going to reconvene\n43   this meeting after lunchtime to the art project we have\n44   there so we can let everybody here know what's going on\n45   with that and what our expectations with voting are.\n\n47                   Thank you.\n\n49                   MS. McKEE:  Hi, Mr. Chair and members\n\n---\n\n12   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n32   \n37   \n50\n\n1   of the Board.  I'm Caron McKee, I'm the Outreach\n2   Coordinator for the Office of Subsistence Management. \n3   And we hosted a student art contest this year, it was\n4   open to all students in Alaska, grades K through 12. \n5   We had a whopping 189 submissions which is one of the\n6   highest levels of participation we've ever had so we\n7   really want to thank all the parents and teachers who\n8   encouraged their kids to participate.  The quality of\n9   the art this year was really amazing to see, just the\n10   knowledge of species and subsistence uses and\n11   resources.\n\n13                   So we're excited to have all the Board\n14   members and ISC members be the judges this year.  You\n15   have supplemental binders and in those binders there is\n16   a voting form.  The art itself is displayed on the two\n17   back tables in the back, there's 25 pieces of art for\n18   you to peruse during the meeting and then when you feel\n19   like it go ahead and fill out your judging form and\n20   return it to me.  I'm seated over here kind of near the\n21   coffee stand.  And when judging is completed we'll\n22   tally the votes and announce the first and second place\n23   winners.\n\n## 25 Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n28   that.  Appreciate the update.\n\n30                   All right.  With that we'll get back to\n31   our RAC Chair reports and we'll call on Mr. Charlie.\n\n33                   MR. WRIGHT:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n34   Through the Chair.  Thanks for this time and thanks to\n35   the Council for being here and doing all that you do\n36   and all the sacrifices you make.  Appreciate you.\n\n38                   First I'd like to recognize all the\n39   Chiefs in the room and the former Chiefs.  I grew up\n40   along the Yukon River between Rampart and Tanana,\n41   hunting, fishing, trapping and living a subsistence\n42   lifestyle.  And I have to say right now that my\n43   subsistence needs haven't been met in 15 plus years\n44   wholly.  I have to go all the way to Bristol Bay to get\n45   fish for my family because we can't get fish on the\n46   Yukon.  I drive my truck to Anchorage and I fly to\n47   Ekwok and I fish, freeze and dry fish and I bring it\n48   all the way back to the Yukon and drive it down the\n49   Yukon to my mother in Rampart so that she could stop\n\n---\n\n6   \n11   \n21   \n29   \n47   \n50\n\n1   looking downriver and wanting fish.  I do that every\n2   chance I get to bring fish home to her.  I have to do\n3   that for my extended family, I've always been a\n4   provider for them.  So it's something that I'll always\n5   do as long as I can walk and get along.\n\n7                   I also run culture camps, teach\n8   trapping for over 30 years tying hard to keep the\n9   traditions alive for the people along the river in my\n10   area.\n\n12                   I go over 500 miles to moose hunt, even\n13   more than that if it takes me the whole --sometimes I\n14   don't get one, but if it takes the whole season you\n15   talk about a thousand miles.  I don't like to hunt near\n16   my village because there's people there that have less\n17   opportunity than me and they don't have a good boat,\n18   they don't have a camp down the river that they can go\n19   to and have a good floor in place to stay and look for\n20   moose.\n\n22                   A lot of the communities in the Eastern\n23   Interior are in a no other means situation and it's\n24   getting worse as we go forward with all the added\n25   pressure from the outside of the region.  The moose,\n26   caribou, sheep, bear are in bad shape, low numbers,\n27   sometimes it takes a whole moose --a whole season to\n28   find a moose like I said a little big ago.\n\n30                   In my mind a Federal Review needs to be\n31   --to favor the Federally-qualified users at this time. \n32   Like I said we're in a no other means in a lot of the\n33   villages right now and we the people need this Board to\n34   make the right decisions for us during this review.  We\n35   all need the Department of Commerce to take action\n36   before our salmon go extinct, we need special actions\n37   to support the areas that have low numbers of moose or\n38   the --so the managers --otherwise the managers will\n39   keep hunting these areas until there's nothing left.  I\n40   asked a manager what was the magic number he would\n41   consider closing a hunt on a caribou herd, he told me\n42   500.  That's not sustainable with client uncertainty\n43   now.  As humans we all need to do better for the\n44   resources.  We need to get along and we need to work\n45   together to sustain these herds and runs of salmon for\n46   the generations to come.\n\n48                   The way that the Board is structured\n49   now the people that live off the land and on the land\n\n---\n\n4   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   are the ones making these recommendations for changes\n2   and they're the good ones, they're the people that see\n3   everything, that have seen all the changes.\n\n5                   There should be no hunting by non-\n6   Federally-qualified users until the managers can do a\n7   proper count.  Using kill numbers don't say nothing,\n8   but how many was killed.  As an example in 20F where I\n9   come from there's been no count for years and now\n10   there's no more moose, none.  There's too much\n11   uncertainty in this kind of management, not --don't\n12   open hunts and not put game wardens on there also\n13   because we have an awful lot of wanton waste going\n14   on.     And it's time to strengthen the rules for\n15   wanton waste and wasting.  They need to lose hunting\n16   time, the individuals that are found wanton waste\n17   because there's too many people that are hungry right\n18   now.  If you can get out there and hunt and you can get\n19   out there and talk to the communities in the area and\n20   if you don't want the meat, you only want the racks,\n21   then there's a place for that meat to go.  There has\n22   been for years.  I talked to a Fort Yukon resident\n23   yesterday and he told me he wished to see a subsistence\n24   hunt only where they cut off the racks, half of the\n25   rack on a moose like they do in the Nowitna management\n26   style.  The big bulls are all being taken out and this\n27   is your problem.  They teach the young how and what to\n28   eat and how to heal themselves and from other natural\n29   affects.  They know what to do with the big ones that\n30   --we are seeing a lot of parasites in the moose in\n31   20F, two out of three have parasites.  Growing up we\n32   seen them in the cyst form, but now they're six to\n33   eight inches long, going up the legs, underneath the\n34   fascial tissue and they're in the marrow already.\n\n36                   There's been a few changes in the\n37   fishing at the North Pacific and the Board of Fish. \n38   There was 150 tribes in the unity room.  There are --\n39   and this is because there's no escapement goals being\n40   met anywhere in our rivers.  Maybe a couple, Kuskokwim\n41   could be one of them, they're fishing and they manage\n42   towards the top of the escapement goal.  And I think\n43   that's why they're successful with their co-management.\n\n45                   Climate.  We think --my group think\n46   that the cold winters --the cold winter we just had is\n47   great for salmon, the spawning grounds and other\n48   creeks, steams, will be full of ice and that'll mean\n49   good health for the salmon.  And the ice comes down on\n\n---\n\n9   \n20   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n44   \n50\n\n**0060**\n\n1   the Bering Sea will bring good health, healthy\n2   nutrients to the sea and the colder water will keep\n3   toxic algae blooms down on the bottom.  Overall better\n4   health to the system with our small changes to the\n5   management bodies, North Pacific and the Board of Fish\n6   we hope to see better numbers in the future.  And\n7   health of the salmon and other species that depend on a\n8   healthy ecosystem.\n\n10                   The lack of salmon is affecting the\n11   whole ecosystem from top predators to very small bugs. \n12   In my area wolves hunt spawning fish, they feed up to\n13   250 species in an anadromous stream, they put a\n14   hundred, 200 fish up on the bank and they leave and\n15   they come back in a week later and they eat the skins,\n16   that's all they want.  They left everything else. \n17   They're providers like myself.  This salmon disaster's\n18   affecting everything in this ecosystem, spawning ground\n19   to the Bering Sea.\n\n21                   And that's the short and sweet report\n22   that I want to make and I want to thank you guys for\n23   the opportunity and your dedication and sacrifice of\n24   your time.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n29   Charlie.  Any comments or questions from the Board.\n\n## 31 (No comments)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We appreciate\n34   your leadership.  Thank you, Charlie, for your report.\n\n## 36 Move on to Jacqueline.\n\n38                   MS. CLEVELAND:  (In Native) Jacqueline\n39   Cleveland.  (In Native).  Hi, my name is Jacqueline\n40   Cleveland or (in Native) and I'm from Quinhagak.  I'm\n41   here as the Chair for the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta RAC and\n42   this is my first time at a Federal Subsistence Board\n43   regulatory meeting as a Chair.\n\n45                   And with that I believe salmon and\n46   caribou continue to be our most concerning food\n47   security issues.  For salmon as many of you know there\n48   has been a salmon crisis on the Yukon River for too\n49   long and for the Kuskokwim watershed which is doing\n\n---\n\n5   \n12   \n21   \n34   \n42   \n50\n\n1   better, but still not like it --how it used to be. \n2   And in our bay outside of Quinhagak we continue to\n3   harvest all five species of salmon with sockeye salmon\n4   being at the top for both the bay and Kuskokwim River.\n\n6                   There were two big meetings this\n7   winter.  As many of you know North Pacific and Board of\n8   Game for Area M or sorry, Board of Fisheries for Area M\n9   and we're hopeful some of the actions taken in these\n10   meetings will help more salmon return to our rivers and\n11   bay.\n\n13                   It is difficult for subsistence users\n14   to have a --have to continually attend meetings and\n15   advocate our subsistence fisheries in multiple\n16   regulatory arenas like Board of Fish, North Pacific,\n17   NSSD.  We really need to help --we really need the\n18   help of our government leaders to bring all these\n19   entities together to protect and manage salmon across\n20   their entire ecosystem including their ocean habitat.\n\n22                   And on a lighter note the people in our\n23   region are very happy with the co-management\n24   arrangement between the Kuskokwim River InterTribal\n25   Fish Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n26   manager.  Having tribal representation at the decision-\n27   making table has resulted in more trust being built all\n28   around.  And they are also prioritizing conservation to\n29   make sure escapement goals are being met and future\n30   generations are able to continue to fish.  And we're\n31   hopeful to see co-management on the Yukon soon as well\n32   as the Yukon River InterTribal Fish Commission\n33   continues to build its capacity.\n\n35                   As for the Mulchatna Caribou which are\n36   historically a vital subsistence food source for us, we\n37   haven't been able to hunt them for several years now. \n38   Our RAC is writing a letter to request the formation of\n39   a Mulchatna Caribou working group to bring Federal and\n40   State managers as well as local people together to\n41   collaborate with rebuilding efforts.\n\n43                   I'm going to have to mention that the\n44   aftermath of Typhoon Halong continues to impact our\n45   communities and subsistence life as we try to rebuild. \n46   And our RAC has also requested that those who had to\n47   relocate to Anchorage or other urban areas remain\n48   eligible to hunt and fish as rural subsistence users\n49   under Federal regulations since their relocation was\n\n---\n\n2   \n19   \n26   \n35   \n43   \n50\n\n1   out of their control.\n\n3                   Moving on to moose.  Moose numbers in\n4   Unit 18 are so high right now it is becoming a very\n5   popular spot for sport hunting and guided hunts.  This\n6   is a complex problem because we need to harvest moose\n7   so that their numbers don't get so high that they\n8   crash, but the influx of outsiders is creating an\n9   increasing competition with local subsistence users and\n10   more issues with trespassing on Native corporation\n11   lands and Native allotments.  There are also more\n12   reports of wanton waste.  And the YKDelta RAC would\n13   like to see more law enforcement in the area during the\n14   fall season, hunting season, and have check points at\n15   hub community airports like Bethel and Saint Mary's to\n16   ensure meat is being salvaged properly and to reduce\n17   wanton waste.  Also in some cases when meat is donated\n18   to communities it's already gone bad.\n\n20                   We're putting a few Board of Game\n21   proposals for parts of Unit 18 to try to shorten the\n22   long --the non-resident season and start the resident\n23   seasons earlier.  This might help the conflicts by\n24   letting locals have an earlier shot at moose before\n25   non-residents arrive.\n\n27                   Our RAC has also asked that regulatory\n28   maps be updated so that they show Native corporation\n29   lands and Native allotments.  We think this could help\n30   raise awareness about the ownership and maybe reduce\n31   trespassing.  And these maps should be posted at\n32   airstrips and boat launches.  And I wanted to add it\n33   would also help the hunter and subsistence user on the\n34   ground by having these maps as well.\n\n36                   And going back to my community of\n37   Quinhagak sport fish --fishers are rafting well into\n38   mid-September on the Kanektok River during moose season\n39   when locals are trying to hunt.  We really want to see\n40   the permits for floating to end before moose hunting to\n41   reduce conflicts and increase chances of locals getting\n42   their subsistence moose.\n\n44                   Commercial sport fish guiding\n45   operations that are on the Kanektok River.  Locals feel\n46   that there needs to be a limit on the number of boats\n47   in the State waters when it comes to sport fishing\n48   operating boats each day.  Much like the Refuge allows\n49   like six boats a day or something, we kind of wanted\n\n---\n\n4   \n28   \n34   \n50\n\n1   something similar within State waters because the\n2   Kanektok River is getting overcrowded and contributing\n3   to erosion.\n\n5                   Which brings me to the RDIs.  There are\n6   currently five RDIs recordable disclaimers of interest,\n7   efforts that the State of Alaska is pursuing within our\n8   region which would affect Federal lands and those held\n9   by Alaska Native corporations as well.  And the\n10   proposed disclaimers of interest will transfer\n11   ownership in submerged lands to the State of Alaska\n12   ending the subsistence priority for rural subsistence\n13   users.  The Department's RDIs are based on findings\n14   that the body --bodies of waters at issue are\n15   navigable.  And the comment period for this had been\n16   shortened from 90 days to 30 days.  One of those --one\n17   of those non-navigable rivers affected is Quinhagak's\n18   very own Arolik River or Arolik River.  The river and\n19   surrounding lands hold deep cultural, historical and\n20   subsistence importance to the Yup'ik people of\n21   Quinhagak.  Today the --with the increased sport fish\n22   traffic on the Kanektok River sometimes leaving locals\n23   without an area to subsist, we have heavily relied on\n24   the Arolik for food, travel, teaching and the passing\n25   down of traditional knowledge, connections that cannot\n26   be meaningfully evaluated or honored in a 30 day\n27   comment period.\n\n29                   I want to note that I plan to join the\n30   BLM consultation for this on Thursday morning from\n31   10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  I'm hoping that the YKDelta\n32   RAC is not called on during this time if possible.  So\n33   that's Thursday morning.\n\n35                   The Federal Subsistence Program is so\n36   important to the people of rural Alaska, the YKDelta\n37   RAC had a long discussion of all the topics in the\n38   review and I won't mention all, but I wanted to\n39   highlight a couple.  Ultimately the RAC hopes that the\n40   outcomes of the review will be used to strengthen and\n41   improve the program and not to diminish it.  We fully\n42   support the Federal Subsistence Program and keeping it\n43   with OSM and DOI.  The rural priority for subsistence\n44   on Federal lands is extremely important for food\n45   security in rural places.  That said the dual\n46   management system between Federal and State governments\n47   make it very complicated for subsistence users on the\n48   ground.  The RAC supports all opportunities to simplify\n49   regulations and meeting cycles while still maintaining\n\n---\n\n2   \n12   \n21   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   the rural priority.\n\n3                   The YKDelta RAC and other RACs have\n4   continued to request that Council members receive\n5   compensation for attending meeting and providing their\n6   local and traditional knowledge to the program and to\n7   the Federal Subsistence Board.  Members should be\n8   fairly compensated for their time away from families,\n9   jobs and subsistence activities and for their\n10   expertise.  This could also help with the recruitment\n11   to fill vacancies within the RAC.\n\n13                   Lastly we ask that the Board and OSM\n14   keep working to improve the correspondence process,\n15   elevate letters in a timely manner and ensure more\n16   responses and two-way communication with the RAC.  It\n17   is great that RAC Chairs are now being encouraged to\n18   attend the summer work session where we have more time\n19   to discuss issues with the Board instead of just\n20   through correspondence.\n\n22                   I look forward to attending this summer\n23   and also continuing to work with other Chairs from\n24   other regions so we can all work together to protect\n25   our subsistence life.\n\n27                   Quyana.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n30   Jacqueline.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate the\n35   report today.\n\n37                   Jack, you have the floor.\n\n39                   MR. REAKOFF:  Thank you, Mr. Chair and\n40   Board members, new Board members on the Board. \n41   Appreciate your service, appreciate the service of\n42   members who are leaving the Board.  And so we --this\n43   --I've been on the Western Interior Regional Advisory\n44   Council since 1993, I've attended a lot of Board\n45   meetings and I was sent as the Secretary for the\n46   Western Interior Council by my Chair, Ron Sam, who\n47   schooled me to attend these meetings and he told me it\n48   was a process that he went through as a 12 year old\n49   boy.  So I've attended a lot of Federal Subsistence\n\n---\n\n23   \n47   \n50\n\n1   Board meetings, I have a long history of remembering\n2   when the Board was much smaller and wasn't comprised of\n3   --there was the Chair, Mitch Dementieff and the\n4   regional heads.  And that was a real problem trying to\n5   advocate for proposals with people sometimes that were\n6   new to the process, didn't have any experience and I --\n7   it just didn't work out.  The review process in 2008,\n8   we went through Pat Pourchot, we talked about\n9   additional membership and public members and the\n10   statute under .805 so that there's --and ANILCA Title\n11   VIII is referring to administrative structures that has\n12   --gives rural residents a meaningful role in\n13   subsistence management.  So this --the process there,\n14   you know, multiple reviews, we're on our third or\n15   fourth review right now is basically the --get the\n16   Board make up that we have right now so we have a mix\n17   of agency concerns and processes and then we have the\n18   public member process and of course the regional\n19   council process is very important to the whole program. \n20   And so there was --when we had an all RAC meeting in\n21   2016 there was 110 regional council members all in the\n22   same room.\n\n24                   So my background is I was born in\n25   Alaska, I moved to the Brooks Range when I was three\n26   years old.  We lived in Evansville for four years, we\n27   moved down to Southwest Alaska, I commercial salmon\n28   fished down there, I lived on --at Galena and a lot of\n29   people in Galena, I went to school in Galena when I was\n30   10 to 11 years old and we moved back to the Brooks\n31   Range in 1970.  I've lived in Wiseman since 1971 when I\n32   was 13 years old before the road, before the pipeline,\n33   before the --before the utility corridor.  And so this\n34   5150 issue is a big deal for us and my community.  And\n35   so we --I'm on the --of course the Western Interior\n36   Regional Advisory Council, I was on the Koyukuk River \n37   Advisory since 1990, I'm the Chairman of the Koyukuk\n38   River Advisory to the State Board of Game and Board of\n39   Fish.  I'm on the Gates of the Arctic Subsistence\n40   Resource Commission, I've been on there since 1991. \n41   And so we just had a meeting last week and I'll be\n42   referring to some of the actions taken by that\n43   Commission.  I'm the Vice Chair of that.  And I'm the\n44   liaison for our community association with the State of\n45   Alaska and so I receive paperwork, notifications about\n46   things from the State.\n\n48                   So the conditions this year, we had a\n49   pretty hot summer, it hit 90.3 and as far as I can\n\n---\n\n14   \n43   \n50\n\n1   determine I have a 120 years of oral history from the\n2   old timers that lived in Wiseman, the community that I\n3   live in was established in 1905.  I have a cabin that\n4   was built in 1901 and was moved there.  It's an old\n5   place, it's an old gold rush community.  There are 12\n6   people that live in the community.  Point Baker's got\n7   about 15, we got 12 and these small places they rely\n8   heavily on subsistence.  We're off grid, we don't have\n9   a power plant, we make our own power and we're acutely\n10   aware of how we use electricity because we pay $7.50 a\n11   gallon which would be cheap in most rural villages off\n12   the road system, but we run that through a generator\n13   and that's very expensive electricity.\n\n15                   So the conditions this last summer were\n16   really hot, but then in August we had 12 inches of rain\n17   from August to early September, we had a flood of 3.71\n18   inches, I take weather for the National Weather\n19   Service.  It's --it blasted the bottoms out of the\n20   rivers and the streams, scoured teeth down to boulders\n21   as big as that screen that's sitting out in front of us\n22   and decimated any spawning habitat that was available\n23   with --we've had very poor runs of --in the Yukon\n24   River system, we're losing these cohorts of salmon one\n25   after another.  So then we went into a --it kind of\n26   straightened up, we had --it froze up hard and the\n27   ground was frozen six inches deep on September 25, then\n28   a monsoon or this --whatever this typhoon that went\n29   through, beat up western Alaska, knocked 70 percent of\n30   the timber down in the lower Koyukuk River, the old --\n31   the people that lived down there said the timber's just\n32   all laid down, their trails are obliterated.  It warmed\n33   up dramatically, it thawed the ground out and the\n34   cotton grass sedge started to grow because it thought\n35   it was springtime.  And then it froze again and now\n36   we've ended up with 16 inches of snow.  So the dall\n37   sheep population was decimated, we had 12 bad winters\n38   in a row, deep snow, with snow last winter of '24/'25,\n39   52 inches deep.  And we had rain on snow, killed about\n40   20 percent of the sheep population, there's GPS\n41   collared sheep in the study, we lost around 20, 25\n42   percent of the sheep population.\n\n44                   The Federal Subsistence Board provided\n45   a closure on the dall sheep population that allowed the\n46   population to get recruitment into the population so at\n47   least we have some younger animals.  But once they're\n48   at nine years of age they start to taper off in\n49   productivity.  So the sheep population is low, but it's\n\n---\n\n4   \n33   \n42   \n50\n\n1   stabilized because we're getting a younger component in\n2   there.  That was the objective to get the younger\n3   component.\n\n5                   The Western Interior Regional Advisory\n6   Council has produced a sheep management plan.  We have\n7   fisheries resource monitoring programs, we don't have a\n8   wildlife monitoring program so it was incumbent upon\n9   the Regional Council to produce a sheep management plan\n10   because we had data that we did not have, there's no\n11   composition data developed with the State survey\n12   technique so they're currently with the Gates of the\n13   Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission, we're\n14   submitting a hunting plan recommendation.  When they\n15   survey they're going to have half curl, three-quarter\n16   curl and full curl.  If they're flying a moose survey\n17   they go for yearling bulls, medium sized bulls and\n18   adult bull.  That tells you what their population\n19   performance is, it tells you if they're getting\n20   recruitment.  We use science.  So the half curl\n21   component is the most important portion of the survey,\n22   it tells you if your sheep have actually survived as\n23   lambs and then entered the population.  They're big,\n24   they're going to be --at half curl they're going to be\n25   three or four years of age.  They have 2,500 photos of\n26   dall sheep at the Department of Fish and Game, we're\n27   going to enumerate that exactly.  What that means is\n28   dall sheep don't produce lambs until they're three\n29   years of age so it tells you if you've got one half\n30   curl ram that means you got a female of the same\n31   cohort, it's going to tell you what your performance\n32   is.\n\n34                   So that's it.  We're requesting that\n35   the Federal Subsistence Board adopt our sheep\n36   management strategy because we need --we have --look\n37   at the turnover in these agencies, we constantly got\n38   people --new biologists showing up, we need to have\n39   something, a document in front of them that tells them\n40   what the ecology of this animal is and how to --how to\n41   manage this animal.  That's what our objectives are.\n\n43                   So thank you very much for the sheep\n44   closure, that established a younger component in the\n45   population.  Thank you very much if you adopt the sheep\n46   management strategy that will be used within our\n47   region.  We're not making it --forcing it onto other\n48   regions, but we had it out for comment for several\n49   years.\n\n---\n\n26   \n50\n\n1                   The conditions this year with shallow\n2   snow and then the tundra started to grow in October,\n3   the caribou --well, we had two meetings, the Western\n4   Interior met with our Eastern Interior back in December\n5   and so we discussed our --our primary joint meeting\n6   was discussion of the program review, salmon common\n7   issues that we have salmon on the Yukon River.  And so\n8   we worked with Sara Taylor on this --on the program\n9   review and we've --we also talked with the BLM about\n10   the lifting of the 5150 or basically the State was top\n11   filed on 2.1 million acres around our community, those\n12   were lifted, the State attached to that.  That happened\n13   on --in our second meeting in February and WIRAC was\n14   meeting in Fairbanks again and we were informed that we\n15   had one month of subsistence harvest to go before that\n16   was the end of the rural subsistence priority.  It was\n17   40 below zero when the clock started.  I had to hunt\n18   caribou at 40 below zero.  When you pick --when you're\n19   dressing --you lay it on the ice for a second, your\n20   hand sticks to the knife, you're covered in frozen\n21   blood, it's not my favorite time to kill caribou, but I\n22   targeted bull caribou and specific caribou.  I learned\n23   how to hunt from Raymond Panyeak, he's an Inupiaq elder\n24   at Anaktuvuk Pass, we hunt by collar, we hunt by the\n25   health of the animal and so I got three bull caribou.\n\n27                   I am distraught when I see on Facebook\n28   cow caribou harvests.  That has to stop.  I will tell\n29   this Board again caribou don't have a calf until\n30   they're three or four years of age and they only have\n31   one calf ever, they never have a twin.  So cow caribou\n32   harvest when you got a declining population is a --\n33   it's --we're going to lose the Western Herd, I keep\n34   seeing cow caribou killed over there.  We're not\n35   killing any --I told the guys around, I've got some\n36   young guys around Wiseman, like we do not kill cow\n37   caribou.  And the bull caribou that I killed in the\n38   first of March had a quarter inch of fat, they were in\n39   good --because of the low snow and that green grass\n40   that they had underneath the snow, they're in good\n41   condition like they'd would have been at the end of\n42   May.  There's absolutely --it's one of the best\n43   conditions I've seen.  This is going to convey into the\n44   sheep population.  The sheep population is going to\n45   respond to that or be really --there's not many, but\n46   they're going to be really super healthy and\n47   productive.  So really I'm really encouraged by this. \n48   This is the first time in 12 years where we've actually\n49   had that.\n\n---\n\n28   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   Our moose population is also low.  I\n2   hunted all fall, I have to hunt when it gets cold\n3   enough to hang a moose, I hunted all fall, all the way\n4   to the 1st of October, I didn't get a moose.  The moose\n5   population --the flood put all the moose up high, the\n6   population is lower, it's about two-thirds --it's\n7   about a third lower than it used to be.  So what's\n8   going to happen now that the --our community we need\n9   access to the Gates of the Arctic National Park which\n10   is only five miles distance to the rest of us.  So I\n11   was at our Regional Council meetings I kept telling BLM\n12   we need an 810 analysis, we have issues that we need to\n13   talk to.  Back about the --when we had a Department of\n14   Natural Resource meeting about access for subsistence\n15   lo and behold there's a memorandum of understanding\n16   with the State of Alaska and it should be in your\n17   packet.  This memorandum of understanding is signed by\n18   Director Pendergast here, it's signed by the\n19   Commissioner of Natural Resources, John Boyle, Doug\n20   Vincent Lang at the Department of Fish and Game and the\n21   Commissioner of Transportation.  This document is going\n22   to --they're going to meet with our community\n23   hopefully in early June, we're going to go over our\n24   access to reach the Federal lands that --by --the\n25   Commissioner can actually sign for certain access\n26   easements into the Park, and to the other Federal\n27   public lands.\n\n29                   So right now the State has top filed on\n30   2.1 million acres, I check the mapping program every\n31   day, there's --I see no selection.  The State is\n32   eligible to select, but they haven't selected yet and\n33   we don't know --as you were saying there's other\n34   public land orders that may be lifted.  The State may\n35   actually shift some of their selection away from where\n36   the utility corridor is and may make more BLM land\n37   which would be available for subsistence use.  That's\n38   what that actions means.  So I'm acutely aware of --\n39   I'm watching daily so that I know what we can\n40   anticipate so I can work with the Department of Fish\n41   and Game, my --our area biologist, he says we don't\n42   know what's going to happen.  He doesn't want to change\n43   State regulations too quickly.\n\n45                   So I want the Board to be aware that\n46   we're sort of in flux right now about where we can\n47   hunt.  We've made a special action request to the Gates\n48   of the Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission that was\n49   finalized yesterday afternoon.  I kept running in and\n\n---\n\n7   \n33   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1   out of here, that's what --I was dealing with that\n2   issue with the coordinator for the Gates of the Arctic\n3   Subsistence.  There's an area in Unit 24A just to the\n4   north of our community, inside of the Park, you'll get\n5   that special action request and you'll deal with that\n6   at some point this summer.\n\n8                   So this utility corridor thing doesn't\n9   just affect my community, it affects Rampart, Stevens\n10   Village, Bettles, Evansville, Allakaket and Alatna,\n11   Anaktuvuk Pass and Nuiqsut.  There's people from\n12   Nuiqsut.  There's people from Nuiqsut that have road\n13   access, they drive down the road, I see where they kill\n14   caribou, I know they're taken care of, there's nothing\n15   left, they take the whole thing.  There's a gut pile\n16   there.  There's people that utilize the utility\n17   corridor, but that's not well documented because\n18   they're transitioning.  It's well documented about us\n19   because we're --we live there, we have registration\n20   permits for moose.  We will still need the Federal\n21   registration permit for the exterior portions that\n22   actually get into the Federal public lands in the fall\n23   hunt, we'll need the sheep permit for the Gates of the\n24   Arctic National Park and if the --if the --there's an\n25   area in 26B that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge\n26   comes within 400 yards of the road.  So there's an area\n27   in the Arctic Refuge that we will be utilizing as part\n28   of our --because we're being displaced from the\n29   mountains that we normally could hunt on, for decades\n30   we've hunted under Federal subsistence regulations, as\n31   of March 26th that stopped.  So we're going to be\n32   acutely aware of where we can hunt.\n\n34                   So I want the Board to be aware that\n35   we're work --we're working with the State process,\n36   we're working with whoever we can to try and get the\n37   easements we need to have the least adverse --.810 of\n38   ANILCA says it's supposed to --the analysis is\n39   supposed to come up with a --to mitigate this issue\n40   with the least adverse to the subsistence users. \n41   That's what we're trying to do.\n\n43                   So thank you very much, Director\n44   Pendergast.\n\n46                   So I --we have --our hare population\n47   is increasing, our caribou population is low.  We had a\n48   meeting of the Gates of the Arctic Subsistence Resource\n49   Commission, the Kobuk Valley and the Northwest Arctic\n\n---\n\n22   \n50\n\n1   Regional Advisory Council has decided they do not want\n2   to see any cow harvest, they are endorsing the\n3   regulations for four bull caribou.  We're --we agree\n4   to that, I will submit a proposal to the State Board of\n5   Game for Unit 24 and when we come for call for\n6   proposals next year for the wildlife cycle four bull\n7   caribou for Unit 24.  26B, the Central Arctic Caribou\n8   Herd was 34,000, it's down to 26,500.  They had a late\n9   spring, they had --they were calving into snow.  The\n10   number of caribou calves is about one out of five had a\n11   calf.  It's not going to sustain that population. \n12   Right now they have a five caribou bag limit for all\n13   hunters on the North Slope.  That means cows, bulls,\n14   calves, the whole works, July 1 to April 30th.  That is\n15   a disaster, that has to change.  If there's going to be\n16   any cow harvest there should never be --cows are in\n17   lactation all the way through the --into October.  You\n18   can't kill cows with calves in July and August when\n19   they're in lactation because you're basically putting\n20   that calf into a position of starvation or wolf fodder,\n21   one of the two.\n\n23                   So there's going to be proposals before\n24   --I'm going to submit proposals before the Board of\n25   Game to reduce the four bull caribou, there's\n26   absolutely no reason --the Porcupine Caribou Herd was\n27   100 or 218,000.  This summer they surveyed Porcupine at\n28   146,000.  It's declined 30 percent, it needs protection\n29   on the cow component.  Porcupine Caribou Herd for eight\n30   years now is coming to the Dalton Highway and it's like\n31   a fence.  When I was hunting on the roads south of --\n32   they were mostly south of Wiseman, 98 percent of the\n33   tracks came to the road and turned back, only 2 percent\n34   crossed the road.  Why is that, because they see people\n35   on the road, they don't like people, they --they\n36   bounce off that road.  It's --it's really -it's just\n37   graphic, just a --that population wants to go to the\n38   west, there's trails in the ground that the caribou\n39   follow.  The Nunimut people are like where --have you\n40   seen any Porcupine Caribou, they know they were\n41   supposed to come.  I said the road is bouncing them\n42   off, Raymond, or --and various people over there.  The\n43   herd is (indiscernible) across that road, once they\n44   cross the road there's about 150 miles of unused lichen\n45   to the west, the whole south slope of the Brooks Range\n46   is unused by caribou for over 50 years.  I know for a\n47   fact because the Western Arctic used to use that area\n48   and left in 1973 to go to the Kobuk, they've been over\n49   there ever since.  But the Porcupine Herd has used the\n\n---\n\n10   \n15   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1   Old Crow Flat all the way to the Ogilvie Mountain and\n2   now moving wants to go west and they will.  Some have\n3   gotten across there, they had a real easy winter,\n4   they're going to remember that.  They know --they go\n5   back to exactly the same places that they've had good\n6   food before, they've got a GPS in their head.  I got to\n7   have a little instrument in my hand to do that.  They\n8   do --they know exactly where they're at on the\n9   landscape.\n\n11                   So we can anticipate Porcupine coming\n12   back, the Porcupine Herd needs protection.  I will be\n13   working with the Board of Game and you will be\n14   receiving proposals also in the next wildlife cycle.\n\n16                   So that's sort of an overview of what's\n17   going on with our Council.  We have --we're going to\n18   be working with DNR and the Department of Fish and Game\n19   throughout the summer and we will be making reports\n20   back to --at our --through our fall meeting cycle.\n\n22                   So thank you, Mr. Chair.  Any questions\n23   from the Board?\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n26   Jack, for that thorough report.  Any questions from the\n27   Board or comments.\n\n## 29 MR. REAKOFF: Thank you.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n32   recommendation as well.  Judy has her hand up.  Yes.\n\n34                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n35   And one thing I neglected to mention, but it was said\n36   by several of the RAC Chairs, we really appreciated\n37   that all RAC meeting of a few years ago.  And I think\n38   all of us would probably like to see another one if\n39   that could be arranged again.  I know it's a lot of\n40   money, but very worth while.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n## 44 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Yes, Jack.\n\n46                   MR. REAKOFF:  One additional comment. \n47   You know, when we lost --we didn't --lost our fall\n48   meeting with the government closure.  When OSM wanted\n49   to have another meeting I said well, let's go for mid\n\n---\n\n0073\n15   \n18   \n26   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   December with EIRAC because we need to talk to them\n2   about this 5150 stuff and --and the salmon issues. \n3   That's cost --that's cost effective to --we --when\n4   all possible to have overlap with two different\n5   councils.  You're using the same Staff and its cost\n6   effective for the --for the program, especially with\n7   budgetary constraint.  And so I will --I --we highly\n8   enjoyed meeting with EIRAC, they are good friends over\n9   there.  And so we have commonality of issues, we would\n10   --I said I would like to have meetings with YKD at\n11   some point.  So the schedule --the coordinator should\n12   work to --trying to schedule two different Councils\n13   together if that's possible because it's effective. \n14   Three --three Councils with YKD would be even better.\n\n16                   So thank you, Charlie.  Thank you, Mr.\n17   Chair.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  I\n20   think that's a good recommendation as well.  Things\n21   happen when we get together.  So thank you guys, the\n22   Regional Chairs for the report today and giving us some\n23   insight to what the people you serve are speaking to\n24   and the issues, the animals and the conservation\n25   concerns.\n\n27                   Next we have on the agenda is --I got\n28   to flip my page, 2027 to '29, subpart C and D proposals\n29   and closure review.  We get to this.\n\n31                   MR. DUNAWAY.  Mr. Chair.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Dan.\n\n35                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you.  While we hav", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '19065a97-c209-4a4e-837c-94a3744d5431', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:36:08.657855+00:00', 'content_hash': '809c72357a8873c72c011490c22fbbfc55ec7ceca5b0f8789b12fefa50105edf'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}]}

{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_1.pdf', 'body': {'text': "0149\n2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME II\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 22, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/22/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n8   Good morning.  We're going  to go ahead and get started\n9   this  morning   with  the  Federal   Subsistence  Board\n10   wildlife meeting.   Welcome and first off  this morning\n11   we're  going  to go  ahead  and start  with  the public\n12   comment  period  on  non-agenda  items.    This  is  an\n13   opportunity for  the public  and tribes  and others  to\n14   speak to items that might  be of interest to the Board,\n15   but that are  not placed on the  agenda.  And so  we do\n16   have I think  green cards are they today?   No, they're\n17   green, they're not  blue.  So we have  green cards over\n18   here if  you want to  be recognized or Robbin  has them\n19   and  we'll call  you in  the order  of.   So appreciate\n20   that.  This is  your opportunity this morning  to speak\n21   to non-agenda  items.  If  you'd like to  be recognized\n22   online please wave your hand.\n\n## 24 Thank you.\n\n26                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr.  Chair, the first card\n27   we have is from Mr. Tom  Harris.  Is Mr. Tom Harris  in\n28   the room, I believe he signed up yesterday.\n\n30                   (No comments)\n\n32                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Tom Harris.\n\n34                   (No comments)\n\n36                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, we have a Grant\n37   Kopplin online.\n\n39                   Grant  Kopplin,   please  address   the\n40   Board.\n\n42                   (No comments)\n\n44                   MS.  LAVINE:    So  we understand  that\n45   there are  some folks  online who  are having  problems\n46   hearing.  Can we have people online say --check in and\n47   say yep, we can hear you or  --and if you can't you'll\n48   just say no, nothing.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n26   \n36   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   UNIDENTIFIED VOICE:  We can hear you.\n\n5                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you.  Grant Kopplin,\n6   please address the Board.\n\n8                   MR. KOPPLIN:  Thank  you.  Sorry  about\n9   the  technical difficulties there,  but I can  hear you\n10   guys  now and  I'm glad  I'm able  to give  my comments\n11   still.\n\n13                   My  name's Grant  Kopplin.   Thank  you\n14   very  much for allowing me  to give public comment this\n15   morning.    I'm  giving  comment  today  as  an  Alaska\n16   resident from Palmer who lives in a more urban setting,\n17   but whose family actively strives to live a subsistence\n18   based lifestyle.  The fish  and game we harvest are not\n19   supplemental,  they are  what we  rely on  to feed  our\n20   family.  I'm not alone in this, there are many families\n21   in  communities  like  mine who  depend  on  these same\n22   resources  despite  not  living in  a  designated rural\n23   area.  Like  many Alaskans we rely on  access to public\n24   resources and  land to maintain  a way of life  that is\n25   deeply meaningful to us and our families.\n\n27                   I  do want to be clear that I recognize\n28   the  need to  prioritize rural  subsistence  users.   I\n29   support more liberal  seasons and bag limits  for those\n30   communities  when  approp  --and  when appropriate  I\n31   understand that  closure may  at times  be biologically\n32   necessary.  However I respectfully ask that closures be\n33   implemented with  careful and  deliberate consideration\n34   and just as important that  they be rescinded when  the\n35   resources can support additional harvest.\n\n37                   Under  the dual  --under the  current\n38   dual management system we  have in Alaska and  it often\n39   feels  like Alaskans  are  being pitted  against  other\n40   Alaskans.   When  closures  are  implemented on  public\n41   lands  they can affect a  lot of other residents across\n42   the state who also depend  on these public resources on\n43   public lands.  At the same time  many rural communities\n44   already  have access to  surrounding tribal  or private\n45   lands  that non-local users cannot access.  These areas\n46   inherently provide reduced  competition for these rural\n47   communities and rural users.\n\n49                   Before  restricting  access  for  other\n\n---\n\n12   \n22   \n29   \n44   \n50\n\n1   Alaska residents  I strongly  urge the  Board to  first\n2   consider  limiting  non-resident,  AKA   out  of  State\n3   hunters.   That  is the  user group  that we  should be\n4   regulating  first  when  conservation concerns  are  --\n5   arise.   If current  regulations do  not allow for  the\n6   Board to  do that  then that is  something that  I feel\n7   should be reevaluated.   Greater coordination with  the\n8   Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Board\n9   of  Game  could  help  implement  targeted,   effective\n10   restrictions   on   non-Native   participation   before\n11   reducing opportunity for other Alaskan residents.\n\n13                   I also  ask that the  Regional Advisory\n14   Councils  dive into  the  data  for  their  areas  when\n15   concerns  of crowding  arise  and  see  what  the  non-\n16   resident  hunter numbers are.   I bet  it's higher than\n17   one would  think and it's happening all  over the state\n18   and all  Alaskans are feeling  that extra pressure.   I\n19   ask the  RACs to work  with the  Board of Game  to help\n20   manage this problem  while maintaining opportunity  for\n21   other Alaskans.\n\n23                   I am personally working on proposals to\n24   better manage  non-resident hunting  pressure in  areas\n25   such as the lower Yukon River and central Brooks Range.\n26   I  believe these types  of solutions focus  on managing\n27   demand and  participation rather than  broadly removing\n28   opportunity or a more balanced path moving forward.\n\n30                   Additionally I  encourage the  Board to\n31   consider tools that can  actively help rebuild wildlife\n32   populations   such   as   predator   management   where\n33   appropriate.   I  understand there  are limitations  on\n34   Federal lands,  but  there  are  areas  that  represent\n35   excellent habitat that are currently held in a predator\n36   pit.   Thoughtful  science  based  predator  management\n37   could  make  a   meaningful  difference  in  rebuilding\n38   ungulate   populations   and   supporting   long   term\n39   subsistence  opportunity.   Typically Federal  agencies\n40   have  been opposed to such practices or believe they're\n41   unnecessary, but there are a lot of cases when this was\n42   implemented  on  State land  where they  were extremely\n43   successful.\n\n45                   Ultimately   I    believe   maintaining\n46   sustainable  access for all Alaskans is critical.  When\n47   more  residents are able to responsibly engage with the\n48   land,  fish and  wildlife more  people  develop a  deep\n49   connection to these resources.   That connection builds\n\n---\n\n29   \n44   \n50\n\n1   a  stronger, broader  constituency that  will  fight to\n2   protect   Alaska's   land  and   wildlife   for  future\n3   generations.   If we  begin dividing Alaskans  based on\n4   where they live when it's not biologically necessary we\n5   risk  disconnecting people  from  the  resource.   That\n6   division not  only weakens  individual opportunity,  it\n7   weakens  all of  us collectively.    When Alaskans  are\n8   pitted against  each other  we lose  the unified  voice\n9   that has more  influence in protecting our  lands, fish\n10   and  wildlife.    Over time  being  divided  and taking\n11   opportunity away from other Alaska residents could lead\n12   to fewer people advocating for its protection making it\n13   more  vulnerable  to   pressures  like  development  or\n14   competing uses.   A united Alaska, rural  and non-rural\n15   together   is   far   stronger  of   an   advocate  for\n16   conservation than  a divided one.   To put that  into a\n17   possible real world  outcome let's say  I take my  wife\n18   and two daughters  on a float or  jet boat ride  up the\n19   Kobuk or Noatak River one  day to enjoy the country and\n20   potentially  harvest maybe two  bull caribou for  us to\n21   eat throughout the winter.  Will that have a biological\n22   impact  on the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, most likely\n23   not.  Will we have brought maybe some economic stimulus\n24   into  the area by paying locals for  help to get to and\n25   from  the airport  or  potentially  a  boat  rental  or\n26   whatever logistical support we might need to facilitate\n27   that family  trip, probably.  Will we have made amazing\n28   family memories along the way, I sure hope so.\n\n30                   Fast forward  to maybe  30 years  later\n31   and someone in the future  wants to build a road, maybe\n32   build a pipeline, mine critical minerals near the area,\n33   well, now my  family and my daughters'  future families\n34   will  think back to  the land and  people and resources\n35   and have a  tangible connection and  be an advocate  to\n36   protect  these places.   Without  ever  having had  the\n37   privilege  to experience and harvest and connect in the\n38   area, maybe the Western Arctic Caribou Herd and western\n39   Brooks  Range feels like another country that they were\n40   never allowed to experience so what's it matter to them\n41   if they need to mine  copper from the headwaters of the\n42   Kobuk or whatever other drainage  may be at risk in the\n43   future to development or competing uses.\n\n45                   I thank  you all.  Hope  you understand\n46   the point I'm  trying to make that  when other Alaskans\n47   are able to utilize and appreciate these areas and land\n48   and resources  it's ultimately  going to  just build  a\n49   bigger base  of people  to advocate  and protect  these\n\n---\n\n8   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n50\n\n1   places.\n\n2           So  moving forward I  just respectfully ask the\n3   Board   to  pursue   solutions   that  promote   unity,\n4   cooperation, and shared stewardship between Federal and\n5   State  managers   and  between   rural  and   non-rural\n6   Alaskans.  We all care deeply about these resources and\n7   we're stronger when we work together to protect them.\n\n9                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n10   consideration.  And  again I'm just asking  that moving\n11   forward  when   considering  closures   or  potentially\n12   reopening opportunity  for others  that we're  doing so\n13   out   of  a  place  --out  of  concern  whether  it's\n14   biologically  necessary or if  it's just an  attempt to\n15   keep  other people out.   And I  just want  you guys to\n16   know  and  think  about there's  lots  of  other Alaska\n17   residents that are  going to be negatively  impacted by\n18   these  decisions  and  that I  think  dividing  us when\n19   unnecessary  is just  going to  create future  problems\n20   down  the  line.    So  thank you  for  the  Board  and\n21   everybody in the meeting today for allowing me to speak\n22   and give you my comments though.\n\n## 24 Thank you for your time.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Appreciate that, Grant,  and appreciate you  taking the\n28   time to call in and share your concerns.\n\n30                   Anyone from the Board, any questions.\n\n## 32 Oh, Frank.\n\n34                   MR.  WOODS:   Yeah,  you mentioned  the\n35   dual management process  in Alaska, we manage  resource\n36   for all Alaska on  the State side and rural  preference\n37   for Federal  lands.  The  definition of that  is really\n38   critical because number  1 this Board has  to represent\n39   the  rural  preference  subsistence  priority  and   if\n40   subsistence isn't doing well nobody's doing well.  Just\n41   because  I live in Alaska  doesn't entitle me the right\n42   to go  wherever I want  to.  That entitlement  is gone.\n43   Every piece of land and  every piece of property is now\n44   spoke --I  work in the land department  day job and we\n45   go  in the recorder's office and that recorder's office\n46   is so busy they  can't keep up with land transfers.  If\n47   you look at  every community and every  economic driver\n48   in  this state the commercial fishery industry is taken\n49   up by non-residents who are not separating people, this\n\n---\n\n7   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n42   \n50\n\n1   is  not a  --this is  not a statement  to separate and\n2   divide our  people in the  state of Alaska.   Alaska --\n3   State  of  Alaska  now  manages  for  the  sports,  the\n4   recreation,  the guide  industry  and those  guides and\n5   State and commercial  fisheries are about  70 to 80  if\n6   not 90 percent owned by non-residents of Alaska.\n\n8                   Number 2,  the economic  in this  whole\n9   thing we are now fully engaged in the westernization as\n10   Alaska's grown-up.  The  corporate structure is hitting\n11   Alaska  to  its fullest,  we are  the last  frontier to\n12   invest  in, grab  market  share  and utilize  resource.\n13   Just because I live in  Alaska doesn't entitle me to go\n14   wherever I  need to.   We forget  that we have  to work\n15   together  and  help  and protect  and  manage  a Alaska\n16   resource for all Alaskans, not just for who I choose or\n17   not who I decide to side with  or not what career I end\n18   up.  I'm a commercial fisherman, I'm also a resident of\n19   Alaska.   I was  a guide  for six  years.   I'm also  a\n20   subsistence  user.    So those  many  hats  have to  be\n21   delineated in meetings like this and I --I applaud you\n22   for trying to keep us together and the best way we  can\n23   do that is keep at the table and keep working.\n\n25                   Thank   you   for  your   comments,   I\n26   appreciate it.\n\n## 28 Thank you.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  And\n31   again thank  you, Grant, for  calling in.  Is  there --\n32   the next card that we'd call on.\n\n34                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  In\n35   the room the next person to testify is Craig Chythlook.\n\n37                   Craig, please address the Board.\n\n39                   MR. CHYTHLOOK:  Good morning.  Sorry, I\n40   didn't  hear my name, there was a side conversation and\n41   I totally missed it.\n\n43                   Yeah, thank you, everybody.  Mr. Chair,\n44   members  of  the  Board,  it's  an  honor  to  be here.\n45   Definitely   wanting  to  start  out  as  my  boss  did\n46   yesterday  with  the  recognition  of  our  elders, our\n47   leaders and continue  to thank  them for  all of  their\n48   years of  creating this path,  paving the  way for  our\n49   meaningful  engagement   and  participation   and  just\n\n---\n\n4   \n15   \n26   \n31   \n32   \n50\n\n1   creating that clear vision  for organizations like  the\n2   one I'm currently representing, giving that opportunity\n3   for us to continue the work.\n\n5                   So good morning  again, members of  the\n6   Board.  My name is  Craig Chythlook.  I'm the Executive\n7   Director of the Yukon River and Tribal Fish Commission.\n8   A little bit of background about myself.  I'm,  Yup'ik,\n9   my Yup'ik name  is Kaviak and sitting behind  me are my\n10   parents, Joe  and Molly Chythlook  that we got  to meet\n11   and be  so graciously  recognized by  Member Woods  and\n12   very happy and  honored to be here and  that they're my\n13   folks and  that we're  all from Bristol  Bay and  we've\n14   been there for a long time.\n\n16                   Really thankful and grateful for having\n17   the  opportunity  to  speak on  non-agenda  item.   I'm\n18   thinking  about fisheries  at a  wildlife  meeting.   I\n19   think   I   was    really   listening   carefully   and\n20   intentionally  yesterday about  the different  regional\n21   reports and thinking about the discussion and listening\n22   to the debate regarding the  proposals.  And one of the\n23   things  that  was very  obvious  to my  parents  is how\n24   important salmon are to everyday life, to every chapter\n25   of our life.  So just really grateful to be here.\n\n27                   I would just like to share a little bit\n28   about our organization.  This  is really a time to kind\n29   of  introduce  our  Fish  Commission  and  our  growing\n30   excitement  to continue to participate here at the FSB.\n\n33                   So the  Yukon  River  and  Tribal  Fish\n34   Commission is currently  comprised of 44  member tribes\n35   authorized  by  tribal resolution  whose mission  is to\n36   protect  the health and  well-being of our  people, our\n37   future  generations and all  Alaskans and Canadians who\n38   rely on the health of our salmon.  After a  decade long\n39   incubation as a program of the Tanana Chiefs Conference\n40   Yukon  River and Tribal  Fish Commission was  born as a\n41   stand-alone  501(c) organization in March of 2025.  The\n42   purpose of the Commission as stated in our constitution\n43   is to act  as a unified voice for  the conservation and\n44   restoration  of all Yukon  River fisheries, protect our\n45   traditional ways  of life  and well-being,  establish a\n46   comprehensive  management   plan  program   based  upon\n47   distinct customary and traditional indigenous knowledge\n48   and  practices  while  striving  for  co-management  to\n49   ensure  meaningful  and  substantive  First  Nation  --\n\n---\n\n3   \n13   \n34   \n42   \n50\n\n1   tribal and First Nation participation in all aspects of\n2   fisheries stewardship.\n\n4                   We have three main goals and priorities\n5   that  came directly through  consensus from all  of the\n6   tribes  who  have  signed  onto  our  resolution.    To\n7   strengthen organization infrastructure  and governments\n8   building   our  institutional   capacity,  develop   an\n9   intertribal  cooperative  agreement  with  Federal  and\n10   State agencies  to achieve  co-management and  to build\n11   intertribal  unity  and  collaboration  to advance  our\n12   subsistence ways of life.\n\n14                   So I'm  really new  especially to  this\n15   Board.   FSB, the  RAC system and really  in my role at\n16   the Yukon River and Tribal Fish Commission.   I started\n17   working November  7th.   On  November 17th  we had  our\n18   first Board of Fisheries meeting so it's been kind of a\n19   nonstop  barrage  of   regulatory  meetings,  executive\n20   council meetings and nowannual meeting prep sincethe --\n21    since   the  beginning.    So  it's  been  an  amazing\n22   experience being  here, learning our organization.  I'm\n23   loving  the  opportunity  to work  for  the  tribes and\n24   thinking about our goals and  the objectives and how we\n25   can continue  to  unify and  think  about some  of  our\n26   existing MOUs with BIA looking at the gravel to  gravel\n27   initiative.  And why I'm so excited to be here  now and\n28   looking  forward to participate as an individual and as\n29   Staff within our organization  using the priorities  of\n30   subsistence as rural preference as a framing as to like\n31   how  we're going to  continue to participate  and think\n32   about collaborative management of  our salmon resources\n33   in perpetuity.\n\n35                   So I really  appreciate the discussions\n36   that were happening around the table here yesterday.  I\n37   am really excited  about the opportunities to  meet the\n38   goals,  the objectives  and the  opportunities of  this\n39   Fish Commission  to meaningfully engage  and assert the\n40   tribes' perspective  and rationale  into every  step of\n41   the way of governance.\n\n43                   So just  to give  a quick update  about\n44   what's  been going  on in the  last handful  of months.\n45   We've  really built up  our infrastructure.   Coming on\n46   board we had three Staff, by the end of this next month\n47   we'll have  seven.  So  using that gravel to  gravel as\n48   the framework  we're building  up our  ability to  take\n49   care of home, to build unity within the watershed.  And\n\n---\n\n17   \n28   \n37   \n50\n\n1   this  last  February  we worked  really  hard  to build\n2   consensus with a handful of other  tribal organizations\n3   that  unify over  a  150 tribes  at  the North  Pacific\n4   Fisheries Management Council and the Board of Fish, the\n5   area M  meeting.  Through tribal  consultation, through\n6   intentional collaboration and communication and regular\n7   get togethers to  have meaningful discussion about  how\n8   we're   going  to  come  to  consensus  when  we  don't\n9   necessarily always agree on an agenda item.  And really\n10   proud to  be a  part of  those discussions  and getting\n11   that  leadership and  guidance  from my  boss,  Charlie\n12   Wright.   A lot of  the leadership within  the interior\n13   and up  and down  the Yukon and  just listening  to the\n14   wants, the wills  and the priorities  of our tribes  to\n15   make sure  that we are  leading with love  and building\n16   consensus based off of our indigenous values.\n\n18                   And so  we're --we're  building up our\n19   infrastructure at home, we're advocating and so many of\n20   the  comments and  the  concerns  that  I  heard  about\n21   trawling,   about  bycatch,   about  intercept,   about\n22   hatcheries, we're  fighting really hard in those arenas\n23   and hiring  Staff  to meaningful  engage,  provide  the\n24   communication  directly to  our  tribes  so that  we're\n25   building  their   capacities  up  to   make  meaningful\n26   decisions and contributions to policy decisions here at\n27   the Egan Center that impact their daily life.\n\n29                   I  intentionally didn't  give any  real\n30   regional reports  and  updates because  we all  already\n31   heard  it.  The thoughts, the issues, the concerns from\n32   our leadership up  there on the  Board and Charlie  and\n33   Jacque and Jack and Jack Keith.  We've got the regional\n34   reports, we know  the concerns, they're the  exact same\n35   conversations that are  happening over  at the  Captain\n36   Cook right now at the YRDFA preseason meeting.\n\n38                   So I'll kind of end with the last hopes\n39   and  the goals and  the intention of  our organization,\n40   why I'm so  excited to bring a lot  of this information\n41   back   here  in  the  future  is  that  we're  building\n42   consensus  within the watershed  on how we're  going to\n43   manage  the returning  or a  rebuilding  of the  stock.\n44   We've --we heard quite a bit of information  yesterday\n45   about extirpation, the real  serious concerns about not\n46   having the ability  to potlatch, to give  a first name,\n47   to give a first dance, to bury your dead, to honor.  So\n48   we --we've heard  a lot about  the concerns  about --\n49   regarding a lack of salmon.  One of the things  that is\n\n---\n\n4   \n20   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   consistently  talked about over and over and over again\n2   is we can't  be fighting over the resource  in times of\n3   such stress.\n\n5                   So really looking  forward to the  next\n6   12   months,   24  months,   five   years  within   our\n7   organization to build  that consensus  and that  unity,\n8   our  own collaborative  management with  U.S.  Fish and\n9   Wildlife  and   ADF&G,   to  assert   the   will,   the\n10   expectations,  the  analysis  of  our  tribes  to  make\n11   meaningful decisions  on how --what that conservation\n12   looks like  within the watershed  with one  voice.   So\n13   really forward to  that, to spending time  in Alakanuk,\n14   in Beaver, in the communities that we represent growing\n15   those understandings,  building those  relationships so\n16   that   when  we   come  back   here   our  voice,   our\n17   organizational stance and position  is fully reflective\n18   of the  44 and hopefully  growing tribal  organizations\n19   that we represent.\n\n21                   So  again  I  don't  want  to  take  up\n22   anymore  time,  but  just   really  grateful  for   the\n23   opportunity  to  introduce ourself  and  recognize even\n24   during a  wildlife cycle how  important, like how  I --\n25   how  I view  every  chapter  of the  book  that is  us,\n26   salmon's in there  somewhere.  So just  really grateful\n27   for  this  opportunity  to  see  so  many  smiling  and\n28   familiar  faces versus maybe at a Council meeting where\n29   who knows  where folks  are coming from.   And  that --\n30   when  we get  to  an agenda  item it's  not  a 30  page\n31   presentation or we're not having to do an analysis over\n32   thousands and thousands  of pages of NEPA analysis.  So\n33   this  has been  really  nice,  I'm  really  loving  and\n34   enjoying  my  first  FSB  meeting  and  really  looking\n35   forward to engaging more.\n\n37                   So thank you.  With that I'm --I could\n38   go on and on and on, but I'll.....\n\n40                   Thank you.\n\n42                   (Applause)\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n45   Craig.  We  appreciate that kind of  morning testimony.\n46   That kind of gives us a little --little energy, right,\n47   that we see  you out  there uniting  and bringing  that\n48   voice  forward  and representing  the  family you  come\n49   from.   So hats off to you and  yeah, we'll --I'm sure\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n50\n\n1   we'll be seeing an awful lot of you and we really  as a\n2   Board lean a lot on those  relationships that are built\n3   on  the ground because that's where  the trust is built\n4   and then we do the best we can to receive that here and\n5   act  on,  you know,  when  we  have  unified  voice  in\n6   especially something like salmon that's such a critical\n7   part of our culture and  community.  So appreciate  you\n8   guys' work and effort.\n\n10                   Thank you.\n\n12                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chairman.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.\n\n16                   MR. REAKOFF:  May I make a comment?\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   The floor  is\n19   yours.\n\n21                   MR. REAKOFF:  Western Interior Regional\n22   Advisory  Council's worked  with Kuskokwim  InterTribal\n23   Fish Commission  to  a great  extent,  we're  extremely\n24   proud and happy to have the InterTribal Fish Commission\n25   in  the  Kuskokwim  working  for  the  benefit  of  the\n26   subsistence resource  and the  subsistence users.   I'm\n27   super excited to  see the Yukon River  InterTribal Fish\n28   Commission  being  formed and  look forward  to working\n29   with your organization.\n\n## 31 Thank you.\n\n## 33 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Raymond.\n\n35                   MR.  ONEY:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chairman.\n36   First of all I want to  thank you real quick for taking\n37   on the position.  I  know --and thank TCC for  running\n38   this program for  the Yukon.   I know it's been  on and\n39   off  for a  number of  times  so I'm  glad that  you've\n40   accepted the position and I'm very thankful that you're\n41   here for this meeting for this organization to hear you\n42   and to look forward to  seeing you again in the future.\n43   And also with the YKRAC, I chaired there for many years\n44   so  I'm hoping  that  they'll  invite  you over  in  --\n45   probably in their  fall or winter meeting.   So I think\n46   bringing unity to the tribes in our area is much needed\n47   knowing that we  have a disaster  that's, you know,  in\n48   front  of our eyes.   So I thank  you and setting those\n49   goals and hoping that you  guys will get off the ground\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n12   \n19   \n24   \n50\n\n1   and so I thank you  for all the work that  you're doing\n2   and also for TCC for running the program.\n\n4                   Thank you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Yeah.   Thank\n7   you  for  the  kind  words.   Appreciate  that.   Next,\n8   Robbin.\n\n10                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n11   Next person in the room is Brandy Standafer.\n\n13                   MS. STANDAFER:   (In Native).   My name\n14   is Brandy, I  come from the  Native Village of  Tyonek.\n15   I'm sure a lot of you guys or the elders know where the\n16   Tyonek  is,  but  we  are  49  air miles  southwest  of\n17   Anchorage on the west  side of Cook Inlet.   We are the\n18   only village on the west side of Cook Inlet.\n\n20                   I wanted to  speak on three things.   I\n21   am a kid,  I am too young to be speaking on these three\n22   things.  Please forgive me if I offend you, that is not\n23   my intention.\n\n25                   We  have the  due  processes that  have\n26   been  put  in  place  by  legislative  feat,  different\n27   parties.  We  have to do this a certain way, we have to\n28   go through  this door  a certain way,  we have  to jump\n29   through that hoop a certain way.   Recently our Federal\n30   subsistence has been targeted and we have been hit hard\n31   by these protocols, by  these committees, this advisory\n32   board, State,  local.   I'm a  third generation  orphan\n33   from the Kenai  area.  In the 1900s  our chief said one\n34   day the power's going to be in numbers.  1920 andthe --\n35    all  the  illness,  things we  were  never  exposed to\n36   killed off  a lot of  our people.   He sent  around the\n37   hunters to gather  --go check on all  of our villages.\n38   There is seven of them, but there is traditionally nine\n39   relative  villages of Tyonek.  We  are a migrating clan\n40   where  we travel with the season around the Cook Inlet.\n41   He  went and collected anybody  that was still alive in\n42   this area, come move  to Tyonek.  One day the  power is\n43   going  to be  in numbers.   Since  then and  Tyonek was\n44   established  way  before  the  statehood,  some of  our\n45   government to government agreements were created  right\n46   around statehood.   Our  tribe was  20, 30,000  strong.\n47   After  the  sickness that  hit this  area in  1920 that\n48   number went way down.   There is one original last name\n49   of my tribe, all the rest of us were adopted,  chose to\n\n---\n\n9   \n33   \n50\n\n1   live there, chose to learn that lifestyle.  We are born\n2   with that lifestyle.   I would say at  least 90 percent\n3   of   my  food   consumption   comes   from  the   land.\n4   Historically,  traditionally our  only  income is  when\n5   everybody started turning to  the monetary value, we're\n6   majority, almost 100 percent, commercial fishermen.  We\n7   came  into that,  why, because  times  change and  this\n8   world it takes money to make it keep on spinning.\n\n10                   Why I  bring that  up and  I heard  the\n11   young gentleman before,  the one on the  telephone, our\n12   most unregulated area, our hunting and fishing and I do\n13   not ever  like  to  mix  subsistence  with  any  to  do\n14   commercial.   And  as a  self preference  that's  why I\n15   don't sell beads, I don't sell hides, I don't sell furs\n16   because  that itself is  a monetary  value that  all of\n17   your  pocketbooks together  is not  enough.   They  say\n18   they're running out of  fish or elders are not  getting\n19   the food  that they  used to 30  years ago.   Community\n20   saying oh, they don't see a certain fish or like I said\n21   we're the only village on  the west side of Cook Inlet.\n22   Our little, tiny rivers could fit right here between me\n23   and you has been shut down for kings for over 30 years.\n24   We don't  mind that  because it's  saving what  we have\n25   left.   We  all have  to remember  that story  that was\n26   gifted to us from our grandparents and they were gifted\n27   it from their grandparents, we, the people that walk on\n28   the land, we manage it,  we've done it for millenniums.\n29   So I'm --I don't care  that our little, tiny river  is\n30   shut down for the last 30 years for kings, why, because\n31   maybe in 30 more years there will still be kings thanks\n32   to our one little river.\n\n34                   And  I bring  this up because  State of\n35   Alaska doesn't  really --the Department  of Fish  and\n36   Game and the State of Alaska  in my very young time has\n37   been reckless when it comes  to the regulation of these\n38   commercial  industries,   sports  fishing,   commercial\n39   fishing.  I've always been  the oh, like how could they\n40   issue so many license to not only, you know, residents,\n41   but non-residents.  It's appalling and it's --I'm kind\n42   of embarrassed by my own state.  You see it on the news\n43   we're  hurting,  we're  hurting   and  lack  of   fish,\n44   emergency closure and  when we have our  own leadership\n45   not  taking in  consideration how  many does 500  --my\n46   uncle did  some numbers, math,  and I could  have never\n47   thought  of that, but  to issue over  500,000 licenses.\n48   Oh, but they're worried, they're going to shut us down,\n49   the people that live here 365 days, for this very  --I\n\n---\n\n5   \n28   \n44   \n50\n\n1   wouldn't say inconsiderate  industry of commercializing\n2   our food.  I  have no idea of  who this Board,  Federal\n3   Subsistence Board  consist of and  I pray you  all live\n4   here in Alaska 365 days a year.\n\n6                   That was my  --that's Topic  Number 1.\n7   To close that part out,  why isn't this Kenai River and\n8   Ship Creek and all the  other creeks --that's scary --\n9   I'm grateful I don't have  to stand elbow to elbow with\n10   my neighbor or just another citizen of United States of\n11   America to get my food for that  day.  And don't get me\n12   wrong, I know  about the sports fishing  and commercial\n13   fishing.   I was born on this  Cook Inlet and the water\n14   took my  pinkie when I  was nine  so I know  that life.\n15   The State of Alaska, they want to shut down our little,\n16   tiny river, but  leave these rivers open.   On the east\n17   side  they  got the  Cook  Inlet taking  god  knows the\n18   amount  of fish  out of  that water  every day  for the\n19   whole --well,  Alaska we barely get  three months, 12,\n20   15 weeks of  summer.  We  don't even  like to go  visit\n21   family  that's  on  the road  system  on  the peninsula\n22   because   it's   clogged    with   traffic.      That's\n23   heartbreaking.   Not last  year, the year  before, they\n24   did shut down the Ship Creek for like the middle to the\n25   end  of the  king season,  why  not 20  years ago  when\n26   people, tribal members,  Alaskan residents raised  this\n27   concern 20, 30 years ago.\n\n29                   So our next --my  next one is we --we\n30   have  to  go  through  different  entities,   different\n31   committees, different  commissions, there's  the Alaska\n32   Fish and Game, to get  paperwork in you guys' big book.\n33   Where I  come from we  have a government  to government\n34   agreement  when  it comes  to  our Federal  subsistence\n35   rights  which  I  stated  at  the  beginning  that  was\n36   created,  signed  by  the Federal  government  in early\n37   statehood.   Since  then  our --the  State of  Alaska\n38   violated that.  And we --I --we're raised  you're not\n39   supposed  to  talk  to  elders  like  that  or  you  do\n40   something,  you say something  and that's it.   Without\n41   prior authorization and  consultation they have  tooken\n42   not  only  one day  of our  week so  now they  bring --\n43   they're taking away two days of our subsistence days.\n\n45                   Our village is big.  We have maybe less\n46   than  1,500 of  us,  but  my  daughter's  grown,  she's\n47   blessed  me   with  a   grandchild,  you   know,  great\n48   grandchildren.   To have multiple  households, multiple\n49   families living in a household and the State of Alaska,\n\n---\n\n23   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Board of Fish and Game tell us we have one day  a week,\n2   the  season.   They  would not  consider the  day, they\n3   would not  consider our  tide.  Our  tide if  you don't\n4   know in  the Cook  Inlet it's six  hours in,  six hours\n5   out.   I'm  sure that's  everywhere  the coast  touches\n6   Alaska.   The  only  difference  is  some  beaches  are\n7   slightly  slanted,  some beaches  are  very  steep, but\n8   we're grateful we get six hours going out and six hours\n9   coming in.  Mind  you the current in the Cook  Inlet is\n10   one of  the strongest in  the world.  We  can only fish\n11   coming  in  tide.    Some  of   the  State  of  Alaska,\n12   Department of Fish  and Game, Board of  Advisors, never\n13   consider.  Then we said okay, then why don't we do that\n14   one day  a week, have it  a 24 hour  --have it  for 24\n15   hours  that one  day a  week.   To  me that's  reckless\n16   because  I don't  --I  don't know,  I  mean, I  can't\n17   guarantee I'm going  to fill up  my smokehouse in  two,\n18   three weeks  out of our  12 week summer season,  our 12\n19   week where  we have to  fish, hunt, gather  our plants,\n20   our material, our berries, our  --there's got to be 10\n21   of me if I'm  going to do that in  12 weeks, one day  a\n22   week.  That was my topic number 2.\n\n24                   My third one aligns  with the last one.\n25   Our  elders are founders  of the  State of  Alaska with\n26   partnership with all of our  tribes who used to all sit\n27   at this table and  many other tables like this  created\n28   our  laws,  regulations,  they  had  a  whole  line  of\n29   lawyers, record personnel and I seen  you guys' book on\n30   how oh, we want to change  and do this and rewrite this\n31   or  I --if they  weren't real,  100 percent  it would\n32   never have made it into that final draft.  And you guys\n33   in  leadership position or on this fancy Federal Board,\n34   please consider the  laws as they were written.   I was\n35   raised where  you make a decision you're  going to live\n36   with that decision.   Oh, there's no oh,  20 years down\n37   the road of we're going to change it  to look like this\n38   or to fit this narrative or the --no.  To me and how I\n39   was raised that  is a weak --you look weak if you want\n40   to  take something  so powerful  and  so sacred  to our\n41   people and to  rewrite it.  That's like  --that's like\n42   spitting  on something  our people  once  held dear  to\n43   their heart.\n\n45                   Thank you  very  much.    I  appreciate\n46   every  single one of you.  I  pray for every single one\n47   of you.  And please forgive  me if I offended anyone of\n48   you or any member in this room.\n\n---\n\n0165\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n14   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n4   Brandy.  Any comments from the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n9   testimony this morning.\n\n11                   MS. STANDAFER:  Thank you, sir.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. STANDAFER:  You're brave for  being\n16   the Chair.\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n19   that, yeah.   It  takes patience.   Thank you  for your\n20   testimony.  I'll also be brave  enough to remind people\n21   we have  a long agenda  and as we stated  that we would\n22   like to be mindful of  maybe around eight to 10 minutes\n23   if we're passionate, shorter and brevity and pointed if\n24   you're  here to  move something  up the  chain.   So we\n25   would appreciate that.\n\n27                   Thank you.\n\n29                   MS.  LAVINE:   Next  in  the  queue  is\n30   Sterling Spilinek.\n\n32                   Sterling, please  come and  address the\n33   Board.\n\n35                   MR. SPILINEK:   Hello,  everybody.   My\n36   name's Sterling Spilinek, I  am the Wildlife  Biologist\n37   for  Ahtna InterTribal Resource Commission.  I just had\n38   two  topics  I wanted  to  touch  on.   One,  I  wanted\n39   everyone on  the Board  to consider  in your  decisions\n40   through  this  meeting  the NPS  proposed  rule  that's\n41   coming through, make  sure that whatever  decisions you\n42   make that you keep that in mind.  In the six years that\n43   I've been doing  this work up in Alaska  and looking at\n44   almost  every single Federal  Register that affects our\n45   area,  this NPS  proposed  rule  is  by  far  the  most\n46   convoluted, most confusing and most vague public record\n47   that  I've  been   a  part  of.     I've  reached   out\n48   collaborators,   I've   reached   out   to   regulatory\n49   specialist,  I've  reached  out to  organizations  that\n\n---\n\n6   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1   special --specialize  in policy and there  seems to be\n2   no clear consensus on what it does and what the impacts\n3   might be.   Even asking  some of  our Federal  partners\n4   what to  get some  insight into it,  it just  makes the\n5   water more muddy.\n\n7                   So the second thing I wanted to mention\n8   is  I did  get reached  out to  by quite   few  Federal\n9   partners and  agencies  about  the  collaborative  hare\n10   snare  project that AITRC, ADF&G and UAF conducted from\n11   2020 to 2022.  We do have a density estimate for  bears\n12   within GMU  13.   I  am unable  to  share any  of  that\n13   information with this  Board at this time based  on our\n14   data  sharing  agreement  we  need  to  have  consensus\n15   between all  the collaborators  and we  have not  heard\n16   back from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  So I\n17   apologize  for  that,  but  as  soon  as  we  get  that\n18   information we will  be sharing it with  the management\n19   agencies.\n\n21                   And  that's all that I had for you guys\n22   today.  Do you have any questions?\n\n24                   Thank you.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Appreciate it.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n32   taking the time this morning to share that.\n\n34                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair,  next in  the\n35   queue is Tom Harris.  Tom Harris, are you in the room?\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, next  in the\n40   room is Mr. Rick Delkitty.\n\n42                   MR. DELKITTY:   Hello, my name is  Rick\n43   Delkitty, I'm  from Nondalton.   I'm  well over  10,000\n44   generation Athabaskan.   I  fought Pebble  for over  20\n45   years  and those presentations  that I did  during that\n46   time  is  exactly  what  we're  talking  about   today,\n47   cultural, customary and traditional  values and it goes\n48   back a  long way.   We  have birthdays,  anniversaries,\n49   holidays and these times I have to hunt.  And we share.\n\n---\n\n6   \n31   \n34   \n37   \n40   \n50\n\n1   In my younger days I would hunt for my aunts, my uncle,\n2   my grandma, my  grandpa, mom  and dad.   If my dad  was\n3   here today  and at this forum  he would go home  and he\n4   would  write   letters  to  the   Alaska  Congressional\n5   Delegation with concerns and maybe some ideas.\n\n7                   The sports fishing industry, the Alaska\n8   Department of  Fish and  Game,  they sell  quite a  few\n9   sport  fishing licenses.   The resources that  they are\n10   after cannot sustain that kind of numbers.  If you look\n11   at the historic resources of Alaska whether it's in the\n12   water  or  walking   around  on  the  land   it's  been\n13   diminished,  some  of  them collapsed.    You  guys are\n14   charged with making  determination on these  resources.\n15   That determination  made today needs to have definition\n16   of  sustainability for tomorrow.   And to  have success\n17   with  that  for  tomorrow you  have  to  understand the\n18   history.  And in the '50s  and the '60s they called  it\n19   the abundant land, the land  of plenty.  It's no longer\n20   like that.   I witnessed a lot  of changes in my  time.\n21   I'm  not far  --very far  away  from being  70 and  I\n22   witnessed  changes as I --traveling through time.  And\n23   these  changes  are   alarming.    Some  of   them  are\n24   escalating  at a very fast rate.   Where I'm from I can\n25   no longer hunt for caribou.  Now them hunters are going\n26   to the Brooks Range to hunt caribou.   Do you guys know\n27   how many  caribous we  killed in  2020,  211,000.   Now\n28   let's take  a close  look at  that number,  that's what\n29   ADF&G's  reporting.    These   resources  have  natural\n30   adversaries.\n\n32                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n33   interference).\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Could   you\n36   please mute the line, please.\n\n38                   Sorry  about  that, we  keep  getting a\n39   leak in the audio here.  Now you have the floor.\n\n41                   MR.  DELKITTY:   Okay.    These caribou\n42   they have natural  adversaries that they rely  on them.\n43   They also during  mating they are fighting  each other,\n44   the  bulls.   Sometimes one bull  would kill  the other\n45   bull or  they would lock  the horn and they  can't come\n46   apart so  they don't  make it.   That's  another number\n47   adding to --oh, no, it was 21,000 caribou harvested in\n48   2020.  So  you add that number  to that.  Then  you add\n49   another  number where the  calves don't make  it, that'\n\n---\n\n13   \n20   \n27   \n39   \n50\n\n1   another number.   And then  you add another to  that, a\n2   good  portion  of them  are going  to die  from natural\n3   causes.   Then that's  also one  more, climate  change.\n4   And  I'm a  witness to  that.   In  2014 in  Nondalton,\n5   December it rained  most of the night.  Before daylight\n6   the weather changed to below  zero, it was a cold snap.\n7   It  killed a  lot of  fur bearing  animals.  This  is a\n8   regular trend now.  We see  rain in December and we see\n9   rain in January.  That never  used to be when I was  in\n10   elementary  school.    So  these  changes  have  to  be\n11   recognized by  you guys that  are making determinations\n12   on these resources.\n\n14                   The moose in  2020, there was 7,000  of\n15   them harvested and it parallels the caribou.  They have\n16   natural  adversaries,  they  butt  heads,  some of  the\n17   calves don't make it and climate change have an adverse\n18   impact.  Everything,  all fur bearing animals  and even\n19   in the water.\n\n21                   Now let's take a look  at sport fishing\n22   industry.  The  State of Alaska, they're going  to sell\n23   all the licenses  that they can.  Oh,  and getting back\n24   to  the  hunting  there's also  a  permit  hunting that\n25   individuals can apply for.  So that's another number to\n26   add to that.\n\n28                   The fishing, there's  approximately 350\n29   lodges  in the  state of  Alaska.   And  let's stick  a\n30   number on that,  clients.  A lodge can --they take --\n31   this is a  very conservative number, eight  clients per\n32   weeks.   Now there's four weeks  in a month.  They have\n33   four  months  of fishing.    So  do  the math.    These\n34   resources  can't  sustain  these kind  of  numbers.   I\n35   witness  --I'm  a witness to  rivers where  there's no\n36   longer fish and there's more coming online that's going\n37   to be the same way.  You guys are in charge, we look to\n38   you guys for leadership.\n\n40                   The Alaska Department  of Fish and Game\n41   in my view they don't understand us because I see where\n42   resources, renewable  resources that  collapsed, Kodiak\n43   king  crab, Bering Sea crab, Mulchatna Caribou Herd and\n44   it's got their  names written all over it.   My wish is\n45   that  you guys  work with  them  and when  they have  a\n46   meeting  you guys  are there.   And  I know  that's not\n47   going  to  happen.    In  1959 they  didn't  allow  the\n48   indigenous  community to  vote.   Here  in just  recent\n49   times  the  State of  Alaska finally  recognized tribal\n\n---\n\n15   \n18   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1   institution.     There's  something  wrong   with  this\n2   picture.    The  Sierra  Club  and  the  Sport  Fishing\n3   Association have a lobbyist that go to Juneau and lobby\n4   the Legislature  and tell  them what they  want.   That\n5   discriminates against me.   It's really sad to see that\n6   the leaders  of this country  don't recognize us.   And\n7   the only time seems like that they recognize us is when\n8   it's time to vote.  You guys have responsibility to the\n9   indigenous  community in the  state and these resources\n10   are on their  way to diminish, some  of them collapsed.\n11   We  look to you  guys for guidance  and help.   We have\n12   thousands  of years  of customary  and traditional  use\n13   knowledge.   We are at arms length from these resources\n14   and we understand them.\n\n16                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n17   interference).\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Could you mute\n20   that line, please.\n\n22                   MR.  DELKITTY:  So I thank you guys for\n23   your  service, your  dedication.   I come  here  with a\n24   heavy heart.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:      I   truly\n29   appreciate  your  testimony this  morning  and bringing\n30   that perspective to the room.  You know, we all need to\n31   be reminded  of why  we're here and  the history  of it\n32   because it  bears a lot  of weight  on how  we do  make\n33   those decisions.  So I appreciate that this morning and\n34   definitely apologize for  the technical difficulties we\n35   keep having that are causing slight disruptions.\n\n37                   So  thank   you  for  your   time  this\n38   morning.  Is  there anybody  from the  Board who  would\n39   like to make comment, statement.\n\n41                   (No comments)\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n44   Thank you.  We appreciate your time.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n47   Before we get  into the next  presentation we have  the\n48   southeast  students here to introduce themselves to the\n49   Board.\n\n---\n\n9   \n12   \n14   \n27   \n50\n\n1                   I  would like to make a request for all\n2   of you listening  online, occasionally throughout  this\n3   morning's testimony  we  have  been  interrupted  quite\n4   loudly by different processes going on.  I want to make\n5   sure that you all know how to mute your phone line.  So\n6   please check that your phones  are muted and you can do\n7   so by pressing star, six on your phone.  If you  are on\n8   Teams also make sure that your microphone is muted.\n\n10                   Thank  you.   Mr.  Chair,  I'd like  to\n11   request Heather Bauscher approach the table.\n\n## 13 Thank you.\n\n15                   MS.  BAUSCHER:   Good  morning.   Thank\n16   you, Mr. Chair, members of the Board.  I'm delighted to\n17   be  here with  another group  of  students through  the\n18   University of  Alaska Southeast, Policy  and Procedures\n19   class  about navigating  the Federal  Subsistence Board\n20   process.  My  name is Heather  Bauscher, I'm the  rural\n21   resident  of  Petersburg, Alaska.    I'm  the Fisheries\n22   Community   Engagement   Specialist   for   the   Sitka\n23   Conservation  Society working  with communities  across\n24   southeast  Alaska  and  an  adjunct  professor  at  the\n25   University  of Alaska  Southeast teaching  these policy\n26   classes.\n\n28                   I'm  here today  with another  group of\n29   students.  I'm very excited  and grateful to be able to\n30   bring them to this meeting once again.   Special thanks\n31   for  Forest  Service  for  the  continued  support  and\n32   funding, Ashley  Bulworth has been  helping to instruct\n33   these classes.  This continues to be supported by folks\n34   in the  Tongass Subsistence  Program.   Thank you,  Rob\n35   Cross and Greg Rishdahl.   A number of you in this room\n36   have also  called in to  the class to help  support the\n37   students so  I want to  say thank you to  Mr. Chairman,\n38   Tony Christianson, Rhonda in the past, Jerry spent some\n39   time with them yesterday over lunch and Frank Woods too\n40   so  thank you  so much.    Your interactions  with them\n41   really help  make  this  experience  a  positive  first\n42   experience in this  space.  And a  note on some of  the\n43   aspects of  this class,  it's an experiential  learning\n44   course so all of the assignments are about building the\n45   skills needed to be effective in these spaces.  So some\n46   of their assignments include giving testimony and  they\n47   will  be  coming  up  next  after  me  and  we've  been\n48   preparing this for the last two weeks and  they're very\n49   excited  to share.   They also have  to collect contact\n\n---\n\n0171\n9   \n12   \n15   \n21   \n30   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   lists for networking purposes  and they're required  to\n2   do  a couple  interviews.    So  please  interact  them\n3   throughout  the meeting  so they  can accomplish  those\n4   assignments.  And their final paper is about picking an\n5   issue of  their choice.   So  they're also supposed  to\n6   talk to  everybody on  all the  different sides  of the\n7   issue.  So  please be willing to talk to them and share\n8   your perspectives on the different proposals.\n\n10                   So  without further  ado  I'm going  to\n11   turn it over to the students.\n\n13                   MS.  LAVINE:    Next  on  our  list  is\n14   Dettrich Lewis.  Dettrich.\n\n16                   MR.  LEWIS:  Thank  you, Mr.  Chair and\n17   the  members of the Board.  First I would like to thank\n18   all of  you for giving  me this opportunity as  well as\n19   UAS.  My  name is Dettrich Lewis, of course,  I am here\n20   from Hoonah and I'll be representing myself.\n\n22                   While  I  do  not  hunt  personally  my\n23   family has consumed  deer and other subsistence  use --\n24   subsistence resources my whole life  as a vital part of\n25   our  diet.   These resources  are a  vital part  of our\n26   traditions and  our cultural practices and  they matter\n27   because they show that people are capable of living off\n28   the land in a way that is respectful and sustainable as\n29   they have done since time immemorial.\n\n31                   I'm  concerned  about the  winter  kill\n32   from  this particularly  harsh season  that  all of  us\n33   across  southeast  and  the  rest  of  the  state  have\n34   experienced.  We do not know --we do not yet  know the\n35   full  extent of the damage, but anecdotal evidence from\n36   hunters shows  that possible  die-offs and poor  health\n37   for the survivors  have happened.  I urge  the Board to\n38   be open  to limiting  the deer hunt  for out  of region\n39   hunters and non-Federally-qualified  subsistence users.\n40   The  people of rural  areas rely on  these resources to\n41   feed their  families and  we cannot  be competing  with\n42   non-rural  hunters if  the  numbers  drop.    If  these\n43   resources  decline it  would  be  devastating  for  the\n44   people of my community and the rest of southeast.\n\n46                   Thank you for hearing my testimony.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n49   Appreciate  your  time coming  in, appreciate  you guys\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n21   \n26   \n37   \n50\n\n1   stepping  up and,  you  know,  engaging  in  the  Board\n2   process.  So keep it up, partner.\n\n4                   MS. LAVINE:  Next we have Lucas Sterns.\n\n6                   MR. STERNS:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n7   and members of the Board.  My name is Lucas Sterns, I'm\n8   a sophomore at Wrangell High School and I have lived in\n9   southeast  Alaska  my  entire  life.    Today  I'll  be\n10   representing myself as  a subsistence fisherman, hunter\n11   and  constant  user  of  salmon.    I  enjoy  trolling,\n12   gillnetting, alpine  hunting for Sitka black  tail deer\n13   and moose hunting on the  Stikine River.  A change that\n14   I see  in trolling for  salmon is that it  continues to\n15   get harder and harder to  go out and get salmon because\n16   areas around my community continue  to be shut down  to\n17   the  resource.  Communities  on the inside  passage are\n18   restricted due  to stocks of  concern and to  allow the\n19   trans-boundary  fish to make it to the spawning grounds\n20   where mines are being built at the headwaters.\n\n22                   I  feel that  these resources  are very\n23   important  to preserve because I  don't want to live in\n24   an  Alaska where my kids and my  kids' kids do not have\n25   access to them.\n\n27                   I'm  also going to be talking about the\n28   designated  hunter program in our region.  This program\n29   is  very important because  it ensures that  elders and\n30   people  with disabilities and those who cannot hunt for\n31   themselves can  continue to have access  to traditional\n32   foods.   Southeast relies heavily  on this system and I\n33   believe it should  remain in place.   However there are\n34   increasing  concerns  that  this  program  could  allow\n35   hunters using these permits to expand their subsistence\n36   harvest opportunities beyond what is intended.\n\n38                   In  our area  a person  can  go up  the\n39   Stikine, shoot an illegal moose, return to town, obtain\n40   a designated hunter tag or return to the river to shoot\n41   yet another moose.  Occasionally illegal animals can be\n42   harvested  without  consequences tied  specifically  to\n43   designated  hunter  privileges.   This  could  begin to\n44   create  a strain on moose populations if enough illegal\n45   moose  are killed.    One  possibly  solution  to  this\n46   problem  could  be  to  adopt  a  tiered accountability\n47   system  where minor  violations result  in warning  and\n48   more serious  violations such  as  shooting an  illegal\n49   moose could  lead to a  one year or more  suspension of\n\n---\n\n0173\n9   \n14   \n18   \n23   \n25   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n50\n\n1   designated  hunting   privileges.     Another  possible\n2   solution  would  be to  limit  the number  of  people a\n3   designated hunter  can serve  each year  with room  for\n4   tribal  or community  exceptions  when needed.    These\n5   changes would  enhance the  program's effectiveness  by\n6   reducing   misuse   and   protecting   wildlife   while\n7   maintaining access for people who rely strongly on this\n8   resource.\n\n10                   Thank  you,  Heather Bauscher  and  Kim\n11   Harmindarious, for helping me to bring this opportunity\n12   to my  town and  giving me the  ability to  attend this\n13   meeting.\n\n15                   Thank you, Mr. Chair and Board for your\n16   time  and consideration as  well as the  opportunity to\n17   speak to you all.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n20   Appreciate your presentation this morning and good luck\n21   with  your  class.    Any  questions  from  the  Board,\n22   comments.\n\n24                   (No comments)\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   And  good luck\n27   with your sports seasons too.  If you get out  and know\n28   the  kids you  get  to find  out  what they  do  in the\n29   background.  So.....\n\n31                   MR. STERNS:  Thank you.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     .....that's\n34   good, we got a lot in common when you're an Alaskan.\n\n36                   MS. LAVINE:  Next we have Ki Wick.\n\n38                   MR.  WICK:    Hello,  Mr. Chairman  and\n39   members of the Board.  I will be representing myself as\n40   a subsistence user.   My name is Ki Wick and I've lived\n41   in  southeast  Alaska  my  entire  life.    I  am  from\n42   Wrangell,  Alaska.    I  enjoy   hunting,  fishing  and\n43   trapping.  I also really enjoy fishing commercially and\n44   sport  fishing with  my friends and  family.   I really\n45   enjoy  fly  fishing  in freshwater  for  steelhead  and\n46   trout.   I didn't really  get into hunting until  I was\n47   about 10  years old.   I really enjoy hunting  deer and\n48   grouse  and spending time in nature  with my family and\n49   friends.\n\n---\n\n21   \n26   \n29   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   Today I  will like  to speak about  the\n2   designator hunter  program  and hunting  by  proxy  for\n3   other  people.   One of  my main  concerns is  that the\n4   current  system allows  individuals to  obtain multiple\n5   tags  sometimes by  printing  or  purchasing them  from\n6   people who do not hunt.  This creates a situation where\n7   a  single person could  harvest an excessive  amount of\n8   deer  which   may  negatively  impact  the  local  deer\n9   population in  the fear --in the near future  and for\n10   future generations.  I believe there should be stricter\n11   regulations  in place including limits on the number of\n12   tags  an individual  can  use.   There  should also  be\n13   consideration   of   an   age  restriction   or   other\n14   qualifications to  ensure responsible  participation in\n15   the  program.  Additionally  there are open  --ongoing\n16   concerns  about illegal hunting  practices such as road\n17   hunting, spotlighting and  poaching.  These  activities\n18   by  bad actors not  only violate regulations,  but also\n19   contribute to an  unsustainable harvesting that impacts\n20   responsible users of the resources.\n\n22                   I respectfully ask  the Board to review\n23   these  issues  and consider  implementing  changes that\n24   will  change and help  protect the deer  population and\n25   promote fair, ethical hunting practices.\n\n27                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n28   consideration.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n31   that presentation.   And  I like the  way we  have some\n32   solutions built in.  So any questions from the Board or\n33   comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n38   Thank you, Ki.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next on our list is James\n41   Erickson.\n\n43                   MR. ERICKSON:  Mr. Chair and members of\n44   the Board.  My name is James Erickson, I'm from Hoonah,\n45   Alaska  and  I've  lived there  my  entire  life.   I'm\n46   representing myself as a lifelong subsistence user  and\n47   I'm a hunter and fisherman and I come from a commercial\n48   fishing family  where I grew  up fishing for  kings and\n49   cohos on my grandpa's troller.\n\n---\n\n13   \n22   \n26   \n29   \n32   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   I am  concerned about the  impacts that\n2   large scale industrial trawlers have on  the population\n3   of salmon in particular.  Many people in  the community\n4   rely  on fishing  for income  and  due to  conservation\n5   concerns in the  spring if people  from Hoonah want  to\n6   catch  king salmon  they have  to travel  well over  40\n7   miles instead of  going to more accessible  areas which\n8   will  become even more  difficult with the  fuel prices\n9   going up.   I feel  that this  has had  a pretty  harsh\n10   impact  on the local trolling community and people that\n11   fish  king salmon  for  subsistence because  our region\n12   hasn't had a spring king opener in years.\n\n14                   I  would  like  to  see these  concerns\n15   addressed  by  greater  collaboration  with  the  North\n16   Pacific  Fisheries Management  Council and  support for\n17   changes in  the amount  of  bycatch per  season or  per\n18   trip.  I  also think that a  change in the size  of the\n19   net or other  modifications would also be  a reasonable\n20   change that could  limit the impact that  trawlers have\n21   on fish populations.\n\n23                   I'd like to thank you for your time and\n24   consideration and  the opportunity to speak  before you\n25   here today.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n28   Appreciate that presentation.\n\n30                   MS. LAVINE:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n31   Next in the queue is Jora Sovlind.\n\n33                   MS. SOVLIND:   Good  morning, everyone,\n34   Mr. Chair  and members of the  Board.  My  name is Jora\n35   Sovlind, I'm from Hoonah, Alaska and I've lived in  the\n36   southeast my whole life.  I'm speaking on behalf of the\n37   subsistence user.   I grew up spending time  out on the\n38   boat hunting and fishing with my family, mostly my dad.\n39   And it's always  been a big part of my life.  It's very\n40   important to  me and  I want my  kids to have  the same\n41   experiences.   Some of  the best  memories didn't  just\n42   come from catching  a deer, but spending  time with the\n43   people who I enjoyed that  with.  Being outdoors is one\n44   of the main things  to do in  southeast and I love  it.\n45   It's easy to take that for granted.  This is why I want\n46   to  share my  concerns about  the impacts  of the  past\n47   winter  on   the  deer  population  in   the  northwest\n48   Chichagof area.\n\n---\n\n14   \n27   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   Over  the last  couple winters  --over\n2   the last couple years  winters have been hard  all over\n3   southeast compared to  earlier years.  And  this season\n4   in  particular brought cold  temperatures and a  lot of\n5   snowfall that made it hard  for deer to access food and\n6   find  enough to eat.   As of March,  2026 we also broke\n7   our all time seasonal snowfall record with close to 201\n8   inches recorded.  Because of these conditions many deer\n9   were lost.   From what I've seen and  heard from others\n10   in the  community there  are noticeably  fewer deer  in\n11   that area and  the ones I have seen  have looked skinny\n12   and had less fat.   I'm concerned that the harsh winter\n13   will impact the population in the seasons upcoming.\n\n15                   I  ask that  the Board  take  this into\n16   consideration   when    reviewing   future    proposals\n17   concerning deer bag limits and access to issues in  the\n18   northeast  Chichagof area.    Given these  conditions I\n19   believe that four deer per  person is more than enough.\n20   In  a  two person  household  a  limit  of 12  deer  is\n21   excessive.    We've harvested  three  deer  in multiple\n22   winters and hadenough to feed ourselves inthe season --\n23    throughout  the  season  while  still  harvesting  and\n24   giving  others  to  family  members.    Based  on  that\n25   experience I  would support reducing  the harvest limit\n26   from six to four deer.\n\n28                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n29   consideration.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n32   Appreciate your testimony this morning.  Any  questions\n33   or comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Well  done.\n38   Thank you.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:     Next  we  have  Julian\n41   Narvaez.\n\n43                   MR.  NARVAEZ:    Thank  you,  Chairman,\n44   members of the Board.  My name is Julian Narvaez.   I'm\n45   a resident of  Hoonah and I work for  the Hoonah Indian\n46   Association and this is my third time bringing students\n47   to these meetings.  I want  to say thank you to Heather\n48   Bauscher and  her team and  I want to give  everyone on\n49   the  Board and everyone else here thanks for evaluating\n\n---\n\n0177\n5   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n48   \n50\n\n1   our youths' voices.  I  think our students have impacts\n2   into listening  skills  during these  meetings  and  it\n3   helps volumes as  you know when it comes  time for them\n4   to speak they are held in high regard.\n\n6                   So thanks again.  This experience stays\n7   with them and  hopefully means that they  keep engaging\n8   with  the process throughout their lives and, you know,\n9   involves their families, it involves people  they know,\n10   hopefully  there's  people  adding to  our  --I think\n11   there's people in  Hoonah right now that  are listening\n12   in so thanks to them  and this whole process, you know,\n13   we've been able to widen the engagement.\n\n15                   So thanks, everyone.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n\n18   Julian.  Questions, comments.\n\n20                   (No comments)\n\n22                   MS.  LAVINE:     Next  we  have  Keenan\n23   Sanderson.\n\n25                   MR.  SANDERSON:     Good  morning,  Mr.\n26   Chairman, Federal Subsistence Board.  For the record my\n27   name is Keenan Sanderson.   I come by way of Ketchikan,\n28   I was born and raised there, but I have a lot of family\n29   in Prince of Wales, particularly in Hydaburg and Craig.\n30   And I wanted to talk to you about two different things.\n31   First and foremost  I'd like to thank  Heather Bauscher\n32   for her support of the students that were able to speak\n33   to you this morning.   She's put together an incredible\n34   program and this is my first time being able to support\n35   her and here  students through the Federal  Subsistence\n36   Board process and  I can tell you it --what they have\n37   been able  to put together  is incredible.  And  I just\n38   hope that, you know, we're  able to continue to do that\n39   in the  future  both  for  our Southeast  RAC  and  the\n40   Federal  Subsistence Board, but also in hopes that this\n41   opportunity may be extended to other regions around the\n42   state as --from one year of  being able to be directly\n43   involved in this process it has been  really awesome to\n44   see  what these  kids have  put  together within  their\n45   testimony and their  assignments to get ready  for this\n46   meeting.  So  I just want to really  commend the people\n47   who put that program together.\n\n49                   One other thing  that I  would like  to\n\n---\n\n38   \n50\n\n1   really discuss  while I have  the floor is --isn't --\n2   isn't something  that  necessarily is  the--under  the\n3   direct purview of the Federal Subsistence Board, but is\n4   within the  world  of some  of  the entities  that  are\n5   affiliated  --not  affiliated, but  that are  involved\n6   with the  Federal Subsistence  Board process  including\n7   the  Department of Fish  and Game and  Federal agencies\n8   and that is  the oncoming invasive European  green crab\n9   problem  that's happening in southeast Alaska.  I first\n10   learned  about this problem  about three or  four years\n11   ago and  really learned  a lot of  it with  my own  use\n12   program that  I run back  home in  Ketchikan when  they\n13   wrote  up about a 15 page resource project on potential\n14   impacts   from   invasive   European   green  crab   on\n15   traditional foods in southeast Alaska.  And let me tell\n16   you it is a bit horrifying to see what has  happened in\n17   other regions  around the world and how  quickly it has\n18   happened and  how much it  has impacted the  local food\n19   sources in  other areas.  I  don't have the most  up to\n20   date numbers, but I do have a couple of numbers I would\n21   like to  share with you.   In Haida Gwaii  they --they\n22   first  observed their first European green crab in 2020\n23   and  between  that time  they  were able  to  develop a\n24   pretty  strong removal  program down  there  and as  of\n25   October of 2024 they have removed over  1 million green\n26   crab from their  waters.  One million and  that --that\n27   is just what  they removed, but that was  within a four\n28   year time  frame.  It  is very scary how  quickly their\n29   population  can explode.  They were then first observed\n30   in Alaskan waters  in 2022 within the  Metlakata Indian\n31   community.   And I don't remember the exact number, but\n32   within their first  two years of their  program they've\n33   caught tens of thousands of crabs within their small --\n34   relatively  small jurisdiction.   Also  very horrifying\n35   because  Metlakata  Indian community  is very  close to\n36   where I live  in Ketchikan and were I  have family over\n37   in Prince of Wales.\n\n39                   And  the reason  why  I bring  this  up\n40   because  I  do  feel  like  entities  like  the  Alaska\n41   Department  of Fish and Game  and the Fish and Wildlife\n42   Service  and  to a  lesser  extent  some of  the  other\n43   Federal agencies, this is --this is an issue that more\n44   people need  to be  paying attention  with and  putting\n45   effort  and   resources  into  mitigating   the  issue.\n46   Invasive  European green  crab  are problematic  for  a\n47   number of  reasons.   They eat  just about  everything,\n48   clams,  other crab,  and  a ton  of  other things  that\n49   Alaska Native people found need to sustain their way of\n\n---\n\n2   \n34   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n50\n\n3                   And   in  particular   one  region   of\n4   southeast    that   I    think    is   going    to   be\n5   disproportionately impacted  by this  invasion compared\n6   to other  places it is  pretty much anyplace  that also\n7   has  sea otters.   There are  large populations  of sea\n8   otters because in those places where and I often use my\n9   home community  of Hydaburg  as an  example,  a lot  of\n10   people there really rely onindigenous crab for their --\n11    to  practice  their  way  of  life  and  they've  been\n12   hammered  really hard by  the nuisance species  that is\n13   sea otters.  It's --hasn't been --that problem alone\n14   hasn't  been dealt  with in  an effective  way  to help\n15   benefit traditional food  resources, but if you  add in\n16   invasive  European green crab it is going to completely\n17   annihilate  dungeness crab  populations.    And I  know\n18   there are several entities that are working on it.  I'm\n19   very thankful  for the  Metlakata Indian  Community for\n20   doing  a  lot  of  good  work in  their  region.    The\n21   Ketchikan Indian Community's also starting to develop a\n22   program  of  which  I'm  very  thankful  for  and  then\n23   entities like  Alaska Sea  Grant and  some places  down\n24   south are doing a lot of  good work as well, but it  is\n25   my  hope through whatever funding avenue, whether it be\n26   Federal appropriations, more  effort through the  State\n27   budget or  if we're lucky  to get several  large grants\n28   that every community has the  infrastructure and people\n29   to help deal with this  problem with --in every single\n30   community across  Alaska because unfortunately  it's --\n31   there's not really  much we can do  to stop it, but  we\n32   need to work  on mitigating this  issue before it  gets\n33   out of hand.\n\n35                   There's  a lot more  that I can  say on\n36   that, but I just wanted to use this opportunity because\n37   I know there are several people who represent State and\n38   Federal agencies here that can and do have the power to\n39   help these communities with this problem.\n\n41                   And with that  that is all I  have, Mr.\n42   Chair.  Thank you for your time.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n45   Keenan.  Yes, Frank.\n\n47                   MR. WOODS:  Comment.  Thank you for the\n48   youth  and your  testimony.   Under  the Marine  Mammal\n49   Protection Act  I  think  would  be  a  good  venue  to\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n13   \n18   \n38   \n50\n\n1   challenge  you and  your  youth group  to  look at  co-\n2   managing, addressing the Marine  Mammal Protection Act,\n3   co-management  agreement  between the  tribes,  Federal\n4   government and the  State of Alaska.  I  see a solution\n5   as part of it and being it forwarded is important.  And\n6   great  testimony and leadership in the last couple days\n7   to your youth.  Thank you, Heather, again and southeast\n8   group there.\n\n10                   Thank you.\n\n12                   (Applause)\n\n14                   MR.  SANDERSON:    And   just  for  the\n15   record, Mr. Chair, I did  --forgot to put this at  the\n16   start of my testimony.  I'm representing  myself and no\n17   other entity.\n\n19                   MS. BAUSCHER:   I  failed to  mention a\n20   few things earlier.  My name  is Heather Bauscher again\n21   for  the record.   I  also wanted  to thank  the adults\n22   helping  to support the students and mention the hybrid\n23   model we're  working with  now.   Hoonah was the  first\n24   remote cohort and they've  been participating for three\n25   years now.  I --so big thank you to Julian Narvaez and\n26   Jackson Cones.   There's other adult  participants with\n27   support from  Tlingit and  Haida and  the Alaska  Youth\n28   Stewards Program.  We now have participants from Prince\n29   of Wales, Angoon.   Two  of those  folks will  probably\n30   speak tomorrow.   One is listening online  because they\n31   weren't  able to  attend in  person,  but we're  really\n32   trying   to  build   these   cohorts  in   these  other\n33   communities  and this  all started  in  Sitka about  10\n34   years  ago, but  now we  have  Sitka, Hoonah,  Wrangle,\n35   Petersburg and the  hopes of bringing on  through these\n36   adults  that are now  participating folks in  Prince of\n37   Wales and Angoon in the future.\n\n39                   I also wanted  to say thank you  to the\n40   Southeast RAC.  I failed  to mention that earlier.  Don\n41   has been a  supporter for years and often  calls in and\n42   talks  to the  students.   And  it's  really only  been\n43   because of the support of  the members of the  Regional\n44   Council  in Southeast that  this program has  grown the\n45   way it has.   And I appreciate their continued  support\n46   and adding it  in the annual report  every year because\n47   that's what allowed this to continue and to expand.  So\n48   also  thank you  to  the Seward  Peninsula  RAC.   They\n49   recently requested a presentation.  Thank you, Louis.\n\n---\n\n21   \n23   \n26   \n28   \n50\n\n1                   So we're  looking at  ways that we  can\n2   expand  this  and  I  also  wanted  to  add  thanks  to\n3   everybody  that showed up  at the reception  last night\n4   and   interacted  with   the   students,  it's   really\n5   meaningful as you can see.   And I mentioned last night\n6   that there is a teaching guide and I will have physical\n7   copies of this  teaching guide in the back  of the room\n8   this afternoon.  So come talk to  me if you want one of\n9   those,  I want  to keep  everybody's contact so  we can\n10   track  where  they're  going,  but  that  is  really  a\n11   combination of all of the work over the last decade and\n12   all  the contributions of everybody in  this room.  You\n13   all  have  contributed  to  this  program  whether  you\n14   realize it or not.   So that's what's been attempted to\n15   capture  in  this guide  and  it's  really more  of  an\n16   offering  that is  meant to  be  built upon  so I  hope\n17   others can use it and we're looking forward to  finding\n18   ways to collaborate  to support folks across  the state\n19   being more engaged in helping to bring their youth into\n20   these spaces.\n\n## 22 So thank you very much.\n\n## 24 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you,\n\n25   Heather.  And we truly do appreciate that.\n\n27                   (Applause)\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yeah, we truly\n30   appreciate  the  students  and  their  engagement   and\n31   continued  involvement and  the  testimony they  placed\n32   here was things that were  close to their heart and the\n33   way of life  that they live.   And so it's good  to see\n34   that they mix that both with, you know, where they come\n35   from and  the management side of it,  you know, getting\n36   the bells  and whistles in the  book.  And we  use this\n37   training and a traditional guardian program as well and\n38   some of the stuff like we're getting pictures right now\n39   of real time  green crab training going on  in that and\n40   buckets  full of green  crab training going  on Met and\n41   buckets full  of green  crab they're  picking up as  we\n42   speak, right.  And so there's other spaces that they've\n43   been  educating and  doing  outreach  in  and  actually\n44   handing,  you know, front line workers which are tribal\n45   employees those  tools so that they can apply and start\n46   to  address resource  management  issues in  real  time\n47   rather than let's keep talking about  it and passing up\n48   sometimes  to leadership that don't grab paper and move\n49   tools and punch keyboards, right.  So we're looking for\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n50\n\n1   this keyboard  lawyer next  generation that can  really\n2   dial down these issues and make it pertinent to protect\n3   your  way of  life because  this is  your Alaska  so we\n4   appreciate you guys' enthusiasm.\n\n## 6 I think we have --oh, Jack, yes.\n\n8                   MR. REAKOFF:   Mr. Chair, I worked with\n9   Heather  Bauscher  for  years  on  this   project,  did\n10   interviews,  virtual  interviews   with  her  students.\n11   She's  funded  through   the  Agricultural  Department,\n12   Forest Service.   I feel that DOI needs to not run OSM,\n13   but DOI  needs to prime  the program like this  for the\n14   rest of  the state of  Alaska so  that we can  have the\n15   same kind  of  effect on  our --you see  the kind  of\n16   quality commentors we're getting out of these students,\n17   we are  asking for young people to  join these Regional\n18   Councils and this is --this has --this is the funding\n19   source is  necessary so I  would --if  DOI's listening\n20   they need to cough up  some money for a program similar\n21   to this for the rest of Alaska.\n\n## 23 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n26   Jack, and appreciate the comments.  We do have two more\n27   public this morning, two green cards.\n\n29                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n30   have two more people who  signed up for testimony and I\n31   would  remind everybody  that  this  is an  opportunity\n32   that's available every morning.  And so after these two\n33   I imagine we can proceed with the meeting.\n\n35                   Next  on  our list  is  Emily Edenshaw.\n36   Emily, please address the Board.\n\n38                   (Pause)\n\n40                   MS.  EDENSHAW:    (In  Native).    Good\n41   morning.   I apologize.  I  was having a heart to heart\n42   with my president.   Good morning.  My  English name is\n43   Emily Edenshaw.  I am both Yup'ik and Inupiaq.  I  am a\n44   tribal citizen  of the Native Village of  Emmonak.  I'm\n45   also a  shareholder of Doyon  and Calista.  I  was also\n46   ceremonially  adopted  an  old (indiscernible),  I'm  a\n47   Raven Thunderbird woman.  I  have the honor to serve as\n48   the  CEO and  tribal administrator of  Ketchikan Indian\n49   Community.  I  have some prepared remarks that  I would\n\n---\n\n2   \n27   \n50\n\n1   like to share with the Board.\n\n3                   So good  morning (in Native)  Chair and\n4   members of the  Federal Subsistence Board.  My  name is\n5   Emily Edenshaw.  I serve as the Tribal Administrator of\n6   KIC.  I come before  you today with both a professional\n7   responsibility  and a personal  conviction.  I  want to\n8   begin by sharing something deeply personal.  I am truly\n9   proud, proud  to live  in a rural  community.   That is\n10   something I did not grow up with, I did not always have\n11   consistent  access to the land, to traditional foods or\n12   to the  systems of knowledge  that many  here know  are\n13   foundational  to  who  we  are  as  indigenous  people.\n14   Because  of that I  carry a firsthand  understanding of\n15   both sides  of what  it means  to be  disconnected from\n16   subsistence and our  traditional ways of life  and what\n17   it  means  to reclaim  them.   I  have  experienced the\n18   struggle of  not having access,  of not knowing  and of\n19   trying to find your place.   But I also have experience\n20   of success, of  learning, of harvesting,  of processing\n21   foods  for the family in Hydaburg  and in Ketchikan, of\n22   reconnecting to culture and of seeing what happens when\n23   a community has access to  its resources.  This is what\n24   rural --this is what  rural Alaska represents.   It's\n25   not just geography,  it's identity, it is  survival and\n26   it is continuity.\n\n28                   And  in  Ketchikan,   Ketchikan  Indian\n29   Community it is the heartbeat of our community.  We are\n30   not just  a tribal government,  we are the  provider of\n31   essential  services, a cultural anchor and for many the\n32   bridge between hardship  and stability.  Whether  if it\n33   is  healthcare,  food  security,  shelter  or  cultural\n34   programming we are  there every day meeting  our people\n35   where they are.  Subsistence is not theoretical for us,\n36   it is lived, it is practiced and it is necessary.  That\n37   is why  I am here today with a  very clear request.  On\n38   behalf  of  Ketchikan  Indian Community  I  ask  you to\n39   reaffirm  and   to  protect  the   Federal  Subsistence\n40   Management Program as it was  intended.  I ask that you\n41   keep the Federal  Subsistence Board intact.  I ask that\n42   the Office of  Subsistence Management  remain where  it\n43   is,  grounded  in  the structure  that  understands and\n44   prioritizes rural  needs.   And importantly  I want  to\n45   emphasize that the current rural designation process is\n46   working.  It is functioning as it was designated to and\n47   designed to, grounded  in data, law and  lived reality.\n48   It  provides  a  clear  and  consistent  framework  for\n49   determining eligibility and it should remain as is.  We\n\n---\n\n6   \n34   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   should not be reinvesting or weakening a system that is\n2   already doing  what it  was intended to  do.   And most\n3   importantly  I ask you to uphold rural priority because\n4   without   rural  priority   there   is  no   meaningful\n5   protection of subsistence.\n\n7                   I  would also like  to --I  would also\n8   like to go on record and say that a unified system that\n9   requires  Alaska Native people  and rural  residents to\n10   give  up  their  Federally protected  priority  is  not\n11   unity,  it is  erasure.    The  rural  priority  exists\n12   because it must, it is  a recognition backed by law and\n13   history   that  rural   communities  depend   on  these\n14   resources  not for sport,  not for recreation,  but for\n15   survival.    We  cannot  ignore  that  reality  without\n16   causing real  harm.   Federal management  exists for  a\n17   reason.   It was established to ensure that subsistence\n18   users, particularly in rural Alaska, are protected when\n19   State  systems fail to meet that obligation.  Weakening\n20   that  framework  would not  create  fairness, it  would\n21   create inequity.   I urge  you to stay grounded  in the\n22   original intent of this program, protect the structure,\n23   protect the process and protect the priority and please\n24   protect  the people because  for a community  like mine\n25   this is not about policy language, it  is about whether\n26   our  children,   my  children,   will  have   the  same\n27   opportunities  to  learn,  to harvest  and  to  live in\n28   connection  with the land,  with our cultures  and with\n29   our  communities.   I stand  here today  not just  as a\n30   leader,  but as someone who has  had the opportunity to\n31   find her  way back  to our lifeways  and who  now works\n32   every  day  to ensure  that  others do  not  lose them.\n33   Please I ask you all to stand with us.\n\n35                   Thank you for your time,  thank you for\n36   your service and thank you for your commitment to rural\n37   Alaska.  (In Native)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n40   Emily.  Any questions or comments for Emily.\n\n## 42 (No comments)\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n45   testimony this morning and the work you do in our area.\n\n47                   MS. LAVINE:  This  is our last speakers\n48   to provide testimony today are Joe and Molly Chythlook.\n\n---\n\n27   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   MR. CHYTHLOOK:  Well, I guess I've been\n2   chosen by Joe and Molly's family to say a few words.  I\n3   don't  have  anything  written   and  I've  heard  most\n4   everything that's --that has been said for many years.\n5   Both my wife and I have spent  a good share of our life\n6   serving in  the public  sector, both  on the  State and\n7   Federal   level   and  then   also  with   our  village\n8   corporations  and  our regional  corporations,  AFN and\n9   several different  Boards that's we've got into.  And I\n10   just want to get up here and say that I appreciate what\n11   you guys are trying  to do.  You're part of  a group of\n12   people  that   have   been   appointed   by   different\n13   governments  or in this case our Federal government, to\n14   try  to  make  this Federal  subsistence  work  for all\n15   people that  are involved here.   And from  my personal\n16   experience  as Regional Coordinator  for Bristol Bay on\n17   the  Board of Fish and  Board of Game  level I know how\n18   hard it is to be in a position where you are and at the\n19   same time, you know, what you have heard is reality and\n20   people have been able to come up and tell you what they\n21   feel, what  they think  is important.   And I  think in\n22   your  position you realize that --how important it is,\n23   tradition.   And sometimes, you know, people think that\n24   just because they  come up here and  say something that\n25   things  are going to  change overnight.   And  that has\n26   never happened in my --in my lifetime.\n\n28                   I guess I've been a Yup'ik for about 83\n29   years  and  when I  was --when  I was  born I  --and\n30   started  realizing what was happening I spoke my Native\n31   language and  what  I didn't  realize  is that  in  the\n32   village of Togiak which had moved from the east side to\n33   the west side,  and as a result  the government reneged\n34   their responsibility to our people and did not move the\n35   school building  from one  side to the  other.   So for\n36   about  20 years  there was  no education offered  to my\n37   older brothers and others about that age that his group\n38   that could have been educated for 20 years.  Finally in\n39   19  --I  couldn't remember,  1954,  '52, somewhere  in\n40   there, '52  I was nine  years old, one of  our churches\n41   started a school in Togiak and another one too.  And as\n42   a result the government realized that they had --maybe\n43   they ought  to get back  and do something.   And that's\n44   how  --somehow I  think governments  overlook problems\n45   that the  people have  when they  don't understand  the\n46   affects that may cause on a community.\n\n48                   And  having been part of the process in\n49   trying  to address some of these concerns I realize how\n\n---\n\n16   \n29   \n50\n\n1   hard  it is  and  also  realize how  much  --it  is  a\n2   sacrifice too when you're appointed to sit on the seats\n3   where  you are  because  it  takes a  lot  of time  and\n4   effort.   However the responsibility  still stands that\n5   after you're here  --once you're here that  you try to\n6   determine what would be the  best answer to some of the\n7   concerns that you heard people express for last several\n8   days or so.   And it's a  tough job, folks, but  I know\n9   that you can do it.  What  I also appreciate about this\n10   Board is that there's a  lot more younger Native people\n11   sitting on this Board.  When I first attended a Federal\n12   Subsistence  Board  meeting  a few  years  back  it was\n13   composed mainly of government people.  Now we have some\n14   people  who  are  representing  us from  our  different\n15   regional communities.  And I appreciate that.\n\n17                   And  also just  from a  blurry today  I\n18   also realize that things  change through the years.   I\n19   have --my wife and I have been married for going on 59\n20   years.  There's things that makes  a difference that in\n21   spite of  a change when  you're relating to  people you\n22   need  to make a commitment for a lifelong relationship,\n23   as long as you can to try to help people in the instant\n24   that you are faced in.   You know, my wife and I  we've\n25   raised three boys and we're proud that  we've been able\n26   to at least give them some instruction in life to where\n27   I think when we pass on I hope that they  will continue\n28   to be responsible to help people wherever they can.\n\n30                   And,  you know, I could have said a lot\n31   of things either positive or negative about the process\n32   here, but having  been involved and I notice that there\n33   are things that need to be fixed.  As an Alaska  Native\n34   when  the State of  Alaska came into  play my immediate\n35   family on my father's side being living in Togiak  were\n36   the first to  be arrested by people for  trying to hunt\n37   in the traditional way that  they used to hunt prior to\n38   statehood.    And that  created a  rift for  many years\n39   between   our  people  and  the  State  of  Alaska  and\n40   sometimes a misunderstanding to  all agencies in trying\n41   to help  our people.   Because  we thought telling  the\n42   people  and spending time prior to closing Round Island\n43   and turning  it  into a  State sanctuary  they and  the\n44   Native people in Togiak were not able to understand why\n45   they  were arrested.   And so  when Molly and  I got to\n46   work in the  --in the 2000s,  my --my job  started in\n47   1988 I think  it was, 2000 --yeah, 1988  and Molly was\n48   prior  to that  and we  spend time  trying to  help our\n49   people  to understand, you know, given time process can\n\n---\n\n6   \n25   \n37   \n39   \n49   \n50\n\n1   work, but in  order to make it  work we have to  try to\n2   understand where everybody's coming from and listen and\n3   then  try  our  best  to  I  guess  come  up  with  the\n4   regulations  that will  address  what is  being brought\n5   before them.\n\n7                   So but anyway I just  wanted to mention\n8   that   whatever  you've  heard  so  far  I  think  from\n9   different people I know it's a lot  on your mind, but I\n10   know  that in the outcome and  I trust that you will do\n11   your best job  and this is will  not be the end  of the\n12   discussion.   I know we --after I retired from being a\n13   port support I'm  back on Nushagak  Advisory Committee.\n14   I still want to be involved.  And I don't know how long\n15   I will live,  but and I've also been on BBNA for 35, 36\n16   years, my term  was up this  year, but I thought  I was\n17   young  enough to  submit an  application  to run  again\n18   because I want  to help my people.   And I  applaud you\n19   folks and I  applaud everybody throughout the  state of\n20   Alaska who have  been places like Molly and  I and have\n21   tried  to support their people to under they're complex\n22   issues that we're face with, Alaska Native people.  But\n23   then  working  together  and  understanding each  other\n24   better we can accomplish a lot.\n\n26                   And  so I  guess that  you  don't --I\n27   don't have any notes, but I thought I would --I guess\n28   as  an old  elder  I've had  a  lot to  think  about my\n29   participation and whether it's  been effective or  not,\n30   but as  I look back and  see some of the  changes which\n31   are positive,  sometimes few,  but still  some positive\n32   changes  have taken place.  I  guess I can rest and say\n33   that it's been worth  it.  And  I guess my wife  didn't\n34   want  to come up  and --in  our family we  have a joke\n35   that says I --I ask the  boys, you know, I always have\n36   the last word, they all laugh, they know mamma does.\n\n## 38 (Laughter)\n\n40                   MR.  CHYTHLOOK:   But anyway  thank you\n41   for the opportunity  to say what I wanted  to say today\n42   and I also  want to thank  all the  people who had  the\n43   courage to  come up and  say what's in their  heart and\n44   all the reports  that have been given by  all the Staff\n45   and both on the Federal and State side.  We try to make\n46   this meeting one  that will produce a  result that will\n47   be good  for all people.   So  thank you very  much for\n48   this opportunity, Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n1                   (Applause)\n2   \n5   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n33   \n44   \n50\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Me   first,\n4   Frank.  I'm just teasing Frank there.\n\n6                   But  yeah, I'd like to thank you for --\n7   Mr.  Chythlook,  for your  comments this  morning, your\n8   leadership all  these years and  I think you do  a good\n9   job because your son got up earlier and did a wonderful\n10   job presenting his new position and unifying the tribes\n11   and the voice on  the salmon crises that  we're facing.\n12   And  so and  you're  still applying  for Boards  at 83,\n13   these little youngsters  here need to  grab inspiration\n14   and see  how hard the trail  really is and how  long it\n15   can  be when you  fight for your  community.   And so I\n16   appreciate  you  guys'  wealth  of  knowledge  and  the\n17   investment  of  time  you've taken  over  time  and the\n18   drastic change you've  seen in the lifestyle  of Alaska\n19   Natives.\n\n## 21 So appreciate it here.\n\n## 23 Frank.\n\n25                   MR. WOODS:  Well, my turn.   I might be\n26   accused  of being  passionate, I  might  be accused  of\n27   being  too  talkative,   that  couple  back   there  is\n28   responsible for that.  I can say that Molly was my boss\n29   early in my career in Natural Resources at BBNA.  I had\n30   engagement  with ADF&G doing all the surveys for Beluga\n31   whale,  otter,  migratory  birds, harvest  surveys  for\n32   moose, caribou.\n\n34                   Joe  and  Molly   are  instrumental  in\n35   helping  the  State  of  Alaska   write  the  Intensive\n36   Management Plan for the  region of Bristol Bay that  is\n37   helping cull  the  populations of  predators  and  that\n38   could be a  negative or a positive impact  on the State\n39   and Fed side.   When I was told I could not implement a\n40   predator control program and you could not say predator\n41   at  that time without being  attacked in every arena on\n42   the Federal side  and the State side  because the State\n43   got sued every time you mentioned it.\n\n45                   Molly   and   Joe   were   helpful   in\n46   implementing all the Fish Board regulations and  policy\n47   for all of  Bristol Bay.  Under that regime  we took up\n48   all  the  surveys  that  helped  implement  the  Alaska\n49   Migratory Bird Co-Management Council.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n16   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   I remember  when Molly  appointed Staff\n2   and me  to do those  surveys and handwrite policy.   We\n3   were handwriting policy with Togiak and representatives\n4   from  Kodiak  on  emperor goose  problem.    That's how\n5   important this is.\n\n7                   And their life  dedication not just for\n8   the   process,  but  this   process.    And   that's  a\n9   commitment.  I'd like  to comment you again, thank  you\n10   very  much, Molly  and  Joe and  your  family and  your\n11   rewards are being  reaped as we speak not  just for the\n12   community, but  as --personally  I steam  with Joe  as\n13   much as I can and he is the champion at the steambath.\n\n15                   (Laughter)\n\n17                   MR. WOODS:   And  we have  something to\n18   compare it.   We  call it  Joe Hot  back  home so  when\n19   everybody  mentions we're having  a Joe Hot  tonight we\n20   know --I start sweating.\n\n22                   So thank  you very  much for your  love\n23   and compassion for representing our people.\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Frank.  Yes.\n\n30                   MS. JOHN:   Mr. Chairman,  Jolene John,\n31   BIA Alaska region.   I've gotten to know  Joe and Molly\n32   through personal family extensions and first it was all\n33   on the, you  know, community gatherings and  then later\n34   on in  --as I grew up I'm  learning how much they have\n35   contributed  to many things  in the Bristol  Bay region\n36   and for  all of  rural Alaska.   So  (in Native).   And\n37   they're  both very lovable, adorable and humble and (In\n38   Native) oh, not excite that and (in Native).\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I think that's\n41   it.  And so  I bet you he can handle  that because it's\n42   pretty hot in Molly's kitchen I'd imagine.\n\n44                   (Laughter)\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Pretty hot.  So\n47   thank you,  guys.   We're going to  take a  five minute\n48   break, we're  going to come  back and  conclude the  --\n49   start the business of the day.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n18   \n20   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   (Off record)\n\n3                   (On record)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  And if we could\n6   all make our way back to our seat.\n\n8                   All right.  We're going to get started.\n9   And before we do start with the order of business we're\n10   going to also every day  now that we have concluded our\n11   public   testimony  for   the   morning  we   offer  an\n12   opportunity  for the public  to speak to  the consensus\n13   agenda  if  there is  anybody  who  would  like to  see\n14   something  that  is on  there  and speak  with  a Board\n15   member up  here who  has a  different opinion,  this is\n16   your opportunity to speak to it.  So we'd like to offer\n17   that each and every day, this is your opportunity.\n\n## 19 (No comments)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n22   Hearing  and seeing  none, we're  going  to move  on to\n23   WP26-77.\n\n25                   MS.  LAVINE:    People  online,  please\n26   check your  phone or  your Teams to  make sure  you are\n27   muted.\n\n## 29 Thank you.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n32   This one is  an Eastern Interior.   Charlie, was  there\n33   something you wanted to speak to on this one?\n\n35                   MR.  WRIGHT:  Yes, sir.  Thank you, Mr.\n36   Chair.  We want to defer this proposal back to the area\n37   and we want  to talk to the  tribes.  We've only  had a\n38   chance to talk to one of them and I will not go forward\n39   without talking to them, that's  not the right way.  So\n40   we'll be  either adding it  to the next meeting  or the\n41   next cycle, we'll know when we're done talking to those\n42   other tribes how we'll go forward.\n\n## 44 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n47   you, Charlie.   There's a request to defer  this to the\n48   next based off of the  lack of involvement of the other\n49   Regional  Advisory Council.   And  he  would like  more\n\n---\n\n4   \n9   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   time.  So that would get us through --so if there is a\n2   motion that would like to  be entertained by the --the\n3   floor is open to the.....\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:    Mr.   Chair,  Fish  and\n6   Wildlife Service.  I move  to defer proposal WP26-77 in\n7   support  of  the  Eastern  Interior  Regional  Advisory\n8   Council to the next wildlife cycle.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    There  is  a\n11   motion.  Can we get a second?\n\n13                   MS. PITKA:  I'll second.  Public Member\n14   Rhonda Pitka.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Motion made and\n17   seconded.   Well, we need clarification for the record.\n18   Is it the next wildlife cycle or is it the next Fishery\n19   meeting.\n\n21                   MR. WRIGHT:  They --the next Fisheries\n22   meeting or next round, but we want to do it at the next\n23   meeting if  we --just to  keep the ball  rolling.  And\n24   we'll know after we talk to the tribes what we'll do so\n25   I can't really  give you a clear answer  right now, but\n26   time will tell.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So we'll say to\n29   the  Fisheries meeting.   Let  the  record reflect  the\n30   motion should say to the next Fishery meeting.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Yes,  sorry.\n37   You have the floor.\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:  I remove to defer proposal\n40   WP26-77 in deference  to the RAC and in  support of the\n41   RAC until the next Fishery cycle.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n44   you.  And that  --that did  get a second from  Rhonda.\n45   So.....\n\n47                   MS. PITKA:  I concur.  Thank you.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any comments or\n\n---\n\n0192\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   discussion from the Board.\n\n3                   (No comments)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We'll go ahead\n6   and do a roll call.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:  Okay.   Just to  restate\n9   the motion again.   WP26-77, the motion is  to defer as\n10   recommended by  the Eastern Interior Council  until the\n11   February, 2027 Fisheries meeting.\n\n13                   Public Member Pitka.\n\n15                   MS. PITKA:  Yes.\n\n17                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n18   Service, Member Boario.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n21   supports.\n\n23                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n25                   MS.  JOHN:    BIA  votes  to  defer  as\n26   recommended.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n30                   MR. ONEY:  Support to defer.\n\n32                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n34                   MR.  WOODS:   Vote  yes, public  Member\n35   Woods.\n\n37                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n39                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n\n40   votes yes.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Aye.\n\n46                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n47   Striker.\n\n49                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service supports.\n\n---\n\n0193\n3   \n6   \n8   \n11   \n14   \n18   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n2   Ingersoll.\n\n4                   MR.   INGERSOLL:       Forest   Service\n5   supports.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   I support  as\n10   stated.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank you.   The motion\n13   to defer is passed unanimously.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n16   We're moving on to the  Northwest Arctic.  Next will be\n17   WP26-65, Unit 23 muskox.\n\n19                   MS.  PITKA:   Tony, while  we wait  I'd\n20   like   to  thank  everybody  today  for  their  amazing\n21   testimony on non-public agenda items.  I think  that is\n22   such an important  opportunity to maintain and  I truly\n23   appreciate all the words today.\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Rhonda.\n\n30                   MR. UBELAKER:  I apologize, Mr.  Chair.\n31   I'm having some  technical difficulties.  Give  me just\n32   half a second to get my stuff open.\n\n34                   (Pause)\n\n36                   MR. UBELAKER:  Okay.   I apologize  for\n37   the delay.   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair, Board  members.\n38   For  the record  my    name is  Brian  Ubelaker, I'm  a\n39   Wildlife Biologist with OSM and  I will be giving you a\n40   brief summary  of proposal WP26-65 regarding  muskox in\n41   Unit 65 --in Unit 23.   Excuse me.  This  proposal --\n42   the analysis can be found  on page 1295 of your meeting\n43   books.\n\n45                   Wildlife Proposal WP26-65  submitted by\n46   the  Northwest  Arctic  Subsistence  Regional  Advisory\n47   Council requests to establish a muskox  hunt in Unit 23\n48   remainder.   The proponent  states their  intent is  to\n49   provide Federal  opportunity for residents  of Selawik.\n\n---\n\n4   \n15   \n26   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Recently   muskox  sightings   have  increased   around\n2   Selawik, but unlike other areas  of Unit 23 there is no\n3   open season.\n\n5                   Muskoxen are  seen as  a new  potential\n6   source  of  meat  since caribou  and  salmon  have been\n7   declining.    According  to  the  proponent  there  are\n8   currently muskox  hunts in other areas of  Unit 23, but\n9   those hunts  are  difficult for  Selawik  residents  to\n10   access.   The proposed  regulation would  open an  area\n11   more  easily accessed by residents in Unit 23 remainder\n12   and allows  for one bull  muskox by Federal  drawing or\n13   State permit from  August 1st through March  15th which\n14   would mirror existing hunts elsewhere in Unit 23.\n\n16                   Muskox   management   on   the   Seward\n17   Peninsula has evolved  from a more liberal  approach in\n18   the  1990s   which  emphasized  local   involvement  in\n19   expanding  access through  limited Federal  subsistence\n20   hunts to a  more conservative harvest system  of today.\n21   Over  the years  regulatory  action including  aligning\n22   Federal    and    State    regulations,    establishing\n23   registration permits, quota systems and matching season\n24   dates to  balance hunter access with  protection during\n25   sensitive periods.\n\n27                   In   Unit   23   southwest  cooperative\n28   management  helped address  access  challenges and  low\n29   hunter  success  through combined  permits  and aligned\n30   regulations.  However population declines in late 2000s\n31   led   to  more   restrictive  measures   including  the\n32   elimination  of  cow  harvest,  threshold based  permit\n33   systems, limited permits and closures of Federal public\n34   lands.  Since 2020 management has remained conservative\n35   with most closures  retained though  Unit 23  southwest\n36   saw  a partial  reopening  of  Federal  lands  in  2024\n37   reflecting  ongoing   reliance  on  local   input  with\n38   conservative framework.\n\n40                   Muskox   populations   on   the  Seward\n41   Peninsula  are  currently   stable  and  healthy   with\n42   indications  that  numbers  are  meeting  or  exceeding\n43   management   objectives  and   the   herds  show   good\n44   distribution across  their available  range.   Bull/cow\n45   ratios remain  strong which  indicate there  are mature\n46   bulls  available for  harvest  while still  maintaining\n47   herd productivity.\n\n49                   While   there   are    three   distinct\n\n---\n\n13   \n21   \n30   \n44   \n50\n\n1   populations  of  muskox  in Unit  23,  those  being the\n2   Seward Peninsula,  Cape Krusenstern  and Cape  Thompson\n3   populations, little is currently known about the muskox\n4   population in Unit  23 remainder.  No  official surveys\n5   have  been conducted  there so  it  is unknown  whether\n6   these muskoxen are resident or transient.  There's also\n7   no data showing which population  these muskoxen belong\n8   to, either the  Seward Peninsula or the  Cape Thompson.\n9   Without that information it's impossible to determine a\n10   sustainable harvest level.   Because muskox populations\n11   are  small and  highly  vulnerable to  overharvest this\n12   lack of data presents serious risk.\n\n14                   Reported   harvest  in   Unit  23   has\n15   remained within establish quotas.  Most of this harvest\n16   is  being carried out by Kotzebue and Noorvik residents\n17   using  State permits.   Federal  harvest  on all  three\n18   muskox groups in  Unit 23 remains very low.   Levels of\n19   participation remain  steady and  there is  no evidence\n20   that harvest is negatively affecting the population.\n\n22                   Several  alternatives  were  considered\n23   during  the analysis phase  of this  proposal including\n24   limited  the  hunt  only  to  Selawik  River  drainage,\n25   delegating the authority to the Selawik Refuge  manager\n26   and  extending the season  closing date to  March 31st.\n27   None of  these  alternatives  were  considered  further\n28   because they all depend on having solid biological data\n29   with which to manage the hunt.\n\n31                   Establishing a Federal  muskoxen season\n32   in   Unit   23  remainder   would   provide  additional\n33   opportunity for residents of Selawik who currently have\n34   no easily  accessed Federal opportunity.   Conservation\n35   concerns  could be mitigated through the use of harvest\n36   quotas,  drawing permits  and establishment  of  an in-\n37   season  manager.  However  muskoxen need to  be closely\n38   managed  due  to their  susceptibility  to overharvest.\n39   Proper management  of this sort  comes from information\n40   provided  by  basic  population   data  which  doe  not\n41   currently  exist  for  this   population  of  muskoxen.\n42   Without this basic  knowledge no informed decision  can\n43   be made regarding the management of this population.\n\n45                   Therefore  it  is OSM's  conclusion  to\n46   oppose  proposal WP26-65.   Establishment of a  hunt on\n47   this  population  of  musk --muskoxen  without  basic\n48   population data may  result in overharvest.   Gathering\n49   of  population metrics  through  surveying is  required\n\n---\n\n0196\n4   \n7   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n24   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n41   \n50\n\n1   prior to  proper hunt  management.   Once this  data is\n2   collected and  analyzed  a harvestable  surplus may  be\n3   identified.\n\n5                   And with  that I'd  be happy  to answer\n6   any questions.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n9   the presentation.   Any  questions from  the Board  for\n10   Staff.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Appreciate that.   Next we'll go to  summary of written\n16   public comment.\n\n18                   MR. UBELAKER:  Mr. Chair, there were no\n19   written public comments submitted for this proposal.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n22   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native corporation\n23   comments.\n\n25                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,  Board\n26   members.  Orville Lind, Native Liaison for OSM.  During\n27   the  consultation sessions we did not have any comments\n28   or resolutions for this proposal.\n\n30                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n33   Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n## 35 (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n38   seeing none, we'll move on to Advisory Group testimony,\n39   Subsistence   Resource   Commission,   State   Advisory\n40   Committee, multiagency work group.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n43   have two comments from the  SRCs.  The Kobuk Valley SRC\n44   met  on March 12th  and 13th of  this year.   The Kobuk\n45   Valley Subsistence Resource Commission has reviewed 26-\n46   65  and supports  this  proposal  as  written.    Their\n47   justification  is  the  SRC  reviewed  OSM's  analysis,\n48   looked  over options  A  and B  and heard  from Selawik\n49   National  Wildlife  Refuge manager.   The  SRC believes\n\n---\n\n0197\n9   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   that  there  needs  to be  further  research  into this\n2   expanded  population,  more  in  depth  discussions  on\n3   better  ways  to  manage  muskoxen  especially   around\n4   communities and has questions about ultimate population\n5   goals of the herd.   The SRC believes that local people\n6   should  have as much opportunity as possible to harvest\n7   these animals and  support opening the harvest  to more\n8   of this opportunity.\n\n10                   Thank  you, Mr. Chair.  Oh, and now the\n11   Cape   Krusenstern   Subsistence   Resource  Commission\n12   supports 26.65 as written.\n\n14                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n17   public testimony here or online.\n\n19                   (No comments)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n22   seeing none, Council recommendations.\n\n24                   Northwest Arctic.\n\n26                   MS. PILCHER:  This is Nissa Pilcher for\n27   the record,  Council Coordinator  for Northwest  Arctic\n28   speaking  for the Council  today.  The  Council opposed\n29   WP26-65  which   they  did   submit.    After   hearing\n30   population  information  from   relevant  agencies  the\n31   Council  believes that there  are too many  unknown and\n32   data gaps  to establish  this hunt at  this time.   The\n33   Council noted  that with  subsistence resources  across\n34   the  region  becoming  increasingly more  difficult  to\n35   harvest there  may be  a time in  the near  future when\n36   muskoxen  become an important  food source and  at this\n37   time it is more important  to see if the population can\n38   become  more established  and grow  to  allow for  more\n39   harvest  in the  future  rather than  to allow  a small\n40   harvest now.\n\n42                   Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n45   questions.\n\n47                   (No comments)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n17   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   seeing none, thank you.\n\n## 3 Next North Slope RAC.\n\n5                   MS. CHAPA:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair,\n6   members of the Board.  My name is Gisela Chapa, I'm the\n7   Council  Coordinator  for   the  North  Slope  Regional\n8   Advisory Council.   And  the Council supported  WP26-65\n9   with  the  belief  that  it  is  important  to  support\n10   subsistence  users  in  adjacent regions.    Since  the\n11   Western Arctic Caribou Herd has declined in  population\n12   size and  believe that  this opportunity  would provide\n13   supplemental meat to Unit 23 residents.  At the time of\n14   the  meeting  the Council  also stated  that population\n15   estimates are  needed since  there's no data  available\n16   since 2009.\n\n18                   And  I also  wanted  to note  that  the\n19   North  Slope RAC  met in  February, 2026.   It  was the\n20   first meeting of the Council meeting cycle and actually\n21   North Slope RAC  met in September, 2025,  apologize for\n22   that, and  the Northwest  Arctic had  their meeting  in\n23   January, 2025 [sic].\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   questions.\n\n## 30 (No comments)\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n33   seeing none, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   For  the  record  Alaska Department  of  Fish  and Game\n37   opposes the  proposal.  As  you've heard from  OSM just\n38   for  the  lack  of  information,  but then  also  as  a\n39   misalignment  of regulations.    Currently there  is no\n40   State authorized muskox hunt under our own regulations.\n41   And I checked back into the  records and we have yet to\n42   even  consider a  proposal to  open up  a hunt  in this\n43   area.\n\n## 45 Thank you, sir.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n48   questions from the Board.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n15   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n41   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Sara.\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   Fish and Wildlife Service.   Mr. Mulligan, I just noted\n7   in  the OSM  analysis  that  it  encourages  ADF&G  and\n8   Federal  land   management  agencies  in  the  area  to\n9   cooperate in expanding  muskox survey areas in  Unit 23\n10   remainder so  that muskox can possibly  responsibly and\n11   sustainably be open there.  And I just wondered is that\n12   something that the State is open to or sees a potential\n13   future for,  recognizing resources capacity  issues, et\n14   cetera, in all surveys?\n\n16                   MR.  MULLIGAN:     Through  the  Chair,\n17   Member Boario.  As you as the head of Fish and Wildlife\n18   Service  here  in  Alaska and  the  other  Federal land\n19   agencies know that we collaborate  in a lot of areas in\n20   the State for assessment  of a lot of the species.   So\n21   to join forces  in regard to this specific  one I can't\n22   specifically speak  to, but I  know a lot of  our folks\n23   especially in  region  5 do  collaborate  with  various\n24   agencies.  And so I --it's a safe bet to say  they're\n25   not going to say no if you guys come into play  and say\n26   hey, can we share resources to get this done.\n\n28                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Mulligan.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate that\n31   question.  InterAgency Staff comments.\n\n33                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n34   InterAgency  Staff  Committee provided  their  standard\n35   comment.    I  will read  it  once  for the  day.   The\n36   InterAgency  Staff Committee found the analysis to be a\n37   thorough  and accurate evaluation  of the  proposal and\n38   that  it provides  sufficient  basis  for the  Regional\n39   Advisory  Council   recommendations  and   the  Federal\n40   Subsistence Board action on this proposal.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n45   Board discussion with Liaison,  Council Chair and State\n46   rep.    This is  an  opportunity  for  us to  get  some\n47   clarification if we need some before  we open the floor\n48   for Board motion.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n15   \n17   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n4   seeing none, the floor is open for Board action.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n9   floor, Sara.\n\n11                   MS.  BOARIO:    Mr.   Chair,  Fish  and\n12   Wildlife Service moves to support WP26-65 and if  I get\n13   a second I will  share my rationale for why I will vote\n14   to oppose my motion.\n\n## 16 MR. PENDERGAST: BLM seconds.\n\n18                   MS. BOARIO:  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife\n19   Service  recognizes   the  Northwest   Arctic  Regional\n20   Advisory  Council  as  well as  the  North  Slope RAC's\n21   concern of loss of caribou and salmon in the area along\n22   with the high cost of food in the region and the desire\n23   to support a hunt for muskox around Selawik in Unit 23.\n24   The OSM analysis showed that  this unit has not had any\n25   official surveys  conducted to determine  the status of\n26   the muskoxen located there,  from which population they\n27   originate  or whether  they are transient  or resident.\n28   Without the formal  surveys a  harvestable surplus  for\n29   muskox  occurring   in  Unit  23  remainder  cannot  be\n30   determined.   Also per the OSM  conclusion the Fish and\n31   Wildlife  Service is  open to  working  with State  and\n32   Federal partners to identify ways to support surveys in\n33   the future.   While  the Northwest  Arctic RAC  was the\n34   original  proponent of the  proposal as we  heard after\n35   gathering more  information the  Council believes  that\n36   there are  too many unknowns and data gaps to establish\n37   this hunt at this time.\n\n39                   In  deference to  the Northwest  Arctic\n40   Council the Fish and  Wildlife Service opposes Proposal\n41   WP26-65.\n\n43                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Sara.  That opens the floor for Board discussion.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n33   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none we'll  go ahead  and do roll  call.  If  we\n3   could have the motion read into the record before we do\n4   roll call.\n\n## 6 Thank you.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n9   The motion  is to adopt WP26-65 which would establish a\n10   muskox hunt around  Selawik in Unit 23  remainder.  I'm\n11   going to mix it up.\n\n13                   Forest Service, Member Ingersoll.\n\n15                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Forest Service opposes\n16   the motion in deference to the Northwest Arctic RAC and\n17   our colleagues in the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n19                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n20   Striker.\n\n22                   MR. STRIKER:  I  may be confused  here.\n23   I thought the motion was to oppose.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  The motion will\n26   always be to the positive and then  we vote on it up or\n27   down.\n\n29                   MR. STRIKER:  I support opposing for --\n30   in deference  to the Northwest  Arctic RAC and  for the\n31   reasons  so eloquently stated by my colleague from Fish\n32   and Wildlife.\n\n34                   MS.  LEONETTI:  Thank you.  BLM, Member\n35   Pendergast.\n\n37                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   BLM opposes  for the\n38   reasons stated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n42                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n43   opposes  in deference  to  the  RAC  and  the  comments\n44   submitted by Ms. Boario.\n\n46                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n48                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods opposes\n49   with  the  recommendations   of  the   RAC  and   OSM's\n\n---\n\n0202\n3   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n18   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   conclusions  that --yeah, conclusion  at  the end  of\n2   their assessment.  So public Member Woods opposes.\n\n4                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n6                   MR. ONEY:   Public Member  Oney motions\n7   to oppose.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n11                   MS. JOHN:  BIA votes to oppose  WP26-65\n12   as  recommended by  and per  the  justification of  the\n13   Northwest Arctic RAC.  I appreciate that there has been\n14   expression for need for sufficient data, we concur with\n15   the Council and Fish  and Wildlife's justification  for\n16   this recommendation  and appreciate  their considerable\n17   efforts on this proposal.\n\n19                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n20   Service Member Boario.\n\n22                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n23   votes to oppose.\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n27                   MS.  PITKA:  I vote no on this proposal\n28   in deference to the Northwest  Arctic Regional Advisory\n29   Council  and the recognition  that there is  not enough\n30   information and data on this particular species.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     I  vote  to\n37   oppose as stated by Rhonda.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Mr. Chair, the motion to\n40   adopt WP26-65 fails.\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n43   We'll move on to the next proposal which is 26-66.\n\n45                   MS. LEONETTI:  Page 351 in your books.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Staff, you have\n48   the floor.\n\n---\n\n7   \n26   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  PLANK:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair,\n2   members of the  Board.  My  name's Tom Plank,  Wildlife\n3   Biologist with  the Office  of Subsistence  Management.\n4   And I will be presenting  a summary of the analysis for\n5   Wildlife  Proposal WP26-66.   And as you  already heard\n6   it's on page 351 in your books.\n\n8                   So   Wildlife   Proposal   WP26-66  was\n9   submitted  by  the  Northwest  Arctic  Council  and  it\n10   requests to increase  the harvest limit and  extend the\n11   season  for  wolf hunting  in  Unit 23  to  match State\n12   regulations.   The proponent  states that  aligning the\n13   Federal wolf  hunting regulations  to  match the  State\n14   hunt   will   help   reduce   confusion  and   increase\n15   opportunity.   Hunters have indicated an increased wolf\n16   population  in  Unit  23.   The  Unit  23  Federal wolf\n17   hunting season and harvest limits were adopted from the\n18   State regulations when the Federal Subsistence  Program\n19   began  in  1990.   The  Unit  23 Federal  wolf  hunting\n20   regulations changed to the current regulations in 2005.\n21   The State liberalized  wolf hunting harvest limits  for\n22   the 2002, 2003 season and then to the current 20 wolves\n23   in 2024/'5 season.  In 2007 the Board of Game increased\n24   the  Unit 23  wolf hunting  season  opening August  1st\n25   instead of August 10.\n\n27                   Wolves   occur   throughout   Unit  23.\n28   Although  biological  information is  extremely  sparse\n29   their  current status and abundance are unknown.  While\n30   there have  been  no  unit  wide surveys  of  the  wolf\n31   population  for  Unit   23  testimony  provided  during\n32   Northwest  Arctic  Council  meetings  attests that  the\n33   local abundance of wolves in  Unit 23 is high including\n34   in  areas close to  communities.  In  2020 the National\n35   Park Service began a pilot study within Noatak National\n36   Preserve titled Evaluating the Feasibility of Mixed DNA\n37   Sampling  to  Obtain  Wolf Population  Demographics  in\n38   Northwest Alaska.   And the purpose of the  study is to\n39   try  and gain more knowledge in local wolf demographics\n40   and behavior using  genetics and observational methods.\n41   Spring aerial den  surveys conducted from 2020  to 2022\n42   estimates  four to five  active wolf groups  within the\n43   Noatak National Preserve.\n\n45                   Wolves  are   required  to   be  sealed\n46   although compliance  with State fur  sealing program is\n47   low in Unit 23.  Therefore  the harvest levels reported\n48   should  be viewed as minimal estimates  of harvest.  In\n49   Unit  23  wolves  are  primarily   harvested  by  local\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n24   \n33   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   residents  with firearms  and by  snowmachines.   Local\n2   hunters  are  opportunistic  and  will  harvest  wolves\n3   incidental to travel between  villages or while hunting\n4   caribou  typically taking  as  many wolves  as possible\n5   during these  opportunities.   From 2018  to 2022  most\n6   reported  wolf harvests occurred in September and March\n7   and  few  wolves  were  reported harvested  in  August,\n8   October or November.\n\n10                   One   alternative   considered   is  to\n11   exclude  the  Kobuk  Valley  National  Park  and   Cape\n12   Krusenstern National  Monument from  the harvest  limit\n13   increase  and season extension.  These areas are closed\n14   to anyone hunting or trapping  under State regulations.\n15   Excluding these  areas from the harvest limit increases\n16   and  season extension could  provide refugia  and would\n17   represent  a conservative approach to the status of the\n18   Unit 23 wolf population.\n\n20                   And   their   harvest   is  essentially\n21   unknown.    This alternative  would  result  in Federal\n22   regulations  remaining  more   restrictive  than  State\n23   regulations within the excluded area.\n\n25                   If  proposal  WP26-66  is  adopted  the\n26   Federal  wolf hunting season  would be extended  by two\n27   months and  the harvest  limit would  increase by  five\n28   wolves.  As 20 wolves  can already be harvested on most\n29   Federal  public  lands in  Unit 23  from August  1st to\n30   April 30th under State regulations.  The impact  to the\n31   wolf  population   is  expected  to  be   minimal,  but\n32   ultimately.....\n\n34                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n35   interference)\n\n37                   MR. PLANK:   .....ultimately  uncertain\n38   due to the unknown status of.....\n\n40                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n41   interference)\n\n43                   MR. PLANK:  .....of the wolf population\n44   and harvest  in Unit  23.  Somebody  has their  mic on.\n45   However.....\n\n47                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n48   interference)\n\n---\n\n12   \n24   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MR. PLANK:   However the trapping limit\n2   is no limit and local area  residents indicate that the\n3   wolf  population   is  increasing  and  there   are  no\n4   conservation  concerns.     Harvest  in   September  is\n5   primarily  of  non-resident  and   local  --non-local\n6   hunters who are in the unit for caribou, bear or moose.\n7   State  regulations  do not  apply  in  Cape Krusenstern\n8   National  Monument  and  Kobuk  Valley  National  Park.\n9   Therefore additional wolves may be harvested from these\n10   areas by  resident zone  communities during  August and\n11   September if this proposal is adopted.\n\n13                   Additionally   National  Park   Service\n14   lands prohibit  the take  of free  ranging fur  bearers\n15   with a firearm  under a trapping license  and while few\n16   users likely  harvest more  than 15  wolves by  firearm\n17   each  year  adopting   proposal  WP26-66  would   allow\n18   resident  zoned communities  to  harvest an  additional\n19   five wolves from Cape Krusenstern National Monument and\n20   Kobuk  Valley  National  Park  by  firearm  each  year.\n21   Adopting  this   proposal  would   decrease  regulatory\n22   complexity and  confusion by aligning State and Federal\n23   regulations.\n\n25                   So  OSM's  conclusion  was  to  support\n26   WP26-66   with   the  modification   to   exclude  Cape\n27   Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National\n28   Park.    Adoption  of  this   proposal  would  increase\n29   subsistence  opportunity and  would benefit  Federally-\n30   qualified  subsistence  users.    Impacts  to the  wolf\n31   population  are expected  to be  minimal  as users  are\n32   already  --may already  harvest 20 wolves  from August\n33   1st  to April 30th  under State hunting  regulations on\n34   most Federal public  lands in unit 23.   And local user\n35   report an abundance  and increase  in wolf  population.\n36   Additionally Federal  and State regulations  for wolves\n37   in the portion of Unit 23 where State regulations apply\n38   would be aligned reducing regulatory complexity.  State\n39   regulations  do   not  apply   on  National   Parklands\n40   including Cape Krusenstern  National Monument and Kobuk\n41   Valley  National Park in  Unit 23.   Excluding National\n42   Park  Service  managed lands  would retain  the current\n43   Federal  regulations  as  a  conservative  approach  to\n44   provide  refugia to Unit  23 wolf populations  as their\n45   population status and harvest is unknown.\n\n47                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair,  members of  the\n48   Board.  I'd be happy to answer any questions.\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n2   the presentation.  Any questions for Tom.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none,\n7   we'll move on to the  next portion, summary of  written\n8   public comment.\n\n10                   MR.  PLANK:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Tom\n11   at   OSM.    There  were  no  written  public  comments\n12   submitted during the open period.\n\n14                   Thank you.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n17   Summary of tribal government and Alaska Native corp.\n\n19                   MR.  LIND:     Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n20   Orville  Lind,  Native  Liaison for  OSM.    During the\n21   consultation  on  April  20th  the  Native  Village  of\n22   Kotzebue spoke in support of Wildlife Proposal 26-66.\n\n24                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n29                   MS. CRAVALHO:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n32   the phone.\n\n34                   MS. CRAVALHO:   Thank  you.   This  Liz\n35   Cravalho,  Vice  President  of Lands  for  NANA.   NANA\n36   supports the proposal.\n\n38                   Thank you.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n41   Advisory Group testimony, SRC  comments, State Advisory\n42   or multiagency group.\n\n44                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n45   Kobuk Valley  Subsistence Resource  Commission supports\n46   this proposal as written.  SRC members are concerned if\n47   the dates and  bag limits  are not  aligned people  may\n48   misunderstand  what they're able  to harvest.   The SRC\n49   understands  OSM's  analysis  and modification  to  not\n\n---\n\n8   \n11   \n12   \n14   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n49   \n50\n\n1   include KAKR  and KOVA,  but feel  that when  things --\n2   then  things will remain  misaligned which goes against\n3   the point of this proposal.  And as the representatives\n4   for KOVA and  the SRC believes that there  is no reason\n5   to  limit opportunities  for  harvest  in Kobuk  Valley\n6   National Park especially as increased wolf activity has\n7   been noticed.\n\n9                   And  the   Cape  Krusenstern   National\n10   Monument SRC supports as  written with no modification.\n\n13                   And that is all.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n15                   I'm sorry, and the Gates of the Arctic,\n16   Wildlife  Proposal 26-66,  increase the  harvest limit.\n17   They  voted  unanimously  to   support  this  proposal.\n18   There's a large presence of wolves throughout the whole\n19   area and the Northwest Arctic Regional Advisory Council\n20   wants   to   increase  the   opportunity   for  people.\n21   Residents are out there through all of the  seasons and\n22   would have the opportunity  to harvest wolf  throughout\n23   different  seasons.    This  would  affect   the  Kobuk\n24   Preserve  Area within Gates of the Arctic National Park\n25   and Preserve and it's foreseen that this  would have no\n26   affect on the wolf population.  Wolves are seen in late\n27   September or October and rarely do hunters achieve this\n28   large of a bag limit.\n\n30                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n33   public testimony here or online.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Counsel\n38   recommendations.\n\n40                   MS.  PILCHER:     Good  morning  again.\n41   Nissa Pilcher for  the record, Council  Coordinator for\n42   Northwest Arctic.  The Council voted to support WP26-66\n43   as modified by OSM.  The Council supports the increased\n44   hunting opportunity for  the take of wolves  on Federal\n45   public land.   The council also noted that aligning the\n46   State and Federal harvest limits for wolves will remove\n47   the possibility for subsistence  users to inadvertently\n48   violate the law.\n\n---\n\n0208\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n16   \n19   \n33   \n35   \n39   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n4   questions from the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n9   North Slope.\n\n11                   MS.  CHAPA:    Gisela   Chapa  for  the\n12   record, Council Coordinator  for North Slope RAC.   The\n13   Council supported  WP 26-66  as modified by  OSM.   The\n14   Council  supported this proposal due to declines of the\n15   Western Arctic Caribou Herd.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n18   Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n20                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n21   For  the record the Alaska Department  of Fish and Game\n22   supports the proposal and during the ISC meeting we did\n23   support OSM's modification,  but I will say  given what\n24   we've heard  from the  SRCs we  would be  supportive if\n25   given  their support of  a more inclusive  alignment if\n26   that is so desired by the Board.  I will make note that\n27   even though  the Federal  subsistence regulations  have\n28   not  been  liberalized  there was  nothing  prohibiting\n29   folks   from   that   region  to   enjoy   the  State's\n30   liberalization of  wolf  hunting and  trapping in  that\n31   area and so could take more for that extended amount of\n32   time.\n\n## 34 Thank you.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n37   that.   We like wolf  hunters here.   InterAgency Staff\n38   Committee.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n41   Before I give the InterAgency Staff Committee comment I\n42   would  like  to provide  the Cape  Krusenstern National\n43   Monument SRC's full comment on this and  I'm sorry that\n44   I --I kind of jumped over it.  So the Cape Krusenstern\n45   National  Monument SRC  has  had  a  chance  to  review\n46   Wildlife Proposal  26-66 that would  change the Federal\n47   season start date for wolf hunting  from October 1st to\n48   August  1st and the  bag limit  from 15  to 20.   After\n49   reviewing  the  OSM analysis  and  their  reasoning for\n\n---\n\n7   \n24   \n40   \n50\n\n1   supporting  the proposal,  but to  specifically exclude\n2   Cape Krusenstern National Monument, exclude NPS managed\n3   lands that would retain the current Federal regulations\n4   as a conservative approach to providing refugia in Unit\n5   23 wolf  population as their population  status harvest\n6   is unknown, we have the following comments.\n\n8                   KAKR is not  an ecological refugia  for\n9   most  small  mammals,  it  is  the  exact  opposite  in\n10   relation to wolves.  It  does not produce wolves, it is\n11   in  fact  an ecological  sink.   Wolves rarely  if ever\n12   breed in KAKR, it is too close to human activity and at\n13   the edge of any one  pack's territory.  The most common\n14   pack size  of wolves in  KAKRC is one to  three animals\n15   generally encountered  in the  falltime near the  coast\n16   that have been pushed out of core wolf territories east\n17   and north of  KAKR and the Noatak River  for one reason\n18   or another.   These  are the  animals  that are  either\n19   observed  directly  or  by tracks  in  the  falltime by\n20   campers  and hunters along the coastline.  Taking these\n21   animals  out of the  population does nothing  to impact\n22   wolf conservation  overall nor their  social structure.\n23   It is statistically insignificant.\n\n25                   The  purpose  of  KAKR is  to  maximize\n26   subsistence opportunities for Federally-qualified users\n27   and support the thriving of the Inupiaq culture.  It is\n28   not to  create a  refugia which again  even if  it were\n29   KAKR is ecologically unable to be  a refugia because of\n30   its marginal habitat, overflow habitat, and  from other\n31   areas further inland that are refugia by default due to\n32   their remoteness and light harvesting pressure if  any.\n33   The majority  of KAKR  is at the  extreme edge  of core\n34   habitat  of multiple species, wolves being one of them.\n35   This  proposal  should  be  viewed  as  a  housekeeping\n36   proposal and more than any other kind since it will not\n37   significantly change the behavior of people or increase\n38   the harvest.  What  it will do is  maximize opportunity\n39   for subsistence users in CAKR.\n\n41                   While there is discussion about priming\n42   of pelts there's  only one consideration in  regards to\n43   harvesting wolves.    While it  is  true that  for  the\n44   purpose  of the  fur  market  wolves  taken  in  August\n45   through October  are far from prime for the fur market,\n46   there are many other reasons  and values for why wolves\n47   are harvested.   First it  should be  pointed out  that\n48   wolves only  become fully  prime  sometime in  January,\n49   before  that they are  in various stages  of pre-prime.\n\n---\n\n13   \n31   \n48   \n50\n\n1   So  focusing  on  prime  is not  a  useful  metric  for\n2   justifying season dates.   Some camper in  the falltime\n3   may see  a wolf when  getting water, checking  on their\n4   dogs, picking berries or riding down the coast.  It may\n5   be a young person, an elder or middle aged person, male\n6   or  female that  will be  --that  will have  their own\n7   personal reasons for harvesting a wolf and the use it's\n8   put to.  It's also very likely  that it may be the only\n9   time  in their  life that  they have an  opportunity to\n10   harvest a  wolf.  These  scenarios are way  more likely\n11   than some super hunter loading  up for the season --on\n12   early season wolves because of the regulation change.\n\n14                   Providing these  kind of  opportunities\n15   that maximize  subsistence is  in part  the reason  for\n16   CAKR.  So if anything  the change --the season changes\n17   should only  apply to CAKR and KOVA,  not exclude them.\n18   It is  also disappointing that OSM is putting forth the\n19   notion that using CAKR and  KOVA as a refugia when they\n20   are  ill-informed what  they  --when  they  are  ill-\n21   informed about the  ecology of these areas,  the actual\n22   uses that occur in these  areas and one can only assume\n23   based on their  discussion the reason for  the creation\n24   of these areas.   Before using reasoning  for excluding\n25   these Federal  units from regulation  changes that will\n26   increase subsistence  hunting opportunities  we believe\n27   that  OSM should  actually discuss their  position with\n28   the Subsistence Resource  Commissions that were created\n29   to  assist the  Secretary  of  Interior  with  managing\n30   subsistence hunting opportunities in these areas.\n\n32                   The  CAKR SRC  disagrees strongly  with\n33   OSM in their modification of the proposal.  It will set\n34   a  bad precedent and  a slippery slope  for subsistence\n35   management for CAKR  and KOVA without any  conservation\n36   benefit.   It  is  basically  in  our  opinion  totally\n37   gratuitous undermining of the founding purpose of these\n38   units and the co-management spirit and intent of ANILCA\n39   wherein the  Secretary in  this case  through OSM  will\n40   look  to  the  knowledge of  the  Subsistence  Resource\n41   Commissions  to   help  inform   Federal  policy   when\n42   developing hunting regulations  in these areas.   Their\n43   proposed modification  should be struck down because it\n44   goes against part of the  purpose of CAKR and KOVA, but\n45   also  is a  message to  do  better in  the future  when\n46   creating novel  justifications based on  theory and not\n47   reality for their recommendations.\n\n49                   The CAKR SRC supports Wildlife Proposal\n\n---\n\n0211\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n28   \n31   \n46   \n50\n\n1   WP26-66 with no exclusions for CAKR or KOVA.\n\n3                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n5                   And now the ISC,  the InterAgency Staff\n6   Committee provided their standard comment.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n9   that.   Board  discussion with  your  Liaison,  Council\n10   Chair  or State  rep, this  is our  opportunity to  ask\n11   questions, clarity.\n\n13                   (No comments)\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All looks good.\n16   All right.  We'll go ahead and move to Board  action on\n17   this.\n\n19                   MR. STRIKER:  Mr. Chair.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  Don, you\n22   have the floor.\n\n24                   MR.  STRIKER:   National  Park  Service\n25   moves to adopt  proposal WP26-66 as written.   And if I\n26   get  a second  I'll explain  why  I intend  to vote  in\n27   support of my motion.\n\n29                   MS. PITKA:  Public  Member Rhonda Pitka\n30   supports --seconds.\n\n32                   MR.  STRIKER:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n33   National Park Service supports  WP26-66 as supported by\n34   Cape Krusenstern,  Kobuk Valley  and the  Gates of  the\n35   Arctic SRC.  I'll note that while the Northwest  Arctic\n36   RAC  supported the  OSM modification  their  reasons to\n37   support  did  not   address  excluding  Parklands,  but\n38   overall supporting increased  subsistence opportunities\n39   for the  take of wolves  on Federal lands and  to align\n40   the State  and the  Federal subsistence  regulations so\n41   that we --no one would inadvertently violate the law.\n42   I  think the  testimony  we just  heard  from the  SRCs\n43   provides  substantial  evidence  in the  form  of their\n44   recommendations that were  not available to the  RAC at\n45   the time of their recommendation.\n\n47                   And that's sufficient justification for\n48   supporting this proposal as written and for the reasons\n49   specified by the three SRCs.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n11   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don.\n4   Any further deliberation by the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n9   seeing none we'll do  roll call.  Do we read  that into\n10   the record?\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Yeah.  The motion on the\n13   floor  is to  adopt WP26-66  which  is to  increase the\n14   harvest limit and extend the season for wolf hunting in\n15   Unit 23 to match State regulations.\n\n## 17 MS. LEONETTI: BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n19                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM votes to support.\n20   There's limited survey data on Unit 23 wolf population,\n21   but public testimony  suggests the  local abundance  of\n22   wolves  is  high.   And  the  overall  wolf harvest  is\n23   estimated  to  relatively  low.    Data  suggests  that\n24   increasing the  harvest limit and extending  the season\n25   for  Unit 23  wolves  will provide  Federally-qualified\n26   users additional  opportunities to  harvest wolves  for\n27   subsistence  uses without  significantly impacting  the\n28   population or causing conservation concerns.\n\n30                   MS.  LEONETTI:   National Park  Service\n31   Member Striker.\n\n33                   MR. STRIKER:  Support.\n\n35                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n36   Ingersoll.\n\n38                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n39   in deference  to the RAC  and our  colleagues from  the\n40   Park  Service and  also  to  align  Federal  and  State\n41   regulations.\n\n43                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n45                   MS. PITKA:   I vote to  support WP26-66\n46   as  written  in  deference  to  the  Regional  Advisory\n47   Councils and  in recognition  of the  SRC's excellently\n48   worded justification.\n\n---\n\n0213\n2   \n5   \n9   \n11   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n37   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n4   Service Member Boario.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n7   votes to support as written for the reasons articulated\n8   by my colleague.\n\n10                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n12                   MS.  JOHN:  And  BIA votes to  adopt as\n13   recommended  by the  National Park Service  without the\n14   modifications.\n\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n18                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Oney moves  to\n19   support as commented by Rhonda.\n\n21                   Thank you.\n\n23                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n25                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n26   supports WP26-66.\n\n28                   Thank you.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n32                   MR. PAYENNA:  I vote to support WP26-66\n33   in  deference to  the RAC  and also  agreeing with  the\n34   comments made by BLM and partners.\n\n36                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I  support for\n39   reasons stated on the record.\n\n41                   Thank you.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Okay.   The  motion to\n44   adopt WP26-66 as written passes unanimously.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We'll come back\n47   at 1:30,  lunch.   Hour and 15,  house and  20 minutes.\n48   Thank you, guys.  We'll be back here.\n\n---\n\n1                   (Off record)\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n46   \n50\n\n3                   (On record)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   If the  Board\n6   members  can hear this, it is 1:31 so we will resume as\n7   soon as we have a quorum established here.\n\n9                   (Pause)\n\n11                   All right.  We're going to go ahead and\n12   get started with our presentations this afternoon.\n\n14                   Did you have something, Robbin.\n\n16                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, members  of the\n17   Board.  I know that this is a little out of sequence in\n18   regards to  our procedures, however  we do a  member of\n19   the  community of --of a southcentral  community that\n20   has a proposal before you that made travel arrangements\n21   based on  the original order  of the agenda.   He would\n22   like  to  give  his comments  on  proposal  --Wildlife\n23   Proposal 26-15 before he leaves this evening.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Okay.    Any\n26   opposition that he does that now, Board, just for --so\n27   we can clear up, get it off the floor?\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.  We have\n32   no opposition to that, we'll take that now.\n\n34                   MR. JONES:   Good afternoon, Mr. Chair,\n35   and esteemed members of the  Federal Subsistence Board.\n36   Thank you for this  opportunity and I apologize that  I\n37   needed  to speak out  of order.  My  name is Kenneth B.\n38   Jones,   I'm   a    resident   of   Cordova,    Alaska.\n39   Unfortunately  the  change  to  work  the  proposals in\n40   reverse has created a scheduling conflict and I must be\n41   on the  ferry traveling  home  tomorrow for  responders\n42   training  on Friday  that I  tried  to reschedule,  but\n43   cannot move.   I will  try to call in,  but I'm worried\n44   that it may  not be a reliable connection  on the ferry\n45   and appreciate the opportunity to speak with you now.\n\n47                   I'm a  lifelong born  and raised  local\n48   and third generation  rural residence of Cordova.   I'm\n49   also a commercial fisherman, assistant  guide, big game\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n46   \n50\n\n1   transporter, waterfowl guide and a sport fish guide.  I\n2   have dedicated much of  my adult life to  promoting and\n3   preserving the community and opportunities that  raised\n4   me.   While I recently stepped away from public service\n5   roles to focus on my  family and business over the last\n6   15  years  I  have  served   four  terms  as  a  harbor\n7   commissioner, two terms as city councilman and multiple\n8   terms as an executive committee member of both CDFU and\n9   PWSAC.    In  more  recent  years  I  have  focused  on\n10   purchasing long derelict  properties and rehabilitating\n11   them to create  much needed housing and  small business\n12   opportunities in  my  home  town.   Nearly  all  of  my\n13   personal and business resources are reinvested directly\n14   back into strengthening  the community that I  love and\n15   have  watched struggle since the Exxon Valdez oil spill\n16   that drastically  damaged and devastated  our community\n17   and economy.\n\n19                   I  mention  this   not  to  talk  about\n20   myself,  but to  show that  I do  not just  speak about\n21   improving  and  supporting  Cordova,  I  actively   and\n22   consistently  invest my  time,  labor  and  all  of  my\n23   limited resources into  doing it.   With more and  more\n24   commercial fishery  closures every season  coupled with\n25   multiple  Federally declared  disaster returns  and the\n26   rising cost of insurance, moorage and fuel and having a\n27   crew of local guys who  all have families and depend on\n28   me as their  captain to find economic  opportunities so\n29   they can fee  their families.  Just  --10 years  ago I\n30   launched Serenity Adventures.\n\n32                   I  am  here today  because  this life's\n33   work of supporting  my community is now  being severely\n34   threatened  by  WP26-15.   I  strongly oppose  proposal\n35   WP26-15   to   close  deer   hunting   access   on  the\n36   transplanted population  of Sitka  black tail deer  for\n37   non-Federally-qualified    users    on    Hawkins   and\n38   Hinchinbrook Island.   Anecdotally  around town  it has\n39   become  a  repetitive  narrative  that  this   proposal\n40   originated  from a personal vendetta by some members of\n41   the  tribe who  were upset  by  my boats  being on  the\n42   landscape.  And as  a targeted way to curb or  alter my\n43   business activities.  All despite the many self-imposed\n44   practices that I have implemented for local respect and\n45   local deference.\n\n47                   Serenity Adventures, my  small, locally\n48   owned transporter  business, operates  in the  proposed\n49   closure  area.  We operate DIY, fair chase, mature buck\n\n---\n\n17   \n46   \n50\n\n1   only  harvest  and  have self-imposed  limits    on our\n2   clients  to  promote  sustainability  and overall  herd\n3   health.   Overall harvest by my clients represents less\n4   than 1 percent  of the total annual deer  harvest and a\n5   fraction  of a percent of  the total mortality when you\n6   include  winter kill.    We  are  one  small  transport\n7   company  in  an  area  and community  that  when  I was\n8   growing up  had seven legally licensed transporters all\n9   operating at the  same time.   To say  that there is  a\n10   steep increase in  activity is false and  not supported\n11   by the data as seen in the  OSM and ADF&G reports.  The\n12   only  thing that  has  increased  is  a  perception  of\n13   increased  pressure  stemming   from  my  social  media\n14   presence when I ramped up ads to make it yet --through\n15   yet another  disaster commercial fishing season in 2023\n16   and 2024.\n\n18                   If passed this  proposal would directly\n19   and negatively  impact the  six local  hire crew  whose\n20   households all rely on hosting and transporting a small\n21   number of non-Federally-qualified users during the fall\n22   season.  For my family and the families of the people I\n23   employ this  work  is not  some  abstract  recreational\n24   business, it is part  of how we were raised, it is part\n25   of how we make a living and how we help to put food not\n26   just  on  our  tables,  but  many  tables  in  a remote\n27   community where  the cost of  living is high  and these\n28   seasonal employment  opportunities matter.   This would\n29   also  negatively  impact  the  local  ADF&G  management\n30   budget  through the loss  of lucrative non-resident tag\n31   sales and many  of the struggling restaurant  and hotel\n32   businesses and employees if this were passed.\n\n33           This work also supports  our subsistence way of\n34   life in another  important way.  More than  half of the\n35   deer  meat harvested by my clients are donated locally.\n36   Much of  that meat  goes into  either  my own  family's\n37   freezer,  our  extended  family's  freezer  or  to  the\n38   families of my employees, to friends in need and to our\n39   church widow program that supports elders and widows in\n40   the  community.   That donated  meat  helps offset  the\n41   number  of  deer  our  own  families  need  to  harvest\n42   ourselves  in  order to  maintain  a  rural subsistence\n43   lifestyle.   So  this proposal  would  not just  affect\n44   access, it  would reduce  food sharing  and local  food\n45   security.\n\n47                   This proposal would also create harmful\n48   social and  cultural impacts  in  our already  strained\n49   small  community.  Because of the economic pressures in\n\n---\n\n19   \n36   \n50\n\n1   Cordova,   high  housing   costs,  limited   employment\n2   opportunities and  access to  health care  many of  the\n3   local people that I grew up with have unfortunately had\n4   to relocate out of town for one reason  or another.  If\n5   this proposal  passes many  residents, both  tribal and\n6   non-tribal members who were born and raised in Cordova,\n7   who grew up hunting these lands with  their fathers and\n8   grandfathers,  but who  no  longer  qualify  for  rural\n9   status, will  lose the ability  to return and  hunt the\n10   places that  shaped their families and  their families'\n11   traditions.    It  would  also  divide  families across\n12   generations.  Children  who are non-Federally-qualified\n13   would be unable  to hunt with their  local grandparents\n14   on the  same lands  that their  families have used  for\n15   generations.   Instead  of  preserving traditions  this\n16   proposal risks breaking  those connections and reducing\n17   the transfer  of hunting  knowledge, ethics  and family\n18   heritage.\n\n20                   Most  importantly this  closure is  not\n21   biologically  justified.     My   clients  cumulatively\n22   harvest fewer than  60 deer annually.   That represents\n23   less  than 1 percent of  total hunting mortality in the\n24   area.  We  conduct a  mere six weeks  per year of  fair\n25   chase,  buck  only  style hunts.    Meanwhile  one boat\n26   engaged  in December beach  hunting can kill  more deer\n27   than all  my clients combined  in one weekend.   I know\n28   because I've done it growing  up in the community.  And\n29   this often includes  the harvest of --the unfortunate\n30   harvest of pregnant does.  If conversation is truly the\n31   concern  then this proposal is not targeting the actual\n32   source  of the pressure which  is beach hunting by non-\n33   local boats.   Which if  this is passes would  still be\n34   allowed as the  beaches would remain open  because they\n35   are State land.\n\n37                   It is also  important to recognize that\n38   Cordova  and  Prince  William  Sound  have  experienced\n39   different  recent  winter  conditions  than  parts   of\n40   southeast  Alaska.    Our   recent  winters  have  been\n41   unusually  clear, cold  and marked by  historically low\n42   snowpack.  We have also had very warm springs and rainy\n43   springs.    The  deer have  wintered  well  under those\n44   conditions.  ADF&G has theorized that  the historically\n45   low  snowpack over  the  last three  years  may be  one\n46   reason the pellet surveys appear lower because the snow\n47   has not been  there to push the deer  into the transect\n48   area for their winter range.  And that warm rain in the\n49   spring dissolves the  pellets before the pellet  counts\n\n---\n\n5   \n22   \n40   \n50\n\n1   can be conducted in the summer.  Under these conditions\n2   --so pellet  counts under these conditions  should not\n3   automatically  be interpreted as evidence of a low deer\n4   abundance.\n\n6                   Both ADF&G  and  the  OSM  oppose  this\n7   closure  and have  provided  substantial science  based\n8   analysis showing there is  no biological necessity  for\n9   such an  extreme  action and  that  professional  input\n10   deserves serious consideration  and deference.  There's\n11   also no broad consensus supporting this proposal.  Half\n12   of the  Southcentral Regional Advisory  Council opposed\n13   it.  The local Cordova Fish and Game Advisory Committee\n14   made  up entirely of  Cordova residents opposed  it and\n15   submitted public comment.   The Whittier Fish  and Game\n16   Advisory   Committee  opposed   it,  submitted   public\n17   comment.  The  Valdez Fish and Game  Advisory Committee\n18   opposed  it and submitted  public comment.   The public\n19   comment  in general  has  been overwhelmingly  opposed,\n20   even half of the Native Village  of Eyak's own internal\n21   advisory voices opposed it.\n\n23                   There is already a 29 week  deer season\n24   with  up to  five tags  available  for local  qualified\n25   users.   That  is ample  opportunity  for   subsistence\n26   harvest.  My business operates only six weeks per  year\n27   with two boats right  across two or three large  island\n28   with multiple bays.  I can count on one hand the number\n29   of  other boats  I see  out  there every  season.   The\n30   suggestion that this small, seasonal operations is out-\n31   competing local  residents for opportunity  across that\n32   entire  landscape  is  simply not  credible.    If this\n33   proposal  passes it  will not  even  solve the  claimed\n34   issue.   It  does not  close the  beaches, it  does not\n35   close  the private  land and does  not close  the State\n36   Parkland.   It  will simply  push  those non-Federally-\n37   qualified  users  into  the  remaining  open areas  and\n38   concentrate users there creating  more conflict instead\n39   of less.\n\n41                   There  are  many   common  sense  tools\n42   available before imposing  such a  broad, drastic  full\n43   closure.  Some ideas are  close the eastern portion  of\n44   Hawkins that is closest to  town.  Close all of Hawkins\n45   if crowding  near town is  the real concern,  but leave\n46   Hinchinbrook open.      Lower     the    non-Federally-\n47   qualified  user   bag  limit,  close  doe   harvest  in\n48   December, close  the second  half of  December to  non-\n49   Federally-qualified  users,  prohibit shooting  from  a\n\n---\n\n10   \n16   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n31   \n37   \n39   \n44   \n50\n\n**0219**\n\n1   boat,  restrict non-Federally-qualified  users to  buck\n2   only  harvest.    Any of  these  options  would address\n3   pressure  concerns  while preserving  fairness,  family\n4   traditions,  local  jobs   and  local  food  resources.\n5   Unfortunately the  proposal did  not include  any broad\n6   community  engagement prior to being input and these --\n7   and  we couldn't  --didn't  have  an  opportunity  to\n8   identify  these  workable  compromises  as a  community\n9   before it was proposed.\n\n11                   With all  this in  mind I  respectfully\n12   ask  that the Board  reject WP26-15 and  instead pursue\n13   balanced management solutions routed in science, common\n14   sense and the  realities of rural  life in a  community\n15   like Cordova.\n\n17                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n18   consideration.  I'm  happy to answer any  questions and\n19   will be here  for the rest of the day  and available on\n20   breaks and invite anybody including audience members to\n21   come up to me and chat.\n\n## 23 Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Appreciate that.  Rhonda has something.\n\n28                   MS. PITKA:   Yeah, you  mentioned three\n29   of the ACs that oppose, Valdez, Kodiak and what was the\n30   third one?\n\n32                   MR. JONES:   It  was the  Cordova.   So\n33   it's the Prince  William Sound Copper River  AC I think\n34   is what that one's called,  but it's based in  Cordova.\n35   And then you've  got the Whittier AC and  the Valdez AC\n36   which are all in Unit 6.\n\n## 38 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Frank.\n\n40                   MR. WOODS:   Public Member Frank Woods.\n41   Thanks  for the testimony, I  appreciate we need you at\n42   the  table.   We need  industry, we  need guided,  non-\n43   guided, we need fishermen, we need public.\n\n45                   You mentioned  that number  1 that  you\n46   are  --I'm  trying   to  --you're  a   non-guided\n47   transporter, or is it a guidedand you said there was --\n48    number  1,  first question,  definition  of what  your\n49   operation  does.  The  second you mentioned  the number\n\n---\n\n3   \n12   \n33   \n47   \n50\n\n1   sitting  in  --affected  by  this  recent --by  this\n2   proposal?\n\n4                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, so I operate Serenity\n5   Adventures, we  are primarily  a DIY for  big game.   I\n6   also   operate  guided  fishing  and  guided  sea  duck\n7   hunting.  But for the  big game side it is transported,\n8   DIY.    I do  not  have  a  big game  registered  guide\n9   license.  I'm  an assistant guide, I'm  working towards\n10   eventually maybe  someday I'll  be a  registered guide,\n11   but as of right now I'm not.\n\n13                   MR. WOODS:  No, economically that makes\n14   sense  especially in  the  --on  the  coastal  recent\n15   downturn  of the  seafood market.   The  red meat  hunt\n16   we're talking  about is  under ANILCA,  Alaska or  it's\n17   American  National Interest Lands Act or, you know, the\n18   rural  preference subsistence  priority has  precedence\n19   and  there are  laws  as  a State  and  the Feds,  it's\n20   allowable  on Federal  land, they have  concessions for\n21   guides.  Those things are important because number 1 we\n22   have run out of places to put people, state of Alaska's\n23   run out  of land,  your operation  and operations  like\n24   yours  have  been  overcrowded  and  crowding  all  the\n25   different users.   At the  table and all the  seats you\n26   sit on you see that conflict looks like.   And from now\n27   on I'd love to see you at the table to help us sort out\n28   the exact  issue that  you have  before you  and you're\n29   testifying  on.  So in our --for me it's a --it's not\n30   just a  protein commodity to  feed people and  like you\n31   pointed  out it's a cultural --have you presented this\n32   to the tribal council of Cordova?\n\n34                   MR. JONES:  Yes, I wrote them an email,\n35   I sent them all Facebook  messages, I did not receive a\n36   response other than received.   And I asked to come and\n37   speak with them and work  on a compromise.  I submitted\n38   a proposal to  the Board of  Game --well, it  wasn't a\n39   proposal  it was a agenda change  request to limit non-\n40   residents to two  because right now it's four.   I felt\n41   like that  was a  pretty good  starting point to  prove\n42   that  I'm  willing   to  work  towards  a   compromise.\n43   Unfortunately the Board of Game did not adopt it, but I\n44   am  planning  on  submitting that  as  a  proposal next\n45   cycle.   And I do believe that the tribe had, you know,\n46   wanted to do something to that effect as well.\n\n48                   MR.  WOODS:     So  this   proposal  is\n49   submitted by  the Native  Village of Eyak  and the  RAC\n\n---\n\n4   \n22   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n36   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   approves,  supports.   Southcentral Alaska  Subsistence\n2   Regional Advisory  Council  supports this.    Have  you\n3   testified before them?\n\n5                   MR. JONES:  So  I did not unfortunately\n6   testify  in front of the Southcentral RAC.  I --it was\n7   supported with a decision I  believe it was six to five\n8   so  it was  pretty split.   And  had --there was  two\n9   members of  the RAC  that are from  Cordova and  one of\n10   them was not present at the meeting.  Had he been there\n11   and   voted   against   it   it   would   have  failed.\n12   Unfortunately it still went forward.  I was down south,\n13   I  didn't --yeah, I should have  been there.  I wasn't\n14   aware of how to call into it, this is --I'm pretty new\n15   to this process.  I've been  to a lot of Board of  Game\n16   and Board of Fish meetings, but this Federal process is\n17   a learning curve  for me.  So I'll  definitely be there\n18   next time.   And I did reach out to, I believe her name\n19   is Nissa, and  I put my name forward if  they wanted to\n20   place me on the RAC I am willing to serve and be at the\n21   table.\n\n23                   MR.  WOODS:   Well,  I  appreciate your\n24   testimony.  Thank you for the answers.\n\n26                   Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n29   comments.\n\n31                   (No comments)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n34   your testimony.   And we do appreciate,  always looking\n35   to recruit.....\n\n37                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, thank you.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:       .....RAC\n40   members with in  depth knowledge so appreciate  that as\n41   well.\n\n43                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n46   We'll  go  ahead and  get  started  with the  order  of\n47   business for the day --this  afternoon and we'll start\n48   with WP-26-69, mink and weasel.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n25   \n40   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Tom has it, he's already there.\n\n3                   MR.  PLANK:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair,\n4   members of the  Board.  Again for the  record my name's\n5   Tom Plank and I'm a Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  And I\n6   will  be presenting  a  summary  of  the  analysis  for\n7   Wildlife Proposal WP26-69 starting on page 1307 in your\n8   books.\n\n10                   Wildlife Proposal WP26-69 was submitted\n11   by  the Northwest  Arctic Council  and  it requests  to\n12   extend the trapping season for mink and weasel to close\n13   April  15th in Unit 23.  Proponent states that aligning\n14   the Federal season  to match the State season will help\n15   reduce confusion  and increase  opportunity.   Trappers\n16   have indicated increased mink and weasel populations in\n17   Unit  23.  Federal subsistence regulations for mink and\n18   weasel in Unit 23 have  not changed since 1990 when the\n19   Federal  management of  subsistence  fish and  wildlife\n20   resources on  Federal public  lands began  and at  that\n21   time  the current regulation was adopted from the State\n22   regulation.   In 2003  the Board of  Game extended  the\n23   trapping season for mink and weasel in Unit 23 to close\n24   April 15th.\n\n26                   Population dynamics of  mink and weasel\n27   in  Unit 23  are  not  well  documented.    Mink  occur\n28   throughout Unit  23, but  little is  known about  their\n29   abundance or  population trend.  Mink numbers fluctuate\n30   locally making it difficult to monitor their population\n31   trends.   Snow  in spruce  forests  in the  upper Kobuk\n32   drainage  are generally  suitable  for mink  while  the\n33   hardpacked  snow conditions in the remainder of Unit 23\n34   may limit the distribution of mink.  And from 2013, '14\n35   season  to 2023, '24 season, according to the voluntary\n36   trapping question  --trapper questionnaires,  mink was\n37   reported  as common with no change in population trends\n38   in region  5 which also  includes units 18, 22,  23 and\n39   26A.\n\n41                   There are two  species of weasels  that\n42   can be  found in forested,  brushy and open  country in\n43   Alaska,  however weasels are  not included in  the most\n44   recent ADF&G fur  bearer management report for  Unit 23\n45   or   indicated  to  occur  there.    And  according  to\n46   voluntary  trapper  reports  ermine  were  reported  as\n47   common with no change in population trend in unit --in\n48   region 5.\n\n---\n\n7   \n20   \n39   \n50\n\n1                   The harvest of mink  and weasel is  not\n2   well documented for Unit  23.  Sealing is  not required\n3   in Unit 23  and the only harvest  information available\n4   is from the voluntary trapping questionnaires and there\n5   were no responses  to the questionnaires for Unit 23 in\n6   recent years.\n\n8                   One  alternative   considered  was   to\n9   exclude Cape  Krusenstern National  Monument and  Kobuk\n10   Valley National Park  for the season extension.   These\n11   areas  are closed to  anyone hunting or  trapping under\n12   State  regulations.   Excluding  these  areas from  the\n13   season  extension  could   provide  refugia  and  would\n14   represent a conservative approach to the status of Unit\n15   23 mink  and weasel population.   And their  harvest is\n16   essentially unknown.    These areas  appear to  contain\n17   excellent  habitat  for  mink   and  weasels  and  this\n18   alternative   would  result   in  Federal   regulations\n19   remaining more restrictive than State regulations.\n\n21                   If this  proposal is  adopted the  mink\n22   and weasel trapping season in Unit 23 would be extended\n23   until  April 15th.  This would increase opportunity for\n24   Federally-qualified  subsistence  users  under  Federal\n25   regulations  although units  may  already trap  on most\n26   Federal lands until April 15th under State regulations.\n27   However this proposal  would allow users to  trap until\n28   April  15  in Cape  Krusenstern  National  Monument and\n29   Kobuk Valley National  Park which are closed  to anyone\n30   trapping under  State regulations.   No  impact to  the\n31   mink  or weasel populations  are expected as  users can\n32   already  trap until April 15th  on most Federal land in\n33   Unit   23  under   State   regulations.     And   while\n34   undocumented  harvest  pressure   on  mink  and  weasel\n35   populations  throughout  Unit 23  is  also  likely low.\n36   Adopting this  proposal would also  decrease regularity\n37   complexity and confusion by aligning State  and Federal\n38   regulations.\n\n40                   OSM's   conclusion   was   to   support\n41   proposal  WP26-69  with  modification  to exclude  Cape\n42   Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National\n43   Park.     This   proposal  increases   opportunity  for\n44   Federally-qualified subsistence users and  there are no\n45   conservation concerns as users are already able to trap\n46   until April 15th  on most Federal public  lands in Unit\n47   23 under State  regulations.  State regulations  do not\n48   apply to National Parklands including Cape  Krusenstern\n49   National  Monument  and Kobuk  Valley National  Park in\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n44   \n50\n\n1   Unit 23.  Excluding National Park Service managed lands\n2   would  retain  the  current  Federal  regulations as  a\n3   conservative  approach to  provide refugia  to Unit  23\n4   mink and weasel populations as their population  status\n5   and harvest is unknown.\n\n7                   Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of Board.\n8   I'd be happy to answer any questions.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Tom.\n11   Any questions from the Board for Tom.\n\n13                   (No comments)\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIA", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '4a279aed-42b5-443f-8c42-fb1941b31be9', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_1.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:35:35.806695+00:00', 'content_hash': '52c8d29a78feb553a4013b93ddea00abb853bc7c6d5c2ca334b045a26a3f38a0'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.22.26'}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_2.pdf', 'body': {'text': "2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n1                  FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME III\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 23, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n22   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/23/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN     CHRISTIANSON:     (Speaker\n8   echoing) Good  morning, everybody.  Welcome to Thursday\n9   night fights!   Oh, sorry.   That's later  this evening\n10   downstairs.\n\n12                   (Laughter)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I like the echo\n15   effect.\n\n17                   Good morning.  We're going to start our\n18   morning off before public testimony, fixing the  lines.\n19   I could probably karaoke on this.\n\n21                   (Laughter)\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    This morning\n24   before  we do start  with public testimony  the Special\n25   Assistant of the Secretary is going to --Kara Moriarty\n26   is going to give us an update this  morning.  We really\n27   appreciate her taking the  time to come here and  share\n28   with us and the public an update.\n\n30                   Thank you.  You have the floor.\n\n32                   MS. MORIARTY:   Good morning, everyone.\n33   Oh, I'm  echoing too. Anthony,  are we going to  have a\n34   choir karaoke?\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Choir  choir\n37   choir.....\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:   It's a  sport center, you\n40   know.   And  for  the  Department  of  Interior  number\n41   four.....\n\n43                   (Laughter)\n\n45                   MS. MORIARTY:   Hey, that was  my son's\n46   baseball number.   Nice job,  Sara.  Nice work.   Well,\n47   good morning, everyone.   For those  that have not  had\n48   the  opportunity to meet --and  it's always weird when\n49   there's  people sitting behind you as you're talking --\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n22   \n34   \n40   \n48   \n50\n\n1   my name is Kara Moriarty and I'm the Senior Advisor for\n2   Alaskan Affairs for Secretary Burgum.\n\n4                   I just  flew in from  D.C. last  night.\n5   Landed about  1:00 a.m. this  morning.  I was  with the\n6   Secretary  yesterday in front of our Senior Senator who\n7   chairs  the Interior  Appropriations Committee,  as you\n8   were hearing testimony  on Interior's --or as he  was\n9   providing  testimony on the  President's budget for the\n10   Department of the Interior.\n\n12                   It is  an honor to  be in front  of the\n13   full Subsistence Board  once again.  I met  many of you\n14   back last July during your summer work session and I've\n15   seen many of  you over the prevailing  months either at\n16   RAC meetings that I've been  able to attend in  person.\n17   One in Wrangell, one in  Nome, as well as other various\n18   public   listening   sessions    around   the   Federal\n19   Subsistence review  that is  currently taking  place as\n20   well  as some individual tribal consultations.  Some of\n21   you have been involved in that as well.\n\n23                   As   far   as  the   report   from  the\n24   Secretary, as you  all know, the public  comment period\n25   for the  scoping review ended  a couple weeks ago.   We\n26   are just  starting that  process of  going through  the\n27   various comments  that were submitted.   So for  all of\n28   you either on the Subsistence  Board or those behind me\n29   that may have provided public comment we appreciate the\n30   input.  We're learning a lot about the program and it's\n31   going to take  us a while to  get through all of  those\n32   comments  to  have  a thoughtful  review  to  provide a\n33   potential recommendation to the Secretary.\n\n35                   All of that is yet to be determined.  I\n36   guess I would emphasize that it  was just a review.  No\n37   proposed changes are being made at this time.  If there\n38   were, of course that would start  a full public comment\n39   through the APA process.\n\n41                   I did have  a chance to visit  with the\n42   Under Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and I\n43   think  that when I was back  in D.C. last week and with\n44   everyone's schedules it's --you know,  just everything\n45   that we're all --all the departments are working on, I\n46   think it is going to take some time to work through all\n47   the various comments to see what we come up with.\n\n49                   I'm  happy, Mr.  Chairman, to  take any\n\n---\n\n7   \n12   \n19   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n39   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   questions.   That's really  the only  update I  have to\n2   speak of and look forward to being in and out.  I'll be\n3   in and  out today  and tomorrow as  you finish  up your\n4   meetings.  With  that, Mr. Chairman, I'll turn  it over\n5   to  you for  any questions  that you  or others  on the\n6   Subsistence Board may have.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n9   Kara.    Thank  you  for  the update.    Is  there  any\n10   questions or comments from the  Board.  RAC Chairs.  Go\n11   ahead, Jack.\n\n13                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  Jack Reakoff,\n14   Western Interior.   Once you evaluate all  the comments\n15   I'm  wondering about  the timeframe  for  the Councils'\n16   comments if  there's a change.  Are  we going to have a\n17   period  during our fall meetings to address any changes\n18   suggested by the DOI?\n\n20                   MS.  MORIARTY:  Good question.  I would\n21   be surprised if we get through all of that by your fall\n22   meetings  to be quite candid. With everything that's --\n23   other priorities that USDA has  and that we have at the\n24   Department of  the Interior, we're  in the middle  of a\n25   couple other  rulemaking processes  that is  more of  a\n26   prescriptive  time  period  than   the  scoping  review\n27   because  there's no  time  certain.    So  I  would  be\n28   surprised if we saw any recommendations if there are to\n29   come before your fall meetings later this year.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Louis.\n\n33                   MR.  GREEN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  How\n34   are you doing, Kara?\n\n36                   MS. MORIARTY:  Oh, there you are.  Hi.\n38                   (Laughter)\n\n40                   MR. GREEN:   I'm  the biggest  guy here\n41   besides.....\n\n43                   MS. MORIARTY:   I'm like  who's talking\n44   to me.  This is such a big --this is such a big room.\n\n46                   MR. GREEN:   I'm the  biggest guy  here\n47   besides that guy and you thought I was somewhere.\n\n49                   MS. MORIARTY:  Yeah.  Well, you know, I\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n15   \n17   \n24   \n33   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   did land  a couple hours  ago, so like I  apologize for\n2   the sleep deprivation this morning.\n\n4                   MR. GREEN:  Well, I'm everywhere.\n\n6                   MS.  MORIARTY:    Yeah,  that's  right.\n7   Nice to see you.\n\n9                   MR. GREEN:  Thank you.  Good to see you\n10   again.   Just a question.   You don't need to answer it\n11   if you don't have an answer.  Is there any thought that\n12   the Secretaries  of Interior  and Agriculture  are ever\n13   going to  pow-wow a  little bit with  the Secretary  of\n14   Commerce?\n\n## 16 MS. MORIARTY: On subsistence?\n\n18                   MR. GREEN: On our issues, yeah.   Well,\n19   we have salmon issues and there's other things going on\n20   out there that we don't have any control over and I was\n21   just wondering if, seeing as the Department of Commerce\n22   is  overseeing NOAA that there's an issue in the Bering\n23   Sea and the Gulf of Alaska.\n\n25                   MS. MORIARTY:   That's a good question.\n26   You  know, the three Secretaries were all together last\n27   week   actually.    We   were  at  the   Department  of\n28   Agriculture  for  a  roundtable.    Our  Secretary  was\n29   invited to  participate.   Secretary Lutnick was  there\n30   with  Secretary Rollins and our Secretary to talk about\n31   the seafood,  office of  the seafood  liaison that  the\n32   Department of Ag created.\n\n34                   So  the  three  of them  were  actually\n35   together talking about  seafood in a general  sense, so\n36   it's a  good question and something we can consider and\n37   try to find  a counterpart at Commerce  to discuss some\n38   of those issues.\n\n40                   MR.  GREEN:  Thank you.  Thank you, Mr.\n41   Chair.\n\n## 43 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Frank.\n\n45                   MR. WOODS:  Thank you for  representing\n46   us here in Alaska.  I've still got to invite you out to\n47   Bristol Bay.  In the  last few days you've heard public\n48   testimony from  all the rural  areas and tribes.   What\n49   I'd  like  to   ask  is  that,  number  one,   we  keep\n\n---\n\n8   \n19   \n26   \n30   \n44   \n50\n\n1   perspective  that  this  Board helps  regulate  the 300\n2   million acres in Alaska.   That we are unique, that the\n3   public  perspective is still in place,  and if you read\n4   the  1,500 pages  of  information  we  review  and  the\n5   70-plus  regulations that we're  doing the next  day or\n6   so,  you understand the  magnitude of what  we're faced\n7   with.\n\n9                   Also,  you know,  the consolidation  of\n10   all  the Federal programs,  every program in  Alaska is\n11   suffering with the  budget crisis.   Not only a  budget\n12   crisis,  but a work  force development problem  that we\n13   don't have enough people to  recruit to do all the work\n14   that we do.  Everybody I  know in every field are doing\n15   two  to three jobs.   And to  pass on  to the Secretary\n16   that not only this Board,  but I think every  governing\n17   body   that  regulates   land  or   issues  and   human\n18   interaction is being taxed right now.\n\n20                   We try  to --and we  think we  manage\n21   resource,  but  what  we're  doing  is  managing  human\n22   beings.  And  to be human about it,  that's not fair to\n23   the  system, it's not fair  to the government, and it's\n24   not fair  to the people.   So I appreciate  your charge\n25   and your representing us in Washington D.C.  Thank you.\n\n27                   MS. MORIARTY:  Thank you, Frank. I look\n28   forward to  getting out  to Bristol Bay.   It's  been a\n29   couple years, so I look forward to it.\n\n31                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dan\n32   Dunaway,  Bristol Bay  RAC Vice  Chair.   Welcome,  and\n33   thank  you for  coming.   It just  occurred to  me what\n34   Frank  was  mentioning   how  complex  subsistence  is,\n35   particularly to get that point across to the people  in\n36   the lower  48.  We  have a new educational  manual that\n37   just got  printed and delivered  yesterday to here.   I\n38   was thinking maybe a few of those manuals going back to\n39   D.C.  I think  they're  more aimed  at school  kids and\n40   stuff, but might  be --and I  haven't had a  chance to\n41   look  through it,  but might  be a  handy tool  to help\n42   explain to people  in the Lower 48 that  just don't get\n43   this at all and how important it is.\n\n45                   So I just  wanted to bring that  up and\n46   also  kind of  echo  what Louis  brought  up about  the\n47   concerns of bycatch.   You're probably aware,  it's all\n48   over the  internet and all  of the social  media that's\n49   around  Alaska, I  don't think  trawlers  are the  only\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n31   \n38   \n46   \n50\n\n1   thing, but  it is a huge concern with the lack of Kings\n2   and lack of other fish.  Thank you very much.\n\n4                   MS. MORIARTY:   Thank you,  Dan.  Yeah,\n5   if there  are extra copies,  I would be happy  to share\n6   with my colleagues back in D.C. And I think that's part\n7   of the reason why the more --some of us who  are newer\n8   to  this issue,  either here in  Alaska like  myself or\n9   those that I  work with  back in  D.C. --the more  we\n10   learn through the review, the more we have to learn.\n\n12                   So we're  trying to  be thoughtful  and\n13   learn and understand  the legal foundations  around the\n14   Board  and the  RACs, and  all of  the other  issues as\n15   well.   But, yes, happy  to take back  some educational\n16   materials for my colleagues back  in D.C. if there  are\n17   some extra copies, so thanks for pointing that out.  As\n18   a  former school teacher,  it's probably in  a language\n19   that I can  relate to if it's targeted  to school kids,\n20   so that's perfect.  Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan,\n23   and  I'm sure Heather appreciates  the plug.  Any other\n24   questions. Comments.\n\n## 26 (No comments)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I definitely\n29   appreciate your  time in coming  to get a pulse  on the\n30   program.  Here we go, Rhonda.\n\n32                   MS. PITKA:   I think  earlier when  the\n33   scoping   process  started  you  said  that  we  had  a\n34   compressed  time frame  so recommendations  should come\n35   out by the spring.   If I'm remembering that right, and\n36   now  --so  there's no  deadlines?    There's  no hard\n37   deadlines?\n\n39                   MS.  MORIARTY:   No,  there were  never\n40   hard deadlines.  Nice to see you, Chief Pitka.  Nice to\n41   see  you.   No,  there  were never  any  hard deadlines\n42   because it's  a scoping process,  so we could  take our\n43   time.   Again, the more  we learn, the more  we need to\n44   learn.  So we are going to be thoughtful about any type\n45   of --if any recommendations come forward for sure.\n\n47                   I just would like to say, Mr. Chairman,\n48   if  --you know,  yes, I'll be here  for a couple hours\n49   today,  a couple hours  tomorrow, but I  would just say\n\n---\n\n5   \n16   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   that my door is always open to any of the Board members\n2   individually, the  RAC  members, other  members of  the\n3   public.   That's my job  is to represent  the Secretary\n4   and I can't get everywhere.\n\n6                   I  know  I've  had  lots  of  wonderful\n7   invitations to  be  in every  corner of  the state  and\n8   visit all 229  tribes, which I would love to  do, but I\n9   am doing my best and Sarah Taylor  in my office as well\n10   to try  and get to  as many of the  region as possible.\n11   We are looking  to see how many of  the RAC meetings we\n12   can get to in person again this fall.  It's a great way\n13   to try to get  to at least some of the regional centers\n14   across Alaska.  But my phone is always open, my door is\n15   always open, and again I appreciate the invitation.\n\n17                   MS. PITKA:  Sorry, just one more.  When\n18   we  do get  the  recommendations from  the  Secretary's\n19   Office do you think that there would be support to have\n20   an  All Regional Advisory  Council meeting?   We've had\n21   joint  Regional Council meetings in the past when we've\n22   had major issues to discuss like the Yukon River Salmon\n23   disaster or other issues that affect all of Alaska.\n\n25                   MS. MORIARTY:  We understand that there\n26   is a request for that and it's under consideration.\n\n28                   MS. PITKA:  Thank you, I appreciate it.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n31   Kara. I see  no further questions.  We  appreciate your\n32   time this morning.\n\n## 34 MS. MORIARTY: Thanks, everybody.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n37   We'll now open  up the floor for  public comment period\n38   on non-agenda items.  Again  we do have a packed agenda\n39   the  next two  days so  we  would ask  for brevity  and\n40   respect for other people as they want to testify today.\n41   If you want to go longer, it's your process.  I think a\n42   green card or a  blue card, what color do we  have here\n43   today?    Robbin  will  call  you  up and  we'll  start\n44   receiving public testimony this morning.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n47   have eight  folks that have signed  up in the room.   I\n48   don't know who has signed up online.  That's so that we\n49   can  kind  of  keep  track  of who  is  in  the  queue.\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n18   \n29   \n37   \n38   \n46   \n50\n\n1   Additionally  we will  have --after  the comments  on\n2   non-agenda items we will have an opportunity to comment\n3   on the  consensus agenda before  we move back  into our\n4   action items.\n\n6                   The  first person in the room is Jimmie\n7   Hurley, Sr.  Jimmy Hurley.\n\n9                   MR.  HURLEY:   Chairman, Federal  Board\n10   members, respective Board  members.  My name  is Jimmie\n11   Hurley.   I  am from  Bristol  Bay area,  Ekwok.   I've\n12   fished Bristol Bay  for 45 years and  fished Petersburg\n13   for a longline.  All my life I've been on boats.  I run\n14   barges up and down the Nushagak and it's just a life of\n15   fish.  I've helped kickstart  the CDQ program. I helped\n16   pretty much voice our opinion about Pebble Mine.  I was\n17   the very first one who stood up against Pebble Mine.\n\n19                   So I've been in  the political arena of\n20   Bristol Bay a long  time and I am  not done.  I  had to\n21   move in  here about five  years ago to  be here,  to be\n22   with  my family, and to testify about North Pacific and\n23   some of the  other ones because Nushagak River --we've\n24   seen some really declining in  King salmon and chum, so\n25   I teamed  up with  other tribes to  make more  aware of\n26   what's going on.  It's a real battle  to see our Native\n27   people on the Yukon-Kuskokwim pretty much starving, you\n28   know.\n\n30                   So I'm not going to sit around and keep\n31   my mouth shut about that, you know.  I want to voice my\n32   opinion on this and  that is partly why I moved  in.  A\n33   little  bit more.    I spotted  herring  in Togiak  and\n34   worked my  way up to so many others.   But I'm not here\n35   for  all  that. I  just  --that's  another  issue, but\n36   people  should be aware of, you know, your perspective.\n\n39                   This is  the first meeting  I ever went\n40   to  a  Federal meeting.  I've  been  to  all the  North\n41   Pacific and  all the  Fish and  Game meetings with  the\n42   State.   I  was made  aware that  Ekwok, Koliganek  and\n43   Stuyahok, we  can't  --we  can't  get any  caribou  up\n44   there.   It's  closed out and  everybody around  us has\n45   been --has access to caribou.\n\n47                   You  know, when I  go back, it's  $10 a\n48   gallon for me to go  up and we travel --I have to team\n49   up with somebody  who will go moose hunting.   And here\n\n---\n\n6   \n15   \n22   \n34   \n41   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   we see these woodland caribou all the way up Mulchatna.\n2   You know, the  Mulchatna Herd used  to be over  200,000\n3   and  it's depleted  down to  --I  don't know  what the\n4   numbers are,  but it  sure would be  good to  have that\n5   open.\n\n7                   If we can't get a moose, at least we'll\n8   come back with a caribou.  It's just common  knowledge,\n9   you know.   We're there to  to bring  meat back to  our\n10   table.   We have  a lot of  salmon.   I've sat  on many\n11   meetings.  Nushagak Advisory.   I pushed along a lot of\n12   things to  help. I've done  value added  at BBDC.  I've\n13   done  everything  pretty  much to  my  ability  to help\n14   Bristol Bay.\n\n16                   I need  some  help with  a proposal  to\n17   open up  at least one  caribou for each --for anybody\n18   going up the  river, you know.  So I'm not too sure how\n19   this works  with proposals.   I  mean it's  the Federal\n20   level here, but I  know how it works at the  State when\n21   we shut down King salmon fisheries.\n\n23                   Peter   Christopher   and   I   started\n24   Value-added King Salmon.  We  process salmon and it was\n25   probably the best in the world.  We did it.   It wasn't\n26   no  company, but it  came out of Bristol  Bay.  So it's\n27   not --you  know, it's something that --you know, you\n28   think that some people bring  these ideas.  You know, I\n29   learned all this  out of Indian Valley down  there.  We\n30   try to  put value  to our  fish.   But, anyway,  I sure\n31   could use  some  help  at  trying  to  get  a  proposal\n32   together to  open that  area because  there's a lot  of\n33   hungry mouths.\n\n35                   It's pretty sad to go back home and you\n36   hunt a moose.  You know,  you travel maybe 150 miles up\n37   the  main  river  or Nuyakuk  or  Mulchatna,  you know.\n38   That's a long ways to  travel for nothing and come back\n39   empty.   That's not a  good sign for  your family.  You\n40   got to maybe work on putting up more salmon.\n\n42                   So I appreciate all your time and thank\n43   you very much.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Jimmy.  Any comments from the Board?  And I know  we do\n47   have staff here that can  help you with that, getting a\n48   proposal put together for that area.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n22   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   MR. HURLEY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n5                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   Next on  our list  is Tom Harris.   Tom  Harris, please\n7   address the Board.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   MS.  LAVINE:    If  we  don't  have Tom\n12   Harris, the next on the list is Stanley Pete.  Stanley.\n\n14                   MR.  PETE:    Thank  you, Chairman  and\n15   members  of  the  Board.   Good  morning,  Chairman and\n16   members of the Board.  Thank you  for this opportunity.\n17   (In  Yup'ik).   My name  is Stanley  Pete.   My mother,\n18   Donna Pete, and  my father, Dennis Pete.   I am  from a\n19   small village on Yukon Delta, Nunam Iqua.  It's on wind\n20   swept  tundra with  permafrost.   My  family's bond  is\n21   strengthened through subsistence.\n\n23                   I come from a small Yup'ik village.  My\n24   family  and   community   have   always   depended   on\n25   subsistence.   The  subsistence harvest  opportunity of\n26   salmon  on Yukon  River is next  to non-existent.   The\n27   Yup'ik,   Cup'ik,   Koyukon  and   Canada   Athabascan,\n28   Gwich'in,  Han  Hwech'in and  the Hakon  Athabascan and\n29   their  descendants   are  feeling  the  agony  of  fish\n30   collapse.\n\n32                   The  regional,  cultural  and  temporal\n33   variations  are many  in these  different user  groups.\n34   Even  with all  of our  differences  in utilization  of\n35   salmon and many beliefs and ceremonies regarding salmon\n36   are  on  pause  or not  happening.    Our  children and\n37   grandchildren  are losing their  culture or  don't know\n38   what it is.  Us few who remember cherish and  yearn for\n39   that lifestyle.  The few that get fish from other areas\n40   are comforted and reminded of happier times.\n\n42                   With the  collapse of  salmon on  Yukon\n43   some  user groups, not  many, are suggesting  they have\n44   exclusive  rights or privileges to harvest salmon.  The\n45   collapse  of these  salmon  stocks  is causing  tension\n46   between user groups.   All user groups  don't have same\n47   food  availability.    Caribou,  bison, muskox,  moose,\n48   bears, don't live on bear tundra.  Marine mammals don't\n49   go  way inland.   How can any  co-management agreements\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n17   \n25   \n33   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   exist if there is tension in river.\n\n3                   We  have many  laws  and  acts by  both\n4   State and Federal  bodies that dictate when we  can and\n5   cannot do  subsistence. Marine  Mammal Protection  Act,\n6   Migratory  Bird Treaty  Act,  Alaska National  Interest\n7   Land Conservation Act, judicial rulings, many State and\n8   Federal  regulations,  statutes.    Even which  Natives\n9   qualify to subsist.\n\n11                   On the  Yukon it seams  the sole burden\n12   of  conservation of  salmon  is  placed on  subsistence\n13   users.  Key spawning habitat are at the mercy of mining\n14   activity.   Sedimentation,  water quality  degradation,\n15   vegetation loss,  catastrophic mining  spills alter  or\n16   even wipe out discreet salmon stocks.\n\n18                   Mining activity on Yukon is governed by\n19   State and Federal  regulators.  Bureau of  Land manages\n20   mineral development.  Environmental Protection Agencies\n21   enforce regulations  to  protect  water  from  impacts.\n22   State Agencies are also delegated authority. \n23   Water qualities are  of a concern also.   Environmental\n24   protection laws and State agencies govern standards.\n\n26                   In  the   Tanana  River   11.2  million\n27   gallons  a day  of treated  sewage  is discharged  into\n28   androgynous rivers.   It affects those fish  that go up\n29   the  stream,  the  river  to  spawn.   There  are  many\n30   variables   like    permafrost   degradation,    sewage\n31   discharge,   mining   activity,   hatcheries,  bycatch,\n32   interception, hydrology changes on Yukon water site.\n\n34                   I bring my  concerns here to  this body\n35   hoping  my voice  will  be  amplified.   If  all  other\n36   factors  of decline of Yukon salmon are disregarded and\n37   only put  on subsistence  users, how  can anyone  think\n38   these stocks will rebound?  Currently there are another\n39   100 proposed  mines in different  stages of development\n40   on Yukon water site.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n45   appreciate  that testimony.   I  think it gives  a good\n46   picture to what the  rural user faces as we just try to\n47   get a fish  or a  moose or  a caribou.   It's really  a\n48   heavy-weighted  responsibility   on  the   user  so   I\n49   appreciate that testimony in encapsulating I think what\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n14   \n21   \n23   \n26   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   the Yukon goes through as it tries to continue it's way\n2   of life, so thank you.\n\n4                   Any comments from the Board?\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n9   your testimony this morning.\n\n11                   MR. PETE:  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.  Rhonda.\n\n15                   MS.  PITKA:     Thank   you  for   your\n16   testimony today. I really appreciate  it.  I know  that\n17   you do a  lot of work with the  Tribal Fish Commission,\n18   so I'd  like to  thank you for  that work also  and for\n19   protecting the salmon.  I definitely thank you for your\n20   words today.  That was excellent testimony.\n\n22                   MR. PETE:  Thank you.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:  Next  speaker in the queue\n25   is Shania Murphy.  Shania.\n\n27                   MS. MURPHY:   Directors  of the  Board,\n28   Chairman  Christianson, Director  Lee Liddy,  thank you\n29   for  the  chance  to  speak  today.   I  just  want  to\n30   acknowledge that  I am on  the ancestral  lands of  the\n31   Dena'ina people.\n\n33                   There are  two things that I  wanted to\n34   talk about today and one of them is oysters reproducing\n35   in Southeast's waters.   When I  was deckhanding for  a\n36   dive boat over in Behm Canal, this guy came up who knew\n37   my captain, had two deer in his skiff and said I had 20\n38   people out here to my beach.   Come dive it if you want\n39   some oysters.  And that  was frightening to hear.  I've\n40   seen many  one-off populations  that have  huge oysters\n41   growing in them from old dilapidated farms in the '80s,\n42   but  to  my  understanding  there  is  more  than  that\n43   happening.\n\n45                   The second thing that  I wanted to talk\n46   about was sport  fishermen all the way down  at a place\n47   called Tree Point in Ketchikan.  It's near the Canadian\n48   border.   This is  a six-hour run by  a seven knot boat\n49   and about an  hour and 45  minutes to two hours  with a\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n30   \n34   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   faster boat.\n\n3                   We've seen sport fishermen all the  way\n4   down  there.   Charter fishermen  in  the summer  time.\n5   These commercial gillnetters  will follow right  behind\n6   them and  run them off  from their gillnet  grounds and\n7   they're coming every day.  It is  really concerning and\n8   I  would  really like  to  see something  done,  like a\n9   limited entry fishery for charter fishing.\n\n11                   That is all I have to say. Gunalcheesh,\n12   thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n15   Shania.   Any questions,  comments from  the board?   I\n16   appreciate your testimony this morning.  Thank you.\n\n18                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next in the queue we have\n19   Ali Ginter.  Ali.\n\n21                   MS. GINTER:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n22   and  members  of   the  Board.    Thank  you   for  the\n23   opportunity to speak  during public comment today.   My\n24   name is  Ali Ginter.  I am a  resident of  Ketchikan, a\n25   mother of four, and a Councilwoman for Ketchikan Indian\n26   Community.  (In Tlingit) is  my Tlingit name.  It means\n27   the  raven  who stands  up.    I  am Tlingit  from  the\n28   Kaach.adi  Clan   originally  from  Wrangell,   one  of\n29   Alaska's landless communities.\n\n31                   I  am  also  a  child  of  the  Tahltan\n32   people.  I am the daughter of Kayaani Shawat, Leafwoman\n33   Trixie Bennett, and the granddaughter of Minnie Larsen.\n\n36                   I first  want to  thank this Board  for\n37   recognizing  Ketchikan's rural  status.   That decision\n38   meant a great deal  to many families in  our community,\n39   mine included.   It made  people feel  seen, heard  and\n40   understood  for many of  us.  It  was an acknowledgment\n41   that our  lived reality matters.   And I wanted  to use\n42   this  non-agenda   public  comment   period  to   speak\n43   generally about rural life  subsistence and what  these\n44   issues mean to families like mine.\n\n46                   Sometimes   communities    are   viewed\n47   through statistics, maps,  or assumptions, but  numbers\n48   alone  do not  tell  the story  of how  people actually\n49   live.   Ketchikan is an  island community.  We  are not\n\n---\n\n5   \n16   \n26   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   connected to  the road system.   To leave or  return we\n2   rely on boats  and planes.  We depend  heavily on barge\n3   crate and services for the goods that stock  our stores\n4   and support our households.\n\n6                   When    transportation   costs    rise,\n7   families  feel  it.   When  weather  impacts  travel or\n8   deliveries, families feel  it.  That  is part of  rural\n9   life.   Rural life is  not only about geography,  it is\n10   also  about cost, access, isolation and reliance on one\n11   another.     For  many  families   subsistence  is  not\n12   recreation, it's not a hobby, it's not something extra,\n13   it's food  security, it's  dignity,  it's sharing  with\n14   elders, it's teaching  children where food comes  from.\n15   It's keeping cultural practices alive.\n\n17                   For my  family of  six harvested  foods\n18   help feed  our household.  We rely on salmon, whitefish\n19   and deer throughout the year.   As my children grow, so\n20   do  those  needs.    When  we harvest,  we  also  teach\n21   responsibility.   We use what we  can, we waste little,\n22   we  pass  on  values  of  gratitude,  stewardship,  and\n23   respect for the  resources that sustain  us.  For  many\n24   Alaska families,  subsistence is also tied  to identity\n25   and healing.\n\n27                   My husband  is Aleut,  a descendant  of\n28   those  displaced at  three  seas.    Like  many  Native\n29   families there were losses that cannot be undone.  When\n30   he teaches  our sons  to hunt and  provide, it  is more\n31   than harvesting food.  It is connection, it is healing,\n32   it is  reclaiming traditions  that earlier  generations\n33   were denied.  That is something difficult to capture in\n34   policy language, but is very real in our homes.\n\n36                   I also want to recognize those who came\n37   before me and advocated for  these issues long before I\n38   stood here today.   My mother  was heavily involved  in\n39   this work along with President  Burns and I am proud to\n40   be here  to continue  this good work  lending my  voice\n41   where I can.   When discussing rural communities, I ask\n42   that decision-makers  remember that  behind every  map,\n43   chart, or number are real people.\n\n45                   There    are    elders    waiting   for\n46   traditional foods, there are parents trying to  stretch\n47   a  budget,  there  are  children  learning  to  harvest\n48   respectfully.   There are communities working to remain\n49   connected to culture  and place.  Rural is  more than a\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n27   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   label.   Rural is a way of life, rural is a resilience,\n2   rural is  community,  rural is  responsibility  to  one\n3   another.\n\n5                   Thank  you  for   your  time  and   for\n6   listening.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n9   appreciate your testimony this morning.   Any questions\n10   or comments.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n15   you taking the time to share that.  Thank you.\n\n17                   MS.  LAVINE:   Next on  our  list is  a\n18   gentleman from Togiak.   Mr. Cutchiuk.   Please correct\n19   my pronunciation.\n\n21                   MR.  CUTCHIUK:   Good  morning,  Chair.\n22   Members of the Board.  My name is Jimmy Cutchiuk. I  am\n23   from the village of Togiak in Southwest Bristol Bay.  I\n24   know Ms. Stewart  is there sitting. I  am testifying in\n25   support of opening a caribou season at  the Cape Peirce\n26   section of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.\n\n28                   Refuge memos  that these  caribous live\n29   there year round in  the refuge and should  be utilized\n30   for subsistence by the villages that live in  that area\n31   closest  to where the  caribou reside.   My people have\n32   been hunting that area for as long as I can remember. I\n33   think I  started hunting that  area 20 to 30  years ago\n34   and I've  been traveling  with older  elders back  then\n35   because my only friends were those older areas that  --\n36   I mean the  older people that know that area.   So I've\n37   been traveling a lot with them.\n\n39                   Since  the Mulchatna  Caribou Herd  has\n40   been  closed and  the travel  conditions  were good,  I\n41   traveled this  winter 15  hours round  trip to  harvest\n42   caribou from the Nushagak Peninsula.   That's Southwest\n43   of Dillingham.  And with the cost of fuel as high as it\n44   is, and it's  going to get higher, like  it says in the\n45   news if their reports are good.  Local season would cut\n46   that to an eight-hour trip from my village.\n\n48                   It  was a good different food from what\n49   we  eat every year since the Mulchatna Caribou Herd has\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n14   \n25   \n33   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1   been closed  and the  only food that  we had  is moose.\n2   That caribou is really really  good and I'm glad we had\n3   good  travel conditions.   The  refuge  memo said  that\n4   these caribou lived  year round in that area,  so I put\n5   in a proposal  a couple years  ago.  I'd like  to thank\n6   some people  for helping me  putting in a  proposal for\n7   special action.  I'd like to get a permanent season for\n8   that area before they deplete the lunch buffet.\n\n10                   Thanks for your time.  Thank you.\n\n## 12 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: We appreciate 13 that. Any questions for Jimmy.\n\n15                   MR. WOODS:  Jimmy, you talked about the\n16   Cape Peirce  caribou  population and  a second  caribou\n17   topic  from   Bristol  Bay.     Dan   Dunaway  is   our\n18   representative on  the RAC. The  management of  Federal\n19   lands  is  really  patchwork,   especially  up  on  the\n20   Nushagak  for caribou is managed by the Mulchatna Herd.\n21   The  State biologist, John, that was  in before the one\n22   we have now was real active on trying to micro --kind\n23   of giving out  maybe quota shares to  different regions\n24   for the Mulchatna is too big.\n\n26                   That  that herd  you're talking  about,\n27   you're  correct, is  on Federal  land and I  would work\n28   through the RAC process to  get a proposal for that and\n29   I  would support any decisions or proposals or anything\n30   that come up for that  population.  It's on the western\n31   side of the Togiak  Refuge.  It's a micro herd,  but it\n32   also can be utilized.\n\n34                   The  other thing  too is the  State and\n35   the Feds --it says  not an embarrassment of the people\n36   or  the system, but  they have ceremonial  permits that\n37   can  be  issued  for  caribou and  moose.    The  Lower\n38   Peninsula also issues  educational permits for  caribou\n39   and  moose so at least our people can have a taste, but\n40   also can teach  young people on harvesting and  what it\n41   takes to harvest.\n\n43                   So I'll  shut up.   I  wasn't going  to\n44   comment,  but this  is the second  --and  I appreciate\n45   both  people coming up  from Bristol Bay  and speaking,\n46   especially on caribou and wildlife populations.   Thank\n47   you.\n\n49                   MR.  CUTCHIUK:   English  is my  second\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n11    \n21   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   language so I have a hard time trying to speak clearly,\n2   but that wasn't my intent.  Thank you.\n\n4                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You did a good\n5   job and I thank Frank  for giving options on the record\n6   that what is  available to create that  access point to\n7   the  resource, you know,  in the  interim of  getting a\n8   proposal before us.\n\n10                   So thank you, Frank.  Thank you, Jim.\n\n12                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair, we  have three\n13   more folks that  have signed up for the  comment period\n14   on non-agenda  items.  I  know that we do  have someone\n15   that signed up  for the consensus agenda.   I might ask\n16   if  there is anyone  else interested in  addressing the\n17   Board  on non-agenda  items.    We  will  have  another\n18   opportunity tomorrow morning.  I will continue with the\n19   three I have here.  Next person in the queue is Heather\n20   Bauscher.\n\n22                   MS. BAUSCHER:   Good  morning everyone,\n23   Mr. Chair, members of the Board.   I had a few things I\n24   failed  to mention  yesterday  and  I  just  wanted  to\n25   announce, because it came up earlier, that the teaching\n26   guides did officially arrive hot off the presses.  They\n27   got  a little delayed but they were delivered yesterday\n28   afternoon and I do have them in the back of the room.\n\n30                   This is  a  limited first  run  of  250\n31   copies  and the  printing was  generously  funded by  a\n32   member from the Southeast RAC that contributed  content\n33   regarding the early days of the program.  So I want  to\n34   say  a big  thank  you  to Cal  Casipit  on the  record\n35   because he didn't  want this to  exist only in  digital\n36   format and recognize  the need for physical  copies for\n37   rural Alaskans.\n\n39                   I also  forgot to mention  a few  folks\n40   and I  wanted to  say thank you  to the USDA  Office of\n41   Tribal Relations  for helping  to  fund the  curriculum\n42   guide as  well as  some of the  recent support  for the\n43   program.  Kim Amanderez (ph), she is  our new logistics\n44   support person, which  is actually what is  allowing me\n45   to expand this  program beyond Sitka and  Southeast, so\n46   big thank you to her.\n\n48                   And Taylor  Bauscher  did  all  of  the\n49   graphic design  on this  guide.  She  has been  working\n\n---\n\n6   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n27   \n36   \n46   \n50\n\n1   with me on this for more than two years to try  and put\n2   this together, so I failed to mention them earlier.  If\n3   people would like a copy  of the guide, please come see\n4   me  in the back and write down your information because\n5   I'm trying to keep track of where they go.\n\n7                   Thanks  to a  lot of  the conversations\n8   that have  been had in the  room lately.  I  am hopeful\n9   that  we will  find more  funding  in partnership  with\n10   agencies  or other shared agreements to keep this going\n11   because we  will be  at the bottom  of funding  for the\n12   student  travel this  fall.   I  only have  funding for\n13   community   workshops  until   next  spring,   but  the\n14   community  workshops have also been  a good way to find\n15   the people in the communities to help support youth and\n16   future cohorts.\n\n18                   So please  reach out if  you would like\n19   to talk  about that.  Thank you so  much for all of the\n20   support.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n23   Heather.\n\n25                   MS. LAVINE:   Next in the queue  is Ben\n26   Mallott.  Ben.\n\n28                   MR. MALLOTT:   Good morning  members of\n29   the committee today.  My name is Ben Mallott, president\n30   of AFN.   I am here  to make sure that  the Subsistence\n31   Board  is aware  of National  Park Service  rulemaking.\n32   This rulemaking is reviewing  certain hunting revisions\n33   on reserve  lands in Alaska.   This goes back  to 2015.\n34   Since 2015 this  rule has included the  definition that\n35   we all know in ANILCA for rural preference.\n\n37                   The  Park  Service is  reviewing  these\n38   pre-2015 rules and is unclear to AFN in their rule --I\n39   just  want to recognize  that this deadline  was pushed\n40   back  for 15  days  for  additional  comment  from  our\n41   membership.  I also want to thank DOI and also NPS, Don\n42   Striker, for  meeting with AFN.   This is also  part of\n43   the  process too, right?   We  ask these  questions and\n44   wait  for  Interior  to  get  back  to  us  with   more\n45   information.\n\n47                   But I also want to recognize that right\n48   now  in  rural  Alaska  times  are  tough.   Our  rural\n49   preference is really for those who need it the most and\n\n---\n\n7   \n17   \n29   \n37   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   so AFN is  really concerned about any  rules that could\n2   open our rural areas for those that don't live in rural\n3   Alaska.  With that said with  AFN and how this rule has\n4   been proposed of how --sorry, I didn't write my notes\n5   down.  It's on my phone.  I didn't print it off, so I'm\n6   trying to read real small.\n\n8                   It's unclear how AFN --to AFN and also\n9   I think this is a good question  for this Board, is how\n10   the NPS can manage subsistence on Federal lands, and so\n11   a part of ANILCA  as this rule seeks to .. According to\n12   State management.   AFN wants this Board to  be sure of\n13   this rule.  I'm  sure how this Board  and also AFN  how\n14   the State regulations  can impact and also  still apply\n15   to ANILCA when this rule is kind of  written the way it\n16   is.\n\n18                   AFN  has  made  comments  asking  this.\n19   Right now we  are asking if the state --asking if NPS\n20   is  asking that the ANILCA definition of subsistence be\n21   considered with State definition.  The State definition\n22   of  subsistence  is  for  all.    That's  not  a  rural\n23   preference.    A  preference  for  everyone  is  not  a\n24   preference at all.   So AFN is asking if NPS --we also\n25   encourage this Board to also consider through different\n26   regulations and  especially a sector order,  asking how\n27   it can make deference  for state  opportunities of  how\n28   that still applies to ANILCA.\n\n30                   Right now we are in the middle of a lot\n31   of uncertainty.  We  are coming up to a new  season and\n32   our  communities are  hurting.   Right  now communities\n33   have decided between  high fuel costs for  not only for\n34   heat, but also for activities  for fishing.  Right  now\n35   it is unclear of how these rules would actually blend a\n36   State preference for all and also a rural preference.\n\n38                   With that  said, it's  confusing.   I'm\n39   still waking up.  I want to make sure this committee is\n40   aware  of these rules  and actually just  aware that --\n41   and actually  has the same  questions to NPS of  how we\n42   can blend possible  additional State  regs over  ANILCA\n43   Title VIII.\n\n45                   Gunalcheesh  and thank  you for  having\n46   me.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n49   I appreciate  the update.   Any  questions or  comments\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n14   \n25   \n35   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1   from the Board.\n\n3                   (No comments)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n6   seeing  none, thank you  for that update  this morning.\n7   Appreciate your time.\n\n9                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n10   have  a couple  more  people who  signed  up that  were\n11   misfiled for this morning.  Gayla Hoseth is next in our\n12   queue.   And  after  that will  be  Peter Angasan,  Sr.\n13   Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. HOSETH:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n16   and members  of the Board.   I just couldn't  stay away\n17   from  this  table,  I  guess.    I  wasn't  planning on\n18   testifying  at this  meeting.   But  my  name is  Gayla\n19   Hoseth.   I wear  many different  hats.   I am  here on\n20   behalf of  Curyung Tribal  Council here  today to  talk\n21   about some issues that are on non-agenda items that are\n22   really important though as  what's happening out  there\n23   affecting  our subsistence way  of life in  the Bristol\n24   Bay Region.\n\n26                   We just got out of a Board of Fisheries\n27   cycle and herring was a big topic.  Herring, as we have\n28   in Kulukak Bay, is where have our Federal waters on the\n29   west side of  Bristol Bay and Chignik is  the other one\n30   and  I think  there's  a little  section in  Iliamna of\n31   Federal waters.   The decisions that are being  made at\n32   the Board of  Fisheries and also  at the North  Pacific\n33   Fisheries Management  Council are  going to  impact our\n34   communities when it comes to subsistence.\n\n36                   How do  we tie  that together with  the\n37   Federal Subsistence Board in talking.   I was glad that\n38   the  question  that was  brought up  by Mr.  Green from\n39   Seward  Peninsula RAC  to  Ms. Kara  about what  is the\n40   connection with  the Department of Commerce  when these\n41   decisions  are being made is what's happening out there\n42   at the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.\n\n44                   At  the  Board  of  Fisheries  we  have\n45   Proposal 188.   That part  of the Togiak  Herring stock\n46   will go  to the  Dutch Harbor/Unalaska  area for  their\n47   quota.  That's only if they are not catching 80 percent\n48   of the total allowable catch for Togiak.\n\n---\n\n11   \n18   \n25   \n32   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   In January  of 2027, the  North Pacific\n2   Fisheries  Management Council is  going to be  making a\n3   decision as to how much  biomass of herring is going to\n4   be taken  out of  the Bering Sea.   Right  now it  is 1\n5   percent.  That is going to possibly increase to 2  to 3\n6   percent.  That's  going to have significant  impacts on\n7   herring and the species that rely on herring or herring\n8   roe on help.   The smaller stocks of  herring along the\n9   western  coast of  Alaska  all  the way  up  as far  as\n10   Kotzebue and the species that rely on herring.\n\n12                   I  know  that  the   next  cycle  is  a\n13   fisheries cycle.  Trying to figure out how do we put in\n14   a proposal is challenging as I'm thinking in my head of\n15   the  proposal process, but a decision could possibly be\n16   made before the next Federal Subsistence  Board meeting\n17   of 2027.\n\n19                   As we see  the subsistence declines for\n20   fish, we  see the  subsistence declines  for moose  and\n21   caribou.   When we are really  looking at the ecosystem\n22   of our  waters, herring is  a key species in  the water\n23   that connects everything  that doesn't have  boundaries\n24   of who's managing what resource.\n\n26                   So I just  wanted to bring that  to the\n27   attention of  this Board and  maybe really push  to see\n28   how  we  do  work  with the  other  agencies  on  these\n29   decisions because I don't really see a cross connection\n30   of  how   we   are  communicating   and  having   those\n31   conversations.\n\n33                   I appreciate the engagement.  I  really\n34   want  to  focus  on  education.    I'm  glad  that  Ben\n35   highlighted a little  about the  National Park  Service\n36   comment period  that we're  currently in.    We are  in\n37   comment   period  after  comment   period  and  we  are\n38   constantly  reacting to all  of these changes  that are\n39   coming our way.   One thing that is really  key is that\n40   we really figure  out how do we focus  on educating the\n41   public  on what  are the  impacts  on this.  How do  we\n42   understand all of this and  so many different areas and\n43   sometimes we  catch comment  periods, and sometimes  we\n44   don't.\n\n46                   Very proud of Heather and the team that\n47   she works  with to do  the educational guide.   I think\n48   that's  going  to  help  people  get  engaged  in  this\n49   process.   I just  have  to say  since I  am here  from\n\n---\n\n**0354**\n\n9   \n22   \n24   \n32   \n41   \n45   \n50\n\n1   Bristol  Bay, I  am  really proud  of  Dan Dunaway  for\n2   sitting  in as  RAC.   The  RAC Chairman  here at  this\n3   meeting.   Also we have  RAC member Kenneth  Nukwak who\n4   came to  this process how  many years ago when  we were\n5   talking about caribou.   And a lot of  people don't get\n6   involved in this  process unless something is  wrong or\n7   they've  been  cited  or  their way  of  life  has been\n8   drastically affected.\n\n10                   Also I  want to recognize  Frank Woods.\n11   He  is from  our tribe  and  I am  really proud  of his\n12   leadership that  he serves  on the  Federal Subsistence\n13   Board in this space  as one of the  public members.   I\n14   can't forget  Crystal as  well.  She  is also  from our\n15   tribe.   So we  have a lot of  leadership here from the\n16   Bristol Bay  Region and  I just want  to say  thank you\n17   also  for  Jimmy for  speaking  up and  those  that are\n18   possibly going to speak  after.  But the herring  issue\n19   is a  big one that I don't want  us to overlook and not\n20   have it be on our radar for  all of us to pay attention\n21   in these different spaces that we are in.\n\n## 23 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n26   Gayla. I didn't realize we were Bristol Bay surrounded.\n27   I thought  Southeast had the  floor here.  Just  I know\n28   this as a Federal Board Program has seen this in Sitka.\n29   If there is  Federal waters  in the  bay, the  Makhnati\n30   Islands  were  closed  to the  harvest  of  herring for\n31   commercial purposes.\n\n33                   And  the State,  through pressure  from\n34   the  locals,  matched  that closure  area  in  there to\n35   provide for subsistence  uses and  conserve the  stock.\n36   So  this Board has  been engaged in  herring management\n37   toolmaking I guess.  I would look at what happened with\n38   Sitka and  maybe see what  we can do to  help entertain\n39   something out there to protect and preserve if there is\n40   going to be an increase.  Thank you.\n\n42                   MS.  HOSETH:   Thank  you very  much. I\n43   would be happy  to be a part of  those conversations as\n44   well.  Thank you.\n\n46                   MR. WOODS:   I just want to  thank you,\n47   Gayla, as a  public member I always  support statewide,\n48   regionally  wide,  and  all  the  issues  that  connect\n49   subsistence  to  Alaska.   The  youth  behind  you, I'm\n\n---\n\n5   \n14   \n23   \n26   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   looking at  a kid  I saw last  year, I  would challenge\n2   ourselves to bring those entities and I would recommend\n3   this. I've been recommending.  We have a RAC meeting at\n4   the school.\n\n6                   Like  Dan   was  talking   about  also,\n7   bringing a  youth track into  this process is huge.   I\n8   know it's costly, but it is important.  Your leadership\n9   back home  has been real  honored to have, not  just in\n10   this arena, but in different arenas, state and national\n11   wide.   We have  identified Federal  waters in  Bristol\n12   Bay.  We have identified the impacts of herring and its\n13   impact.\n\n15                   So with the RAC process I think we have\n16   some traction. And  thank you, Mr. Chair,  for speaking\n17   about  Sitka  and  the  Federal  waters  that  you  are\n18   identifying.  It's a different tract, but if that's why\n19   we are here, it's a non-agenda  items and we have a lot\n20   of issues statewide.  So  I'll move on because of time.\n21   Thank you,  Gayla, for  your input  and well  received.\n22   Thank you.\n\n24                   MS. HOSETH:   Through the  Chair, thank\n25   you, Frank.\n\n27                   MR.  GREEN:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n28   Gayla, I really appreciate the fact that you brought up\n29   the herring issue and the Board of Fish taking a cut of\n30   the Togiak  supposedly  fishery that  I  guess  doesn't\n31   really exist.  Does it?\n\n33                   So  the  point  I  was  going  to  make\n34   because you  brought that out  is the fact that  if you\n35   are going to fish --if people are going to fish out in\n36   the Bering Sea,  they are going to be  fishing on mixed\n37   herring  stock.  You  know, it's not  one stock.   So I\n38   think it's an important issue to really hone in on when\n39   they can  take somebody's  --a  percent of  somebody's\n40   catch  --a  quota, excuse  me, and  go fish it  in the\n41   middle of the  ocean, they're not going to be targeting\n42   only Togiak  herring.   They're going  to be  targeting\n43   Norton Sound area.  I used to fish Norton Sound.\n\n45                   Gayla, you  mentioned the  herring that\n46   are  probably  necessary to  make  it  all the  way  to\n47   Kotzebue,  and that would  be another small  stock, but\n48   sheefish feed  on herring.   I was just talking  to the\n49   main man  of the  Northwest Borough last  night and  he\n\n---\n\n3   \n10   \n12   \n17   \n20   \n31   \n40   \n47   \n50\n\n1   said  we  don't have  a  lot  but  we really  have  our\n2   sheefish and they are really doing well.\n\n4                   I encouraged  him to come  to the table\n5   and start  bringing that  out because  if the Board  of\n6   Fish is going  to allow a mixed stock  fishery, I don't\n7   think that's  going to be  doing any good for  the west\n8   coast of  Alaska.  So I really  appreciate you bringing\n9   that out.\n\n## 11 Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   other comments from the Board?  I appreciate it, Gayla.\n15   And thank you  and to AFN for  all that you do  for the\n16   rural subsistence user.  Thank you.\n\n18                   MS. HOSETH:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n19   Next in the queue is Peter Angasan, Sr.  Peter.\n\n21                   MR. ANGASAN, SR.:  Good morning.  A lot\n22   of Bristol  Bay folks here  today, huh?  I'm  from King\n23   Salmon,  from  Bristol  Bay.    I  went  to  a  meeting\n24   yesterday --not  here, but the other one.   The Yukon.\n25   There  was some kind  of agreement made  with Canadians\n26   and  Fish and  Game concerning their  lack of  stock up\n27   there and how  they're going to try to  preserve or get\n28   their stock  back.  But  the tribes weren't  invited to\n29   make comments for the agreement that was made with this\n30   group.\n\n32                   Although they left number four. It says\n33   if you have  a funeral, Father Max brought  up we could\n34   go get some fish and bring to the people.  But  I think\n35   that  there's 200 plus tribes and they're all Federally\n36   recognized, I think, and they  should have a say at the\n37   table concerning their  resources.  If we  don't have a\n38   say  about  our  resources,  it's  going to  be  a  big\n39   problem.\n\n41                   And then  we have  another big  problem\n42   because,  you know, we've got fishing that's in decline\n43   in  some areas.   You've got communities  that are just\n44   wilting away.   Then  we have our  children who  are in\n45   jeopardy  and they're leaving  us by means  of suicide.\n46   This is an epidemic.\n\n48                   You know, subsistence is not just going\n49   out and  getting a caribou or catching  a fish.  It's a\n\n---\n\n6   \n13   \n21   \n28   \n30   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n1   way for our elders to  communicate with us about how it\n2   used to be  and how it could  be and how it  should be.\n3   We  are the  elders  now.   We're  not  the young  kids\n4   anymore that went out with our elders.  We are the ones\n5   holding --leading the wagon so to speak.\n\n7                   But we're losing  39 people plus a  day\n8   nationally in suicide.  Alaska is the highest  rate and\n9   we don't want to  be in that rate. We want  to preserve\n10   our children.  Why?   Because one day our children will\n11   be our future  and we're going  to be hopefully  saying\n12   good job, we did well.\n\n14                   I'm  just saying  that subsistence  and\n15   how  we  can  represent our  communities  and  we can't\n16   represent them  if we're not at the  table.  I know I'm\n17   talking apples and oranges, but it all mingles down  to\n18   one thing.   We need to be recognized.  We need to have\n19   a seat  and our children have to be  heard.  We have to\n20   preserve our children.\n\n22                   I  mean   I  lost  my  son  because  of\n23   suicide.  I would have  never got involved if it wasn't\n24   for him  and I  wish I  have never  got involved.   But\n25   since I got  involved I realize what we need  to do and\n26   what  we  should do  and  what  we  can do  as  people.\n27   Subsistence is a way to preserve and help our children.\n\n## 29 That's all I have to say.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n32   that,  Peter.  I think that  sums up us living in rural\n33   communities  and the things we have to really encounter\n34   as we see resources and lifestyles changing and purpose\n35   diminishing.  So a real big thing we're struggling with\n36   as well.  Thank you.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Last in the queue is Spencer Beckman.  Spencer Beckman,\n40   you might be online.  If  you are, please press --oh,\n41   he's here.  Excellent.\n\n43                   MR.  BECKMAN:   Mr.  Chair.   Respected\n44   members of the  Board.  My name is  Spencer Beckman.  I\n45   was  raised  and  currently  reside  in  Craig,  Alaska\n46   located on Prince  of Wales Island.   I'm near lifelong\n47   subsistence  user and  a  rural  resident of  Southeast\n48   Alaska.   I  currently  serve as  the  Prince of  Wales\n49   Island Alaska Youth Stewards Program Manager.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n21   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   I'm    here    today     because    I'm\n2   participating in Heather Bauscher's course supported by\n3   the Sitka Conservation Council.  I'm taking this course\n4   with the  support of  Tlingit and Haida  so that  I may\n5   bring my youth group members in the future.\n\n7                   I'm also here today representing myself\n8   as a subsistence user.  This is my first experience and\n9   exposure  to the Federal  Board Management process.   I\n10   must say  that I'm very  thankful for the work  you all\n11   have done and  continue to do.  As  an Alaskan and more\n12   specifically  a   rural   subsistence   user   I   feel\n13   represented and that my voice is heard.\n\n15                   I commend you  for your professionalism\n16   and  willingness to find  common ground amongst varying\n17   Alaskan residents.  As you stated yesterday, Mr. Chair,\n18   we all  have a  lot in common  as Alaskans.   So again,\n19   thank  you for  what you  do  and for  setting a  great\n20   example of decorum for us all.\n\n22                   I, myself, am  not indigenous; however,\n23   my raising  in rural  Alaska has  instilled in me  many\n24   indigenous  values.    While  pursuing  my  masters  in\n25   education I  was  tasked with  writing  a paper  on  my\n26   culture.  For  a while I was  stumped.  I knew  that my\n27   ancestry was European, but as far as culture I was at a\n28   loss.\n\n30                   After   some  time   I  realized   that\n31   subsistence is my culture.   It is what makes me  who I\n32   am.  It connects me to the land, water,  fish, game and\n33   edibles around me.   Subsistence creates purpose  in my\n34   life as the gentleman before  me spoke.  Each season is\n35   something  to look  forward  to.    Subsisting  off  an\n36   ever-changing  landscape   has  made  me   a  life-long\n37   learner, keeping my mind sharp and my body strong.\n\n39                   I want to express today my support  for\n40   the   rural   status   of  Ketchikan,   Alaska,   while\n41   encouraging you to prioritize the subsistence rights of\n42   Unit 2 residents whose needs  have gone unmet in recent\n43   years.   I understand the importance of the subsistence\n44   way of life to my  neighbors in Ketchikan and I support\n45   those  rights.  Subsistence  is culture and  culture is\n46   connection.\n\n48                   Thank  you for your time and effort put\n49   before these issues.\n\n---\n\n1   \n4   \n6   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n32   \n40   \n48   \n50\n\n2                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n3   Spencer and appreciate it.  Any questions or comments.\n\n5                   (No comments)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Spencer  and I\n8   got to pull  a few fish eggs this spring  together.  We\n9   work in the  same department.  Good luck  with the kids\n10   this  summer.   It's really  important to  get out  and\n11   teach  that  engagement.   It's one  of these  areas in\n12   Southeast we find  every avenue to kind of  pick up our\n13   kids and  keep  them moving  towards  a goal  of  their\n14   purpose with good guardrails like Spencer.  He's also a\n15   teacher,  so  we  appreciate  that  leadership  in  our\n16   circle.\n\n18                   Thank you, Spencer.\n\n20                   MR. BECKMAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Frank.\n\n24                   MR.  WOODS:    Mr.  Chair,  thank  you.\n25   Through the Chair.  Spencer, thank you  for bringing it\n26   to light, the reality we  have in Alaska.  Just because\n27   you're   not  indigenous  doesn't  mean  you're  not  a\n28   subsistence  user and I  appreciate that.   Number one.\n29   It's a class  of cultures that need to  be addressed in\n30   this room, inside this room, outside this room and with\n31   each other.\n\n33                   That the  value system --I  value your\n34   testimony as  much  as I  do  any other  indigenous  or\n35   tribal entity.  That needs  to happen.  But it realizes\n36   that  we have  a conflict  of cultures doesn't  mean we\n37   have to disagree  and I appreciate your  honesty and up\n38   front saying that  I come to  this as a  non-indigenous\n39   person and I live off subsistence and culture.\n\n41                   If  you  heard  my   testimony  at  the\n42   beginning of the meeting, culture  is a shared group of\n43   activities  that  we  do  as  a  people.   Heritage  is\n44   inherited and I think there's a difference between that\n45   since I'm  --I'll  refer to  my  elder Joe  Chythlook.\n46   He's my designated grandfather in a culture that I live\n47   in.  He says that we only think we manage resource.\n\n49                   I  bring   this  forward   because  the\n\n---\n\n6   \n13   \n24   \n33   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   Western way of management is  to what we're doing today\n2   and  that's  foreign  to our  people.    You come  from\n3   Southeast  that have  impacted  the  highest influx  of\n4   non-subsistence user in a resource for the last hundred\n5   years.\n\n7                   Western Alaska is  now just imposing on\n8   that   influx.     With   the   guide   industry,   the\n9   non-regulated transporters  to the  fisheries resource.\n10   The  deer population  we have  before us,  right?   All\n11   those  issues have to be delineated and disseminated at\n12   this meeting.\n\n14                   That's huge.   I thank  you because  we\n15   need more of you to  come testify and start sorting out\n16   these  issues  at  the  table.    Working them  out  in\n17   regulation.   I have  to respect everyone.   When  I go\n18   back home I'm not fully accepted in every arena.  I'm a\n19   half-breed.  So in the Western world I am Native.  I go\n20   back home to  my village and  I'm considered a  cussuck\n21   (ph).   I  don't  have the  same designation  of either\n22   world, right?   I grew up in  a world where we  have to\n23   adapt to survive.\n\n25                   The Native people  are strong, but also\n26   the pioneers of this state helped organize and they did\n27   a great job  of forming this committee  because without\n28   this committee our  rural people and Native  people and\n29   non-Native people would not be able to feed themselves.\n30   With the high cost of --there are people paying $20 a\n31   gallon  for heating fuel  right now.   Ten dollars plus\n32   for gas.  I looked at a $14 a gallon gas bill.\n\n34                   Rural  Alaska  cannot  afford  to  live\n35   without  this program.    I  appreciate  your  and  I'd\n36   appreciate to see you  in more meetings, you said  this\n37   was  your first  testimony, first  experience, welcome.\n38   You keep coming back.\n\n40                   Thank you.\n\n42                   MR. BECKMAN:  Thank you, Mr. Woods.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair, I just want\n45   to echo  some of the  comments that Frank made.   Kevin\n46   Pendergast,  BLM.   We are  here to  represent a  rural\n47   preference.   That  doesn't mean  a Native  preference.\n48   Native is an important part of that, but it's rural and\n49   these  folks  are  experiencing  the  same  challenges,\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n13   \n19   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   regardless  of where they  come from originally.   It's\n2   really important to me,  the mission that we  have here\n3   as  this body  and  kind  of  understanding  all  these\n4   perspectives.    I  just  appreciate  your  remarks and\n5   wanted to mention that.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you and\n8   appreciate that.  A true culture of sharing in Alaska.\n\n10                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, the last person\n11   to  provide testimony on  the non-agenda items  is Herb\n12   Mansavage.  Herb.\n\n14                   MR. MANSAVAGE:   Thank you, Mr.  Chair,\n15   and members of  the Board.  I apologize.  I'm not savvy\n16   to the federal  process of this  Board and so I  have a\n17   couple agenda items  that I will be speaking  to you as\n18   I'm not going to be available tomorrow or the weekend.\n\n20                   For  the  record,   my  name  is   Herb\n21   Mansavage  and I represent  the chair of  the Matanuska\n22   Valley  Advisory Committee.  But again, for the record,\n23   this is  going to be  a personal testimony, but  I just\n24   wanted to make a  note that we did  submit a letter  on\n25   behalf of WP26-15, the deer  closure.  I would ask that\n26   that letter is looked at as that was good  conversation\n27   and  unanimous support  from the advisory  committee in\n28   the Matanuska Valley.\n\n30                   Again, for the record, I'm going  to be\n31   giving  personal  testimony.   First  I'll  start  with\n32   WP26-15. I am  strongly opposed to  this.  Mostly  from\n33   the sense that I've been  involved in the Board of Game\n34   process for  the  State for  the  last 15  years,  very\n35   heavily.  As a chair I really try to do my best to work\n36   with  the biologists and the constituents from all over\n37   the state to understand our resource as best I can.\n\n39                   When these  things come up  before us I\n40   really  try to,  from the  State  perspective, look  at\n41   what's  a biological concern here.  And in this case my\n42   strong opposition comes  from the reasoning that  there\n43   is no  biological concern  on these  islands and  then,\n44   number two, it's  a transplanted species.  So  I see no\n45   reason  for  a  rural  preference  on  this  particular\n46   species in these areas.\n\n48                   Secondly, just quickly, is WP26-11, and\n49   that would be the Unit 6D black bear.  The  only reason\n\n---\n\n7   \n13   \n23   \n30   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   I wanted to make  a note is I  could not see --it  was\n2   noted that closed  portions to non-Federally  qualified\n3   users.   I didn't explicitly see  that in the proposal,\n4   but I  just wanted  to ask that  that is  considered as\n5   well for those that are non-qualified for Federal lands\n6   there.\n\n8                   It's a very traditional --at least for\n9   myself, it's  one of the most beautiful areas in Alaska\n10   that I look forward to harvesting a black bear and it's\n11   great meat and  I just ask that it  is carefully looked\n12   at when that does come about.\n\n14                   For the non-agenda items I  just have a\n15   couple  comments  I  wanted  to make.    I'd  ask  when\n16   considering   these  proposals  --while  I'm  not  a\n17   Federally-qualified subsistence user, I  would ask that\n18   the Board  recognize subsistence nature  of all Alaskan\n19   game  and  fish,  which we  harvest  for  our families.\n20   Being a true steward of the land is a responsibility of\n21   all Alaskan residents and it's held with great care and\n22   respect.\n\n24                   To  follow   with  that,  while   I  am\n25   strongly  opposed to most  closures of Federal  land to\n26   non-Federally qualified  users for  the reasons  I just\n27   stated  above, I would ask that weapons restrictions be\n28   considered  before   total  closure   to  non-Federally\n29   qualified users.\n\n31                   Again I am speaking on personal behalf,\n32   but   I  am  a  board   member  of  Alaska  Bow  Hunter\n33   Association.  Part  of that board and  reason I've been\n34   on that board  for eight years is --you know, archery\n35   is  a heritage  and it's  a different  way of  not only\n36   hunting  the animals  but  experiencing  the  land  and\n37   environment and providing that food in that way.\n\n39                   So I  would just ask,  you know, before\n40   --and this is a  broad stroke, but before closures for\n41   non-Federally qualified users  are considered, I  would\n42   ask that --you know, it's something that a term may be\n43   a  primitive weapon such as a traditional muzzle loader\n44   or archery  equipment  is considered  for  those  users\n45   before a  total  closure  for  non-Federally  qualified\n46   users.\n\n48                   Lastly, again, kind of a broad  stroke,\n49   but in a lot of these areas I think trophy hunting gets\n\n---\n\n8   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n27   \n34   \n40   \n49   \n50\n\n1   a bad name and I'd like to make note that many  times a\n2   trophy hunter is  labeled as just  that, just a  trophy\n3   hunter, but meanwhile it's much larger than that.  True\n4   conservation  is in  most cases  the  taking of  large,\n5   mature animals, and  the meat is  just as valuable,  if\n6   not more, than the impressive  set of antlers, horn, or\n7   hide.  Thank you.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n10   Appreciate  that.   Any  questions?   And  this is  the\n11   Cordova Bay proposal, just for my mind space?\n\n## 13 MR. MANSAVAGE: Yes.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n16   you.  I was just placing it to a geographical area.  Go\n17   ahead, Don.\n\n19                   MR. HERNANDEZ:   Thank  you.   It's Don\n20   Hernandez.  Chair of the Southeast RAC.  You brought up\n21   that issue of whether or not transplanted species could\n22   have  a  customary  traditional use  determination  and\n23   that's  something we've dealt  with in Southeast Alaska\n24   where  we  have  customary traditional  hunts  on  some\n25   transplanted  species   and  it  required   a  lot   of\n26   discussion as to validate that.\n\n28                   The position of Southeast RAC  --and I\n29   think  would be consistent with all Title VIII statutes\n30   would  be that  people  view --you say  customary and\n31   traditional and people  kind of take that as  one term,\n32   it's customary  and traditional, but  it's two separate\n33   concepts in our view.\n\n35                   Traditions   are   those  longstanding,\n36   deep-seated  values  that  people  have  towards  their\n37   practices,  whereas customs  is something  that changes\n38   over time.  You  grow accustomed to doing  something as\n39   situations change.  So it's two different concepts.\n\n41                   So  in  the  case   of  a  transplanted\n42   species the  tradition is to  go out and hunt  for your\n43   personal subsistence,  but over time customs change and\n44   you adapt.  So when  a species is introduced it becomes\n45   part of that tradition of hunting and gathering, so you\n46   have to  view it  in that respect.   So  hopefully that\n47   would  clarify  your   concerns  about  customary   and\n48   tradition uses of the introduced species.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n10   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n37   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  Thank you.\n\n5                   MS. PITKA:   Hi. I just wanted  to make\n6   sure to  clarify.  What's  your name and  community and\n7   which proposals were you opposed  to?  I usually  write\n8   it down at the beginning so I have a clear idea of what\n9   the testimony is for the proposal.  Thank you.\n\n11                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  For the record my  name\n12   is  Herb Mansavage.  I'm representing  myself from  Big\n13   Lake,   Alaska.    The  letter  that  I  spoke  of  was\n14   representing  the  Matanuska   Valley  Fish  and   Game\n15   Advisory  Committee.    We  are  opposed  --from  the\n16   Matanuska  Valley perspective, we  are opposed  only to\n17   WP26-15  and for  myself I was  opposed to  WP26-15 and\n18   WP26-11.\n\n20                   MS.  PITKA:     Thank   you  for   that\n21   clarification.\n\n23                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  Yes, thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you,  I\n26   appreciate your testimony today.\n\n28                   MS. LAVINE:   Thank you, Mr. Chair.   I\n29   have been made aware that there is an individual online\n30   who's  been trying  to  raise their  hand and  it's not\n31   showing up.  Her name  is Sunniaq (ph). Sunniaq, if you\n32   could unmute your phone and address the Board, you have\n33   the floor.   If you need to unmute  your phone, you can\n34   press star six.   Star 6 to  unmute your phone.   I see\n35   now that you have your hand up.  There you go.  Address\n36   the Board, please.\n\n38                   MS. LEAVITT:  Thank  you.  Dora Leavitt\n39   for the  record. I am  speaking on my  behalf.  I  am a\n40   subsistence  hunter,  lifelong   resident  of  Nuiqsut,\n41   Alaska.   I am  thankful for this  Board, but  I really\n42   feel like there needs to be more communication to folks\n43   that have no idea that these meetings are going on.\n\n45                   If it  wasn't for  Facebook I  wouldn't\n46   have listened in,  but I've been listening in.   We all\n47   depend  on  the  migration.    We  all  depend  on  the\n48   resources  from the land.   I live in  the heart of oil\n49   and gas industry  and I've been watching  the migration\n\n---\n\n4   \n12   \n22   \n28   \n35   \n43   \n50\n\n1   for years.  I am 61 years old.  Our elders  have taught\n2   us the pattern of the  migration, when to hunt, when to\n3   let the first herd pass.\n\n5                   This  is   something  that   we're  not\n6   educating the sport hunters.   We like to call it sport\n7   hunters.   I  am thankful  for the  closure of  some of\n8   these  heavily   trafficked  sports   hunting  in   the\n9   Northwest area.   A  great concern  besides  we have  a\n10   concern on the decline of  the Western Arctic Herd.  We\n11   rely on the Teshekpuk Herd.\n\n13                   Our community has put a conservation of\n14   one  million acres  that is  to  protect the  migratory\n15   birds,  the caribou  calving  area.   It  is a  heavily\n16   caribou  calving   area   that  has   been  closed   to\n17   development.   The northeast portion of  the Teshekpuk.\n18   Our community felt the  need to slow down industry  and\n19   as  a trilateral  group had  proposed  to conserve  one\n20   million acres  and it was  granted by BLM so  that they\n21   can do willow development.\n\n23                   It  seems like when  you give  and give\n24   and give our subsistence special areas that our parents\n25   took me as  a little girl to go hunt  are being covered\n26   with infrastructure and road system for the development\n27   of oil and gas.\n\n29                   So when we hear of 26A was going to get\n30   --was going to include 26A with the caribou --what do\n31   you call  it?   Closure or limiting  our bag.   I  am a\n32   whaling captain's wife.  We  do hunt before we have our\n33   blanket toss.  We are going  to have one in June.   But\n34   we do not overtake the caribou.\n\n36                   We rely  on the  migration.  I've  been\n37   watching  the caribou as  infrastructure goes up.   For\n38   the last past decade we've had  weather factors and the\n39   migration  has been  really  slowly to  go south.   For\n40   years we  didn't freeze  up until November  or snow  up\n41   until November, and then we --the migration would move\n42   when they see the first snow.  They would start moving.\n\n44                   With  road  development   and  industry\n45   infrastructure  I see  deflection of  the caribou  when\n46   they come from  the West, the Northwest,  the Teshekpuk\n47   Herd, I know that  Northwest Arctic herd is  heavily --\n48   it goes towards Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright.   We\n49   get a  little bit of the Central  Arctic herd.  A place\n\n---\n\n2   \n12   \n21   \n29   \n41   \n49   \n50\n\n1   where we can no longer hunt on State land.\n\n3                   I sit in the middle of Federal land and\n4   on  the other side  of the  river is  State land.   The\n5   regulations are different.   We no  longer can hunt  on\n6   the  other side  where  my parents  used  to hunt  that\n7   Central  Western  Herd  with  the pipeline,  corral  of\n8   pipeline.  I feel that we need to study Milne Point.  I\n9   see  pictures and pictures  of industry  workers taking\n10   pictures  of  thousand  of  caribou.    Instant  relief\n11   underneath these drill sites on the roads.\n\n13                   So  we  need  to understand  what  this\n14   development is doing to the pattern.  With the closures\n15   of  some of  these places  for sports  hunters can  not\n16   roam, can no  longer go, they  will go to  26-B on  the\n17   Dalton highway.   I see  no enforcement or I  don't see\n18   anybody  going over  there.   It's a  little camp.   It\n19   looks like a little village when we pass by in the fall\n20   time.\n\n22                   I stop there  occasionally to see who's\n23   catching  and what they're catching.   I don't see very\n24   much meat.  I  see a lot of  big trophies going  south.\n25   So  we need to  understand what other  places of sports\n26   hunters and  educate them.   I was educated to  let the\n27   first herd  pass so that  they will always go  that way\n28   and come back.\n\n30                   I am  thankful for  the testimonies  of\n31   these elders  that I hear.   We share the  same similar\n32   stories of my  elders now that I am  becoming an elder.\n33   I hunt  for a lot  of people, multiple families.   When\n34   you're awaiting captain's  flag, you hunt all  the time\n35   for everybody.   Not just for the caribou,  but we fish\n36   on  the Colville  and on  the Nigliq  Channel.   We are\n37   impacted by oil and gas.  There needs to be a study  on\n38   deflection.  When  they do wildlife survey  studies and\n39   they  use aircrafts or  loud hover boats  they displace\n40   the caribou.\n\n42                   So  I just wanted to testify and I want\n43   to thank all  the RACs.  The Eastern  RACs, the Western\n44   RACs, the Northern RAC for keeping up with the wildlife\n45   studies  and making and ensuring that the population is\n46   stable  and strong  and we  have  to slow  down on  the\n47   limits.  That's the right  way.  That's the Inupiaq way\n48   and the Athabascan way and whatever culture we live in.\n\n---\n\n7   \n14   \n15   \n22   \n24   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   So I  just wanted to share my testimony\n2   and I want to thank you for letting me on.  I do have a\n3   lot to  say.  I  watched the migration.   I used  to go\n4   only six miles south and  wait for the caribous to come\n5   to me and  they would.  For  over a decade now  I don't\n6   see them.\n\n8                   With  new  road infrastructure  on  the\n9   road system towards  the west, when I go  south to hunt\n10   caribou I  go about 30  miles upriver unless I  want to\n11   get the Central  Western Herd.  I go  up another little\n12   river towards Itkillit.  That's another river to  go on\n13   and catch another herd of caribou other than Teshekpuk.\n\n16                   So  we need to  educate about the first\n17   herd.  Someone needs to keep track of the 26-B unit.  I\n18   know we're  going to  see a  lot more.  I  go to  Happy\n19   Valley  occasionally too where  there's a lot  of guide\n20   hunters.   So  I  just  want to  thank  this Board  for\n21   letting me on and testify.\n\n23                   Thank you.  I'm done.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n26   appreciate  you taking  the time to  call in  and share\n27   concerns of the area with the caribou.  Do we  have one\n28   more online?\n\n30                   MS.  LAVINE:   Bonnie,  can you  please\n31   press star six to unmute yourself.\n\n33                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Are you able to hear me?\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.\n\n37                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Hello?\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n40   the floor.\n\n42                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Mr. Chair  and members of\n43   the  Board.   My  name  is Bonnie  Ayojiak.  I am  from\n44   Manokotak.  It's  in the Nushagak  and Togiak areas  in\n45   the Bristol Bay.\n\n47                   First  of all I would like to thank you\n48   guys.  I commend you for all that you guys do.  As I am\n49   elder, just stepping into this elder role of mentorship\n\n---\n\n7   \n19   \n29   \n34   \n39   \n43   \n50\n\n1   and passing on traditional knowledge and the use of our\n2   land  and  waters,  I'm really  thankful  for  and very\n3   fortunate to  have leaders that  keep our needs  of our\n4   smaller communities that rely on subsistence use of our\n5   lands.  Thank  you to all  that work on  behalf of  our\n6   people all over the state.\n\n8                   The  young  people have  and  will have\n9   cultural and traditional practices continued as long as\n10   they live  off the land.  It's a  way of our being, our\n11   way of  life.   We are blessed  in this  state of  this\n12   great   nation  to  be  able  to  continue  living  our\n13   traditional way of life because of the subsistence that\n14   is  protected.   And we  share what  we catch,  when we\n15   catch, and very thankful for  those who share what they\n16   catch.  It's our way of being and I am happy  that some\n17   of   the  younger   elders  are   stepping  into   this\n18   leadership.\n\n20                   Thank  you  to Frank,  Gayla,  Kenneth,\n21   Jimmy, and to that young  man that spoke, Peter.  Thank\n22   you all for speaking out for our communities that don't\n23   know what's  going on, but they  use the land.   It may\n24   not be on a daily basis, but it's traditionally our way\n25   of life.   We just have  to keep sharing what  we know,\n26   especially  to  the  youth that  are  now  growing into\n27   being, you  know (in Yup'ik). Learning to live on their\n28   own.\n\n30                   Thank you  so much for  the opportunity\n31   to  speak  on behalf  of  myself,  my  family, and  our\n32   village  Manokotak in our  region, Bristol Bay.   Thank\n33   you.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.  I\n36   appreciate you  for calling  in and  speaking for  your\n37   people.  I believe that concludes the public testimony.\n38   Next we have two on for consensus agenda.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n41   Yes,  next for the  consensus agenda testimony  we have\n42   Kenneth Nukwak, Sr.\n\n44                   MR.  NUKWAK, SR.:   Good morning to the\n45   Chair and  members of  the Board.   Thank you  for this\n46   opportunity.  I  will mainly be expressing  my feelings\n47   and my thoughts  on WP26-40 and WCR26-07.   I'd like to\n48   thank the Bristol  Bay RAC for I think  listening to me\n49   on WCR26-07, keeping it as status quo.\n\n---\n\n9   \n10   \n17   \n22   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   I had to be  really adamant in  January\n2   when I was in that Bristol Bay RAC meeting as a member.\n3   First  I'll introduce  myself.    My  name  is  Kenneth\n4   Nukwak,  Sr.   (In Yup'ik).    I sit  on the  Manokotak\n5   Native Limited Board  of Directors in Manokotak.   I've\n6   sat on  the Manokotak Village  Council and I've  sat on\n7   the Manokotak City Council, but I had to reduce my hats\n8   in order for the work.  I  could not bear so much work.\n\n11                   I  was  encouraged by  Gayla  Hoseth to\n12   fill out an  application for the Bristol Bay  RAC and I\n13   thank her for that  and believing in me.  Once I filled\n14   it out  I waited  for about  a year  and that's  when I\n15   really learned how  the system works in  this arena, in\n16   the Federal Subsistence Management Program.\n\n18                   To some of  it I disagree, and  I agree\n19   to disagree,  but I will  keep on  coming back if  I am\n20   allowed to.   If there is funding to  testify each time\n21   on the expressions of my people from Manokotak.\n\n23                   What I bring  to the table when  I come\n24   to the meetings,  it is not all from me.  It comes from\n25   my  community of Manokotak.   What they  express in our\n26   meetings.   But when  I bring it to  the table they are\n27   shot down every time.  Just about every proposal I have\n28   turned in as a Native  person has not been agreed upon.\n29   This is what I was told to  say from one of the leaders\n30   in Manokotak.   I  will say  it in  Yup'ik first.   (In\n31   Yup'ik)\n\n33                   I am translating it into English what I\n34   was  told  to  say was  mainly  because  the leadership\n35   within the Bristol Bay RAC is mainly English Caucasians\n36   and a few Natives, we are not being listened to.  Maybe\n37   that might be true.  The Western system  and my TEK and\n38   IEK do  not agree  on the same  table on  every meeting\n39   I've  been attending.  That makes me think I have to be\n40   really  careful what  is coming  before  me before  the\n41   meetings  come  up every  year  from the  time  I start\n42   attending  these   meetings  from  the   basic  initial\n43   starting in 2018.\n\n45                   Please  do not try to shut off our TEKs\n46   and our IEKs.   My traditional ecological  knowledge is\n47   fully ingrained.   My  indigenous ecological  knowledge\n48   will not  be pulled out.  I am  sorry.  Let me catch my\n49   breath.  (In  Yup'ik).  Our  way of life is  very, very\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n19   \n31   \n40   \n50\n\n1   important to us.  Whenever  I go out hunting I  have to\n2   be real careful and look behind my back every time ever\n3   since I got a citation in 2012.\n\n5                   I have  to remind the other  hunters to\n6   be careful.  If they had any citations, let me know.  I\n7   am going  to say it again.  It  is not only coming from\n8   me whatever I bring to the table.  It is coming from my\n9   community.   What I  hear in the  steam houses,  what I\n10   hear in the meeting room, I bring every time.\n\n12                   Listen to  us.   This is  with all  due\n13   respect.   If we do not agree,  I have learned to agree\n14   to disagree  and hopefully  we meet  on the same  table\n15   again with  an agreement.   On  WCR26-07 I  was worried\n16   that  it might pass,  but the way  I see it,  I read it\n17   afterwards, just a  couple days ago.  It's  on a status\n18   quo and I'm real happy for that.\n\n20                   Last year  the population  count report\n21   was 650.   If that  had passed two or  three years ago,\n22   the permits that come to our small villages (in Yup'ik)\n23   maybe they would have been less.  Less meat. How we are\n24   going to  be quartering up  the caribou to  disperse to\n25   the  people  that   cannot  hunt,  that  do   not  have\n26   snowmachines, that  do not have four-wheelers,  that do\n27   not have boats.  We know who they are because they walk\n28   on the  road from Manokotak  to the new town  site five\n29   miles  out and  we pick  them up  and bring  them where\n30   they're going.\n\n32                   The 900 clause came  into being without\n33   our knowledge in 2018.   I was  here at the meeting.  I\n34   did  not know  what it was  about.  Only  thing I heard\n35   during  that meeting in 2018 that the Nushagak Advisory\n36   Committee, if  I have my memory correct, and the Togiak\n37   Advisory Committee  had not  agreed on  it, but  yet it\n38   passed because Bristol Bay  RAC agreed on it.   Correct\n39   me if I am wrong.  I am open to being corrected.\n\n41                   On the  WP26-40 that's  when that  came\n42   into mind.  Subject went  to the idea and the proposal,\n43   I remind the group from Manokotak, Entities Group, that\n44   I turned  in a  proposal.  It  has been  very difficult\n45   trying to  educate the  community, but  that last  week\n46   they finally came together when  I called for a special\n47   Entities meeting for this meeting this  week.  We wrote\n48   up  --we  drafted  up  two letters.    The first  one,\n49   WP26-40, supporting  it and  I reminded  them that  the\n\n---\n\n3   \n13   \n25   \n32   \n43   \n50\n\n1   atmosphere for that  is already in opposition,  but yet\n2   they chose to draft up a letter in support.\n\n4                   On  WCR26-40 we  drafted  a letter  and\n5   everybody signed from the entities group.  That's about\n6   20 or 21  of them or 22  from the leadership group.   I\n7   hope  the OSM  had received  that.   When I  called the\n8   person that was going to  send it from Manokotak to the\n9   OSM office told me that it  was sent and that he got  a\n10   response that it was received,  but I never asked if it\n11   was  --I need  to  reconfirm that  they  received it.\n12   Thank you.\n\n14                   So  in  hopes of  waking  everybody up,\n15   because I am  awake, I am aware  and I am alert.   What\n16   comes  to  the   table  of  Manokotak,  and   not  just\n17   Manokotak,  I  hope  Togiak,   Twin  Hills,  Manokotak,\n18   Dillingham, Clarks  Point and Ekuk are aware.  To reach\n19   out to those  other six communities is  very difficult.\n20   Even  I  tried  on  social  media.    It's  still  very\n21   difficult.   I tried on  the phone to reach  out to the\n22   leaders of  each of  them.  Still  very difficult.   So\n23   trying to educate  those --bring this education to the\n24   leaders, to the other six communities not very easy.\n\n26                   I have  not come to Gayla  or Georgiana\n27   for this because they have  other --they are very busy\n28   and I respect that.  They have helped me a lot whenever\n29   I asked for help.   Even Frank has helped me  out.  Dan\n30   Dunaway, thank you for sitting there.  Please listen to\n31   me.\n\n33                   Rhonda Pitka, I have not forgotten  the\n34   day that you supported me  and Anthony and Charlie  and\n35   the late Gene.   When  I was rejected,  but I am  still\n36   here, that  meant a lot.   My vocabulary back  then was\n37   very --I didn't even know what the word egregious was.\n38   I didn't know I was horrible when  I got a citation.  I\n39   was just being myself.  Wouldn't anybody feel  the same\n40   way as I did if you guys got a citation for following a\n41   caribou?  I  hate the word chase.  Maybe  we chase them\n42   like the wolves do.\n\n44                   And  there is a lot that says we cannot\n45   herd them.  Our  ancestors used that term, which  makes\n46   me think  of a  scenario.  Hitting  a caribou  and it's\n47   still running and  we have to follow it.   Maybe it has\n48   happened  already.  Maybe a person  might have gotten a\n49   citation for  trying to  catch that  caribou that  they\n\n---\n\n4   \n12   \n19   \n26   \n34   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   wounded.    There's  no  problem  that  the  hunter  is\n2   protected from trying  to catch that caribou  that they\n3   wounded.\n\n5                   Maybe  the hunter  chasing the  caribou\n6   that he wounded  and then the law  enforcement comes by\n7   and tells him you cannot  chase that caribou.  But it's\n8   wounded.  So I am going to give you a citation.  That's\n9   only a scenario  I heard.  I  don't know if I  heard it\n10   from one  of my friends.   I  don't know  if it's  from\n11   Frank.\n\n13                   We must be protected for trying to live\n14   off of the land instead  of getting any citations.  The\n15   money that we have could be used for the gas, maybe for\n16   a spark  plug, maybe for  a new tank because  the tanks\n17   that we use are plastic today and they are very easy to\n18   puncture.\n\n20                   Whatever I  said that  might have  been\n21   aggressive  or too aggressive in the  meetings.  I will\n22   not apologize.  That's just who I am.  As long  as it's\n23   good to me.  I am just trying to come across, I am just\n24   trying to keep my TEK and  my IEK on the same table  in\n25   which western science has encroached upon us.\n\n27                   I  think that's  about it.    If I  may\n28   speak to Manokotak  if they're listening, maybe  one or\n29   two  are  listening, maybe  the  whole 20  of  them are\n30   listening.   (In Yup'ik)  Thank  you through the Chair.\n31   And I apologize if I did not  greet you guys with thank\n32   you, with a pat on the  back.  I am not the young  guy.\n33   (Laughs)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n36   Kenneth.    We  appreciate your  testimony  here today.\n37   And, again, he's  the young guy, Louis,  jumping around\n38   and shooting caribou.   So that presence that  you have\n39   in the room helps change the effort we make up here, so\n40   we appreciate your leadership and you hang onto the TEK\n41   and IEK and  every other way of  egregiously protecting\n42   our way of life.  We thank you for that, Kenneth.\n\n44                   MR. NUKWAK: Quyana.\n\n46                   (Applause)\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   All right.   I\n49   think we have one more consensus agenda commenter.\n\n---\n\n3   \n17   \n24   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LAVINE:   Yes.  The last  person in\n2   our queue is Linda Pete.  Linda.\n\n4                   MS.  PETE:    Good  morning,  everyone.\n5   Chair and  Board members. my name is  Linda Pete.  I am\n6   from Gakona Village.  I  was taught to introduce myself\n7   by naming my parents and grandparents, to know where my\n8   family comes from.   My parents are the  late Betty and\n9   Nick Tyone.  My mom was from Gakona and my dad was from\n10   Gulkana Village in  the Ahtna region.   My grandparents\n11   were the late  Buster and Alice  Gene.  My  grandfather\n12   was  born near  Sourdough  Lodge and  my grandma  was a\n13   Stickwan.  Her  maiden name was Stickwan and  came from\n14   --the village  got  moved.   It  was  by the  Gulkana\n15   Airport but they were forced  to move by the Army.   So\n16   she moved to Gakona.  That's where we live.\n\n18                   I am here today to represent myself and\n19   speak on  behalf of the  Native Village of Gakona.   We\n20   are the  one tribal village  in the Ahtna region.   The\n21   word you use is subsistence.  We don't use  that in our\n22   area.   We  refer to  it  as customary  and traditional\n23   hunting rights.\n\n25                   Subsistence is  a name that  came about\n26   from somebody, I don't know.  I am used to my customary\n27   and traditional ways  of life.  I grew up like that.  I\n28   lived with my  grandparents in the summer  time down in\n29   fish  camp  and  hunting,  go  berry  picking  with  my\n30   grandparents and my dad and mom.\n\n32                   We rely on  our wildlife and game.   We\n33   are on the  road system so we get  all kinds of hunters\n34   in  our area  from all  parts  of Alaska,  even out  of\n35   state.  You  know, it's hard  sometimes.  Our  village,\n36   only one family got a  moose probably in the last three\n37   years.   I live  in Copper  Center.   That is  where my\n38   husband was from.   I have three daughters  and one son\n39   and  some  grandchildren,  but  I  do  have  one  great\n40   grandson.\n\n42                   I  speak  not only  for today,  but for\n43   future generations.  We have to protect what we have or\n44   we will have none for them.  When I first got  involved\n45   in  State  and  Federal  Fish  and  Game,  under  State\n46   management  our   subsistence  designation   was  being\n47   threatened by the  State of Alaska.   There was  nobody\n48   from our  area from there,  but we  quickly formed  and\n49   went there and defended our subsistence rights.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n20   \n28   \n37   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   Just  because people  move  in and  out\n2   doesn't change our status.  We will always be customary\n3   and traditional.   The Ahtna  people have been  in that\n4   area for  generations.  Documented  over 10,000  years.\n5   Probably more but who knows.\n\n7                   I am here today to testify on the moose\n8   and caribou season,  the extension in  Unit 11 and  13.\n9   It's been  warm in August  months.  I don't  know about\n10   any other areas but my  own, but it's like sometimes in\n11   the  80's,  still in  the  80's degrees  and  the moose\n12   aren't moving.  By it being extended another  five days\n13   I don't think will hurt the harvest.\n\n15                   Has anybody  ever  seen  the  moose  or\n16   caribou the day after the hunting season  closed?  I've\n17   seen it many times.  I think that will give us a better\n18   opportunity as we rely on moose and caribou when we can\n19   have caribou.\n\n21                   My Uncle Nick Jackson, he  spoke of the\n22   caribou  decline two years before it closed, but nobody\n23   listened to him.  I always bring that up because people\n24   need  to know  that our  elders know  what's going  on.\n25   Even  though people think  science is more  better, but\n26   traditional  knowledge  is  the way  that  they  should\n27   listen to the people.\n\n29                   For the proposal,  the 26-31, to  close\n30   BLM lands  to allow for  rural hunters,  that needs  to\n31   stay that  way.   I  don't  --non-rural  hunters  have\n32   better  opportunities than  the  rural hunters  in  our\n33   area.  The State of  Alaska selected over 80 percent of\n34   their land in  the Ahtna territory,  hunting territory.\n35   So they have a lot of opportunity.  The little piece of\n36   BLM that they want to hunt in, that takes away from us.\n\n39                   If you come up to our area when hunting\n40   season  opens, it's awful.  Everybody comes there after\n41   September  1st, up in the  Eureka area, there's I don't\n42   know  how many  cars up  there,  rigs, everything  they\n43   bring.   Even in the  Cantwell area they moved  up that\n44   way more.  And on the Denali Highway up towards Paxton.\n45   I see more of them are going up in Unit 13C because the\n46   allocation has moved more up that way.\n\n48                   I know  my two daughters  are listening\n49   online and they are really interested in learning about\n\n---\n\n8   \n14   \n23   \n31   \n33   \n40   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   these  processes and  they're  going  to  be  the  ones\n2   sitting here at the table defending  what should be our\n3   right.   When the Alaska Native  Land Claims was passed\n4   our elder that  told us who was there  representing our\n5   region said that  the State of Alaska promised that our\n6   hunting and fishing rights will  be protected.  But the\n7   State has failed that process.  We are not protected.\n\n9                   I don't  know how  many lawsuits  Ahtna\n10   has  with the  State of  Alaska in  the last  20 years.\n11   It's so many.  That's what we have to do to protect our\n12   rights,  is to  file  a lawsuit  against  the State  of\n13   Alaska.\n\n15                   I sit  on the Ahtna  Incorporated Board\n16   and I sit on the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission.\n17   I  am  the president  for  my  village.   I  have  been\n18   involved in this arena since I  was 19.  I got  elected\n19   on stuff starting  at 19.  I quickly  learned about all\n20   this stuff going on and I will continue to advocate for\n21   my people  until I can't  any longer.  I  know you guys\n22   are needing a break. I'll stop at that.  Thank you.\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We  appreciate\n25   that.   Thank you for your  testimony too.  I  was just\n26   missing  Gloria Stickwan  here  and  I  said  you  look\n27   familiar  and then  you say  you are from  the Stickwan\n28   family,  so I was  like, oh, right  on.  I  can see the\n29   resemblance and hear  the passion from the area.   So I\n30   appreciate you sharing the testimony today.\n\n## 32 MS. PETE: Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. PITKA:   I'd like to thank  you for\n35   your long-standing testimony back when I first became a\n36   Regional Advisory  Council member back in 2014.  It was\n37   people from  Ahtna  that really  educated the  Regional\n38   Advisory  Council on  hunting issues.    Thank you  for\n39   that.\n\n41                   MS.  PETE: It's only me here today.  We\n42   had a death in our region, so  that's why you don't see\n43   anybody here.  It's a priority for them to  be with the\n44   family, so thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Condolences to\n47   the community as well.  Thank you.  One more?\n\n49                   MS.  LAVINE:   Thank  you, Chair.   One\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n17   \n25   \n37   \n45   \n50\n\n1   more.  Carrie Stevens.\n\n3                   MS. STEVENS:  Good morning.  I promised\n4   I would  be  very short.   For  the record  my name  is\n5   Carrie Stevens.  I am speaking for myself this morning.\n6   Through the Chair,  thank you.  Thank  you for allowing\n7   me  to  speak.    On the  consensus  you  have Wildlife\n8   Closure, I  think it's 26-22.   That is the  closure in\n9   25D West for moose.\n\n11                   And I  just wanted to  thank the  State\n12   for being in agreement.   I am grateful this is  on the\n13   consensus agenda for  all the reasons that I  stated on\n14   25D remainder and  we are just still in  the same place\n15   in 25D  West.   And so  this closure  really absolutely\n16   does provide for the subsistence users of the area.\n\n18                   We are still  seeing increased presence\n19   of  non-Federally  qualified  users in  our  area.   In\n20   particular we are seeing a lot of trespass in the early\n21   spring  around hunting  for  the big  animal.   That is\n22   fairly new.  Not sure what is going on there.  Probably\n23   one  buddy told his other  buddy, told his other buddy,\n24   and they tend to leave a lot of trash in the area.\n\n26                   I  share  that  in   relation  to  this\n27   closure  because there  are still  a  lot of  non-local\n28   residents, non-Federally qualified subsistence users in\n29   the area and we do have  a State Tier 2 permit  system.\n30   They  are harvesting moose in the river corridor, right\n31   in places where the local hunters hunt.  So we still do\n32   have  non-Federally   qualified  users   in  25D   West\n33   harvesting moose.  So I just wanted to put that on  the\n34   record that  just because  there is  a closure  doesn't\n35   mean that there  is not  non-Federally qualified  users\n36   harvesting in 25D West.\n\n38                   We  continue  to  have  very low  moose\n39   density, very high predator numbers, and a really  --I\n40   don't want to  say poor, but maybe minimal  habitat for\n41   moose.  Of course we are facing the salmon crisis and I\n42   don't believe that  we know the full effect  of that on\n43   the ecosystem and it really is quiet out there.  I just\n44   can't tell you how quiet it is without the salmon.\n\n46                   So I  just wanted  to share  that I  am\n47   grateful for  this closure.   I know the people  of the\n48   area are  very grateful  for this closure.   So  I just\n49   wanted to put that on record.\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n22   \n29   \n36   \n38   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n2   Karie.  Any comments, questions.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none.\n7   Thank you.  We will take a 10-minute break.\n\n9                   (Off record)\n\n11                   (On record)\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n14   Welcome   back.    As  we   fill  our  seats  a  little\n15   announcement here.   We are probably going  to order in\n16   for  lunch.    Seeing  as  the  agenda today  stops  at\n17   5 o'clock  sharp we have  an Executive Session  that we\n18   have to do at 5:00.  So if we leave here for an hour we\n19   will be  loggerheading and  getting started  again.   I\n20   think  the staff  is going  to  circulate something  to\n21   order form.\n\n23                   Also it's  going  to be  a  real  tight\n24   proposal,  so again  we appreciate  everybody and  them\n25   being  here and  if we  do  have testimony  that we  be\n26   respectful of  the time  today.   Not limiting  anyone,\n27   just  respectful of the  time, pointed to  the proposal\n28   and what's in before us.\n\n30                   So we just appreciate all that and look\n31   forward  to moving on and hopefully we will get through\n32   a  good part  of this  today and  looking like  a later\n33   evening tomorrow because we keep running into something\n34   to do today.  So I appreciate that we will go ahead and\n35   open up the floor for Staff for the next proposal.\n\n## 37 Thank you, Brian.\n\n39                   MR. UBELAKER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n40   For  the  record,  Brian  Ubelaker.    I  will  now  be\n41   presenting  summary   for  Wildlife   Proposal  WP26-64\n42   regarding  muskox in  Unit 22.   This  analysis can  be\n43   found on Page 1,241 of your meeting materials.\n\n45                   This proposal, submitted  by the Seward\n46   Peninsula   Subsistence   Regional   Advisory  Council,\n47   requests  changing  the  closing date  of  the  Federal\n48   muskox season from March 15th to March 31st in Units 22\n49   and  23 Southwest.   The proponent explains  that March\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n17   \n19   \n31   \n37   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   weather  and snow conditions make travel safer and more\n2   predictable than earlier in the season,  especially for\n3   local hunters using snowmachines.\n\n5                   Extending  the  season   would  improve\n6   harvest  opportunity without  biological concern  since\n7   calving occurs later  in the spring.  The  intent is to\n8   provider rural subsistence users with more flexibility,\n9   better safety  and increased  efficiency when  pursuing\n10   muskox to meet subsistence needs.\n\n12                   As this  proposal covers what  the last\n13   two  proposals  covered   on  the  biology,  regulatory\n14   history, and harvest  section, for brevity I  will skip\n15   over those unless anybody would  like me to run through\n16   them real quick.\n\n## 18 (No comments)\n\n20                   MR. UBELAKER:  Moving on.  The proposal\n21   would  extend the  Federal muskox  season  by 15  days,\n22   giving   subsistence   users   more   opportunity   and\n23   flexibility to  avoid  poor weather  and unsafe  travel\n24   conditions.   No biological  concern is  expected since\n25   the  muskox  population  is already  carefully  managed\n26   through quotas and  permits.  Pregnant cows  should not\n27   be impacted.   This calving occurs later in the spring.\n28   While late March hunts could  add some stress to muskox\n29   groups, the  overall low  harvest pressure should  make\n30   this effect minimal.\n\n32                    A   drawback   is   added   regulatory\n33   complexity since  the Federal  and State  closing dates\n34   would  no longer align, requiring hunters to be mindful\n35   of  land  status.   However,  hunters  already navigate\n36   similar land status differences under other hunts.\n\n38                   Therefore,  the  OSM conclusion  is  to\n39   support proposal WP26-64.  Adopting this proposal would\n40   provide   increased  harvest   opportunity  and   safer\n41   conditions  for   federally  qualified   users  without\n42   raising  conservation concerns.    Extending into  late\n43   March  maintains  meat   and  quality  while  improving\n44   flexibility for subsistence hunters.\n\n46                   With that I will take questions.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n11   \n15   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n2   questions for Brian on the muskox.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n7   seeing none.  Any summary of written public comment?\n\n9                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Mr.  Chair, no,  there\n10   were not.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n13   that.  Summary  of   tribal  government  Alaska  Native\n14   Corporation consultation.\n\n16                   MR.  LIND:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair.\n17   There were no comments on this proposal.  Thank you.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n20   tribal, Alaska  Native organization  testimony here  or\n21   online.\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n26   seeing  none.     Advisory  group  testimony,   comment\n27   summary, SRC State Advisory or multi-agency group.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   MS  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Not\n32   that I'm aware of.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any  public\n35   testimony here or online wave your hand.\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n40   seeing none.  We'll move on to Council recommendation.\n\n42                   MR.  GREEN:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n43   Louis  Green  for  Seward Peninsula  Regional  Advisory\n44   Council.  We  voted to support the WP26-64  in our fall\n45   meeting.   Our  justifications  were  changing  weather\n46   patterns  recently made  it  more difficult  to  access\n47   muskoxen  herds.   A  two-week  extension will  provide\n48   users  more opportunity to harvest if  there is a delay\n49   in  access  due  to  the  weather.   As  there  are  no\n\n---\n\n3   \n8   \n17   \n19   \n23   \n26   \n28   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n**0380**\n\n1   conservation concerns  and the  season will not  affect\n2   calving, the Council supports this proposal.\n\n4                   The  saying goes  when March  comes in,\n5   it's in like a lion and out like a lamb.  So the latter\n6   part of  that kind  of extending  that season  it holds\n7   true to the saying.\n\n9                   In our  winter meeting,  to follow  up,\n10   the Seward  Peninsula RAC  voted to  submit a  Board of\n11   Game proposal  to align  the season  end dates  because\n12   there  was a  mismatch.  It  goes from the  15th of the\n13   State  and we want  to go to  the 30th or  31st.  So we\n14   were going to --we voted  to submit that Board of Game\n15   proposal to align  the season end dates  if approved by\n16   this Board.\n\n## 18 That's all I have. Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n21   Louis.  I believe we do have one online  that wanted to\n22   be recognized, Robbin.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n25   Harold Napoleon, you have the floor.\n\n## 27 (No comment)\n\n29                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Napoleon, if you would\n30   like  to address the  Board on Wildlife  Proposal 26-64\n31   Unit  22  muskox,  please  press  star  six  to  unmute\n32   yourself.   If this is  a comment for non-agenda items,\n33   you will have  another opportunity tomorrow.   So, once\n34   again, if this is a comment on Wildlife Proposal 26-64,\n35   please press  star six to unmute yourself.   Thank you.\n36   If you're on Teams just raise your hand --sorry, press\n37   unmute your microphone icon.\n\n## 39 MR. NAPOLEON: Haw'aa.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hello, Harold.\n42   You have the floor. We can hear you.\n\n44                   MR. NAPOLEON:  Oh, good.  I'm sorry.  I\n45   didn't want to address specifically what you're talking\n46   about.  I  just wanted  to share my  own ideas on  what\n47   subject you're talking  about and that's what  you call\n48   subsistence.  I've  been working for the  Yup'ik people\n49   all my life.  I started at 22 and I've worked  on their\n\n---\n\n3   \n14   \n23   \n29   \n33   \n36   \n42   \n50\n\n1   hunting  and fishing  rights all  those  years securing\n2   them.\n\n4                   I just wanted to make this point.  When\n5   you talk about  --I think you missed  --we mis-coined\n6   the word.  When you're talking about the culture of the\n7   Alaskan  Native  people, hunting  and fishing  aren't a\n8   part of our culture.   That is who we are.   People, no\n9   matter how powerful  they are, can regulate  it besides\n10   our own selves.  So  that's what you are talking about.\n11   You are talking about the culture  of the Alaska Native\n12   people.  They are the  only ones who should regulate it\n13   if they want to.\n\n15                   So I believe it's  an intrusion on  the\n16   part  of  the  Federal  government  and  the  State  to\n17   regulate  the hunting  and fishing  of Alaska  Natives.\n18   Including where they  could hunt, when they  could hunt\n19   and how they  could hunt.  Where they  could fish, when\n20   they could fish, what size nets.  So you are regulating\n21   a way of life. The  only people that should regulate it\n22   are the Natives themselves.\n\n24                   So that's all  I wanted to say.   Thank\n25   you very  much  for listening  to  me.   I'll  continue\n26   listening.  I finally got on.  I've  been trying to get\n27   on.  I'm new to all of this, so excuse me and thank you\n28   for your work.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n31   calling in, Harold,  and we appreciate the  brevity and\n32   the way of life you represent.  Thank you.\n\n34                   Next we have  Alaska Department of Fish\n35   and Game.\n\n37                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n38   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n39   opposes  the proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n40   regulations,  causing confusion  amongst the  users and\n41   also makes it challenging for law enforcement.\n\n43                   If  I may, I  do have one  question for\n44   Mr. Ubelaker.  In the  OSM analysis at the beginning of\n45   the  summary it  says to  March 31st,  but then  in the\n46   proposed  Federal reg  it says  to March  30th. When  I\n47   count on  my little  fingers, 15 extra  days is  to the\n48   30th.  So I just  wanted clarification because  I heard\n49   31st, but  then I  was looking at  the material  and it\n\n---\n\n3   \n8   \n10   \n14   \n18   \n22   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n38   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n**0382**\n\n1   says 30th.  I didn't know what the date was with the 15\n2   extra days for sure.\n\n4                   MR. UBELAKER:   Through the  Chair, Mr.\n5   Mulligan.  If the proposal is asking for 15 days, I got\n6   my talking points wrong  on my math.  So  thank you for\n7   correcting me.\n\n9                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n12   InterAgency  Staff  Committee.    They  provide   their\n13   standard comment.\n\n15                   MS.  GREDIAGIN:   Mr. Chair.    We also\n16   need    to   get    the   Northwest    Arctic   Council\n17   recommendation.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, okay.   It\n20   didn't pop  up on  there.  I'm  sorry.   Northwest, you\n21   have the floor.\n\n23                   MS. PILCHER:   Good  morning, everyone.\n24   Nissa  Pilcher for the record.  Council Coordinator for\n25   Northwest  Arctic.  So the Council voted to unanimously\n26   support WP26-64.   The Council supported  extending the\n27   season as it allows  people to get out when  conditions\n28   are safer and provides more flexibility to harvest.\n\n30                   Thank you.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n33   that.  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n35                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n36   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n37   comment.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n40   Board discussion  with your  liaison, Council  Chair or\n41   State  Representative.   Any  points  of clarification,\n42   discussion.\n\n44                   (No comments)\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Hearing, seeing\n47   none.  Open the floor for Board action.\n\n49                   MR.  PENDERGAST:    Mr. Chair.    Kevin\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n25   \n31   \n34   \n38   \n42   \n50\n\n1   Pendergast, BLM.   I  think there's  a question  on the\n2   floor we need  to settle before I can  make any motion.\n3   That is are we talking about extension to March 30th or\n4   March 31st?   I  noticed the  proposed regulatory  text\n5   says  March 30th.   The general description  says March\n6   31st.  This needs to be settled, I think.  I'm not sure\n7   exactly how to  do that, but I  don't want to  make the\n8   wrong motion.\n\n10                   MS. GREDIAGIN:   Lisa Grediagin for the\n11   record.    So  I'm looking  at  the  proposal that  was\n12   actually submitted and I think that's kind of where the\n13   confusion comes in  because in the issue  statement and\n14   the submitted proposal it says from March 15th to March\n15   31st.  But then in  the proposed regulation language it\n16   says to March 30th.  You know, it was submitted  by the\n17   Council, but basically  OSM helped draft  that.  So  it\n18   was probably ultimately our fault.\n\n20                   So  I guess at this juncture I might --\n21   I mean it's  one day. I might just defer to Louis if he\n22   has  a preference  if he  wants  an extra  day or  not.\n23   Because  I think  the confusion  came  from the  actual\n24   proposal as it was submitted.\n\n26                   MR. GREEN:  So I had a little confusion\n27   when I was  bringing up the  date.  When I  was reading\n28   this it didn't make sense  because 15 days after is the\n29   30th, so  I suppose  that's appropriate.   Okay,  thank\n30   you.\n\n32                   MR. GREDIAGIN:   I mean  if that's what\n33   the RAC discussed.\n\n35                   MR.  GREEN:   Yeah, yeah.    I mean  --\n36   yeah, we asked for 15 extra  days.  So thanks for that,\n37   Kevin.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   So  we  would\n40   recognize the  date as  the 30th  based on  discussion.\n41   Thank you.  The floor is open for a motion.\n\n43                   MR.  PENDERGAST:    Mr. Chair.    Kevin\n44   Pendergast, BLM.   Mr. Chair, I move to  adopt Wildlife\n45   Proposal 26-64  to extend the Seward  Peninsula Federal\n46   muskox season closing date in  Units 22 and 23 south of\n47   Kotzebue Sound and  west of and including  the Buckland\n48   River drainage from March 15th to March 30th.  If I get\n49   a  second, I will open the discussion by explaining why\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n12   \n20   \n28   \n33   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   I plan to support my motion.\n\n3                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n4   seconds.\n\n6                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Thank you.  I'll open\n7   by  noting  that  I think  it's  always  desirable when\n8   possible to have alignment and reduce confusion between\n9   the  regulations.   So  I was  heartened  to hear  that\n10   there's thinking about,  you know, trying to  make that\n11   happen through the State process.\n\n13                   In   this    instance   the    muskoxen\n14   population throughout this range is healthy and stable.\n15   Federal subsistence harvest rates have remained low and\n16   most  muskoxen  are   harvested  under  State  permits.\n17   Extending the Federal  subsistence season is  therefore\n18   not expected to increase harvest substantially or  lead\n19   to a conservation concern.\n\n21                   At the same time extending the  Federal\n22   season  will  provide Federally  qualified  subsistence\n23   users  with a meaningful preference.  The additional 15\n24   days in  March will  provide Federally  qualified users\n25   with an additional opportunity to harvest muskox  later\n26   in the season when the  days are longer and weather and\n27   travel conditions are generally better.\n\n29                   The  additional  two  weeks  will  also\n30   provide  Federally  qualified  subsistence  users  with\n31   buffer  time  to  account for  bad  weather  conditions\n32   earlier in the season.\n\n34                   The Seward Peninsula  Regional Advisory\n35   Council also reports  that the meat and  conditions are\n36   favorable  for subsistence uses during this time of the\n37   season.\n\n39                   The  BLM support  of  this proposal  is\n40   consistent with the Seward Pen and Northwest Arctic RAC\n41   recommendation.\n\n43                   Thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Kevin.  Board deliberation, discussion.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n21   \n23   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none.   Please read into  the record the  motion\n3   and roll call.\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   The motion  is to  adopt WP26-64  to extend  the Seward\n7   Peninsula Federal muskox  season closing date in  Units\n8   22  and 23  south of  Kotzebue  Sound and  west of  and\n9   including  the Buckland River  Drainage from March 15th\n10   to March 30th.\n\n12                   BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n14                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n18                   MS. PITKA:   I support  in deference to\n19   the  Regional Advisory Councils, the Seward Pen and the\n20   Northwest Arctic.\n\n22                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n24                   MS.  JOHN:    BIA votes  to  adopt  the\n25   proposal  as recommended  and  justified by  the Seward\n26   Peninsula and Northwest Arctic RACs as it has no effect\n27   on   conservation  concerns  and  it's  safer  for  the\n28   residents and it's flexible.  Thank you.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n32                   MR. WOODS:  Public  Member Woods adopts\n33   in favor of  the RAC's recommendation and  also they're\n34   aligning proposals.  Thank you.\n\n36                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n37   Ingersoll.\n\n39                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n40   in   deference  to  the   RACs  and  for   the  reasons\n41   articulated by the Bureau of Land Management.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n44   Service Member Boario.\n\n46                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n47   supports  in  deference  to the  Seward  Peninsula  and\n48   Northwest  Arctic Advisory Councils and for the reasons\n49   outlined by BLM.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n28   \n33   \n39   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n3                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney is in\n4   support of WP26-64 as outlined  by the RACs in the area\n5   and also OSM.  Thank you.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n9                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n10   votes in  support as  in agreement  with comments  made\n11   previous to me.\n\n13                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n14   Striker.\n\n16                   MR. STRIKER:   Park Service supports in\n17   deference  to the RACs  for the reasons  articulated by\n18   Director   Pendergast.    The  two  week  and  one  day\n19   extension.\n\n21                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n23                   CHAIR  CHRISTIANSON:     I  support  in\n24   deference to the RAC.\n\n26                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n27   passes unanimously.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n30   Appreciate that.   We'll move on to the next  one.  Oh,\n31   we're on Western  Interior. WP26-50. I feel  like we're\n32   accomplishing stuff.\n\n34                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n35   Once again, Brian Ubelaker.   I will give you the brief\n36   summary  for  WP26-50  regarding  the  Upper  Kuskokwim\n37   Controlled Use Area  in Unit 19.  This  analysis can be\n38   found on Page 1,127.\n\n40                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n41   Western Interior  Alaska Subsistence  Regional Advisory\n42   Council and  requests reducing  the size  of the  Upper\n43   Kuskokwim   Controlled    Use   Area    under   Federal\n44   regulations.   So it  matches the smaller  area already\n45   defined under State regulations.\n\n47                   The  CUA  was   originally  established\n48   under State regulations  in 1981 to  reduce competition\n49   between   local   and   non-local  moose   hunters   by\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n15   \n23   \n28   \n34   \n40   \n47   \n50\n\n1   prohibiting the use of aircraft.\n\n3                   At the start of the Federal Subsistence\n4   Program  in 1992 matching  language was adopted  in the\n5   Federal regulations.   Under State regulations  between\n6   2001 and 2008  the Controlled Use Area  grew and shined\n7   through   several   different  modifications   to   the\n8   boundary.\n\n10                   At  the point when  the CUA was  at its\n11   largest  in 2006  Federal  regulations were  adopted to\n12   align the  boundaries.  Since  that time the  State has\n13   reduced the size  of the CUA while  Federal regulations\n14   have remained unchanged.\n\n16                   There  were  several   alternatives  to\n17   consider for this  proposal.  The first of  which is to\n18   align  Federal and  State season  dates.  State  CUA is\n19   only in effect during the State's moose hunting season.\n20   The  Federal  CUA however  extends  through the  entire\n21   Federal moose season, including late  September and the\n22   winter hunt.\n\n24                   If  the Federal  regulations match  the\n25   State's,  Federally qualified  subsistence users  could\n26   use aircraft for the end of September and again  during\n27   the winter season.\n\n29                   The second  alternative is  eliminating\n30   the Federal  CUA  entirely because  the  State  version\n31   already regulates aircraft use in this area and because\n32   the Federal CUA contains almost no Federal public lands\n33   the Federal CUA is essentially meaningless.\n\n35                   It  only   adds  an   extra  layer   of\n36   restrictions that  apply solely to  Federally qualified\n37   subsistence   users.     Removing  it   would  simplify\n38   regulations, reduce confusion and eliminate unnecessary\n39   complexity.\n\n41                   The  third  alternative.     There  are\n42   several Unit 19D  moose hunt areas that  are defined by\n43   the boundaries of the Upper  Kuskokwim CUA.  If the CUA\n44   is reduced or  eliminated, these hunt areas  would need\n45   to be  updated so that  seasons and harvest  limits are\n46   not unintentionally changed.\n\n48                   If adopted,  this proposal  would align\n49   Federal and State regulations, reduce confusion and may\n\n---\n\n5   \n12   \n19   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   increase opportunity  for local  users during the  late\n2   and winter seasons.   No impacts are expected  to moose\n3   populations or to Federal  opportunity since only local\n4   residents have C&T for moose in the area.\n\n6                   However, matching the current extent of\n7   the CUA under  State regulations  would be  essentially\n8   meaningless as  there are  only 33.5  acres of  Federal\n9   public lands.   These lands are located within the city\n10   limits of  McGrath, which has an  ordinance prohibiting\n11   the discharge of firearms.\n\n13                   Eliminating  the   CUA  under   Federal\n14   regulations  would  be  in  alignment with  Secretarial\n15   Order 3447, which directs the Department of Interior to\n16   identify   and   remove   unnecessary   regulatory   or\n17   administrative  barriers  to  hunting  and  fishing  on\n18   Department-managed lands and waters.\n\n20                   Therefore, OSM's  recommendation is  to\n21   support WP26-50  with  modification  to  eliminate  the\n22   Upper  Kuskokwim CUA entirely  and change the  Unit 19D\n23   moose hunt period descriptors.  I'll be happy to answer\n24   questions.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Brian.  Any questions from the Board or Staff.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n32   seeing none.   We'll move on to the  summary of written\n33   public comment.\n\n35                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Mr.  Chair,  none were\n36   submitted.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Summary  of\n39   tribal   government  and   Alaska  Native   Corporation\n40   consultation.\n\n42                   MR. LIND:  Thank you,  Mr. Chair, Board\n43   members.  There were no comments.  Thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Tribal, Alaskan\n46   Native organizational testimony.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n15   \n18   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n2   seeing  none.  Advisory  group testimony, SRC, Advisory\n3   Committees of the State or multi-agency working group.\n\n5                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n6   have no comments from ACs or SRCs.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank  you.  Is\n9   there  any public testimony  here or online,  it's your\n10   opportunity to be recognized.\n\n12                   MS.  LAVINE:  And for those of you that\n13   would  like to  provide testimony on  Wildlife Proposal\n14   26-50 you can raise your hand or press star five.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Nobody.  We'll\n17   move on to the Council recommendations.\n\n19                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  Jack Reakoff,\n20   Western  Interior  Regional   Council.    The   Council\n21   submitted this proposal  after discussion with OSM.   A\n22   motion was made.   So support the proposal  WP26-50 was\n23   modified by OSM.\n\n25                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Jack.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n30                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n31   The  Alaska Department of  Fish and Game  supported the\n32   proposal as  written.  Discussing  with my  counterpart\n33   here  and knowing  the  make-up of  the  land which  is\n34   predominantly  State and we do have that controlled use\n35   area in  place in order to reduce  regulatory burden we\n36   would support  the modification to basically remove the\n37   Federal CUA.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     InterAgency\n40   Staff Committee.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:    The  InterAgency  Staff\n43   Committee provided the standard comment.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Board  discussion  with   the  State  Liaison,  Council\n47   Chairs.  Yes, go ahead.\n\n49                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n3   \n7   \n17   \n19   \n25   \n29   \n33   \n37   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Kevin, you have\n\n2   the floor.\n\n4                   MR. PENDERGAST:  If I could trouble Mr.\n5   Mulligan to repeat  his comment.  I'm not  sure I quite\n6   heard them completely.\n\n8                   MR.  MULLIGAN:     Through  the  Chair.\n9   Member   Pendergast.    So,  as  I  said,  given  OSM's\n10   recommendation  I believe  says  to  eliminate the  CUA\n11   because you  see on  the map the  Federal one  is quite\n12   larger currently.   So instead  of doing  what the  RAC\n13   originally  intended, which was to match us down to the\n14   corridor,  like  it  is,  they  just  want  to  totally\n15   eliminate   it  because,   as   Mr.  Ubelaker   already\n16   mentioned, there is a very small portion.....\n\n## 18 MR. PENDERGAST: What, 33 acres?\n\n20                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Yeah, 33 acres.   Which\n21   would then --I mean  make this pretty obsolete when it\n22   comes  to you guys's  regulations.  So  we're good with\n23   that.  State still has  its in place and we'd  like you\n24   guys taking regs off your books.\n\n26                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Thank you.  So it's a\n27   slight modification from the original position based on\n28   information that's come to light.\n\n30                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Yeah.  I guess basically\n31   to  make  it clear  to  everybody  we  support the  OSM\n32   modification as presented by Mr. Ubelaker.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   So I  guess my\n35   next  question would  be  to  look  at Jack  about  the\n36   suggested section --second option we heard there.\n\n38                   MR.  REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  I've been on\n39   this Regional Council dealing with this Controlled  Use\n40   Area for many years.  The area was reduced by the State\n41   or wanted  to be  in alignment with  that. With  the 33\n42   acres we don't  feel that this  is an  issue.  So  just\n43   eliminating that and  going with the State  because the\n44   State-managed areas we don't have a problem with that.\n\n46                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n49   that, Jack.  So we are still not at adjournment yet.\n\n---\n\n2   \n7   \n9   \n11   \n19   \n21   \n31   \n36   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n## 1 (Laughter)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We are going to\n4   --the floor  is open for a  motion.  We just  had some\n5   point of clarification and maybe an understanding where\n6   we might motion this.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n12                   MR.   PENDERGAST:   Kevin   Pendergast,\n13   Bureau of Land  Management. Mr. Chair, I move  to adopt\n14   Wildlife Proposal 26-50 to reduce the size of the Upper\n15   Kuskokwim Controlled Use  Area or eliminate it  in Unit\n16   19D to match the current State regulations.  If I get a\n17   second, I will open the discussion by explaining why  I\n18   intend to vote in support of my motion.\n\n## 20 MR. STRIKER: NPS seconds.\n\n22                   MR. PENDERGAST:   Thank you.  First, as\n23   explained  by OSM, the  Upper Kuskokwim  Controlled Use\n24   Area in  Federal regulation  only applies  to Federally\n25   qualified  subsistence users  hunting moose  on Federal\n26   lands.   Since  the  Upper  Kuskokwim  CUA  on  Federal\n27   regulations  is not larger than the Upper Kuskokwim CUA\n28   under State regulation, Federally qualified subsistence\n29   users  are now restricted  from using aircraft  to hunt\n30   moose in Federal lands outside of the State's CUA.\n\n32                   I'm  making  some  changes  on the  fly\n33   here, so bear with me.  Eliminating the Upper Kuskokwim\n34   CUA under Federal  regulations to match the  area under\n35   State regs will align Federal and State regulations.\n\n37                   One moment.  Making some changes on the\n38   fly here.  Bear with us.   Mr. Chair, I'd like to amend\n39   my original motion.  So I'd like to amend my own motion\n40   by moving  to adopt  Wildlife Proposal  26-50 with  OSM\n41   modification to eliminate the  Kuskokwim Controlled Use\n42   Area in Unit 19D.  If I get a second on that amendment,\n43   I will provide some brief rationale.\n\n## 45 MR. STRIKER: NPS seconds.\n\n47                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank  you.  First, as\n48   explained  by OSM,  the Upper Kuskokwim  Controlled Use\n49   Area in Federal  regulation only  applies to  Federally\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n12   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n35   \n37   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n50\n\n1   qualified  subsistence users  hunting moose  in Federal\n2   lands.   Since the  Upper Kuskokwim  CUA under  Federal\n3   regs is --yeah, I think I'm going to end the rationale\n4   now in  deference to the  RAC and has analyzed  by OSM.\n5   Thank you.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   So that's  an\n8   amendment to the original motion?\n\n10                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   That's  correct,  as\n11   modified.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    As modified.\n14   So we  have two votes  on the  floor here or  just one?\n15   Just the one, okay.  It was seconded.  Okay, thank you.\n16   I  was just  making sure  I wasn't  hearing two  on the\n17   floor.\n\n19                   All right.  So we are here.  Motion and\n20   seconded.   Any further discussion, deliberation by the\n21   Board as modified?\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n26   We'll read  into the  record and do  roll call.   Thank\n27   you.\n\n29                   MS. LEONETTI:  The  motion is to  adopt\n30   Wildlife Proposal 26-50 as modified by OSM to eliminate\n31   the  Upper Kuskokwim Controlled Use Area and modify the\n32   hunt area descriptors  for moose in Unit  19D including\n33   eliminating the North  Fork hunt area. So  I'll call on\n34   BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n36                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n\n38                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n39   Striker.\n\n41                   MR. STRIKER:  Park  Service supports in\n42   deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n45   Ingersoll.\n\n47                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n48   in deference to the RAC and for the purpose of reducing\n49   regulatory burden.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n21   \n23   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n3                   MS.  PITKA:    I  support  WP26-50   as\n4   modified in deference to the Regional Advisory  Council\n5   and also for the reasons just said. Thank you.\n\n7                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n8   Service Member Boario.\n\n10                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n11   supports  in deference  to  the  RAC  for  the  reasons\n12   outlined by BLM.\n\n14                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n16                   MS.  JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt WP26-50\n17   as modified  by OSM  and  supporting the  input by  the\n18   Western Interior RAC.  I  want to thank Mr. Reakoff for\n19   his local knowledge  and the additional input  that you\n20   provided.\n\n22                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n24                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney is in\n25   support of WP26-50 as modified by OSM  and supported by\n26   Western Interior RAC.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n30                   MR. WOODS:   Public Member  Woods moves\n31   to adopt.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n35                   MR. PAYENNA:  Public  Member Payenna is\n36   in support of WP26-50 in deference to the RAC.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair.  The  motion\n43   to adopt as modified 26-50 carries unanimously.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Next we have WP26-51.\n\n48                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n37   \n40   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Oh, one second.\n2   I think we have a notice here.  Yes, go ahead, Sara.\n\n4                   MS.  BOARIO:     I  apologize  for  the\n5   process  question.  The Fish and Wildlife Service would\n6   like  to defer  this  with  the  agreement  of  Western\n7   Interior RAC.  To do  so do we need to --do  I need to\n8   adopt it to defer it or can I defer instead?\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I think we can\n11   make  a  motion  with  concurrence  with  the  Regional\n12   Advisory Council Chair.\n\n## 14 MS. BOARIO: Jack.\n\n16                   MR. REAKOFF:   I'm always supportive of\n17   deferring Proposal  WP26-51 we got out in  front of us.\n18   We don't have  a C&T.  We  have to propose  a customary\n19   and  traditional use  determination  for  muskox.   Our\n20   regional  members are seeing  muskox in our  region and\n21   they  have interest in this proposal,  but at this time\n22   it's to be  deferred so that we can  submit a Customary\n23   and  Traditional Use Determination and have to bring it\n24   back forward.\n\n## 26 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  The\n29   floor is open for that motion.\n\n31                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n32   Fish  and Wildlife Service  moves to defer  WP26-51 for\n33   the reasons stated by the Western Interior RAC.\n\n35                   MR. STRIKER:  The Park Service seconds.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n\n39   discussion?\n\n41                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Kevin.\n\n45                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n46   What I would like to do, if this is a proper procedure,\n47   is move to amend the  motion or make an amended motion.\n48   Just to clarify defer to 2028.\n\n---\n\n0395\n3   \n4                   MS. BOARIO:  Yes.\n5   \n8   \n9                   MS. BOARIO:  WIRAC?\n10   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Maker of  the\n2   motion, do you.....\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     .....concur\n7   with that?\n\n11                   MR.  REAKOFF:    That's  totally  fine.\n12   Thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So let the main\n15   motion reflect that time.\n\n17                   MS.  BOARIO:    Yes.    Move  to  defer\n18   WP26-51 to 2028 cycle.  Is that correct?\n\n20                   MR. PENDERGAST:  2028.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes.   Let the\n23   record reflect that.  Thank you, Kevin.\n\n25                   MR. PENDERGAST:  So it's not coming  up\n26   this summer.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I just said the\n29   second concurs with that change.  Okay.  Thank you.  So\n30   we have concurrence with the maker and the second.  Any\n31   more deliberation, discussion.\n\n33                   (No comments)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Read the motion\n36   into the record, please, and roll call.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to defer\n39   WP26-51 to the 2028 wildlife cycle.  Fish  and Wildlife\n40   Service, Member Boario.\n\n42                   MS. BOARIO:  Supports.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n46                   MS. PITKA:  I support.\n\n48                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n49   Ingersoll.\n\n---\n\n0396\n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n2   \n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n4   Striker.\n5   \n6                   MR. STRIKER:  Support.\n7   \n8                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n9   \n10                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n14                   MR. PAYENNA:  Support.\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n18                   MR. WOODS:  Support.\n20                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n22                   MR. ONEY:  Support.\n24                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n26                   MS. JOHN:  BIA supports to defer.\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Support\n31   deferral.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:   Motion to  defer passes\n34   unanimously.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We made  it to\n37   another page.   I can see the  end of this one.   Right\n38   on.   WP26-41/42, Yukon  Delta.  We  might just  make a\n39   move here because the Y-K Jackie isn't here and you can\n40   see how important it is for us to have our conversation\n41   piece with the RAC.  So  if there's no objection by the\n42   Board here, we might just slide down to the next region\n43   as far  as order of  business.  That  way we  can allow\n44   Jackie time to get back here.\n\n46                   If  there's no  objection  here by  the\n47   Board, we'll just step  over that region.   Sorry about\n48   that.  And we'll just jump on down  to the Bristol Bay.\n49   When they  do show up  this afternoon we'll go  back to\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n15   \n25   \n34   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   when Y-K is on the  line.  Thank you for  your patience\n2   with that.  We'll move down to Bristol Bay WCR26-05.\n\n4                   MS.  HOLMAN:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n5   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n6   wildlife  biologist  with  the  Office  of  Subsistence\n7   Management.  So this will  be a short analysis --short\n8   synopsis, there we go, the analysis for WCR26-05.\n\n10                   So this Closure Review  is for Unit 9C,\n11   that  portion draining into  the Naknek River  from the\n12   south.  Public lands are closed during December for the\n13   hunting   of  moose   except  by   Federally  qualified\n14   subsistence users hunting under these regulations.\n\n16                   Regulatory history  in the  1990s ADF&G\n17   issued emergency orders closing the December antlerless\n18   hunt.   In 1992 they  proposed the harvest limit  to be\n19   changed.  As  a result of all of these  things going on\n20   this action, the Naknek Drainage, was then divided into\n21   two  hunt  areas  and the  December  hunts  were closed\n22   except by Federally qualified  subsistence areas.   The\n23   area  draining into the Naknek  from the north and that\n24   draining from the south.\n\n26                   In 2016 it was  determined that a State\n27   permit  could  be  required for  both  fall  and winter\n28   seasons, so that  is what is currently still  used.  In\n29   '22 the State lengthened  the moose season in  Units 9B\n30   and  9C and  aligned  hunt areas.    This extended  the\n31   season by 20 days within the full  units.  Five days at\n32   the end of the fall season and 15 days at the beginning\n33   of the winter season.\n\n35                   In 2022 the  closure was also  reviewed\n36   by the  Board and  maintained.   Since  the early  20th\n37   Century moose  on  the Alaska  Peninsula gradually  has\n38   expanded their range southwestward.  This expansion was\n39   accompanied by a dramatic population increase until the\n40   1960s when the population peaked and began to decline.\n\n42                   Suitable habitat for moose in Unit 9 is\n43   relatively  limited. The  moose  population status  and\n44   trends  in  Unit  9 is  difficult  for  several reasons\n45   including  low moose  densities  and  snow and  weather\n46   conditions that are frequently inadequate for surveys.\n\n48                   Surveys started  in 1991 by  the Alaska\n49   Peninsula  and  Becharof Wildlife  Refuge.   So there's\n\n---\n\n6   \n12   \n22   \n30   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   figures 1, 2  and 3 in your  book show some of  this --\n2   the  density bull:cow calf:cow ratios.  In recent years\n3   the  bull:cow   ratios  have   been  relatively   high,\n4   averaging 60 bulls and 100 cows well above the 20 bulls\n5   per 100 cows in the State management objective.\n\n7                   I will say  you'll note  also in  those\n8   figures  there's kind of some weird information.  There\n9   was a change  around 2018 in how they  did the surveys.\n10   So that did kind of create a little goofy line there in\n11   those figures.\n\n13                   So the Alaska resident moose harvest in\n14   Units  9B  and   9C  occurs  by  registration   permit,\n15   non-resident moose harvest  occurs in those units  by a\n16   different  registration permit.   While  reported moose\n17   harvest  can  be  parsed  out  by  subunit,  it  is not\n18   possible to distribute it by hunt area.  Therefore, the\n19   number of moose  reported harvests only in  the closure\n20   area  is not available, although reported moose harvest\n21   within Unit 9C provides some insight.\n\n23                   From 2000 to  2023 total moose  harvest\n24   in Unit 9C averaged 29  moose per year, ranging from 16\n25   to  43.   Ninety percent  of the  Unit 9  moose harvest\n26   occurs in the fall.  On Figure 4 it shows the breakdown\n27   of  reported moose  harvest  in Unit  9C  by local  and\n28   non-local users.  Local users are defined as those with\n29   a customary and traditional use determination.\n\n31                   If  this  closure   is  rescinded,  the\n32   non-Federally qualified users would be able to  harvest\n33   moose on  Federal public  lands within  the portion  of\n34   Unit 9C draining into the  Naknek River from the  south\n35   during December.   It may also  result in an  increased\n36   moose  harvest although  increases are  expected  to be\n37   minimal  as  winter  conditions  make  this  area  very\n38   difficult to access.\n\n40                   While the  2022 and 2023  moose density\n41   estimates within the  closure area are above  the State\n42   management   objectives   for    a   moderate   density\n43   population,   this   low   density   moose   population\n44   fluctuates within a dynamic equilibrium.  While Unit 9C\n45   bull:cow  ratios are  above  management objectives  and\n46   could sustain additional  bull harvest, calf:cow ratios\n47   indicate a stable population.\n\n49                   While   bull:cow   ratios   within  the\n\n---\n\n9   \n14   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n28   \n36   \n43   \n50\n\n1   closure area are  well below or below  management areas\n2   the overall Unit  9C moose  populations are  not.   The\n3   adjacent  --sorry, I'm  seeing cross-eyed here.   It's\n4   been a long meeting.   The adjacent areas are very high\n5   and  bull harvest is much  more likely there during the\n6   fall   when  Federal  lands  are  open.    Conservation\n7   concerns  do   not  warrant  maintaining   the  closure\n8   although OSM looks forward to hearing from.....\n\n10                   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair, members  of the\n11   Council.   I apologize.   My notes  --this is  not the\n12   right set of notes.  It has all the information though,\n13   so that's why I got a little turned around there.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n16   Appreciate that.  Any questions?\n\n18                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Sara.\n\n22                   MS.  BOARIO:  I'm sorry.  I struggled a\n23   little  bit to  follow that  and I'm  wondering  if you\n24   could describe  the charts  again for us.   If  you can\n25   find  the  right  set  of  notes.    Sorry.    I  fully\n26   appreciate note  challenges.  I'm trying  to understand\n27   how the neighboring TCAs relate to the closure area.\n\n29                   MS.  HOLMAN:  It  might be easier  if I\n30   just open the analysis at this point.  So those figures\n31   show the trend count areas.   So there's all --there's\n32   a Big Creek Corridor and there's a Park Creek Corridor.\n33   So there was a  change in 2018  and that kind of  shows\n34   that  weird line or  2015 approximately.   That kind of\n35   shows the weird lines for the trend count areas.\n\n37                   The trend count area for the  Big Creek\n38   Corridor is relatively matched up to this closure.  The\n39   Park border area involves more of the National  Park in\n40   that area where  there's much more limited  hunting, if\n41   any,  taking place, depending on the specific location.\n42   If that helps answer some of that.\n\n44                   So the  first  Figure 1  is  the  moose\n45   density estimates  overall.  So  you have all  TCAs and\n46   then the  two separate ones.   The second one  is those\n47   bull:cow  ratios  and  the third  one  is  the calf:cow\n48   ratios.    If there's  something  else, Member  Boario,\n49   through the  Chair, if  there's something  I missed  in\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   there let me know.\n\n3                   MS.  BOARIO:   That's  helpful.   Thank\n4   you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n7   questions from the Board.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n12   that.  Was there any written public comment received?\n\n14                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair, there were  no\n15   written public comments received on this one.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n18   Summary  of   tribal  government   and  Alaska   Native\n19   corporation.\n\n21                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Board\n22   members.   There  were no  comments  or resolutions  on\n23   that.  Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Tribal, Alaska Native organization  testimony.  Here or\n27   online raise your hand.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n32   seeing  none.  The  Alaska Advisory groups,  SRC, State\n33   Advisory or multi-agency working group.\n\n35                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   We've received no  documents from any of  those groups.\n37   Thanks.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n40   public  testimony here or online please raise your hand\n41   to be recognized.\n\n43                   (No comments)\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Council\n46   recommendations.\n\n48                   MR. DUNAWAY:   Mr. Chair.   Dan Dunaway\n49   for  the  Bristol   Bay  RAC.     Council   recommended\n\n---\n\n0401\n6   \n14   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n50\n\n1   maintaining the  status quo and continuing the closure.\n2   Two  members present  at  our  meeting  that  are  very\n3   intimately  familiar   with  this  area  and   hunt  it\n4   regularly  expressed a  lot  of concern  and discomfort\n5   with the proposal and the data.\n\n7                   As  you can see in the most recent data\n8   the  numbers are  pretty erratic,  depending  on survey\n9   conditions, which are erratic, and the  limited habitat\n10   where these  animals are.   We have two  other members.\n11   One  was online and another wasn't present, but they're\n12   also very familiar with this area and we  all supported\n13   their concern that it should be continued.\n\n15                   There's  an expression,  a concern  for\n16   the predation and predators and bears in  the area that\n17   can  really disperse the  moose and keep  them somewhat\n18   depressed.  It was a very, very long meeting so we were\n19   not able  to discuss these  as deeply as we  would have\n20   liked to, but we felt that it would be better to wait a\n21   little bit until we saw stronger data trends.\n\n23                   Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan.\n26   Making sure that  was the only one.   Any questions for\n27   Dan.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:     Appreciate\n32   that.    Moving  on  to  InterAgency  Staff  Committee.\n33   Sorry.  State of Alaska.  I apologize for that.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Jumping  ahead, Robbin.\n36   Shame, shame.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Get her.\n\n40                   (Laughter)\n\n42                   MR.  MULLIGAN:    All  right.   In  all\n43   seriousness,  Mr. Chair.   For  the  record the  Alaska\n44   Department of  Fish  and Game  supports rescinding  the\n45   closure.   As you've seen, we are meeting objectives in\n46   the sub-unit.  We are meeting ANS also in the sub-unit,\n47   which is 100-140 animals,  but we average a  harvest of\n48   150 to  200 within  9C.  We  don't have  objectives for\n49   that particular sub-unit,  so it's hard to  say whether\n\n---\n\n3   \n16   \n18   \n21   \n29   \n40   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   or not this is meaning anything because we don't manage\n2   that fine of a scale as far as our objectives.\n\n4                   I will make another point.  That if you\n5   rescind  the  closure,  the   State  manages  with  the\n6   registration hunts.  Those registration hunts are based\n7   off  of quotas.   Additional animals will  not be taken\n8   because  an  additional  area  doesn't mean  additional\n9   animals.   We manage  for the population  regardless of\n10   land  status.   So  if you  do  support rescinding  the\n11   closure, no  additional opportunity  will be  provided.\n12   It's a registration hunt.   We have those reported in a\n13   certain amount of time.  We have that quota and then if\n14   it is  reached, we  close those  hunts under the  State\n15   regulations.\n\n## 17 Thank you.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n20   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n22                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I'm\n23   going to read  an abbreviated version of  our comments.\n24   You  can find  the full  comment on  Page 1036  of your\n25   meeting materials.  The Federal Subsistence Board  will\n26   need to consider  a few key  sections of ANILCA  before\n27   taking action  on  proposals  requesting  closures  and\n28   closure reviews.\n\n30                   Specifically those  sections pertaining\n31   to   Council  deference,   Section  805(c)   and  those\n32   pertaining to limitations  to closures or  restrictions\n33   of subsistence  and  non-subsistence  uses  on  Federal\n34   public  lands  and  those are  in  Sections  815(3) and\n35   816(b).   These  three sections speak  to the  heart of\n36   Board authority and require  a careful balance  between\n37   the Federal  Priority, the continuation  of subsistence\n38   uses, the  necessary conservation  of subsistence  fish\n39   and wildlife and unnecessary restrictions.\n\n41                   In  the  case   of  WCR26-05  the   ISC\n42   suggests that the Council's recommendation may not meet\n43   the criteria for deference.\n\n45                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n48   Robbin.  Board  discussion with their  liaison, Council\n49   Chairs,  State reps.   This is your  opportunity to ask\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n11   \n21   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n44   \n50\n\n1   for clarification.\n\n3                   Sara.\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, to the RAC, to\n6   Dan.   I just wonder  if you have  any thoughts on  the\n7   additional  information  from  Mr. Mulligan  about  the\n8   added area not being additional.   And I know you can't\n9   speak for the  whole RAC, but I am  wondering what your\n10   thoughts are on that.\n\n12                   MR. DUNAWAY:   Through  the Chair,  Ms.\n13   Boario.  Actually  I really appreciate Fish  and Game's\n14   analysis.  I was trying to  remember.  I don't think we\n15   had Fish and Game biologists  present at our meeting to\n16   explain that.  I know the king salmon in Naknek area in\n17   the past has --when they were in Tier  II for caribou\n18   they  were   dumfounded  how   many  Anchorage   people\n19   qualified and how many king salmon Naknek people didn't\n20   qualify.\n\n22                   They're also in  a very convenient path\n23   from Anchorage,  so there  also were  concerns. If  the\n24   quota  analysis  as  Mr. Mulligan  described  that  may\n25   suffice, but  it did get  back to the local  folks that\n26   hunted and  were pretty uncomfortable with  the numbers\n27   that were offered and that's the best I can say.\n\n29                   Thank you.\n\n31                   MS.  BOARIO:    Appreciate  that,  Dan.\n32   Thank you.\n\n34                   MR. WOODS:  A question for Dan.  During\n35   this deliberation, you  know, it's a low  density area.\n36   It's south  of the Naknek  River.  That area,  like you\n37   pointed  out,  has   a  high  density  of   brown  bear\n38   population  right  at  the  Katmai  National  Park  and\n39   Preserve  on the  upper  end.   But they  distribute it\n40   throughout the  whole area and that  high concentration\n41   of predators impact  that Federal side, but  also along\n42   the whole  drainage because  they're up  and down  that\n43   corridor the whole season.\n\n45                   That  means  they're   in  the  calving\n46   season  during  the  hunting  season  when  fish aren't\n47   running and they  only congregate on  the upper end  of\n48   Katmai during the salmon season.  So the low density of\n49   moose reported I see --and there might be a  number in\n\n---\n\n4   \n8   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1   ANS, but  then you  look at  the numbers  for different\n2   units.  It's really apparent that they're not --I mean\n3   really low numbers.\n\n5                   Thank you  for that.   I'm  inclined to\n6   rescind  this.  I'd like to support your recommendation\n7   just for that purpose.  Thank you.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n10   questions, clarification.  RAC Chairs or State.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n15   seeing none.  We'll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n17                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, can I request a\n18   two-minute break.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Two minutes.\n\n22                   MS. BOARIO:  Thanks.\n\n24                   (Off record)\n\n26                   (On record)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Almost  two\n29   minutes, huh?\n\n31                   MS. BOARIO:  I'm ready.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Oh,  you're\n34   ready?   I'm ready.  You guys ready?  We've been ready.\n35   I really like these Native  ladies next to me.  They're\n36   keeping me well fed under the table, keeping us going.\n\n38                   Sara, you have the floor.\n\n40                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, thank you.  Mr.\n41   Chair,  I move  to rescind  the closure.   If  I get  a\n42   second, I will explain my justification.\n\n44                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service seconds.\n\n46                   MS. BOARIO:   Mr. Chair.   I appreciate\n47   the   Council's   concerns    and   perspective   about\n48   potentially erratic  data.   However, with  what we  do\n49   have  biologically there is  no reason to  continue the\n\n---\n\n0405\n4   \n10   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   closure to moose  in Unit 9C south of  the Naknek River\n2   to  non-Federally qualified users  and moose density is\n3   above State population objectives.\n\n5                   The closure has been  in place for some\n6   time, over many years, leading  to a lack of historical\n7   use in this area and  the area is relatively  difficult\n8   to  get  to  especially in  December  with  a harvested\n9   moose.\n\n11                   The   Fish    and   Wildlife    Service\n12   understands  the  recommendation  of  the  Bristol  Bay\n13   Regional  Advisory  Council   to  retain  the  closure.\n14   However, the new  information provided by Mr.  Mulligan\n15   about  how the hunt is managed underscores that opening\n16   this area will not lead to more moose being harvested.\n\n18                   It is  for these reasons  that the Fish\n19   and Wildlife Service recommends  to rescind the closure\n20   in Unit 9C.  Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n23   Board discussion, deliberation.\n\n25                   (No comments)\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n28   seeing none.  We'll read into the record the motion and\n29   roll call.\n\n31                   MS. LEONETTI:  The motion is to rescind\n32   the  closure for  WCR26-05.   We will  start  with FWS,\n33   Member Boario.\n\n35                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n36   supports.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n40                   MS. JOHN:  BIA opposes the motion.  BIA\n41   supports retaining the  existing moose hunting  closure\n42   for Unit 9C as recommended  by the Bristol Bay Regional\n43   Advisory Council.  We  concur with their  justification\n44   as they  consider  testimony and  information from  its\n45   members,   tribal  representatives   and  other   rural\n46   residents regarding  the importance of  the closed area\n47   for local Federally qualified users.\n\n49                   This  will  help  to  provide  for  and\n\n---\n\n6   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n25   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   continue  to maintain  moose hunting  opportunities for\n2   subsistence hunters  to better  meet their  needs.   We\n3   appreciate the additional detailed information provided\n4   by  Mr. Dunaway regarding this moose population and the\n5   factors affecting their abundance.\n\n7                   Quyana.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n11                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney  does\n12   oppose as stated by BIA and Bristol Bay RAC.\n\n14                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n16                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods opposes\n17   through  the information passed  on our RAC  along with\n18   the  full analysis  and  different areas.    Unit 9  is\n19   different  sections and  only south  of  the Naknek  is\n20   identified  on my  map.   We  have heard  from the  RAC\n21   members and  I respect the  Bristol Bay  RAC and  their\n22   recommendations  and  along  with  BIA's  comments  for\n23   helping  Federally  qualified  subsistence  users  meet\n24   their needs.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n30                   MR. PAYENNA:  Public Member Payenna, in\n31   alignment with BIA's  comments and in deference  to the\n32   RAC, we vote to oppose.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n36                   MS. PITKA:  I  vote to oppose  WCR26-05\n37   to rescind the  closure.  I vote to  retain the closure\n38   in  deference to the  Regional Advisory Council  and in\n39   recognition of the continuation of subsistence uses  of\n40   the resource.   And also in recognition that  there are\n41   data  gaps for that particular  species and I hope that\n42   surveys  can be  stronger  in the  future  and be  more\n43   supportive.\n\n45                   Thank you.\n\n47                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n49                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports  for the\n\n---\n\n0407\n2   \n5   \n14   \n17   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   reasons stated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n4   Striker.\n\n6                   MR.  STRIKER:   Park  Service  supports\n7   rescinding  for  the  reasons  well articulated  by  my\n8   sister   agency.      Furthermore   we  think   there's\n9   necessarily a  high bar  for a closure.   I  think that\n10   that same high bar in terms of substantial evidence has\n11   to exist to continue closures.  And we should celebrate\n12   when we can rescind closures.  That's something that we\n13   should all be proud of.  So thank you.\n\n15                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n16   Ingersoll.\n\n18                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n19   the  motion.     It's  challenging  with  the   bar  of\n20   substantial  evidence  and what  constitutes  evidence.\n21   There is  limited evidence here  and I think  the doubt\n22   must  err on the side of rescinding closures when there\n23   is limited evidence in either direction.\n\n25                   And also I think the Department of Fish\n26   and Game  has articulated  that rescinding  the closure\n27   will not lead to an increasing harvest.\n\n## 29 MS. LEONETTI: Chair Christianson.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   I support  in\n32   deference  to the RAC.  I  mean oppose.  Like you said,\n33   both ways  here.  Not  enough information to  really go\n34   one  way or  the other.   So I'll lean  on our Regional\n35   Advisory Council and  the statement we heard  there. It\n36   might not  change the  amount of  moose,  but it  might\n37   change  the people harvesting them inside of the state.\n38   So I mean  that's the testimony we heard  there is that\n39   sometimes  it's   the  people  around   too  that   are\n40   competition  with each other.   So in  deference to the\n41   RAC.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair,  the motion\n44   fails.  Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   We'll move on to the Kodiak, WP-32.\n\n49                   MR.   ROBERTS:     Hello,  Mr.   Chair.\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n31   \n39   \n50\n\n1   Members  of the  Board.   I'm  Jason Roberts.   I'm  an\n2   anthropologist at OSM  and I'll be providing  a summary\n3   of  the analysis  of  Wildlife  Proposal WP26-32.  This\n4   analysis begins on Page 925  of your meeting book.  The\n5   proposal was submitted by  the Kodiak Aleutians Council\n6   and  it requests that the Board recognize the customary\n7   and  traditional  use  of  brown  bears  in Unit  8  by\n8   residents of Kodiak.\n\n10                   The Council initially defined Kodiak as\n11   including all the communities located along the  Kodiak\n12   road  system except for the U.S.  Coast Guard Base, the\n13   Nemetz  Housing Development  and the  Pacific Spaceport\n14   Complex.  A map of this  proposal area is shown on Page\n15   936 of  your meeting  book.  But  there have  been some\n16   kind  of leak breaking modifications to this area since\n17   the  proposal  was  originally  submitted  and  I  will\n18   describe those a bit later.\n\n20                   The proponents note  that all residents\n21   of  Kodiak Island  have a  long  history of  harvesting\n22   brown  bears for  food and  using  brown bear  parts in\n23   traditional  handicrafts.     They  explain  that   the\n24   importance of accessing  brown bear for food  and other\n25   needs on Kodiak is well documented, and they argue that\n26   residents of  the more  remote communities  located off\n27   the islands  road system already have a C&T finding for\n28   brown bear  and that residents  of Kodiak who  have the\n29   same history of  use should not  be excluded from  this\n30   finding.\n\n32                   Looking  at  a  bit  of the  regulatory\n33   history here in 1986.  The Alaska Board of Game made  a\n34   positive  customary  and  traditional use  finding  for\n35   brown  bear in  Unit  8.    However, that  finding  was\n36   reversed  in 1987 after no residents requested a permit\n37   for the special subsistence registration hunt that took\n38   place for that one year.\n\n40                   There  was  no   Federal  hunt  and  no\n41   communities  were  recognized as  having  customary and\n42   traditional  use of  brown  bears in  Unit  8 when  the\n43   Federal   program  began   and   announced  its   first\n44   regulations in '92.  However, the Board did carry  over\n45   several  C&T  determinations  in  Unit  8,  such  as  a\n46   determination for deer for all  Unit 8 residents.  This\n47   determination is notable because deer are an introduced\n48   species on Kodiak Island while the Kodiak brown bear is\n49   an  endemic  species  whose name  is  derived  from the\n\n---\n\n3   \n16   \n24   \n25   \n37   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Alutiiq word for island and  has been present there for\n2   thousands of years.\n\n4                   In '96,  a proposal requested  that the\n5   Board recognize  the customary  and traditional  use of\n6   brown  bears in Unit 8  by all Unit  8 residents.  When\n7   considering this proposal, the Kodiak Aleutians Council\n8   at the time  noted concerns that allowing  residents of\n9   Kodiak  City  to  harvest  brown  bears  under  Federal\n10   regulations   could  negatively   impact  the   guiding\n11   industry by  reducing the number  of permits  available\n12   for other  Alaska residents  and non-resident  hunters.\n13   At this time  it appears that during  these discussions\n14   it  wasn't  clear  that  the  Board  could  allocate  a\n15   specific number of permits to individual communities.\n\n17                   The Council ultimately recommended that\n18   the Board recognize C&T for brown bears by residents of\n19   Akiak,  Karluk, Larson  Bay, Old  Harbor, Ouzinkie  and\n20   Port  Lyons,  all of  which  are located  off  the road\n21   system.      The  Council   also  requested   that  the\n22   communities  of Ouzinkie and Port Lyons be added to the\n23   C&T based on histories of migration  and intermarriage.\n\n26                   In   '97  the   Board  recognized   the\n27   customary and traditional  use of elk in Unit  8 by all\n28   Unit 8 residents.   This determination is  also notable\n29   because  elk, like deer,  are an introduced  species on\n30   Kodiak.     The   Council   recommended   that   Kodiak\n31   communities  located both on and off the road system be\n32   included  in the  C&T due  to the  history  of kinship,\n33   connections and sharing between these communities.  The\n34   current proposal is  the first to request  an expansion\n35   of  the  C&T  for  brown  bear  in  Unit  8  since  the\n36   determination was made for off-road communities.\n\n38                   Subsistence practices remain central to\n39   the identity, family life, community well being  across\n40   both remote and road  accessible communities on Kodiak.\n41   In a 2021  subsistence survey households on  the Kodiak\n42   Road System harvested an average  of 224 pounds of wild\n43   resources, with  salmon, non-salmon fish and large land\n44   mammals accounting for much of this harvest.  It's also\n45   noted that  close social  connections link  communities\n46   across  the island and the sharing of subsistence foods\n47   between road system and  off-road system communities is\n48   common.\n\n---\n\n13   \n19   \n25   \n26   \n34   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   In recent  years residents  of off-road\n2   communities  are  increasingly relocating  to  the road\n3   system  area   due  to  declining   commercial  fishing\n4   opportunities,   rising  cost   of  living   and  aging\n5   populations.  The  road system includes the  U.S. Coast\n6   Guard  base,  the  Nemetz  and  the  Pacific  Spaceport\n7   Complex,  which  the proponents  would like  to exclude\n8   from this proposed C&T determination due to differences\n9   in the  average length of residence, harvest and use of\n10   subsistence resources, subsistence knowledge and access\n11   to facilities and  services that are distinct  from the\n12   rest of the communities.\n\n14                   The Coast Guard Base is a discrete area\n15   within  Kodiak  station, CDP.    The  Nemetz is  a  new\n16   off-base Coast Guard  housing development within Kodiak\n17   Station,  and the Pacific Spaceport is located South of\n18   Kodiak City at Narrow Cape.\n\n20                   The current land use  agreement for the\n21   Spaceport though does  not permit  the construction  of\n22   long-term lodging facilities.  Research from 2021 shows\n23   that the demographic characteristics  of Kodiak Station\n24   CDP differ from those of other road system communities.\n\n27                   Residents of Kodiak Station tend to  be\n28   younger,  have  shorter  residency  periods,  are  more\n29   likely  to be employed year round and generally harvest\n30   fewer subsistence resources.  These patterns  are shown\n31   in more detail in  Table 2 on Page 938 of  your meeting\n32   book  and  they're  consistent  with previous  research\n33   documenting these trends in the early '90s.\n\n35                   Coast Guard  personnel typically  serve\n36   three-year tours,  but the  Kodiak Base  sees a  pretty\n37   high  number   of   extension  requests   due  to   the\n38   attractiveness  of  living,  hunting,  and fishing  and\n39   perusing outdoor  opportunities  in  the  Kodiak  area.\n40   Even   so,   shorter    residency   generally   affects\n41   subsistence participation.   And  while Kodiak  Station\n42   residents  do  harvest  fish  and  wildlife,   previous\n43   studies  conducted  in  the '90s  noted  that newcomers\n44   participate less in  traditional subsistence activities\n45   than long-term  residents  and  often  require  several\n46   years  to  learn  harvest  methods,  gear  and seasonal\n47   locations of wild resources.\n\n49                   So  Kodiak  brown  bears  have  been  a\n\n---\n\n5   \n13   \n24   \n34   \n44   \n50\n\n1   distinct  subspecies  on  the  Kodiak  Archipelago  for\n2   roughly 12,000 years. Archeological evidence shows that\n3   Alutiiq  people have  consistently  harvested and  used\n4   brown bears throughout their history on the islands.\n\n6                   Historic  records  and  oral  histories\n7   document  strong cultural  and  spiritual ties  between\n8   Kodiak residents and  brown bears.  These  beliefs have\n9", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': 'da1b68b3-9e16-4841-9310-2c74a35c7317', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_2.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:35:47.080661+00:00', 'content_hash': '984740c4fdaecdc77f99f16671e62f75cc24861fbd93692c42378991052ec174'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.23.26'}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_3.pdf', 'body': {'text': '2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME IV\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 24, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n1                    P R O C E E D I N G S\n2   \n4   \n6   \n10   \n12   \n18   \n37   \n50\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/24/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Good  morning,\n8   we\'re going  to get started with the  last day, Friday.\n9   Kudos to those who made it.\n\n11                   (Laughter)\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I mean up here\n14   on the  Board.  All  right, we\'re going to  get started\n15   with the order of business this morning.   We do have a\n16   quorum  established.  So  first off this  morning we\'re\n17   going to do public testimony on non-agenda items.\n\n19                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  And\n20   for the members of the public, people listening online,\n21   I\'m  going to  give  a few  updates  and guidelines  in\n22   regards  to how we  are going to  streamline our public\n23   comment process.   As you know public  participation in\n24   the Federal  Subsistence  Management  Program  is  what\n25   makes our  program special and  it is how we  can track\n26   and document and rely on the knowledge and expertise of\n27   our  Staff, our Chairs, our Regional Advisory Councils,\n28   and the public all across  this very big state.  Today,\n29   we  have three  different  types  of  opportunities  to\n30   provide testimony to  the Board.  The first  is on non-\n31   agenda  items, the second is going to be momentarily on\n32   the  consensus agenda, if there  are any items you wish\n33   to  speak  to on  the  consensus  agenda and  then,  of\n34   course, always the  opportunity to speak  to regulatory\n35   action items on  the non-consensus agenda as  they come\n36   up on the public agenda, in their order.\n\n38                   We\'ve had such a successful meeting and\n39   we  have  extended  our  days  and  we  really want  to\n40   complete  this agenda  and  we  owe it  to  you all  to\n41   finalize  Board action and decisionmaking on all of the\n42   proposals that we have before us and to do that we need\n43   to limit  public comments.   So today I\'m going  to ask\n44   you all to be  mindful of your  time.  More than  that,\n45   I\'m  going to  ask you  to  limit it  to five  minutes.\n46   People  in the room, you may see  me wave or stand when\n47   we get close  to it.  I\'m  not going to come  and yoink\n48   [sic] you, but I\'m really going to try  my very best to\n49   give an opportunity  for everybody  to participate  and\n\n---\n\n2   \n14   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n26   \n35   \n50\n\n1   for us to get through this agenda.\n\n3                   For people  online,  you  are  able  to\n4   raise your  hand to  get in the  que by  pressing star,\n5   five.  You can do so now if you are online and you wish\n6   to make  comments on  non-agenda items,  you can  press\n7   star, five and, again, I\'m  going to limit you to about\n8   five minutes.  We also, so that  we can get on with our\n9   business, have asked that you complete your sign up for\n10   testimony on non-agenda items or consensus agenda items\n11   by --well, the non-agenda items by 9:30.  So people on\n12   the phone,  you can press star, five to get in the que.\n13   People in the room you can fill out the cards.\n\n15                   And with  that, our first person in the\n16   que is Emily Edenshaw.\n\n18                   (Pause)\n\n20                   MS.  LAVINE:    Emily  Edenshaw is  not\n21   available and will likely call in later, maybe.\n\n23                   The  next in the que, in line, or sorry\n24   in the room, is Mr. Luls  from Togiak.  Oh, Mr. --oh,\n25   thank you, oh, Lelani Lulrs, thank you.\n\n27                   MS. LULRS:   Oh, the first  to testify,\n28   I\'m  so nervous.  Wacaa\' Mr. Chair, and the Board.  (In\n29   Native).  Hello, Mr. Chair and  the Board.  My name  is\n30   Lelani Lulrs and I\'m from Togiak, Alaska.   My mother\'s\n31   name  is Rosa,  my father\'s  name  is Steven  Lulrs, my\n32   grandmother\'s name is Fannie and my grandfather\'s  name\n33   is Henry  Kohuk (ph).   Quyana, for the  opportunity to\n34   speak today.\n\n36                   I wanted to give you a brief history of\n37   my upbringing  and way of  life.  My  grandfather would\n38   travel from the  headwaters of the Kuskokwim  River all\n39   the way down to  Ugashik and to the mouth  of the lake,\n40   and if you\'re  familiar with the Bristol Bay  region or\n41   above it  and beyond it,  it encompasses all of  Wes --\n42   almost all of Western Alaska.    Upon meeting his wife,\n43   Fannie, and having eight children he was a leader among\n44   the region bringing his children along to teach our way\n45   of life.   As a child,  we would leave  school early to\n46   travel to our fish camp in (In Native), Alaska, we were\n47   the last family to head to  our fish camp for months at\n48   a time.  There at  fish camp is where we would  harvest\n49   nearly 150 kings, the last  time we stayed at fish camp\n\n---\n\n13   \n27   \n31   \n49   \n50\n\n1   was nearly 15 years ago where our last harvest was only\n2   10 kings.  At fish camp is where my sister and I caught\n3   our first caribou.  We packed it nearly five miles back\n4   to our skiff.  And I don\'t know if you could imagine or\n5   perhaps imagine in your heads  two young kids, 11 and 9\n6   year old, crying across the  tundra with a pack of ribs\n7   on our backs yelling at our  mom and dad, like why  did\n8   we kill a caribou so far away from our skiff but that\'s\n9   our family, right.   And as we\'ve grown  we\'ve seen the\n10   fluctuations of  our relatives  in our  waters and  our\n11   lands and as our salmon stocks have been on the decline\n12   we\'re seeing a higher resilience on our land relatives.\n\n14                   As subsistence users  within the region\n15   we are  the first to  notice when our relatives  are in\n16   trouble,  or what to harvest when others are suffering.\n17   We  are  the  first  to  notice  when  stocks  are   in\n18   abundance.   Our caribou  herds have  grown in  numbers\n19   within the last  few years, however, State  and Federal\n20   recommendations  have not  considered that our  need to\n21   feed our families has grown due to the decrease in king\n22   salmon.  The  past fall we spent nearly  three grand to\n23   harvest one single  moose.  With  the increase in  fuel\n24   prices,  the cost to  feed our families  has increased.\n25   I\'m  watching families  unable  to feed  their families\n26   their traditional foods due to the increase in cost.\n\n28                   I   also  wanted   to   speak  on   the\n29   importance  of herring and  herring roe on  kelp within\n30   our region.\n\n32                   Currently,  the  State   has  increased\n33   allocation in the  Dutch Harbor food and  bait industry\n34   and  the fleet of  trawlers in  the Federal  waters are\n35   asking for more  allocation of herring.   I do  realize\n36   that this  is not the  fish, but  I wanted to  make the\n37   Board  aware of what\'s happening within our Federal and\n38   State waters.  Herring is a key pelagic fish that feeds\n39   our salmon  and are the  first foods in the  spring for\n40   our people within our region and across the west coast.\n41   They  did  not take  into  consideration that  families\n42   along the  western coast  that rely  on herring  in the\n43   spring.    Just  because we\'re  not  harvesting herring\n44   commercially does not  mean that we are  not harvesting\n45   herring  for subsistence.   I really do  appreciate the\n46   Board Chair and your comments on protecting the herring\n47   in the Southeast and would  love to move forward on how\n48   we can protect our herring along the west coast.\n\n---\n\n10   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   One  recommendation  that  I had  as  a\n2   subsistence users  in the  region is  to have  regional\n3   leaders travel along  Federal and State surveys  of our\n4   animals so that  we have an equal determination  of our\n5   animals  and I would also  invite those that would like\n6   to participate in  our hunts to observe  how we harvest\n7   in  our area.   And  as  a hunter  and  gatherer and  a\n8   subsistence users within  my region I would  invite any\n9   of you that would want to come along to come along.\n\n## 11 Quyana for listening.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n\n14   Appreciate your testimony this morning.  Any comments.\n\n## 16 Frank.\n\n18                   MR. WOODS:  Well, Lelani, I\'m glad  I\'m\n19   not the only  one that had a  struggle with pronouncing\n20   your name.  I appreciate your testimony and input.  Not\n21   only that your knowledge of the area, real honorable to\n22   sit here and  listen to your --and  the group that you\n23   came with, BBNA,  and Togiak, you  come from a  village\n24   that  set precedence,  the  State  of  Alaska  and  the\n25   Federal government, that  sat down and said  let\'s work\n26   this out  with the Walrus Commission.   They have their\n27   own traditional council that has wildlife citations and\n28   proposals before them.   They also take  control of the\n29   village  to  the point  where  we  model  at.   It\'s  a\n30   cooperative management.  I see you in many meetings and\n31   I  appreciate that knowledge just as a community member\n32   and  a  subsistence  users  of  the  resource,  but  an\n33   Alaskan, because what you\'re talking about is we\'re all\n34   affected  by all these  things.   And as  a traditional\n35   indigenous  Native Alaskan, I think we have a different\n36   perspective.  We have a  holistic approach.  We look at\n37   things coordinated and  are connected and that  means a\n38   lot in our area.  Because No. 1, we help try to come to\n39   --when you  speak  you  help come  try  to solve  the\n40   problem,   whether  it\'s  good  or  bad  and  we\'re  on\n41   different  pages, coming to the table with solutions is\n42   what I hear you talk about.\n\n## 44 So, thank you.\n\n46                   MS. LULRS:   Quyana for  your comments,\n47   Woodsy --or Frank.  Growing up --because I have a (In\n48   Native) dad,  he\'s a  White man,  he always  instilled,\n49   like he adopted our Yup\'ik values as his own and when I\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n14   \n17   \n24   \n50\n\n1   see  that we  can  come  together  whether  we\'re  from\n2   outside Alaska that moved  in here to be  a subsistence\n3   users or as  an Alaska Native that lives  off the land,\n4   that we\'ve lived on for the last 10,000 years, I think,\n5   we could come to an agreement for the betterment of our\n6   lands and waters  and air, so it\'s not  always a fight.\n7   And that\'s what I look to do, I  just like to be in the\n8   middle and mediate things.\n\n10                   MR. WOODS:  Thank you.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n13   appreciate that.   Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. LAVINE:  Next in the room is Gloria\n16   Burns.\n\n18                   MS. BURNS:   (In Native)  Good morning,\n19   thank  you,   Chairman  Christianson  and  Board.     I\n20   appreciate the opportunity  to share some  observations\n21   and to be  present with all of  you.  I feel  like I\'ve\n22   seen you all so much you\'re getting to be very familiar\n23   faces.\n\n25                   I\'m the  president of  Ketchikan Indian\n26   Community.   The  first thing that  I wanted  to really\n27   talk about is the  disjointed way in which the  Federal\n28   agencies are  approaching consultation with  tribes and\n29   how  it affects the trust and treaty responsibility and\n30   then, in  turn, affects your  ability to listen  and to\n31   effectively  manage  this  effort to  move  the  Forest\n32   Service out  of Alaska  while we\'re  doing a TLMP  land\n33   management plan  in Southeast,  while we\'re  increasing\n34   outsourcing  and essentially, you know, pillaging of my\n35   non-human  relatives,  at  the  same time  we\'re  going\n36   through these processes of regulatory and it feels like\n37   every system  is being  broken.  And  when you  look at\n38   some of the rules  around consultation and the  ways in\n39   which the Federal  government is supposed to  honor the\n40   trust  and treaty  responsibility to  tribes, it\'s  not\n41   supposed to be in a vacuum,  separate of each other.  I\n42   would  say that  these  management practices  regarding\n43   Federally-qualified  users  on  the Tongass  cannot  be\n44   looked  as separate from  the Roadless Rule,  cannot be\n45   looked  separate from  the intention  to dismantle  the\n46   Federal Subsistence Board, cannot be looked at separate\n47   from the moving of the Forest Service management out of\n48   Alaska,  from the consolidation of the Bureau of Indian\n49   Affairs out of  Alaska.  Literally every  single system\n\n---\n\n21   \n34   \n41   \n50\n\n1   that  supports the  rural  subsistence  users  who  are\n2   indigenous are  being destroyed  and I  would say  that\n3   it\'s destroying  the quality  of life  for every  rural\n4   subsistence user, indigenous or not.  And I want to say\n5   that  it   really  is  frustrating  to   watch  Federal\n6   agencies, as the State who has been, in my opinion, and\n7   the opinion of  the Ketchikan Indian Community,  a poor\n8   management  of  some of  the  resources we  find  to be\n9   extremely important,  as  this happens  and then  we\'re\n10   moving on to,  you know, a conversation  we\'re not even\n11   having is, like  the Governor\'s --the  Governor\'s idea\n12   of changing the Constitution for a unified system while\n13   we\'re sitting here.   So it\'s very hard  to pour energy\n14   and love  into a system that  I know needs to  stand up\n15   because it\'s  so important to  all of us, while  I know\n16   that  every single system that should be supporting and\n17   protecting my  people is  currently  in a  system of  a\n18   disarray or pulled  down.  And I  just had to  say that\n19   because so  much of the  time and energy is  going into\n20   that.\n\n22                   I   want  to   say  that   the  Federal\n23   Subsistence Board and  its make up and it\'s  make up of\n24   the RACs  is extremely  important and  Ketchikan Indian\n25   Community will continue  to support that because  it is\n26   what is  good for  the Federally-qualified  user and  I\n27   think what\'s good  for the Federally-qualified  user is\n28   good for all of Alaska and that I would love to come to\n29   a meeting  some day  in which the  State is  looking to\n30   align  their  regulations  with  the  traditional   and\n31   ecological knowledge that is  being presented through a\n32   very  thought  out  process that  is  not  a popularity\n33   contest as is the ACs.  You know so I want to say that.\n\n35                   I want to  say that as we  move through\n36   what is becoming  a very divisive time in  my region, I\n37   want to say  that Ketchikan showed up, we  knew all the\n38   rules, we indicated the importance  of our life.  And I\n39   just want  to say,  because I think  I want  to explain\n40   what rural is to me, how I grew up.\n\n42                   I grew up  five miles out of  Ketchikan\n43   when I  wasn\'t  living with  my Noni,  you know,  right\n44   outside, you  know,  essentially in  Ketchikan with  no\n45   running water half the year.  The running water that we\n46   did have was from a muskeg dam where we cut all  of our\n47   wood, where we  chopped all of our wood,  where when we\n48   didn\'t have food  we didn\'t have money for  a bullet to\n49   go  get a deer,  we went ahead  and we went  in a giant\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n34   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   clam pit and we didn\'t have gas for a car so you walked\n2   in to town and  then you went ahead, if you didn\'t have\n3   a relative who was from out  of town who might give you\n4   a ride, you went ahead and you called  a cab, we called\n5   Mr. Tatsu because he drove  cab and, Neil, and we\'d say\n6   drop me off  out at the Saxman Beach  where the cockles\n7   were big  and we would  get dropped off and  you\'d work\n8   the tide  in and out and  then you\'d go home  and you\'d\n9   eat  your seamers, your  half clams, you  know, shells,\n10   your  clam chowder, smoke your cockles, you know, that.\n11   And because of  where we lived, our catch  was often my\n12   uncle  Robert Omquest, it was from  his boat, he\'d fish\n13   then he\'d bring his home catch and we\'d take care of it\n14   or you  were,  you  know, doing  things  that  I  guess\n15   everybody in this room wouldn\'t actually consider legal\n16   to put  a fish  on your table.   And  so that  was that\n17   experience.\n\n19                   And so I  just want to say  I know that\n20   you\'re in a difficult  situation right now and  say, we\n21   fought this fought since we  were left out by 153 votes\n22   from  being Federally-qualified,  we\'ve done  this vote\n23   three times,  Ketchikan  just shut  two  schools  down,\n24   Ketchikan had a landslide that separated everybody from\n25   everywhere else and when we go --if we go through this\n26   process again  we\'ll only look more rural  in two years\n27   --in  one year, we\'re  going to look much  more rural.\n28   So I\'m thankful you have  a very limited scope in which\n29   to  judge  whether  or not  to  address  this threshold\n30   analysis.\n\n## 32 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you, 33 Gloria.\n\n35                   MS. LAVINE:   Once, again,  I will  ask\n36   everyone to please work to limit their comments to five\n37   minutes.  I will stand to help keep  track when you are\n38   approaching your limit.   For people online  and people\n39   in the room,  we will take comments or  raised hands to\n40   provide  comments on non-agenda items until 9:30.  That\n41   means you need to sign up by 9:30.\n\n## 43 Next in the room is Leslie Isaacs.\n\n45                   MR. ISAACS:  You got to hit the button,\n46   technology challenged  this morning, sorry  about that.\n47   My coffee cup, for the  record, is only this full, that\n48   means I only had half a cup so far.\n\n---\n\n34   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   So  good  morning.    My  name  is  (In\n2   Native) I am Haida Eagle Frog from the (In Native) Clan\n3   and this morning  I\'m speaking to you on  behalf of the\n4   Hydaburg   Cooperative   Association,    a   Federally-\n5   recognized tribe located in  Hydaburg, Alaska on Prince\n6   of  Wales Island.   The  agenda item  that I  wanted to\n7   speak to is the reduction and the change of the make up\n8   of the  Board that is  here this  morning.  And  what I\n9   want  to share  is how  important  subsistence or  what\n10   would technically  be called  subsistence, but  what is\n11   our way of  life in the village, how  important that is\n12   to us.    In  Hydaburg,  we have,  depending  on  whose\n13   statistics you  look  at we  have  about a  28  percent\n14   unemployment rate, so  if you go one, two, three you\'re\n15   unemployed; one,  two, three,  you\'re unemployed;  one,\n16   two, three  you\'re  unemployed, which  means you  don\'t\n17   have  an income to drive  45 minutes to  an hour to the\n18   nearest grocery store to buy  a piece of meat that cost\n19   120 or 130  bucks that here at Costco you\'d  be able to\n20   buy for $25.   So your  resources are already  strained\n21   and  limited.  And then what  I know, because I used to\n22   work   for   the   state  of   Alaska,   Department  of\n23   Administration,  I\'m chairman of a  few --or one board\n24   and on  several boards,  that are  looking at  economic\n25   development issues.  I worked  for the city of  Klawock\n26   as a city administrator for a dozen years.   And what I\n27   know is meetings like this take place and if you\'re not\n28   represented at  the table  your voice  is never  heard.\n29   And that lack of  representation exists all  throughout\n30   our  villages.  There\'s  decisions that are  being made\n31   that are going to impact my tribal citizens at Hydaburg\n32   Cooperative Association in  very detrimental ways  that\n33   they don\'t even know are being made.\n\n35                   Now,  I  recognize our  Board  Chair is\n36   from Hydaburg  and I thank  you for that.   However, if\n37   you take away  the representation of our  people in our\n38   villages it has a very harmful effect because our voice\n39   isn\'t even  heard.  Our  opinions are kept  to ourself.\n40   We\'re going to go  do what we need to do to put food on\n41   the table  to take care  of our families but  it\'s very\n42   important that  we work  with the  systems that  are in\n43   play and that we\'re part of that system.\n\n45                   I want to share with you a really quick\n46   story about fishing and I know it\'s not relevant to the\n47   deer  stories but one summer we\'re out sockeye fishing,\n48   beach seining,  putting up fish  for the winter  and my\n49   son, he was about 12 or 13 years old, and my father who\n\n---\n\n16   \n25   \n27   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n41   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1   now can  no longer fish with us because he\'s 87, but at\n2   the  time he was about my age,  which I thought was old\n3   then and now I think is kind of pretty young but my dad\n4   turned to me and --because my son was in the skiff, my\n5   dad turned  to me  and said,  he\'s really getting  this\n6   figured  out, he\'s going to  be a good  skiff man.  And\n7   the importance of  that to me is that I remember when I\n8   was my father\'s skiff man  and now my son is practicing\n9   our way  of life,  helping put up  fish but  there\'s my\n10   father, who very proudly is  telling me how good my son\n11   is doing.   And if you  can\'t tell I  have tears in  my\n12   eyes because of  the emotional connection we  have with\n13   our  way of life.  This isn\'t  just putting food on the\n14   table, this is generation to  generation to generation,\n15   teaching our young ones who we are.\n\n17                   I sat in front of a U.S. Forest Service\n18   presentation  down on Prince of Wales Island, they were\n19   talking about  the LWDs  and some of  us know  what the\n20   large woody debris  is, but at the  time I had no  clue\n21   and   the   scientists   in   the  room,   the   Forest\n22   practitioners, the stream  management people, they were\n23   all getting up giving a very technical presentation and\n24   in my --I got 10 seconds left.\n\n26                   (Laughter)\n\n28                   MR. ISAACS:  And in my response to them\n29   I said, this,  I don\'t care what  you call it,  I don\'t\n30   care how  you do  it, you just  make sure  that there\'s\n31   fish there so that I could teach my grandson our way of\n32   life.\n\n34                   And with that I\'ll close.\n\n36                   Haw\'aa.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n39   Scooter,  appreciate  you representing  Hydaburg  today\n40   too.  Thank you.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next in the que is Shania\n43   Murphy who is going to speak for Emily Edenshaw.  Thank\n44   you.\n\n46                   MS. MURPHY:  Ms. Emily Edenshaw had  to\n47   fly out for a family medical and as we all know, family\n48   comes first and she\'s asked me to say this for her.\n\n---\n\n22   \n29   \n50\n\n1                   Good morning, Chair  and members of the\n2   Federal  Subsistence Board,  My name is Emily Edenshaw.\n3   I serve  as the Tribal  Administrator and  CEO for  the\n4   Ketchikan Indian Community.  Before stepping into  this\n5   role, I had  the honor of serving as  President and CEO\n6   of the Alaska Native Heritage  Center. I also served on\n7   the  State of Alaska\'s tourism board, and I co-authored\n8   an academic paper  examining the origins of  tourism in\n9   Alaska tracing how the  industry, in part, grew out  of\n10   the  boarding school  era  and  the commodification  of\n11   Alaska  Native cultures.  I  share  that  not  just  as\n12   background  but to  underscore  that  I  come  to  this\n13   conversation  with   both  professional   and  academic\n14   experience  in  tourism,in  addition to  my  role  as a\n15   Tribal  administrator.    But above  all  else,  I come\n16   before  you as  a mother  and an  auntie to  many young\n17   people  across Southeast  Alaska, including  Ketchikan,\n18   Craig, Hydaburg,  Anchorage, and Fairbanks.  I\'m also a\n19   homeowner  in Ketchikan, and  my family has  deep roots\n20   across this region. I\'m speaking from both professional\n21   responsibility and lived experience.\n\n23                   Today, I want  to talk about  something\n24   that is often treated separately  but in reality, it is\n25   deeply  interconnected:  tourism,   sport  fishing  and\n26   hunting, along with the health  of our waters.  And why\n27   that  matters  directly  to your  role  as  the Federal\n28   Subsistence Board.\n\n30                   Southeast   Alaska    is   experiencing\n31   unprecedented  levels of  tourism  in communities  like\n32   Ketchikan,  Juneau, Craig, and more, we are seeing more\n33   visitors  than ever before.  Tourism is Alaska\'s third-\n34   largest industry and with that scale comes real impact.\n35   Strain on infrastructure.   Strain on housing.   Strain\n36   on public  safety.  And most importantly, strain on the\n37   natural resources that subsistence users depend on.  At\n38   the same time,  we are seeing increasing  pressure from\n39   sportfishing   and  hunting   industries.  Lodges   are\n40   expanding.  Guided  operations  are  growing.  And  the\n41   cumulative  harvest and  use of  fish  and wildlife  is\n42   intensifying.  Let me be clear, this is not about being\n43   against tourism or sportfishing, this is about balance,\n44   this is about sustainability and this is about ensuring\n45   that subsistence is  not pushed to the  margins because\n46   right now, what we are  seeing is an imbalance. We have\n47   large-scale, profit-driven activities  operating in the\n48   same ecosystems that our people rely on for subsistence\n49   yet  the cumulative impacts of those activities are not\n\n---\n\n12   \n14   \n34   \n50\n\n1   always fully  accounted for in management decisions and\n2   when you  add pollution  into that  equation, when  you\n3   consider  what is being  discharged or dumped  into our\n4   waters,  the concern  becomes even  more  urgent.   Our\n5   waters  are not  just  resources,  they  are  our  food\n6   systems, they are our culture, they are where knowledge\n7   is passed down  from one generation to the  next.  Last\n8   summer, I  processed my  first  batch of  fish with  my\n9   mother-in-law.  I remember  complaining  about my  back\n10   hurting, and  she said,  you\'re only  working on  three\n11   fish.\n\n## 13 (Laughter)\n\n15                   MS. MURPHY:  She taught me how to filet\n16   a fish,  how to follow the spine  with the knife and to\n17   this  day, I love the  sound of cutting  fish.  That is\n18   not just a memory,  that is culture, that is  identity.\n19   And the  question before  us is  this: what  happens if\n20   access to those experiences is diminished? What happens\n21   if the resources themselves are no longer there  in the\n22   same  way?  That  is where your  role becomes critical.\n23   Under  federal law, this Board  has a clear mandate: to\n24   provide  a priority  for  subsistence  uses on  Federal\n25   public  lands and waters.   That responsibility  is not\n26   passive,    it    requires    active,   forward-looking\n27   management.    It  requires you  to  consider  not just\n28   individual  regulations  but  cumulative impacts.    It\n29   requires you  to recognize  when increasing  commercial\n30   activity,  including  guided  sport  use  and  tourism-\n31   related  pressures  begin  to encroach  on  subsistence\n32   opportunity and  it requires  you to  act before  those\n33   impacts become irreversible.\n\n35                   When I spoke  in support of HB  366, my\n36   message  was grounded in a simple principle: the people\n37   closest to  the impact must  have a meaningful  role in\n38   decision-making.    The  same  principle applies  here.\n39   Rural and tribal communities are not just stakeholders,\n40   we  are rights holders, we are knowledge holders and we\n41   are   the  ones  living  with  the  outcomes  of  these\n42   decisions  every day.   So  I ask  this Board  to fully\n43   utilize  its authority  to  strengthen oversight  where\n44   pressure  is  increasing,  to  account  for  cumulative\n45   impacts    across   tourism,    sport   harvest,    and\n46   environmental  stressors  to  ensure  that  subsistence\n47   priority is not just protected in  theory but upheld in\n48   practice because these issues are not separate they are\n49   connected  and  so is  your  responsibility  to address\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n10   \n13   \n21   \n25   \n49   \n50\n\n1   them.   If we are serious about protecting subsistence,\n2   about honoring rural priority, and about  ensuring that\n3   future  generations can  live, harvest,  and thrive  in\n4   Southeast Alaska then we must act with intention now.\n\n6                   Gunalch esh. Haw\'aa. Thank you.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n9   Shania, appreciate the testimony.\n\n11                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n12   Next in the que is Mr. Joe Williams.\n\n14                   MR. WILLIAMS:   Good morning.  My  name\n15   is   Joe  Williams.    I\'m  tribal  President  for  the\n16   Organized  Village of Saxman.   I choose  to stand this\n17   morning primarily because I\'m old school.  I grew up in\n18   the  Alaska   Native  Brotherhood  and   Alaska  Native\n19   Sisterhood and we were taught then when you\'re speaking\n20   you must stand so that people will see who is speaking.\n\n22                   I\'m  here today  to share  a  couple of\n23   stories  with you  and this  should tell  you  that I\'m\n24   already very old, if you hadn\'t already figured it out.\n\n26                   When  I was growing  up we had  a young\n27   man in our  village and since he\'s passed  it\'s okay to\n28   use  his  name, his  name  was  Henry Jackson.    Henry\n29   Jackson stood 5.3"  He was our hunter in our community.\n30   When hunting season came it  was when he decided it was\n31   hunting season.   This  will tell you  this was  during\n32   Territorial days.   And  when he  hunted he would  come\n33   home  with two  or  three deer,  fed  the community  of\n34   Saxman.  Today we have right at about 440 in population\n35   in our small community of Saxman.  Traditionally, early\n36   on it was  right at about 120 to 130 if you counted all\n37   the dogs  and cats in  the community of Saxman,  but we\n38   fed --he fed us during those  winter months.  Then we\n39   became a state.   And often times we --please know, I\n40   give  tours for a  living during the  summer months and\n41   I\'m always asked,  has becoming a  state been good  for\n42   you?  Initially I  would say yes.  But I  remember when\n43   my dad was asked to pay 25 cents for a fishing license,\n44   a commercial fishing license and he said, what for,  so\n45   we can  find out how  many commercial fishermen  are in\n46   Southeast Alaska.   So I\'m not sure how  many folks can\n47   afford  that 25 cent fishing license today because it\'s\n48   no longer 25 cents.\n\n---\n\n18   \n25   \n37   \n44   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   I want you  to think in terms  of this.\n2   Here we  are sitting  in a committee  event, the  way I\n3   view this.   I\'m a president of  a Federally-recognized\n4   tribe,  the  574  Federally-recognized  tribes  in  the\n5   United States,  of that 229  of them are right  here in\n6   Alaska.  Federally-recognized tribes bring more Federal\n7   dollars  to the community  of Alaska than  --if Alaska\n8   had to  service us,  they would be  truly in  a serious\n9   financial challenge.   Federally-recognized tribe.   We\n10   have  a  direct  relationship with  the  United  States\n11   government.   And when  we\'re talking about  fishing we\n12   are set  in a committee  with no  authority other  than\n13   those that are representing us.  That, I struggle with.\n14   A Federally-recognized  tribe and  the committee  picks\n15   presidents over  our authority.   This  may not  be the\n16   venue to  say that  but I need  to start  someplace and\n17   this is where I happen to start this morning.\n\n19                   Often   times   when    Alaska   Native\n20   Brotherhood, we judge our  speaker by the color  of his\n21   hair, if it  was grey like mine is, we were going to be\n22   here for a  long time.  I  was told I had  five minutes\n23   and I just took  30 seconds of that 4 to  5 minute time\n24   period this morning.\n\n26                   I  appreciate the  opportunity to  come\n27   and address you this morning,  please know that.  But I\n28   would like to  leave you with this  thought, Federally-\n29   recognized tribe has the authority of the United States\n30   government  and, yet,  we  sit on  a committee  and our\n31   voice  is   not  heard   if  we  should   not  have   a\n32   representative on this Board.  So when you hear someone\n33   saying  that   they  are   representing  a   Federally-\n34   recognized tribe,  they are representing  a government.\n35   It was given  by the United  States government to  that\n36   Federally-recognized tribe.\n\n38                   Mr. Chairman, thank  you very much  for\n39   your time.  Members here today on the Board, appreciate\n40   your time, and those of you  who are here today to  say\n41   what you  have to say, please  say do so as  was stated\n42   earlier, if  you don\'t speak  who\'s going to  speak for\n43   your community.\n\n45                   Gunalcheesh.  Gunalcheesh.\n\n47                   (Applause)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you, Mr.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n16   \n42   \n50\n\n1   Williams.\n\n3                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair, we have  a few\n4   more people in the room,  we have one person online, we\n5   will be taking no more requests for non-agenda items at\n6   this time.  I just wanted to let the person online know\n7   that we\'ll get  to him at the end of the in-room folks.\n8   Next in the que is Clinton Cook.\n\n10                   MR.  COOK:  Good  morning.  My  name is\n11   Clinton  Cook.   I  am  also a  tribal  President of  a\n12   Federally-recognized tribe in Craig, Alaska.  I\'ve been\n13   sitting  over here  for five  days  calm as  a cucumber\n14   listening to my right as a tribal President to stick up\n15   for my resource that is being attacked.\n\n17                   A  few  years  ago this  body,  of  the\n18   Federal Subsistence  Board, recognized  our subsistence\n19   rights were harmed  by the reduction of  deer, our only\n20   game we can  harvest, was  in decline,  and we  changed\n21   your  position so  we had  access to  that animal  by a\n22   rural priority.  That was in place until rural priority\n23   of  Unit  1 got  switched  so where  did  our pre-rural\n24   status of Unit 1 go?  Did you just wad up that piece of\n25   paper  and throw  it  out  like we  didn\'t  matter?   I\n26   believe  the process  was flawed one  year ago  when we\n27   were told  we did not  come testify and Unit  1 flooded\n28   the room, I have no idea what room it was in.   There\'s\n29   been lots of talk up here  about fishing, that priority\n30   has nothing  to do with fishing.   I can get  a Federal\n31   subsistence permit to spear salmon in the river but all\n32   of our  permits for  fish come from  the State.   Let\'s\n33   make that clear,  there\'s no rural priority  for salmon\n34   in our area,  I still have to  go to the State  and ask\n35   for a  permit in  once  was  the day  was traditionally\n36   ours.   I  respect our  salmon.   If you  don\'t realize\n37   where I live in Craig,  Alaska, just Google it and then\n38   Google Hunters Bay,  Alaska, we\'re four miles  from the\n39   border of   Canada to go get sockeyes  because we don\'t\n40   want to put more pressure on our streams that are close\n41   to home.\n\n43                   I\'ve  been  sitting   there  listening,\n44   wondering  why people can  talk about non-agenda items.\n45   I\'ve respected that until now.   When every day  public\n46   testimony talks about  agenda items.  I\'ll  be clear of\n47   that.  The comments  about fishing isn\'t about  a rural\n48   priority,  fishing is a State fishery  where we have to\n49   buy a license or get  a permit to harvest sockeyes, the\n\n---\n\n13   \n24   \n29   \n50\n\n1   same with deer, we have  to buy a permit, they  give us\n2   tags, we harvest  --try to harvest our  animals.  Look\n3   at  the  data.    Over  five  days  for one  Federally-\n4   qualified  user to harvest one deer.  Gas, we\'re fairly\n5   lucky, we haven\'t  hit the $6 plateau yet  for a gallon\n6   of gas but  we still pay $10  for a loaf of bread.   We\n7   still pay $9.50  for a gallon of milk.  We\'re forced to\n8   start eating food that we don\'t like to eat because our\n9   rural  priority hasn\'t been  met, our subsistence needs\n10   are  not being met.  I  don\'t like eating pork chops or\n11   hamburger.   But when my rural priority and subsistence\n12   is not being met we have no choice.\n\n14                   I\'m passionate  about my  region and  I\n15   will defend it to the end  if needed.  You guys have  a\n16   daunting task in front of you but I felt --I followed\n17   the law just  like everybody else did, I  had the right\n18   to challenge the request for reconsideration because  I\n19   felt we weren\'t allowed in  the process.  All week, all\n20   week I\'ve heard  everybody say, with  the mic in  their\n21   hand,  I give deference to the  RAC.  Then I heard, oh,\n22   we can\'t give deference to  the RAC on a rural priority\n23   because it doesn\'t affect harvest.  It affects harvest.\n\n25                   But  I don\'t want  to take too  much of\n26   your time.  I\'m a tribal leader.  I feel giving me five\n27   minutes  in front  of this  body once  a year  is once,\n28   again, not okay.\n\n30                   The  last thing I\'d like to speak on is\n31   the challenge  that came  to Interior  from the  Safari\n32   Club.   We sit  as an alliance  of Southeast  tribes in\n33   Alaska, we  formed a body  of an alliance  of Southeast\n34   tribes  in Southeast  Alaska.    The  priority  was  to\n35   defence everybody in  this semi-circle.   Everybody  in\n36   this room  we defended adamantly.   My tribe  has trust\n37   land.  On that trust land we have a gift shop  and duty\n38   free tobacco, a  very popular place on our  island.  It\n39   felt so  important  to  me  to protect  the  Office  of\n40   Subsistence  Management,  the   RAC  Councils  and  the\n41   Federal  Subsistence Board, we had Staff sitting in our\n42   businesses  day  after  day  taking their  name,  their\n43   address,  and  we  forwarded   that  document  to   the\n44   Department  of Interior protecting  this right  we have\n45   for  a rural  priority in  Alaska.   This  is our  only\n46   voice.  We took it serious.  We had other businesses we\n47   posted up in to protect you guys as a body.  We have  a\n48   cannabis store,  the first tribe  in Alaska  to have  a\n49   dispensary, we posted  people up in there to  make sure\n\n---\n\n15   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n34   \n46   \n50\n\n1   our voices were  heard.  I put those  same documents on\n2   the Inter  Island Ferry  Authority, a  ferry that  runs\n3   from Ketchikan to Hollis every day, just like  a cruise\n4   ship docking up on our island.  We  got comments off of\n5   that ferry boat to protect our way  of life.  I took it\n6   as  a serious harm to the rural people of Alaska to not\n7   have a voice in subsistence.   I believe in the end  we\n8   submitted well over 250 documents to Interior out of my\n9   village because  I felt the passion to protect my voice\n10   as a rural user and to protect you, who listen to me as\n11   a rural user.  I wanted to make sure that you guys know\n12   we took it serious to  protect the process we are given\n13   and one percent  of the fish and game  that subsistence\n14   users use every year in Alaska.\n\n16                   Thank  you for your  time.   Thanks for\n17   the five minutes.  And  I look forward to the proposals\n18   coming that affect my area.\n\n## 20 Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n23   President Cook, appreciate your testimony this morning.\n\n25                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, President Cook.\n26   Mr. Aaron  Beam conceded  some of his  time to  you but\n27   there is some time left, Mr. Beam.\n\n29                   MR. BEAN:  Good morning.  Aaron Bean of\n30   the Craig Tribe.  I\'m not going to repeat a lot of what\n31   President Cook said but I would like to just, you know,\n32   incorporate all  that testimony by  reference, apply it\n33   to mine.\n\n35                   And mainly I wanted to  ensure that, in\n36   fact,  the people  making  the  decisions  here  today,\n37   received  our   request  for  consideration   that  was\n38   submitted on July  21st, 2025.  I went  through some of\n39   these  things  in  the almanacs  that  are  provided by\n40   volume  for these meetings, which is impressive, if you\n41   people can get through that,  but I wanted to make sure\n42   that you read that and that you  read it word for word,\n43   and that  you took it  the same way you  would if there\n44   were  an  analysis  given  by  any  other  governmental\n45   official sitting before you, with the same weight.\n\n47                   And to speak briefly  to what President\n48   Cook  had mentioned, I  understand that you  guys can\'t\n49   manage wolves and bears and  predators, we get it.  The\n\n---\n\n20   \n22   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   deer population on Prince of Wales Island is plummeting\n2   at  alarming rates prior to Ketchikan getting its rural\n3   status.   So  I just  want to  make that  really clear.\n4   This is not  conjecture, this is not  speculation, this\n5   isn\'t something that people feel is happening, the data\n6   is  there if you read it.  You know the bear population\n7   is growing  because you have  to have a guided  hunt in\n8   order  to take  it, which means  people are  not paying\n9   that much money  to go kill a  bear on Prince of  Wales\n10   when  they  can the  next  island  up, just  plain  and\n11   simple.    The wolves,  we believe,  and we\'ve  made it\n12   really clear through the  RAC process, again, supported\n13   with the  data, traditional ecological  knowledge, that\n14   it\'s not being managed the way  that we think it is, we\n15   think that there\'s  more wolves.  And  speaking briefly\n16   to  the study that\'s  cited with radio  collars, that\'s\n17   over  20 years  old,  talking  that there\'s  unreported\n18   poaching and like it\'s absurd.  The data set should not\n19   be considered.\n\n## 21 Anyway, I\'m going to wrap it up here.\n\n23                   All we\'re asking is that you  take this\n24   into  consideration the  same way  you  would with  any\n25   other government.  I\'ve spent a lot of time, our tribe,\n26   our Council,  our elders,  we\'ve  spent a  lot of  time\n27   trying to articulate our position and we\'re just asking\n28   that you consider that.   And I appreciate your time, I\n29   look forward to the  discussion and you guys  taking up\n30   the request  for  reconsideration  because  we  believe\n31   firmly that it meets all the criteria needed.\n\n## 33 Thank you.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n36   Aaron, appreciate your testimony this morning.\n\n38                   MS. LAVINE:  We have one more person in\n39   the room and at his request  we will --I will let  the\n40   person online go first.   We have one person online and\n41   that  is  Eric Benedict.    Eric, you  may  address the\n42   Board.\n\n44                   MR.  BENEDICT:  Hello,  thank you.  Can\n45   you all hear me?\n\n47                   REPORTER:  Yes.\n\n49                   MR. BENEDICT:  Hello, can you hear me?\n\n---\n\n3   \n12   \n26   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, yes, I can\n2   hear you, sorry.\n\n4                   MR. BENEDICT:   Oh, perfect,  thank you\n5   so much.  Hello.  Members of  the Board.  Thank you for\n6   hearing my  testimony.  My  name is Aaron Benedict.   I\n7   live in Juneau and spend my summers  working with youth\n8   in Angoon but  I grew up in the wilderness  of New York\n9   City.   I represent  myself as a  non-rural subsistence\n10   users  who regularly  interacts with  rural subsistence\n11   users.\n\n13                   My biggest  concern is that  the people\n14   who  rely  on   these  resources  are  not   adequately\n15   compensated  by visitors  and  outfitters who  directly\n16   profit off the extraction of resources.   I am grateful\n17   for  the generosity of  the subsistence users  who have\n18   taught me and shared with me both resources and method.\n19   I think  we should look  at creative ways to  have non-\n20   subsistence users  compensate, subsistence  communities\n21   appropriately for  extracted resources in  places where\n22   fish and wildlife  numbers are decreasing.  I  think it\n23   is  important that fees for commercial and personal use\n24   permits  somehow find their way to the communities that\n25   they may be in competition with.\n\n27                   I am grateful  to have been  invited to\n28   partake in subsistence and in the traditional lands and\n29   waters of the clans and  people of Kootznoowoo.  I have\n30   been lucky to take part in beach seining, berrypicking,\n31   crabbing,  collecting   gumboots  and   cockles,  black\n32   seaweed  and enjoy these resources  as a guest in these\n33   lands.\n\n35                   That is my short statement.\n\n37                   Gunalcheesh  and  thank   you  all  for\n38   listening.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n41   your testimony this morning, appreciate it.\n\n43                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair.   We had  one\n44   misfiled  comment.    Oh,  actually,  please  go  ahead\n45   Lawrence Amore [sic].\n\n47                   MR. ARMOR:   Good morning.  My  name is\n48   Lawrence Armor.  I am speaking on behalf of the Klawock\n49   Cooperative  Association  and   my  role  as  Community\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n25   \n50\n\n1   Catalyst  charged with  protecting  and sustaining  our\n2   customary and traditional uses and practices.\n\n4                   I want to address recent petitions from\n5   the Safari  Club International directed at  the Federal\n6   Subsistence  Board.   These proposals to  remove public\n7   seats, require deference  to the  Alaska Department  of\n8   Fish  and  Game  and  limit  special  actions  are  not\n9   neutral.   They represent  a fundamental  shift in  who\n10   holds authority and whose voices matter.\n\n12                   For   our   community,   customary  and\n13   traditional use is  not theoretical, it is how  we feed\n14   our families,  how we  teach our  children, and how  we\n15   maintain our  cultural identity.   Federal  protections\n16   under the Alaska  National Interests Lands Conservation\n17   Act exist  because Congress  recognized that  rural and\n18   Alaska Native communities require a priority, not  just\n19   equal  footing, to  continue  this way  of  life.   For\n20   Alaska Native people  customary and traditional  use is\n21   not  simply access to resources, it  is the exercise of\n22   inherent rights  and responsibility to  pass knowledge,\n23   stewardship  and food security  from one  generation to\n24   the next.\n\n26                   The  current  proposals  would  require\n27   deference  to  the  State  of  Alaska  on  conservation\n28   matters, curtail  the Board\'s temporary  special action\n29   authority   and  fundamentally   undermine  the   rural\n30   priority  established  under  ANILCA.    We view  these\n31   proposals as a  direct attack on subsistence  rights of\n32   Alaska  Native people  and  rural Alaskans.    Congress\n33   created  the Federal  Subsistence  Program because  the\n34   State  of  Alaska   cannot  constitutionally  implement\n35   ANILCA\'s  rural  priority as  affirmed  in  McDowell v.\n36   State, the  Katie John  cases, and  most recently,  the\n37   United States v.  Alaska.  The State has  had more than\n38   three  decades to amend its Constitution and has chosen\n39   not to.  Any management  authority back to the State or\n40   weakening  the  Board  and the  Office  of  Subsistence\n41   Management would  betray the  original  intent and  the\n42   Federal trust  responsibility.   Removing public  seats\n43   removes a lived experience of  people on the land  from\n44   the decisionmaking process.   Limiting special  actions\n45   restricts the  Board\'s ability  to respond  to realtime\n46   conditions that directly affect our access, our safety,\n47   and our food  security.  Taken together,  these changes\n48   move decisionmaking further away from communities  most\n49   impacted  and toward outside interests that do not rely\n\n---\n\n2   \n8   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n25   \n33   \n50\n\n1   on these resources to survive.\n\n3                   I\'m   here  to   be  clear   protecting\n4   customary and traditional use is not just about access,\n5   it\'s  about upholding a legal obligation and honoring a\n6   way of life that has  existed long before these systems\n7   were put in place.\n\n9                   On  behalf of  the Klawock  Cooperative\n10   Association,  I  urge  the  Board  to  maintain  public\n11   representation,  uphold  independent  Federal authority\n12   under  ANILCA, preserve the full use of special actions\n13   to   protect  customary   and   traditional  uses   and\n14   practices.  Because if these  protections are weakened,\n15   the  consequences will not be abstract, they\'ll be felt\n16   in our homes, our freezers and our future generations.\n\n## 18 Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n21   Lawrence, for your testimony this morning.\n\n23                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, the last on the\n24   non-agenda item testimony is Karen Linnell.\n\n26                   MS.  LINNELL:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n27   For  the record  my name is  Karen Linnell.   I  am the\n28   Executive  Director   of  Ahtna   InterTribal  Resource\n29   Commission, which is comprised  of eight Federally---\n30   and State recognized tribes and two ANCSA Corporations,\n31   who are  the land  owners and that  participate in  our\n32   Board and the work that we do.\n\n34                   This week has  been a rough week.   I\'m\n35   sorry  I  missed yesterday,  apparently there  was some\n36   conversation  that happened, and the day before, but we\n37   had  to put an  elder away.   He took  his last journey\n38   home.  Just  a few weeks  ago I saw him  in Glennallen,\n39   and  he rarely leaves Chistochina, which is my village,\n40   where I grew  up, because he\'s caring for  his autistic\n41   grandson.  And so I called him  and I said, is that you\n42   that I  saw in Glennallen,  he started laughing  and he\n43   said,  yeah, I  had to  run to  Glennallen while  I can\n44   because my boy\'s --while my boy\'s  in school.  And  I\n45   told him to swing by  the house, I got some  moose meat\n46   for you.   He came by, I sent  him home with some moose\n47   burger  and moose  meat.    And we  talked  just for  a\n48   minute,  he said I  got to get home  before he gets off\n49   the bus  and he  took off  and left.   He  called me  a\n\n---\n\n18   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   couple  days  later  and  he said,  gee,  I  made  some\n2   spaghetti for that  boy with that  moose burger and  he\n3   just ate it up, he said, he almost ate the whole thing.\n4   And  16 years he\'s  been taking care  of that  boy.  As\n5   soon as he retired, he --first thing he ended up doing\n6   was caring for his grandson.   This last couple days, I\n7   got home at 2:00 o\'clock in the  morning yesterday from\n8   Mentasta  for the  potlatch, and  I  watched the  young\n9   people there  in Mentasta care for the elders, they did\n10   all the cooking,  they were in their teens  and 20s and\n11   doing everything.  They had a little bit of supervision\n12   in the kitchen but they  did everything.  They were out\n13   boiling the  meat, the bones  in the cook shack.   They\n14   were in the  kitchen prepping all  the salads and  food\n15   for everybody.  There was a couple hundred people there\n16   for a few days.  They took care of them.  That moose is\n17   so important to who we are and what we do.\n\n19                   I sit here and I\'ve been doing this for\n20   close to 30 years now, coming to meetings and trying to\n21   fight  for our subsistence  and protecting our  ways of\n22   life,  I  don\'t know  how  many  --how many  Regional\n23   Directors  I\'ve been through,  that we\'ve had  to train\n24   and educate on why  Alaska\'s different, especially with\n25   the Park Service, BLM, you know, in our ability to hunt\n26   and do  subsistence to feed our families  and can carry\n27   on our  cultural practices.    Every Administration  it\n28   seems  we get a new director and we have to educate you\n29   on  the  laws that  fit  Alaska, we\'re  not  like other\n30   states.   We  have dual  management  because the  State\n31   cannot  provide for a rural priority and so this public\n32   process  is  an  important  step  to  protecting  those\n33   rights.  I was going to say, Mr. Williams, I went white\n34   so  I can  talk longer and  stand up in  front of these\n35   people more too.\n\n## 37 (Laughter)\n\n39                   MS. LINNELL:  I just wanted to say that\n40   this body  has a  duty to protect  the rural  priority.\n41   You have a  duty to provide  for subsistence needs  for\n42   rural Alaskans.   There are several proposals  in front\n43   of  you   to  close  Federal  lands  to  non-Federally-\n44   qualified users.   They\'re looking for that  little bit\n45   of  extra  edge  on being  able  to  provide  for their\n46   families.  This is a  wildlife season on proposals, and\n47   we  participate  in  all  the  different  arenas.    We\n48   participate in  the State arena  and I get to  ball out\n49   Ben  every  now  and  then  at  the  State  level,  Ben\n\n---\n\n16   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Mulligan,  and I  get to  do that.   But  participating\n2   there,  actively  participating in  our  local Advisory\n3   Committees,  our Regional  Advisory Committees,  that\'s\n4   what we have to do in order to  protect our hunting and\n5   fishing rights.   And  having ANCSA  and having  ANILCA\n6   watered down, you know, 1972.   We\'re over 50 years now\n7   of trying to get this  right and the McDowell case made\n8   sure that  we didn\'t  get  a rural  priority under  the\n9   State and  we ended up  in dual management and  here we\n10   are and  it\'s not going  to get fixed by  watering down\n11   the  Federal Subsistence  Board  and I\'ll  believe  the\n12   Constitutional  amendment when  I see  it actually  get\n13   passed but  this is  something that  they\'re trying  to\n14   rush through so don\'t act  on what might happen but act\n15   on what\'s going on right now.\n\n17                   I\'m seeing threats to  our habitats and\n18   things through executive orders and Secretarial  orders\n19   that affect the  habitat for our moose  and our caribou\n20   and we need to do what\'s right  for the resource.  When\n21   you  start worrying  about taking  care  of people  and\n22   doing that, I watch that  happen at ADF&G, the Board of\n23   Game, they  start  worrying about  people,  they  start\n24   worrying about money even and how many permits from out\n25   of state, how  many non-resident permits can  they sell\n26   in  their lotteries and  drawings because they  need to\n27   bring money  in to the  Department and that\'s  not what\n28   they\'re there for.  Alaska  subsistence needs to be the\n29   priority for Alaskan people.\n\n31                   And  I know  I\'ve exceeded  my time,  I\n32   want to  just thank  you for  the opportunity to  speak\n33   this morning.\n\n35                   Chin\'an.\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n38   your continued  leadership and  condolences to  you and\n39   your community.\n\n41                   MS. LINNELL:  Thank you, sir.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   That concludes\n44   public comment this morning.  Let\'s take a five  minute\n45   break.   Oh, next, real  quick before we take  a break,\n46   sorry, we\'re going to  do a comment on --what was that\n47   again?\n\n49                   MS. LEONETTI:  On the consensus agenda.\n\n---\n\n4   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n34   \n40   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:       On   the\n2   consensus  agenda.  So  this is another  opportunity to\n3   speak.\n\n5                   MS. LAVINE:  If anyone online wishes to\n6   speak  to proposals or closure reviews on the consensus\n7   agenda listed online you can raise your hand.\n\n9                   (Pause)\n\n11                   MS. LAVINE:  No hands.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n14   Take a five minute break.\n\n16                   (Off record)\n\n18                   (On record)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Let\'s   get\n21   started again here please.  If we could take our seats.\n\n23                   (Pause)\n\n```\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   It  looks like\n26   WP26-12-13(a)-14(a).\n```\n\n28                   MS. VOORHEES:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n29   Members of the  Board.  My name is Hannah Voorhees.  It\n30   looks like --oh, good there\'s the correct slide, thank\n31   you.    I\'m an  Anthropologist  with  OSM  and I\'ll  be\n32   presenting Proposal  WP26-12-13(a)-14(a), which  begins\n33   on Page 737 of your Board book.\n\n35                   Proposals 26-12-13(a) submitted  by the\n36   Native Village  of Eyak and Dennis Zadra, respectively,\n37   request that  the  Board recognize  the  customary  and\n38   traditional use of brown  bears in Unit 6  by residents\n39   of Cordova.\n\n41                   WP26-14(a)     submitted     by     the\n42   Southcentral Council requests that the Board  recognize\n43   the customary  and traditional  use of  brown bears  in\n44   Unit 6 by residents of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.\n\n46                   Native  Village  of  Eyak  states  that\n47   brown bear use is well documented  in our local Cordova\n48   history and within the tribes traditional  storytelling\n49   and  has been passed  down through generations  of Eyak\n\n---\n\n8   \n14   \n26   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   tribal members  who have lived  in the area  since time\n2   immemorial.   Dennis  Zadra states  that  residents  of\n3   Cordova have  a deep history of  practicing subsistence\n4   for  brown  bears.    The  Southcentral  Council, which\n5   submitted  WP26-14(a) states  that subsistence  hunting\n6   for  brown bears  is a  time honored  practice for  the\n7   communities of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.\n\n9                   Companion   Proposal   WP26-13(b)/14(b)\n10   requests to establish a brown  bear hunt in Unit 6 with\n11   a harvest  limit of  one bear  by Federal  registration\n12   permit and a season of August 1st through June 30th and\n13   that will be coming before you next, I believe.\n\n15                   So  currently   there  is   no  Federal\n16   subsistence  priority  for  brown  bears  in   Unit  6.\n17   Residents  of  Cordova   already  have  customary   and\n18   traditional  use   determinations  for   the  following\n19   species in  areas in  Unit 6.   Black bears  and wolves\n20   throughout the unit,  goats in Units 6A, 6C  and 6D and\n21   moose in Units 6A, 6B and 6C.  Residents of Chenega Bay\n22   and  Tatitlek already  have  C&T  for  several  species\n23   within  Unit  6,  including  black  bears   and  wolves\n24   throughout the unit,  goats in 6A, 6C and  6D and moose\n25   in Unit 16.\n\n27                   When   considering   a   customary  and\n28   traditional  use determination  analysis eight  factors\n29   are  considered, these are listed beginning on Page 743\n30   of  your Board  book.   The  Board makes  customary and\n31   traditional  use  determinations  based on  a  holistic\n32   application  of  these  eight factors  as  well  as the\n33   reports and  recommendations of  the Regional  Advisory\n34   Council.\n\n36                   The subsistence practices  of residents\n37   of Chenega, Tatitlek and Cordova are about the cultural\n38   traditions of  the Chugach  Sugpiaq, Alutiiq  of Prince\n39   William Sound, the  dAXunhyuu Eyak of the  Copper River\n40   Delta and  Russian and American settlers.   Subsistence\n41   patterns  in the region focus on the marine environment\n42   but bears  and goats  were utilized  and they  were the\n43   largest  and  most  important land  mammals  originally\n44   available.\n\n46                   Native  Village  of Eyak  affirms  that\n47   brown  bears  have  been traditionally  used  by  their\n48   people.    Ancestral  knowledge,  memory  and  cultural\n49   continuity establish that the traditional  use of brown\n\n---\n\n12   \n13   \n45   \n50\n\n1   bears  is  an  integral part  of  the  regions cultural\n2   heritage.  Researchers beyond the tribe have, likewise,\n3   demonstrated a  deep record of  brown bear  use in  the\n4   region  going back thousands of years which is detailed\n5   in the  analysis, and this begins on  Page 744.  I just\n6   wanted to flag this,  I\'m not going to go  into all the\n7   detail of the archeological sites just for brevity, but\n8   there\'s  a  robust  body of  evidence  about  very deep\n9   history of brown bear use in this  region.  I just want\n10   us to  keep that in  mind because  I am  going to  talk\n11   about some more recent interruptions in use since 1900.\n\n14                   So   while   black  bears   are   still\n15   harvested there is  less evidence for the  use of brown\n16   bears  in  the  region  since  1900,  particularly  for\n17   Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.  The reasons for this are not\n18   entirely  clear.   Looking  at Division  of Subsistence\n19   surveys  across study areas  between 1985 and  2003, an\n20   average  of approximately 4 percent of surveyed Cordova\n21   households  attempted  to harvest  brown bears  and one\n22   percent  of households  were successful.    There\'s one\n23   year of data  with some harvest locations from 1985 and\n24   in that year all the brown bears were harvested in Unit\n25   6.   During  all the  years  in which  Chenega Bay  and\n26   Tatitlek  were  surveyed  between   1984  and  2003  no\n27   households reported  harvesting or  using brown  bears.\n28   Chenega Bay was surveyed seven times during this period\n29   and  Tatitlek was surveyed  five times.   However, just\n30   over six percent of Chenega Bay households attempted to\n31   harvest  brown bears in  two survey years.   Brown bear\n32   hunting  tends to be very specialized and it\'s possible\n33   that some  households that  harvested brown  bears were\n34   not included  in  the surveys  or the  surveys did  not\n35   capture harvest for  other reasons and regulations  may\n36   have contributed to  harvest of black bears  over brown\n37   bears in  Prince William  Sound.   The State  limit for\n38   black bears throughout  Unit 6 is one bear.   The State\n39   limit for  brown bears  in Unit  6D, which  encompasses\n40   Prince  William Sound,  is one  brown  bear every  four\n41   regulatory years.  The State limit for brown bears is a\n42   little  bit more  liberal  in  Unit 6A  to  6C east  of\n43   Cordova where  hunters can  take one  brown bear  every\n44   regulatory year.\n\n46                   So  looking  next   at  reported  State\n47   harvest, between  1988 and  2023, residents  of Cordova\n48   harvested a  total of  169 brown bears  in Unit  6 with\n49   most harvest occurring in Units  6B and 6D.  During the\n\n---\n\n7   \n15   \n29   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n41   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   same time residents of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek did not\n2   report harvesting  any  brown bears  within the  units.\n3   There are no brown bear sealing records for Chenega Bay\n4   in Unit 6 for any  year in ADF&G;s records although two\n5   brown bears were sealed for  Tatitlek in Unit 6, one in\n6   1984 and one in 1985.\n\n8                   The OSM conclusion is  to support these\n9   proposals.   In addition  to testimony from  the Native\n10   Village  of   Eyak  there\'s  strong   ethnographic  and\n11   archeological evidence that both brown and black  bears\n12   play  an essential role in Chugach Sugpiaq, Alutiiq and\n13   dAXunhyuu Eyak  culture and  alignment  with the  eight\n14   factors.\n\n16                   Since 1900 there\'s more evidence of use\n17   of  black  bears  than  brown  bears  particularly  for\n18   Chenega  Bay   and  Tatitlek.     However,  subsistence\n19   practices are characterized  for their adaptability and\n20   shifting use of brown and black bears may reflect local\n21   preference, shifting  opportunity as  well as  external\n22   constraints.   Under  Federal Subsistence  regulations,\n23   residents of Cordova, Chenega Bay and  Tatitlek already\n24   have C&T for  black bears throughout Unit 6.   Based on\n25   this and other  determinations for land mammals  in the\n26   region the three communities have already established a\n27   recognized pattern of harvest and use of wild resources\n28   in Unit 6 consistent with the eight factors.\n\n30                   Thank   you.      That   completes   my\n31   presentation and I\'m happy to take any questions.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n34   the presentation, Staff.  Any questions for Staff.\n\n36                   (No comments)\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n39   seeing  none, any  written  comment --public  written\n40   comments received.\n\n42                   MS.  VOORHEES:    Mr.  Chair,  this  is\n43   Hannah  Voorhees.    There   were  no  written   public\n44   comments.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   Summary of tribal government and Alaska Native Corp.\n\n49                   MR.  LIND:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair.\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n17   \n19   \n23   \n26   \n29   \n34   \n41   \n50\n\n**0582**\n\n1   Orville  Lind,  Native  Liaison for  OSM.    During the\n2   consultation  sessions  there   were  no  comments   or\n3   questions on this proposal.  Thank you.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n6   Orville.  Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n8                   MS. LAVINE:   If you are representing a\n9   tribe or Alaska  Native --oh, we have  somebody in the\n10   room --please.\n\n12                   MR.   SMITH:     Hi,   I\'m  Jim   Smith\n13   representing NVE, Native  Village of Eyak.   We support\n14   this.   Brown  bear has  been traditional  to  the Eyak\n15   people and  the Sugpiaq people  and so we put  this one\n16   forward alongside our relatives in Chenega.\n\n## 18 Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you, Mr.\n21   Smith.  Advisory Group, SRC,  State Advisory Committee,\n22   multiagency work group.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:  We  received no comment on\n25   those proposals.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n30                   MS.  LAVINE:    In  the  room  we  have\n31   Michael Opheim or Dustin Carl --oh, I\'m sorry, not for\n32   this --are you signed  up for this  one --yes, very\n33   good, okay.\n\n35                   MR. OPHEIM:  Good morning Board.  Thank\n36   you for  the opportunity  to speak  on WP26-12,  13(a),\n37   14(a).  My name is Michael Opheim.  I\'m the Tribal Fish\n38   and Wildlife Liaison  for our tribal Fish  and Wildlife\n39   Department at Chugach Regional Resources Commission and\n40   happy to give our  testimony.\n\n42                   The    Chugach    Regional    Resources\n43   Commission would like to voice the support for WP26-12,\n44   13(a)  and  14(a).    The  Chugach  Regional  Resources\n45   Commission  or  CRRC  serves the  seven  tribes  of the\n46   Chugach  Region  in  Southcentral  Alaska;  the  Native\n47   Village of Eyak, Valdez Native Tribe, Native Village of\n48   Tatitlek, Chenega  IRA Council, Qutekcak  Native Tribe,\n49   Port  Graham  Village  Council  and  the  Nanwalek  IRA\n\n---\n\n8   \n10   \n14   \n25   \n32   \n35   \n38   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Council.   The  proposals recognize  the  customary and\n2   traditional use of brown bears by residents of Cordova,\n3   Chenega  Bay, and  Tatitlek.   The  residents of  these\n4   tribal communities have traditionally used bear harvest\n5   for  food  and  clothing  as  recorded  throughout  the\n6   history  by the tribes traditional storytelling and the\n7   C&T determination should reflect that.\n\n## 9 Thank you for your time.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n12   your  testimony.   Hearing or  seeing  no other  public\n13   testimony, Council recommendation.\n\n15                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n16   These  proposals are  beneficial to  subsistence users.\n17   The  C&T is  well justified.   As Michael  mentioned we\n18   heard a lot  of testimony to that and  the OSM analysis\n19   is  quite  thorough   and  keeps  the  door   open  for\n20   subsistence users to perhaps switch to other resources,\n21   as  needed, due  to the  fluctuation  of resources  and\n22   their  availability.  There\'s  a long history  of brown\n23   bear use  in Unit  6 documented  orally and written  in\n24   historical records.\n\n26                   The   Southcentral   RAC    takes   C&T\n27   determinations  really  seriously and  we  particularly\n28   appreciate it when  those communities affected come  to\n29   our  meeting,  as  happened here,  and  explained  it a\n30   little  bit better to us, their personal and historical\n31   use.\n\n33                   So, once, again, this is beneficial  to\n34   subsistence users and we would support it.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n37   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n39                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n40   For  the record, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game\n41   opposes   the   proposals.     Currently   under  State\n42   regulations we have  a negative C&T finding  for Unit 6\n43   brown bear.\n\n45                   Thank you.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n48   InterAgency Staff Committee comment.\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n2   I\'ll read an abbreviated comment.  The full comment can\n3   be found in your meeting materials.\n\n5                   The   Board    makes   customary    and\n6   traditional  use determinations for the sole purpose of\n7   recognizing  the  pool of  users who  generally exhibit\n8   some or all  of the eight factors.  The  Board does not\n9   use such  determinations  for  resource  management  or\n10   restricting harvest.\n\n12                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Board discussion  with Liaison,  Council Chairs,  State\n16   rep.\n\n18                   (No comments)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n21   seeing none, open the floor for Board action.\n\n23                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.   The Forest\n24   Service moves to adopt WP26-12, 13(a), 14(a), following\n25   a second  I\'ll  explain why  I  intend to  support  the\n26   motion.\n\n28                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service seconds.\n\n30                   MR. WOODS:  Second.\n\n32                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Thank you for  seconds\n33   and thirds, right.  I  support this motion in deference\n34   to the RAC and in  acknowledgement of the testimony  of\n35   the Native Village of Eyak and the long history of oral\n36   tradition and archeological evidence in support of this\n37   determination.   Even  though recent  harvest of  brown\n38   bears has not  been as much  as it perhaps  was in  the\n39   past, the  customary and traditional  use determination\n40   is based on the long history and there\'s an opportunity\n41   here  for subsistence  users  to  shift  their  use  of\n42   resources over time.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n47   comments, discussion, deliberation.\n\n49                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n9   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n28   \n30   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none, we\'ll  go ahead and  read into the  record\n3   the motion and roll call.\n\n```\n5                   MS.  LEONETTI:  Okay.  The motion is to\n6   adopt Wildlife Proposal 26-12, 13(a) and 14(a).\n```\n\n8                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n10                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n14                   MS. PITKA:   I support as outlined  and\n15   in  deference to  the  Southcentral Alaska  Subsistence\n16   Regional Advisory Council.\n\n18                   MS. LEONETTI:   Forest  Service --or,\n19   Fish and Wildlife Service, Member Boario.\n\n21                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n22   supports   for  the   reasons  outlined   by   the  OSM\n23   justification  which  underscores  just   that  we  are\n24   stepping into a  story that is thousands  of years long\n25   and I appreciate the write  up and also as  articulated\n26   by  the  Forest   Service  and  in  deference   to  the\n27   Southcentral RAC.\n\n## 29 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n31                   MS. JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt WP26-12,\n32   13(a),  14(a)  in support  of  the motion  made  by the\n33   Forest   Service.     This  gives   deference  to   the\n34   recommendation of  the  Southcentral  RAC  on  the  C&T\n35   determinations  and  proposals and  we concur  with the\n36   Councils justification for each of them.\n\n38                   Quyana.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n42                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n43   to adopt WP26-12,  13(a) and 14(a) as  testimonies from\n44   Eyak and supported by Southcentral RAC.\n\n46                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n48                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n49   approved  for all  the reasons  above  and the  RAC and\n\n---\n\n0586\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n30   \n36   \n50\n\n1   OSM\'s analysis.  Thank you.\n\n3                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n5                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n6   supports WP26-12, 13(a)  and 14(a) in deference  to the\n7   RAC.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n11                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports for  the\n12   reasons stated by the U.S. Forest Service.  Thank you.\n\n14                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n15   Striker.\n\n17                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service  supports in\n18   deference to the RAC  for the reasons summarized by  my\n19   Forest Service colleague.\n\n21                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair.   The motion\n26   passes unanimously.\n\n```\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n29   We\'ll move on to WP26-13(b), 14(b).\n```\n\n31                   MS. HOLMAN:   Good morning,  Mr. Chair.\n32   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n33   Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  This will be for Wildlife\n34   Proposal  WP26-13(b) and 14(b) --can be found starting\n35   on Page 757 of your meeting book.\n\n37                   You  heard kind of  a little  bit about\n38   who submitted  these proposals and what  they\'re asking\n39   for.    Specifically  these  --this  one  covers  the\n40   establishment of the brown bear hunts in Units 6C --or\n41   excuse me, 6 --I\'m not sure what I put there --with a\n42   harvest  limit  of  one  bear by  Federal  registration\n43   permit  and a season  of August 1st  through June 30th.\n44   Both  of these  proponents state  that  a time  honored\n45   subsistence practice  of brown bears in  Prince William\n46   Sound  date far  back.   Most of  Prince William  Sound\n47   consists of Federal  public lands, which consist  of --\n48   which  are   --which   contain   robust  brown   bear\n49   populations that can  withstand limited Federal harvest\n\n---\n\n2   \n13   \n34   \n50\n\n1   and provide subsistence opportunity.\n\n3                   So the  regulatory history.   The  last\n4   Federal Subsistence  regulatory change for  brown bears\n5   in Unit 6  was in the early 1990s.   Biologically brown\n6   bears can be found throughout most of Unit 6, including\n7   Hinchinbrook, Montague, Hawkins and Kayak Islands and a\n8   --and the  portion of  Unit 6D  East of  the Columbia\n9   Glacier to Icy Bay on the mainland.  No population data\n10   exists.   Population data  is --full population  data\n11   exists because it\'s sparse for brown bears in Unit 6 so\n12   a conservative approach to managing them is warranted.\n\n14                   No  permits  or   harvest  tickets  are\n15   required  to hunt brown  bears in Unit 6A,  6B, 6C or D\n16   Remainder under State regulations, while a registration\n17   permit  is  required to  hunt  brown bears  in  Unit 6D\n18   Montague  Island.    All  harvested  brown  bears   are\n19   required to  be sealed within  30 days of the  kill and\n20   provide harvest information.   Table 1  on Page 763  of\n21   your meeting  book shows the  harvest of brown  bear in\n22   Unit 6 broken down by subunit most --with most of  the\n23   bears Units --in  Unit 6 --in Unit 6  --harvested in\n24   6D and 6A.  6A  is primarily guided participants and 6D\n25   is participation by non-local Alaskans who hunt without\n26   a  gu --has  more participation of  non-local Alaskans\n27   who  hunt without a guide.  Non-residents and non-local\n28   residents account  for 88 percent  of the Unit  6 brown\n29   bear  harvest between 2014  and 2023.   Unit-wide local\n30   residents, so residents  of Unit 6C, not  including the\n31   non-rural community of Valdez,  harvested an average of\n32   6.2 bears per year from  2014 to 2023 accounting for 12\n33   percent of the harvest during the same time period.\n\n35                   One  alternative   considered  was   to\n36   delegate authority  to the Federal in-season manager to\n37   limit the number of permits issued.  This could be done\n38   through a first come,  first serve registration permits\n39   or through a random draw.   Permits could be limited by\n40   subunit requiring division of Unit 6 into multiple hunt\n41   areas.  While  local residents harvest few  bears under\n42   State regulations the proposed Federal season is longer\n43   than  existing State seasons  and the harvest  limit is\n44   higher for  Unit 6D.    The Federal  season would  open\n45   August 1st through June 30th.   Unit 6, while the State\n46   season opens September  1st in Unit 6A, 6B  and 6C, and\n47   October 15th in  Unit 6D.   Brown  bear harvest  during\n48   early October and September may be higher as  bears are\n49   concentrated near salmon  streams and deer hunters  may\n\n---\n\n**0588**\n\n3   \n11   \n22   \n29   \n32   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   harvest  a brown  bear opportunistically  while hunting\n2   deer or if a brown bear threatens their deer kill.\n\n4                   If Proposal  WP26-13(b) and  14(b) were\n5   adopted Federal brown bear hunt would be established in\n6   Unit  6 increasing subsistence opportunity.  Impacts to\n7   the  brown bear  population is  uncertain  as there  is\n8   little biological information regarding  brown bears in\n9   Unit 6 so a  conservative approach to managing them  is\n10   warranted.\n\n12                   This  proposal   increases  subsistence\n13   opportunity.  Harvest  pressure is expected to  be very\n14   low and there is no conservation concern in Unit 6A, 6B\n15   and  6C.   The additional  Federal  subsistence hunting\n16   opportunity during August and late June is not expected\n17   to  substantially  increase   harvest  and  provide   a\n18   subsistence  opportunity.    Limiting  the  number   of\n19   permits   issued  in   Unit  6D   balances  subsistence\n20   opportunity with conservation  concerns and provides  a\n21   safeguard against over harvest.\n\n23                   So  the  OSM conclusion  is  to support\n24   with modification to divide Unit  6 into two hunt areas\n25   and delegate  authority to the  Cordova Ranger District\n26   to  set or adjust  annual harvest quotas  determined by\n27   permit type and limit  the number of permits issued  in\n28   6D.\n\n30                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair,  Members of  the\n31   Board.  I\'d be happy to address any questions.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n34   Thank  you for  the presentation.    Any questions  for\n35   Staff on this proposal.\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Was  there any\n40   written public comment received?\n\n42                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair,  there was  no\n43   written public comment received on this proposal.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corp.\n\n48                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n49   were no comments or questions.  Thank you.\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n9   \n11   \n14   \n17   \n20   \n28   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   This  is  the\n2   opportunity for tribal  and Alaska Native  organization\n3   testimony.\n\n5                   (No comments)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n8   seeing none.....\n\n10                   MS. LAVINE:  Wait, Mr. Chair.....\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, you  have\n13   one.\n\n15                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, I do  believe\n16   Michael Opheim is.....\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Oh, Michael,\n19   you have the floor, yes.\n\n21                   MR. OPHEIM:  Good morning again.  Thank\n22   you  for the opportunity.   My name  is Michael Opheim.\n23   I\'m the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Liaison for our tribal\n24   Fish  and  Wildlife  Department  at  Chugach   Regional\n25   Resources  Commission and we\'d like to show our support\n26   for  WP26-13(b) and  14(b) for the  same reason  as the\n27   previous proposals.\n\n29                   The   residents    of   these    tribal\n30   communities have  traditionally used  bear harvest  for\n31   food and clothing as recorded throughout history by the\n32   tribes   traditional    storytelling   and    the   C&T\n33   determination should reflect that.\n\n35                   Thank you for your time.\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n38   your testimony, appreciate that.  Any other testimony.\n\n40                   (No comments)\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   No.   Advisory\n43   group, RAC, SRC, multiagency working group.\n\n45                   MS. LAVINE:  We received no comments.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n48   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n11   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n## 1 (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n4   seeing none, Council recommendation.\n\n6                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n7   Now that the Board has established a C&T, the next step\n8   usually is Federal hunt and a State is already  allowed\n9   so  it  seems  fitting that  a  Federal  hunt  would be\n10   established as well.\n\n12                   We  did have  some  concerns about  the\n13   brown bear populations but noted that the harvest limit\n14   of  one bear is reasonable and conservative.  Providing\n15   additional subsistence  opportunities is  important and\n16   the Federal manager can assess  the season how best  to\n17   manage  this   hunt  in   6D.     Providing  additional\n18   subsistence  opportunities  is  important.    We   have\n19   confidence in  the Federal manager to  assess in-season\n20   how best to manage.   The analysis was thorough for the\n21   C&T  so one bear  is good, conservative  and additional\n22   opportunity for subsistence users.\n\n## 24 Thank you.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n29                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n30   For the record, the Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n31   opposes  this   as  it  misaligns  State   and  Federal\n32   regulations  and even the OSM recommendation.  Just for\n33   the record we manage brown bears, not by just splitting\n34   the unit, we  have a separate regulatory  structure for\n35   subunit A, B and C,  which is one bear every regulatory\n36   year,  but then specifically in 6D, Montague Island, we\n37   have registration hunts  that occur there and  it\'s one\n38   bear every four regulatory  years, and the same  for 6D\n39   Remainder.  And looking at the latest management report\n40   that  we  have from  Staff,  that  is  done every  four\n41   regulatory  years  because of  population  concerns and\n42   overharvest.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   Oh, sorry, one more thing.\n\n48                   We encourage  a robust  consultation if\n49   this is  adopted  given if  you  do adopt  a  differing\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n14   \n16   \n21   \n23   \n26   \n37   \n39   \n50\n\n1   management scheme  with only  two hunts  as opposed  to\n2   ours and given the population concerns within 6D.\n\n4                   Thank you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n7   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:   Yes,  Mr. Chair.   I  was\n10   reminded that  yesterday Mr. Dennis Zadra  commented on\n11   this  proposal and  expressed  his disapproval  of  the\n12   August part of the season.  And for the ISC comment, we\n13   provided the standard comment.\n\n15                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n18   Robbin.   Board  discussion  with the  Liaison, Council\n19   Chair,  State   rep,  opportunity  to  ask   a  pointed\n20   question, clarification.\n\n22                   (No comments)\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n25   seeing none, the floor is open for a Board action.\n\n27                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair,  the Forest\n28   Service moves to adopt WP26-13(b)  and 14(b), following\n29   a  --as   modified  by  the  Office   of  Subsistence\n30   Management, specifically to divide Unit 6 into two hunt\n31   areas and  delegate authority  to the  Cordova District\n32   Ranger  to set  or adjust  annual  harvest quotas  with\n33   robust  consultation  with  the  State  of  Alaska  and\n34   determine  the type of permits and determine the number\n35   of permits issued in  Unit 6D.  If I get  a second I\'ll\n36   explain my rationale.\n\n## 38 MR. STRIKER: Park Service seconds.\n\n40                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr.  Chair.  This would\n41   provide  for a subsistence  priority within Unit  6 for\n42   brown bears.   Harvest pressure is expected  to be very\n43   low  and  the   record  reflects  that  local   use  is\n44   approximately  12 percent of the historic use there and\n45   providing  a local  subsistence  priority through  this\n46   action  would  fulfill  the  purposes  of  ANILCA   and\n47   delegation of  authority by  letter and  Forest Service\n48   commits to robust consultation with the State of Alaska\n49   in managing that season.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n11   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n4   Jerry.  Any other Board discussion, deliberation.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n9   seeing none, please read into the record the motion and\n10   roll call.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n13   Wildlife Proposal 26-13(b) and 14(b) as modified by OSM\n14   to  divide  Unit 6  into  two hunt  areas  and delegate\n15   authority to  the Cordova  District Ranger with  robust\n16   consultation with ADF&G to set or adjust annual harvest\n17   quotas, determine  the type  of permits  and limit  the\n18   number of permits issued  in Unit 6D via delegation  of\n19   authority letter only.\n\n21                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n23                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Supports.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n\n26   Striker.\n\n28                   MR. STRIKER:  The Park Service supports\n29   in deference to the  RAC for the reasons  enumerated by\n30   Regional Forester Ingersoll including his commitment to\n31   robust consultation with the State.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n35                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports for  the\n36   reasons stated by the Forest Service.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n40                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n41   supports  for reasons articulated by the Forest Service\n42   and in deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n46                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n47   supports with the robust coordination with the State of\n48   Alaska  along with the  recommendations by the  RAC and\n49   Forest Service.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n16   \n19   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n3                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n4   to support as modified by OSM WP-26-13(b) and 14(b) and\n5   supported by Southcentral RAC.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n9                   MS. JOHN:    BIA votes  to adopt  WP26-\n10   13(b) and 14(b) in support of the motion made by Forest\n11   Service.   This gives deference to the Southcentral RAC\n12   recommendations on these brown bear harvest  proposals.\n13   We  concur with the Council\'s justification for each of\n14   them and thank  them for their  efforts to provide  the\n15   subsistence opportunities to rural users.\n\n17                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n18   Service Member Boario.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n21   supports  with  OSM modification  and  for  the reasons\n22   justified by the Forest Service.  And we recognize that\n23   the  Southcentral   RAC   supports  one   bear   as   a\n24   conservative approach and harvest pressure is  expected\n25   to be low.  This will provide subsistence opportunity.\n\n27                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n29                   MS.  PITKA:    I  vote  to  support  as\n30   modified  by OSM  and  in  deference  to  the  Regional\n31   Advisory Council and as outlined by the Forest Service.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n37                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair,  the motion\n38   passes unanimously.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n41   Next we\'ll move on to WP26-16.\n\n43                   MR. UBELAKER:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n44   Board Members.   For the record,  Brian Ubelaker and  I\n45   will be providing you  a brief summary of the  analysis\n46   of Wildlife Proposal 26-16, which  can be found on Page\n47   787 of your meeting materials.\n\n49                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n\n---\n\n10   \n27   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Southcentral  Alaska   Subsistence  Regional   Advisory\n2   Council and  requests  two changes  to  Federal  beaver\n3   hunting  regulations in  Unit  6.   First,  it asks  to\n4   increase the possession limit from one beaver to three;\n5   the  second,  to  extend the  hunting  season  from the\n6   current May through October to a yearround season.  The\n7   proponent states  the intent  is to  better align  with\n8   traditional   subsistence  practices   which  is   more\n9   opportunistic in nature.\n\n11                   Currently, the Federal harvest limit is\n12   one beaver per day with only one in possession from May\n13   through  October.   Federal trapping  regulations allow\n14   unlimited harvest from  December through April.   There\n15   is no State  beaver hunting season in Unit  6 but there\n16   is  no limit during the November through April trapping\n17   season.   Beaver are not rigorously surveyed  in Unit 6\n18   and    most   information    comes   from    incidental\n19   observations,  trapper  reports  and  sealing  records.\n20   Based  on  this   information  beaver  are   considered\n21   abundant in Unit 6 especially in Subunits 6A through 6C\n22   and  there are  no indications  of  population decline.\n23   Harvest is estimated as sustainable averaging  about 60\n24   beaver a year since 2002,  of which over 90 percent are\n25   taken  by trapping.   Very few beaver  are harvested by\n26   firearms.\n\n28                   If adopted,  this proposal  would allow\n29   Federally-qualified  subsistence users  to hunt  beaver\n30   yearround and keep up to three in possession at a time.\n31   Because trapping  already allows unlimited  harvest and\n32   very few  beaver are taken  under hunting  regulations,\n33   only a  minimal increase  in harvest  is expected.   No\n34   conservation concerns have  been identified and  Unit 6\n35   is about 75 percent Federal public lands, these changes\n36   would benefit a wide range of subsistence users.\n\n38                   Therefore,  OSM\'s   conclusion  is   to\n39   support  this  proposal  as  it  increases  subsistence\n40   opportunity, supports traditional harvest practices and\n41   poses no conservation concerns.\n\n43                   And,   with   that,   I\'m   happy   for\n44   questions.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n47   Brian.  Any questions for Staff.\n\n49                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n2   seeing none, any written public comment.\n\n4                   MR. UBELAKER:  No, Mr. Chair.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n7   appreciate  that.   Summary  of  tribal  government and\n8   Alaska Native Corporation consultation.\n\n10                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n11   were no comments or questions on  this proposal.  Thank\n12   you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n15   ACs, SRCs, State Advisory or multiagency workgroup.\n\n17                   MS.  LAVINE:     We  did  not   receive\n18   comments, Mr. Chair.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any public like\n21   to testify here or online please raise your hand.\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Seeing   or\n26   hearing none, Council recommendation on this.\n\n28                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you  very much, Mr.\n29   Chair. Judy Caminer from the Southcentral RAC. About 60\n30   beaver   have  been  taken,   which  isn\'t   very  much\n31   considering the large area we\'re talking about.  People\n32   felt  that  beaver  are  abundant  and  no conservation\n33   concern.  Fish  and Game had no  comments, again, might\n34   have been  a timing problem on that.  We also said that\n35   people,  when they\'re spending  time out in  the field,\n36   would be --it would be easier, better for  them to --\n37   if they\'re  unable to  process their  take right  away,\n38   it\'s  better  to  have  a  higher  limit,  or  more  in\n39   possession I\'ll  say.  Also  we felt  that local  users\n40   certainly  utilize beaver for  food as well  as for fur\n41   and there are no conservation concerns.\n\n43                   Thank you very much.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Judy.  Kodiak.\n\n48                   MS.  SKINNER: Rebecca  Skinner for  the\n49   Kodiak/Aleutians  RAC.   We  did discuss  this proposal\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1   because our  people from our  area have the  ability to\n2   hunt beaver  in Unit  6.  In  discussion we  noted that\n3   people from our area don\'t  tend to hunt beaver in Unit\n4   6 and we deferred to  the home RAC, Southcentral RAC to\n5   make a determination.  Thanks.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n8   Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n10                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n11   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n12   opposes  the proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n13   regulations.  As you\'ve heard there\'s currently no open\n14   season in GMU 6 under State regulations to hunt beaver.\n15   However,   there  is   beaver   trapping  under   State\n16   regulations from November 10th to April 30th, no limit,\n17   and  a  beaver can  be  taken with  steel  trap, snare,\n18   firearm  or   bow  and  arrow.    There  is  a  sealing\n19   requirement as well.\n\n21                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n24   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n26                   MS.   LAVINE:      Mr.   Chair.     The\n27   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n28   comment.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n31   Board discussion, any questions.\n\n33                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n36   floor.\n\n38                   MR.   INGERSOLL:     To  the   Advisory\n39   Council, would you consider making an aligned  proposal\n40   to  the Board of  Game to address  the inconsistency in\n41   regulation?\n\n43                   MS.  CAMINER:   I  can certainly  bring\n44   that up to the RAC, thank you for the suggestion.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   Hearing and seeing no more comments  we\'ll go ahead and\n48   move for Board action.\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair.  The Forest\n2   Service moves to adopt WP26-16.  If I get a second I\'ll\n3   explain why I intend to support my motion.\n\n## 5 MR. PENDERGAST: BLM seconds.\n\n7                   MR.  INGERSOLL:     Thank  you.  Forest\n8   Service  supports  this  proposal in  deference  to the\n9   Advisory Councils and because yearround beaver  hunting\n10   is a  traditional cultural  practice and  there are  no\n11   conservation concerns.  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   further Board discussion or deliberation.\n\n## 16 Frank.\n\n18                   MR. WOODS:  One comment for the RAC and\n19   participation of the  ADF&G.  We have  the same problem\n20   with  beaver  back  home  is  that  number  1,  there\'s\n21   trappers and  we have avid  hunters in the  fall, looks\n22   like this  proposal is  to help  satisfy a  subsistence\n23   need.   Separate, I\'ll  guarantee you  that subsistence\n24   beaver  tastes better  than  the  sports or  commercial\n25   beaver.\n\n## 27 (Laughter)\n\n29                   MR. WOODS:   That\'s a joke.   Back home\n30   we prize that  as red meat especially in  the spring or\n31   fall  I could say,  especially when you\'re  camping and\n32   out  hunting  and  then  provides  the  opportunity  to\n33   families to provide red meat.   So anything we could do\n34   to help that I\'m in support.  And I\'d encourage the RAC\n35   to work --at some point to robustly work with ADF&G to\n36   align  those proposals because  I think Dan  can concur\n37   that the beaver  proposal just before the  ACs has been\n38   long due but it\'s a lot of work.  So thank you.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n41   comment, deliberation.\n\n## 43 (No comments)\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n46   seeing none, please read into the record and roll call.\n\n48                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n49   Wildlife Proposal 26-16.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n10   \n13   \n19   \n21   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n3                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n7                   MS.  PITKA:     I  support  WP26-16  in\n8   deference  to the  Regional  Advisory  Council  and  as\n9   outlined.  Thank you.\n\n11                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n12   Service Member Boario.\n\n14                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n15   supports   as   outlined   by   the   Forest    Service\n16   justification  acknowledging  that   local  subsistence\n17   users use beaver for food  and their food and there are\n18   no conservation concerns and in deference to the RAC.\n\n## 20 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n22                   MS. JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt  WP26-16\n23   in support of  the motion made  by the Forest  Service.\n24   This gives  deference to  the Southcentral  Alaska RAC.\n25   And recommendations on this beaver harvest proposal, we\n26   concur with the Councils justification as well.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n30                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n31   to support  WP26-16 which  is outlined  by Southcentral\n32   RAC and in support by OSM and no conservation concerns.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n36                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n37   approves.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n41                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n42   supports WP26-16 in deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n46                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports  for the\n47   reasons already stated by my colleagues.\n\n49                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n22   \n36   \n50\n\n1   Striker.\n\n3                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service supports  in\n4   deference  to the RAC  and for the  reasons outlined by\n5   the Forest Service.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n11                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n12   passes unanimously.\n\n```\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Next we\'ll call\n15   WP26-17.\n```\n\n17                   MR. SANDERS:  Good  morning, Mr. Chair.\n18   Members of  the Board.   My name is Andrew  Sanders and\n19   I\'m a Biologist with the Chugach National Forest.  I\'ll\n20   be presenting WP26-17, which begins on Page 797 of your\n21   meeting materials.\n\n23                   This  proposal  was submitted  by  Onie\n24   Wilkes of Cooper Landing and requests the creation of a\n25   late fall season for moose  in Unit 7 from October 20th\n26   to  November 10th.  The proponent states that residents\n27   of  Cooper Landing  are allowed  to hunt moose  in both\n28   Unit 7 and Unit 15B but that there\'s only an additional\n29   late fall season  in Unit 15B.   Establishing the  same\n30   late  fall season in Unit 7  would allow Cooper Landing\n31   residents the  opportunity to  participate in  the late\n32   fall  season hunt closer to home where they customarily\n33   and  traditionally hunt.   Rural  residents of  Chenega\n34   Bay, Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, Hope and Tatitlek have\n35   C&T for moose in Unit 7.\n\n37                   A moose  population estimate  has never\n38   been performed moose in Unit 7.  Trend counts have been\n39   conducted every  other year  since the  1990s and  have\n40   been declining since  then.  Taken with  other historic\n41   data  the  Unit 7  moose  herd  appears  to  have  been\n42   declining since the 1970s.  The most recent demographic\n43   survey was performed in 2013 and indicated a population\n44   in decline with  a low calf  to cow ratio.   Unit 7  is\n45   very  mountainous and  below  Alpine  and is  primarily\n46   mature  Forest in  late  successional stages  with some\n47   extensive  areas of spruce  beetle kill.   Poor habitat\n48   due  to Forest  succession is  suspected  of being  the\n49   limiting  factor  for  the  Unit  7  moose  population,\n\n---\n\n11   \n14   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   however, U.S.  Forest Service active  Forest management\n2   in areas of spruce beetle kill  is resulting in patches\n3   of  early seroral* habitat that are expected to benefit\n4   moose.   Severe winters  with heavy snow  are normal in\n5   the Kenai mountains.   During winter  Unit 7 moose  are\n6   observed to  concentrate in  low  elevation areas  with\n7   lower snow depth and more  winter browse.  These  areas\n8   are near roads and railroads and approximately 23 moose\n9   are  killed by  motor vehicle  and  train strikes  each\n10   year.\n\n12                   I\'d  like  to   include  some  cultural\n13   knowledge and traditional practices.\n\n15                   Present day  Unit 7  Remainder overlaps\n16   with   the  traditional   territory  of   the  Dena\'ina\n17   Athbascans  of the  Northern  Kenai  Peninsula and  the\n18   Alutiiq  of   the  outer  Kenai   Peninsula  Coast  and\n19   neighboring  Prince  William   Sound.    Dena\'ina  oral\n20   traditional  and   historical  reports   indicate  that\n21   caribou  were  the  dominant  ungulate   on  the  Kenai\n22   Peninsula until large  wildfires in the 1880s  and that\n23   moose were scarce  or unknown throughout most  of their\n24   territory until around that same time.  A comprehensive\n25   subsistence  survey  was  performed in  Cooper  Landing\n26   during the  winter of  1990/1991 and  found that  moose\n27   were the most widely used land mammal in the community.\n28   Hope  Sunrise  was  surveyed  in   1991  and  residents\n29   reported   that   prior   to   the  implementation   of\n30   regulations  mandating   hunting  seasons   moose  were\n31   traditionally hunted in late October or early November.\n\n33                   Moose  harvest  in   Unit  7  Remainder\n34   occurs   under  Federal   regulations   by  a   Federal\n35   registration  permit  and  under  State regulations  by\n36   harvest ticket.   Federal moose  harvest in Unit  7 has\n37   ranged from zero  to 7 moose since  Moose Pass received\n38   customary and  traditional use.   The  average reported\n39   combined  harvest  for  both  State  and  Federal hunts\n40   during the most recent five year period was 22.6 moose,\n41   which is up from 20 moose during the previous five year\n42   period but still far below  the historic average of 104\n43   moose per year.\n\n45                   Currently,   subsistence  priority   is\n46   provided by opening  the Federal season 11  days before\n47   the State season and allowing the harvest of bulls with\n48   forked  antlers in  addition to  the  spike 50-inch  or\n49   three brow tine  antler restriction in the  State hunt.\n\n---\n\n17   \n20   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n42   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   An additional  late fall season would provide increased\n2   moose   harvest   opportunity   to  Federally-qualified\n3   subsistence users  and  would  provide  opportunity  to\n4   harvest  during cooler weather.  It could also increase\n5   harvest  success by  allowing hunters  to target  moose\n6   that early winter  conditions have concentrated  in the\n7   low  elevation habitat.   It  would  also align  season\n8   dates with Unit 15B  simplifying management.   However,\n9   the moose population in Unit 7 appears to be decreasing\n10   and stressed by limited  winter habitat.  Additionally,\n11   approximately  one moose is  killed by train  and motor\n12   vehicle  strike in  Unit  7 for  every  moose taken  by\n13   hunters.     A  late   season  hunt   could  create   a\n14   conservation   concern   by   significantly  increasing\n15   harvest success  and placing  additional stress on  the\n16   moose.\n\n18                   The  OSM preliminary  conclusion is  to\n19   oppose Proposal WP26-17.\n\n21                   While  adoption  of   Proposal  WP26-17\n22   would   provide  greater   opportunity  to   Federally-\n23   qualified subsistence users, the limited data available\n24   for  Unit 7  moose raises  concerns  about whether  the\n25   population could  support additional  harvest pressure.\n26   The  Unit 7  moose population appears  to occur  at low\n27   density  due  to habitat  limitations  and is  possibly\n28   declining.   Federally-qualified  users currently  have\n29   priority  through an  early season  and  reduced antler\n30   restrictions,  therefore,  conservative  management  is\n31   warranted  and  additional   harvest  pressure  is  not\n32   recommended at this time.\n\n## 34 Thank you.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n37   Andrew.  Any questions for Staff on the presentation.\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, go ahead.\n\n43                   MS. BOARIO:  Question, thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Sure.\n\n47                   MS. BOARIO:  And  I apologize if others\n48   need to  answer this because  I see information  in two\n49   sections and I just want to make sure I\'m tracking.\n\n---\n\n0602\n7   \n10   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n35   \n38   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   So as  you recounted, the  limited data\n2   available  suggests a  potential conservation  concern,\n3   that\'s on Page 806.  And then on Page 811 under the ISC\n4   comment it says, current State data suggests that there\n5   is a conservation  concern.  And so I\'m  trying to make\n6   sure I\'m following.\n\n8                   MR. SANDERS:  I think I\'ll defer to the\n9   State on why they.....\n\n11                   MS. BOARIO:  Totally fine.\n\n13                   MR.   SANDERS:     .....came  to   that\n14   conclusion.\n\n16                   MS.  BOARIO:  Well,  it\'s under the ISC\n17   section so just noted, whoever needs to answer at  some\n18   point, I just  see two different kind  of perspectives.\n19   Thank you.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n22   other questions.\n\n24                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Well, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n28                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin with BLM.  I was\n29   going through  the materials  as well  and maybe  it\'ll\n30   become more  clear as more  testimony is  given but  it\n31   seemed to me that the  ISC was looking forward toward a\n32   potential future concern instead of looking backward at\n33   existing data.   Maybe that\'s a bit of  the space we\'re\n34   seeing, but that was my sense.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n37   questions for Staff on their presentation.\n\n40                   (No comments)\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n43   seeing none.....\n\n45                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Woods, you have\n48   the floor.\n\n---\n\n12   \n15   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  WOODS:   The recommendations  were\n2   outlined.  Population appear  to be low in  density due\n3   to  habitat limitations.  The formation  of a new hunt.\n4   It looks like  the recommendation is to close  the fall\n5   hunt, as one of the options, and  then open up so it --\n6   maybe it would have  been better to go back  to the RAC\n7   and ask for  a winter hunt just  for Federal --on the\n8   Federal side besides  this extended moose season.   I\'m\n9   reading  through the  --I\'ll  finish  so maybe  public\n10   testimony  will  bring  that  out  along  with  ADF&G\'s\n11   report.  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   other questions from the Board for Staff.\n\n16                   (No comments)\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n19   seeing  none,  was  there any  written  public  comment\n20   received.\n\n22                   MR. SANDERS:  No comments were received\n23   during the open public comment period.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corporation\n27   consultation.\n\n29                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n30   were no comments or questions.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n33   Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n38   seeing none,  Advisory group,  SRC, State  committee or\n39   multiagency group.\n\n41                   MS.  LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, we received no\n42   comments, thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n45   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n47                   (No comments)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n\n---\n\n3   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n50\n\n0604\n\n1   seeing  none we\'ll  move to  Council  recommendation on\n2   this proposal.\n\n4                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n5   Southcentral Council supported establishing a late fall\n6   season  as  proposed in  the  submitted proposal  which\n7   mirrors  the season  in Unit  15B and  C.   The Council\n8   stated   a   late  fall   season   provides  additional\n9   opportunity to harvest moose for subsistence  users who\n10   were not successful earlier in the season.  The Council\n11   acknowledged there are  some conservation concerns  for\n12   the Unit  7 moose population  and the lack of  data but\n13   successful harvesting of  moose in that unit  is really\n14   very  difficult.    however,  we felt  that  additional\n15   harvest  pressure  and  the few  additional  moose that\n16   might  be  harvested  during the  late  fall  season is\n17   manageable   and  would   not  add   to  the   existing\n18   conservation  concerns or  situations.   We  also agree\n19   that  moose  seasons   during  the  peak  of   rut,  as\n20   recommended at their  fall 202 --at our 2025  meeting\n21   were  not a  good idea  so  we wanted  to adjust  those\n22   dates.\n\n24                   Thank you very much.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Judy.  Any questions.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n32   seeing none, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n34                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n35   For the  record the Alaska Department of  Fish and Game\n36   opposes the proposal.   Similar to what you heard  from\n37   the  Forest Service analysis,  we agree that additional\n38   harvest, given the information that  we --I mean to be\n39   honest, don\'t know, will give us pause for conservation\n40   measures.  Knowing  that and knowing that  Member Pitka\n41   always asks us about information, after reading through\n42   our latest --our management report, we are going to --\n43   I  mean we  are trying.    The situation  is that  your\n44   traditional moose  surveys are not the best  use and so\n45   we\'re looking  at things that,  you know, say,  even 10\n46   years ago weren\'t available to us and so I just want to\n47   kind of highlight the  things that we\'re looking  at in\n48   order to  try to  get an assessment  in this  region is\n49   things  like  forward  looking  infrared  radar  and  a\n\n---\n\n10   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n50\n\n1   genetic-based population survey and all of that is very\n2   new technology, things that we didn\'t have in the past.\n3   So we are trying new and  innovative ways to try to get\n4   a  handle on populations but until this point it\'s been\n5   challenging.   We haven\'t  done an assessment  and even\n6   when we did have the  funding to conduct it, conditions\n7   haven\'t been right, and so we do hold that as more of a\n8   conservative  population and so we get worried a little\n9   easier than we do in other places.\n\n11                   The other  thing I  wanted to  mention,\n12   just  for this body, not in  particular to our position\n13   on the proposal, is that, you know, this body is always\n14   interested in every  --you know,  our efforts, on  the\n15   Federal  side,  just  in  general,  educating  hunters,\n16   having  hunters having additional  education on what it\n17   is to be responsible hunters, legal hunters and in Unit\n18   7, this one  and as well as 15, we require them to read\n19   additional material and take a  quiz and pass that quiz\n20   in order to go hunting.  It\'s one of those things that,\n21   you   know,   given   the   --where   it\'s   located\n22   geographically in  the state,  we have a  lot of  folks\n23   that like to utilize this area, we have a lot of people\n24   around so we want to make sure that, you know, they are\n25   getting   that  extra   learning   in  order   to  hunt\n26   responsibly and legally.\n\n28                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n\n31   Questions.\n\n33                   (No comments)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n36   seeing none,  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Good moose  habitat has declined  during recent decades\n40   in parts  of Unit  7 and throughout  much of  the Kenai\n41   Peninsula  because  of a  warming  and drying  climate.\n42   This has  resulted in an  overall decline in  the moose\n43   population.   Meanwhile hunting pressure  has increased\n44   from  non-Federally-qualified  users   and  that  group\n45   continues  to  harvest  most moose  in  the  unit.   In\n46   contrast the number  of Federally-qualified subsistence\n47   users  has remained relatively small and stable.  Since\n48   2018 an average of 62 Federal permits have  been issued\n49   annually to  Federally-qualified subsistence  users and\n\n---\n\n11   \n13   \n18   \n20   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n36   \n39   \n50\n\n**0606**\n\n1   an average of 29 hunters  have participated in the hunt\n2   resulting in an annual harvest of  zero to seven moose.\n3   It is  unlikely that either  an extended  season or  an\n4   addition  of a late season after the rut would increase\n5   harvest   by   Federally-qualified   subsistence  users\n6   substantially.  Current State data suggests there isn\'t\n7   a  conservation   concern,  however,   if  conservation\n8   concerns  arise  delegating  authority  to  the  Seward\n9   District  Ranger to close the Federal hunt would enable\n10   a rapid and timely response.\n\n## 12 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n15   Robbin.   Board  discussion with  the  Liaison, Council\n16   Chair,  State  rep,  this is  your  opportunity  to get\n17   clarification, ask a question.\n\n## 19 Rhonda.\n\n21                   MS. PITKA:  I\'d like to thank the State\n22   for   taking  that  information  that  I  ask  and  the\n23   questions  that  I  ask  seriously  and providing  that\n24   information in  the analysis,  it\'s really  helpful for\n25   decisionmaking and in managing moose populations.\n\n## 27 Thank you.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   If  there\'s no\n30   discussion we\'ll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n32                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   Mr.  Chair,  from the\n33   Forest Service.  Forest Service moves to adopt Proposal\n34   26-17.  If I get a second I\'ll explain why I  intend to\n35   support my motion.\n\n37                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n38   seconds.\n\n40                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair.  This  is a\n41   complex one.   There is a  conservation concern and  we\n42   acknowledge  and appreciate  the  partnership with  the\n43   State  of   Alaska  in  assessing  the  population  and\n44   managing  for a sustainable  population there.  Habitat\n45   is in decline  and that seems to be  driving factor and\n46   Federally-qualified  subsistence users  take only  less\n47   than 20 percent of  the total moose harvested  and even\n48   more  are taken by collisions with vehicles and trains.\n49   So there is  a conservation concern but  the Federally-\n\n---\n\n0607\n8   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n39   \n41   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   qualified use is  small and a subsistence  priority for\n2   rural  users  is  important and  matters  here.   If  a\n3   conservation  concern  increases  the  Seward  District\n4   Ranger  has the authority to restrict harvest as an in-\n5   season manager.   And so, therefore, for  these reasons\n6   and  in deference to the Southcentral Advisory Council,\n7   Forest Service supports.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Any  further\n10   deliberation, discussion.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Read it  into\n15   the record and roll call, please.\n\n17                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n18   Wildlife Proposal 26-17.\n\n20                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n22                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n24                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n26                   MS. PITKA:   I support for  the reasons\n27   articulated  already and  in deference to  the Regional\n28   Advisory Council.\n\n## 30 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n32                   MS. JOHN:   BIA votes  to adopt WP26-17\n33   in support  of the motion  made by the  Forest Service.\n34   This gives deference to the Southcentral Alaska RAC and\n35   we concur with  their justification.  Avoiding  harvest\n36   during the rut and extending the hunt to early November\n37   should  not create conservation  issues as indicated by\n38   the Council.\n\n## 40 MS. LEONETTI: Public Member Woods.\n\n42                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods  adopts\n43   the recommendations by the RAC in coordination with the\n44   State and to provide subsistence opportunity for --our\n45   charge  is  under  that  regulation  helps  subsistence\n46   opportunity for Federally-qualified subsistence users.\n\n48                   Thank you.\n\n---\n\n2   \n8   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n3                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports WP26-17.\n4   I want  to  provide just  a  little bit  of  additional\n5   rationale  from  our  perspective  since we\'re  talking\n6   about moose on  the road system, right  in our backyard\n7   from where we\'re sitting here.\n\n9                   Acknowledge  there  are  concerns about\n10   moose  population but from  what I\'m tracking  and what\n11   the  ISC  analyzed  I\'m  not  hearing  that  there\'s  a\n12   conservation  concern  at  this time.    And  given the\n13   number  of users  we\'re  talking  about  that  and  the\n14   difficulty  of this terrain and the success they\'ve had\n15   to date I\'m not convinced that if we  open this up it\'s\n16   going  to create,    you  know, or  lead  quickly to  a\n17   conservation concern.   Federally-qualified subsistence\n18   users have harvested  a relatively low number  of moose\n19   on average and  the additional late fall  season is not\n20   expected  to  significantly increase  that  harvest but\n21   adopting this will  provide a meaningful preference  to\n22   Federally-qualified subsistence users.   So our support\n23   is based on that rationale and in deference to the RAC.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n26   Service Member Boario.\n\n28                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n29   supports for the reasons outlined by the Forest Service\n30   and the speakers that followed and in deference  to the\n31   RAC.  Thank you.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n35                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n36   to support WP26-17 in deference to Southcentral RAC and\n37   comments by Forest Service.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n41                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n42   votes to support WP26-17 in deference to the RAC and in\n43   agreement  with comments  submitted by  BLM  and Forest\n44   Service.  Thank you.\n\n46                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n47   Striker.\n\n49                   MR. STRIKER:   Park Service supports in\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n36   \n43   \n50\n\n1   deference to  the RAC  for the  reasons articulated  by\n2   Jerry.\n\n4                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n9   carries unanimously.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n13                   MS.  PITKA:  At this time I\'d just like\n14   to state on the record that I\'ll be absent for about an\n15   hour and a  half this afternoon and during  that time I\n16   would like  to  give my  proxy to  Public Member  Frank\n17   Woods to  vote in  deference to  the Regional  Advisory\n18   Council  and also  in recognition  if  there\'s any  new\n19   information  presented  he  withhold voting  my  proxy.\n20   Thank you.\n\n22                   I\'m  also  just  stating  this  on  the\n23   record  because it\'s  been proven  this  week that  the\n24   Chairman doesn\'t like to eat lunch.\n\n26                   (Laughter)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You\'ve seen my\n29   stomach, it needs a day off.\n\n31                   (Laughter)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You\'ve got the\n34   floor Brian.\n\n37                   MR. UBELAKER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I\n38   will be presenting --oh, sorry.  For the record, Brian\n39   Ubelaker and I will be presenting a summary of Wildlife\n40   Proposal WP26-22 which was removed off of the consensus\n41   agenda  and can  be found  on Page  73 of  said meeting\n42   materials.\n\n44                   Proposal   WP26-22  is   one  of   five\n45   proposals submitted  by the Cooper Landing  Safe Trails\n46   Committee   which  requests   trapping  setbacks   from\n47   designated roads,  trails, beaches  and campgrounds  in\n48   the Cooper Landing area.  WP26-22 specifically requests\n49   establishing  setback  distances   of  100  yards  from\n\n---\n\n0610\n6   \n13   \n23   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   designated pullouts  and roads.   These setbacks  would\n2   not apply to  traps that  are elevated  at least  three\n3   feet above  hard ground, placed  under water or  ice or\n4   otherwise  enclosed.    The  remaining  four  proposals\n5   submitted by the Committee are on the consensus agenda.\n\n7                   The  proponent  states  these  measures\n8   would make Cooper  Landing safer for families  and pets\n9   benefiting  the local recreation  based economy.   They\n10   cite support from community  surveys, search and rescue\n11   groups  and   provide  examples   from  other   Alaskan\n12   communities where similar setbacks have been adopted.\n\n14                   The  proponent   also  submitted   five\n15   similar trapping  setback proposals to the Alaska Board\n16   of Game for their 2025/26  meeting cycle.  Of those the\n17   Board of Game adopted Proposal 145 in their March  2026\n18   meeting   with  modification,   reducing  the   setback\n19   requirement to  50 yards.   Board of Game  Proposal 145\n20   most closely mirrors  Federal Proposal WP26-22  in that\n21   it  also  requested 100  yard setbacks  from designated\n22   roads and pullouts.\n\n24                   To  maintain consistency  for all  user\n25   groups OSM  supports aligning Federal  regulations with\n26   the State\'s recent  adoption of Board of  Game Proposal\n27   145.  However, Proposal 145 included roads and pullouts\n28   not  covered  in WP26-22  and  the  codified regulation\n29   resulting  from its adoption has not yet been published\n30   in  the  Alaska  Administrative  Code,  therefore,  OSM\n31   recommends either opposing  WP26-22 or deferring action\n32   until   the   State\'s   codified   regulation   becomes\n33   available.\n\n35                   Thank  you,  with that,  I will  try to\n36   answer any questions.\n\n38                   MR. PENDERGAST:  I have a question.\n\n40                   MS. PITKA:  Please, go ahead, BLM.\n\n42                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n43   I am hopelessly confused and  at this point I\'m  hoping\n44   you can  help out.  Which proposal  aligns with current\n45   --well,  with recently passed State  regulations which\n46   will eventually become part of the AAC?\n\n48                   MR.  UBELAKER:     Through  the  Chair.\n49   Member  Pendergast.   Wildlife Proposal  WP26-22 aligns\n\n---\n\n3   \n7   \n19   \n29   \n36   \n41   \n49   \n50\n\n1   with three of the requested  areas that were adopted by\n2   Proposal 145.\n\n4                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   145.   South  Quartz\n5   Creek Road,  Forest Service  Sectional joining  highway\n6   and all pullouts on Federal land, et cetera, et cetera?\n\n8                   MR. UBELAKER:  No.  All pullouts on the\n9   Sterling Highway  doesn\'t  100 percent  match what  was\n10   adopted in  Proposal 145.   Proposal 145 asked  for all\n11   Sterling  Highway pullouts  from  Tern Lake  to Russian\n12   River Ferry and the boat launch, where Proposal  --the\n13   Federal  Proposal  26-22   asks  for  Sterling  Highway\n14   pullouts from Tern  Lake to Cooper Landing.  So there\'s\n15   a section of,  I think, like 12-ish miles  on the other\n16   side of  Cooper Landing that  are not asked for  in the\n17   Federal proposal that  will be adopted under  the State\n18   side.\n\n20                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Feel free to punt this\n21   as more  people like  the State get  on the  ability to\n22   speak here, but  my struggle right now, my  question is\n23   like we\'re talking  about Southcentral road  accessible\n24   areas  where people can  set traps, I\'m  very concerned\n25   about creating confusion between State and Federal regs\n26   so  I\'m --I  think I\'m looking  for how  I can support\n27   aligning those, I\'m just not  --it\'s just not clear to\n28   me what that is.\n\n30                   MR. UBELAKER:   It\'s  our opinion  that\n31   once the Statehas codified regulations in AACthen if --\n32    if 26-22 is deferred it can be modified to 100 percent\n33   match what the State has  in their regulation, if not a\n34   new proposal could be submitted to match  what\'s in the\n35   codified regulation.\n\n37                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Stating it another way\n38   then, is it fair to  say that there\'s nothing before us\n39   today that  an up or  down vote  would achieve  perfect\n40   alignment with State regulation?\n\n42                   MR. UBELAKER:  My opinion, OSM opinion,\n43   no.  There is --there are too many mismatches.   Some\n44   of the language  adopted in the  State Proposal 145  is\n45   also  covered in  Federal Proposal  26-23.  There  --I\n46   think there are  too many variables if we  try to match\n47   anything before the State  has language solidified that\n48   we can 100 percent word for word match.\n\n---\n\n7   \n9   \n11   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n37   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Okay.   So if  I were\n2   motivated towards eventual match, one possibility could\n3   be to defer this for additional State AAC  attached and\n4   some  additional work come  back to get  this in place.\n5   If  that  were  of  interest  to me  that  might  be  a\n6   potential path?\n\n8                   MR. UBELAKER:  Correct.\n\n10                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank you.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n13   questions.\n\n15                   (No comments)\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n18   written comment received.\n\n20                   MR. UBELAKER:  Oh boy were there ever.\n\n22                   (Laughter)\n\n24                   MR. UBELAKER:   Yes, Mr. Chair.   There\n25   were 10  written public comments  submitted in  support\n26   with  the common  topics of  the  comments being  these\n27   proposals protect families, pets and recreational users\n28   while still allowing  responsible trapping.   Traps  in\n29   multi-use areas  create real  safety risks and  current\n30   regulations  are difficult to  enforce.   Most trappers\n31   follow  ethical guidelines but some do not and setbacks\n32   provide  clear  rules  to  prevent  conflicts.     With\n33   overwhelming community support  and successful examples\n34   elsewhere in Alaska these common sense measures balance\n35   public safety,  recreation and  traditional subsistence\n36   practices.\n\n38                   There were also five comments submitted\n39   in  opposition with the  common topics of  the comments\n40   being   these   proposals   are   overly   restrictive,\n41   unnecessary and would burden subsistence trappers under\n42   ANILCA.   Many commentors  stating they have  never had\n43   any incident with traps and informal communication with\n44   local trappers has always ensured safety.  Trapping has\n45   been part  of Alaska\'s  heritage and  these regulations\n46   would  remove large  areas  from traditional  use while\n47   creating confusion about  land boundaries.   Education,\n48   responsible  dog handling  and community  communication\n49   are far better solutions than restricting trapping.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n19   \n22   \n26   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n4   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corporation\n5   consultation.\n\n7                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Board\n8   members.  There were no questions or comments on  these\n9   proposals.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n12   Orville.  Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n14                   (No comments)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n17   seeing  none, Advisory  Group, SRC,  State Advisory  or\n18   multiagency.\n\n20                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n21   There were no comments submitted for this proposal.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n24   Robbin.   Any public testimony  here or online  show of\n25   hands.\n\n27                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair.  First  in the\n28   que  is Sandy  Vanbrunt.   Please  unmute yourself  and\n29   address the Board.\n\n31                   (Pause)\n\n33                   MS. LAVINE:  Go ahead.\n\n35                   (Pause)\n\n37                   MS.  LAVINE:  Sandy, if you --your mic\n38   appears unmuted but we cannot hear  you.  Maybe there\'s\n39   also a mute function on your computer.\n\n41                   (Pause)\n\n43                   MS. LAVINE:   And  we still can\'t  hear\n44   you.   Sandy, while  we wait for  you to try  again the\n45   next person in the que is Chris Perry.\n\n47                   MR. PERRY:  Can you hear me?\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n50\n\n1   the floor.\n\n3                   MR. PERRY:    Yeah,  good  morning  and\n4   thanks for this  opportunity to speak on  this WP26-22.\n5   My name is  Chris Perry, I\'ve been a  resident of Homer\n6   for 43 years and have  done winter recreation in Cooper\n7   Landing for most  of this time.  I\'d like to comment on\n8   support of WP26-22.\n\n10                   This  proposal  setback are  not  anti-\n11   trapping proposals and any consideration that they  are\n12   in any way is not --does an injustice to any and  all\n13   comments concerning  this  proposal.    These  are  not\n14   allocative  issues and should not be considered only --\n15   they should  be considered  only as  public safety  and\n16   cooperation  between  user  groups.    There  are  some\n17   restrictions in the  state considering closed  trapping\n18   areas and setbacks, these are mostly in municipalities.\n19   ADF&G   code  of   ethics   is  mostly   non-regulatory\n20   recommendations  that suggest  and recommends  avoiding\n21   multi-use areas to avoid conflict, posting signage back\n22   to  trapping  areas.   There  are  no  restrictions for\n23   placing  traps  on  or  in  close  proximity  to  these\n24   pullouts, rest areas or on  these roads.  These highway\n25   pullouts and rest areas are a very small portion of the\n26   actual highway miles in the area being considered.  The\n27   new  Sterling  Highway bypass  will  provide many  more\n28   miles  of  remote access.    There  are many  miles  of\n29   highway shoulder that a trapper can  safely pull off to\n30   set traps in close proximity to the highway with little\n31   chance of  user conflict.   ADF&G  Trappers Association\n32   and some  individual trappers and  most importantly the\n33   trapper code  of ethics  support, encourage  and direct\n34   trappers  to avoid  these  areas  where  there  may  be\n35   conflict  between user  groups.  This  is all  good and\n36   many trappers adhere closely to these guidelines.  Most\n37   trappers  will not  use signage  as they  say it  draws\n38   attention  to  their  trapline   and  exposes  them  to\n39   vandalism.   The problem is that  most trail users have\n40   no  idea identifying  active trapping  areas, and  many\n41   non-trappers  can\'t believe that trapping is allowed on\n42   and in close  proximity to public maintained,  publicly\n43   used and often  dedicated easement trails.   There have\n44   been 11  dogs trapped within  two miles of my  house in\n45   the last eight  years.  Most of these  dogs are trapped\n46   within 20  feet of a  road easement with no  signage of\n47   active trapping.   Five of these  dogs were trapped  by\n48   the same  trapper  who  considers  himself  an  ethical\n49   trapper  who will not post signage and checks his traps\n\n---\n\n21   \n25   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   only weekly.   Two dogs  were trapped at the  same trap\n2   set  location.   One dog  spent  four days  in a  trap,\n3   melting four  feet deep in  the snow --four  foot deep\n4   hole in the  snow before being released 100  yards from\n5   their owners property.  There  are no leash laws in any\n6   of these  areas.   Dog owners  are supposed  to control\n7   their  animals.    The  leashes  I  use   are  24  foot\n8   retractable and allow the dog  to be more than three to\n9   six feet from  the owner.  As traps can be set in close\n10   proximity or on a trail  this will not prevent trapping\n11   conflict.  The Sterling Highway through Cooper  Landing\n12   is one of the most highly used roads in the state.  I\'m\n13   horrified to consider an unsuspecting traveler stopping\n14   at a pullout  or rest area  to exercise themselves  and\n15   their dog  to be confronted  with their dog dying  in a\n16   conibear trap.  It\'s very  difficult to release a  dog,\n17   and  no signage  or indication of  legal trails  in the\n18   area.   At this time  it\'s completely legal to  place a\n19   trap in the middle of  a dedicated easement without any\n20   notification.\n\n22                   Thank you  so much  for your  time.   I\n23   hope you can consider this  for passage now, this is an\n24   important issue that needs to be dealt with.\n\n26                   Thank you so much for your time.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n29   taking the time to call  in and testify.  Any questions\n30   for the public testifier.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n36                   MR. PERRY:  Thank you again.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Next  in the  que is  Sandy Vanbrunt.   Sandy,  can you\n40   unmute your phone, you can --or unmute your --oh,  I\n41   see.\n\n43                   MS. VANBRUNT:  I am --can  you hear me\n44   now?\n\n46                   MS. LAVINE:  Yes, we can.\n\n48                   MS. VANBRUNT:  Okay.\n\n---\n\n6   \n8   \n14   \n23   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LAVINE:  Oh, Sandy, we need you to\n2   call back in  so we will  wait --oh,  are you on  your\n3   computer,  can you  speak.   Sandy,  we can\'t  hear you\n4   through  your computer so please call in and we\'ll give\n5   you a minute.\n\n7                   (Pause)\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:    So,  Sandy,  please  try\n10   calling in  one more time.   We heard you  briefly when\n11   you called in with your phone and you will need to mute\n12   your --okay, great, you  can speak into your  phone. \n13   You have the floor.\n\n15                   MS.  VANBRUNT:  Okay.  Thank you.  Good\n16   afternoon  --or  good  morning.    My name  is  Sandy\n17   Vanbrunt  and I\'m  presenting  testimony  on behalf  of\n18   Lorraine Temple,  President of the  Cooper Landing Safe\n19   Trails.  I\'m going to move away from my computer so you\n20   don\'t  get  that reverberation  from  two different  --\n21   unfortunately  Lorraine is unable  to be here  today so\n22   I\'m going to read her testimony.\n\n24                   My name  is  Lorraine  Temple  and  I\'m\n25   President of the Cooper Landing Safe Trails.  I am a 42\n26   year resident of the Kenai Peninsula and 22 of those in\n27   the Cooper  Landing area.  I am submitting testimony on\n28   Proposal  WP26-22, which  would regulate  trap setbacks\n29   for  certain roads and  highway pullouts in  the Cooper\n30   Landing area.  Cooper Landing residents  utilize public\n31   lands for many uses with recreation as its highest use.\n32   This  area has also  become a destination  for visiting\n33   recreationalists and that  number is growing.   As with\n34   any  area where there  is multiple  use there  has been\n35   some conflict, this  is why Cooper Landing  Safe Trails\n36   was  founded.    Our  goal  is  to  help  resolve  user\n37   conflicts  in a manner  that acknowledges  and respects\n38   these various uses.  We are here today to ask  for your\n39   support on  WP26-22 which  would require  the 100  yard\n40   setback  for trapping  snares  from  certain roads  and\n41   pullouts in the Cooper Landing area, with exception for\n42   non-lethal  traps set three  feet above ground  or snow\n43   level  enclosed underwater or  under ice.   We  ask for\n44   this  support of  this proposal  with  an amendment  to\n45   change  the 100  yards to the  50 yards.   In March the\n46   Alaska  Department  of  Fish and  Game,  Board  of Game\n47   passed a proposal, No. 145, which has the same language\n48   as 26-22  with an amendment  for the  50 yard  setback.\n49   This is why we are asking for the 50 yard amendment for\n\n---\n\n13   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   26-22.   Passage of WP26-22  would then align  with the\n2   new State of Alaska  regulations and would be  far less\n3   complicated for  the users.  Further  implementation of\n4   this  proposal will also align with U.S. Forest Service\n5   core values,  one of which  is to manage for  safety in\n6   every way, physical,  psychological and social.   While\n7   we have additional reasoning for  this proposal overall\n8   the core of our request is to help the public by having\n9   consistency  across   the  different   land  management\n10   agencies.   On behalf  of Cooper  Landing Safe  Trails,\n11   thank  you  for  your  consideration  of  WP26-22  with\n12   amendment.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Thank you for  your time to call in  and testify today,\n16   any questions.\n\n18                   (No comments)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n21   seeing none, appreciate it.  Any more Robbin.\n\n23                   MS. LAVINE:  (Shakes head negatively)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   That concludes\n26   our public testimony.  Council recommendation.\n\n28                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n29   Looking  back  at our  notes, it  was quite  a thorough\n30   discussion because we had many, many  comments, written\n31   and verbal, on both sides.\n\n33                   We specifically  took action on  19, so\n34   in  some ways  I can\'t help  you too much  on this one,\n35   however, I do have it in my notes and we had heard from\n36   Fish and  Game that the Board  of Game was going  to be\n37   taking  up those proposals, similar proposals.  I think\n38   we wanted  to wait to see how  that turned out and then\n39   ask  the Board to perhaps do  something similar, but in\n40   general  we   did  say  that  we   opposed  unnecessary\n41   restrictions on subsistence users.  We do have sympathy\n42   for dogs  getting injured,  of course,  but I  think we\n43   just want  to  look a  little bit  more at  consistency\n44   between the regulations.\n\n46                   Thank you.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n49   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n---\n\n16   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n2   For the record the Alaska Department  of Fish and Game,\n3   we  --I  don\'t  know if  that\'s quite  right.   So  in\n4   conversations  we had once  the Board met,  OSM reached\n5   out and asked about this  proposal going on to the non-\n6   consensus  agenda, in  my response  I  said, given  the\n7   action  that was just  taken and you  taking up similar\n8   actions   here  it  would  be  appropriate  to  have  a\n9   conversation so  the Board knew  what had been  done in\n10   our March  meeting.  As  far as how  that goes,  it was\n11   going  to be  up  to  you because  as  OSM has  already\n12   acknowledged,  it\'s different.   22 has beaches  in it,\n13   145  only had roads and pulloffs, so there\'s definitely\n14   some differences and also the Board of Game modified it\n15   for the 50 yard instead of the 100.\n\n17                   Knowing there\'s all these little things\n18   at play and in order to get it right, you know, I guess\n19   here\'s the  thing, is as  I know Member  Pendergast has\n20   said, he prefers to  vote it up or down and,  or if you\n21   guys want to defer, either  way it\'s going to happen in\n22   two  years because in order to support anything we like\n23   to  see the regulatory  --our own  regulatory language\n24   and then  see what comes  forward to the Board  just so\n25   it\'s  clear because as  you guys are  well familiar, if\n26   you guys do alignments we  tend to support those but in\n27   order  to do  that and  with, I  would say  100 percent\n28   confidence, knowing that  it is exactly what  our Board\n29   passed, it\'s probably a good idea not to take action on\n30   this one until at such time we have that certainty.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Forest Service.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Forest Service.\n\n38                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   Yeah, if  we were  to\n39   defer  action on this proposal, how  long would we need\n40   to go  in order  to understand  exactly the  regulatory\n41   language passed by the Board of Game?\n\n43                   MR.  MULLIGAN: So  --oh, through  the\n44   Chair,  Member  Ingersoll.     We  like  to   have  our\n45   regulations promulgated by June 30th because that\'s the\n46   new regulatory cycle and that\'s --but as soon as I get\n47   a final copy that we\'re comfortable with I can share it\n48   but we will know for sure once we get those approved by\n49   the Lt. Governor\'s office, which  given print schedule,\n\n---\n\n0619\n4   \n6   \n9   \n13   \n16   \n18   \n42   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   I\'m thinking it\'s  going to be by the  beginning of the\n2   June,  so you might not need to  defer it that long but\n3   that\'s up to you guys but that\'s our timeframe.\n\n5                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Thank you.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n8   State.  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n10                   MS.   LAVINE:      Mr.  Chair.      The\n11   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n12   comment.  Thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:         Board\n15   discussion.  Any more questions.\n\n17                   MS. CAMINER:  Mr. Chair.\n\n19                   MR.  WOODS:   So,  Mr.  Chair, and  the\n20   Council  and  OSM,  State  and  the  RAC,  adoption  of\n21   Proposal  WP26-19   would  allow   conservation  safety\n22   concern, but I have a question on adopting proposals of\n23   secondary recommendation from OSM and it\'s addressed in\n24   different parts of this analysis,  is, do away with all\n25   the other proposals  and that would include  18 through\n26   22 and  23 would  result in  Federal regulations  being\n27   more restrictive and those questions for me are hanging\n28   in the air on --I like the recommendation of deferring\n29   for a short period to catch up.   It\'s almost like a --\n30   if  anybody\'s been involved  in the State  process with\n31   RS2477,  that\'s exactly  what  we\'re  faced with  right\n32   here,  that there\'s  different restrictions,  different\n33   requirements and I\'m reluctant to  pass but I\'d like to\n34   see  defer  if  that  makes  passage  and  --it\'s  so\n35   complicated without a  map, so complicated without  the\n36   easements, it\'s a very needed clarification in not only\n37   State  and Federal regulations  but for user  groups to\n38   make it a more, not only safe, but enjoyable experience\n39   to  work and  operate  off our  trails, but  also we\'re\n40   going  to   provide  subsistence  opportunity   in  the\n41   trapping world.\n\n## 43 So, thank you.\n\n## 45 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Judy.\n\n47                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n48   Well,  I\'m just wondering, if the  Council or the Board\n49   could   take  these  proposals  up  once  we  have  the\n\n---\n\n7   \n15   \n25   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n50\n\n0620\n\n1   information  from  the  Board  of  Game,  could  it  be\n2   considered  somewhat out of cycle, either with the fall\n3   RAC  meetings or perhaps a special  action by the Board\n4   rather  than  waiting  a  couple  years  for  the  next\n5   wildlife cycle.  You probably don\'t have to answer that\n6   for me now but just something to think about.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:   Well, I --Mr. Chair,\n9   Kevin Pendergast,  BLM.   You know  I  was giving  some\n10   thought to timelines and we do have a fisheries meeting\n11   coming  up in a  little over a  year and that  might be\n12   kind  of a  middle  road providing  ample  time to  get\n13   things  aligned and so  forth so that\'s  something I\'ve\n14   been thinking over here.\n\n16                   MR.  INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.  I think in\n17   reference to Frank\'s comment,  several of these actions\n18   remain on  the consensus agenda.   So the  WP26-19 with\n19   modification is on the consensus agenda for support and\n20   then 18, 20, 21  and 23 are on the consensus  agenda to\n21   take no action so I believe if we take --if we were to\n22   take 22 and defer it for a future action we could --if\n23   it\'s  the  will of  the  Board, align  with  the recent\n24   action from the Board of Game.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Maybe  we just\n27   --at this time, I\'m hearing pretty much concurrence by\n28   the Board  that we can  entertain a motion to  defer at\n29   this time.\n\n31                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n\n34   floor.\n\n36                   MR. PENDERGAST:    BLM  moves  that  we\n37   defer  this  wildlife  proposal,  22,  until  the  2027\n38   fisheries  meeting.  The intent being hopefully to give\n39   the RAC time to work this at a little bit finer detail,\n40   the  State  regulation  will presumably  have  time  to\n41   attach and  it just  --I  appreciate the testimony,  I\n42   appreciate that the public safety  concerns that exist,\n43   I think in a certain sense those  probably have existed\n44   for awhile and may be on the uptick but I\'m not hearing\n45   that one year  is going to tip the scale one way or the\n46   other, but from the matter of good policy when I\'ve got\n47   five  different proposals before me and a pending State\n48   regulations, you know,  there\'s just so  many unknowns,\n49   it just seems a little irresponsible to kind of just --\n\n---\n\n0621\n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n42   \n47   \n50\n\n1   even though I like the  up or down votes, you  know, to\n2   go there right now.  So I\'m moving that we go ahead and\n3   defer.\n\n5                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   I  will  second BLM\'s\n6   motion having  to do  mainly with  the National  Forest\n7   system land.\n\n9                   (Laughter)\n\n11                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Oops,  sorry, yep, for\n12   stealing the motion.\n\n14                   (Laughter)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We all got each\n17   other\'s back.\n\n19                   (Laughter)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Motion\'s  been\n22   made to defer, any other deliberation or discussion.\n\n24                   (No comments)\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Any opposition\n27   to defer this motion.\n\n29                   (No opposing votes)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n32   seeing none, motion carries unanimous.  26-24.\n\n34                   MS. HOLMAN:   Again, hello,  Mr. Chair.\n35   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n36   Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  This will be a summary of\n37   the analysis for  Proposal WP24-2 --26-24  that can be\n38   found starting on Page 813  of your meeting book.  This\n39   proposal was submitted by the Eastern Interior Regional\n40   Advisory Council requesting to  increase the brown bear\n41   harvest limit to two bears in Unit 11.\n\n43                   The proponent states that this proposal\n44   would  provide  additional opportunity  for  Federally-\n45   qualified  subsistence   users   and   there   are   no\n46   conservation concerns for brown bears in the unit.\n\n48                   As far as regulatory history goes there\n49   was no Federal hunting for brown bears in Unit 11 prior\n\n---\n\n23   \n47   \n50\n\n1   to 1999  and the last  change was around 2016  when the\n2   Board allowed  for hunting  for brown  bears over  bait\n3   following the Board of Game adopting a similar proposal\n4   in 2015.  Management objectives for brown bears in Unit\n5   11  is to provide the greatest sustained opportunity to\n6   participate   in  hunting   them.    Brown   bears  are\n7   considered abundant in  Unit 11, frequent sightings  of\n8   females  with cubs suggest good productivity.  Based on\n9   incidental  observations  and harvest  locations  brown\n10   bears  habitat --brown  bears inhibit  --in --I\'m\n11   getting tongue-tied  here --inhabit most  of Unit  11\n12   except  the high  elevation  glaciers.    In  2019  the\n13   National  Park Service  conducted an aerial  survey for\n14   brown  bears that covered  much of Unit  11 preliminary\n15   results suggested that brown bear densities within Unit\n16   11 are  consistent  with recent  density  estimates  in\n17   nearby units.   Given  the low  yearly harvest,  access\n18   limitations and the large amount of habitat that serves\n19   as  refugia due to  a restricted eligibility  for users\n20   for  the  National  Park  Service  regulations  hunting\n21   likely  has  no   influence  on  brown  bear   numbers,\n22   composition, or productivity trends in the unit.\n\n24                   No  permits  or   harvest  tickets  are\n25   required to hunt brown bears  in Unit 11 under State or\n26   Federal  regulations.    Although  all harvested  brown\n27   bears are required  to be sealed within 30  days of the\n28   kill providing harvest  information.  Bait may  be used\n29   to  hunt brown  bears  under  both  State  and  Federal\n30   regulations.  Local residents defined as hunters living\n31   in Units 11 or  13 harvested an average of one  to five\n32   bears annually  from  2010  to 2013.    Over  the  same\n33   timeframe  they averaged  2.6  bears  per  year  or  25\n34   percent of the total report  harvest.  Info on this can\n35   be  found on Table 1 on Page  819 of your meeting book.\n36   While an annual harvest composed of at least 50 percent\n37   males is not  a management objective for  Unit 11, this\n38   metrics is monitored in Unit 11.  From 2014 to 2018 the\n39   percent of females in the reported harvest averaged 34.\n40   This can  be found,  again, on Table  --in Table  1 on\n41   Page   819.    Brown  morta  --brown  bear  mortality\n42   occurring as DLP in Unit  11 are typically --typically\n43   ranges from zero  to one bear in a  five year reporting\n44   period.   Unreported  human caused  mortality of  brown\n45   bears in Unit 11 is likely minimal given the relatively\n46   low levels of harvest pressure.\n\n48                   If this  proposal were  to be  adopted,\n49   the  brown bear harvest limit in Unit 11 would increase\n\n---\n\n11   \n23   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n47   \n50\n\n1   from   one   to   two  bears   increasing   subsistence\n2   opportunity.  This  proposal would increase  regulatory\n3   complexity by misaligning State  and Federal limits for\n4   brown bears in  Unit 11.  However, a  proposal could be\n5   submitted to  the State  for their  2027/2028 Board  of\n6   Game  cycle which considers this region.  A prohibition\n7   on  the take of  cubs and sows  with --of  cubs --and\n8   sows with cubs under both State and Federal regulations\n9   helps to  protect  the reproductive  component  of  the\n10   population and promit --and promote recruitment.\n\n12                   Additionally,  most of  the brown  bear\n13   harvest    is    by    non-Federally-qualified   users.\n14   Federally-qualified subsistence users have historically\n15   only harvested a few brown bears in Unit 11 and most --\n16   and must salvage  both the meat and the  hide.  Harvest\n17   is  not expected  to increase  substantially from  this\n18   additional  limit increase.    This proposal  increases\n19   subsistence opportunity  and there are  no conservation\n20   concerns due to the low harvest pressure of brown bears\n21   and brown bear populations that are considered abundant\n22   and healthy.\n\n24                   The OSM  conclusion is to  support this\n25   proposal.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Members of the Board.\n26   Happy to address any questions.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n29   Thank  you for that  presentation.  Any  questions from\n30   the Board for Staff.\n\n## 32 (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Appreciate it.\n35   Summary of written public comment.\n\n37                   MS.  HOLMAN:  So,  Mr. Chair, there was\n38   one  written public  comment  received  from the  Ahtna\n39   InterTribal   Resource   Commission   supporting   this\n40   proposal.   This proposal would change --this proposed\n41   change   would   provide    greater   flexibility   and\n42   opportunity for Federally-qualified  subsistence users.\n43   Brown bears are an important part of the Ahtna cultural\n44   traditions  --is  a short part  of what  their comment\n45   included.   I\'ll let them add additional detail to that\n46   if they would like when they come up.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n49   Summary of tribal, ANCSA Corporation.\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n10   --\n13   \n16   \n18   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n30                   (Laughter)\n31   \n34   \n38   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  LIND:     Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n2   During  the  August  consultation  sessions  we  had  a\n3   representative from Ahtna  who were in support  of that\n4   proposal.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n7   Orville.  Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair.   Karen Linnell\noh, actually she did not put her name down for 24 --\n11   actually --sorry --sorry, not for 24 so --and I do\n12   not see anyone with their hands raised online.\n\n14                   MS.  LINNELL:   Are  you calling  me or\n15   not?\n\n17                   MS. LAVINE:  Nope.\n\n19                   (Laughter)\n\n21                   MS. LAVINE:  Nope.\n\n23                   MS. LINNELL:  Okay.\n\n25                   (Laughter)\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Get your steps\n28   in Auntie.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Advisory group\n33   testimony, SRC, State Advisory, multi-agency.\n\n35                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair,  we  do have\n36   comments from  the Wrangell-St.  Elias Advisory  Group.\n37   Just one moment.\n\n39                   For  Wildlife Proposals  26-24, 25,  26\n40   and 71  increase the  harvest limit of  brown bears  in\n41   Units  11, 12 and 13.   The Wrangell-St. Elias National\n42   Park   Subsistence   Resource   Commission  unanimously\n43   supported a group of  proposals increasing the  harvest\n44   limit  of brown  bear in  Units  11, 12  and 13  with a\n45   modification  requesting that  monitoring continues  of\n46   brown bear  populations.  Many  observations have shown\n47   that brown bear have been doing well in these units but\n48   it is important to prevent overharvest.  Increasing the\n49   harvest limit will allow for more harvest opportunities\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   for local subsistence users.\n\n3                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n6   Robbin.   Any public  testimony here  or online  please\n7   raise your hand.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  RAC Chair.\n\n13                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n14   Southcentral.  This proposal is an area which is really\n15   challenging for hunter  access and that will  limit the\n16   harvest.  Any additional harvest could help local moose\n17   and caribou populations.   Additionally, there is local\n18   tribal support.   And as Robbin just  said, Subsistence\n19   Resource  Commission  for  the  Park  Service  for  the\n20   proposal as well as from the Ahtna InterTribal Resource\n21   Commission.       This    would   provide    additional\n22   opportunities   for   Federally-qualified   subsistence\n23   users.   The Council  noted that while  there is  not a\n24   conservation concern  regarding brown  bear populations\n25   it\'s  always  good  to  have  additional  monitoring if\n26   finances allow.   Again,  it\'s very  inaccessible, very\n27   low  harvest  pressure, this  is  kind of  compensatory\n28   mortality, not additional  mortality.   Agree with  the\n29   SRC   about   the  continued   monitoring   and  ensure\n30   conservation  concerns do not  develop.  And  we always\n31   appreciate our relationship  with the Ahtna InterTribal\n32   Resource Commission,  they supply a  lot of information\n33   to the RAC  and to the Board that\'s  very valuable.  So\n34   as long as they support  it we also feel comfortable in\n35   supporting this as well.\n\n## 37 Thank you.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n40   Judy.  Eastern Interior.\n\n42                   MS.  MCDAVID:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n43   Brooke McJesus,  Eastern Interior  Council Coordinator.\n44   The  Eastern Interior Council  voted to take  no action\n45   and  defer to  the home  Council but  they did  want to\n46   submit a comment just for consideration to the Board.\n\n48                   EIRAC   actually   did    submit   this\n49   proposal, they have C&T for this area for and folks who\n\n---\n\n0626\n23   \n26   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   live  in  Unit  12  have  C&T  for  this  part  of  the\n2   Southcentral region.    Their intent  was  to  increase\n3   subsistence opportunity but they ultimately decided not\n4   to take action  on this proposal since it\'s  outside of\n5   their  region and  there were  some constraints  during\n6   their  meeting.   Although they  deferred  to the  home\n7   region, they did just want  to note that this  proposal\n8   would misalign State and Federal regulations so perhaps\n9   consider  --maybe  the  Southcentral  Council   could\n10   consider  a Board  of  Game  proposal  in  the  future.\n11   Additionally, the Council agrees with the comments that\n12   were  submitted  by  the  Ahtna  InterTribal   Resource\n13   Commission  and the Wrangell-St. Elias SRC that if this\n14   proposal  is  adopted   there  needs  to  be   improved\n15   monitoring  of brown  bear populations  in  Unit 11  in\n16   coordination with  AITRC and other  local stakeholders.\n17   Brown bear population  information is severely  lacking\n18   and the Council expressed concerns about increasing the\n19   harvest limit  without a way  to assess the  impacts to\n20   the  population.     They   also   noted  the   Federal\n21   Subsistence  Board  cannot guarantee  monitoring  would\n22   occur if this proposal is adopted.\n\n24                   So  thank  you  for  considering  their\n25   comments.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   questions from the Board.\n\n## 30 (No comments)\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n33   seeing none, Department of Fish and Game.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish and  Game\n37   opposes this proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n38   regulations.  We did look back in to the records and we\n39   haven\'t seen  a similar proposal  at the Board  of Game\n40   for  at least  the last  few  cycles.   Thank you,  Mr.\n41   Chair.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n44   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n46                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n47   ISC provided the standard comment.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n\n---\n\n0627\n3   \n5   \n8   \n13   \n16   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n50\n\n1   Robbin.   Board discussion with their Liaisons, Council\n2   Chair and State rep.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n7   seeing none we\'ll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n9                   MR. STRIKER:  Mr. Chair.   The National\n10   Park Service moves to adopt  WP26-24 and if I receive a\n11   second I\'ll explain why I  intend to vote in support of\n12   my motion.\n\n14                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n15   supports.\n\n18                   MR. STRIKER:  Thank you.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Seconds.\n\n22                   (Laughter)\n\n24                   MR. STRIKER:  The National Park Service\n25   supports  WP26-24  in  deference  to  the  Southcentral\n26   Subsistence Regional  Advisory Council.  No  impacts to\n27   the Unit 11 brown bear are expected from this proposal.\n28   Unit  11 is  a  very large  remote  area and  currently\n29   experiences very low harvest  pressure for brown  bear.\n30   While no  formal population assessments  have occurred,\n31   brown  bear  populations  in  Unit  11  are  considered\n32   generally abundant, healthy and well distributed across\n33   the unit.   Federally-qualified subsistence  users have\n34   historically only harvested a few brown bears from Unit\n35   11 and must salvage both meat for human consumption and\n36   the hide.   Harvest  is not  expected to  substantially\n37   increase by --to increase substantially  by increasing\n38   the subsistence harvest  limit to two  bears.  It  will\n39   allow those that do hunt  brown bear for food though to\n40   harvest two if  they wish to do so.  The prohibition on\n41   the take  of cubs and  sows with cubs under  both State\n42   and Federal regulations will remain and help to protect\n43   the  reproductive component  of the  population.   Park\n44   Service also  agrees with  Councils recommendation  and\n45   others  recommendation   that   while   there   is   no\n46   conservation  concern right  now  regarding brown  bear\n47   populations  in  the  unit,   we  do  desperately  need\n48   additional  monitoring  of  the  population  to  ensure\n49   sustainable harvest.  The proposal is further supported\n\n---\n\n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n31   \n34   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   by Wrangell-St. Elias  Subsistence Resource Commission.\n2   Many local observations  by that group have  also shown\n3   that brown bears  are doing well and as  you heard they\n4   also  encourage additional  monitoring to  prevent over\n5   harvest.   Increasing the  harvest limit,  bottom line,\n6   will allow  for more  harvest  opportunities for  local\n7   subsistence users.\n\n9                   Thank you.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don.\n12   Questions, comments, deliberation.\n\n14                   (No comments)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none,\n17   please read into the record and roll call.\n\n19                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n20   Wildlife  Proposal 26-24.  Forest Service Member --oh,\n21   Park Service Member Striker.\n\n23                   MR. STRIKER: Park Service supports.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n26   Ingersoll.\n\n28                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n29   in deference  to the RAC  and to our colleagues  in the\n30   Park Service.\n\n32                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public  Member Pitka via\n33   Mr. Woods.\n\n35                   MR. WOODS:  Mr. Woods votes in favor of\n36   the  recommendations  of  the RAC  and  information, no\n37   conservation  concern,  and  provides  opportunity  and\n38   thank you.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Mr. Woods, that was your\n41   vote, correct?\n\n43                   MR. WOODS:  Yes.\n\n45                   MS. LEONETTI:   Would you like  to vote\n46   your proxy for Rhonda Pitka.\n\n48                   MR. WOODS:  Voting for Ms. Pitka I also\n49   would concur and approve for reasons stated.  Thanks.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n10   \n12   \n20   \n22   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Thank you.\n\n3                   Fish   and   Wildlife   Service  Member\n4   Boario.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n7   votes  in  support  for the  reasons  outlined  by Park\n8   Service  Member  Striker  and   in  deference  to   the\n9   Southcentral Subsistence Regional Advisory Council.\n\n## 11 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n13                   MS. JOHN:   BIA  votes  to support  the\n14   National  Park Service motion  and in deference  to the\n15   Southcentral  RAC.   We  concur   with  the   Council\'s\n16   justification  plus we  support  the Ahtna  InterTribal\n17   Resources Commission on this  proposed regulation which\n18   would provide additional  subsistence opportunities for\n19   rural users in the area.\n\n## 21 MS. LEONETTI: Public Member Oney.\n\n23                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n24   to  support  WP26-24  in  deference  to  the  RACs  and\n25   National Park Service.\n\n27                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n29                   MR.  PAYENNA:     In  concurrence  with\n30   comments submitted by the Park Service and in deference\n31   to the RAC I support WP26-24.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n35                   MR.  PENDERGAST:     BLM  supports  for\n36   reasons stated by the Park Service.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Support.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n43   passes unanimously.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   We\'re going to take a little break --1:00 o\'clock.\n\n48                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n11   \n15   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n28   \n31   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n## 1 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Yes.\n\n3                   MS.  LAVINE:    Can   I  just  make  an\n4   announcement as we break for a shortened lunch, we have\n5   50  minutes and  so  if  you have  not  got your  lunch\n6   organized and you need time, OSM Staff is willing to do\n7   a head count and order pizza locally.  You\'ll just need\n8   to support the order.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n## 10 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you.\n\n12                   MS. GREDIAGIN:   Yeah, and,  Gisela, do\n13   you  want to stand up and raise  your hand, if you want\n14   pizza talk to Gisela, thanks.  Thank you, Gisela.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n17   That sounds  good.   1:00  o\'clock, we\'ll  just take  a\n18   short break.  1:00 o\'clock.\n\n20                   (Off record)\n\n22                   (On record)\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Good afternoon.\n25   That was  a  refreshing lunch  break.   Before  we  get\n26   started  with the  next proposal  we\'re  going to  have\n27   Robbin give a little update on something.\n\n29                   UNIDENTIFIED  SPEAKER:   A student  art\n30   contest.\n\n32                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  For\n33   those of you  --our Board members,  our Council Chairs\n34   and representatives and  our ISC members, for  those of\n35   you  that have voting  slips in your  meeting materials\n36   this is  your last opportunity  to vote on  the student\n37   art contest.  Please do so within the next hour and get\n38   your  voting  form to  Caron McKee.   Hopefully  we can\n39   tally and announce the winners before we adjourn.\n\n41                   Thank you.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n44   Robbin.  WP26-27.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, WP26-27  was\n47   withdrawn.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  WP26-28.\n\n---\n\n6   \n15   \n21   \n27   \n34   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair, Members of the\n2   Board.     For  the   record  Kendra  Holman,  Wildlife\n3   Biologist with OSM.  This  is a summary of the analysis\n4   for  Wildlife  Proposal  WP26-28a  that  can  be  found\n5   starting on Page 847 of your meeting book.\n\n7                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n8   Southcentral   Alaska    Regional   Advisory    Council\n9   requesting  to extend  the closing  date  of the  moose\n10   season in  Unit 11  to September  30th.   The proponent\n11   states that this proposal would extend the moose season\n12   to  compensate for  changes in  climate  and allow  for\n13   additional   harvest   opportunity    and   provide   a\n14   subsistence priority.\n\n16                   There have been many regulation changes\n17   since the Federal regulations were established in 1992.\n18   Most recently  in July of  2020 the Board  adopted with\n19   modification temporary  --oh, sorry. Ignore  that one.\n20   I added something in there I shouldn\'t have.\n\n22                   In   2022  the   Board  established   a\n23   community harvest system for moose and caribou in Units\n24   11  and  13  administered   by  the  Ahtna  Intertribal\n25   Resource  Commission  by   adopting  deferred  proposal\n26   WP18-19.\n\n28                   The   moose    population   has    been\n29   considered low density  across Unit 11 for  many years.\n30   High  brown  bear  and  wolf  numbers  in  Unit 11  may\n31   contribute  to the low calf:cow ratios observed in this\n32   unit, as well  as the overall  low, but stable  density\n33   moose population.\n\n35                   The State management objective for Unit\n36   11 is to maintain a population with a post hunt --post\n37   fall  hunt minimum bull:cow ratio of 30 bulls:100 cows.\n38   ADF&G conducts  aerial surveys along the  western slope\n39   of  Mt. Drum  in  Unit  11 about  every  other year  to\n40   determine population and composition trends. While this\n41   survey area only  comprises a small portion of Unit 11,\n42   it is a  long-term consistent data set  and provides an\n43   index for moose status in  Unit 11 unit-wide.  This can\n44   be found on Table 1 of Page 855 of your meeting book.\n\n46                   With  low  hunting   pressure,  limited\n47   access and  relatively low  levels of  predator harvest\n48   the  moose  population  is  expected  to  remain  at  a\n49   relatively  stable  but low  density.   Bull:cow ratios\n\n---\n\n0632\n3   \n11   \n16   \n25   \n32   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n1   remain  well above  management  objectives while  other\n2   matrixes remain stable.\n\n4                   Wrangell-St.  Elias  conducts  periodic\n5   moose  surveys across Unit 11  and portions of Unit 12.\n6   The results of these surveys can be found on Table 2 on\n7   Page 855 of your meeting  book.  The most recent survey\n8   results established a record low number of moose at  an\n9   almost 40  percent  decline from  the previous  survey,\n10   which was in 2013.\n\n12                   Harvest   from   2000-2024   the  moose\n13   averaged  55 per year,  which included an  estimated 10\n14   unreported harvested.  Harvest information can be found\n15   on Table 3 of Page 858 of your meeting book.\n\n17                   From 2014-2024  Federal permits  FM1106\n18   and FM1107  averaged 15  percent success  rate and  the\n19   joint Federal/State permit RM291  averaged a 16 percent\n20   success rate.   Figure  1 on Page  857 of  your meeting\n21   book shows  the moose harvest  during each week  of the\n22   general  season,   State  harvest  ticket  in  Unit  11\n23   Remainder.  Specifically  on average 58 percent  of the\n24   harvest occurs during the last two weeks of the season.\n\n26                   While    this    proposal     increases\n27   subsistence opportunity there is a conservation concern\n28   for  the Unit 11  moose population, which  has declined\n29   substantially in recent years.   Increasing harvest  in\n30   Unit 11  moose population  is not  recommended at  this\n31   time.  The OSM conclusion is to oppose this proposal.\n\n33                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.  Members  of the\n34   Board.  I\'d be happy to address any questions.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n37   questions for Staff on this one?\n\n39                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n42   floor.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n45   I\'ve  heard and read the statement moose population has\n46   declined  substantially in recent years.  I\'m trying to\n47   find out where can I  find that information in the book\n48   other than just  a statement?  I\'m looking  at Table 2,\n49   but  I don\'t  think that\'s  --that\'s just  kind of  a\n\n--', 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '8ba6ba6b-26bc-48e1-b968-03399472f6b8', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_3.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:36:03.109605+00:00', 'content_hash': '1e654f5d32fe001b5470091b2d0e7b1e67d3f4edfdefb99ad3789f52c9a3e8a2'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.24.26'}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "0001\n2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n38   \n39   \n40   \n41   \n42   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1                  FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                           VOLUME I\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 21, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n44   Recorded and transcribed by:\n45   Computer Matrix Court Reporters, LLC\n46   329 F Street, Suite 222\n47   Anchorage, AK  99501\n48   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n12   \n20   \n25   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/21/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Welcome to the Wildlife\n8   regulatory meeting of the Federal Subsistence Board. \n9   (In Native) my Yup'ik name is Ciiquq, I also go by\n10   Crystal Leonetti and I'm the Director for Office of\n11   Subsistence Management.\n\n13                   I have a few announcements to make\n14   before the meeting gets underway.  This meeting of the\n15   Federal Subsistence Board and the public process we\n16   rely upon is crucial to upholding the Alaska National\n17   Interest Lands Conservation Act, Title VIII, and to\n18   support the rural priority for subsistence hunting,\n19   trapping and fishing on Federal public lands in Alaska.\n\n21                   This meeting is being recorded and\n22   transcribed.  Anything you say to the Board will become\n23   a part of the public record.  Transcripts will be\n24   available on our website.\n\n26                   For those attending our meeting in\n27   person please make sure you sign-in at the table just\n28   outside the meeting room doors.  There's a sign-in\n29   sheet for each day of the meeting and we'd appreciate\n30   if you would sign-in each day that you are here.  For\n31   those joining online the agenda and meeting materials\n32   can be found online at doi.gov\\subsistence\\board under\n33   the meetings tab.\n\n35                   Our progress through the agenda will be\n36   updated daily on the web.\n\n38                   For those online please remember to\n39   mute yourselves when you are not addressing the Board. \n40   If you are calling in on your phone you can press star,\n41   six to mute yourself or use the mute feature on Teams.\n\n43                   This is a regulatory meeting and the\n44   Board will be discussing and deliberating on proposals\n45   to change wildlife regulations for 2026 to 2028 as well\n46   as reviewing existing closures that are up for review. \n47   There will be an opportunity for tribal and public\n48   comments during that proposal periods.  You can see the\n49   steps of the proposal presentation procedure on the\n\n---\n\n26   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1   non-consensus agenda.  There will be an opportunity for\n2   public to comment on non-agenda items at the beginning\n3   of each day starting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22nd. \n4   The Chair will announce this each morning and that will\n5   be an opportunity for those present as well as those\n6   participating on the phone to speak on non-agenda\n7   items.  We would ask you hold any comments on proposals\n8   or agenda items until such time as they come up before\n9   the Board so that the Board will hear all pertinent\n10   information at the time they're working on that item. \n11   However the Chair can make exceptions.  This is a very\n12   full agenda with 78 wildlife proposals, 46 of those on\n13   the non-consensus agenda and 17 closure reviews.  This\n14   is definitely the most proposals the Board has seen at\n15   any meeting in the last 10 years.  We recognize there\n16   are many large issues like the Park Service proposed\n17   rule, Public Land Order 5150, a request for\n18   reconsideration on Ketchikan Rural, the Federal\n19   Subsistence Management Program review and Fisheries\n20   issues at large that we all care about.  We're going to\n21   have an update from the Department of Interior, Senior\n22   Advisor for Alaska, on the program review later this\n23   week.  There is still outstanding requests for tribal\n24   consultation that are being honored, but this isn't the\n25   venue to provide input on the review.\n\n27                   So with that full agenda we're going to\n28   ask you to keep your comments very succinct and to the\n29   point so that we don't go --we don't have to go late\n30   into the evenings or late on Friday.\n\n32                   This way of life, living with and in\n33   relationship to the land is precious for so many people\n34   across Alaska.  In this program we're limited in how we\n35   can support it.  It is bigger than just fish and\n36   wildlife.  Updating publicly informed fish and wildlife\n37   is the focus and the authority of the Federal\n38   Subsistence Management Program.  We ask to remain\n39   focused, succinct and focus on the most important\n40   aspects of the regulations in front of us this week.\n\n42                   If you would like to address the Board\n43   during the meeting for folks in the room please fill\n44   out a blue testifier form that you'll find at the front\n45   table.  This helps us keep track of anyone who'd like\n46   to speak regarding a specific agenda item.  If you are\n47   online using the Teams platform you can raise your hand\n48   by pressing the button.  If you're calling in you may\n49   raise your hand by pressing star, five.  If you would\n\n---\n\n16   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   like to email your comments in you may do that as well\n2   by emailing [email protected].  If you're unable\n3   to stay with us until the public comment opportunity is\n4   open for the particular proposal you'd like to address\n5   you may consider submitting a written comment instead. \n6   You can do that by emailing your comment to that same\n7   email address, [email protected].  You need to\n8   indicate your name, affiliation and what proposal or\n9   closure your comment addresses.  Written comments will\n10   be accepted until the start of the presentation of each\n11   proposal or closure review analysis.  We will share\n12   those with the Board.  When you address the Board\n13   please state your name for the record before making a\n14   comment or presenting a topic.  This helps us get an\n15   accurate record of our meeting.\n\n17                   Our meetings are conducted by Robert's\n18   Rules which helps us provide structure and maintain\n19   order throughout the meeting.  All participants, Board,\n20   Staff and public members are expected to be courteous\n21   and respectful in all interactions as a matter of\n22   meeting etiquette.  It's understood that the nature of\n23   some of the issues discussed at these meetings can be\n24   difficult and controversial.  We are all here because\n25   we care about subsistence and we all need to strive\n26   together to work on issues before us.  Although some\n27   comments shared throughout this meeting may be\n28   passionate no insults will be tolerated.\n\n30                   So with that, Mr. Chair, I'll do a roll\n31   call to establish quorum.\n\n33                   Chair Tony Christianson.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Present.\n\n37                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member Charlie\n38   Brower is excused from this meeting.\n\n40                   Public member Chief Rhonda Pitka.\n\n42                   MS. PITKA:  Here.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  U.S. Fish and Wildlife\n45   Service, Sara Boario.\n\n47                   MS. BOARIO:  Good morning.  Present.\n\n49                   MS. LEONETTI:  National Park Service,\n\n---\n\n0005\n1   Don Striker.\n2   \n3                   MR. STRIKER:  Present.\n4   \n7   \n9   \n12   \n14   \n17   \n18                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Present.\n19   \n21   Woods.\n22   \n23                   MR. WOODS:  Here.\n24   \n27   \n28                   MR. ONEY:  Here.\n29   \n32   \n34   \n44   \n50\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:  Bureau of Indian\n6   Affairs, Jolene John.\n\n8                   MS. JOHN:  (In Native)\n\n10                   MS. LEONETTI:  U.S. Forest Service,\n11   Jerry Ingersoll.\n\n13                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Good morning.  Present.\n\n15                   MS. LEONETTI:  Bureau of Land\n16   Management, Kevin Pendergast.\n\n20                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member, Frank\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member, Raymond\n26   Oney.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Public member, Ben\n31   Payenna.\n\n33                   MR. PAYENNA:  I am here.\n\n35                   MS. LEONETTI:  Thank you.  And, Mr.\n36   Chair, we do have a quorum.  I'll also note that we\n37   have our Department of Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n38   here.  We also have on the line U.S. Forest Service\n39   General Counsel, Randall Lockyear.  We are joined by\n40   Alaska Department of Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner,\n41   Ben Mulligan and Subsistence Liaison, Aaron Poetter. \n42   And all of the RAC Chairs that are present here in the\n43   room and online.  We have a quorum.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n46   that, Crystal.  And then we'll just begin.  Welcome\n47   everybody this morning to the Federal Subsistence Board\n48   Wildlife meeting and look forward to a productive\n49   meeting.  Crystal said all the detailed stuff and so we\n\n---\n\n0006\n10   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n40   \n50\n\n1   just try to put out as a precursor to the meeting just\n2   what the expectations are so that you're --you're\n3   informed and know when you can testify and do what you\n4   need to do to get yourself heard here on the record. \n5   And so we welcome the new Board members to this\n6   meeting, the new rural and tribal seat members as well\n7   as the actings that we have sitting here.  We\n8   appreciate the service that we work on here as we focus\n9   on the --setting regulations on the public lands.\n\n11                   And so with that we look to review and\n12   adopt the agenda at this time.\n\n14                   MR. WOODS:  Move to approve.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yeah, Robbin.\n\n18                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,\n19   members of the Board.  This is Robbin Lavine,\n20   Subsistence Policy Coordinator.  And I have a couple of\n21   changes to the agenda that I'm aware of, but before we\n22   move forward with that I would like to request a pause. \n23   There are a couple of --we want to connect to the\n24   screens and the meeting appropriately.  If you'd give\n25   us about five minutes.\n\n27                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Five minutes.\n\n31                   (Off record)\n\n33                   (On record)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right.  We\n36   apologize about the technical difficulties.  We're\n37   going to go ahead and resume again where we left off\n38   and we were reviewing and adopting the agenda so we'll\n39   go ahead and return it back to Robbin Lavine.\n\n41                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,\n42   members of the Board.  OSM has --is aware of a couple\n43   of modifications to the agenda, some that OSM would\n44   like to request and I think other Board members or\n45   members of the Federal Subsistence Management Program\n46   have some suggested changes as well.  So I'd like to\n47   bring those forward.  And before I talk about changes\n48   or modifications to the agenda I want to make an\n49   announcement on the order of our regions that we are\n\n---\n\n0007\n10   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n50\n\n1   taking up the proposals in.  And we are starting for\n2   the very first time with North Slope and we are working\n3   through the proposals in consecutive order by --from\n4   the North Slope to Eastern Interior, et cetera, et\n5   cetera, all the way down, finishing with Southeast on\n6   the last day.  And we are printing up some agendas with\n7   the order of the proposals as we take them up during\n8   the meeting and they will be available at the front\n9   desk or in the back of the room.\n\n11                   So with that announcement made there\n12   are a couple of items that I would like to request for\n13   OSM is that we defer the Wood Bison Management Plan to\n14   the summer work session.  That will give more time for\n15   that discussion during the work session and also with\n16   Chairs in attendance hopefully.  We are also requesting\n17   to defer 26-01 to the Fisheries regulatory meeting.  If\n18   deferred the Board may want to consider any changes\n19   that might need to be made in actions on Wildlife\n20   proposals 26-10, 26-13(b) and 14, 27, 28(a), 43/44, 51,\n21   61 and 62(b) which is on the consensus agenda and 65. \n22   These are things that OSM Staff is tracking and we\n23   imagine that the suggested changes would be more\n24   administrative than --something easy that hopefully we\n25   might be able to deal with at the time that we take up\n26   those proposals.\n\n28                   Those are the changes that I want to\n29   note and request the Board approve.  And I believe\n30   there are other requests for changes to the agenda that\n31   Board members can bring forward.\n\n33                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Robbin,\n36   the floor is open for Board members.\n\n38                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.  Kevin\n39   Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management.  I do have a\n40   request to withdraw one proposal.  Mr. Chair, I request\n41   withdrawing Wildlife proposal 26-27 from the agenda. \n42   This was BLM proposed.  BLM submitted the proposal with\n43   the intent of providing the BLM Glennallen Field Office\n44   in-season manager with more flexibility in managing the\n45   Nelchina Caribou Herd by delegating the manager the\n46   authority to set harvest limits on Federal lands in\n47   Unit 13 remainder.  In an effort to reduce regulatory\n48   complexity and provide the in-season manager with the\n49   same management flexibilities it has in Unit 13A and B,\n\n---\n\n0008\n13   \n16   \n19   \n30   \n32   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   BLM also requests delegating the manager with the\n2   authority to set sex restrictions.  In its comments the\n3   Alaska Department of Fish and Game opposed this\n4   proposal because the Nelchina Herd has not recovered to\n5   a level in which any proposed liberalization of the\n6   Federal regulations should be considered.  It's not\n7   expected for the herd to recover to such population\n8   level for at least another year.  BLM would therefore\n9   like to have more time to consult and coordinate with\n10   Fish and Game as well as AITRC, the National Park\n11   Service and other stakeholders before deciding the best\n12   plan for co-management of the herd.\n\n14                   So again for that reason we'd request\n15   to change and withdraw Wildlife proposal 26-27.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n18   Kevin.  Any other Board members, changes?\n\n20                   MR. STRIKER:  I'm a little bit out of\n21   my depth here so I'll ask for my fellow Board members\n22   to help me out.  We did get a request yesterday to\n23   remove 66, 67 and 69 from the consent agenda and to put\n24   it on the regular agenda.  I think that perhaps only 66\n25   is relevant in this case for reasons that we can get\n26   into when we actually have the conversation, but I\n27   would request that we also consider moving those off of\n28   the consent agenda and having them as part of the\n29   conversation.\n\n## 31 Thank you.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  And we'll get\n34   to that procedurally when we get to that portion of the\n35   agenda and it will be an opportunity for us then.  So\n36   that will probably be this afternoon as we start to get\n37   into that presentation from the Staff and do that.  So\n38   there's another opportunity here, this is just the\n39   first stab at that.\n\n41                   Thank you, Don.\n\n43                   Any other Board action request,\n44   deferral.\n\n46                   (No comments)\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Hearing and\n49   seeing none, move to adopt the agenda as presented\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n10   \n18   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n40   \n44   \n50\n\n```\n1   with.....\n```\n\n3                   MR. WOODS:  So moved.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So moved.  Can\n6   I get a second?\n\n8                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife Service\n9   seconds.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Can we --and\n12   just so the record reflects that we are reviewing and\n13   adopting by second a request to change the agenda to\n14   defer the Wood Management Bison Plan to the summer work\n15   session, defer WP26-01 to the Fisheries regulatory\n16   meeting and then to withdraw the BLM 26-27 Wildlife\n17   proposal.\n\n19                   All in favor signify by saying aye.\n\n21                   IN UNISON:  Aye.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Opposed same\n24   sign.\n\n26                   (No opposing votes)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Motion carries\n29   unanimous to accept the agenda with the changes.\n\n31                   Thank you.  Next we move into Board\n32   information sharing session.  Board members and OSM\n33   Director, this is an opportunity for the Board members\n34   here that represent different agencies to share things\n35   that they have going on that affect the --this\n36   program, the way of life and then --and then what it\n37   is that they're mandated to manage.  So at this time\n38   we'll go ahead and open the floor and maybe we'll start\n39   down with Jerry.\n\n41                   I --do we have a list?  Oh, wait,\n42   sorry.  Yeah.  We're good.  Crystal will take over\n43   after this.\n\n45                   Jerry, you got it.  He --we're going\n46   to let Jerry go first because Jerry is the winner of\n47   jeopardy, Federal Subsistence Board big game we played,\n48   I was real competitive.  We were talking about --but,\n49   yeah, there's our winner of jeopardy, Jerry.  Welcome.\n\n---\n\n11   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n2   And it is an honor to be here and to be taking part in\n3   these deliberations.  And I say that because I will be\n4   retiring from Federal service next week on April 30th\n5   after serving 38 and a half years with the Forest\n6   Service.  And I have to say that the work on the\n7   Subsistence Program is among the highlights of my\n8   career because this work matters to Alaskans and to\n9   rural communities and to Native and non-Native\n10   residents and I believe in this work.\n\n12                   The Forest Service is also going\n13   through a reorganization.  And I want to assure you\n14   that we will continue to have an active role and play\n15   an active role in subsistence management.  The position\n16   of Regional Forester is planned to be abolished and\n17   that is the position that I am acting in today, but\n18   there will be a State Director for Alaska in the new\n19   organization and that position has just been advertised\n20   yesterday.  And we'll receive competitive applications\n21   and the agency intends to move as quickly as reasonably\n22   possible to fill that job.  In the interim between my\n23   retirement and when that position is filled, the\n24   Regional Forester in Portland will provide coverage for\n25   Alaska.  The Deputy Regional Forester in Juneau will be\n26   delegated the authority to act as Acting Regional\n27   Forester for the purposes of subsistence management and\n28   of course our outstanding Staff continues to work in\n29   this field.  So I want to provide assurance that my\n30   retirement will not interrupt our commitment to this\n31   program and our engagement with the rest of you.\n\n33                   Thank you very much.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you and\n36   congratulations with your retirement.  Appreciate your\n37   service on here, Jerry.\n\n39                   All right.  Next we've got Mr. Striker.\n\n41                   MR. STRIKER:  Wow, was that just\n42   anticipation.  Thank you, Crystal.\n\n44                   Don Striker with the National Park\n45   Service.  Good to see everybody.  I echo Jerry's\n46   sentiment in the importance of these proceedings and\n47   this process.  It's one of the highlights of my career\n48   too and I take the responsibility really, really\n49   seriously.  On that note I'm sure many people have\n\n---\n\n9   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   noticed that the National Park Service recently\n2   proposed a draft regulation for hunting and trapping in\n3   national park system units in Alaska.  Originally this\n4   was a 30 day review period, about a week ago Friday we\n5   decided to extend the comment period so the comment\n6   period for that rule is now this Friday.  And you can\n7   see in the listing in the Federal Register all the\n8   different ways that you can send comments in on that.\n\n10                   I would like to take the opportunity to\n11   remind folks here though that our responsibilities and\n12   regulations guiding consultation doesn't have a\n13   deadline.  So even though there's a hard deadline for\n14   getting written comments in on this rule, whether it's\n15   the State or the ANCs or any other entity that wishes\n16   to do consultation with the National Park Service, we\n17   will continue that consultation throughout the process\n18   of the draft, the review of the comments on the reg,\n19   publication of a final regulation, et cetera, et\n20   cetera, et cetera, and that's not going to happen fast. \n21   So I offer this because although it was unintended I\n22   should have noticed that this particular rule coming\n23   out at the same time that there was a review of Federal\n24   Subsistence Board activities put squarely in the\n25   spotlight any effort anywhere that has anything\n26   potentially to do with subsistence and that has served\n27   to be a third rail for me in the last couple of --in\n28   the last couple of weeks.  I should have seen that\n29   coming, I just totally whiffed on it.  So everybody has\n30   plenty of opportunity to continue to consult with me is\n31   the take home message.\n\n33                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n37                   Raymond, Mr. Oney.\n\n39                   MR. ONEY:  Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  My\n40   name is Raymond Oney, my Yup'ik name is (in Native). \n41   I'm from the village of Alakanuk on the mouth of the\n42   Yukon River that spills out into the Bering Sea.  I've\n43   been a lifelong resident of the Yukon.  I'd like to\n44   thank my family for allowing me to come to meetings\n45   like this.  It's been hard over the year, but I'm very\n46   fortunate that my wife has allowed me to come to these\n47   meetings.  I want to thank the people from the YK area\n48   also too for all their support over the years serving\n49   as the YKRAC member.  I learned a lot from different\n\n---\n\n7   \n9   \n11   \n13   \n34   \n43   \n50\n\n1   areas of the YK area and also being in this position\n2   has given me a greater view of what's going on\n3   throughout the state of Alaska in our backyard, in our\n4   --in our home --home village.  So looking forward to\n5   all the comments and all the deliberations that will be\n6   going on this week.\n\n8                   So again thank you.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ray.\n\n12                   Jolene.\n\n14                   MS. JOHN:  Yeah, good morning.  (In\n15   Native) Jolene John, Regional Director, BIA.  Just want\n16   to share that just this week we're seeing releases of\n17   the President's budget for fiscal year '27.  I have\n18   seen just briefly what BIA's budget looks like so if\n19   you're interested that should be available.  For those\n20   that are familiar with the Tribal Interior Budget\n21   Council process they are going to revisit that\n22   structure and meet with tribes of May 19 and 20 in\n23   Washington, DC.  Alaska has been experiencing a lot of\n24   water and fuel crises across mostly the rural coastal\n25   communities and areas where they've experienced extreme\n26   winter temperatures.  And so the senior leadership of\n27   BIA has taken --made a decision to contribute toward\n28   providing some relief for those that are seriously\n29   struggling with the source.  And similarly the Senate\n30   Committee on Indian Affairs is going to Bethel the week\n31   of May 4 at which time the BIA leadership will be there\n32   to hear what the impacts have been following Typhoon\n33   Halong.\n\n35                   Bureau of Indian Affairs' employees\n36   were offered the third round of the deferred\n37   resignation program and fortunately we only have one\n38   employee at this time and through the efforts of our\n39   senior leadership in DC we also may have a chance to\n40   open a few positions at our region, mostly the lower\n41   grade levels and that should offer some relief for\n42   support.\n\n44                   Across the nation BIA is also focusing\n45   on probate programs.  Recently during the Tribal Self-\n46   Governance Conference our --Kena Spellmark\n47   particularly spoke about this effort and encouraged\n48   tribes that my be interested to really dig deep and see\n49   if they can assist in the process by way of contracting\n\n---\n\n8   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n22   \n35   \n48   \n50\n\n1   or compacting this program.  Our tribes in Alaska are\n2   very interested in how probate works and so we're\n3   seeing increases of requests for detailed proposals and\n4   presentations in the region.  So we welcome those\n5   invites.  Also as a result there's --I'm talking with\n6   the Alaska Federation of Natives to see if we can have\n7   some kind of space for a probate surge activity.\n\n9                   And good news this week that we heard\n10   our providers conference package has reached the\n11   Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs' office which is\n12   more hopeful than what it was last year.  Hopefully we\n13   will see providers conference happen this year, the\n14   first week of December.\n\n16                   And that is it for me.  Quyana.\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n\n19   Jolene.\n\n## 21 Rhonda.\n\n23                   MS. PITKA:  Good morning.  I'm Rhonda\n24   Pitka from the village of Beaver.  I've been Chief of\n25   the village of Beaver since 2011.  I was elected\n26   Chairman of CATG, Council of Athabaskan Tribal\n27   Governments in the same year --two months after I was\n28   elected Chief.  So it's a --it's always been an\n29   interesting role in leadership in the Yukon Flats and\n30   it's one that I hold very dear to my heart.  I was\n31   recently appointed as Vice President of Tanana Chiefs\n32   Conference and I look forward to the next two years of\n33   my term finishing up Chief Sharon Hildebrand's Vice\n34   President term.\n\n36                   We're one of the tribes that was\n37   extremely cold this year.  The temperatures reached\n38   minus 50 for five weeks in a row.  We didn't get a\n39   plane for three weeks in a row and when the temperature\n40   dropped down to minus 70 every --every fuse that could\n41   break in our generator broke.  This comes at a time\n42   when we're already being chronically under funded and\n43   Federal funding has been cut back considerably.  We\n44   thank the BIA for their assistance and their help with\n45   getting water and fuel to our village.  We --the\n46   challenges that we face on the ground in our villages\n47   can't be overstated.\n\n49                   The Yukon River salmon disaster.  We\n\n---\n\n10   \n32   \n50\n\n1   have had no fishing on the Yukon River since 2019. \n2   This has been a critical fishing disaster.  It's been\n3   heartbreaking to say the least.  We --I just got done\n4   with Yukon River Panel last week and the forecast is\n5   low again.  And it's going to continue to be low until\n6   we actually get very serious about a unified plan to\n7   manage Yukon River salmon that involves all of the\n8   entities along the river that don't work in silos and,\n9   you know, generally work against each other.\n\n11                   One of the other things that the salmon\n12   disaster brought on was our reliance on moose as a\n13   protein source because we don't have any fish anymore. \n14   In our area we've always had poor moose browse and\n15   we've always had low moose numbers.  We live in a\n16   wildlife refuge and because of laws that are none of\n17   our making we don't have easy access to predator\n18   control.  And that combined with the overrun of hunters\n19   from out of state, from Wasilla, from Anchorage, from\n20   Fairbanks into our areas has caused a considerable\n21   disaster.  Families are having to go out 10 to 20 days\n22   in order to have success in feeding their families and\n23   getting a moose.  And a lot of people haven't.  These\n24   aren't wealthy people that have jet boats and all of\n25   this stuff, you know, they're poor and the cost of gas\n26   that they use to go harvest for their families is\n27   extremely expensive, if it's even available.  The\n28   continued war in Iran is affecting the price of gas\n29   considerably to the point where villages in the region\n30   are considering turning off their generators at night\n31   to save fuel.\n\n33                   So our ability to live our way of life\n34   has been --has always been marginalized, it's always\n35   been on the edge, but now with these further cut backs\n36   from the Federal government in ways that they've never\n37   cut back before in the name of efficiency, has caused\n38   our way of life to be in considerable decline.  So it's\n39   been a very, very serious years and I really would like\n40   to congratulate everybody on their retirement and it's\n41   --and it's actually really said because whenever we\n42   have this many retirements in a row we lose\n43   considerable knowledge on this Board and then we have\n44   to go through and educate everybody else again.  We've\n45   taken considerable effort on this Board as public\n46   members to make sure that our agency heads are educated\n47   properly in our way of life and we will continue to do\n48   that and continue to do so no matter what\n49   Administration we're in.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n16   \n31   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n4   that update, Rhonda.\n\n6                   We'll move on down.  Kevin.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n9   I'll be brief.  Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land\n10   Management.  I've been State Director at the BLM since\n11   last June so coming up on one year anniversary, with\n12   BLM in Alaska for six years prior to that, in Alaska 26\n13   years, came up in the year 2000.  Lived and worked all\n14   over the state.  So this is actually my first wildlife\n15   cycle meeting so looking forward to the proceedings.\n\n17                   Just a couple of updates from BLM's\n18   perspective.  And someone brought up the topic of, you\n19   know, staffing these days, continues to be a challenge. \n20   We're operating in an environment of reduced staffing\n21   and that's consistent with one of the priorities of\n22   this Administration and so we're all working to pivot\n23   and really make sure our work is focused on priorities\n24   at any given time.  So in certain senses we're busier\n25   than we ever have been at BLM and our staffing picture\n26   looks different, but we're also extremely proud of all\n27   the progress we're making, we've got great folks doing\n28   good work and again just, you know, trying to make sure\n29   we're keeping the right things moving at all the right\n30   times and not let any balls drop.\n\n32                   I know top of mind for many folks\n33   across the state and I would expect we hear a little\n34   bit it during the proceedings, but is what's happening\n35   with public land orders.  Public Land Order 5150 up in\n36   the central part of the state running along the Dalton\n37   Corridor is of particular interest to many folks.  And\n38   that Public Land Order was rescinded and the Secretary\n39   signed what I'll call an opening order on those lands. \n40   And what's important about that in this context is that\n41   when that happens what had been state top filings\n42   attach just by operation of law, nothing we need to do\n43   further, and become State selections.  So right now\n44   we've got in the Dalton Corridor a little over 2\n45   million acres which is State selected land which\n46   removes from Federal rural subsistence priority. \n47   That's not the end of the story, there's more work to\n48   come in that area, but that's the current status quo\n49   today.  We've had great partnership from the State\n\n---\n\n0016\n12   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n37                   Ben.\n38   \n50\n\n1   thinking about subsistence impacts of these actions and\n2   what might be done to facilitate access for users going\n3   forward in and across those lands to subsist under\n4   State law to reach Federal lands and subsist in that\n5   way, so really pleased with the dialogue we've got\n6   going there as these actions take place.  Executive\n7   Order 14153 has more instruction for us and things we\n8   need to focus on with respect to public land orders. \n9   So some more work to come around the state, it's early\n10   days, but you'll hear more about steps as we move\n11   through the pieces and parts of that executive order.\n\n13                   Shifting to the North Slope just for a\n14   second, there's been a lot of activity up there.  Again\n15   much of it directed and very in-line with\n16   Administration priorities, but there's been a return to\n17   and an emphasis on oil and gas leasing in the National\n18   Petroleum Reserve in Alaska as well as to the east in\n19   the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. \n20   So what's coming in the near term, we had a very\n21   successful sale in March in the NPR-A, but what's\n22   coming in the near term is a lease sale in the coastal\n23   plain of ANWR in early June.  That was publicly\n24   announced late last week and then --and then documents\n25   published this past Monday.  So that's kind of the\n26   latest up there.\n\n28                   But again just an extraordinarily busy\n29   time at BLM.  Happy to be able to take out several days\n30   and focus in on these issues.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n35   Kevin.\n\n39                   MR. PAYENNA:  Hey, good morning,\n40   everybody.  I'm brand new to the Federal Subsistence\n41   Board, this is my first official meeting.  Just a\n42   little background on myself.  I'm a lifelong Nome\n43   resident, my father was born and raised on King Island\n44   so I grew up doing a lot of marine mammal hunting as\n45   well as land hunting.  And I've served on other boards\n46   and chairman and vice chairman seats for Kawerak Board\n47   of Directors, Alaska Co-Management Council, Eskimo\n48   Walrus Commission and other boards like that so I am a\n49   little bit familiar with board processes, but this is\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n23   \n48   \n50\n\n1   my very first Federal Subsistence Wildlife Board\n2   meeting so I'm anxious to learn how the process goes\n3   and be a part of it.\n\n## 5 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Sara.\n\n7                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n8   Good morning, everyone.  Sara Boario, Regional Director\n9   for the Fish and Wildlife Service.  It's great to see\n10   the room filling up this morning.  I think this is the\n11   biggest rooms we've been in since my tenure on the\n12   Board.  So some of you are really small and far away,\n13   but doing my best to look around and see all the\n14   wonderful, familiar faces.  This is a position I've had\n15   the privilege to serve in for the last just over four\n16   years and the far greater privilege is to have spent a\n17   lifetime in Alaska, living, working, learning alongside\n18   so many folks across this state.  This work is, as\n19   Jerry noted, and congratulations, Jerry, we will miss\n20   your experience, but as Jerry noted this work is so\n21   important to so many people and their lives across the\n22   state.\n\n24                   So as part of my information sharing\n25   this morning I wanted to introduce some key program\n26   leadership, just three very important folks that are\n27   here to serve you, know how they can assist you finding\n28   information on a range of issues.  They support me in\n29   all I do as well, but they're here to work for all of\n30   you.  Wendy Loyla, you can just raise your hand, I'll\n31   make this quick, but Wendy Loyla is our program lead\n32   for the Migratory Bird Program here in Alaska and she\n33   also serves as the Fish and Wildlife Service\n34   representative on the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-\n35   Management Council alongside Mark Burch with the Alaska\n36   Department of Fish and Game and Randy Mayo who many of\n37   you know from the interior region who serves as the\n38   Native Caucus Chair.  And of course the Executive\n39   Director for many years, Patty Schwalenberg, who has\n40   hosted at Ahtna InterTribal Resource Commission.  I\n41   would be remiss if I didn't notice --note that AMBCC\n42   recognized our Board colleague who can't be with us\n43   here this week, Charlie Brower, for his extraordinary\n44   role in founding --being one of the handful of\n45   founding members for AMBCC.  So, Charlie, wherever you\n46   are, thank you for just your many decades of service\n47   and contributions to AMBCC.\n\n49                   The migratory bird team is preparing to\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n42   \n50\n\n1   fly their statewide aerial surveys that inform both the\n2   spring/summer subsistence and fall/winter bird harvest. \n3   We should know by August, I know it's been on many\n4   people's minds how the emperor goose population is\n5   doing, we should know by August what those numbers are\n6   looking like and for now we know this year that harvest\n7   remains --and egging remain closed and we hope for\n8   better numbers here in the future.\n\n10                   Our shorebird team is --continues to\n11   evaluate the health of populations on the North Slope\n12   and other areas and will be supporting the fourth\n13   annual Utqiagvik migratory bird festival in mid June. \n14   They continue to track seabird die-offs and continue to\n15   share information on avian influenza which we get many\n16   questions about.  So thank you, Wendy, to you and your\n17   team.  If you have anymore questions, folks, Wendy's\n18   here and happy to meet you.\n\n20                   Karlin Itchoak, he serves as our\n21   Assistant Regional Director for our National Wildlife\n22   Refuge System in Alaska.  He works with all of us,\n23   everyone in this room, to oversee and steward 16\n24   national wildlife refuges, managing and conserving over\n25   76.8 million acres, approximately 85 percent of the\n26   public lands within the National Wildlife Refuge System\n27   nationwide.  His work also includes shared and co-\n28   stewardship and recently he and his team just\n29   negotiated and finalized a 638 agreement with --\n30   between Koniag, Inc. and Kodiak National Wildlife\n31   Refuge.  Karlin also, and I know we get many questions\n32   about this, I wanted to make sure folks were aware. \n33   Karlin also oversees our refuge law enforcement.  His\n34   Chief, Dan Shamhart, wanted to be with us here today\n35   too and be in the room, be able to meet request and he\n36   is out at previously scheduled training.  But our\n37   Federal wildlife officers, we know we hear from folks\n38   lots of questions about subsistence enforcement and the\n39   critical role they play in working with communities to\n40   protect our resources.  So thank you, Karlin, and your\n41   team for that.\n\n43                   Finally Pete Fasbender is our Assistant\n44   Regional Director for fish and aquatic conservation in\n45   our Ecological Services Program.  His Staff helped\n46   manage our in-season fisheries and monitor populations\n47   of non-salmon species like whitefish and sheefish. \n48   Their Staff, his Staff also manages threatened and\n49   endangered species, prepares for and responds to oil\n\n---\n\n12   \n20   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n47   \n50\n\n1   spills and under the Marine Mammal Protection Act works\n2   alongside the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council and\n3   the Eskimo Walrus Commission as well which also Charlie\n4   serves on.  He and his many hats so lots of shout outs\n5   to Charlie today.  A noted intersection with Pete's\n6   team's work, yesterday during tribal testimony we heard\n7   about some of the tribe on Prince of Wales work with\n8   Pete's team on combining their indigenous science into\n9   our Alexander Archipelago wolf species status\n10   assessment.  That was Pete's team that worked with them\n11   in just a concrete intersection with people's lives.\n\n13                   And last but not least, Jill Klein,\n14   behind me, our Regional Subsistence Coordinator and a\n15   crucial member of the InterAgency Staff Committee. \n16   She's also been wearing many hats lately.  She's been\n17   assisting Karlin as one of his Refuge Supervisors.  She\n18   brings just a tremendous amount of statewide knowledge,\n19   huge support to me.\n\n21                   So thank you to my team and I hope\n22   folks get a chance to meet them and know that we're all\n23   here to serve you and help answer questions on your\n24   mind.\n\n26                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n29   Sara.\n\n## 31 Frank.\n\n33                   MR. WOODS:  Hey, good morning, public\n34   member Frank Woods.  I'm from Dillingham.  I am a\n35   resident, born and raised in Clark's Point, but raised\n36   in Dillingham, graduated.  I'm a Curyung tribal member,\n37   an avid --not just a subsistence user, but a rural\n38   resident.  I'm also Native under the tribal designation\n39   of Curyung which makes my --my lineage goes back a\n40   long time.  I follow that because number 1, each one of\n41   our agencies that approached this Board yesterday, you\n42   know, had a consultation with us which was\n43   unprecedented and has grown up.  We had no voice when I\n44   was growing up.  We didn't have a say in what was\n45   supposed to be done with our resources and how we're\n46   supposed to manage.\n\n48                   I'd like to address that.  Number 1, I\n49   recognize RAC, Dan Dunaway is our representative.  We\n\n---\n\n20   \n27   \n36   \n50\n\n1   have a whole group, please raise your hand or stand up,\n2   from Bristol Bay, from Kenneth, to Jorjana, looks like\n3   Jimmy, Jimmy's wife, and all the people in Bristol Bay\n4   last --at this meeting last wildlife cycle we put in a\n5   proposal with that group and proponents back there to\n6   change the regulation and expand the area for caribou. \n7   We are the last caribou hunt, I never imagined running\n8   out of caribou in Bristol Bay when we had 200,000 in\n9   the Mulchatna Herd.  We're down to two a year for the\n10   villages that are in the consortium of Federally-\n11   qualified subsistence users in Bristol Bay.  When we\n12   expanded that region and expanded that hunt it got --\n13   started getting utilized this last year.  We got calls\n14   that the herd had moved up into the expanded area and\n15   people were hunting.  And so that proposal and the\n16   proponents that address that, I was on that end asking\n17   this Board to change that regulation.  It actually\n18   implemented and worked for that purpose.  So I thank\n19   this Board and the proponents and the people engaged.\n\n21                   As anybody knows I work hard, number 1,\n22   at highly educating our youth in the process because\n23   that's our future.  I engage and help in trying to get\n24   people here, get people interested.  There are a lot of\n25   highly bright and educated people that need to be\n26   engaged in our process.\n\n28                   So regionally we just intercept --this\n29   is the first where the Board cycle --we have Board of\n30   Fish and all the regulation processes that go with\n31   that.  In our area there's only like 7,000 people, the\n32   size of Ohio.  There ain't enough people engaged in the\n33   regulatory process, State, Federal or local management. \n34   And we have to recruit heavily because that needs to\n35   happen not just regionally, but statewide.\n\n37                   I'll shut up and that, you know,\n38   there's one thing I'd like to have got from John\n39   Elliott.  It says tolerance is a responsibility of\n40   those with the higher vision.  And each one of us in\n41   here are sitting here for that reason, that we have a\n42   higher vision for our people.  Subsistence is changing\n43   dramatically, it is a constant --we are growing as a\n44   state, we have run out of land and places to put\n45   people, we are conflicting with each other and our own\n46   user groups have a hard time putting anything on the\n47   table.  I say that because we have the responsibility\n48   to help the rural residents, feed our people that live\n49   there.  And I'd like to thank you for all attending\n\n---\n\n12   \n16   \n23   \n50\n\n1   because we need this and more, right, we need to help\n2   young --we need young people to help us write the laws\n3   that make sense to them because I'm not doing this for\n4   me, you know, I know what the laws are, I know what the\n5   rules are.  We abide by those rules as subsistence\n6   users and harvesters because we don't want to lose that\n7   right.  But Federal and State managers, they put those\n8   regulations for the best intentions, sometimes they're\n9   wrong and that's why we live in America is if the rules\n10   and the laws are wrong our responsibility is to help\n11   guide them rules.\n\n13                   I'll shut up because we've got a long\n14   meeting and I'm --welcome to the Federal Subsistence\n15   Board.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n18   Frank, for being --your brevity.  Appreciate your\n19   passion.  I think everything Frank said --that's why\n20   we sit here, we appreciate to see the growth like he\n21   said yesterday having the longest, largest consultation\n22   process.\n\n24                   My name's Anthony Christianson, I've\n25   been on the Board since 2012.  And so watching it\n26   happen from the start when we'd have one tribal\n27   representative I think in the room if we were lucky and\n28   we'd sit here and kind of look at ourselves and ask\n29   ourselves how long we should keep the door open because\n30   somebody might call in.  Now we're like we got five\n31   minutes until the door closes and can we fit one more\n32   in.  And so that's the growth we see with our tribal\n33   representation.  The public you can see the rooms are\n34   full, the youth groups out there are now --you know,\n35   we're calling in and being guest speakers to people who\n36   have a learning curve higher than ours.  Like Frank's\n37   stating, the ball's always changing and evolving and\n38   we're learning as it --as it goes how to manage the\n39   system and in a changing environment.  And it takes the\n40   eyes and ears of our Regional Advisory Council Chairs,\n41   the RAC members who sit and listen to all the testimony\n42   from the public lands that need addressing to make sure\n43   our way of life is protected, to the students that are\n44   educating themselves and looking at this process so\n45   it's not something that's a weird science, but an\n46   applicable way to help drive your lifeway like Frank\n47   was stating.  So we really encourage everyone to\n48   continue to do what we see happening out there, full\n49   hallways, full classrooms and then education happening\n\n---\n\n0022\n4   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   across the landscape at a real critical time for the\n2   conservation of a way of life and a species that we all\n3   depend on, salmon and especially this week, wildlife.\n\n5                   And so we do have a huge agenda here\n6   before us, lots to go through that does affect our way\n7   of life to bring balance to the user groups and so I'll\n8   be brief in mine as well.  I've been mayor of Hydaburg\n9   19 years, grandfather to three kids already even though\n10   it doesn't look like it.  But hey, Sara, I just found\n11   out --as you know we go through training, Sara was a\n12   ball star so recently just won the gold medal\n13   basketball tournament at 50.  So, you know, these\n14   things matter, right, like because you've got to stay\n15   in this lifestyle healthy, right, we have to be able to\n16   hike mountains and we got to be able to pull fish and\n17   we have to be a uncle that is visibly, actively engaged\n18   in a lifestyle not just for myself, but for the next\n19   generation and the people that we serve here because if\n20   I sat here and was just a pumpkin that wouldn't make\n21   sense to our constituents.  So my way of life is like\n22   Frank a rural user, I depend on the land, the resources\n23   and all that abound in our great state.  And it still\n24   continues to serve us, you know, and some areas are\n25   really tight and hopefully we can find solutions to\n26   those and some areas are abundant, but experiencing\n27   user conflict because of the abundance in that area and\n28   lack in others.  And so it's just a moving target as\n29   far as how this body continues to manage these\n30   resources.  Hopefully in a holistic approach that makes\n31   sure our subsistence user gets their need met in these\n32   regions.  And that's the priority focus for this Board\n33   and hopefully we can nail that down this week with the\n34   proposals we have before us.\n\n36                   And so appreciate everybody and their\n37   time.\n\n39                   And next we have Crystal.\n\n41                   MS. LEONETTI:  Well, I don't know if I\n42   can play ball anymore, but I did run three miles this\n43   morning.  So.....\n\n45                   (Laughter)\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I made it sound\n48   better than it was.\n\n---\n\n2   \n16   \n23   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   (Laughter)\n\n3                   MS. LEONETTI:  Well, just a little bit\n4   about me.  I'm the Director for Office of Subsistence\n5   Management, lifelong Alaskan, born and raised in Homer\n6   and Anchor Point, Alaska.  My dad's side of the family\n7   are homesteaders that came up from Texas and Nebraska\n8   so I grew up on a little farm in Anchor Point.  And my\n9   mom's side of the family, Yup'ik from Curyung, so\n10   Dillingham area.  And I am a tribal citizen of Curyung\n11   and shareholder of Curyung Unlimited and Bristol Bay\n12   Native Corporation.  And I see my elder, Joe Chythlook\n13   in the audience and I just want to say hi to Joe and\n14   acknowledge all my elders out there, good to see all of\n15   you and I hope we do you proud this week.\n\n17                   I live in Anchorage where I always said\n18   I would never live and I live here with my husband and\n19   our two kids.  So I have the honor and privilege of\n20   working for all of you and for the Federal Subsistence\n21   Management Program and with an awesome Staff at Office\n22   of Subsistence Management.\n\n24                   So the Federal Subsistence Management\n25   Program is closing out a wildlife regulatory cycle at\n26   this meeting and in the beginning stages of a fisheries\n27   regulatory cycle.  The window to submit Federal\n28   fisheries proposals closed in early April.  We\n29   currently have eight proposals and 10 closure reviews\n30   for the 2027 to 2029 Federal subsistence fish and\n31   shellfish regulations cycle.  The proposals and closure\n32   reviews are available on the OSM website at\n33   doi.gov\\subsistence\\fisheries.  Public comments on the\n34   fisheries proposals and closure reviews will be\n35   accepted through July 31st and the public an also\n36   attend the Regional Advisory Council meetings in the\n37   fall to provide verbal testimony for the Council's\n38   deliberation and recommendations to the Board.  I would\n39   say the RACs, the Council meetings, is where the rubber\n40   meets the road, that's where the work happens.  The\n41   Board will meet to take up the fisheries proposals and\n42   closure reviews on February 1 through 5, 2027.\n\n44                   The OSM's fiscal year budget.  We are\n45   currently receiving for this fiscal year $9.4 million. \n46   It's lower than usual, but OSM will continue delivering\n47   essential services that protect and support rural\n48   subsistence opportunities across 220 million acres of\n49   Federal lands and waters in Alaska.  This work includes\n\n---\n\n8   \n31   \n50\n\n1   core functions that keep fish and wildlife resources\n2   healthy and available for rural residents including\n3   processing regulatory proposals, supporting the Federal\n4   Subsistence Board and Regional Advisory Councils and\n5   conducting public meetings and consultations and\n6   maintaining critical permitting and regulatory\n7   publications.\n\n9                   A little bit about the Fisheries\n10   Resource Monitoring Program.  The FRMP has announced\n11   the 2026 monitoring plan listing funded projects which\n12   is now available in its entirety on the Federal\n13   Subsistence Management Program website.  This program\n14   identifies regional priority information needs\n15   identified by the Councils and through funding\n16   assistance to partner organizations provides\n17   information to sustain subsistence fisheries on Federal\n18   public lands for rural Alaskans.  The program proposal\n19   review process is rigorous and with the available from\n20   USDA and Department of Interior we were able to approve\n21   10 projects addressing priority needs in all fisheries\n22   regions of Alaska.  Five projects are funded by USDA in\n23   southeast Alaska and five projects are funded by DOI,\n24   one for each of the remaining regions in Alaska.  USDA\n25   has allocated just under 600,000 towards the southeast\n26   Alaska projects for year one of this four year cycle. \n27   Looking at Jerry, saying thank you for that.  And\n28   Department of Interior has allocated just over $750,000\n29   towards year one of the cycle for the projects in the\n30   rest of the regions of the state.\n\n32                   Just briefly about staffing.  OSM has\n33   been creative in utilizing three to four month long job\n34   exchange opportunities for remaining Staff to gain\n35   skills and new perspectives while remaining on track to\n36   fulfill ANILCA Title VIII.  We've had a rotating cast\n37   in our Operations Deputy position, our State Liaison\n38   position, several administrative positions and in our\n39   Fisheries and Anthropology Division Lead positions.  Of\n40   those in the room please stand, the Acting Subsistence\n41   Liaison --State Liaison is currently Jarred Stone\n42   whose permanent position is Fisheries Biologist. \n43   Thanks, Jarred.  And also Kevin Foley, Acting Fisheries\n44   Division Lead whose normal job is Fisheries Biologist. \n45   Thanks, Kevin.  And also Liz Williams, Acting\n46   Anthropology Division Lead whose normal job is\n47   anthropologist.  Thanks, Liz.  We've been fortunate\n48   enough to welcome temporary job assignments from the\n49   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service so thank you, Sara, and\n\n---\n\n22   \n30   \n43   \n50\n\n1   from the Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance. \n2   And at our front table outside the door there is Glenn\n3   Westdahl who many of you have seen and gotten to know\n4   over the years and he is retiring at the end of this\n5   month which we're very sad about, but we're wishing him\n6   well in his journey in his next chapter.  So be sure to\n7   congratulate Glenn when you see him.  And law\n8   enforcement.  Are there any law enforcement in the\n9   room, I'd like to say thank you to you if you are. \n10   Hopefully we'll have some law enforcement for\n11   professionals joining us throughout the week.  OSM has\n12   been working to increase their involvement to provide\n13   that on the ground knowledge of how regulations are\n14   applied and to respond to priorities of the Regional\n15   Advisory Councils.  OSM met with a very large\n16   contingent of Federal agency law enforcement in\n17   February and we appreciate their utmost integrity in\n18   showing up to provide support.  The Regional Advisory\n19   Councils have been asking for that support and we're\n20   glad that they can provide information to them at their\n21   meetings.\n\n23                   I'd like to thank the Deputy\n24   Commissioner of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Ben\n25   Mulligan, for his ongoing presence and involvement,\n26   willingness to discuss the goals our two programs have\n27   in common and participate in candid discussions both on\n28   long term issues and ever changing fish and wildlife\n29   around the state.  So thank you, Ben.\n\n31                   Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. \n32   As we continue to do our diligence and the Federal\n33   fiduciary responsibility to engage with the sovereign\n34   tribal governments of Alaska as well as our\n35   responsibility to consult with ANCSA corporations, OSM\n36   has been working to update our contact list.  So you\n37   may be seeing an email to update your tribe or\n38   corporation's information and we appreciate your\n39   response so that we can stay in full communication with\n40   you.  Thank you to all the tribal governments and\n41   Alaska Native corporations for continuing to work with\n42   the Federal Subsistence Management Program.\n\n44                   And lastly the Council Chairs.  Thank\n45   you for meeting yesterday and coming in just a little\n46   bit early to do that.  We appreciate all the work that\n47   you do.  We met and we collaborated on addressing\n48   critical subsistence issues across your diverse\n49   regions, we shared information and coordinated on\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n15   \n20   \n33   \n50\n\n1   several matters including introductions to each other,\n2   some of you are new and correspondence, some policies\n3   and future coordination.  So thanks to all the Council\n4   Chairs for that.\n\n## 6 All right. Mr. Chair, that's all I\n\n7   have.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you. \n10   Thank you, everyone, for your information sharing and\n11   again farewell to all those who are retiring and thank\n12   Glenn for his service, I just now heard --found that\n13   out, I probably heard it before, but he does a good job\n14   keeping us in line so we appreciate that service.\n\n16                   Next we'll move on to our Regional\n17   Advisory Council Chair discussion, topics of concern\n18   with the Board.  And we'll start over here with Mr. Don\n19   Hernandez.\n\n21                   MR. HERNANDEZ:  Thank you, Chairman\n22   Christianson.  Good morning, Board.  I'm Don Hernandez,\n23   Chairman of the Southeast RAC and I live in the little\n24   community of Point Baker which is on Prince of Wales\n25   Island.  It's a pleasure to be here with you in\n26   Anchorage for this meeting.  Unfortunately I did not\n27   make the last Board meeting, I got stranded at home due\n28   to the bad weather, I'm glad to be here this time.  I'd\n29   like to welcome the new members to the Board and I'd\n30   also like to thank Jerry Ingersoll for attending our\n31   Council meeting in Juneau this winter.  It was much\n32   appreciated by the Council.\n\n34                   So I think I'll start with kind of a\n35   situation that the whole state experienced this year,\n36   very severe weather in southeast Alaska as well.  We\n37   had several storms with hurricane force winds in the\n38   fall and it was overall a very mild fall through most\n39   of the hunting season, the temperatures were really\n40   mild, wet, stormy, not the best for hunting deer.  And\n41   then in December everything drastically changed, got\n42   bitter cold, heavy snows, snow just kept piling up all\n43   through December.  January was a major thaw with\n44   unseasonably mild weather again, very wet, stormy. \n45   Completely turned around again in February, I mean,\n46   more bitter cold and started snowing and kept snowing\n47   right up through March.  And snow piled up clean up\n48   until 1st of April which is a little unusual for\n49   southeast, it was record setting snowfalls.  And that\n\n---\n\n7   \n44   \n50\n\n1   all kind of raised a lot of concerns about our deer\n2   populations in southeast and maybe some concerns with\n3   fisheries as well, you know, you got these extreme rain\n4   events with extreme scouring and landslides and things\n5   like that happening throughout the region.  So there's\n6   a lot of concern there.\n\n8                   This past year has been a really busy\n9   one for the Southeast RAC.  We've dealt with some very\n10   consequential issues for our region and also besides\n11   the regular business of making recommendations on\n12   proposals and closure reviews and our Fisheries\n13   Resource Management Projects.  We also reviewed and\n14   made comments on game proposals to the Alaska Board of\n15   Game and we submitted comments on the Secretarial\n16   Review.  And we added more input to the Tongass Forest\n17   Plan revision which is an ongoing project which has,\n18   you know, a lot of implications for subsistence uses in\n19   southeast Alaska.  The Council's greatest challenge for\n20   the past year came as a result of the Board's decision\n21   last year to change Ketchikan's status from non-rural\n22   to rural.  That caused the Council to take immediate\n23   action to protect the continuation of subsistence uses\n24   by residents of Unit 2 who are experiencing a decline\n25   in deer population and that's kind of resulted in a\n26   failure of a lot of local harvesters to be able to meet\n27   their needs.  The Council submitted a special action\n28   request to deal with the season that we just had, 2025\n29   season.  The Board took no action on those special\n30   actions that we requested, they essentially said they\n31   wanted to see how the first season with Ketchikan\n32   hunters being Federally-qualified, how that went.  So\n33   at our March meeting we also at the same time we put in\n34   the special action request we also put forward some\n35   proposals for this meeting.  One of the proposals was\n36   to initiate an .804 analysis to do a prioritization to\n37   take place at this Board cycle.  I should note that the\n38   Board also has received a request for reconsideration\n39   on your decision on Ketchikan rural determination.  I\n40   think it's important that the Board take action on our\n41   .804 prioritization determination just due to the time\n42   frame of a request for reconsideration and the\n43   uncertainty of how that may turn out.\n\n45                   So yesterday I attended the tribal\n46   consultation session and heard lots of testimony about\n47   the deer situation in Unit 2.  So you are aware of the\n48   importance of making a fair and equitable .804\n49   prioritization for Unit 2.  I should point out that the\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n50\n\n1   Southeast RAC had never done an .804 determination\n2   prior to this one.  And I think you'd be pleased with\n3   how we went about this process.  First and foremost the\n4   Council heard many hours of testimony and we listened\n5   to that testimony.  It was real important testimony,\n6   very informative and the Council paid a lot of\n7   attention to all of the testimony that we received on\n8   that.  Also we had some very excellent analysis from\n9   the OSM Staff on this and we also reached out to the\n10   Staff several times for guidance on how to proceed and\n11   how to evaluate criteria and what was necessary for\n12   justifications on our actions.  And Staff assistance\n13   was very helpful and they should be commended for that. \n14   So after a lot of deliberation from Council members\n15   from throughout the region, we were able to present to\n16   you what we think is a fair and equitable proposal that\n17   is called for in this situation.\n\n19                   So now I'd like to give you a little\n20   synopsis of other actions taken by the Council.  Okay. \n21   Sitka meeting last spring, they said we would put\n22   forward the special action requests and drafted the\n23   proposals you're going to be dealing with here at this\n24   meeting.  And also at that meeting we had more --we\n25   dealt with the Forest Plan, we made comments to the\n26   Forest Plan at that meeting.  We also wrote a letter to\n27   the Board concerned with wolf management in Unit 2 and\n28   we also drafted a letter with concerns on one of the\n29   sockeye systems in our region.  Eek Lake is a major\n30   subsistence sockeye stream in the Hydaburg area.\n\n32                   So then we had our fall meeting and it\n33   took place in Wrangell.  And as you know all the\n34   Council meetings got delayed due to the Federal\n35   furlough so we didn't have a lot of --so our meeting\n36   got delayed from October until December.  And we also\n37   shortened the meeting because there wasn't a whole lot\n38   of Staff available at that time due to all the changes\n39   and meeting schedules and whatnot.  So normally we\n40   would have done our wildlife recommendations at that\n41   meeting, but we only took up a couple of those and we\n42   pushed all of our wildlife recommendations back to our\n43   winter meeting which just happened a month ago which\n44   kind of made for kind of a short time period between\n45   our meeting and your deliberations, but I think\n46   hopefully, you know, the Staff got everything written\n47   up the way we wanted it and were prepared.  So it was a\n48   two day --only a two day meeting.  December, bad time\n49   for travel in southeast Alaska.  Myself and two other\n\n---\n\n12   \n25   \n28   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n40   \n50\n\n1   Council members didn't make it to the meeting, had to\n2   attend by phone, but we got some stuff done at that\n3   meeting as well.  Took up a closure review and did a\n4   couple of other wildlife proposals that weren't as\n5   controversial.  And the Council also spent a fair\n6   amount of time drafting the comment letter on the\n7   Secretarial Review on the Management Program, Federal\n8   Management Program.  And we also spent some time, a\n9   fair amount of time, drafting a comment letter with our\n10   comments on the wildlife proposals before the Alaska\n11   Board of Game.\n\n13                   So at our Juneau meeting is where we\n14   did the bulk of our work for this year and instead of\n15   our normal three day meeting we asked for an extra half\n16   of day so we had three and a half day meeting so we\n17   could go through all these wildlife proposals and like\n18   I say that's where we spent a huge amount of time\n19   discussing the .804 determination that you'll be\n20   dealing with here.  And we also added another\n21   opportunity to add more comments on the --on the\n22   updated Forest Plan for the Tongass Forest, we took\n23   some time to work on that as well.  So it was a very\n24   busy --some very busy meetings this year.\n\n26                   So thank you.  That concludes my\n27   report.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don. \n30   Any questions from the Board for Don.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I always\n35   appreciate Southeast work.  Thank you.  Dan.\n\n37                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n38   Dan Dunaway, I'm the Vice Chair of the Bristol Bay RAC. \n39   Our Chair, Nanci Morris, couldn't be here.\n\n41                   So where to start.  First I was glad\n42   that Frank acknowledged Bristol Bay elders and\n43   residents that are in attendance and are going to keep\n44   me honest and squared away and correct me if I've made\n45   a mistake.  I'm Dan Dunaway, born and raised in\n46   Anchorage.  I've lived in the Dillingham area for 37\n47   years and before that I lived in Alaska Peninsula\n48   Aleutians since 1978.  So southwest Alaska's kind of\n49   been my home since --I forget when that was, whenever\n\n---\n\n2   \n19   \n38   \n50\n\n1   '78, however old I was.\n\n3                   The Council continues to observe\n4   subsistence in the Bristol Bay region in strong and\n5   critical.  Conditions are getting, especially for\n6   weather and population, are getting variable and less\n7   predictable.  Across a --during our most recent\n8   meeting communities reported highly unusual weather\n9   patterns.  Last year we basically had no snow to travel\n10   on, it was very difficult, we were --very hard to\n11   access a lot of our hunting areas.  This year we got\n12   snow and it was generally pretty good, but you're also\n13   a little weary when they don't have safe ice, but one\n14   friend of mine said that the --one of the rivers had\n15   like five feet of ice on it so it's a little easier to\n16   feel good about traveling in those conditions.  It's\n17   melting rapidly now, but access to hunting areas and\n18   free travel is still really a concern.\n\n20                   Among wildlife we have mixed trends,\n21   moose and caribou populations are present in many of\n22   these areas, but like I said access is difficult, but\n23   the Mulchatna Caribou Herd is still very poor.  It may\n24   be increasing, it's difficult to know.  The RAC has\n25   supported the Bear Reduction Program that the State has\n26   started, but keeps getting stopped by court action.  As\n27   we go into these days with rapidly increasing food\n28   prices, especially meat, getting these herd --this\n29   herd back stable and harvestable is really important to\n30   us.  Interestingly enough the Nushagak Caribou Herd is\n31   doing well, partly because we haven't been able to hunt\n32   it much.  Now we're a little concerned that --about\n33   over-grazing.  I have not gotten reports on how many\n34   were harvested this year, but I know several folks\n35   managed to get a few.  I went out for three days,\n36   didn't get anything, moose or caribou.  We didn't go\n37   far enough.\n\nas Frank\n\n39                   But let's see.  That --\n40   mentioned the Nushagak Peninsula hunt areas was\n41   expanded and that was really valuable to people because\n42   they are moving around because they are eating their\n43   main area and they're starting to wander around looking\n44   for food farther afield.  The North Alaska Peninsula\n45   Herd is doing a little better.  I believe some people\n46   are catching a few caribou.  One really part I really\n47   want to notice and compliment the Park Service for is\n48   the Kukaklek Bench caribou hunt.  That's been an\n49   important issue for me as I'm pretty close with people\n\n---\n\n12   \n31   \n50\n\n1   in Egegik and a few in Iliamna and Kokhanok and we\n2   started pushing for this years ago and I thought it\n3   would be one of these forever, some day we'll get a\n4   hunt and lo and behold it started happening way before\n5   we expected and it's making a difference.  Egegik takes\n6   a lot of their young folks out to teach them to hunt. \n7   The middle of winter and the cost of meat, four or\n8   five, six caribou in a village makes a big difference. \n9   And there's no sneaking around, they can do it right\n10   out front.  So I really want to thank the Park Service\n11   for accommodating that, it's wonderful.\n\n13                   Going on to fish, salmon, especially\n14   king salmon are a high concern.  We're overwhelmed with\n15   reds right now almost, but kings are looking worse and\n16   worse all the time and that's so important to people\n17   around the Bay.  Nushagak has been hurting the most,\n18   but now I hear Naknek River, Egegik, Togiak, they're\n19   not doing so well and the first are smaller, they're\n20   sparse.  Whatever can be done to help that is really,\n21   really important.  Silvers have been really poor and\n22   little.  There was a time when I could catch enough\n23   using sports gear that I didn't need to put a net out\n24   and now there's so few fish I don't bother putting a\n25   net out and some of them are so dinky they'd squirt\n26   through anyway.  So what's going on there, the concern. \n27   Some salmon did better, humpies are okay I guess,\n28   they're not as critical to us, but they are an\n29   important species in the whole mix so we don't want to\n30   ignore them.\n\n32                   We've also been --through the Council\n33   we've been getting regular reports from the North\n34   Pacific Fisheries Management Council on the bycatch. \n35   They make some very nice presentations, but I usually\n36   end up in others so doesn't really give us a clear path\n37   to how to fix the problem so we remain very concerned. \n38   Years ago when I was still on the RAC early on the\n39   Chair and I, and I think other members, our meeting was\n40   here, the Anchorage Westward or whatever it is now,\n41   Hilton, was right next door to the North Pacific\n42   Council so we ran through our meeting quick and a whole\n43   bunch of us led by I think Donald Mike went over and\n44   testified at the Council.  And we saw some significant\n45   changes that dramatically reduced bycatch around 2007,\n46   2008.  We thought it was fixed and then I start seen\n47   fusses on Facebook and hearing other stuff and I --\n48   well, we got that fixed.  But no, the bycatch is way\n49   back up.  So we are again extremely concerned about\n\n---\n\n8   \n21   \n38   \n50\n\n1   that.  I'm not sure if trawlers the entire blame, from\n2   my experience around trawlers in Unalaska and so on,\n3   but I've seen the quality of fish and salmon that are\n4   intercepted in photos and all, it's a --I hope we can\n5   somehow coordinate with other Federal agencies to get a\n6   handle on this.  And not just me, the whole Council, I\n7   shouldn't be just speaking for me.\n\n9                   Other key issues.  We were brought up\n10   at this --our last meeting was a need to improve\n11   tribal consultation.  I hope some of the folks that\n12   raised those concerns could have seen this meeting\n13   yesterday, I think there was a massive response to the\n14   concerns like ours on that regard.  A lot of the\n15   consultations in the past have kind of --they come in\n16   the summer and people are scattered and so distracted. \n17   I've talked to Orville about this, called village after\n18   village and there's nobody to talk to or they're just\n19   too busy so I compliment the effort that occurred\n20   yesterday at an easier time.\n\n22                   Several folks brought up the\n23   representation of smaller, remote --more remote\n24   communities.  We bounce our meetings between Naknek and\n25   Dillingham.  We've tried to have meetings that --in\n26   Togiak to Port Heiden, but the logistics --we get the\n27   word back from OSM that it's just not practical.  We\n28   even used to say we're willing to sleep on the gym\n29   floor, but it is very difficult and the air services\n30   are a little more limited in our area now than they\n31   used to be.  But communities like Manokotak, New Stu --\n32   New Stuyahok, Koliganek face barriers in participation. \n33   We do try hard, I --I especially like to say I have a\n34   lot of friends in Egegik, Kokhanok, Iliamna and we have\n35   some like Kenneth Nukwak now's from Manokotak and he's\n36   been an eloquent spokesman for his community at our RAC\n37   and our Advisory Committee meetings, he's on both.\n\n39                   Third issue.  Council emphasized the\n40   importance of maintaining adequate staffing and\n41   resources.  We're really concerned with this shift over\n42   to --when OSM moves we want to make sure they get some\n43   Staff support because I know they used to draw a lot on\n44   Fish and Wildlife.  Also with knowing we have public\n45   members on the main Board here, we hope they're getting\n46   the support as much as the agency heads who can draw on\n47   their whole agency.  Our public members put a lot of\n48   extra personal effort in this and they need the support\n49   too.  And I feel wonderfully supported by our Staff\n\n---\n\n3   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1   when we have these meetings and expect to help me with\n2   the script here.\n\n4                   The Council continues to stress the\n5   importance of local knowledge, community observations\n6   are the first indicators of change and concern. \n7   Hopefully I'm adequately reporting them here. \n8   Subsistence resources are available, but access, timing\n9   and predictability become more challenging again\n10   especially in the winter, but also some of the salmon\n11   runs, we've got a little tiny king run and it --you\n12   might have a couple of pulses in --unpredictably in\n13   late June and if you're not there you don't get them. \n14   And then kind of added to this, it's been really\n15   growing over the wintertime, the fuel costs and food\n16   costs are just skyrocketing.  My wife comments every\n17   time she goes to the store.  I watched some folks, I\n18   was getting --well, I'm actually buying gas now and\n19   stashing it because the rumors are when the barge comes\n20   it's going to go way up.  We pay 6.40 a gallon now\n21   which is nothing compared to what Beaver and other\n22   places do, but I see people from Manokotak loading up\n23   big jugs of gas and before the trails go to pot they're\n24   hauling them back to Manokotak.  I don't think\n25   anybody's hauling it to Togiak, but even the people\n26   selling the gas are expressing real concerns.  And it's\n27   not just gas, it'll be the heating oil.  So there's a\n28   lot of effort going out and cutting wood and that. \n29   There's a lot of Native lands and they're trying to\n30   control the proper use of their lands.  There's\n31   poaching going on I believe and other folks have to go\n32   to State lands or Federal lands to get wood.  I'm lucky\n33   I have a chunk of land that the trees are dying from\n34   the beetle so I can't keep up.\n\n36                   So that about summarizes it.  Thank you\n37   very much.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan. \n40   Any questions.\n\n42                   MR. WOODS:  Yeah, thank you, Dan, for\n43   your report.  As a public member you got a proposal,\n44   W26-05, it'll be brought up later, but appreciate all\n45   the work that Rock's doing in recruiting.  Looks like\n46   there's public outreach for the village participation\n47   and also I like your idea of bring it back to the\n48   schools and rural villages because that's needed\n49   especially --you know, putting the RAC meetings in the\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n21   \n36   \n50\n\n1   school engages the youth, engages the communities and\n2   introduces people to start communicating better.\n\n4                   So thank you, Dan.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n7   Frank.  I think we'll go to Ms. Judy and then after Ms.\n8   Judy we'll take a short break.\n\n10                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and\n11   thank you, Board members.  I'm Judy Caminer, I am\n12   representing the Southcentral Regional Advisory Council\n13   because our Chair, Greg Encelewski, who was I believe\n14   at the morning member yesterday isn't available today. \n15   So you'll see me today and then when we get to our\n16   proposals as well.  I also have a couple of my\n17   colleagues from the Council here today in the audience,\n18   Michael Opheim, Angela Totemoff, so appreciate their\n19   support and there may be others showing up when we get\n20   to proposals too.\n\n22                   The Southcentral region has about 50\n23   communities.  And I know there's Councils with other\n24   regions with larger number of communities, but the bulk\n25   of this region is connected by roads and many of the\n26   region's subsistence users are more --I think I'll say\n27   that a different way then.  User conflict as you've\n28   heard from many others and competition for limited\n29   resources are of course one of the highest concerns\n30   here.  We have miles and miles of roads, trails and\n31   freshwater marine access points.  How should these\n32   resources be distributed including how should these\n33   resources be distributed among just rural users is a\n34   topic that seems to be coming more and more before the\n35   Council and very regularly.\n\n37                   I'm glad Crystal started off the\n38   meeting mentioning Title VIII and I'm very pleased that\n39   all of you echoed the importance of Title VIII and your\n40   responsibilities to uphold it.  Our RAC takes those\n41   responsibilities likewise very seriously and when we\n42   see something like the program review and we attended\n43   and saw many, many, many people providing comments. \n44   When Crystal and Katya and Crystal's team stayed late\n45   into the night to take all those comments, that's very\n46   much appreciated, but we don't like the concept that\n47   the Board or the regulations might turn into State\n48   regulations.  That's not upholding Title VIII.  And\n49   similarly with the Park Service proposed rule where it\n\n---\n\n24   \n34   \n40   \n42   \n50\n\n1   says in there let's just be like the State regulations. \n2   That doesn't sit well with us because we know State\n3   regulations may not uphold Title VIII.  And sorry, Don,\n4   your comment on timing is exactly true.  Many of the\n5   RACs met before the regulation --the draft rule came\n6   out.  Many of the Subsistence Resource Commissions\n7   which are Park Service Commissions established to\n8   advise the Superintendents had met already.  And\n9   unfortunately the presentation --we had very little\n10   time to even look at it and the presentation was pretty\n11   slim let's say.  So to hand us a press release and then\n12   one copy of the Federal Register notice, it's a lot to\n13   absorb and it's not enough for a group to have that\n14   and, you know, what do you think about it when people\n15   don't have a basis to make constructive comments.  So\n16   we did put together comments, we got them done and then\n17   we find out the deadline's been extended.  That didn't\n18   help us unfortunately and it probably may not have\n19   helped many other people either.  I mean, you have a\n20   deadline, you get it done and then you find out it's\n21   extended.  I think we look forward to seeing the\n22   environmental assessment and specifically of course the\n23   810 analysis, but we really can't support it.\n\n25                   So some of our specific areas of\n26   concern are the crash of the Nelchina Caribou Herd and\n27   then those impacts that --to the people who relied on\n28   it, much of which you've heard already and much of\n29   which you'll hear as we go through it.  The reduced\n30   number of resources with plenty of users wanting to\n31   have them.  We have concern over we're displaced non-\n32   Federally-qualified Federal hunters are now focusing on\n33   since they can't harvest the Nelchina Caribou.\n\n35                   And the concern over salmon populations\n36   across the region and specifically of course the upper\n37   Copper River as has almost always been a concern and\n38   the Kenai River.  We also have a concern about just the\n39   region-wide increases in populations of users.\n\n## 41 Some regional priorities still remain.\n\n43                   We'd like further research on climate\n44   change and how it affects all of us and how to mitigate\n45   further affects on subsistence needs.  We also hear as\n46   we always do that funding is reduced, but it's going to\n47   be very challenging for us, for you to make decisions\n48   without the needed information.  We advocate for our\n49   region to receive more Fisheries Resource Monitoring\n\n---\n\n21   \n24   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   money.  Again we hear that there's not much money and\n2   we know that there's not much Staff, but at some point\n3   everything gets to a breaking point is something for\n4   you to consider there too.  We'd also advocate and\n5   you'll hear this I'm sure over and over of getting more\n6   youth involved and particularly for our Council, we're\n7   interested in that.  We'd also like to --in our annual\n8   report we'll once again ask for some compensation for\n9   time.  I know there's many rules against that, but it's\n10   something to look into again.  Commercial traveling\n11   operations --excuse me, commercial trawling operations\n12   and how they're detrimental to subsistence uses.  I\n13   think that's something that needs to be --continued to\n14   be looked into whether at North Pacific or otherwise. \n15   And we'd like adequate signage in areas that are used\n16   for subsistence hunting and fishing where you know\n17   you're going to have a large influx of people, that's\n18   really important.  We do have a concern about marine\n19   resources in light of the changing ecosystems that we\n20   mentioned before.\n\n22                   So we will be transmitting that report\n23   to you and look forward to your advice on that.\n\n25                   We had 24 wildlife proposals including\n26   one statewide and two crossover proposals and we'll\n27   talk about that as the meeting progresses.\n\n29                   But thank you for your time here today\n30   and your dedication.  We appreciate it.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n33   Judy.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right. \n38   Hearing and seeing none we're going to go ahead and\n39   take a five minute break.  And when we do return the\n40   Board up here has to take a quick picture just so you\n41   know.  So quick break.\n\n43                   MS. LEONETTI:  We're going to ask for\n44   audience involvement in that too so be prepared.\n\n46                   (Off record)\n\n48                   (On record)\n\n---\n\n18   \n21   \n25   \n34   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right. \n2   Thank you all for that.  Appreciate everybody getting\n3   into the picture.  I think that gives a good snapshot\n4   that we're all in it together, you know, that this is\n5   what the Federal Board process looks like, you know,\n6   with the leadership here, with the leadership from our\n7   Regional Advisory Councils and the leadership from our\n8   tribal, ANCSA and village people and rural Alaskans. \n9   So we appreciate you stepping into the picture and\n10   giving, you know, big uncle a snapshot of what we look\n11   like, that, you know, we're --we're actually human\n12   beings that are working through a process and, you\n13   know, whether it's decisive or not or might not all\n14   agree, we can all stand up and take one good smiling\n15   picture together.  And I think that really encapsulates\n16   what this program is about.  So appreciate that and\n17   everybody willing to step in and do that.\n\n19                   We'll get back to Regional Advisory\n20   Council Chairmen and we'll start with Rebecca.\n\n22                   MS. SKINNER:  Thank you.  My name is\n23   Rebecca Skinner, I'm the Chair of the Kodiak-Aleutians\n24   RAC.  Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the Board.\n\n26                   Just to remind people that KRAC has\n27   three sub-regions.  We have the Kodiak-Archipelago, the\n28   Alaska Peninsula and then the Aleutian Islands.  We are\n29   currently one member short and we have a --kind of a\n30   gap in representation from the Peninsula sub-area.  I\n31   bring this up because we have had less discussion on\n32   caribou than we would in the past.  You'll notice that\n33   later in my report.\n\n35                   I want to also note that communities in\n36   our region which is the Southwest Alaska region rely on\n37   commercial fishing.  And our region is home to all of\n38   the trawling ports in the state as well as Area M\n39   salmon fishery.  I appreciate the RAC Chairs meeting\n40   yesterday.  This was the start of an opportunity for\n41   dialogue among the different regions and I'm looking\n42   forward to the ongoing opportunity to share our\n43   regional perspective, knowledge and accurate\n44   information about what happens in our region.\n\n46                   The Kodiak-Aleutians RAC was able to\n47   meet in September of 2025 prior to the government\n48   shutdown.  We generated a comment letter on the\n49   Subsistence Program review and that's available in the\n\n---\n\n12   \n37   \n50\n\n1   correspondence section of our website so I'm not going\n2   to speak in detail to that.  But I did want to note the\n3   importance of the Councils, the fact that they are\n4   regional and they are made up of residents in each\n5   respective region.  This is not the case with the State\n6   Fish and Game Advisory Committees or really any other\n7   regulatory body that has advisory committees.  And I\n8   wanted to note the importance of maintaining this\n9   requirement for residency in the area and then the\n10   local perspective that that brings to the management\n11   process.\n\n13                   I also wanted to note in regards to\n14   FRMP that at our last RAC meeting a couple of months\n15   ago we had a mini strategic planning session to talk\n16   about the FRMP program, the grant opportunities and\n17   then the PINs or the priority information needs that we\n18   have as a RAC.  So we weren't developing the PINs, we\n19   were more talking about FRMP more broadly.  So we went\n20   through this process, I think it was well received by\n21   the RAC, everyone was really excited and then we\n22   learned about the cut in funding.  So consequently the\n23   Kodiak-Aleutians RAC doesn't have a funded FRMP\n24   project, but because we had a really good strategic\n25   discussion if we expect the current FRMP funding levels\n26   to continue I'm hopeful that as a RAC we can continue\n27   our strategic discussion at our next meeting, maybe\n28   have the same facilitation and brainstorm about how we\n29   can meet our fishery monitoring needs for our region\n30   and the state as well given the very limited resources. \n31   So this may mean coming up with ideas, pretty bold\n32   ideas, about how the program could be restructured or\n33   how the funding can best be leveraged because dividing\n34   all that --the fund --the smaller funding among all\n35   of the regions, it doesn't work very well because\n36   there's just too many regions and too many needs.\n\n38                   This winter in Kodiak we did have --it\n39   was a pretty cold winter, we have a fairly extended\n40   cold period so for us, fairly extended I mean somewhere\n41   between three and five weeks and very cold is in the\n42   single digits.  I realize other regions that's not even\n43   cold, but for us that's pretty cold and we had pretty\n44   high winds.  One thing I wanted to share is that this\n45   longer and colder period created thicker sea ice,\n46   normally we don't get sea ice, it was thick enough that\n47   I saw a seal lounging on the ice in Womens Bay, that's\n48   the first time I've ever seen that.  Normally we get\n49   kind of like slushy ice that builds up in the bay, but\n\n---\n\n7   \n21   \n49   \n50\n\n1   this time it was clearly thick enough for the --this\n2   fat seal to haul himself out and sit on the ice.  So\n3   that was pretty exciting.  But that is going to have\n4   impacts on our deer population because the deer\n5   population is most susceptible to winter overkill when\n6   we have high winters or hard winters.\n\n8                   For this wildlife cycle the Council\n9   continues to observe a mix of stability and growing\n10   uncertainty across the Kodiak-Aleutians region.  In\n11   terms of wildlife populations we're seeing mixed\n12   trends.  Some species like ptarmigan and certain\n13   waterfowl appear to be doing well in localized areas. \n14   At the same time there are concerns about deer\n15   populations following the more severe winter conditions\n16   and then ongoing variability in marine mammal\n17   observations.  We also have reports of whale strandings\n18   and other mortality events and we may --remain\n19   concerned that these may be tied to broader ecosystem\n20   changes.\n\n22                   Bird populations continue to be a\n23   significant issue for our region.  So we do have within\n24   our region is Izembek which I --I've heard is kind of\n25   known as the --not like the waterfowl capital of the\n26   world, but that's kind of how it's been presented.  We\n27   had our last RAC meeting out in Cold Bay and we got to\n28   go out on the lagoon and see the huge flocks of --I\n29   think they were black brant that were flying around the\n30   lagoon.  We don't have those kinds of aggregations of\n31   birds in Kodiak so seeing that at Izembek was pretty\n32   impressive.  And I was told they weren't even large\n33   flocks, that it was actually fairly small flocks for\n34   that time of year.  So migratory birds are very\n35   important in our region.  We remain concerned about\n36   decline in emperor geese, brant and cackling geese and\n37   we do understand the need for conservation measures,\n38   but we note that fall closures and restrictions in\n39   particular have a disproportionate impact on our region\n40   because the species that we hunt are primarily\n41   available in the fall.  So they --for example emperor\n42   geese do come to Kodiak, but the time when they're\n43   there, the spring season isn't open.  So really the\n44   only time to hunt these birds would be in the fall.  So\n45   fall closures basically preclude any hunting\n46   opportunity.  And then when those opportunities are\n47   limited it does directly affect subsistence users and\n48   cultural practices.\n\n---\n\n15   \n24   \n35   \n40   \n43   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   We're also hearing consistent\n2   observations from our communities about changing\n3   environmental conditions.  This can mean warmer\n4   summers, more variable winters so some winters are much\n5   warmer with less snow, some winters like this winter\n6   are much colder.  We always have wind in Kodiak, but\n7   this winter seemed particularly high winds.  And then\n8   shifting seasonal timing of when animals or fish --\n9   when they show up.  It's been different in the last\n10   probably five years we're seeing really big shifts in\n11   availability, things are not where we expect to see\n12   them.  These changes are affecting wildlife\n13   distribution, overwinter survival, migration patterns\n14   and ultimately subsistence access and success.\n\n16                   From our annual report the Council\n17   continues to emphasize the need for improved wildlife\n18   monitoring and data collection.  Gaps in surveys and\n19   limited resources make it difficult to fully understand\n20   population trends and to make informed management\n21   decisions.  We also continue to raise concerns about\n22   limited enforcement capacity throughout our region and\n23   the need for better coordination across agencies.\n\n25                   Finally I want to highlight again the\n26   importance of local knowledge.  Many of these changes\n27   are being first observed at the community level and\n28   that information is critical to understanding what's\n29   happening on the ground.  Overall the Council is seeing\n30   a system that still supports subsistence, but with\n31   increasing variability.  We encourage the Board to\n32   continue prioritizing data, communication and local\n33   input while ensuring that conservation measures also\n34   consider meaningful subsistence access.\n\n36                   Finally I want to thank our\n37   coordinator, Leigh Honig, for her great work and\n38   continually positive attitude, both are much\n39   appreciated.\n\n41                   That's all I have.  Happy to try to\n42   answer any questions.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n47   that, Rebecca.  Any questions or comments from the\n48   Board.\n\n---\n\n2   \n7   \n9   \n13   \n44   \n50\n\n## 1 (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate the\n4   report there.  We do see the same thing in Southeast,\n5   similar to Kodiak, a big shift in cycles and timings\n6   based on weather patterns.  So thank you for that.\n\n8                   Next we'll call on Leonard.\n\n10                   MR. BARGER:  Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. \n11   Put my other glasses on, after you get to the old age. \n12   So before I start I gave you guys a handout earlier so.\n\n14                   First of all, good morning, Mr. Chair,\n15   and members of the Board.  I'm here today and I wish\n16   I'd be home right now.  My nephew caught a whale last\n17   night and he was --that's his second whale so it was,\n18   you know, pretty good and pretty cold, but they just\n19   put it up this morning, about 6:00 this morning.  And\n20   so that's his second whale.  He was the first one that\n21   caught the whale at Point Hope, the first one.  We call\n22   him the king and queen, him and his wife.  So he'll set\n23   the date for the whaling festival in June.  So he's got\n24   the honor to do that.  So he'll --I just want to, you\n25   know, give a background of Point Hope, you know, we're\n26   pretty traditional.  And I've been asked to be a\n27   captain and I told some people heck no, F' no, you\n28   know, I don't want to be a captain because if I become\n29   a captain it's only this village here in Point Hope\n30   that we've got these young greedy elders nowadays, you\n31   know.  They want cars, trucks, snowmachines, four-\n32   wheeler.  They could get them if I catch my first\n33   whale.  They'll take my wife's car, they'll take my\n34   truck, they'll take my snowmachines, snow --Hondas,\n35   guns, TVs, anything.  Back then they used to distribute\n36   pots and pans, but no, like I said we've got these\n37   young greedy elders nowadays that, you know, they want\n38   cars, snowmachines, four-wheelers, but, you know, I\n39   don't want to be a --I'm a good driver now so I drive\n40   the boat for my nephew.  I've been offered, you know,\n41   snowmachines, boats to be on different crews, but I\n42   told my nephew I'm whaling with you because my former\n43   captain he lives in Anchorage.\n\n45                   And, you know, we take it very serious. \n46   You know, before I got here I never sleep for two days\n47   and a good rest.  So, you know, when we're out on the\n48   ice, you know, we're hunting.  You know, we hunt for\n49   our people.  We barter and we trade, you know, for --\n\n---\n\n9   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   you know, we don't sell that, you know, we're not\n2   allowed to sell the muktuk and beluga and stuff, you\n3   know, we barter.  You know, I got friends that, you\n4   know, my daughter, she's got friends from, you know,\n5   other places, she wants blueberries and, you know, all\n6   the other stuff, but, you know, I just want to give\n7   that brief, you know, view, you know, me and Point Hope\n8   and stuff.\n\n10                   My name is Leonard Barger, I'm from\n11   Point Hope and I serve as the Vice Chair of the North\n12   Slope Borough Advisory Council.  Thank you for the\n13   opportunity to speak today and to participate in the\n14   importance of regulation process.  I also want to\n15   express the --my gratitude for the chance to share\n16   several key priorities that are deeply important to the\n17   subsistence users in the North Slope.  And like I\n18   stated, you know, North Slope is pretty, you know,\n19   people in the North Slope are --you know, this is a\n20   bad time for us right now, we're out there whaling.  I\n21   know Charlie's not here, I know he's excused.  He's a\n22   captain, you know, he'd rather be out there.  And our\n23   Chairman, he's a whaling captain, you know, he couldn't\n24   make it.  He called me up, hey, Leonard, you better go\n25   to the Fish and Game Board meeting.  I was like I'm\n26   driving for my nephew.  No, no, you got to go.  So I'm\n27   here now.  So I'm --I would like to stay until, you\n28   know, when this meeting's over, but I'm leaving\n29   tomorrow because my nephew --my other nephew's been\n30   bugging me, you better get home, you better get home,\n31   you know, we need you to drive because the other drive\n32   he just --he came here last night to Anchorage so he's\n33   without a driver.  So I told him I'll be there, you\n34   know, tomorrow afternoon.  So and, you know, it's\n35   pretty hard, you know, I couldn't sleep, people were\n36   texting me all night last night, I didn't go to sleep\n37   until about 3:00 o'clock this morning.  So I was\n38   getting texts left and right and my nieces and my\n39   nephews, my daughters and my uncle were calling me and\n40   texting me.  So I had to turn my phone off to go to\n41   sleep.\n\n43                   (Laughter)\n\n45                   MR. BARGER:  So anyways I would like to\n46   --the users of the conflict between subsistence and\n47   sport users in the North Slope region remains one of\n48   our community's most processed concerns as mainly the\n49   sport hunters like Anaktuvuk Pass, their --they have a\n\n---\n\n29   \n45   \n50\n\n1   big issue over there.  I have a lady, she --she's on\n2   the Board, you know, she's on the Fish and Game Board,\n3   she's been on the Board for a long time and she brings\n4   up this issue over and over, nothing has --hasn't been\n5   done.  Nothing.  She brings it up over and over.  And\n6   she tears --tears up and brought the issues and stuff\n7   and still nothing the past 10 years she's been bringing\n8   it up.  So she's getting tired of it, you know.  This\n9   lady's been, you know, the backbone of the community,\n10   you know, voicing their concerns for their community. \n11   And also, you know, we talked about the caribou.  You\n12   know, Point Hope and Point Lay we have only one stock\n13   of caribou that we hunt, the Western Arctic Caribou\n14   Herd.  And that's the main caribou.  This time of the\n15   year like right now in March I would have to travel --\n16   I would have to go to Buckland or call my friends, you\n17   guys getting caribou and, you know, there's caribou.  I\n18   had --I had to drive all the way from Point Hope all\n19   the way to Buckland just to get caribou.  Why, I get\n20   that animal for captains that we depend on it during\n21   whaling time, keeps us warm out there on that --that\n22   animal that we catch.  We don't get males during the\n23   winter, lot of people know that we don't get whale --\n24   males during the winter, we get the cows and now\n25   they're regulating.  I know northwest is regulating the\n26   --you know, the proposal on the cow.  Us North Slope\n27   Borough we went, you know, one cow and four, you know,\n28   bulls and that's good, but, you know.\n\n30                   And the other thing is on the behavior\n31   of the caribou that, you know, a lot of people that go\n32   out and hunt, you know, especially the sport hunters,\n33   that's the major concern we have in the North Slope.  A\n34   lot of sport --you know, we see them fly in, fly out. \n35   And Nuiqsut, you know, that's --they're --you know,\n36   they see them there and they had the excuse, oh, my\n37   meat got rotten.  And they --you know, they got the\n38   big antlers.  We know that they --they just hunt the\n39   antlers only.  And there's quite a few seen, you know,\n40   that their ant --you know, that their meat, they said\n41   oh, it got rotten.  Us people here in Alaska, we take\n42   care of our meat, we know how to take care of our meat,\n43   how to process it, you know, how to take care of it\n44   through the whole summer or winter, to prepare.\n\n46                   So also I'd like to --behavior studies\n47   has been conducted and examined whether repeated short\n48   terms, should be in long term affected on their\n49   migration behavior.  This lack of research leaves our\n\n---\n\n21   \n50\n\n1   communities with unanswered questions while the\n2   problems grow more urgent each year.  Likewise the\n3   comprehensive studies has been conducted to study on\n4   the impact of users conflict, subsistence users.  In\n5   the previous annual report to the Board we informed the\n6   Board of the needs, of the importance of the studies,\n7   types and interactions among other things through\n8   wildlife research monitoring programs.  And that's\n9   another --you know, we'd love to have to see\n10   monitoring programs and stuff that these animals.  And\n11   also the food source, primary food source, are being\n12   out competed by wealth and access.  This is not equal\n13   playing field and the Council feels responsible to\n14   bring forward.  Look to your leadership and your\n15   expertise as technical experts and quite honestly as a\n16   space where we can gauge the dialogue that will bring\n17   real resources, solutions, reach in the ground.  I\n18   think we are in the point of the history that need\n19   coordination and collaboration between Federal agency\n20   and State to help address this conflict issue.\n\n22                   And also I know people were talking\n23   about gas prices.  When I went to Noatak in February I\n24   went there just to go get fish and stuff, you know,\n25   prepare for whaling and I got sled load of trout.  And\n26   I had to call my wife and I said I'm low on money.  I\n27   had to pay 17 bucks a gallon of gas over there.  That's\n28   how much their gas prices were there at Noatak,  17\n29   bucks a gallon of gas.  Heating fuel was 19.95 a gallon\n30   and they're limiting households five gallons for, you\n31   know, to buy.  So those kinds of issues and stuff, you\n32   know, we talked about gas prices all over, it's hurting\n33   all over the world, not just, you know, any other\n34   place, you know, people were complaining here in\n35   Anchorage, oh, gas prices are high.  You go to the\n36   villages they're a lot higher, you know, we pay more. \n37   You know, you guys are lucky you guys are only pay five\n38   bucks, you know, other villages are paying six, seven\n39   bucks a gallon of gas.  And you guys got more access\n40   and more, you know, food that you guys have here.  You\n41   guys got Walmart, you guys got, you know, all these\n42   places that you have.  I always order food from Amazon,\n43   you know, cheaper, you know, it's a lot cheaper.  And\n44   at our store we --you know, when --my kids like to\n45   have hamburger.  A bag of hamburger, you know, you guys\n46   see here it's only like 12 bucks here, in my store at\n47   AC, 65 bucks for the bag, one bag of hamburger patties\n48   65 bucks.  And you --we all celebrate, you know,\n49   Thanksgiving.  We want that ham.  Guess how much I had\n\n---\n\n5   \n21   \n50\n\n1   to pay for --well, my wife wanted the ham and it was a\n2   hundred and 25 bucks just for that ham.  Those kinds of\n3   things, real high price, you know, that we pay now at\n4   our local stores.\n\n6                   So I just bring, you know, all these\n7   issues.  You know, fish, I had to --you know, we talk\n8   about fish, this year --this summer --last summer I\n9   just only caught 40 to 50 and I kept only seven for me,\n10   for my family.  The other ones I give to elders and\n11   widows.  My first catch, I'll go bring it to them right\n12   away because they want that taste of the --what they\n13   eat.  That's my priority, I give them first the elders,\n14   the widows.  I respect them and that's the way of life\n15   that us Natives that we bring up, we hunt for our\n16   elders first and widows.  And right now I know my\n17   nephew is bringing elders --and we have a lot of\n18   ladies and men that are widows, he's over there feeding\n19   them right now, the taste of that muktuk.  That's our\n20   tradition, we honor them and we feed them.\n\n22                   And so back to my letter.  I'm getting\n23   way off on my things that are not in there.  But anyway\n24   first of all, you know, thank you for, you know,\n25   hearing me out and this is my first time, you know, as\n26   coming here to the Board.  You know, you guys listen to\n27   us as a RAC.  I'm just one, I'm talking to all our RAC\n28   members in the North Slope, I'm their voice, I'm there\n29   --you know, I --I listen to them and I'm here, you\n30   know, I wish we had all of our members were --you\n31   know, be here talking about their issues instead of the\n32   Chairs, you know, it would be nice to have them here,\n33   you know.  Like I talked about that lady that lives in\n34   Anaktuvuk, she's been there on the Board for so many\n35   years and, you know, she's been bringing up, bringing\n36   up all these issues and stuff, but nothing's being\n37   done.  And she was getting tears, tears every time she\n38   talk over and over.  And we tell her, you know, we're a\n39   hundred percent behind you, we fight for everyone. \n40   We're, you know, talking about the issues that we need,\n41   the proposals, the --you know, the laws and stuff. \n42   One elder tell me hey, go get me a caribou.  I say hey,\n43   I got to --I got to get my hunting license.  No, no,\n44   you go get me a caribou, I want it.  I said no, no, I\n45   got to wait until I get my hunting license.  We don't\n46   have a guy that, you know, gives out hunting license. \n47   We don't know --some people don't know about the, you\n48   know, tech, you go on your phone, you can get it\n49   online, you know, some people don't know about it.  And\n\n---\n\n14   \n35   \n50\n\n1   so that elder wanted that --you know, that meat.  And\n2   there was caribou close by in our town and I said I --\n3   can you wait, I've got to call a friend of mine, see if\n4   she can get me a hunting license.  So I called her in\n5   Barrow so she ordered it for me and send it --send it\n6   to me on email so I was good to go.  And I went to go\n7   get that caribou for him and it was a cow.  And, you\n8   know, he doesn't want male because they're stinky, you\n9   know, they rut, we --we know it's rut during, you\n10   know, February, December, we don't want that male, but\n11   young ones, the young males, you know, they're good,\n12   but we don't want to get them, we want them to grow. \n13   So that's the issue, you know.\n\n15                   Present in the North Slope communities\n16   what does matter.  Our communities are not only dealing\n17   with regulatory complexes, they are dealing with rapid\n18   ecological changes, weather patterns are shifting,\n19   animal behavior and changes.  Communities like\n20   Anaktuvuk --like I said Anaktuvuk Pass have struggled\n21   through the difficult periods not having caribou to\n22   harvest.  Now we hear that the Western Arctic Caribou\n23   Herd had dropped to roughly 100 animals --100,000\n24   animals and it has the --caused deep concern from the\n25   place like Tikigaq, Point Hope and Point Lay.  The\n26   people most affected by regulation changes and\n27   decisions must be able to understand them.  Weighing in\n28   their --on them and see that their voices matter.  We\n29   have a lot of voices over there, but, you know, when we\n30   have meetings some of them don't want to go to the\n31   meetings.  And we --you know, I'm just one voice, I\n32   can't make that decision or rule for my community, we\n33   have to have their voice heard too.  So they also need\n34   the opportunity to ask questions.\n\n36                   I bring this to your attention because\n37   there are --there's room for improvement.  We operate\n38   under the assumption that people know how to engage to\n39   make their voices heard, but that is not the case.  In\n40   my region alone I think there's opportunities to\n41   strengthen and expand outreach effort across the North\n42   Slope communities, to provide similar explanations of\n43   proposals, decisions and program roles, vitals and\n44   diagrams are helpful.  Develop community level maps. \n45   there are maps, you know, like Unit 23 and that covers\n46   Point Hope and that's in, you know, the Northwest\n47   Arctic region.  And, you know, I'm happy and thankful,\n48   Crystal, that approves me to go to the Northwest RAC\n49   because I rep --I'm with the North Slope, but the\n\n---\n\n10   \n36   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   issues and stuff in the Northwest Arctic, they concern\n2   us too in Point Hope because we're in Unit 23.  We get\n3   the same animals.  And I brought up in our RAC that,\n4   you know, mapping, they should follow the North Slope,\n5   you know, boundaries or the ANCSA boundaries to put us\n6   instead of, you know, putting us in Unit 23, put us in\n7   that same unit for --so we don't have to voice our\n8   concern because we don't have representation in\n9   Kotzebue.  And I brought that up in our meetings.\n\n11                   So increase in persons visiting and\n12   opportunities for two-way conversation, ensure\n13   materials and translate and interpret because we would\n14   go to meetings like some of us here, you know, we're\n15   Inupiaq or, you know, Indian --translate, some of --\n16   you know, some of us (in Native) we don't --when I\n17   say, (in Native) means we can't understand.  Like when\n18   we regulate some of the elders think, you know, four\n19   caribou plus one, they think it's for a family, it's\n20   not, it's per person, that's what they think, you know. \n21   We have to give them more understanding of what we, you\n22   know, regulate on their proposals and stuff that, you\n23   know, like --because like some elders --I talk to a\n24   lot of elders myself and I talked to a lot of them\n25   passed on and, you know, hate to see them, but they're\n26   in a better place, no more suffering, they're eating --\n27   you know, they're eating, you know, healthy up there. \n28   But, you know, I'd like to go back again, increase in\n29   persons visiting and opportunities for two-way\n30   conversation.  One more education about land\n31   management, regulate history and how to navigate the\n32   complicate of Unit 26A and widen our region.  This\n33   investment is not optional, it is essential for the\n34   functions, responsible public driven Subsistence\n35   Management Program.\n\n37                   And I would like to thank you for the\n38   opportunity to share this priority with you and I hope\n39   we can discuss with more details.  And I bless you and\n40   thank you for listening to me about my --you know, my\n41   thing that we have here.\n\n## 43 Thanks, Mr. Chair.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n46   Leonard.  I think this is the most valuable part of it\n47   and getting to know each other and what you represent\n48   and how you serve your people is probably the pinnacle\n49   of the program.  So thank you for feeding the elders\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n12   \n18   \n20   \n50\n\n1   and appreciate those super subsisters that are always\n2   looking out for the needs of our people in the\n3   community.\n\n5                   We'll move on next to --are there any\n6   questions from the Board or comments?\n\n8                   We need to take a real --one five\n9   second pause, not a long one, we have a little\n10   technical Teams difficulty so we going to give the IT\n11   that time.\n\n13                   We can continue here since that's just\n14   between us here.  We'll go ahead and step over to Mr.\n15   Mulligan from the State and we'll give him an\n16   opportunity to information share as well as we do get\n17   our IT together.\n\n## 19 Thank you.\n\n21                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. \n22   For the record Ben Mulligan, Deputy Commissioner for\n23   the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  I come into\n24   these meetings and I've been coming to them for eight\n25   years now trying to think of a way to succinctly give\n26   the Board, the RACs, the public, a summary of what the\n27   Department is doing.  I mean, there's so much going on\n28   right now, you know, we had some of the Board talk\n29   about, you know, things that are going on with their\n30   budgets.  And right now we are in Legislative session\n31   still and so our budget is still in the air.  And I\n32   think the one thing that I've seen floating around\n33   Facebook and the press that you guys all may have seen\n34   as a decision by the --at least on the House side, may\n35   jeopardize the continued function of the Fairbanks\n36   sport fish hatchery.  There's several pieces of\n37   legislation out there that would impact the Department. \n38   And so like I said in order to facilitate the meeting\n39   going by smoothly I would say if you have a specific\n40   thing you want to know about your region come chat. \n41   Most of the time you'll see me sitting right here, I\n42   won't move because I'm trying to prepare for the next\n43   proposal or closure review comments that I'm going to\n44   give, but I will always take the time if you come sit\n45   down and ask me a question about what's going on in\n46   your region, more than happy to --you know, Dan came\n47   by real quick just to ask about a proposal and I gave\n48   him the low down, more than happy to do that with\n49   anybody else as well because, I mean, I do --we just\n\n---\n\n14   \n20   \n22   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n45   \n50\n\n1   came out of --I mean, kind of springtime I guess\n2   depending on where you're at which meant that a lot of\n3   wildlife surveys had been conducted.  And at the same\n4   time as all of you know this is the time to gear up for\n5   field projects so we have a lot of folks hiring,\n6   getting training related for all the projects that you\n7   see out in your areas that we're conducting.  We also\n8   have subsistence household surveys that are wrapping up\n9   in --but in some areas they will still be continuing\n10   into the spring.  There's just a ton of stuff that we\n11   do and no way that I could tell you all about it in a\n12   way that would lead us to probably getting done until\n13   after you all went to lunch.\n\n15                   So with that and not to, you know,\n16   speak lightly because we do do a lot is just say come\n17   by, pick my brain for a few minutes, and if I don't\n18   know I'll take notes and I will try to get back to you\n19   with that information.\n\n## 21 So thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Mr.\n24   Mulligan.  Any questions or comments from the Board for\n25   Ben.\n\n## 27 (No comments)\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I appreciate\n30   the State being here.  And we're good.  We'll move on\n31   to Mr. Louis Green.\n\n33                   MR. GREEN:  Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. \n34   My name is Louis Green, I'm the Chairman of the Seward\n35   Peninsula RAC in the Bering Straits region.  I wear a\n36   lot of hats, but not as many as Charlie over here, but\n37   I serve on the regional ANCSA Board, Bering Straits,\n38   and I serve on the village corp Board Sitnasauk for\n39   Nome.  I think I'm going to be dipping my toes in the\n40   water with the AFN Subsistence Committee, Bering\n41   Straits put my name forward for that.  And that gives\n42   me a pretty wide range of people who I represent so\n43   it's, you know, we, the people, I think.  I --that's\n44   where I come from.\n\n46                   Just personally my --through my\n47   lifetime I've fathered seven children, got three\n48   natural born grandchildren and a couple others that --\n49   is that loud enough, I could hear my echo out here\n\n---\n\n33   \n39   \n50\n\n1   which is kind of rare because I'm not so good at\n2   hearing.  So anyway --thank you, Katya, I served on\n3   the Northern Norton Sound Advisory Committee for about\n4   13 years back in '93 to '05, part of the --most --\n5   half time as Vice Chair.  I'm giving out kind of who I\n6   am because I know there's new people in here and\n7   there's new people coming.  I spent a lot of time in my\n8   life --the reason I'm in this arena here and I've been\n9   for over 25 years between the State and the Fed systems\n10   is --I guess it's a passion of mine because my\n11   grandmother bringing me up from the time I --at least\n12   I can recall five years old, trying to be part of\n13   fishing salmon at the time.  It's been a --you know,\n14   my whole life I've been hunting and gathering and I\n15   always brought my family and friends and their friends\n16   through times of those seasons to hunt and gather.  So\n17   I'm kind of --like I said it's a passion of mine. \n18   I've commercial fished from Kodiak to the Bering Strait\n19   and around the corner, familiar with the halibut\n20   fisheries, the king crab fisheries, we have red king\n21   crab there in the Norton Sound, the herring fishery\n22   that kind of came and went, see a lot of the need for\n23   that to come back.  I spent time herding reindeer with\n24   an airplane as well as handling in the chutes with\n25   people up on the Northern Seward Peninsula.  I also was\n26   a spotter pilot out of Togiak and Norton Sound for\n27   herring.  Marine mammal hunter, walrus, seals, Beluga. \n28   And what I do with that is I try to pass it on to the\n29   younger generation, I always have.  It's been a passion\n30   of mine to make sure that these younger people have the\n31   skills to be able to continue to feed the families that\n32   they bring up into the world.\n\n34                   So I have a --like I said I was the\n35   father of seven.  I also have a friend in life that's\n36   my partner in life, Gayla Hoseth, and we have similar\n37   passions about our natural fish and game, natural\n38   resources, which is a rare thing maybe.\n\n40                   As far as the Board, we're here to --I\n41   appreciate the ability to be here and the opportunity\n42   to speak to you to elevate the concerns of --there's\n43   several concerns brought forward of our Council\n44   members.  I go back to the early '90s and Board of Fish\n45   meetings and it's been --you know, it's really heart\n46   wrenching because I sit there and I listen to what I\n47   heard over 30 years ago from people now, it's all the\n48   way across the state and western Alaska especially and\n49   I just don't understand why things are so bad that --\n\n---\n\n19   \n21   \n23   \n28   \n50\n\n1   and then nobody's really seemingly doing anything about\n2   it.  We know there's --there's a industry out there\n3   that's not on the beach like the rest of us.  And I'll\n4   speak a little more to that, but I wanted to get to a\n5   point here that one of my lifelong friends, a grandma's\n6   boy like me, I wanted to recognize Tommy Gray and his\n7   lifelong service for, you know, decades of service to\n8   the Advisory Committees, the Beluga Commission, the\n9   Federal Subsistence RAC process.  And, you know, Tommy\n10   was one of the regulars, his voice, commitment shaped\n11   every discussion.  You know, I used to tell him, I said\n12   I'm sure glad you're sitting here because, you know,\n13   everybody tells me I talk too much, but, man, when\n14   you're there at the table you put me in a good light\n15   because you talk more than me.  And we'd laugh and go\n16   about our business.  It's --he's well missed there at\n17   the table.  So I just wanted a moment of silence for\n18   Tommy Gray and I'd ask everybody to stand.\n\n## 20 Thank you.\n\n## 22 (Moment of silence)\n\n24                   MR. GREEN:  Okay.  Thank you and that\n25   honor that.  He always called me young man, I was\n26   almost as old as him.  And thank you, folks, for doing\n27   that.\n\n29                   One of the things that --you know,\n30   many of us have served on these Councils and Committee\n31   for, you know, decades and one of the --you know, for\n32   the idea that continuity flows, we have the information\n33   and we hear how people up here from the government side\n34   of things are changing out and we're seeing it, you\n35   know, hearing it today.  The people that are there that\n36   have been there for a long time are there because they\n37   want to be like myself, we have one fellow that's been\n38   over 30 years, Elmer Seetot, and Tom Gray was, you\n39   know, two or three decades himself.  I've been there\n40   since 2010 at the Federal level.  So looking at the\n41   future is looking into the youth that we have in our\n42   region and trying to foster the interested ones into\n43   coming to the table and taking part in here and taking\n44   over for us.  Like I said, you know, we're --we can't\n45   do this forever, but we probably will anyway, you know,\n46   but we do this because it's part of our life story and\n47   so we want to pass that on and have it continue.  The\n48   unfortunate thing for those of us that do this, there's\n49   no retirement plan so here we are.\n\n---\n\n40   \n50\n\n1                   Our youth today, they face a time where\n2   their fish and their game resources are down and, you\n3   know, we came from a time when there was abundant --\n4   lots, we've --we seen lots, we had easy opportunity,\n5   but nowadays it's not like that anymore for different\n6   reasons.  I say, you know, bringing these younger\n7   people into the system --I like what I heard somewhere\n8   somebody was doing this in the school system.  Mr.\n9   Woods might have mentioned that where they do their\n10   meetings in a school and during a school --when it's\n11   in session sounded like to me.  I think that might be\n12   something that my region might want to --we might want\n13   to look into.  We're already looking into the program\n14   to bring our youth into the regulatory system and\n15   learning how to navigate it and our Council's explored\n16   some ways to engage our youth and the one thing that we\n17   really appreciated was the fact of adding a non-voting\n18   youth seat to our charters which we thought was a step\n19   forward.  Unfortunately haven't had that happen in our\n20   area yet where we have one on the Council, but I think\n21   that we were really interested in seeing how the\n22   Federal agencies such as BLM and the National Park\n23   Service could help support that youth involvement in\n24   our region.  Like planting a seed, we'd like to see\n25   someway to have those youth engaged.  And a friend here\n26   from Southeast, Heather Bauscher, Bauscher, excuse me,\n27   did come up to our Council meeting in March and present\n28   what she's doing here with these youth back here with\n29   her now.  We want to see that from up there, I'd like\n30   to see that in every region.  I think it would be the\n31   smartest thing that we could do is bringing our youth\n32   forward so I'm putting a lot of emphasis on that.  She\n33   does actually have a manual for this I think she's\n34   coming out with and if you're interested in something\n35   like that in your region I would suggest that you have\n36   a sidebar conversation with her.  She's very willing to\n37   have those conversations.  So appreciate her being here\n38   today and that was really a pleasure to have her up\n39   there when we conducted out last meeting.\n\n41                   The talk about salmon.  The idea that\n42   salmon have played a part in human history is\n43   phenomenal, you know, they've been around for 5 million\n44   years.  Knowing of a study that took place back in the\n45   late '80s pointing out that the --the importance of\n46   salmon to the whole Pacific Rim was interesting.  I --\n47   I'm not --I don't have a name on that, but there was a\n48   hell of a presentation done by the guy that was part of\n49   that.  At one time I watched a short film there.  But\n\n---\n\n17   \n50\n\n1   what was interesting was they had identified two salmon\n2   production areas or regions in Western Alaska and one\n3   was Bristol Bay, one we can all understand that, we\n4   look at millions of sockeye fish --salmon that go\n5   there.  But the other one was which has been in sad\n6   shape since probably the late '70s is the Norton Sound. \n7   So when you talk about salmon it plays a part in every\n8   part --everything from marine world to the --to the\n9   land, you know.  I made an example to somebody, I said,\n10   you know, of all the sea mammals that feed on that and\n11   all the sharks and whatever else feeds on salmon on the\n12   way, when they're out there rearing in the sea and then\n13   they return to the river systems and lakes, the\n14   predation of those fish, not just man, when it hits\n15   land it's bears and wolves, human beings and everything\n16   in between.\n\n18                   But one of the things that I drew an\n19   example of was, you know, the moose we eat and we're\n20   having moose herd problems, we all know that too,\n21   that's another factor in our lives out in rural Alaska\n22   is that, you know, that big animal on four legs is --\n23   provides a lot of --a lot of protein for people.  And\n24   what I said was, you know, the salmon, they come up the\n25   river and people always see a river like this, right,\n26   it's --there's the bank and there's the other bank. \n27   There's willows growing on that bank.  But what they\n28   don't think about is the water table underneath it\n29   stretches out beyond that bank and the way to identify\n30   how far it reaches is kind of like the willow pattern\n31   that's on the side of the rivers, it kind of goes back\n32   aways and then fades away.  Well, moose eat those\n33   willows and for decades now I can say that Norton Sound\n34   has been pretty sad for those types of animals that\n35   feed on that because the salmon, the marine river\n36   nutrients that they deliver to those rivers is not\n37   really being delivered anymore.  Just for instance we\n38   got involved in this in '93 at the Board of Fish level\n39   and we had salmon, we had problems with salmon, chums\n40   and kings were going, silvers were going.  The idea\n41   that that far back was involved and I thought we were\n42   doing things to progress forward, to come to a point\n43   where management would actually do something and we\n44   would retain those runs and everything would get\n45   better, but, you know what, I went down to the Nome\n46   River last summer where there's a spawning bed there,\n47   it's below a spring and there wasn't one king there. \n48   One --there wasn't anything in that section of the\n49   river.  And I thought where have we come from 1993 to\n\n---\n\n27   \n39   \n50\n\n1   now, we've come from fish and fighting for fish to the\n2   point where there is none.  So something's absolutely\n3   wrong and I don't think it's the people that are\n4   sitting here at the table that are representing our\n5   folks, it's the people that are in the management side\n6   of things in the governments, they --Federal that\n7   aren't listening.  And, you know, talking about\n8   traditional knowledge we all bring it to the table, we\n9   have biological knowledge come to the table and yet\n10   we're still dealing with --it's like a monetary issue,\n11   it's not about how a person can feed themselves because\n12   for 20,000 years, I say 20,000, people have been\n13   walking down to a river and feeding themselves.  They\n14   didn't have to buy 16 and $17 gas to go fishing, they\n15   didn't have to buy 16 and $17 gas worth a gallon of gas\n16   to go caribou hunting 90 to a hundred miles which we do\n17   now, it's pathetic.  So the problem isn't the people\n18   that come here representing the masses of people, it's\n19   the management systems that we're dealing with that\n20   aren't doing what they need to be doing to preserve\n21   things for the future.  And, man, when I look at\n22   listening to my friend over there on the North Slope\n23   talking about the difficulties of just going and taking\n24   care of business and paying $17 for a gallon of gas I\n25   go my goodness.  We shouldn't have to do that, nobody\n26   should.\n\n28                   So in the interests of our natural\n29   resources being intact I think that if we were --if\n30   we're managing --if our systems were managed for\n31   subsistence first then everybody would have a piece of\n32   the pie, all the other user groups would have\n33   something.  So when I look at from the Norton Sound's\n34   Nome sub-district all the way down to Bristol Bay I\n35   just --it's a sad thing to witness in my lifetime. \n36   I'm going to be 68 years old in a couple of weeks.  And\n37   to think that, you know, at the age of 35 I started\n38   this and it's --it's worse than it ever was.\n\n40                   The caribou, what's the answer for the\n41   caribou.  You know, we deal with that too up there in\n42   Norton Sound, up on the Seward Peninsula, we're both of\n43   that WACH, Western Arctic Caribou Herd.  We seen where\n44   we protected the people's who are Federally-qualified,\n45   people's right to hunt them close by and it made a\n46   difference like up in the Noatak, I know that we closed\n47   the Federal lands and it gave opportunity for people to\n48   go out there.  And one was an old man that went out\n49   there, we had a young fellow come in here and talk to\n\n---\n\n12   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   us at a meeting and he said he was so happy, he got up\n2   there and he's --he described what that old man told\n3   him about hunting that animal and how he had to stalk\n4   it and he got it and how he was dancing around, the guy\n5   was imitating him.  And it was like, you know, you see\n6   that and then --and realize that all the people that\n7   sat at the table from the '80s on, the elders that are\n8   all dead and gone now and we've become the elders, am I\n9   going to have to dance like that someday because I got\n10   opportunity.  I sure hope not and that's why we're\n11   here.\n\n13                   So the Norton Sound stocks have been\n14   depressed for decades and I always say we're the canary\n15   in the coal mine, we got hit first, then the next was\n16   Unalakleet, and then the next was the Yukon and then\n17   the Kuskokwim and I see it in --down in Bristol Bay. \n18   I fished there last year, subsistence with my partner,\n19   Gayla Hoseth.  And we're lucky there was a few kings,\n20   but to see that big system down there starting to get\n21   hit, when are we going to wake up the people that are\n22   supposed to be doing the job of preserving those\n23   resources.  I hear mining, mining, mining.  Well, it\n24   ain't mining that's doing that to our fish except it is\n25   considered in my mind mining out in the ocean with\n26   those trawlers.  I've never spoken well of them since\n27   they first started with the CDQ program, I didn't like\n28   what we were getting involved in up there in my region\n29   and I told my Board member not to get into it and buy\n30   into it, just --you got the quota, just stay out of\n31   the infrastructure.  Didn't happen.  Now we're part of\n32   it.\n\n## 34 So where do we go from here.\n\n36                   Our Council has been at the table and\n37   we've had discussions about that and we talk about the\n38   fact that --I know we sent letters in that say there's\n39   the Department of Agriculture and the Department of\n40   Interior, where is the Department of Commerce and why\n41   doesn't this Federal Subsistence Board have the ability\n42   not to have any authority over those Federal water\n43   fishes.  There's some questions to be answered.\n\n45                   And I'm about ready to rest here.  I\n46   think we all have the same thoughts, I heard other\n47   people speak of the Department of Commerce.  The\n48   Department of Commerce needs to be engaged with us and\n49   sit at the table so that they can take that information\n\n---\n\n11   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n35   \n37   \n39   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   back to the --to DC and tell whoever's Administration\n2   is at the time that this is what's going on up there. \n3   It's not the land of plenty anymore.  The people up\n4   there need what they have, they don't have it, they\n5   need it.  So the Superintendent --excuse me, the --I\n6   think the idea of the Department of Commerce directly\n7   in a cross jurisdictional dialogue and decision-making\n8   particularly when we're having salmon bycatch and\n9   trawlers, we --impacts is the very top of the priority\n10   list, we should find some way to get to that.\n\n12                   In closing the Seward Peninsula\n13   Regional Advisory Council appreciates the Board's time\n14   and attention to these matters and we look forward to a\n15   continued partnership and ensuring that the needs and\n16   the rights and the voices of our subsistence users\n17   present and future bringing from the past, that we have\n18   here at the table are heard and respected.  We need to\n19   manage for subsistence.  I want to see that before the\n20   day I take my last breath.\n\n22                   So thank you.  Sorry about the passion.\n\n24                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  That's why we\n27   love you, Louis.  Any questions from the Board.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I think that's\n32   a good place to take lunch and think about everything\n33   Louis said and we'll come back at --one hour and 15\n34   minutes.  We'll see you guys back here at 1:30.\n\n36                   (Off record)\n\n38                   (On record)\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Caron McKee. \n41   Caron McKee.  We want you to come --if you're willing\n42   to do a little introduction we're going to reconvene\n43   this meeting after lunchtime to the art project we have\n44   there so we can let everybody here know what's going on\n45   with that and what our expectations with voting are.\n\n47                   Thank you.\n\n49                   MS. McKEE:  Hi, Mr. Chair and members\n\n---\n\n12   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n32   \n37   \n50\n\n1   of the Board.  I'm Caron McKee, I'm the Outreach\n2   Coordinator for the Office of Subsistence Management. \n3   And we hosted a student art contest this year, it was\n4   open to all students in Alaska, grades K through 12. \n5   We had a whopping 189 submissions which is one of the\n6   highest levels of participation we've ever had so we\n7   really want to thank all the parents and teachers who\n8   encouraged their kids to participate.  The quality of\n9   the art this year was really amazing to see, just the\n10   knowledge of species and subsistence uses and\n11   resources.\n\n13                   So we're excited to have all the Board\n14   members and ISC members be the judges this year.  You\n15   have supplemental binders and in those binders there is\n16   a voting form.  The art itself is displayed on the two\n17   back tables in the back, there's 25 pieces of art for\n18   you to peruse during the meeting and then when you feel\n19   like it go ahead and fill out your judging form and\n20   return it to me.  I'm seated over here kind of near the\n21   coffee stand.  And when judging is completed we'll\n22   tally the votes and announce the first and second place\n23   winners.\n\n## 25 Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n28   that.  Appreciate the update.\n\n30                   All right.  With that we'll get back to\n31   our RAC Chair reports and we'll call on Mr. Charlie.\n\n33                   MR. WRIGHT:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n34   Through the Chair.  Thanks for this time and thanks to\n35   the Council for being here and doing all that you do\n36   and all the sacrifices you make.  Appreciate you.\n\n38                   First I'd like to recognize all the\n39   Chiefs in the room and the former Chiefs.  I grew up\n40   along the Yukon River between Rampart and Tanana,\n41   hunting, fishing, trapping and living a subsistence\n42   lifestyle.  And I have to say right now that my\n43   subsistence needs haven't been met in 15 plus years\n44   wholly.  I have to go all the way to Bristol Bay to get\n45   fish for my family because we can't get fish on the\n46   Yukon.  I drive my truck to Anchorage and I fly to\n47   Ekwok and I fish, freeze and dry fish and I bring it\n48   all the way back to the Yukon and drive it down the\n49   Yukon to my mother in Rampart so that she could stop\n\n---\n\n6   \n11   \n21   \n29   \n47   \n50\n\n1   looking downriver and wanting fish.  I do that every\n2   chance I get to bring fish home to her.  I have to do\n3   that for my extended family, I've always been a\n4   provider for them.  So it's something that I'll always\n5   do as long as I can walk and get along.\n\n7                   I also run culture camps, teach\n8   trapping for over 30 years tying hard to keep the\n9   traditions alive for the people along the river in my\n10   area.\n\n12                   I go over 500 miles to moose hunt, even\n13   more than that if it takes me the whole --sometimes I\n14   don't get one, but if it takes the whole season you\n15   talk about a thousand miles.  I don't like to hunt near\n16   my village because there's people there that have less\n17   opportunity than me and they don't have a good boat,\n18   they don't have a camp down the river that they can go\n19   to and have a good floor in place to stay and look for\n20   moose.\n\n22                   A lot of the communities in the Eastern\n23   Interior are in a no other means situation and it's\n24   getting worse as we go forward with all the added\n25   pressure from the outside of the region.  The moose,\n26   caribou, sheep, bear are in bad shape, low numbers,\n27   sometimes it takes a whole moose --a whole season to\n28   find a moose like I said a little big ago.\n\n30                   In my mind a Federal Review needs to be\n31   --to favor the Federally-qualified users at this time. \n32   Like I said we're in a no other means in a lot of the\n33   villages right now and we the people need this Board to\n34   make the right decisions for us during this review.  We\n35   all need the Department of Commerce to take action\n36   before our salmon go extinct, we need special actions\n37   to support the areas that have low numbers of moose or\n38   the --so the managers --otherwise the managers will\n39   keep hunting these areas until there's nothing left.  I\n40   asked a manager what was the magic number he would\n41   consider closing a hunt on a caribou herd, he told me\n42   500.  That's not sustainable with client uncertainty\n43   now.  As humans we all need to do better for the\n44   resources.  We need to get along and we need to work\n45   together to sustain these herds and runs of salmon for\n46   the generations to come.\n\n48                   The way that the Board is structured\n49   now the people that live off the land and on the land\n\n---\n\n4   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   are the ones making these recommendations for changes\n2   and they're the good ones, they're the people that see\n3   everything, that have seen all the changes.\n\n5                   There should be no hunting by non-\n6   Federally-qualified users until the managers can do a\n7   proper count.  Using kill numbers don't say nothing,\n8   but how many was killed.  As an example in 20F where I\n9   come from there's been no count for years and now\n10   there's no more moose, none.  There's too much\n11   uncertainty in this kind of management, not --don't\n12   open hunts and not put game wardens on there also\n13   because we have an awful lot of wanton waste going\n14   on.     And it's time to strengthen the rules for\n15   wanton waste and wasting.  They need to lose hunting\n16   time, the individuals that are found wanton waste\n17   because there's too many people that are hungry right\n18   now.  If you can get out there and hunt and you can get\n19   out there and talk to the communities in the area and\n20   if you don't want the meat, you only want the racks,\n21   then there's a place for that meat to go.  There has\n22   been for years.  I talked to a Fort Yukon resident\n23   yesterday and he told me he wished to see a subsistence\n24   hunt only where they cut off the racks, half of the\n25   rack on a moose like they do in the Nowitna management\n26   style.  The big bulls are all being taken out and this\n27   is your problem.  They teach the young how and what to\n28   eat and how to heal themselves and from other natural\n29   affects.  They know what to do with the big ones that\n30   --we are seeing a lot of parasites in the moose in\n31   20F, two out of three have parasites.  Growing up we\n32   seen them in the cyst form, but now they're six to\n33   eight inches long, going up the legs, underneath the\n34   fascial tissue and they're in the marrow already.\n\n36                   There's been a few changes in the\n37   fishing at the North Pacific and the Board of Fish. \n38   There was 150 tribes in the unity room.  There are --\n39   and this is because there's no escapement goals being\n40   met anywhere in our rivers.  Maybe a couple, Kuskokwim\n41   could be one of them, they're fishing and they manage\n42   towards the top of the escapement goal.  And I think\n43   that's why they're successful with their co-management.\n\n45                   Climate.  We think --my group think\n46   that the cold winters --the cold winter we just had is\n47   great for salmon, the spawning grounds and other\n48   creeks, steams, will be full of ice and that'll mean\n49   good health for the salmon.  And the ice comes down on\n\n---\n\n9   \n20   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n44   \n50\n\n**0060**\n\n1   the Bering Sea will bring good health, healthy\n2   nutrients to the sea and the colder water will keep\n3   toxic algae blooms down on the bottom.  Overall better\n4   health to the system with our small changes to the\n5   management bodies, North Pacific and the Board of Fish\n6   we hope to see better numbers in the future.  And\n7   health of the salmon and other species that depend on a\n8   healthy ecosystem.\n\n10                   The lack of salmon is affecting the\n11   whole ecosystem from top predators to very small bugs. \n12   In my area wolves hunt spawning fish, they feed up to\n13   250 species in an anadromous stream, they put a\n14   hundred, 200 fish up on the bank and they leave and\n15   they come back in a week later and they eat the skins,\n16   that's all they want.  They left everything else. \n17   They're providers like myself.  This salmon disaster's\n18   affecting everything in this ecosystem, spawning ground\n19   to the Bering Sea.\n\n21                   And that's the short and sweet report\n22   that I want to make and I want to thank you guys for\n23   the opportunity and your dedication and sacrifice of\n24   your time.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n29   Charlie.  Any comments or questions from the Board.\n\n## 31 (No comments)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We appreciate\n34   your leadership.  Thank you, Charlie, for your report.\n\n## 36 Move on to Jacqueline.\n\n38                   MS. CLEVELAND:  (In Native) Jacqueline\n39   Cleveland.  (In Native).  Hi, my name is Jacqueline\n40   Cleveland or (in Native) and I'm from Quinhagak.  I'm\n41   here as the Chair for the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta RAC and\n42   this is my first time at a Federal Subsistence Board\n43   regulatory meeting as a Chair.\n\n45                   And with that I believe salmon and\n46   caribou continue to be our most concerning food\n47   security issues.  For salmon as many of you know there\n48   has been a salmon crisis on the Yukon River for too\n49   long and for the Kuskokwim watershed which is doing\n\n---\n\n5   \n12   \n21   \n34   \n42   \n50\n\n1   better, but still not like it --how it used to be. \n2   And in our bay outside of Quinhagak we continue to\n3   harvest all five species of salmon with sockeye salmon\n4   being at the top for both the bay and Kuskokwim River.\n\n6                   There were two big meetings this\n7   winter.  As many of you know North Pacific and Board of\n8   Game for Area M or sorry, Board of Fisheries for Area M\n9   and we're hopeful some of the actions taken in these\n10   meetings will help more salmon return to our rivers and\n11   bay.\n\n13                   It is difficult for subsistence users\n14   to have a --have to continually attend meetings and\n15   advocate our subsistence fisheries in multiple\n16   regulatory arenas like Board of Fish, North Pacific,\n17   NSSD.  We really need to help --we really need the\n18   help of our government leaders to bring all these\n19   entities together to protect and manage salmon across\n20   their entire ecosystem including their ocean habitat.\n\n22                   And on a lighter note the people in our\n23   region are very happy with the co-management\n24   arrangement between the Kuskokwim River InterTribal\n25   Fish Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n26   manager.  Having tribal representation at the decision-\n27   making table has resulted in more trust being built all\n28   around.  And they are also prioritizing conservation to\n29   make sure escapement goals are being met and future\n30   generations are able to continue to fish.  And we're\n31   hopeful to see co-management on the Yukon soon as well\n32   as the Yukon River InterTribal Fish Commission\n33   continues to build its capacity.\n\n35                   As for the Mulchatna Caribou which are\n36   historically a vital subsistence food source for us, we\n37   haven't been able to hunt them for several years now. \n38   Our RAC is writing a letter to request the formation of\n39   a Mulchatna Caribou working group to bring Federal and\n40   State managers as well as local people together to\n41   collaborate with rebuilding efforts.\n\n43                   I'm going to have to mention that the\n44   aftermath of Typhoon Halong continues to impact our\n45   communities and subsistence life as we try to rebuild. \n46   And our RAC has also requested that those who had to\n47   relocate to Anchorage or other urban areas remain\n48   eligible to hunt and fish as rural subsistence users\n49   under Federal regulations since their relocation was\n\n---\n\n2   \n19   \n26   \n35   \n43   \n50\n\n1   out of their control.\n\n3                   Moving on to moose.  Moose numbers in\n4   Unit 18 are so high right now it is becoming a very\n5   popular spot for sport hunting and guided hunts.  This\n6   is a complex problem because we need to harvest moose\n7   so that their numbers don't get so high that they\n8   crash, but the influx of outsiders is creating an\n9   increasing competition with local subsistence users and\n10   more issues with trespassing on Native corporation\n11   lands and Native allotments.  There are also more\n12   reports of wanton waste.  And the YKDelta RAC would\n13   like to see more law enforcement in the area during the\n14   fall season, hunting season, and have check points at\n15   hub community airports like Bethel and Saint Mary's to\n16   ensure meat is being salvaged properly and to reduce\n17   wanton waste.  Also in some cases when meat is donated\n18   to communities it's already gone bad.\n\n20                   We're putting a few Board of Game\n21   proposals for parts of Unit 18 to try to shorten the\n22   long --the non-resident season and start the resident\n23   seasons earlier.  This might help the conflicts by\n24   letting locals have an earlier shot at moose before\n25   non-residents arrive.\n\n27                   Our RAC has also asked that regulatory\n28   maps be updated so that they show Native corporation\n29   lands and Native allotments.  We think this could help\n30   raise awareness about the ownership and maybe reduce\n31   trespassing.  And these maps should be posted at\n32   airstrips and boat launches.  And I wanted to add it\n33   would also help the hunter and subsistence user on the\n34   ground by having these maps as well.\n\n36                   And going back to my community of\n37   Quinhagak sport fish --fishers are rafting well into\n38   mid-September on the Kanektok River during moose season\n39   when locals are trying to hunt.  We really want to see\n40   the permits for floating to end before moose hunting to\n41   reduce conflicts and increase chances of locals getting\n42   their subsistence moose.\n\n44                   Commercial sport fish guiding\n45   operations that are on the Kanektok River.  Locals feel\n46   that there needs to be a limit on the number of boats\n47   in the State waters when it comes to sport fishing\n48   operating boats each day.  Much like the Refuge allows\n49   like six boats a day or something, we kind of wanted\n\n---\n\n4   \n28   \n34   \n50\n\n1   something similar within State waters because the\n2   Kanektok River is getting overcrowded and contributing\n3   to erosion.\n\n5                   Which brings me to the RDIs.  There are\n6   currently five RDIs recordable disclaimers of interest,\n7   efforts that the State of Alaska is pursuing within our\n8   region which would affect Federal lands and those held\n9   by Alaska Native corporations as well.  And the\n10   proposed disclaimers of interest will transfer\n11   ownership in submerged lands to the State of Alaska\n12   ending the subsistence priority for rural subsistence\n13   users.  The Department's RDIs are based on findings\n14   that the body --bodies of waters at issue are\n15   navigable.  And the comment period for this had been\n16   shortened from 90 days to 30 days.  One of those --one\n17   of those non-navigable rivers affected is Quinhagak's\n18   very own Arolik River or Arolik River.  The river and\n19   surrounding lands hold deep cultural, historical and\n20   subsistence importance to the Yup'ik people of\n21   Quinhagak.  Today the --with the increased sport fish\n22   traffic on the Kanektok River sometimes leaving locals\n23   without an area to subsist, we have heavily relied on\n24   the Arolik for food, travel, teaching and the passing\n25   down of traditional knowledge, connections that cannot\n26   be meaningfully evaluated or honored in a 30 day\n27   comment period.\n\n29                   I want to note that I plan to join the\n30   BLM consultation for this on Thursday morning from\n31   10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  I'm hoping that the YKDelta\n32   RAC is not called on during this time if possible.  So\n33   that's Thursday morning.\n\n35                   The Federal Subsistence Program is so\n36   important to the people of rural Alaska, the YKDelta\n37   RAC had a long discussion of all the topics in the\n38   review and I won't mention all, but I wanted to\n39   highlight a couple.  Ultimately the RAC hopes that the\n40   outcomes of the review will be used to strengthen and\n41   improve the program and not to diminish it.  We fully\n42   support the Federal Subsistence Program and keeping it\n43   with OSM and DOI.  The rural priority for subsistence\n44   on Federal lands is extremely important for food\n45   security in rural places.  That said the dual\n46   management system between Federal and State governments\n47   make it very complicated for subsistence users on the\n48   ground.  The RAC supports all opportunities to simplify\n49   regulations and meeting cycles while still maintaining\n\n---\n\n2   \n12   \n21   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   the rural priority.\n\n3                   The YKDelta RAC and other RACs have\n4   continued to request that Council members receive\n5   compensation for attending meeting and providing their\n6   local and traditional knowledge to the program and to\n7   the Federal Subsistence Board.  Members should be\n8   fairly compensated for their time away from families,\n9   jobs and subsistence activities and for their\n10   expertise.  This could also help with the recruitment\n11   to fill vacancies within the RAC.\n\n13                   Lastly we ask that the Board and OSM\n14   keep working to improve the correspondence process,\n15   elevate letters in a timely manner and ensure more\n16   responses and two-way communication with the RAC.  It\n17   is great that RAC Chairs are now being encouraged to\n18   attend the summer work session where we have more time\n19   to discuss issues with the Board instead of just\n20   through correspondence.\n\n22                   I look forward to attending this summer\n23   and also continuing to work with other Chairs from\n24   other regions so we can all work together to protect\n25   our subsistence life.\n\n27                   Quyana.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n30   Jacqueline.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate the\n35   report today.\n\n37                   Jack, you have the floor.\n\n39                   MR. REAKOFF:  Thank you, Mr. Chair and\n40   Board members, new Board members on the Board. \n41   Appreciate your service, appreciate the service of\n42   members who are leaving the Board.  And so we --this\n43   --I've been on the Western Interior Regional Advisory\n44   Council since 1993, I've attended a lot of Board\n45   meetings and I was sent as the Secretary for the\n46   Western Interior Council by my Chair, Ron Sam, who\n47   schooled me to attend these meetings and he told me it\n48   was a process that he went through as a 12 year old\n49   boy.  So I've attended a lot of Federal Subsistence\n\n---\n\n23   \n47   \n50\n\n1   Board meetings, I have a long history of remembering\n2   when the Board was much smaller and wasn't comprised of\n3   --there was the Chair, Mitch Dementieff and the\n4   regional heads.  And that was a real problem trying to\n5   advocate for proposals with people sometimes that were\n6   new to the process, didn't have any experience and I --\n7   it just didn't work out.  The review process in 2008,\n8   we went through Pat Pourchot, we talked about\n9   additional membership and public members and the\n10   statute under .805 so that there's --and ANILCA Title\n11   VIII is referring to administrative structures that has\n12   --gives rural residents a meaningful role in\n13   subsistence management.  So this --the process there,\n14   you know, multiple reviews, we're on our third or\n15   fourth review right now is basically the --get the\n16   Board make up that we have right now so we have a mix\n17   of agency concerns and processes and then we have the\n18   public member process and of course the regional\n19   council process is very important to the whole program. \n20   And so there was --when we had an all RAC meeting in\n21   2016 there was 110 regional council members all in the\n22   same room.\n\n24                   So my background is I was born in\n25   Alaska, I moved to the Brooks Range when I was three\n26   years old.  We lived in Evansville for four years, we\n27   moved down to Southwest Alaska, I commercial salmon\n28   fished down there, I lived on --at Galena and a lot of\n29   people in Galena, I went to school in Galena when I was\n30   10 to 11 years old and we moved back to the Brooks\n31   Range in 1970.  I've lived in Wiseman since 1971 when I\n32   was 13 years old before the road, before the pipeline,\n33   before the --before the utility corridor.  And so this\n34   5150 issue is a big deal for us and my community.  And\n35   so we --I'm on the --of course the Western Interior\n36   Regional Advisory Council, I was on the Koyukuk River \n37   Advisory since 1990, I'm the Chairman of the Koyukuk\n38   River Advisory to the State Board of Game and Board of\n39   Fish.  I'm on the Gates of the Arctic Subsistence\n40   Resource Commission, I've been on there since 1991. \n41   And so we just had a meeting last week and I'll be\n42   referring to some of the actions taken by that\n43   Commission.  I'm the Vice Chair of that.  And I'm the\n44   liaison for our community association with the State of\n45   Alaska and so I receive paperwork, notifications about\n46   things from the State.\n\n48                   So the conditions this year, we had a\n49   pretty hot summer, it hit 90.3 and as far as I can\n\n---\n\n14   \n43   \n50\n\n1   determine I have a 120 years of oral history from the\n2   old timers that lived in Wiseman, the community that I\n3   live in was established in 1905.  I have a cabin that\n4   was built in 1901 and was moved there.  It's an old\n5   place, it's an old gold rush community.  There are 12\n6   people that live in the community.  Point Baker's got\n7   about 15, we got 12 and these small places they rely\n8   heavily on subsistence.  We're off grid, we don't have\n9   a power plant, we make our own power and we're acutely\n10   aware of how we use electricity because we pay $7.50 a\n11   gallon which would be cheap in most rural villages off\n12   the road system, but we run that through a generator\n13   and that's very expensive electricity.\n\n15                   So the conditions this last summer were\n16   really hot, but then in August we had 12 inches of rain\n17   from August to early September, we had a flood of 3.71\n18   inches, I take weather for the National Weather\n19   Service.  It's --it blasted the bottoms out of the\n20   rivers and the streams, scoured teeth down to boulders\n21   as big as that screen that's sitting out in front of us\n22   and decimated any spawning habitat that was available\n23   with --we've had very poor runs of --in the Yukon\n24   River system, we're losing these cohorts of salmon one\n25   after another.  So then we went into a --it kind of\n26   straightened up, we had --it froze up hard and the\n27   ground was frozen six inches deep on September 25, then\n28   a monsoon or this --whatever this typhoon that went\n29   through, beat up western Alaska, knocked 70 percent of\n30   the timber down in the lower Koyukuk River, the old --\n31   the people that lived down there said the timber's just\n32   all laid down, their trails are obliterated.  It warmed\n33   up dramatically, it thawed the ground out and the\n34   cotton grass sedge started to grow because it thought\n35   it was springtime.  And then it froze again and now\n36   we've ended up with 16 inches of snow.  So the dall\n37   sheep population was decimated, we had 12 bad winters\n38   in a row, deep snow, with snow last winter of '24/'25,\n39   52 inches deep.  And we had rain on snow, killed about\n40   20 percent of the sheep population, there's GPS\n41   collared sheep in the study, we lost around 20, 25\n42   percent of the sheep population.\n\n44                   The Federal Subsistence Board provided\n45   a closure on the dall sheep population that allowed the\n46   population to get recruitment into the population so at\n47   least we have some younger animals.  But once they're\n48   at nine years of age they start to taper off in\n49   productivity.  So the sheep population is low, but it's\n\n---\n\n4   \n33   \n42   \n50\n\n1   stabilized because we're getting a younger component in\n2   there.  That was the objective to get the younger\n3   component.\n\n5                   The Western Interior Regional Advisory\n6   Council has produced a sheep management plan.  We have\n7   fisheries resource monitoring programs, we don't have a\n8   wildlife monitoring program so it was incumbent upon\n9   the Regional Council to produce a sheep management plan\n10   because we had data that we did not have, there's no\n11   composition data developed with the State survey\n12   technique so they're currently with the Gates of the\n13   Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission, we're\n14   submitting a hunting plan recommendation.  When they\n15   survey they're going to have half curl, three-quarter\n16   curl and full curl.  If they're flying a moose survey\n17   they go for yearling bulls, medium sized bulls and\n18   adult bull.  That tells you what their population\n19   performance is, it tells you if they're getting\n20   recruitment.  We use science.  So the half curl\n21   component is the most important portion of the survey,\n22   it tells you if your sheep have actually survived as\n23   lambs and then entered the population.  They're big,\n24   they're going to be --at half curl they're going to be\n25   three or four years of age.  They have 2,500 photos of\n26   dall sheep at the Department of Fish and Game, we're\n27   going to enumerate that exactly.  What that means is\n28   dall sheep don't produce lambs until they're three\n29   years of age so it tells you if you've got one half\n30   curl ram that means you got a female of the same\n31   cohort, it's going to tell you what your performance\n32   is.\n\n34                   So that's it.  We're requesting that\n35   the Federal Subsistence Board adopt our sheep\n36   management strategy because we need --we have --look\n37   at the turnover in these agencies, we constantly got\n38   people --new biologists showing up, we need to have\n39   something, a document in front of them that tells them\n40   what the ecology of this animal is and how to --how to\n41   manage this animal.  That's what our objectives are.\n\n43                   So thank you very much for the sheep\n44   closure, that established a younger component in the\n45   population.  Thank you very much if you adopt the sheep\n46   management strategy that will be used within our\n47   region.  We're not making it --forcing it onto other\n48   regions, but we had it out for comment for several\n49   years.\n\n---\n\n26   \n50\n\n1                   The conditions this year with shallow\n2   snow and then the tundra started to grow in October,\n3   the caribou --well, we had two meetings, the Western\n4   Interior met with our Eastern Interior back in December\n5   and so we discussed our --our primary joint meeting\n6   was discussion of the program review, salmon common\n7   issues that we have salmon on the Yukon River.  And so\n8   we worked with Sara Taylor on this --on the program\n9   review and we've --we also talked with the BLM about\n10   the lifting of the 5150 or basically the State was top\n11   filed on 2.1 million acres around our community, those\n12   were lifted, the State attached to that.  That happened\n13   on --in our second meeting in February and WIRAC was\n14   meeting in Fairbanks again and we were informed that we\n15   had one month of subsistence harvest to go before that\n16   was the end of the rural subsistence priority.  It was\n17   40 below zero when the clock started.  I had to hunt\n18   caribou at 40 below zero.  When you pick --when you're\n19   dressing --you lay it on the ice for a second, your\n20   hand sticks to the knife, you're covered in frozen\n21   blood, it's not my favorite time to kill caribou, but I\n22   targeted bull caribou and specific caribou.  I learned\n23   how to hunt from Raymond Panyeak, he's an Inupiaq elder\n24   at Anaktuvuk Pass, we hunt by collar, we hunt by the\n25   health of the animal and so I got three bull caribou.\n\n27                   I am distraught when I see on Facebook\n28   cow caribou harvests.  That has to stop.  I will tell\n29   this Board again caribou don't have a calf until\n30   they're three or four years of age and they only have\n31   one calf ever, they never have a twin.  So cow caribou\n32   harvest when you got a declining population is a --\n33   it's --we're going to lose the Western Herd, I keep\n34   seeing cow caribou killed over there.  We're not\n35   killing any --I told the guys around, I've got some\n36   young guys around Wiseman, like we do not kill cow\n37   caribou.  And the bull caribou that I killed in the\n38   first of March had a quarter inch of fat, they were in\n39   good --because of the low snow and that green grass\n40   that they had underneath the snow, they're in good\n41   condition like they'd would have been at the end of\n42   May.  There's absolutely --it's one of the best\n43   conditions I've seen.  This is going to convey into the\n44   sheep population.  The sheep population is going to\n45   respond to that or be really --there's not many, but\n46   they're going to be really super healthy and\n47   productive.  So really I'm really encouraged by this. \n48   This is the first time in 12 years where we've actually\n49   had that.\n\n---\n\n28   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   Our moose population is also low.  I\n2   hunted all fall, I have to hunt when it gets cold\n3   enough to hang a moose, I hunted all fall, all the way\n4   to the 1st of October, I didn't get a moose.  The moose\n5   population --the flood put all the moose up high, the\n6   population is lower, it's about two-thirds --it's\n7   about a third lower than it used to be.  So what's\n8   going to happen now that the --our community we need\n9   access to the Gates of the Arctic National Park which\n10   is only five miles distance to the rest of us.  So I\n11   was at our Regional Council meetings I kept telling BLM\n12   we need an 810 analysis, we have issues that we need to\n13   talk to.  Back about the --when we had a Department of\n14   Natural Resource meeting about access for subsistence\n15   lo and behold there's a memorandum of understanding\n16   with the State of Alaska and it should be in your\n17   packet.  This memorandum of understanding is signed by\n18   Director Pendergast here, it's signed by the\n19   Commissioner of Natural Resources, John Boyle, Doug\n20   Vincent Lang at the Department of Fish and Game and the\n21   Commissioner of Transportation.  This document is going\n22   to --they're going to meet with our community\n23   hopefully in early June, we're going to go over our\n24   access to reach the Federal lands that --by --the\n25   Commissioner can actually sign for certain access\n26   easements into the Park, and to the other Federal\n27   public lands.\n\n29                   So right now the State has top filed on\n30   2.1 million acres, I check the mapping program every\n31   day, there's --I see no selection.  The State is\n32   eligible to select, but they haven't selected yet and\n33   we don't know --as you were saying there's other\n34   public land orders that may be lifted.  The State may\n35   actually shift some of their selection away from where\n36   the utility corridor is and may make more BLM land\n37   which would be available for subsistence use.  That's\n38   what that actions means.  So I'm acutely aware of --\n39   I'm watching daily so that I know what we can\n40   anticipate so I can work with the Department of Fish\n41   and Game, my --our area biologist, he says we don't\n42   know what's going to happen.  He doesn't want to change\n43   State regulations too quickly.\n\n45                   So I want the Board to be aware that\n46   we're sort of in flux right now about where we can\n47   hunt.  We've made a special action request to the Gates\n48   of the Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission that was\n49   finalized yesterday afternoon.  I kept running in and\n\n---\n\n7   \n33   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1   out of here, that's what --I was dealing with that\n2   issue with the coordinator for the Gates of the Arctic\n3   Subsistence.  There's an area in Unit 24A just to the\n4   north of our community, inside of the Park, you'll get\n5   that special action request and you'll deal with that\n6   at some point this summer.\n\n8                   So this utility corridor thing doesn't\n9   just affect my community, it affects Rampart, Stevens\n10   Village, Bettles, Evansville, Allakaket and Alatna,\n11   Anaktuvuk Pass and Nuiqsut.  There's people from\n12   Nuiqsut.  There's people from Nuiqsut that have road\n13   access, they drive down the road, I see where they kill\n14   caribou, I know they're taken care of, there's nothing\n15   left, they take the whole thing.  There's a gut pile\n16   there.  There's people that utilize the utility\n17   corridor, but that's not well documented because\n18   they're transitioning.  It's well documented about us\n19   because we're --we live there, we have registration\n20   permits for moose.  We will still need the Federal\n21   registration permit for the exterior portions that\n22   actually get into the Federal public lands in the fall\n23   hunt, we'll need the sheep permit for the Gates of the\n24   Arctic National Park and if the --if the --there's an\n25   area in 26B that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge\n26   comes within 400 yards of the road.  So there's an area\n27   in the Arctic Refuge that we will be utilizing as part\n28   of our --because we're being displaced from the\n29   mountains that we normally could hunt on, for decades\n30   we've hunted under Federal subsistence regulations, as\n31   of March 26th that stopped.  So we're going to be\n32   acutely aware of where we can hunt.\n\n34                   So I want the Board to be aware that\n35   we're work --we're working with the State process,\n36   we're working with whoever we can to try and get the\n37   easements we need to have the least adverse --.810 of\n38   ANILCA says it's supposed to --the analysis is\n39   supposed to come up with a --to mitigate this issue\n40   with the least adverse to the subsistence users. \n41   That's what we're trying to do.\n\n43                   So thank you very much, Director\n44   Pendergast.\n\n46                   So I --we have --our hare population\n47   is increasing, our caribou population is low.  We had a\n48   meeting of the Gates of the Arctic Subsistence Resource\n49   Commission, the Kobuk Valley and the Northwest Arctic\n\n---\n\n22   \n50\n\n1   Regional Advisory Council has decided they do not want\n2   to see any cow harvest, they are endorsing the\n3   regulations for four bull caribou.  We're --we agree\n4   to that, I will submit a proposal to the State Board of\n5   Game for Unit 24 and when we come for call for\n6   proposals next year for the wildlife cycle four bull\n7   caribou for Unit 24.  26B, the Central Arctic Caribou\n8   Herd was 34,000, it's down to 26,500.  They had a late\n9   spring, they had --they were calving into snow.  The\n10   number of caribou calves is about one out of five had a\n11   calf.  It's not going to sustain that population. \n12   Right now they have a five caribou bag limit for all\n13   hunters on the North Slope.  That means cows, bulls,\n14   calves, the whole works, July 1 to April 30th.  That is\n15   a disaster, that has to change.  If there's going to be\n16   any cow harvest there should never be --cows are in\n17   lactation all the way through the --into October.  You\n18   can't kill cows with calves in July and August when\n19   they're in lactation because you're basically putting\n20   that calf into a position of starvation or wolf fodder,\n21   one of the two.\n\n23                   So there's going to be proposals before\n24   --I'm going to submit proposals before the Board of\n25   Game to reduce the four bull caribou, there's\n26   absolutely no reason --the Porcupine Caribou Herd was\n27   100 or 218,000.  This summer they surveyed Porcupine at\n28   146,000.  It's declined 30 percent, it needs protection\n29   on the cow component.  Porcupine Caribou Herd for eight\n30   years now is coming to the Dalton Highway and it's like\n31   a fence.  When I was hunting on the roads south of --\n32   they were mostly south of Wiseman, 98 percent of the\n33   tracks came to the road and turned back, only 2 percent\n34   crossed the road.  Why is that, because they see people\n35   on the road, they don't like people, they --they\n36   bounce off that road.  It's --it's really -it's just\n37   graphic, just a --that population wants to go to the\n38   west, there's trails in the ground that the caribou\n39   follow.  The Nunimut people are like where --have you\n40   seen any Porcupine Caribou, they know they were\n41   supposed to come.  I said the road is bouncing them\n42   off, Raymond, or --and various people over there.  The\n43   herd is (indiscernible) across that road, once they\n44   cross the road there's about 150 miles of unused lichen\n45   to the west, the whole south slope of the Brooks Range\n46   is unused by caribou for over 50 years.  I know for a\n47   fact because the Western Arctic used to use that area\n48   and left in 1973 to go to the Kobuk, they've been over\n49   there ever since.  But the Porcupine Herd has used the\n\n---\n\n10   \n15   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1   Old Crow Flat all the way to the Ogilvie Mountain and\n2   now moving wants to go west and they will.  Some have\n3   gotten across there, they had a real easy winter,\n4   they're going to remember that.  They know --they go\n5   back to exactly the same places that they've had good\n6   food before, they've got a GPS in their head.  I got to\n7   have a little instrument in my hand to do that.  They\n8   do --they know exactly where they're at on the\n9   landscape.\n\n11                   So we can anticipate Porcupine coming\n12   back, the Porcupine Herd needs protection.  I will be\n13   working with the Board of Game and you will be\n14   receiving proposals also in the next wildlife cycle.\n\n16                   So that's sort of an overview of what's\n17   going on with our Council.  We have --we're going to\n18   be working with DNR and the Department of Fish and Game\n19   throughout the summer and we will be making reports\n20   back to --at our --through our fall meeting cycle.\n\n22                   So thank you, Mr. Chair.  Any questions\n23   from the Board?\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n26   Jack, for that thorough report.  Any questions from the\n27   Board or comments.\n\n## 29 MR. REAKOFF: Thank you.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n32   recommendation as well.  Judy has her hand up.  Yes.\n\n34                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n35   And one thing I neglected to mention, but it was said\n36   by several of the RAC Chairs, we really appreciated\n37   that all RAC meeting of a few years ago.  And I think\n38   all of us would probably like to see another one if\n39   that could be arranged again.  I know it's a lot of\n40   money, but very worth while.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n## 44 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Yes, Jack.\n\n46                   MR. REAKOFF:  One additional comment. \n47   You know, when we lost --we didn't --lost our fall\n48   meeting with the government closure.  When OSM wanted\n49   to have another meeting I said well, let's go for mid\n\n---\n\n0073\n15   \n18   \n26   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   December with EIRAC because we need to talk to them\n2   about this 5150 stuff and --and the salmon issues. \n3   That's cost --that's cost effective to --we --when\n4   all possible to have overlap with two different\n5   councils.  You're using the same Staff and its cost\n6   effective for the --for the program, especially with\n7   budgetary constraint.  And so I will --I --we highly\n8   enjoyed meeting with EIRAC, they are good friends over\n9   there.  And so we have commonality of issues, we would\n10   --I said I would like to have meetings with YKD at\n11   some point.  So the schedule --the coordinator should\n12   work to --trying to schedule two different Councils\n13   together if that's possible because it's effective. \n14   Three --three Councils with YKD would be even better.\n\n16                   So thank you, Charlie.  Thank you, Mr.\n17   Chair.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  I\n20   think that's a good recommendation as well.  Things\n21   happen when we get together.  So thank you guys, the\n22   Regional Chairs for the report today and giving us some\n23   insight to what the people you serve are speaking to\n24   and the issues, the animals and the conservation\n25   concerns.\n\n27                   Next we have on the agenda is --I got\n28   to flip my page, 2027 to '29, subpart C and D proposals\n29   and closure review.  We get to this.\n\n31                   MR. DUNAWAY.  Mr. Chair.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Dan.\n\n35                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you.  While we hav", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '19065a97-c209-4a4e-837c-94a3744d5431', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:36:08.657855+00:00', 'content_hash': '809c72357a8873c72c011490c22fbbfc55ec7ceca5b0f8789b12fefa50105edf'}, 'title': 'pdf'}]}

Oct. 4, 2026, 12:36 a.m.: attachments changed since Oct. 4, 2026, 12:20 a.m..

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{'attachments': [{'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_1.pdf', 'body': {'text': "0149\n2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME II\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 22, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/22/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n8   Good morning.  We're going  to go ahead and get started\n9   this  morning   with  the  Federal   Subsistence  Board\n10   wildlife meeting.   Welcome and first off  this morning\n11   we're  going  to go  ahead  and start  with  the public\n12   comment  period  on  non-agenda  items.    This  is  an\n13   opportunity for  the public  and tribes  and others  to\n14   speak to items that might  be of interest to the Board,\n15   but that are  not placed on the  agenda.  And so  we do\n16   have I think  green cards are they today?   No, they're\n17   green, they're not  blue.  So we have  green cards over\n18   here if  you want to  be recognized or Robbin  has them\n19   and  we'll call  you in  the order  of.   So appreciate\n20   that.  This is  your opportunity this morning  to speak\n21   to non-agenda  items.  If  you'd like to  be recognized\n22   online please wave your hand.\n\n## 24 Thank you.\n\n26                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr.  Chair, the first card\n27   we have is from Mr. Tom  Harris.  Is Mr. Tom Harris  in\n28   the room, I believe he signed up yesterday.\n\n30                   (No comments)\n\n32                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Tom Harris.\n\n34                   (No comments)\n\n36                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, we have a Grant\n37   Kopplin online.\n\n39                   Grant  Kopplin,   please  address   the\n40   Board.\n\n42                   (No comments)\n\n44                   MS.  LAVINE:    So  we understand  that\n45   there are  some folks  online who  are having  problems\n46   hearing.  Can we have people online say --check in and\n47   say yep, we can hear you or  --and if you can't you'll\n48   just say no, nothing.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n26   \n36   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   UNIDENTIFIED VOICE:  We can hear you.\n\n5                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you.  Grant Kopplin,\n6   please address the Board.\n\n8                   MR. KOPPLIN:  Thank  you.  Sorry  about\n9   the  technical difficulties there,  but I can  hear you\n10   guys  now and  I'm glad  I'm able  to give  my comments\n11   still.\n\n13                   My  name's Grant  Kopplin.   Thank  you\n14   very  much for allowing me  to give public comment this\n15   morning.    I'm  giving  comment  today  as  an  Alaska\n16   resident from Palmer who lives in a more urban setting,\n17   but whose family actively strives to live a subsistence\n18   based lifestyle.  The fish  and game we harvest are not\n19   supplemental,  they are  what we  rely on  to feed  our\n20   family.  I'm not alone in this, there are many families\n21   in  communities  like  mine who  depend  on  these same\n22   resources  despite  not  living in  a  designated rural\n23   area.  Like  many Alaskans we rely on  access to public\n24   resources and  land to maintain  a way of life  that is\n25   deeply meaningful to us and our families.\n\n27                   I  do want to be clear that I recognize\n28   the  need to  prioritize rural  subsistence  users.   I\n29   support more liberal  seasons and bag limits  for those\n30   communities  when  approp  --and  when appropriate  I\n31   understand that  closure may  at times  be biologically\n32   necessary.  However I respectfully ask that closures be\n33   implemented with  careful and  deliberate consideration\n34   and just as important that  they be rescinded when  the\n35   resources can support additional harvest.\n\n37                   Under  the dual  --under the  current\n38   dual management system we  have in Alaska and  it often\n39   feels  like Alaskans  are  being pitted  against  other\n40   Alaskans.   When  closures  are  implemented on  public\n41   lands  they can affect a  lot of other residents across\n42   the state who also depend  on these public resources on\n43   public lands.  At the same time  many rural communities\n44   already  have access to  surrounding tribal  or private\n45   lands  that non-local users cannot access.  These areas\n46   inherently provide reduced  competition for these rural\n47   communities and rural users.\n\n49                   Before  restricting  access  for  other\n\n---\n\n12   \n22   \n29   \n44   \n50\n\n1   Alaska residents  I strongly  urge the  Board to  first\n2   consider  limiting  non-resident,  AKA   out  of  State\n3   hunters.   That  is the  user group  that we  should be\n4   regulating  first  when  conservation concerns  are  --\n5   arise.   If current  regulations do  not allow for  the\n6   Board to  do that  then that is  something that  I feel\n7   should be reevaluated.   Greater coordination with  the\n8   Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Alaska Board\n9   of  Game  could  help  implement  targeted,   effective\n10   restrictions   on   non-Native   participation   before\n11   reducing opportunity for other Alaskan residents.\n\n13                   I also  ask that the  Regional Advisory\n14   Councils  dive into  the  data  for  their  areas  when\n15   concerns  of crowding  arise  and  see  what  the  non-\n16   resident  hunter numbers are.   I bet  it's higher than\n17   one would  think and it's happening all  over the state\n18   and all  Alaskans are feeling  that extra pressure.   I\n19   ask the  RACs to work  with the  Board of Game  to help\n20   manage this problem  while maintaining opportunity  for\n21   other Alaskans.\n\n23                   I am personally working on proposals to\n24   better manage  non-resident hunting  pressure in  areas\n25   such as the lower Yukon River and central Brooks Range.\n26   I  believe these types  of solutions focus  on managing\n27   demand and  participation rather than  broadly removing\n28   opportunity or a more balanced path moving forward.\n\n30                   Additionally I  encourage the  Board to\n31   consider tools that can  actively help rebuild wildlife\n32   populations   such   as   predator   management   where\n33   appropriate.   I  understand there  are limitations  on\n34   Federal lands,  but  there  are  areas  that  represent\n35   excellent habitat that are currently held in a predator\n36   pit.   Thoughtful  science  based  predator  management\n37   could  make  a   meaningful  difference  in  rebuilding\n38   ungulate   populations   and   supporting   long   term\n39   subsistence  opportunity.   Typically Federal  agencies\n40   have  been opposed to such practices or believe they're\n41   unnecessary, but there are a lot of cases when this was\n42   implemented  on  State land  where they  were extremely\n43   successful.\n\n45                   Ultimately   I    believe   maintaining\n46   sustainable  access for all Alaskans is critical.  When\n47   more  residents are able to responsibly engage with the\n48   land,  fish and  wildlife more  people  develop a  deep\n49   connection to these resources.   That connection builds\n\n---\n\n29   \n44   \n50\n\n1   a  stronger, broader  constituency that  will  fight to\n2   protect   Alaska's   land  and   wildlife   for  future\n3   generations.   If we  begin dividing Alaskans  based on\n4   where they live when it's not biologically necessary we\n5   risk  disconnecting people  from  the  resource.   That\n6   division not  only weakens  individual opportunity,  it\n7   weakens  all of  us collectively.    When Alaskans  are\n8   pitted against  each other  we lose  the unified  voice\n9   that has more  influence in protecting our  lands, fish\n10   and  wildlife.    Over time  being  divided  and taking\n11   opportunity away from other Alaska residents could lead\n12   to fewer people advocating for its protection making it\n13   more  vulnerable  to   pressures  like  development  or\n14   competing uses.   A united Alaska, rural  and non-rural\n15   together   is   far   stronger  of   an   advocate  for\n16   conservation than  a divided one.   To put that  into a\n17   possible real world  outcome let's say  I take my  wife\n18   and two daughters  on a float or  jet boat ride  up the\n19   Kobuk or Noatak River one  day to enjoy the country and\n20   potentially  harvest maybe two  bull caribou for  us to\n21   eat throughout the winter.  Will that have a biological\n22   impact  on the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, most likely\n23   not.  Will we have brought maybe some economic stimulus\n24   into  the area by paying locals for  help to get to and\n25   from  the airport  or  potentially  a  boat  rental  or\n26   whatever logistical support we might need to facilitate\n27   that family  trip, probably.  Will we have made amazing\n28   family memories along the way, I sure hope so.\n\n30                   Fast forward  to maybe  30 years  later\n31   and someone in the future  wants to build a road, maybe\n32   build a pipeline, mine critical minerals near the area,\n33   well, now my  family and my daughters'  future families\n34   will  think back to  the land and  people and resources\n35   and have a  tangible connection and  be an advocate  to\n36   protect  these places.   Without  ever  having had  the\n37   privilege  to experience and harvest and connect in the\n38   area, maybe the Western Arctic Caribou Herd and western\n39   Brooks  Range feels like another country that they were\n40   never allowed to experience so what's it matter to them\n41   if they need to mine  copper from the headwaters of the\n42   Kobuk or whatever other drainage  may be at risk in the\n43   future to development or competing uses.\n\n45                   I thank  you all.  Hope  you understand\n46   the point I'm  trying to make that  when other Alaskans\n47   are able to utilize and appreciate these areas and land\n48   and resources  it's ultimately  going to  just build  a\n49   bigger base  of people  to advocate  and protect  these\n\n---\n\n8   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n50\n\n1   places.\n\n2           So  moving forward I  just respectfully ask the\n3   Board   to  pursue   solutions   that  promote   unity,\n4   cooperation, and shared stewardship between Federal and\n5   State  managers   and  between   rural  and   non-rural\n6   Alaskans.  We all care deeply about these resources and\n7   we're stronger when we work together to protect them.\n\n9                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n10   consideration.  And  again I'm just asking  that moving\n11   forward  when   considering  closures   or  potentially\n12   reopening opportunity  for others  that we're  doing so\n13   out   of  a  place  --out  of  concern  whether  it's\n14   biologically  necessary or if  it's just an  attempt to\n15   keep  other people out.   And I  just want  you guys to\n16   know  and  think  about there's  lots  of  other Alaska\n17   residents that are  going to be negatively  impacted by\n18   these  decisions  and  that I  think  dividing  us when\n19   unnecessary  is just  going to  create future  problems\n20   down  the  line.    So  thank you  for  the  Board  and\n21   everybody in the meeting today for allowing me to speak\n22   and give you my comments though.\n\n## 24 Thank you for your time.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Appreciate that, Grant,  and appreciate you  taking the\n28   time to call in and share your concerns.\n\n30                   Anyone from the Board, any questions.\n\n## 32 Oh, Frank.\n\n34                   MR.  WOODS:   Yeah,  you mentioned  the\n35   dual management process  in Alaska, we manage  resource\n36   for all Alaska on  the State side and rural  preference\n37   for Federal  lands.  The  definition of that  is really\n38   critical because number  1 this Board has  to represent\n39   the  rural  preference  subsistence  priority  and   if\n40   subsistence isn't doing well nobody's doing well.  Just\n41   because  I live in Alaska  doesn't entitle me the right\n42   to go  wherever I want  to.  That entitlement  is gone.\n43   Every piece of land and  every piece of property is now\n44   spoke --I  work in the land department  day job and we\n45   go  in the recorder's office and that recorder's office\n46   is so busy they  can't keep up with land transfers.  If\n47   you look at  every community and every  economic driver\n48   in  this state the commercial fishery industry is taken\n49   up by non-residents who are not separating people, this\n\n---\n\n7   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n42   \n50\n\n1   is  not a  --this is  not a statement  to separate and\n2   divide our  people in the  state of Alaska.   Alaska --\n3   State  of  Alaska  now  manages  for  the  sports,  the\n4   recreation,  the guide  industry  and those  guides and\n5   State and commercial  fisheries are about  70 to 80  if\n6   not 90 percent owned by non-residents of Alaska.\n\n8                   Number 2,  the economic  in this  whole\n9   thing we are now fully engaged in the westernization as\n10   Alaska's grown-up.  The  corporate structure is hitting\n11   Alaska  to  its fullest,  we are  the last  frontier to\n12   invest  in, grab  market  share  and utilize  resource.\n13   Just because I live in  Alaska doesn't entitle me to go\n14   wherever I  need to.   We forget  that we have  to work\n15   together  and  help  and protect  and  manage  a Alaska\n16   resource for all Alaskans, not just for who I choose or\n17   not who I decide to side with  or not what career I end\n18   up.  I'm a commercial fisherman, I'm also a resident of\n19   Alaska.   I was  a guide  for six  years.   I'm also  a\n20   subsistence  user.    So those  many  hats  have to  be\n21   delineated in meetings like this and I --I applaud you\n22   for trying to keep us together and the best way we  can\n23   do that is keep at the table and keep working.\n\n25                   Thank   you   for  your   comments,   I\n26   appreciate it.\n\n## 28 Thank you.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  And\n31   again thank  you, Grant, for  calling in.  Is  there --\n32   the next card that we'd call on.\n\n34                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  In\n35   the room the next person to testify is Craig Chythlook.\n\n37                   Craig, please address the Board.\n\n39                   MR. CHYTHLOOK:  Good morning.  Sorry, I\n40   didn't  hear my name, there was a side conversation and\n41   I totally missed it.\n\n43                   Yeah, thank you, everybody.  Mr. Chair,\n44   members  of  the  Board,  it's  an  honor  to  be here.\n45   Definitely   wanting  to  start  out  as  my  boss  did\n46   yesterday  with  the  recognition  of  our  elders, our\n47   leaders and continue  to thank  them for  all of  their\n48   years of  creating this path,  paving the  way for  our\n49   meaningful  engagement   and  participation   and  just\n\n---\n\n4   \n15   \n26   \n31   \n32   \n50\n\n1   creating that clear vision  for organizations like  the\n2   one I'm currently representing, giving that opportunity\n3   for us to continue the work.\n\n5                   So good morning  again, members of  the\n6   Board.  My name is  Craig Chythlook.  I'm the Executive\n7   Director of the Yukon River and Tribal Fish Commission.\n8   A little bit of background about myself.  I'm,  Yup'ik,\n9   my Yup'ik name  is Kaviak and sitting behind  me are my\n10   parents, Joe  and Molly Chythlook  that we got  to meet\n11   and be  so graciously  recognized by  Member Woods  and\n12   very happy and  honored to be here and  that they're my\n13   folks and  that we're  all from Bristol  Bay and  we've\n14   been there for a long time.\n\n16                   Really thankful and grateful for having\n17   the  opportunity  to  speak on  non-agenda  item.   I'm\n18   thinking  about fisheries  at a  wildlife  meeting.   I\n19   think   I   was    really   listening   carefully   and\n20   intentionally  yesterday about  the different  regional\n21   reports and thinking about the discussion and listening\n22   to the debate regarding the  proposals.  And one of the\n23   things  that  was very  obvious  to my  parents  is how\n24   important salmon are to everyday life, to every chapter\n25   of our life.  So just really grateful to be here.\n\n27                   I would just like to share a little bit\n28   about our organization.  This  is really a time to kind\n29   of  introduce  our  Fish  Commission  and  our  growing\n30   excitement  to continue to participate here at the FSB.\n\n33                   So the  Yukon  River  and  Tribal  Fish\n34   Commission is currently  comprised of 44  member tribes\n35   authorized  by  tribal resolution  whose mission  is to\n36   protect  the health and  well-being of our  people, our\n37   future  generations and all  Alaskans and Canadians who\n38   rely on the health of our salmon.  After a  decade long\n39   incubation as a program of the Tanana Chiefs Conference\n40   Yukon  River and Tribal  Fish Commission was  born as a\n41   stand-alone  501(c) organization in March of 2025.  The\n42   purpose of the Commission as stated in our constitution\n43   is to act  as a unified voice for  the conservation and\n44   restoration  of all Yukon  River fisheries, protect our\n45   traditional ways  of life  and well-being,  establish a\n46   comprehensive  management   plan  program   based  upon\n47   distinct customary and traditional indigenous knowledge\n48   and  practices  while  striving  for  co-management  to\n49   ensure  meaningful  and  substantive  First  Nation  --\n\n---\n\n3   \n13   \n34   \n42   \n50\n\n1   tribal and First Nation participation in all aspects of\n2   fisheries stewardship.\n\n4                   We have three main goals and priorities\n5   that  came directly through  consensus from all  of the\n6   tribes  who  have  signed  onto  our  resolution.    To\n7   strengthen organization infrastructure  and governments\n8   building   our  institutional   capacity,  develop   an\n9   intertribal  cooperative  agreement  with  Federal  and\n10   State agencies  to achieve  co-management and  to build\n11   intertribal  unity  and  collaboration  to advance  our\n12   subsistence ways of life.\n\n14                   So I'm  really new  especially to  this\n15   Board.   FSB, the  RAC system and really  in my role at\n16   the Yukon River and Tribal Fish Commission.   I started\n17   working November  7th.   On  November 17th  we had  our\n18   first Board of Fisheries meeting so it's been kind of a\n19   nonstop  barrage  of   regulatory  meetings,  executive\n20   council meetings and nowannual meeting prep sincethe --\n21    since   the  beginning.    So  it's  been  an  amazing\n22   experience being  here, learning our organization.  I'm\n23   loving  the  opportunity  to work  for  the  tribes and\n24   thinking about our goals and  the objectives and how we\n25   can continue  to  unify and  think  about some  of  our\n26   existing MOUs with BIA looking at the gravel to  gravel\n27   initiative.  And why I'm so excited to be here  now and\n28   looking  forward to participate as an individual and as\n29   Staff within our organization  using the priorities  of\n30   subsistence as rural preference as a framing as to like\n31   how  we're going to  continue to participate  and think\n32   about collaborative management of  our salmon resources\n33   in perpetuity.\n\n35                   So I really  appreciate the discussions\n36   that were happening around the table here yesterday.  I\n37   am really excited  about the opportunities to  meet the\n38   goals,  the objectives  and the  opportunities of  this\n39   Fish Commission  to meaningfully engage  and assert the\n40   tribes' perspective  and rationale  into every  step of\n41   the way of governance.\n\n43                   So just  to give  a quick update  about\n44   what's  been going  on in the  last handful  of months.\n45   We've  really built up  our infrastructure.   Coming on\n46   board we had three Staff, by the end of this next month\n47   we'll have  seven.  So  using that gravel to  gravel as\n48   the framework  we're building  up our  ability to  take\n49   care of home, to build unity within the watershed.  And\n\n---\n\n17   \n28   \n37   \n50\n\n1   this  last  February  we worked  really  hard  to build\n2   consensus with a handful of other  tribal organizations\n3   that  unify over  a  150 tribes  at  the North  Pacific\n4   Fisheries Management Council and the Board of Fish, the\n5   area M  meeting.  Through tribal  consultation, through\n6   intentional collaboration and communication and regular\n7   get togethers to  have meaningful discussion about  how\n8   we're   going  to  come  to  consensus  when  we  don't\n9   necessarily always agree on an agenda item.  And really\n10   proud to  be a  part of  those discussions  and getting\n11   that  leadership and  guidance  from my  boss,  Charlie\n12   Wright.   A lot of  the leadership within  the interior\n13   and up  and down  the Yukon and  just listening  to the\n14   wants, the wills  and the priorities  of our tribes  to\n15   make sure  that we are  leading with love  and building\n16   consensus based off of our indigenous values.\n\n18                   And so  we're --we're  building up our\n19   infrastructure at home, we're advocating and so many of\n20   the  comments and  the  concerns  that  I  heard  about\n21   trawling,   about  bycatch,   about  intercept,   about\n22   hatcheries, we're  fighting really hard in those arenas\n23   and hiring  Staff  to meaningful  engage,  provide  the\n24   communication  directly to  our  tribes  so that  we're\n25   building  their   capacities  up  to   make  meaningful\n26   decisions and contributions to policy decisions here at\n27   the Egan Center that impact their daily life.\n\n29                   I  intentionally didn't  give any  real\n30   regional reports  and  updates because  we all  already\n31   heard  it.  The thoughts, the issues, the concerns from\n32   our leadership up  there on the  Board and Charlie  and\n33   Jacque and Jack and Jack Keith.  We've got the regional\n34   reports, we know  the concerns, they're the  exact same\n35   conversations that are  happening over  at the  Captain\n36   Cook right now at the YRDFA preseason meeting.\n\n38                   So I'll kind of end with the last hopes\n39   and  the goals and  the intention of  our organization,\n40   why I'm so  excited to bring a lot  of this information\n41   back   here  in  the  future  is  that  we're  building\n42   consensus  within the watershed  on how we're  going to\n43   manage  the returning  or a  rebuilding  of the  stock.\n44   We've --we heard quite a bit of information  yesterday\n45   about extirpation, the real  serious concerns about not\n46   having the ability  to potlatch, to give  a first name,\n47   to give a first dance, to bury your dead, to honor.  So\n48   we --we've heard  a lot about  the concerns  about --\n49   regarding a lack of salmon.  One of the things  that is\n\n---\n\n4   \n20   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   consistently  talked about over and over and over again\n2   is we can't  be fighting over the resource  in times of\n3   such stress.\n\n5                   So really looking  forward to the  next\n6   12   months,   24  months,   five   years  within   our\n7   organization to build  that consensus  and that  unity,\n8   our  own collaborative  management with  U.S.  Fish and\n9   Wildlife  and   ADF&G,   to  assert   the   will,   the\n10   expectations,  the  analysis  of  our  tribes  to  make\n11   meaningful decisions  on how --what that conservation\n12   looks like  within the watershed  with one  voice.   So\n13   really forward to  that, to spending time  in Alakanuk,\n14   in Beaver, in the communities that we represent growing\n15   those understandings,  building those  relationships so\n16   that   when  we   come  back   here   our  voice,   our\n17   organizational stance and position  is fully reflective\n18   of the  44 and hopefully  growing tribal  organizations\n19   that we represent.\n\n21                   So  again  I  don't  want  to  take  up\n22   anymore  time,  but  just   really  grateful  for   the\n23   opportunity  to  introduce ourself  and  recognize even\n24   during a  wildlife cycle how  important, like how  I --\n25   how  I view  every  chapter  of the  book  that is  us,\n26   salmon's in there  somewhere.  So just  really grateful\n27   for  this  opportunity  to  see  so  many  smiling  and\n28   familiar  faces versus maybe at a Council meeting where\n29   who knows  where folks  are coming from.   And  that --\n30   when  we get  to  an agenda  item it's  not  a 30  page\n31   presentation or we're not having to do an analysis over\n32   thousands and thousands  of pages of NEPA analysis.  So\n33   this  has been  really  nice,  I'm  really  loving  and\n34   enjoying  my  first  FSB  meeting  and  really  looking\n35   forward to engaging more.\n\n37                   So thank you.  With that I'm --I could\n38   go on and on and on, but I'll.....\n\n40                   Thank you.\n\n42                   (Applause)\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n45   Craig.  We  appreciate that kind of  morning testimony.\n46   That kind of gives us a little --little energy, right,\n47   that we see  you out  there uniting  and bringing  that\n48   voice  forward  and representing  the  family you  come\n49   from.   So hats off to you and  yeah, we'll --I'm sure\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n50\n\n1   we'll be seeing an awful lot of you and we really  as a\n2   Board lean a lot on those  relationships that are built\n3   on  the ground because that's where  the trust is built\n4   and then we do the best we can to receive that here and\n5   act  on,  you know,  when  we  have  unified  voice  in\n6   especially something like salmon that's such a critical\n7   part of our culture and  community.  So appreciate  you\n8   guys' work and effort.\n\n10                   Thank you.\n\n12                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chairman.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.\n\n16                   MR. REAKOFF:  May I make a comment?\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   The floor  is\n19   yours.\n\n21                   MR. REAKOFF:  Western Interior Regional\n22   Advisory  Council's worked  with Kuskokwim  InterTribal\n23   Fish Commission  to  a great  extent,  we're  extremely\n24   proud and happy to have the InterTribal Fish Commission\n25   in  the  Kuskokwim  working  for  the  benefit  of  the\n26   subsistence resource  and the  subsistence users.   I'm\n27   super excited to  see the Yukon River  InterTribal Fish\n28   Commission  being  formed and  look forward  to working\n29   with your organization.\n\n## 31 Thank you.\n\n## 33 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Raymond.\n\n35                   MR.  ONEY:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chairman.\n36   First of all I want to  thank you real quick for taking\n37   on the position.  I  know --and thank TCC for  running\n38   this program for  the Yukon.   I know it's been  on and\n39   off  for a  number of  times  so I'm  glad that  you've\n40   accepted the position and I'm very thankful that you're\n41   here for this meeting for this organization to hear you\n42   and to look forward to  seeing you again in the future.\n43   And also with the YKRAC, I chaired there for many years\n44   so  I'm hoping  that  they'll  invite  you over  in  --\n45   probably in their  fall or winter meeting.   So I think\n46   bringing unity to the tribes in our area is much needed\n47   knowing that we  have a disaster  that's, you know,  in\n48   front  of our eyes.   So I thank  you and setting those\n49   goals and hoping that you  guys will get off the ground\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n12   \n19   \n24   \n50\n\n1   and so I thank you  for all the work that  you're doing\n2   and also for TCC for running the program.\n\n4                   Thank you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Yeah.   Thank\n7   you  for  the  kind  words.   Appreciate  that.   Next,\n8   Robbin.\n\n10                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n11   Next person in the room is Brandy Standafer.\n\n13                   MS. STANDAFER:   (In Native).   My name\n14   is Brandy, I  come from the  Native Village of  Tyonek.\n15   I'm sure a lot of you guys or the elders know where the\n16   Tyonek  is,  but  we  are  49  air miles  southwest  of\n17   Anchorage on the west  side of Cook Inlet.   We are the\n18   only village on the west side of Cook Inlet.\n\n20                   I wanted to  speak on three things.   I\n21   am a kid,  I am too young to be speaking on these three\n22   things.  Please forgive me if I offend you, that is not\n23   my intention.\n\n25                   We  have the  due  processes that  have\n26   been  put  in  place  by  legislative  feat,  different\n27   parties.  We  have to do this a certain way, we have to\n28   go through  this door  a certain way,  we have  to jump\n29   through that hoop a certain way.   Recently our Federal\n30   subsistence has been targeted and we have been hit hard\n31   by these protocols, by  these committees, this advisory\n32   board, State,  local.   I'm a  third generation  orphan\n33   from the Kenai  area.  In the 1900s  our chief said one\n34   day the power's going to be in numbers.  1920 andthe --\n35    all  the  illness,  things we  were  never  exposed to\n36   killed off  a lot of  our people.   He sent  around the\n37   hunters to gather  --go check on all  of our villages.\n38   There is seven of them, but there is traditionally nine\n39   relative  villages of Tyonek.  We  are a migrating clan\n40   where  we travel with the season around the Cook Inlet.\n41   He  went and collected anybody  that was still alive in\n42   this area, come move  to Tyonek.  One day the  power is\n43   going  to be  in numbers.   Since  then and  Tyonek was\n44   established  way  before  the  statehood,  some of  our\n45   government to government agreements were created  right\n46   around statehood.   Our  tribe was  20, 30,000  strong.\n47   After  the  sickness that  hit this  area in  1920 that\n48   number went way down.   There is one original last name\n49   of my tribe, all the rest of us were adopted,  chose to\n\n---\n\n9   \n33   \n50\n\n1   live there, chose to learn that lifestyle.  We are born\n2   with that lifestyle.   I would say at  least 90 percent\n3   of   my  food   consumption   comes   from  the   land.\n4   Historically,  traditionally our  only  income is  when\n5   everybody started turning to  the monetary value, we're\n6   majority, almost 100 percent, commercial fishermen.  We\n7   came  into that,  why, because  times  change and  this\n8   world it takes money to make it keep on spinning.\n\n10                   Why I  bring that  up and  I heard  the\n11   young gentleman before,  the one on the  telephone, our\n12   most unregulated area, our hunting and fishing and I do\n13   not ever  like  to  mix  subsistence  with  any  to  do\n14   commercial.   And  as a  self preference  that's  why I\n15   don't sell beads, I don't sell hides, I don't sell furs\n16   because  that itself is  a monetary  value that  all of\n17   your  pocketbooks together  is not  enough.   They  say\n18   they're running out of  fish or elders are not  getting\n19   the food  that they  used to 30  years ago.   Community\n20   saying oh, they don't see a certain fish or like I said\n21   we're the only village on  the west side of Cook Inlet.\n22   Our little, tiny rivers could fit right here between me\n23   and you has been shut down for kings for over 30 years.\n24   We don't  mind that  because it's  saving what  we have\n25   left.   We  all have  to remember  that story  that was\n26   gifted to us from our grandparents and they were gifted\n27   it from their grandparents, we, the people that walk on\n28   the land, we manage it,  we've done it for millenniums.\n29   So I'm --I don't care  that our little, tiny river  is\n30   shut down for the last 30 years for kings, why, because\n31   maybe in 30 more years there will still be kings thanks\n32   to our one little river.\n\n34                   And  I bring  this up because  State of\n35   Alaska doesn't  really --the Department  of Fish  and\n36   Game and the State of Alaska  in my very young time has\n37   been reckless when it comes  to the regulation of these\n38   commercial  industries,   sports  fishing,   commercial\n39   fishing.  I've always been  the oh, like how could they\n40   issue so many license to not only, you know, residents,\n41   but non-residents.  It's appalling and it's --I'm kind\n42   of embarrassed by my own state.  You see it on the news\n43   we're  hurting,  we're  hurting   and  lack  of   fish,\n44   emergency closure and  when we have our  own leadership\n45   not  taking in  consideration how  many does 500  --my\n46   uncle did  some numbers, math,  and I could  have never\n47   thought  of that, but  to issue over  500,000 licenses.\n48   Oh, but they're worried, they're going to shut us down,\n49   the people that live here 365 days, for this very  --I\n\n---\n\n5   \n28   \n44   \n50\n\n1   wouldn't say inconsiderate  industry of commercializing\n2   our food.  I  have no idea of  who this Board,  Federal\n3   Subsistence Board  consist of and  I pray you  all live\n4   here in Alaska 365 days a year.\n\n6                   That was my  --that's Topic  Number 1.\n7   To close that part out,  why isn't this Kenai River and\n8   Ship Creek and all the  other creeks --that's scary --\n9   I'm grateful I don't have  to stand elbow to elbow with\n10   my neighbor or just another citizen of United States of\n11   America to get my food for that  day.  And don't get me\n12   wrong, I know  about the sports fishing  and commercial\n13   fishing.   I was born on this  Cook Inlet and the water\n14   took my  pinkie when I  was nine  so I know  that life.\n15   The State of Alaska, they want to shut down our little,\n16   tiny river, but  leave these rivers open.   On the east\n17   side  they  got the  Cook  Inlet taking  god  knows the\n18   amount  of fish  out of  that water  every day  for the\n19   whole --well,  Alaska we barely get  three months, 12,\n20   15 weeks of  summer.  We  don't even  like to go  visit\n21   family  that's  on  the road  system  on  the peninsula\n22   because   it's   clogged    with   traffic.      That's\n23   heartbreaking.   Not last  year, the year  before, they\n24   did shut down the Ship Creek for like the middle to the\n25   end  of the  king season,  why  not 20  years ago  when\n26   people, tribal members,  Alaskan residents raised  this\n27   concern 20, 30 years ago.\n\n29                   So our next --my  next one is we --we\n30   have  to  go  through  different  entities,   different\n31   committees, different  commissions, there's  the Alaska\n32   Fish and Game, to get  paperwork in you guys' big book.\n33   Where I  come from we  have a government  to government\n34   agreement  when  it comes  to  our Federal  subsistence\n35   rights  which  I  stated  at  the  beginning  that  was\n36   created,  signed  by  the Federal  government  in early\n37   statehood.   Since  then  our --the  State of  Alaska\n38   violated that.  And we --I --we're raised  you're not\n39   supposed  to  talk  to  elders  like  that  or  you  do\n40   something,  you say something  and that's it.   Without\n41   prior authorization and  consultation they have  tooken\n42   not  only  one day  of our  week so  now they  bring --\n43   they're taking away two days of our subsistence days.\n\n45                   Our village is big.  We have maybe less\n46   than  1,500 of  us,  but  my  daughter's  grown,  she's\n47   blessed  me   with  a   grandchild,  you   know,  great\n48   grandchildren.   To have multiple  households, multiple\n49   families living in a household and the State of Alaska,\n\n---\n\n23   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Board of Fish and Game tell us we have one day  a week,\n2   the  season.   They  would not  consider the  day, they\n3   would not  consider our  tide.  Our  tide if  you don't\n4   know in  the Cook  Inlet it's six  hours in,  six hours\n5   out.   I'm  sure that's  everywhere  the coast  touches\n6   Alaska.   The  only  difference  is  some  beaches  are\n7   slightly  slanted,  some beaches  are  very  steep, but\n8   we're grateful we get six hours going out and six hours\n9   coming in.  Mind  you the current in the Cook  Inlet is\n10   one of  the strongest in  the world.  We  can only fish\n11   coming  in  tide.    Some  of   the  State  of  Alaska,\n12   Department of Fish  and Game, Board of  Advisors, never\n13   consider.  Then we said okay, then why don't we do that\n14   one day  a week, have it  a 24 hour  --have it  for 24\n15   hours  that one  day a  week.   To  me that's  reckless\n16   because  I don't  --I  don't know,  I  mean, I  can't\n17   guarantee I'm going  to fill up  my smokehouse in  two,\n18   three weeks  out of our  12 week summer season,  our 12\n19   week where  we have to  fish, hunt, gather  our plants,\n20   our material, our berries, our  --there's got to be 10\n21   of me if I'm  going to do that in  12 weeks, one day  a\n22   week.  That was my topic number 2.\n\n24                   My third one aligns  with the last one.\n25   Our  elders are founders  of the  State of  Alaska with\n26   partnership with all of our  tribes who used to all sit\n27   at this table and  many other tables like this  created\n28   our  laws,  regulations,  they  had  a  whole  line  of\n29   lawyers, record personnel and I seen  you guys' book on\n30   how oh, we want to change  and do this and rewrite this\n31   or  I --if they  weren't real,  100 percent  it would\n32   never have made it into that final draft.  And you guys\n33   in  leadership position or on this fancy Federal Board,\n34   please consider the  laws as they were written.   I was\n35   raised where  you make a decision you're  going to live\n36   with that decision.   Oh, there's no oh,  20 years down\n37   the road of we're going to change it  to look like this\n38   or to fit this narrative or the --no.  To me and how I\n39   was raised that  is a weak --you look weak if you want\n40   to  take something  so powerful  and  so sacred  to our\n41   people and to  rewrite it.  That's like  --that's like\n42   spitting  on something  our people  once  held dear  to\n43   their heart.\n\n45                   Thank you  very  much.    I  appreciate\n46   every  single one of you.  I  pray for every single one\n47   of you.  And please forgive  me if I offended anyone of\n48   you or any member in this room.\n\n---\n\n0165\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n14   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n4   Brandy.  Any comments from the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n9   testimony this morning.\n\n11                   MS. STANDAFER:  Thank you, sir.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. STANDAFER:  You're brave for  being\n16   the Chair.\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n19   that, yeah.   It  takes patience.   Thank you  for your\n20   testimony.  I'll also be brave  enough to remind people\n21   we have  a long agenda  and as we stated  that we would\n22   like to be mindful of  maybe around eight to 10 minutes\n23   if we're passionate, shorter and brevity and pointed if\n24   you're  here to  move something  up the  chain.   So we\n25   would appreciate that.\n\n27                   Thank you.\n\n29                   MS.  LAVINE:   Next  in  the  queue  is\n30   Sterling Spilinek.\n\n32                   Sterling, please  come and  address the\n33   Board.\n\n35                   MR. SPILINEK:   Hello,  everybody.   My\n36   name's Sterling Spilinek, I  am the Wildlife  Biologist\n37   for  Ahtna InterTribal Resource Commission.  I just had\n38   two  topics  I wanted  to  touch  on.   One,  I  wanted\n39   everyone on  the Board  to consider  in your  decisions\n40   through  this  meeting  the NPS  proposed  rule  that's\n41   coming through, make  sure that whatever  decisions you\n42   make that you keep that in mind.  In the six years that\n43   I've been doing  this work up in Alaska  and looking at\n44   almost  every single Federal  Register that affects our\n45   area,  this NPS  proposed  rule  is  by  far  the  most\n46   convoluted, most confusing and most vague public record\n47   that  I've  been   a  part  of.     I've  reached   out\n48   collaborators,   I've   reached   out   to   regulatory\n49   specialist,  I've  reached  out to  organizations  that\n\n---\n\n6   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1   special --specialize  in policy and there  seems to be\n2   no clear consensus on what it does and what the impacts\n3   might be.   Even asking  some of  our Federal  partners\n4   what to  get some  insight into it,  it just  makes the\n5   water more muddy.\n\n7                   So the second thing I wanted to mention\n8   is  I did  get reached  out to  by quite   few  Federal\n9   partners and  agencies  about  the  collaborative  hare\n10   snare  project that AITRC, ADF&G and UAF conducted from\n11   2020 to 2022.  We do have a density estimate for  bears\n12   within GMU  13.   I  am unable  to  share any  of  that\n13   information with this  Board at this time based  on our\n14   data  sharing  agreement  we  need  to  have  consensus\n15   between all  the collaborators  and we  have not  heard\n16   back from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  So I\n17   apologize  for  that,  but  as  soon  as  we  get  that\n18   information we will  be sharing it with  the management\n19   agencies.\n\n21                   And  that's all that I had for you guys\n22   today.  Do you have any questions?\n\n24                   Thank you.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Appreciate it.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n32   taking the time this morning to share that.\n\n34                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair,  next in  the\n35   queue is Tom Harris.  Tom Harris, are you in the room?\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, next  in the\n40   room is Mr. Rick Delkitty.\n\n42                   MR. DELKITTY:   Hello, my name is  Rick\n43   Delkitty, I'm  from Nondalton.   I'm  well over  10,000\n44   generation Athabaskan.   I  fought Pebble  for over  20\n45   years  and those presentations  that I did  during that\n46   time  is  exactly  what  we're  talking  about   today,\n47   cultural, customary and traditional  values and it goes\n48   back a  long way.   We  have birthdays,  anniversaries,\n49   holidays and these times I have to hunt.  And we share.\n\n---\n\n6   \n31   \n34   \n37   \n40   \n50\n\n1   In my younger days I would hunt for my aunts, my uncle,\n2   my grandma, my  grandpa, mom  and dad.   If my dad  was\n3   here today  and at this forum  he would go home  and he\n4   would  write   letters  to  the   Alaska  Congressional\n5   Delegation with concerns and maybe some ideas.\n\n7                   The sports fishing industry, the Alaska\n8   Department of  Fish and  Game,  they sell  quite a  few\n9   sport  fishing licenses.   The resources that  they are\n10   after cannot sustain that kind of numbers.  If you look\n11   at the historic resources of Alaska whether it's in the\n12   water  or  walking   around  on  the  land   it's  been\n13   diminished,  some  of  them collapsed.    You  guys are\n14   charged with making  determination on these  resources.\n15   That determination  made today needs to have definition\n16   of  sustainability for tomorrow.   And to  have success\n17   with  that  for  tomorrow you  have  to  understand the\n18   history.  And in the '50s  and the '60s they called  it\n19   the abundant land, the land  of plenty.  It's no longer\n20   like that.   I witnessed a lot  of changes in my  time.\n21   I'm  not far  --very far  away  from being  70 and  I\n22   witnessed  changes as I --traveling through time.  And\n23   these  changes  are   alarming.    Some  of   them  are\n24   escalating  at a very fast rate.   Where I'm from I can\n25   no longer hunt for caribou.  Now them hunters are going\n26   to the Brooks Range to hunt caribou.   Do you guys know\n27   how many  caribous we  killed in  2020,  211,000.   Now\n28   let's take  a close  look at  that number,  that's what\n29   ADF&G's  reporting.    These   resources  have  natural\n30   adversaries.\n\n32                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n33   interference).\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Could   you\n36   please mute the line, please.\n\n38                   Sorry  about  that, we  keep  getting a\n39   leak in the audio here.  Now you have the floor.\n\n41                   MR.  DELKITTY:   Okay.    These caribou\n42   they have natural  adversaries that they rely  on them.\n43   They also during  mating they are fighting  each other,\n44   the  bulls.   Sometimes one bull  would kill  the other\n45   bull or  they would lock  the horn and they  can't come\n46   apart so  they don't  make it.   That's  another number\n47   adding to --oh, no, it was 21,000 caribou harvested in\n48   2020.  So  you add that number  to that.  Then  you add\n49   another  number where the  calves don't make  it, that'\n\n---\n\n13   \n20   \n27   \n39   \n50\n\n1   another number.   And then  you add another to  that, a\n2   good  portion  of them  are going  to die  from natural\n3   causes.   Then that's  also one  more, climate  change.\n4   And  I'm a  witness to  that.   In  2014 in  Nondalton,\n5   December it rained  most of the night.  Before daylight\n6   the weather changed to below  zero, it was a cold snap.\n7   It  killed a  lot of  fur bearing  animals.  This  is a\n8   regular trend now.  We see  rain in December and we see\n9   rain in January.  That never  used to be when I was  in\n10   elementary  school.    So  these  changes  have  to  be\n11   recognized by  you guys that  are making determinations\n12   on these resources.\n\n14                   The moose in  2020, there was 7,000  of\n15   them harvested and it parallels the caribou.  They have\n16   natural  adversaries,  they  butt  heads,  some of  the\n17   calves don't make it and climate change have an adverse\n18   impact.  Everything,  all fur bearing animals  and even\n19   in the water.\n\n21                   Now let's take a look  at sport fishing\n22   industry.  The  State of Alaska, they're going  to sell\n23   all the licenses  that they can.  Oh,  and getting back\n24   to  the  hunting  there's also  a  permit  hunting that\n25   individuals can apply for.  So that's another number to\n26   add to that.\n\n28                   The fishing, there's  approximately 350\n29   lodges  in the  state of  Alaska.   And  let's stick  a\n30   number on that,  clients.  A lodge can --they take --\n31   this is a  very conservative number, eight  clients per\n32   weeks.   Now there's four weeks  in a month.  They have\n33   four  months  of fishing.    So  do  the math.    These\n34   resources  can't  sustain  these kind  of  numbers.   I\n35   witness  --I'm  a witness to  rivers where  there's no\n36   longer fish and there's more coming online that's going\n37   to be the same way.  You guys are in charge, we look to\n38   you guys for leadership.\n\n40                   The Alaska Department  of Fish and Game\n41   in my view they don't understand us because I see where\n42   resources, renewable  resources that  collapsed, Kodiak\n43   king  crab, Bering Sea crab, Mulchatna Caribou Herd and\n44   it's got their  names written all over it.   My wish is\n45   that  you guys  work with  them  and when  they have  a\n46   meeting  you guys  are there.   And  I know  that's not\n47   going  to  happen.    In  1959 they  didn't  allow  the\n48   indigenous  community to  vote.   Here  in just  recent\n49   times  the  State of  Alaska finally  recognized tribal\n\n---\n\n15   \n18   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1   institution.     There's  something  wrong   with  this\n2   picture.    The  Sierra  Club  and  the  Sport  Fishing\n3   Association have a lobbyist that go to Juneau and lobby\n4   the Legislature  and tell  them what they  want.   That\n5   discriminates against me.   It's really sad to see that\n6   the leaders  of this country  don't recognize us.   And\n7   the only time seems like that they recognize us is when\n8   it's time to vote.  You guys have responsibility to the\n9   indigenous  community in the  state and these resources\n10   are on their  way to diminish, some  of them collapsed.\n11   We  look to you  guys for guidance  and help.   We have\n12   thousands  of years  of customary  and traditional  use\n13   knowledge.   We are at arms length from these resources\n14   and we understand them.\n\n16                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n17   interference).\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Could you mute\n20   that line, please.\n\n22                   MR.  DELKITTY:  So I thank you guys for\n23   your  service, your  dedication.   I come  here  with a\n24   heavy heart.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:      I   truly\n29   appreciate  your  testimony this  morning  and bringing\n30   that perspective to the room.  You know, we all need to\n31   be reminded  of why  we're here and  the history  of it\n32   because it  bears a lot  of weight  on how  we do  make\n33   those decisions.  So I appreciate that this morning and\n34   definitely apologize for  the technical difficulties we\n35   keep having that are causing slight disruptions.\n\n37                   So  thank   you  for  your   time  this\n38   morning.  Is  there anybody  from the  Board who  would\n39   like to make comment, statement.\n\n41                   (No comments)\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n44   Thank you.  We appreciate your time.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n47   Before we get  into the next  presentation we have  the\n48   southeast  students here to introduce themselves to the\n49   Board.\n\n---\n\n9   \n12   \n14   \n27   \n50\n\n1                   I  would like to make a request for all\n2   of you listening  online, occasionally throughout  this\n3   morning's testimony  we  have  been  interrupted  quite\n4   loudly by different processes going on.  I want to make\n5   sure that you all know how to mute your phone line.  So\n6   please check that your phones  are muted and you can do\n7   so by pressing star, six on your phone.  If you  are on\n8   Teams also make sure that your microphone is muted.\n\n10                   Thank  you.   Mr.  Chair,  I'd like  to\n11   request Heather Bauscher approach the table.\n\n## 13 Thank you.\n\n15                   MS.  BAUSCHER:   Good  morning.   Thank\n16   you, Mr. Chair, members of the Board.  I'm delighted to\n17   be  here with  another group  of  students through  the\n18   University of  Alaska Southeast, Policy  and Procedures\n19   class  about navigating  the Federal  Subsistence Board\n20   process.  My  name is Heather  Bauscher, I'm the  rural\n21   resident  of  Petersburg, Alaska.    I'm  the Fisheries\n22   Community   Engagement   Specialist   for   the   Sitka\n23   Conservation  Society working  with communities  across\n24   southeast  Alaska  and  an  adjunct  professor  at  the\n25   University  of Alaska  Southeast teaching  these policy\n26   classes.\n\n28                   I'm  here today  with another  group of\n29   students.  I'm very excited  and grateful to be able to\n30   bring them to this meeting once again.   Special thanks\n31   for  Forest  Service  for  the  continued  support  and\n32   funding, Ashley  Bulworth has been  helping to instruct\n33   these classes.  This continues to be supported by folks\n34   in the  Tongass Subsistence  Program.   Thank you,  Rob\n35   Cross and Greg Rishdahl.   A number of you in this room\n36   have also  called in to  the class to help  support the\n37   students so  I want to  say thank you to  Mr. Chairman,\n38   Tony Christianson, Rhonda in the past, Jerry spent some\n39   time with them yesterday over lunch and Frank Woods too\n40   so  thank you  so much.    Your interactions  with them\n41   really help  make  this  experience  a  positive  first\n42   experience in this  space.  And a  note on some of  the\n43   aspects of  this class,  it's an experiential  learning\n44   course so all of the assignments are about building the\n45   skills needed to be effective in these spaces.  So some\n46   of their assignments include giving testimony and  they\n47   will  be  coming  up  next  after  me  and  we've  been\n48   preparing this for the last two weeks and  they're very\n49   excited  to share.   They also have  to collect contact\n\n---\n\n0171\n9   \n12   \n15   \n21   \n30   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   lists for networking purposes  and they're required  to\n2   do  a couple  interviews.    So  please  interact  them\n3   throughout  the meeting  so they  can accomplish  those\n4   assignments.  And their final paper is about picking an\n5   issue of  their choice.   So  they're also supposed  to\n6   talk to  everybody on  all the  different sides  of the\n7   issue.  So  please be willing to talk to them and share\n8   your perspectives on the different proposals.\n\n10                   So  without further  ado  I'm going  to\n11   turn it over to the students.\n\n13                   MS.  LAVINE:    Next  on  our  list  is\n14   Dettrich Lewis.  Dettrich.\n\n16                   MR.  LEWIS:  Thank  you, Mr.  Chair and\n17   the  members of the Board.  First I would like to thank\n18   all of  you for giving  me this opportunity as  well as\n19   UAS.  My  name is Dettrich Lewis, of course,  I am here\n20   from Hoonah and I'll be representing myself.\n\n22                   While  I  do  not  hunt  personally  my\n23   family has consumed  deer and other subsistence  use --\n24   subsistence resources my whole life  as a vital part of\n25   our  diet.   These resources  are a  vital part  of our\n26   traditions and  our cultural practices and  they matter\n27   because they show that people are capable of living off\n28   the land in a way that is respectful and sustainable as\n29   they have done since time immemorial.\n\n31                   I'm  concerned  about the  winter  kill\n32   from  this particularly  harsh season  that  all of  us\n33   across  southeast  and  the  rest  of  the  state  have\n34   experienced.  We do not know --we do not yet  know the\n35   full  extent of the damage, but anecdotal evidence from\n36   hunters shows  that possible  die-offs and poor  health\n37   for the survivors  have happened.  I urge  the Board to\n38   be open  to limiting  the deer hunt  for out  of region\n39   hunters and non-Federally-qualified  subsistence users.\n40   The  people of rural  areas rely on  these resources to\n41   feed their  families and  we cannot  be competing  with\n42   non-rural  hunters if  the  numbers  drop.    If  these\n43   resources  decline it  would  be  devastating  for  the\n44   people of my community and the rest of southeast.\n\n46                   Thank you for hearing my testimony.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n49   Appreciate  your  time coming  in, appreciate  you guys\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n21   \n26   \n37   \n50\n\n1   stepping  up and,  you  know,  engaging  in  the  Board\n2   process.  So keep it up, partner.\n\n4                   MS. LAVINE:  Next we have Lucas Sterns.\n\n6                   MR. STERNS:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n7   and members of the Board.  My name is Lucas Sterns, I'm\n8   a sophomore at Wrangell High School and I have lived in\n9   southeast  Alaska  my  entire  life.    Today  I'll  be\n10   representing myself as  a subsistence fisherman, hunter\n11   and  constant  user  of  salmon.    I  enjoy  trolling,\n12   gillnetting, alpine  hunting for Sitka black  tail deer\n13   and moose hunting on the  Stikine River.  A change that\n14   I see  in trolling for  salmon is that it  continues to\n15   get harder and harder to  go out and get salmon because\n16   areas around my community continue  to be shut down  to\n17   the  resource.  Communities  on the inside  passage are\n18   restricted due  to stocks of  concern and to  allow the\n19   trans-boundary  fish to make it to the spawning grounds\n20   where mines are being built at the headwaters.\n\n22                   I  feel that  these resources  are very\n23   important  to preserve because I  don't want to live in\n24   an  Alaska where my kids and my  kids' kids do not have\n25   access to them.\n\n27                   I'm  also going to be talking about the\n28   designated  hunter program in our region.  This program\n29   is  very important because  it ensures that  elders and\n30   people  with disabilities and those who cannot hunt for\n31   themselves can  continue to have access  to traditional\n32   foods.   Southeast relies heavily  on this system and I\n33   believe it should  remain in place.   However there are\n34   increasing  concerns  that  this  program  could  allow\n35   hunters using these permits to expand their subsistence\n36   harvest opportunities beyond what is intended.\n\n38                   In  our area  a person  can  go up  the\n39   Stikine, shoot an illegal moose, return to town, obtain\n40   a designated hunter tag or return to the river to shoot\n41   yet another moose.  Occasionally illegal animals can be\n42   harvested  without  consequences tied  specifically  to\n43   designated  hunter  privileges.   This  could  begin to\n44   create  a strain on moose populations if enough illegal\n45   moose  are killed.    One  possibly  solution  to  this\n46   problem  could  be  to  adopt  a  tiered accountability\n47   system  where minor  violations result  in warning  and\n48   more serious  violations such  as  shooting an  illegal\n49   moose could  lead to a  one year or more  suspension of\n\n---\n\n0173\n9   \n14   \n18   \n23   \n25   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n50\n\n1   designated  hunting   privileges.     Another  possible\n2   solution  would  be to  limit  the number  of  people a\n3   designated hunter  can serve  each year  with room  for\n4   tribal  or community  exceptions  when needed.    These\n5   changes would  enhance the  program's effectiveness  by\n6   reducing   misuse   and   protecting   wildlife   while\n7   maintaining access for people who rely strongly on this\n8   resource.\n\n10                   Thank  you,  Heather Bauscher  and  Kim\n11   Harmindarious, for helping me to bring this opportunity\n12   to my  town and  giving me the  ability to  attend this\n13   meeting.\n\n15                   Thank you, Mr. Chair and Board for your\n16   time  and consideration as  well as the  opportunity to\n17   speak to you all.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n20   Appreciate your presentation this morning and good luck\n21   with  your  class.    Any  questions  from  the  Board,\n22   comments.\n\n24                   (No comments)\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   And  good luck\n27   with your sports seasons too.  If you get out  and know\n28   the  kids you  get  to find  out  what they  do  in the\n29   background.  So.....\n\n31                   MR. STERNS:  Thank you.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     .....that's\n34   good, we got a lot in common when you're an Alaskan.\n\n36                   MS. LAVINE:  Next we have Ki Wick.\n\n38                   MR.  WICK:    Hello,  Mr. Chairman  and\n39   members of the Board.  I will be representing myself as\n40   a subsistence user.   My name is Ki Wick and I've lived\n41   in  southeast  Alaska  my  entire  life.    I  am  from\n42   Wrangell,  Alaska.    I  enjoy   hunting,  fishing  and\n43   trapping.  I also really enjoy fishing commercially and\n44   sport  fishing with  my friends and  family.   I really\n45   enjoy  fly  fishing  in freshwater  for  steelhead  and\n46   trout.   I didn't really  get into hunting until  I was\n47   about 10  years old.   I really enjoy hunting  deer and\n48   grouse  and spending time in nature  with my family and\n49   friends.\n\n---\n\n21   \n26   \n29   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   Today I  will like  to speak about  the\n2   designator hunter  program  and hunting  by  proxy  for\n3   other  people.   One of  my main  concerns is  that the\n4   current  system allows  individuals to  obtain multiple\n5   tags  sometimes by  printing  or  purchasing them  from\n6   people who do not hunt.  This creates a situation where\n7   a  single person could  harvest an excessive  amount of\n8   deer  which   may  negatively  impact  the  local  deer\n9   population in  the fear --in the near future  and for\n10   future generations.  I believe there should be stricter\n11   regulations  in place including limits on the number of\n12   tags  an individual  can  use.   There  should also  be\n13   consideration   of   an   age  restriction   or   other\n14   qualifications to  ensure responsible  participation in\n15   the  program.  Additionally  there are open  --ongoing\n16   concerns  about illegal hunting  practices such as road\n17   hunting, spotlighting and  poaching.  These  activities\n18   by  bad actors not  only violate regulations,  but also\n19   contribute to an  unsustainable harvesting that impacts\n20   responsible users of the resources.\n\n22                   I respectfully ask  the Board to review\n23   these  issues  and consider  implementing  changes that\n24   will  change and help  protect the deer  population and\n25   promote fair, ethical hunting practices.\n\n27                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n28   consideration.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n31   that presentation.   And  I like the  way we  have some\n32   solutions built in.  So any questions from the Board or\n33   comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n38   Thank you, Ki.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next on our list is James\n41   Erickson.\n\n43                   MR. ERICKSON:  Mr. Chair and members of\n44   the Board.  My name is James Erickson, I'm from Hoonah,\n45   Alaska  and  I've  lived there  my  entire  life.   I'm\n46   representing myself as a lifelong subsistence user  and\n47   I'm a hunter and fisherman and I come from a commercial\n48   fishing family  where I grew  up fishing for  kings and\n49   cohos on my grandpa's troller.\n\n---\n\n13   \n22   \n26   \n29   \n32   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   I am  concerned about the  impacts that\n2   large scale industrial trawlers have on  the population\n3   of salmon in particular.  Many people in  the community\n4   rely  on fishing  for income  and  due to  conservation\n5   concerns in the  spring if people  from Hoonah want  to\n6   catch  king salmon  they have  to travel  well over  40\n7   miles instead of  going to more accessible  areas which\n8   will  become even more  difficult with the  fuel prices\n9   going up.   I feel  that this  has had  a pretty  harsh\n10   impact  on the local trolling community and people that\n11   fish  king salmon  for  subsistence because  our region\n12   hasn't had a spring king opener in years.\n\n14                   I  would  like  to  see these  concerns\n15   addressed  by  greater  collaboration  with  the  North\n16   Pacific  Fisheries Management  Council and  support for\n17   changes in  the amount  of  bycatch per  season or  per\n18   trip.  I  also think that a  change in the size  of the\n19   net or other  modifications would also be  a reasonable\n20   change that could  limit the impact that  trawlers have\n21   on fish populations.\n\n23                   I'd like to thank you for your time and\n24   consideration and  the opportunity to speak  before you\n25   here today.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n28   Appreciate that presentation.\n\n30                   MS. LAVINE:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n31   Next in the queue is Jora Sovlind.\n\n33                   MS. SOVLIND:   Good  morning, everyone,\n34   Mr. Chair  and members of the  Board.  My  name is Jora\n35   Sovlind, I'm from Hoonah, Alaska and I've lived in  the\n36   southeast my whole life.  I'm speaking on behalf of the\n37   subsistence user.   I grew up spending time  out on the\n38   boat hunting and fishing with my family, mostly my dad.\n39   And it's always  been a big part of my life.  It's very\n40   important to  me and  I want my  kids to have  the same\n41   experiences.   Some of  the best  memories didn't  just\n42   come from catching  a deer, but spending  time with the\n43   people who I enjoyed that  with.  Being outdoors is one\n44   of the main things  to do in  southeast and I love  it.\n45   It's easy to take that for granted.  This is why I want\n46   to  share my  concerns about  the impacts  of the  past\n47   winter  on   the  deer  population  in   the  northwest\n48   Chichagof area.\n\n---\n\n14   \n27   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   Over  the last  couple winters  --over\n2   the last couple years  winters have been hard  all over\n3   southeast compared to  earlier years.  And  this season\n4   in  particular brought cold  temperatures and a  lot of\n5   snowfall that made it hard  for deer to access food and\n6   find  enough to eat.   As of March,  2026 we also broke\n7   our all time seasonal snowfall record with close to 201\n8   inches recorded.  Because of these conditions many deer\n9   were lost.   From what I've seen and  heard from others\n10   in the  community there  are noticeably  fewer deer  in\n11   that area and  the ones I have seen  have looked skinny\n12   and had less fat.   I'm concerned that the harsh winter\n13   will impact the population in the seasons upcoming.\n\n15                   I  ask that  the Board  take  this into\n16   consideration   when    reviewing   future    proposals\n17   concerning deer bag limits and access to issues in  the\n18   northeast  Chichagof area.    Given these  conditions I\n19   believe that four deer per  person is more than enough.\n20   In  a  two person  household  a  limit  of 12  deer  is\n21   excessive.    We've harvested  three  deer  in multiple\n22   winters and hadenough to feed ourselves inthe season --\n23    throughout  the  season  while  still  harvesting  and\n24   giving  others  to  family  members.    Based  on  that\n25   experience I  would support reducing  the harvest limit\n26   from six to four deer.\n\n28                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n29   consideration.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n32   Appreciate your testimony this morning.  Any  questions\n33   or comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Well  done.\n38   Thank you.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:     Next  we  have  Julian\n41   Narvaez.\n\n43                   MR.  NARVAEZ:    Thank  you,  Chairman,\n44   members of the Board.  My name is Julian Narvaez.   I'm\n45   a resident of  Hoonah and I work for  the Hoonah Indian\n46   Association and this is my third time bringing students\n47   to these meetings.  I want  to say thank you to Heather\n48   Bauscher and  her team and  I want to give  everyone on\n49   the  Board and everyone else here thanks for evaluating\n\n---\n\n0177\n5   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n48   \n50\n\n1   our youths' voices.  I  think our students have impacts\n2   into listening  skills  during these  meetings  and  it\n3   helps volumes as  you know when it comes  time for them\n4   to speak they are held in high regard.\n\n6                   So thanks again.  This experience stays\n7   with them and  hopefully means that they  keep engaging\n8   with  the process throughout their lives and, you know,\n9   involves their families, it involves people  they know,\n10   hopefully  there's  people  adding to  our  --I think\n11   there's people in  Hoonah right now that  are listening\n12   in so thanks to them  and this whole process, you know,\n13   we've been able to widen the engagement.\n\n15                   So thanks, everyone.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n\n18   Julian.  Questions, comments.\n\n20                   (No comments)\n\n22                   MS.  LAVINE:     Next  we  have  Keenan\n23   Sanderson.\n\n25                   MR.  SANDERSON:     Good  morning,  Mr.\n26   Chairman, Federal Subsistence Board.  For the record my\n27   name is Keenan Sanderson.   I come by way of Ketchikan,\n28   I was born and raised there, but I have a lot of family\n29   in Prince of Wales, particularly in Hydaburg and Craig.\n30   And I wanted to talk to you about two different things.\n31   First and foremost  I'd like to thank  Heather Bauscher\n32   for her support of the students that were able to speak\n33   to you this morning.   She's put together an incredible\n34   program and this is my first time being able to support\n35   her and here  students through the Federal  Subsistence\n36   Board process and  I can tell you it --what they have\n37   been able  to put together  is incredible.  And  I just\n38   hope that, you know, we're  able to continue to do that\n39   in the  future  both  for  our Southeast  RAC  and  the\n40   Federal  Subsistence Board, but also in hopes that this\n41   opportunity may be extended to other regions around the\n42   state as --from one year of  being able to be directly\n43   involved in this process it has been  really awesome to\n44   see  what these  kids have  put  together within  their\n45   testimony and their  assignments to get ready  for this\n46   meeting.  So  I just want to really  commend the people\n47   who put that program together.\n\n49                   One other thing  that I  would like  to\n\n---\n\n38   \n50\n\n1   really discuss  while I have  the floor is --isn't --\n2   isn't something  that  necessarily is  the--under  the\n3   direct purview of the Federal Subsistence Board, but is\n4   within the  world  of some  of  the entities  that  are\n5   affiliated  --not  affiliated, but  that are  involved\n6   with the  Federal Subsistence  Board process  including\n7   the  Department of Fish  and Game and  Federal agencies\n8   and that is  the oncoming invasive European  green crab\n9   problem  that's happening in southeast Alaska.  I first\n10   learned  about this problem  about three or  four years\n11   ago and  really learned  a lot of  it with  my own  use\n12   program that  I run back  home in  Ketchikan when  they\n13   wrote  up about a 15 page resource project on potential\n14   impacts   from   invasive   European   green  crab   on\n15   traditional foods in southeast Alaska.  And let me tell\n16   you it is a bit horrifying to see what has  happened in\n17   other regions  around the world and how  quickly it has\n18   happened and  how much it  has impacted the  local food\n19   sources in  other areas.  I  don't have the most  up to\n20   date numbers, but I do have a couple of numbers I would\n21   like to  share with you.   In Haida Gwaii  they --they\n22   first  observed their first European green crab in 2020\n23   and  between  that time  they  were able  to  develop a\n24   pretty  strong removal  program down  there  and as  of\n25   October of 2024 they have removed over  1 million green\n26   crab from their  waters.  One million and  that --that\n27   is just what  they removed, but that was  within a four\n28   year time  frame.  It  is very scary how  quickly their\n29   population  can explode.  They were then first observed\n30   in Alaskan waters  in 2022 within the  Metlakata Indian\n31   community.   And I don't remember the exact number, but\n32   within their first  two years of their  program they've\n33   caught tens of thousands of crabs within their small --\n34   relatively  small jurisdiction.   Also  very horrifying\n35   because  Metlakata  Indian community  is very  close to\n36   where I live  in Ketchikan and were I  have family over\n37   in Prince of Wales.\n\n39                   And  the reason  why  I bring  this  up\n40   because  I  do  feel  like  entities  like  the  Alaska\n41   Department  of Fish and Game  and the Fish and Wildlife\n42   Service  and  to a  lesser  extent  some of  the  other\n43   Federal agencies, this is --this is an issue that more\n44   people need  to be  paying attention  with and  putting\n45   effort  and   resources  into  mitigating   the  issue.\n46   Invasive  European green  crab  are problematic  for  a\n47   number of  reasons.   They eat  just about  everything,\n48   clams,  other crab,  and  a ton  of  other things  that\n49   Alaska Native people found need to sustain their way of\n\n---\n\n2   \n34   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n50\n\n3                   And   in  particular   one  region   of\n4   southeast    that   I    think    is   going    to   be\n5   disproportionately impacted  by this  invasion compared\n6   to other  places it is  pretty much anyplace  that also\n7   has  sea otters.   There are  large populations  of sea\n8   otters because in those places where and I often use my\n9   home community  of Hydaburg  as an  example,  a lot  of\n10   people there really rely onindigenous crab for their --\n11    to  practice  their  way  of  life  and  they've  been\n12   hammered  really hard by  the nuisance species  that is\n13   sea otters.  It's --hasn't been --that problem alone\n14   hasn't  been dealt  with in  an effective  way  to help\n15   benefit traditional food  resources, but if you  add in\n16   invasive  European green crab it is going to completely\n17   annihilate  dungeness crab  populations.    And I  know\n18   there are several entities that are working on it.  I'm\n19   very thankful  for the  Metlakata Indian  Community for\n20   doing  a  lot  of  good  work in  their  region.    The\n21   Ketchikan Indian Community's also starting to develop a\n22   program  of  which  I'm  very  thankful  for  and  then\n23   entities like  Alaska Sea  Grant and  some places  down\n24   south are doing a lot of  good work as well, but it  is\n25   my  hope through whatever funding avenue, whether it be\n26   Federal appropriations, more  effort through the  State\n27   budget or  if we're lucky  to get several  large grants\n28   that every community has the  infrastructure and people\n29   to help deal with this  problem with --in every single\n30   community across  Alaska because unfortunately  it's --\n31   there's not really  much we can do  to stop it, but  we\n32   need to work  on mitigating this  issue before it  gets\n33   out of hand.\n\n35                   There's  a lot more  that I can  say on\n36   that, but I just wanted to use this opportunity because\n37   I know there are several people who represent State and\n38   Federal agencies here that can and do have the power to\n39   help these communities with this problem.\n\n41                   And with that  that is all I  have, Mr.\n42   Chair.  Thank you for your time.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n45   Keenan.  Yes, Frank.\n\n47                   MR. WOODS:  Comment.  Thank you for the\n48   youth  and your  testimony.   Under  the Marine  Mammal\n49   Protection Act  I  think  would  be  a  good  venue  to\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n13   \n18   \n38   \n50\n\n1   challenge  you and  your  youth group  to  look at  co-\n2   managing, addressing the Marine  Mammal Protection Act,\n3   co-management  agreement  between the  tribes,  Federal\n4   government and the  State of Alaska.  I  see a solution\n5   as part of it and being it forwarded is important.  And\n6   great  testimony and leadership in the last couple days\n7   to your youth.  Thank you, Heather, again and southeast\n8   group there.\n\n10                   Thank you.\n\n12                   (Applause)\n\n14                   MR.  SANDERSON:    And   just  for  the\n15   record, Mr. Chair, I did  --forgot to put this at  the\n16   start of my testimony.  I'm representing  myself and no\n17   other entity.\n\n19                   MS. BAUSCHER:   I  failed to  mention a\n20   few things earlier.  My name  is Heather Bauscher again\n21   for  the record.   I  also wanted  to thank  the adults\n22   helping  to support the students and mention the hybrid\n23   model we're  working with  now.   Hoonah was the  first\n24   remote cohort and they've  been participating for three\n25   years now.  I --so big thank you to Julian Narvaez and\n26   Jackson Cones.   There's other adult  participants with\n27   support from  Tlingit and  Haida and  the Alaska  Youth\n28   Stewards Program.  We now have participants from Prince\n29   of Wales, Angoon.   Two  of those  folks will  probably\n30   speak tomorrow.   One is listening online  because they\n31   weren't  able to  attend in  person,  but we're  really\n32   trying   to  build   these   cohorts  in   these  other\n33   communities  and this  all started  in  Sitka about  10\n34   years  ago, but  now we  have  Sitka, Hoonah,  Wrangle,\n35   Petersburg and the  hopes of bringing on  through these\n36   adults  that are now  participating folks in  Prince of\n37   Wales and Angoon in the future.\n\n39                   I also wanted  to say thank you  to the\n40   Southeast RAC.  I failed  to mention that earlier.  Don\n41   has been a  supporter for years and often  calls in and\n42   talks  to the  students.   And  it's  really only  been\n43   because of the support of  the members of the  Regional\n44   Council  in Southeast that  this program has  grown the\n45   way it has.   And I appreciate their continued  support\n46   and adding it  in the annual report  every year because\n47   that's what allowed this to continue and to expand.  So\n48   also  thank you  to  the Seward  Peninsula  RAC.   They\n49   recently requested a presentation.  Thank you, Louis.\n\n---\n\n21   \n23   \n26   \n28   \n50\n\n1                   So we're  looking at  ways that we  can\n2   expand  this  and  I  also  wanted  to  add  thanks  to\n3   everybody  that showed up  at the reception  last night\n4   and   interacted  with   the   students,  it's   really\n5   meaningful as you can see.   And I mentioned last night\n6   that there is a teaching guide and I will have physical\n7   copies of this  teaching guide in the back  of the room\n8   this afternoon.  So come talk to  me if you want one of\n9   those,  I want  to keep  everybody's contact so  we can\n10   track  where  they're  going,  but  that  is  really  a\n11   combination of all of the work over the last decade and\n12   all  the contributions of everybody in  this room.  You\n13   all  have  contributed  to  this  program  whether  you\n14   realize it or not.   So that's what's been attempted to\n15   capture  in  this guide  and  it's  really more  of  an\n16   offering  that is  meant to  be  built upon  so I  hope\n17   others can use it and we're looking forward to  finding\n18   ways to collaborate  to support folks across  the state\n19   being more engaged in helping to bring their youth into\n20   these spaces.\n\n## 22 So thank you very much.\n\n## 24 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you,\n\n25   Heather.  And we truly do appreciate that.\n\n27                   (Applause)\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yeah, we truly\n30   appreciate  the  students  and  their  engagement   and\n31   continued  involvement and  the  testimony they  placed\n32   here was things that were  close to their heart and the\n33   way of life  that they live.   And so it's good  to see\n34   that they mix that both with, you know, where they come\n35   from and  the management side of it,  you know, getting\n36   the bells  and whistles in the  book.  And we  use this\n37   training and a traditional guardian program as well and\n38   some of the stuff like we're getting pictures right now\n39   of real time  green crab training going on  in that and\n40   buckets  full of green  crab training going  on Met and\n41   buckets full  of green  crab they're  picking up as  we\n42   speak, right.  And so there's other spaces that they've\n43   been  educating and  doing  outreach  in  and  actually\n44   handing,  you know, front line workers which are tribal\n45   employees those  tools so that they can apply and start\n46   to  address resource  management  issues in  real  time\n47   rather than let's keep talking about  it and passing up\n48   sometimes  to leadership that don't grab paper and move\n49   tools and punch keyboards, right.  So we're looking for\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n50\n\n1   this keyboard  lawyer next  generation that can  really\n2   dial down these issues and make it pertinent to protect\n3   your  way of  life because  this is  your Alaska  so we\n4   appreciate you guys' enthusiasm.\n\n## 6 I think we have --oh, Jack, yes.\n\n8                   MR. REAKOFF:   Mr. Chair, I worked with\n9   Heather  Bauscher  for  years  on  this   project,  did\n10   interviews,  virtual  interviews   with  her  students.\n11   She's  funded  through   the  Agricultural  Department,\n12   Forest Service.   I feel that DOI needs to not run OSM,\n13   but DOI  needs to prime  the program like this  for the\n14   rest of  the state of  Alaska so  that we can  have the\n15   same kind  of  effect on  our --you see  the kind  of\n16   quality commentors we're getting out of these students,\n17   we are  asking for young people to  join these Regional\n18   Councils and this is --this has --this is the funding\n19   source is  necessary so I  would --if  DOI's listening\n20   they need to cough up  some money for a program similar\n21   to this for the rest of Alaska.\n\n## 23 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n26   Jack, and appreciate the comments.  We do have two more\n27   public this morning, two green cards.\n\n29                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n30   have two more people who  signed up for testimony and I\n31   would  remind everybody  that  this  is an  opportunity\n32   that's available every morning.  And so after these two\n33   I imagine we can proceed with the meeting.\n\n35                   Next  on  our list  is  Emily Edenshaw.\n36   Emily, please address the Board.\n\n38                   (Pause)\n\n40                   MS.  EDENSHAW:    (In  Native).    Good\n41   morning.   I apologize.  I  was having a heart to heart\n42   with my president.   Good morning.  My  English name is\n43   Emily Edenshaw.  I am both Yup'ik and Inupiaq.  I  am a\n44   tribal citizen  of the Native Village of  Emmonak.  I'm\n45   also a  shareholder of Doyon  and Calista.  I  was also\n46   ceremonially  adopted  an  old (indiscernible),  I'm  a\n47   Raven Thunderbird woman.  I  have the honor to serve as\n48   the  CEO and  tribal administrator of  Ketchikan Indian\n49   Community.  I  have some prepared remarks that  I would\n\n---\n\n2   \n27   \n50\n\n1   like to share with the Board.\n\n3                   So good  morning (in Native)  Chair and\n4   members of the  Federal Subsistence Board.  My  name is\n5   Emily Edenshaw.  I serve as the Tribal Administrator of\n6   KIC.  I come before  you today with both a professional\n7   responsibility  and a personal  conviction.  I  want to\n8   begin by sharing something deeply personal.  I am truly\n9   proud, proud  to live  in a rural  community.   That is\n10   something I did not grow up with, I did not always have\n11   consistent  access to the land, to traditional foods or\n12   to the  systems of knowledge  that many  here know  are\n13   foundational  to  who  we  are  as  indigenous  people.\n14   Because  of that I  carry a firsthand  understanding of\n15   both sides  of what  it means  to be  disconnected from\n16   subsistence and our  traditional ways of life  and what\n17   it  means  to reclaim  them.   I  have  experienced the\n18   struggle of  not having access,  of not knowing  and of\n19   trying to find your place.   But I also have experience\n20   of success, of  learning, of harvesting,  of processing\n21   foods  for the family in Hydaburg  and in Ketchikan, of\n22   reconnecting to culture and of seeing what happens when\n23   a community has access to  its resources.  This is what\n24   rural --this is what  rural Alaska represents.   It's\n25   not just geography,  it's identity, it is  survival and\n26   it is continuity.\n\n28                   And  in  Ketchikan,   Ketchikan  Indian\n29   Community it is the heartbeat of our community.  We are\n30   not just  a tribal government,  we are the  provider of\n31   essential  services, a cultural anchor and for many the\n32   bridge between hardship  and stability.  Whether  if it\n33   is  healthcare,  food  security,  shelter  or  cultural\n34   programming we are  there every day meeting  our people\n35   where they are.  Subsistence is not theoretical for us,\n36   it is lived, it is practiced and it is necessary.  That\n37   is why  I am here today with a  very clear request.  On\n38   behalf  of  Ketchikan  Indian Community  I  ask  you to\n39   reaffirm  and   to  protect  the   Federal  Subsistence\n40   Management Program as it was  intended.  I ask that you\n41   keep the Federal  Subsistence Board intact.  I ask that\n42   the Office of  Subsistence Management  remain where  it\n43   is,  grounded  in  the structure  that  understands and\n44   prioritizes rural  needs.   And importantly  I want  to\n45   emphasize that the current rural designation process is\n46   working.  It is functioning as it was designated to and\n47   designed to, grounded  in data, law and  lived reality.\n48   It  provides  a  clear  and  consistent  framework  for\n49   determining eligibility and it should remain as is.  We\n\n---\n\n6   \n34   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   should not be reinvesting or weakening a system that is\n2   already doing  what it  was intended to  do.   And most\n3   importantly  I ask you to uphold rural priority because\n4   without   rural  priority   there   is  no   meaningful\n5   protection of subsistence.\n\n7                   I  would also like  to --I  would also\n8   like to go on record and say that a unified system that\n9   requires  Alaska Native people  and rural  residents to\n10   give  up  their  Federally protected  priority  is  not\n11   unity,  it is  erasure.    The  rural  priority  exists\n12   because it must, it is  a recognition backed by law and\n13   history   that  rural   communities  depend   on  these\n14   resources  not for sport,  not for recreation,  but for\n15   survival.    We  cannot  ignore  that  reality  without\n16   causing real  harm.   Federal management  exists for  a\n17   reason.   It was established to ensure that subsistence\n18   users, particularly in rural Alaska, are protected when\n19   State  systems fail to meet that obligation.  Weakening\n20   that  framework  would not  create  fairness, it  would\n21   create inequity.   I urge  you to stay grounded  in the\n22   original intent of this program, protect the structure,\n23   protect the process and protect the priority and please\n24   protect  the people because  for a community  like mine\n25   this is not about policy language, it  is about whether\n26   our  children,   my  children,   will  have   the  same\n27   opportunities  to  learn,  to harvest  and  to  live in\n28   connection  with the land,  with our cultures  and with\n29   our  communities.   I stand  here today  not just  as a\n30   leader,  but as someone who has  had the opportunity to\n31   find her  way back  to our lifeways  and who  now works\n32   every  day  to ensure  that  others do  not  lose them.\n33   Please I ask you all to stand with us.\n\n35                   Thank you for your time,  thank you for\n36   your service and thank you for your commitment to rural\n37   Alaska.  (In Native)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n40   Emily.  Any questions or comments for Emily.\n\n## 42 (No comments)\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n45   testimony this morning and the work you do in our area.\n\n47                   MS. LAVINE:  This  is our last speakers\n48   to provide testimony today are Joe and Molly Chythlook.\n\n---\n\n27   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   MR. CHYTHLOOK:  Well, I guess I've been\n2   chosen by Joe and Molly's family to say a few words.  I\n3   don't  have  anything  written   and  I've  heard  most\n4   everything that's --that has been said for many years.\n5   Both my wife and I have spent  a good share of our life\n6   serving in  the public  sector, both  on the  State and\n7   Federal   level   and  then   also  with   our  village\n8   corporations  and  our regional  corporations,  AFN and\n9   several different  Boards that's we've got into.  And I\n10   just want to get up here and say that I appreciate what\n11   you guys are trying  to do.  You're part of  a group of\n12   people  that   have   been   appointed   by   different\n13   governments  or in this case our Federal government, to\n14   try  to  make  this Federal  subsistence  work  for all\n15   people that  are involved here.   And from  my personal\n16   experience  as Regional Coordinator  for Bristol Bay on\n17   the  Board of Fish and  Board of Game  level I know how\n18   hard it is to be in a position where you are and at the\n19   same time, you know, what you have heard is reality and\n20   people have been able to come up and tell you what they\n21   feel, what  they think  is important.   And I  think in\n22   your  position you realize that --how important it is,\n23   tradition.   And sometimes, you know, people think that\n24   just because they  come up here and  say something that\n25   things  are going to  change overnight.   And  that has\n26   never happened in my --in my lifetime.\n\n28                   I guess I've been a Yup'ik for about 83\n29   years  and  when I  was --when  I was  born I  --and\n30   started  realizing what was happening I spoke my Native\n31   language and  what  I didn't  realize  is that  in  the\n32   village of Togiak which had moved from the east side to\n33   the west side,  and as a result  the government reneged\n34   their responsibility to our people and did not move the\n35   school building  from one  side to the  other.   So for\n36   about  20 years  there was  no education offered  to my\n37   older brothers and others about that age that his group\n38   that could have been educated for 20 years.  Finally in\n39   19  --I  couldn't remember,  1954,  '52, somewhere  in\n40   there, '52  I was nine  years old, one of  our churches\n41   started a school in Togiak and another one too.  And as\n42   a result the government realized that they had --maybe\n43   they ought  to get back  and do something.   And that's\n44   how  --somehow I  think governments  overlook problems\n45   that the  people have  when they  don't understand  the\n46   affects that may cause on a community.\n\n48                   And  having been part of the process in\n49   trying  to address some of these concerns I realize how\n\n---\n\n16   \n29   \n50\n\n1   hard  it is  and  also  realize how  much  --it  is  a\n2   sacrifice too when you're appointed to sit on the seats\n3   where  you are  because  it  takes a  lot  of time  and\n4   effort.   However the responsibility  still stands that\n5   after you're here  --once you're here that  you try to\n6   determine what would be the  best answer to some of the\n7   concerns that you heard people express for last several\n8   days or so.   And it's a  tough job, folks, but  I know\n9   that you can do it.  What  I also appreciate about this\n10   Board is that there's a  lot more younger Native people\n11   sitting on this Board.  When I first attended a Federal\n12   Subsistence  Board  meeting  a few  years  back  it was\n13   composed mainly of government people.  Now we have some\n14   people  who  are  representing  us from  our  different\n15   regional communities.  And I appreciate that.\n\n17                   And  also just  from a  blurry today  I\n18   also realize that things  change through the years.   I\n19   have --my wife and I have been married for going on 59\n20   years.  There's things that makes  a difference that in\n21   spite of  a change when  you're relating to  people you\n22   need  to make a commitment for a lifelong relationship,\n23   as long as you can to try to help people in the instant\n24   that you are faced in.   You know, my wife and I  we've\n25   raised three boys and we're proud that  we've been able\n26   to at least give them some instruction in life to where\n27   I think when we pass on I hope that they  will continue\n28   to be responsible to help people wherever they can.\n\n30                   And,  you know, I could have said a lot\n31   of things either positive or negative about the process\n32   here, but having  been involved and I notice that there\n33   are things that need to be fixed.  As an Alaska  Native\n34   when  the State of  Alaska came into  play my immediate\n35   family on my father's side being living in Togiak  were\n36   the first to  be arrested by people for  trying to hunt\n37   in the traditional way that  they used to hunt prior to\n38   statehood.    And that  created a  rift for  many years\n39   between   our  people  and  the  State  of  Alaska  and\n40   sometimes a misunderstanding to  all agencies in trying\n41   to help  our people.   Because  we thought telling  the\n42   people  and spending time prior to closing Round Island\n43   and turning  it  into a  State sanctuary  they and  the\n44   Native people in Togiak were not able to understand why\n45   they  were arrested.   And so  when Molly and  I got to\n46   work in the  --in the 2000s,  my --my job  started in\n47   1988 I think  it was, 2000 --yeah, 1988  and Molly was\n48   prior  to that  and we  spend time  trying to  help our\n49   people  to understand, you know, given time process can\n\n---\n\n6   \n25   \n37   \n39   \n49   \n50\n\n1   work, but in  order to make it  work we have to  try to\n2   understand where everybody's coming from and listen and\n3   then  try  our  best  to  I  guess  come  up  with  the\n4   regulations  that will  address  what is  being brought\n5   before them.\n\n7                   So but anyway I just  wanted to mention\n8   that   whatever  you've  heard  so  far  I  think  from\n9   different people I know it's a lot  on your mind, but I\n10   know  that in the outcome and  I trust that you will do\n11   your best job  and this is will  not be the end  of the\n12   discussion.   I know we --after I retired from being a\n13   port support I'm  back on Nushagak  Advisory Committee.\n14   I still want to be involved.  And I don't know how long\n15   I will live,  but and I've also been on BBNA for 35, 36\n16   years, my term  was up this  year, but I thought  I was\n17   young  enough to  submit an  application  to run  again\n18   because I want  to help my people.   And I  applaud you\n19   folks and I  applaud everybody throughout the  state of\n20   Alaska who have  been places like Molly and  I and have\n21   tried  to support their people to under they're complex\n22   issues that we're face with, Alaska Native people.  But\n23   then  working  together  and  understanding each  other\n24   better we can accomplish a lot.\n\n26                   And  so I  guess that  you  don't --I\n27   don't have any notes, but I thought I would --I guess\n28   as  an old  elder  I've had  a  lot to  think  about my\n29   participation and whether it's  been effective or  not,\n30   but as  I look back and  see some of the  changes which\n31   are positive,  sometimes few,  but still  some positive\n32   changes  have taken place.  I  guess I can rest and say\n33   that it's been worth  it.  And  I guess my wife  didn't\n34   want  to come up  and --in  our family we  have a joke\n35   that says I --I ask the  boys, you know, I always have\n36   the last word, they all laugh, they know mamma does.\n\n## 38 (Laughter)\n\n40                   MR.  CHYTHLOOK:   But anyway  thank you\n41   for the opportunity  to say what I wanted  to say today\n42   and I also  want to thank  all the  people who had  the\n43   courage to  come up and  say what's in their  heart and\n44   all the reports  that have been given by  all the Staff\n45   and both on the Federal and State side.  We try to make\n46   this meeting one  that will produce a  result that will\n47   be good  for all people.   So  thank you very  much for\n48   this opportunity, Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n1                   (Applause)\n2   \n5   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n33   \n44   \n50\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Me   first,\n4   Frank.  I'm just teasing Frank there.\n\n6                   But  yeah, I'd like to thank you for --\n7   Mr.  Chythlook,  for your  comments this  morning, your\n8   leadership all  these years and  I think you do  a good\n9   job because your son got up earlier and did a wonderful\n10   job presenting his new position and unifying the tribes\n11   and the voice on  the salmon crises that  we're facing.\n12   And  so and  you're  still applying  for Boards  at 83,\n13   these little youngsters  here need to  grab inspiration\n14   and see  how hard the trail  really is and how  long it\n15   can  be when you  fight for your  community.   And so I\n16   appreciate  you  guys'  wealth  of  knowledge  and  the\n17   investment  of  time  you've taken  over  time  and the\n18   drastic change you've  seen in the lifestyle  of Alaska\n19   Natives.\n\n## 21 So appreciate it here.\n\n## 23 Frank.\n\n25                   MR. WOODS:  Well, my turn.   I might be\n26   accused  of being  passionate, I  might  be accused  of\n27   being  too  talkative,   that  couple  back   there  is\n28   responsible for that.  I can say that Molly was my boss\n29   early in my career in Natural Resources at BBNA.  I had\n30   engagement  with ADF&G doing all the surveys for Beluga\n31   whale,  otter,  migratory  birds, harvest  surveys  for\n32   moose, caribou.\n\n34                   Joe  and  Molly   are  instrumental  in\n35   helping  the  State  of  Alaska   write  the  Intensive\n36   Management Plan for the  region of Bristol Bay that  is\n37   helping cull  the  populations of  predators  and  that\n38   could be a  negative or a positive impact  on the State\n39   and Fed side.   When I was told I could not implement a\n40   predator control program and you could not say predator\n41   at  that time without being  attacked in every arena on\n42   the Federal side  and the State side  because the State\n43   got sued every time you mentioned it.\n\n45                   Molly   and   Joe   were   helpful   in\n46   implementing all the Fish Board regulations and  policy\n47   for all of  Bristol Bay.  Under that regime  we took up\n48   all  the  surveys  that  helped  implement  the  Alaska\n49   Migratory Bird Co-Management Council.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n16   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   I remember  when Molly  appointed Staff\n2   and me  to do those  surveys and handwrite policy.   We\n3   were handwriting policy with Togiak and representatives\n4   from  Kodiak  on  emperor goose  problem.    That's how\n5   important this is.\n\n7                   And their life  dedication not just for\n8   the   process,  but  this   process.    And   that's  a\n9   commitment.  I'd like  to comment you again, thank  you\n10   very  much, Molly  and  Joe and  your  family and  your\n11   rewards are being  reaped as we speak not  just for the\n12   community, but  as --personally  I steam  with Joe  as\n13   much as I can and he is the champion at the steambath.\n\n15                   (Laughter)\n\n17                   MR. WOODS:   And  we have  something to\n18   compare it.   We  call it  Joe Hot  back  home so  when\n19   everybody  mentions we're having  a Joe Hot  tonight we\n20   know --I start sweating.\n\n22                   So thank  you very  much for your  love\n23   and compassion for representing our people.\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Frank.  Yes.\n\n30                   MS. JOHN:   Mr. Chairman,  Jolene John,\n31   BIA Alaska region.   I've gotten to know  Joe and Molly\n32   through personal family extensions and first it was all\n33   on the, you  know, community gatherings and  then later\n34   on in  --as I grew up I'm  learning how much they have\n35   contributed  to many things  in the Bristol  Bay region\n36   and for  all of  rural Alaska.   So  (in Native).   And\n37   they're  both very lovable, adorable and humble and (In\n38   Native) oh, not excite that and (in Native).\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I think that's\n41   it.  And so  I bet you he can handle  that because it's\n42   pretty hot in Molly's kitchen I'd imagine.\n\n44                   (Laughter)\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Pretty hot.  So\n47   thank you,  guys.   We're going to  take a  five minute\n48   break, we're  going to come  back and  conclude the  --\n49   start the business of the day.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n18   \n20   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   (Off record)\n\n3                   (On record)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  And if we could\n6   all make our way back to our seat.\n\n8                   All right.  We're going to get started.\n9   And before we do start with the order of business we're\n10   going to also every day  now that we have concluded our\n11   public   testimony  for   the   morning  we   offer  an\n12   opportunity  for the public  to speak to  the consensus\n13   agenda  if  there is  anybody  who  would  like to  see\n14   something  that  is on  there  and speak  with  a Board\n15   member up  here who  has a  different opinion,  this is\n16   your opportunity to speak to it.  So we'd like to offer\n17   that each and every day, this is your opportunity.\n\n## 19 (No comments)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n22   Hearing  and seeing  none, we're  going  to move  on to\n23   WP26-77.\n\n25                   MS.  LAVINE:    People  online,  please\n26   check your  phone or  your Teams to  make sure  you are\n27   muted.\n\n## 29 Thank you.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n32   This one is  an Eastern Interior.   Charlie, was  there\n33   something you wanted to speak to on this one?\n\n35                   MR.  WRIGHT:  Yes, sir.  Thank you, Mr.\n36   Chair.  We want to defer this proposal back to the area\n37   and we want  to talk to the  tribes.  We've only  had a\n38   chance to talk to one of them and I will not go forward\n39   without talking to them, that's  not the right way.  So\n40   we'll be  either adding it  to the next meeting  or the\n41   next cycle, we'll know when we're done talking to those\n42   other tribes how we'll go forward.\n\n## 44 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n47   you, Charlie.   There's a request to defer  this to the\n48   next based off of the  lack of involvement of the other\n49   Regional  Advisory Council.   And  he  would like  more\n\n---\n\n4   \n9   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   time.  So that would get us through --so if there is a\n2   motion that would like to  be entertained by the --the\n3   floor is open to the.....\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:    Mr.   Chair,  Fish  and\n6   Wildlife Service.  I move  to defer proposal WP26-77 in\n7   support  of  the  Eastern  Interior  Regional  Advisory\n8   Council to the next wildlife cycle.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    There  is  a\n11   motion.  Can we get a second?\n\n13                   MS. PITKA:  I'll second.  Public Member\n14   Rhonda Pitka.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Motion made and\n17   seconded.   Well, we need clarification for the record.\n18   Is it the next wildlife cycle or is it the next Fishery\n19   meeting.\n\n21                   MR. WRIGHT:  They --the next Fisheries\n22   meeting or next round, but we want to do it at the next\n23   meeting if  we --just to  keep the ball  rolling.  And\n24   we'll know after we talk to the tribes what we'll do so\n25   I can't really  give you a clear answer  right now, but\n26   time will tell.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So we'll say to\n29   the  Fisheries meeting.   Let  the  record reflect  the\n30   motion should say to the next Fishery meeting.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Yes,  sorry.\n37   You have the floor.\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:  I remove to defer proposal\n40   WP26-77 in deference  to the RAC and in  support of the\n41   RAC until the next Fishery cycle.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n44   you.  And that  --that did  get a second from  Rhonda.\n45   So.....\n\n47                   MS. PITKA:  I concur.  Thank you.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any comments or\n\n---\n\n0192\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   discussion from the Board.\n\n3                   (No comments)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We'll go ahead\n6   and do a roll call.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:  Okay.   Just to  restate\n9   the motion again.   WP26-77, the motion is  to defer as\n10   recommended by  the Eastern Interior Council  until the\n11   February, 2027 Fisheries meeting.\n\n13                   Public Member Pitka.\n\n15                   MS. PITKA:  Yes.\n\n17                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n18   Service, Member Boario.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n21   supports.\n\n23                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n25                   MS.  JOHN:    BIA  votes  to  defer  as\n26   recommended.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n30                   MR. ONEY:  Support to defer.\n\n32                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n34                   MR.  WOODS:   Vote  yes, public  Member\n35   Woods.\n\n37                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n39                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n\n40   votes yes.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Aye.\n\n46                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n47   Striker.\n\n49                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service supports.\n\n---\n\n0193\n3   \n6   \n8   \n11   \n14   \n18   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n2   Ingersoll.\n\n4                   MR.   INGERSOLL:       Forest   Service\n5   supports.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   I support  as\n10   stated.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank you.   The motion\n13   to defer is passed unanimously.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n16   We're moving on to the  Northwest Arctic.  Next will be\n17   WP26-65, Unit 23 muskox.\n\n19                   MS.  PITKA:   Tony, while  we wait  I'd\n20   like   to  thank  everybody  today  for  their  amazing\n21   testimony on non-public agenda items.  I think  that is\n22   such an important  opportunity to maintain and  I truly\n23   appreciate all the words today.\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Rhonda.\n\n30                   MR. UBELAKER:  I apologize, Mr.  Chair.\n31   I'm having some  technical difficulties.  Give  me just\n32   half a second to get my stuff open.\n\n34                   (Pause)\n\n36                   MR. UBELAKER:  Okay.   I apologize  for\n37   the delay.   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair, Board  members.\n38   For  the record  my    name is  Brian  Ubelaker, I'm  a\n39   Wildlife Biologist with OSM and  I will be giving you a\n40   brief summary  of proposal WP26-65 regarding  muskox in\n41   Unit 65 --in Unit 23.   Excuse me.  This  proposal --\n42   the analysis can be found  on page 1295 of your meeting\n43   books.\n\n45                   Wildlife Proposal WP26-65  submitted by\n46   the  Northwest  Arctic  Subsistence  Regional  Advisory\n47   Council requests to establish a muskox  hunt in Unit 23\n48   remainder.   The proponent  states their  intent is  to\n49   provide Federal  opportunity for residents  of Selawik.\n\n---\n\n4   \n15   \n26   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Recently   muskox  sightings   have  increased   around\n2   Selawik, but unlike other areas  of Unit 23 there is no\n3   open season.\n\n5                   Muskoxen are  seen as  a new  potential\n6   source  of  meat  since caribou  and  salmon  have been\n7   declining.    According  to  the  proponent  there  are\n8   currently muskox  hunts in other areas of  Unit 23, but\n9   those hunts  are  difficult for  Selawik  residents  to\n10   access.   The proposed  regulation would  open an  area\n11   more  easily accessed by residents in Unit 23 remainder\n12   and allows  for one bull  muskox by Federal  drawing or\n13   State permit from  August 1st through March  15th which\n14   would mirror existing hunts elsewhere in Unit 23.\n\n16                   Muskox   management   on   the   Seward\n17   Peninsula has evolved  from a more liberal  approach in\n18   the  1990s   which  emphasized  local   involvement  in\n19   expanding  access through  limited Federal  subsistence\n20   hunts to a  more conservative harvest system  of today.\n21   Over  the years  regulatory  action including  aligning\n22   Federal    and    State    regulations,    establishing\n23   registration permits, quota systems and matching season\n24   dates to  balance hunter access with  protection during\n25   sensitive periods.\n\n27                   In   Unit   23   southwest  cooperative\n28   management  helped address  access  challenges and  low\n29   hunter  success  through combined  permits  and aligned\n30   regulations.  However population declines in late 2000s\n31   led   to  more   restrictive  measures   including  the\n32   elimination  of  cow  harvest,  threshold based  permit\n33   systems, limited permits and closures of Federal public\n34   lands.  Since 2020 management has remained conservative\n35   with most closures  retained though  Unit 23  southwest\n36   saw  a partial  reopening  of  Federal  lands  in  2024\n37   reflecting  ongoing   reliance  on  local   input  with\n38   conservative framework.\n\n40                   Muskox   populations   on   the  Seward\n41   Peninsula  are  currently   stable  and  healthy   with\n42   indications  that  numbers  are  meeting  or  exceeding\n43   management   objectives  and   the   herds  show   good\n44   distribution across  their available  range.   Bull/cow\n45   ratios remain  strong which  indicate there  are mature\n46   bulls  available for  harvest  while still  maintaining\n47   herd productivity.\n\n49                   While   there   are    three   distinct\n\n---\n\n13   \n21   \n30   \n44   \n50\n\n1   populations  of  muskox  in Unit  23,  those  being the\n2   Seward Peninsula,  Cape Krusenstern  and Cape  Thompson\n3   populations, little is currently known about the muskox\n4   population in Unit  23 remainder.  No  official surveys\n5   have  been conducted  there so  it  is unknown  whether\n6   these muskoxen are resident or transient.  There's also\n7   no data showing which population  these muskoxen belong\n8   to, either the  Seward Peninsula or the  Cape Thompson.\n9   Without that information it's impossible to determine a\n10   sustainable harvest level.   Because muskox populations\n11   are  small and  highly  vulnerable to  overharvest this\n12   lack of data presents serious risk.\n\n14                   Reported   harvest  in   Unit  23   has\n15   remained within establish quotas.  Most of this harvest\n16   is  being carried out by Kotzebue and Noorvik residents\n17   using  State permits.   Federal  harvest  on all  three\n18   muskox groups in  Unit 23 remains very low.   Levels of\n19   participation remain  steady and  there is  no evidence\n20   that harvest is negatively affecting the population.\n\n22                   Several  alternatives  were  considered\n23   during  the analysis phase  of this  proposal including\n24   limited  the  hunt  only  to  Selawik  River  drainage,\n25   delegating the authority to the Selawik Refuge  manager\n26   and  extending the season  closing date to  March 31st.\n27   None of  these  alternatives  were  considered  further\n28   because they all depend on having solid biological data\n29   with which to manage the hunt.\n\n31                   Establishing a Federal  muskoxen season\n32   in   Unit   23  remainder   would   provide  additional\n33   opportunity for residents of Selawik who currently have\n34   no easily  accessed Federal opportunity.   Conservation\n35   concerns  could be mitigated through the use of harvest\n36   quotas,  drawing permits  and establishment  of  an in-\n37   season  manager.  However  muskoxen need to  be closely\n38   managed  due  to their  susceptibility  to overharvest.\n39   Proper management  of this sort  comes from information\n40   provided  by  basic  population   data  which  doe  not\n41   currently  exist  for  this   population  of  muskoxen.\n42   Without this basic  knowledge no informed decision  can\n43   be made regarding the management of this population.\n\n45                   Therefore  it  is OSM's  conclusion  to\n46   oppose  proposal WP26-65.   Establishment of a  hunt on\n47   this  population  of  musk --muskoxen  without  basic\n48   population data may  result in overharvest.   Gathering\n49   of  population metrics  through  surveying is  required\n\n---\n\n0196\n4   \n7   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n24   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n41   \n50\n\n1   prior to  proper hunt  management.   Once this  data is\n2   collected and  analyzed  a harvestable  surplus may  be\n3   identified.\n\n5                   And with  that I'd  be happy  to answer\n6   any questions.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n9   the presentation.   Any  questions from  the Board  for\n10   Staff.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Appreciate that.   Next we'll go to  summary of written\n16   public comment.\n\n18                   MR. UBELAKER:  Mr. Chair, there were no\n19   written public comments submitted for this proposal.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n22   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native corporation\n23   comments.\n\n25                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,  Board\n26   members.  Orville Lind, Native Liaison for OSM.  During\n27   the  consultation sessions we did not have any comments\n28   or resolutions for this proposal.\n\n30                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n33   Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n## 35 (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n38   seeing none, we'll move on to Advisory Group testimony,\n39   Subsistence   Resource   Commission,   State   Advisory\n40   Committee, multiagency work group.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n43   have two comments from the  SRCs.  The Kobuk Valley SRC\n44   met  on March 12th  and 13th of  this year.   The Kobuk\n45   Valley Subsistence Resource Commission has reviewed 26-\n46   65  and supports  this  proposal  as  written.    Their\n47   justification  is  the  SRC  reviewed  OSM's  analysis,\n48   looked  over options  A  and B  and heard  from Selawik\n49   National  Wildlife  Refuge manager.   The  SRC believes\n\n---\n\n0197\n9   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   that  there  needs  to be  further  research  into this\n2   expanded  population,  more  in  depth  discussions  on\n3   better  ways  to  manage  muskoxen  especially   around\n4   communities and has questions about ultimate population\n5   goals of the herd.   The SRC believes that local people\n6   should  have as much opportunity as possible to harvest\n7   these animals and  support opening the harvest  to more\n8   of this opportunity.\n\n10                   Thank  you, Mr. Chair.  Oh, and now the\n11   Cape   Krusenstern   Subsistence   Resource  Commission\n12   supports 26.65 as written.\n\n14                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n17   public testimony here or online.\n\n19                   (No comments)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n22   seeing none, Council recommendations.\n\n24                   Northwest Arctic.\n\n26                   MS. PILCHER:  This is Nissa Pilcher for\n27   the record,  Council Coordinator  for Northwest  Arctic\n28   speaking  for the Council  today.  The  Council opposed\n29   WP26-65  which   they  did   submit.    After   hearing\n30   population  information  from   relevant  agencies  the\n31   Council  believes that there  are too many  unknown and\n32   data gaps  to establish  this hunt at  this time.   The\n33   Council noted  that with  subsistence resources  across\n34   the  region  becoming  increasingly more  difficult  to\n35   harvest there  may be  a time in  the near  future when\n36   muskoxen  become an important  food source and  at this\n37   time it is more important  to see if the population can\n38   become  more established  and grow  to  allow for  more\n39   harvest  in the  future  rather than  to allow  a small\n40   harvest now.\n\n42                   Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n45   questions.\n\n47                   (No comments)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n17   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   seeing none, thank you.\n\n## 3 Next North Slope RAC.\n\n5                   MS. CHAPA:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair,\n6   members of the Board.  My name is Gisela Chapa, I'm the\n7   Council  Coordinator  for   the  North  Slope  Regional\n8   Advisory Council.   And  the Council supported  WP26-65\n9   with  the  belief  that  it  is  important  to  support\n10   subsistence  users  in  adjacent regions.    Since  the\n11   Western Arctic Caribou Herd has declined in  population\n12   size and  believe that  this opportunity  would provide\n13   supplemental meat to Unit 23 residents.  At the time of\n14   the  meeting  the Council  also stated  that population\n15   estimates are  needed since  there's no data  available\n16   since 2009.\n\n18                   And  I also  wanted  to note  that  the\n19   North  Slope RAC  met in  February, 2026.   It  was the\n20   first meeting of the Council meeting cycle and actually\n21   North Slope RAC  met in September, 2025,  apologize for\n22   that, and  the Northwest  Arctic had  their meeting  in\n23   January, 2025 [sic].\n\n25                   Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   questions.\n\n## 30 (No comments)\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n33   seeing none, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   For  the  record  Alaska Department  of  Fish  and Game\n37   opposes the  proposal.  As  you've heard from  OSM just\n38   for  the  lack  of  information,  but then  also  as  a\n39   misalignment  of regulations.    Currently there  is no\n40   State authorized muskox hunt under our own regulations.\n41   And I checked back into the  records and we have yet to\n42   even  consider a  proposal to  open up  a hunt  in this\n43   area.\n\n## 45 Thank you, sir.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n48   questions from the Board.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n15   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n41   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Sara.\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   Fish and Wildlife Service.   Mr. Mulligan, I just noted\n7   in  the OSM  analysis  that  it  encourages  ADF&G  and\n8   Federal  land   management  agencies  in  the  area  to\n9   cooperate in expanding  muskox survey areas in  Unit 23\n10   remainder so  that muskox can possibly  responsibly and\n11   sustainably be open there.  And I just wondered is that\n12   something that the State is open to or sees a potential\n13   future for,  recognizing resources capacity  issues, et\n14   cetera, in all surveys?\n\n16                   MR.  MULLIGAN:     Through  the  Chair,\n17   Member Boario.  As you as the head of Fish and Wildlife\n18   Service  here  in  Alaska and  the  other  Federal land\n19   agencies know that we collaborate  in a lot of areas in\n20   the State for assessment  of a lot of the species.   So\n21   to join forces  in regard to this specific  one I can't\n22   specifically speak  to, but I  know a lot of  our folks\n23   especially in  region  5 do  collaborate  with  various\n24   agencies.  And so I --it's a safe bet to say  they're\n25   not going to say no if you guys come into play  and say\n26   hey, can we share resources to get this done.\n\n28                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Mulligan.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate that\n31   question.  InterAgency Staff comments.\n\n33                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n34   InterAgency  Staff  Committee provided  their  standard\n35   comment.    I  will read  it  once  for the  day.   The\n36   InterAgency  Staff Committee found the analysis to be a\n37   thorough  and accurate evaluation  of the  proposal and\n38   that  it provides  sufficient  basis  for the  Regional\n39   Advisory  Council   recommendations  and   the  Federal\n40   Subsistence Board action on this proposal.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n45   Board discussion with Liaison,  Council Chair and State\n46   rep.    This is  an  opportunity  for  us to  get  some\n47   clarification if we need some before  we open the floor\n48   for Board motion.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n15   \n17   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n4   seeing none, the floor is open for Board action.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n9   floor, Sara.\n\n11                   MS.  BOARIO:    Mr.   Chair,  Fish  and\n12   Wildlife Service moves to support WP26-65 and if  I get\n13   a second I will  share my rationale for why I will vote\n14   to oppose my motion.\n\n## 16 MR. PENDERGAST: BLM seconds.\n\n18                   MS. BOARIO:  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife\n19   Service  recognizes   the  Northwest   Arctic  Regional\n20   Advisory  Council  as  well as  the  North  Slope RAC's\n21   concern of loss of caribou and salmon in the area along\n22   with the high cost of food in the region and the desire\n23   to support a hunt for muskox around Selawik in Unit 23.\n24   The OSM analysis showed that  this unit has not had any\n25   official surveys  conducted to determine  the status of\n26   the muskoxen located there,  from which population they\n27   originate  or whether  they are transient  or resident.\n28   Without the formal  surveys a  harvestable surplus  for\n29   muskox  occurring   in  Unit  23  remainder  cannot  be\n30   determined.   Also per the OSM  conclusion the Fish and\n31   Wildlife  Service is  open to  working  with State  and\n32   Federal partners to identify ways to support surveys in\n33   the future.   While  the Northwest  Arctic RAC  was the\n34   original  proponent of the  proposal as we  heard after\n35   gathering more  information the  Council believes  that\n36   there are  too many unknowns and data gaps to establish\n37   this hunt at this time.\n\n39                   In  deference to  the Northwest  Arctic\n40   Council the Fish and  Wildlife Service opposes Proposal\n41   WP26-65.\n\n43                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Sara.  That opens the floor for Board discussion.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n33   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none we'll  go ahead  and do roll  call.  If  we\n3   could have the motion read into the record before we do\n4   roll call.\n\n## 6 Thank you.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n9   The motion  is to adopt WP26-65 which would establish a\n10   muskox hunt around  Selawik in Unit 23  remainder.  I'm\n11   going to mix it up.\n\n13                   Forest Service, Member Ingersoll.\n\n15                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Forest Service opposes\n16   the motion in deference to the Northwest Arctic RAC and\n17   our colleagues in the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n19                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n20   Striker.\n\n22                   MR. STRIKER:  I  may be confused  here.\n23   I thought the motion was to oppose.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  The motion will\n26   always be to the positive and then  we vote on it up or\n27   down.\n\n29                   MR. STRIKER:  I support opposing for --\n30   in deference  to the Northwest  Arctic RAC and  for the\n31   reasons  so eloquently stated by my colleague from Fish\n32   and Wildlife.\n\n34                   MS.  LEONETTI:  Thank you.  BLM, Member\n35   Pendergast.\n\n37                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   BLM opposes  for the\n38   reasons stated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n42                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n43   opposes  in deference  to  the  RAC  and  the  comments\n44   submitted by Ms. Boario.\n\n46                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n48                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods opposes\n49   with  the  recommendations   of  the   RAC  and   OSM's\n\n---\n\n0202\n3   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n18   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   conclusions  that --yeah, conclusion  at  the end  of\n2   their assessment.  So public Member Woods opposes.\n\n4                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n6                   MR. ONEY:   Public Member  Oney motions\n7   to oppose.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n11                   MS. JOHN:  BIA votes to oppose  WP26-65\n12   as  recommended by  and per  the  justification of  the\n13   Northwest Arctic RAC.  I appreciate that there has been\n14   expression for need for sufficient data, we concur with\n15   the Council and Fish  and Wildlife's justification  for\n16   this recommendation  and appreciate  their considerable\n17   efforts on this proposal.\n\n19                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n20   Service Member Boario.\n\n22                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n23   votes to oppose.\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n27                   MS.  PITKA:  I vote no on this proposal\n28   in deference to the Northwest  Arctic Regional Advisory\n29   Council  and the recognition  that there is  not enough\n30   information and data on this particular species.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     I  vote  to\n37   oppose as stated by Rhonda.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Mr. Chair, the motion to\n40   adopt WP26-65 fails.\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n43   We'll move on to the next proposal which is 26-66.\n\n45                   MS. LEONETTI:  Page 351 in your books.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Staff, you have\n48   the floor.\n\n---\n\n7   \n26   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  PLANK:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair,\n2   members of the  Board.  My  name's Tom Plank,  Wildlife\n3   Biologist with  the Office  of Subsistence  Management.\n4   And I will be presenting  a summary of the analysis for\n5   Wildlife  Proposal WP26-66.   And as you  already heard\n6   it's on page 351 in your books.\n\n8                   So   Wildlife   Proposal   WP26-66  was\n9   submitted  by  the  Northwest  Arctic  Council  and  it\n10   requests to increase  the harvest limit and  extend the\n11   season  for  wolf hunting  in  Unit 23  to  match State\n12   regulations.   The proponent  states that  aligning the\n13   Federal wolf  hunting regulations  to  match the  State\n14   hunt   will   help   reduce   confusion  and   increase\n15   opportunity.   Hunters have indicated an increased wolf\n16   population  in  Unit  23.   The  Unit  23  Federal wolf\n17   hunting season and harvest limits were adopted from the\n18   State regulations when the Federal Subsistence  Program\n19   began  in  1990.   The  Unit  23 Federal  wolf  hunting\n20   regulations changed to the current regulations in 2005.\n21   The State liberalized  wolf hunting harvest limits  for\n22   the 2002, 2003 season and then to the current 20 wolves\n23   in 2024/'5 season.  In 2007 the Board of Game increased\n24   the  Unit 23  wolf hunting  season  opening August  1st\n25   instead of August 10.\n\n27                   Wolves   occur   throughout   Unit  23.\n28   Although  biological  information is  extremely  sparse\n29   their  current status and abundance are unknown.  While\n30   there have  been  no  unit  wide surveys  of  the  wolf\n31   population  for  Unit   23  testimony  provided  during\n32   Northwest  Arctic  Council  meetings  attests that  the\n33   local abundance of wolves in  Unit 23 is high including\n34   in  areas close to  communities.  In  2020 the National\n35   Park Service began a pilot study within Noatak National\n36   Preserve titled Evaluating the Feasibility of Mixed DNA\n37   Sampling  to  Obtain  Wolf Population  Demographics  in\n38   Northwest Alaska.   And the purpose of the  study is to\n39   try  and gain more knowledge in local wolf demographics\n40   and behavior using  genetics and observational methods.\n41   Spring aerial den  surveys conducted from 2020  to 2022\n42   estimates  four to five  active wolf groups  within the\n43   Noatak National Preserve.\n\n45                   Wolves  are   required  to   be  sealed\n46   although compliance  with State fur  sealing program is\n47   low in Unit 23.  Therefore  the harvest levels reported\n48   should  be viewed as minimal estimates  of harvest.  In\n49   Unit  23  wolves  are  primarily   harvested  by  local\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n24   \n33   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   residents  with firearms  and by  snowmachines.   Local\n2   hunters  are  opportunistic  and  will  harvest  wolves\n3   incidental to travel between  villages or while hunting\n4   caribou  typically taking  as  many wolves  as possible\n5   during these  opportunities.   From 2018  to 2022  most\n6   reported  wolf harvests occurred in September and March\n7   and  few  wolves  were  reported harvested  in  August,\n8   October or November.\n\n10                   One   alternative   considered   is  to\n11   exclude  the  Kobuk  Valley  National  Park  and   Cape\n12   Krusenstern National  Monument from  the harvest  limit\n13   increase  and season extension.  These areas are closed\n14   to anyone hunting or trapping  under State regulations.\n15   Excluding these  areas from the harvest limit increases\n16   and  season extension could  provide refugia  and would\n17   represent  a conservative approach to the status of the\n18   Unit 23 wolf population.\n\n20                   And   their   harvest   is  essentially\n21   unknown.    This alternative  would  result  in Federal\n22   regulations  remaining  more   restrictive  than  State\n23   regulations within the excluded area.\n\n25                   If  proposal  WP26-66  is  adopted  the\n26   Federal  wolf hunting season  would be extended  by two\n27   months and  the harvest  limit would  increase by  five\n28   wolves.  As 20 wolves  can already be harvested on most\n29   Federal  public  lands in  Unit 23  from August  1st to\n30   April 30th under State regulations.  The impact  to the\n31   wolf  population   is  expected  to  be   minimal,  but\n32   ultimately.....\n\n34                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n35   interference)\n\n37                   MR. PLANK:   .....ultimately  uncertain\n38   due to the unknown status of.....\n\n40                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n41   interference)\n\n43                   MR. PLANK:  .....of the wolf population\n44   and harvest  in Unit  23.  Somebody  has their  mic on.\n45   However.....\n\n47                   (Indiscernible     -teleconference\n48   interference)\n\n---\n\n12   \n24   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MR. PLANK:   However the trapping limit\n2   is no limit and local area  residents indicate that the\n3   wolf  population   is  increasing  and  there   are  no\n4   conservation  concerns.     Harvest  in   September  is\n5   primarily  of  non-resident  and   local  --non-local\n6   hunters who are in the unit for caribou, bear or moose.\n7   State  regulations  do not  apply  in  Cape Krusenstern\n8   National  Monument  and  Kobuk  Valley  National  Park.\n9   Therefore additional wolves may be harvested from these\n10   areas by  resident zone  communities during  August and\n11   September if this proposal is adopted.\n\n13                   Additionally   National  Park   Service\n14   lands prohibit  the take  of free  ranging fur  bearers\n15   with a firearm  under a trapping license  and while few\n16   users likely  harvest more  than 15  wolves by  firearm\n17   each  year  adopting   proposal  WP26-66  would   allow\n18   resident  zoned communities  to  harvest an  additional\n19   five wolves from Cape Krusenstern National Monument and\n20   Kobuk  Valley  National  Park  by  firearm  each  year.\n21   Adopting  this   proposal  would   decrease  regulatory\n22   complexity and  confusion by aligning State and Federal\n23   regulations.\n\n25                   So  OSM's  conclusion  was  to  support\n26   WP26-66   with   the  modification   to   exclude  Cape\n27   Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National\n28   Park.    Adoption  of  this   proposal  would  increase\n29   subsistence  opportunity and  would benefit  Federally-\n30   qualified  subsistence  users.    Impacts  to the  wolf\n31   population  are expected  to be  minimal  as users  are\n32   already  --may already  harvest 20 wolves  from August\n33   1st  to April 30th  under State hunting  regulations on\n34   most Federal public  lands in unit 23.   And local user\n35   report an abundance  and increase  in wolf  population.\n36   Additionally Federal  and State regulations  for wolves\n37   in the portion of Unit 23 where State regulations apply\n38   would be aligned reducing regulatory complexity.  State\n39   regulations  do   not  apply   on  National   Parklands\n40   including Cape Krusenstern  National Monument and Kobuk\n41   Valley  National Park in  Unit 23.   Excluding National\n42   Park  Service  managed lands  would retain  the current\n43   Federal  regulations  as  a  conservative  approach  to\n44   provide  refugia to Unit  23 wolf populations  as their\n45   population status and harvest is unknown.\n\n47                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair,  members of  the\n48   Board.  I'd be happy to answer any questions.\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n2   the presentation.  Any questions for Tom.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none,\n7   we'll move on to the  next portion, summary of  written\n8   public comment.\n\n10                   MR.  PLANK:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Tom\n11   at   OSM.    There  were  no  written  public  comments\n12   submitted during the open period.\n\n14                   Thank you.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n17   Summary of tribal government and Alaska Native corp.\n\n19                   MR.  LIND:     Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n20   Orville  Lind,  Native  Liaison for  OSM.    During the\n21   consultation  on  April  20th  the  Native  Village  of\n22   Kotzebue spoke in support of Wildlife Proposal 26-66.\n\n24                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n27   Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n29                   MS. CRAVALHO:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n32   the phone.\n\n34                   MS. CRAVALHO:   Thank  you.   This  Liz\n35   Cravalho,  Vice  President  of Lands  for  NANA.   NANA\n36   supports the proposal.\n\n38                   Thank you.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n41   Advisory Group testimony, SRC  comments, State Advisory\n42   or multiagency group.\n\n44                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n45   Kobuk Valley  Subsistence Resource  Commission supports\n46   this proposal as written.  SRC members are concerned if\n47   the dates and  bag limits  are not  aligned people  may\n48   misunderstand  what they're able  to harvest.   The SRC\n49   understands  OSM's  analysis  and modification  to  not\n\n---\n\n8   \n11   \n12   \n14   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n49   \n50\n\n1   include KAKR  and KOVA,  but feel  that when  things --\n2   then  things will remain  misaligned which goes against\n3   the point of this proposal.  And as the representatives\n4   for KOVA and  the SRC believes that there  is no reason\n5   to  limit opportunities  for  harvest  in Kobuk  Valley\n6   National Park especially as increased wolf activity has\n7   been noticed.\n\n9                   And  the   Cape  Krusenstern   National\n10   Monument SRC supports as  written with no modification.\n\n13                   And that is all.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n15                   I'm sorry, and the Gates of the Arctic,\n16   Wildlife  Proposal 26-66,  increase the  harvest limit.\n17   They  voted  unanimously  to   support  this  proposal.\n18   There's a large presence of wolves throughout the whole\n19   area and the Northwest Arctic Regional Advisory Council\n20   wants   to   increase  the   opportunity   for  people.\n21   Residents are out there through all of the  seasons and\n22   would have the opportunity  to harvest wolf  throughout\n23   different  seasons.    This  would  affect   the  Kobuk\n24   Preserve  Area within Gates of the Arctic National Park\n25   and Preserve and it's foreseen that this  would have no\n26   affect on the wolf population.  Wolves are seen in late\n27   September or October and rarely do hunters achieve this\n28   large of a bag limit.\n\n30                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n33   public testimony here or online.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Counsel\n38   recommendations.\n\n40                   MS.  PILCHER:     Good  morning  again.\n41   Nissa Pilcher for  the record, Council  Coordinator for\n42   Northwest Arctic.  The Council voted to support WP26-66\n43   as modified by OSM.  The Council supports the increased\n44   hunting opportunity for  the take of wolves  on Federal\n45   public land.   The council also noted that aligning the\n46   State and Federal harvest limits for wolves will remove\n47   the possibility for subsistence  users to inadvertently\n48   violate the law.\n\n---\n\n0208\n2   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n16   \n19   \n33   \n35   \n39   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n4   questions from the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n9   North Slope.\n\n11                   MS.  CHAPA:    Gisela   Chapa  for  the\n12   record, Council Coordinator  for North Slope RAC.   The\n13   Council supported  WP 26-66  as modified by  OSM.   The\n14   Council  supported this proposal due to declines of the\n15   Western Arctic Caribou Herd.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n18   Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n20                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n21   For  the record the Alaska Department  of Fish and Game\n22   supports the proposal and during the ISC meeting we did\n23   support OSM's modification,  but I will say  given what\n24   we've heard  from the  SRCs we  would be  supportive if\n25   given  their support of  a more inclusive  alignment if\n26   that is so desired by the Board.  I will make note that\n27   even though  the Federal  subsistence regulations  have\n28   not  been  liberalized  there was  nothing  prohibiting\n29   folks   from   that   region  to   enjoy   the  State's\n30   liberalization of  wolf  hunting and  trapping in  that\n31   area and so could take more for that extended amount of\n32   time.\n\n## 34 Thank you.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n37   that.   We like wolf  hunters here.   InterAgency Staff\n38   Committee.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n41   Before I give the InterAgency Staff Committee comment I\n42   would  like  to provide  the Cape  Krusenstern National\n43   Monument SRC's full comment on this and  I'm sorry that\n44   I --I kind of jumped over it.  So the Cape Krusenstern\n45   National  Monument SRC  has  had  a  chance  to  review\n46   Wildlife Proposal  26-66 that would  change the Federal\n47   season start date for wolf hunting  from October 1st to\n48   August  1st and the  bag limit  from 15  to 20.   After\n49   reviewing  the  OSM analysis  and  their  reasoning for\n\n---\n\n7   \n24   \n40   \n50\n\n1   supporting  the proposal,  but to  specifically exclude\n2   Cape Krusenstern National Monument, exclude NPS managed\n3   lands that would retain the current Federal regulations\n4   as a conservative approach to providing refugia in Unit\n5   23 wolf  population as their population  status harvest\n6   is unknown, we have the following comments.\n\n8                   KAKR is not  an ecological refugia  for\n9   most  small  mammals,  it  is  the  exact  opposite  in\n10   relation to wolves.  It  does not produce wolves, it is\n11   in  fact  an ecological  sink.   Wolves rarely  if ever\n12   breed in KAKR, it is too close to human activity and at\n13   the edge of any one  pack's territory.  The most common\n14   pack size  of wolves in  KAKRC is one to  three animals\n15   generally encountered  in the  falltime near the  coast\n16   that have been pushed out of core wolf territories east\n17   and north of  KAKR and the Noatak River  for one reason\n18   or another.   These  are the  animals  that are  either\n19   observed  directly  or  by tracks  in  the  falltime by\n20   campers  and hunters along the coastline.  Taking these\n21   animals  out of the  population does nothing  to impact\n22   wolf conservation  overall nor their  social structure.\n23   It is statistically insignificant.\n\n25                   The  purpose  of  KAKR is  to  maximize\n26   subsistence opportunities for Federally-qualified users\n27   and support the thriving of the Inupiaq culture.  It is\n28   not to  create a  refugia which again  even if  it were\n29   KAKR is ecologically unable to be  a refugia because of\n30   its marginal habitat, overflow habitat, and  from other\n31   areas further inland that are refugia by default due to\n32   their remoteness and light harvesting pressure if  any.\n33   The majority  of KAKR  is at the  extreme edge  of core\n34   habitat  of multiple species, wolves being one of them.\n35   This  proposal  should  be  viewed  as  a  housekeeping\n36   proposal and more than any other kind since it will not\n37   significantly change the behavior of people or increase\n38   the harvest.  What  it will do is  maximize opportunity\n39   for subsistence users in CAKR.\n\n41                   While there is discussion about priming\n42   of pelts there's  only one consideration in  regards to\n43   harvesting wolves.    While it  is  true that  for  the\n44   purpose  of the  fur  market  wolves  taken  in  August\n45   through October  are far from prime for the fur market,\n46   there are many other reasons  and values for why wolves\n47   are harvested.   First it  should be  pointed out  that\n48   wolves only  become fully  prime  sometime in  January,\n49   before  that they are  in various stages  of pre-prime.\n\n---\n\n13   \n31   \n48   \n50\n\n1   So  focusing  on  prime  is not  a  useful  metric  for\n2   justifying season dates.   Some camper in  the falltime\n3   may see  a wolf when  getting water, checking  on their\n4   dogs, picking berries or riding down the coast.  It may\n5   be a young person, an elder or middle aged person, male\n6   or  female that  will be  --that  will have  their own\n7   personal reasons for harvesting a wolf and the use it's\n8   put to.  It's also very likely  that it may be the only\n9   time  in their  life that  they have an  opportunity to\n10   harvest a  wolf.  These  scenarios are way  more likely\n11   than some super hunter loading  up for the season --on\n12   early season wolves because of the regulation change.\n\n14                   Providing these  kind of  opportunities\n15   that maximize  subsistence is  in part  the reason  for\n16   CAKR.  So if anything  the change --the season changes\n17   should only  apply to CAKR and KOVA,  not exclude them.\n18   It is  also disappointing that OSM is putting forth the\n19   notion that using CAKR and  KOVA as a refugia when they\n20   are  ill-informed what  they  --when  they  are  ill-\n21   informed about the  ecology of these areas,  the actual\n22   uses that occur in these  areas and one can only assume\n23   based on their  discussion the reason for  the creation\n24   of these areas.   Before using reasoning  for excluding\n25   these Federal  units from regulation  changes that will\n26   increase subsistence  hunting opportunities  we believe\n27   that  OSM should  actually discuss their  position with\n28   the Subsistence Resource  Commissions that were created\n29   to  assist the  Secretary  of  Interior  with  managing\n30   subsistence hunting opportunities in these areas.\n\n32                   The  CAKR SRC  disagrees strongly  with\n33   OSM in their modification of the proposal.  It will set\n34   a  bad precedent and  a slippery slope  for subsistence\n35   management for CAKR  and KOVA without any  conservation\n36   benefit.   It  is  basically  in  our  opinion  totally\n37   gratuitous undermining of the founding purpose of these\n38   units and the co-management spirit and intent of ANILCA\n39   wherein the  Secretary in  this case  through OSM  will\n40   look  to  the  knowledge of  the  Subsistence  Resource\n41   Commissions  to   help  inform   Federal  policy   when\n42   developing hunting regulations  in these areas.   Their\n43   proposed modification  should be struck down because it\n44   goes against part of the  purpose of CAKR and KOVA, but\n45   also  is a  message to  do  better in  the future  when\n46   creating novel  justifications based on  theory and not\n47   reality for their recommendations.\n\n49                   The CAKR SRC supports Wildlife Proposal\n\n---\n\n0211\n2   \n4   \n7   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n28   \n31   \n46   \n50\n\n1   WP26-66 with no exclusions for CAKR or KOVA.\n\n3                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n5                   And now the ISC,  the InterAgency Staff\n6   Committee provided their standard comment.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n9   that.   Board  discussion with  your  Liaison,  Council\n10   Chair  or State  rep, this  is our  opportunity to  ask\n11   questions, clarity.\n\n13                   (No comments)\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All looks good.\n16   All right.  We'll go ahead and move to Board  action on\n17   this.\n\n19                   MR. STRIKER:  Mr. Chair.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  Don, you\n22   have the floor.\n\n24                   MR.  STRIKER:   National  Park  Service\n25   moves to adopt  proposal WP26-66 as written.   And if I\n26   get  a second  I'll explain  why  I intend  to vote  in\n27   support of my motion.\n\n29                   MS. PITKA:  Public  Member Rhonda Pitka\n30   supports --seconds.\n\n32                   MR.  STRIKER:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n33   National Park Service supports  WP26-66 as supported by\n34   Cape Krusenstern,  Kobuk Valley  and the  Gates of  the\n35   Arctic SRC.  I'll note that while the Northwest  Arctic\n36   RAC  supported the  OSM modification  their  reasons to\n37   support  did  not   address  excluding  Parklands,  but\n38   overall supporting increased  subsistence opportunities\n39   for the  take of wolves  on Federal lands and  to align\n40   the State  and the  Federal subsistence  regulations so\n41   that we --no one would inadvertently violate the law.\n42   I  think the  testimony  we just  heard  from the  SRCs\n43   provides  substantial  evidence  in the  form  of their\n44   recommendations that were  not available to the  RAC at\n45   the time of their recommendation.\n\n47                   And that's sufficient justification for\n48   supporting this proposal as written and for the reasons\n49   specified by the three SRCs.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n11   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don.\n4   Any further deliberation by the Board.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n9   seeing none we'll do  roll call.  Do we read  that into\n10   the record?\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Yeah.  The motion on the\n13   floor  is to  adopt WP26-66  which  is to  increase the\n14   harvest limit and extend the season for wolf hunting in\n15   Unit 23 to match State regulations.\n\n## 17 MS. LEONETTI: BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n19                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM votes to support.\n20   There's limited survey data on Unit 23 wolf population,\n21   but public testimony  suggests the  local abundance  of\n22   wolves  is  high.   And  the  overall  wolf harvest  is\n23   estimated  to  relatively  low.    Data  suggests  that\n24   increasing the  harvest limit and extending  the season\n25   for  Unit 23  wolves  will provide  Federally-qualified\n26   users additional  opportunities to  harvest wolves  for\n27   subsistence  uses without  significantly impacting  the\n28   population or causing conservation concerns.\n\n30                   MS.  LEONETTI:   National Park  Service\n31   Member Striker.\n\n33                   MR. STRIKER:  Support.\n\n35                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n36   Ingersoll.\n\n38                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n39   in deference  to the RAC  and our  colleagues from  the\n40   Park  Service and  also  to  align  Federal  and  State\n41   regulations.\n\n43                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n45                   MS. PITKA:   I vote to  support WP26-66\n46   as  written  in  deference  to  the  Regional  Advisory\n47   Councils and  in recognition  of the  SRC's excellently\n48   worded justification.\n\n---\n\n0213\n2   \n5   \n9   \n11   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n37   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n4   Service Member Boario.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n7   votes to support as written for the reasons articulated\n8   by my colleague.\n\n10                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n12                   MS.  JOHN:  And  BIA votes to  adopt as\n13   recommended  by the  National Park Service  without the\n14   modifications.\n\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n18                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Oney moves  to\n19   support as commented by Rhonda.\n\n21                   Thank you.\n\n23                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n25                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n26   supports WP26-66.\n\n28                   Thank you.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n32                   MR. PAYENNA:  I vote to support WP26-66\n33   in  deference to  the RAC  and also  agreeing with  the\n34   comments made by BLM and partners.\n\n36                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Chair Christianson.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I  support for\n39   reasons stated on the record.\n\n41                   Thank you.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Okay.   The  motion to\n44   adopt WP26-66 as written passes unanimously.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We'll come back\n47   at 1:30,  lunch.   Hour and 15,  house and  20 minutes.\n48   Thank you, guys.  We'll be back here.\n\n---\n\n1                   (Off record)\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n46   \n50\n\n3                   (On record)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   If the  Board\n6   members  can hear this, it is 1:31 so we will resume as\n7   soon as we have a quorum established here.\n\n9                   (Pause)\n\n11                   All right.  We're going to go ahead and\n12   get started with our presentations this afternoon.\n\n14                   Did you have something, Robbin.\n\n16                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, members  of the\n17   Board.  I know that this is a little out of sequence in\n18   regards to  our procedures, however  we do a  member of\n19   the  community of --of a southcentral  community that\n20   has a proposal before you that made travel arrangements\n21   based on  the original order  of the agenda.   He would\n22   like  to  give  his comments  on  proposal  --Wildlife\n23   Proposal 26-15 before he leaves this evening.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Okay.    Any\n26   opposition that he does that now, Board, just for --so\n27   we can clear up, get it off the floor?\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.  We have\n32   no opposition to that, we'll take that now.\n\n34                   MR. JONES:   Good afternoon, Mr. Chair,\n35   and esteemed members of the  Federal Subsistence Board.\n36   Thank you for this  opportunity and I apologize that  I\n37   needed  to speak out  of order.  My  name is Kenneth B.\n38   Jones,   I'm   a    resident   of   Cordova,    Alaska.\n39   Unfortunately  the  change  to  work  the  proposals in\n40   reverse has created a scheduling conflict and I must be\n41   on the  ferry traveling  home  tomorrow for  responders\n42   training  on Friday  that I  tried  to reschedule,  but\n43   cannot move.   I will  try to call in,  but I'm worried\n44   that it may  not be a reliable connection  on the ferry\n45   and appreciate the opportunity to speak with you now.\n\n47                   I'm a  lifelong born  and raised  local\n48   and third generation  rural residence of Cordova.   I'm\n49   also a commercial fisherman, assistant  guide, big game\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n46   \n50\n\n1   transporter, waterfowl guide and a sport fish guide.  I\n2   have dedicated much of  my adult life to  promoting and\n3   preserving the community and opportunities that  raised\n4   me.   While I recently stepped away from public service\n5   roles to focus on my  family and business over the last\n6   15  years  I  have  served   four  terms  as  a  harbor\n7   commissioner, two terms as city councilman and multiple\n8   terms as an executive committee member of both CDFU and\n9   PWSAC.    In  more  recent  years  I  have  focused  on\n10   purchasing long derelict  properties and rehabilitating\n11   them to create  much needed housing and  small business\n12   opportunities in  my  home  town.   Nearly  all  of  my\n13   personal and business resources are reinvested directly\n14   back into strengthening  the community that I  love and\n15   have  watched struggle since the Exxon Valdez oil spill\n16   that drastically  damaged and devastated  our community\n17   and economy.\n\n19                   I  mention  this   not  to  talk  about\n20   myself,  but to  show that  I do  not just  speak about\n21   improving  and  supporting  Cordova,  I  actively   and\n22   consistently  invest my  time,  labor  and  all  of  my\n23   limited resources into  doing it.   With more and  more\n24   commercial fishery  closures every season  coupled with\n25   multiple  Federally declared  disaster returns  and the\n26   rising cost of insurance, moorage and fuel and having a\n27   crew of local guys who  all have families and depend on\n28   me as their  captain to find economic  opportunities so\n29   they can fee  their families.  Just  --10 years  ago I\n30   launched Serenity Adventures.\n\n32                   I  am  here today  because  this life's\n33   work of supporting  my community is now  being severely\n34   threatened  by  WP26-15.   I  strongly oppose  proposal\n35   WP26-15   to   close  deer   hunting   access   on  the\n36   transplanted population  of Sitka  black tail deer  for\n37   non-Federally-qualified    users    on    Hawkins   and\n38   Hinchinbrook Island.   Anecdotally  around town  it has\n39   become  a  repetitive  narrative  that  this   proposal\n40   originated  from a personal vendetta by some members of\n41   the  tribe who  were upset  by  my boats  being on  the\n42   landscape.  And as  a targeted way to curb or  alter my\n43   business activities.  All despite the many self-imposed\n44   practices that I have implemented for local respect and\n45   local deference.\n\n47                   Serenity Adventures, my  small, locally\n48   owned transporter  business, operates  in the  proposed\n49   closure  area.  We operate DIY, fair chase, mature buck\n\n---\n\n17   \n46   \n50\n\n1   only  harvest  and  have self-imposed  limits    on our\n2   clients  to  promote  sustainability  and overall  herd\n3   health.   Overall harvest by my clients represents less\n4   than 1 percent  of the total annual deer  harvest and a\n5   fraction  of a percent of  the total mortality when you\n6   include  winter kill.    We  are  one  small  transport\n7   company  in  an  area  and community  that  when  I was\n8   growing up  had seven legally licensed transporters all\n9   operating at the  same time.   To say  that there is  a\n10   steep increase in  activity is false and  not supported\n11   by the data as seen in the  OSM and ADF&G reports.  The\n12   only  thing that  has  increased  is  a  perception  of\n13   increased  pressure  stemming   from  my  social  media\n14   presence when I ramped up ads to make it yet --through\n15   yet another  disaster commercial fishing season in 2023\n16   and 2024.\n\n18                   If passed this  proposal would directly\n19   and negatively  impact the  six local  hire crew  whose\n20   households all rely on hosting and transporting a small\n21   number of non-Federally-qualified users during the fall\n22   season.  For my family and the families of the people I\n23   employ this  work  is not  some  abstract  recreational\n24   business, it is part  of how we were raised, it is part\n25   of how we make a living and how we help to put food not\n26   just  on  our  tables,  but  many  tables  in  a remote\n27   community where  the cost of  living is high  and these\n28   seasonal employment  opportunities matter.   This would\n29   also  negatively  impact  the  local  ADF&G  management\n30   budget  through the loss  of lucrative non-resident tag\n31   sales and many  of the struggling restaurant  and hotel\n32   businesses and employees if this were passed.\n\n33           This work also supports  our subsistence way of\n34   life in another  important way.  More than  half of the\n35   deer  meat harvested by my clients are donated locally.\n36   Much of  that meat  goes into  either  my own  family's\n37   freezer,  our  extended  family's  freezer  or  to  the\n38   families of my employees, to friends in need and to our\n39   church widow program that supports elders and widows in\n40   the  community.   That donated  meat  helps offset  the\n41   number  of  deer  our  own  families  need  to  harvest\n42   ourselves  in  order to  maintain  a  rural subsistence\n43   lifestyle.   So  this proposal  would  not just  affect\n44   access, it  would reduce  food sharing  and local  food\n45   security.\n\n47                   This proposal would also create harmful\n48   social and  cultural impacts  in  our already  strained\n49   small  community.  Because of the economic pressures in\n\n---\n\n19   \n36   \n50\n\n1   Cordova,   high  housing   costs,  limited   employment\n2   opportunities and  access to  health care  many of  the\n3   local people that I grew up with have unfortunately had\n4   to relocate out of town for one reason  or another.  If\n5   this proposal  passes many  residents, both  tribal and\n6   non-tribal members who were born and raised in Cordova,\n7   who grew up hunting these lands with  their fathers and\n8   grandfathers,  but who  no  longer  qualify  for  rural\n9   status, will  lose the ability  to return and  hunt the\n10   places that  shaped their families and  their families'\n11   traditions.    It  would  also  divide  families across\n12   generations.  Children  who are non-Federally-qualified\n13   would be unable  to hunt with their  local grandparents\n14   on the  same lands  that their  families have used  for\n15   generations.   Instead  of  preserving traditions  this\n16   proposal risks breaking  those connections and reducing\n17   the transfer  of hunting  knowledge, ethics  and family\n18   heritage.\n\n20                   Most  importantly this  closure is  not\n21   biologically  justified.     My   clients  cumulatively\n22   harvest fewer than  60 deer annually.   That represents\n23   less  than 1 percent of  total hunting mortality in the\n24   area.  We  conduct a  mere six weeks  per year of  fair\n25   chase,  buck  only  style hunts.    Meanwhile  one boat\n26   engaged  in December beach  hunting can kill  more deer\n27   than all  my clients combined  in one weekend.   I know\n28   because I've done it growing  up in the community.  And\n29   this often includes  the harvest of --the unfortunate\n30   harvest of pregnant does.  If conversation is truly the\n31   concern  then this proposal is not targeting the actual\n32   source  of the pressure which  is beach hunting by non-\n33   local boats.   Which if  this is passes would  still be\n34   allowed as the  beaches would remain open  because they\n35   are State land.\n\n37                   It is also  important to recognize that\n38   Cordova  and  Prince  William  Sound  have  experienced\n39   different  recent  winter  conditions  than  parts   of\n40   southeast  Alaska.    Our   recent  winters  have  been\n41   unusually  clear, cold  and marked by  historically low\n42   snowpack.  We have also had very warm springs and rainy\n43   springs.    The  deer have  wintered  well  under those\n44   conditions.  ADF&G has theorized that  the historically\n45   low  snowpack over  the  last three  years  may be  one\n46   reason the pellet surveys appear lower because the snow\n47   has not been  there to push the deer  into the transect\n48   area for their winter range.  And that warm rain in the\n49   spring dissolves the  pellets before the pellet  counts\n\n---\n\n5   \n22   \n40   \n50\n\n1   can be conducted in the summer.  Under these conditions\n2   --so pellet  counts under these conditions  should not\n3   automatically  be interpreted as evidence of a low deer\n4   abundance.\n\n6                   Both ADF&G  and  the  OSM  oppose  this\n7   closure  and have  provided  substantial science  based\n8   analysis showing there is  no biological necessity  for\n9   such an  extreme  action and  that  professional  input\n10   deserves serious consideration  and deference.  There's\n11   also no broad consensus supporting this proposal.  Half\n12   of the  Southcentral Regional Advisory  Council opposed\n13   it.  The local Cordova Fish and Game Advisory Committee\n14   made  up entirely of  Cordova residents opposed  it and\n15   submitted public comment.   The Whittier Fish  and Game\n16   Advisory   Committee  opposed   it,  submitted   public\n17   comment.  The  Valdez Fish and Game  Advisory Committee\n18   opposed  it and submitted  public comment.   The public\n19   comment  in general  has  been overwhelmingly  opposed,\n20   even half of the Native Village  of Eyak's own internal\n21   advisory voices opposed it.\n\n23                   There is already a 29 week  deer season\n24   with  up to  five tags  available  for local  qualified\n25   users.   That  is ample  opportunity  for   subsistence\n26   harvest.  My business operates only six weeks per  year\n27   with two boats right  across two or three large  island\n28   with multiple bays.  I can count on one hand the number\n29   of  other boats  I see  out  there every  season.   The\n30   suggestion that this small, seasonal operations is out-\n31   competing local  residents for opportunity  across that\n32   entire  landscape  is  simply not  credible.    If this\n33   proposal  passes it  will not  even  solve the  claimed\n34   issue.   It  does not  close the  beaches, it  does not\n35   close  the private  land and does  not close  the State\n36   Parkland.   It  will simply  push  those non-Federally-\n37   qualified  users  into  the  remaining  open areas  and\n38   concentrate users there creating  more conflict instead\n39   of less.\n\n41                   There  are  many   common  sense  tools\n42   available before imposing  such a  broad, drastic  full\n43   closure.  Some ideas are  close the eastern portion  of\n44   Hawkins that is closest to  town.  Close all of Hawkins\n45   if crowding  near town is  the real concern,  but leave\n46   Hinchinbrook open.      Lower     the    non-Federally-\n47   qualified  user   bag  limit,  close  doe   harvest  in\n48   December, close  the second  half of  December to  non-\n49   Federally-qualified  users,  prohibit shooting  from  a\n\n---\n\n10   \n16   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n31   \n37   \n39   \n44   \n50\n\n**0219**\n\n1   boat,  restrict non-Federally-qualified  users to  buck\n2   only  harvest.    Any of  these  options  would address\n3   pressure  concerns  while preserving  fairness,  family\n4   traditions,  local  jobs   and  local  food  resources.\n5   Unfortunately the  proposal did  not include  any broad\n6   community  engagement prior to being input and these --\n7   and  we couldn't  --didn't  have  an  opportunity  to\n8   identify  these  workable  compromises  as a  community\n9   before it was proposed.\n\n11                   With all  this in  mind I  respectfully\n12   ask  that the Board  reject WP26-15 and  instead pursue\n13   balanced management solutions routed in science, common\n14   sense and the  realities of rural  life in a  community\n15   like Cordova.\n\n17                   Thank   you    for   your    time   and\n18   consideration.  I'm  happy to answer any  questions and\n19   will be here  for the rest of the day  and available on\n20   breaks and invite anybody including audience members to\n21   come up to me and chat.\n\n## 23 Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Appreciate that.  Rhonda has something.\n\n28                   MS. PITKA:   Yeah, you  mentioned three\n29   of the ACs that oppose, Valdez, Kodiak and what was the\n30   third one?\n\n32                   MR. JONES:   It  was the  Cordova.   So\n33   it's the Prince  William Sound Copper River  AC I think\n34   is what that one's called,  but it's based in  Cordova.\n35   And then you've  got the Whittier AC and  the Valdez AC\n36   which are all in Unit 6.\n\n## 38 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Frank.\n\n40                   MR. WOODS:   Public Member Frank Woods.\n41   Thanks  for the testimony, I  appreciate we need you at\n42   the  table.   We need  industry, we  need guided,  non-\n43   guided, we need fishermen, we need public.\n\n45                   You mentioned  that number  1 that  you\n46   are  --I'm  trying   to  --you're  a   non-guided\n47   transporter, or is it a guidedand you said there was --\n48    number  1,  first question,  definition  of what  your\n49   operation  does.  The  second you mentioned  the number\n\n---\n\n3   \n12   \n33   \n47   \n50\n\n1   sitting  in  --affected  by  this  recent --by  this\n2   proposal?\n\n4                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, so I operate Serenity\n5   Adventures, we  are primarily  a DIY for  big game.   I\n6   also   operate  guided  fishing  and  guided  sea  duck\n7   hunting.  But for the  big game side it is transported,\n8   DIY.    I do  not  have  a  big game  registered  guide\n9   license.  I'm  an assistant guide, I'm  working towards\n10   eventually maybe  someday I'll  be a  registered guide,\n11   but as of right now I'm not.\n\n13                   MR. WOODS:  No, economically that makes\n14   sense  especially in  the  --on  the  coastal  recent\n15   downturn  of the  seafood market.   The  red meat  hunt\n16   we're talking  about is  under ANILCA,  Alaska or  it's\n17   American  National Interest Lands Act or, you know, the\n18   rural  preference subsistence  priority has  precedence\n19   and  there are  laws  as  a State  and  the Feds,  it's\n20   allowable  on Federal  land, they have  concessions for\n21   guides.  Those things are important because number 1 we\n22   have run out of places to put people, state of Alaska's\n23   run out  of land,  your operation  and operations  like\n24   yours  have  been  overcrowded  and  crowding  all  the\n25   different users.   At the  table and all the  seats you\n26   sit on you see that conflict looks like.   And from now\n27   on I'd love to see you at the table to help us sort out\n28   the exact  issue that  you have  before you  and you're\n29   testifying  on.  So in our --for me it's a --it's not\n30   just a  protein commodity to  feed people and  like you\n31   pointed  out it's a cultural --have you presented this\n32   to the tribal council of Cordova?\n\n34                   MR. JONES:  Yes, I wrote them an email,\n35   I sent them all Facebook  messages, I did not receive a\n36   response other than received.   And I asked to come and\n37   speak with them and work  on a compromise.  I submitted\n38   a proposal to  the Board of  Game --well, it  wasn't a\n39   proposal  it was a agenda change  request to limit non-\n40   residents to two  because right now it's four.   I felt\n41   like that  was a  pretty good  starting point to  prove\n42   that  I'm  willing   to  work  towards  a   compromise.\n43   Unfortunately the Board of Game did not adopt it, but I\n44   am  planning  on  submitting that  as  a  proposal next\n45   cycle.   And I do believe that the tribe had, you know,\n46   wanted to do something to that effect as well.\n\n48                   MR.  WOODS:     So  this   proposal  is\n49   submitted by  the Native  Village of Eyak  and the  RAC\n\n---\n\n4   \n22   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n36   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   approves,  supports.   Southcentral Alaska  Subsistence\n2   Regional Advisory  Council  supports this.    Have  you\n3   testified before them?\n\n5                   MR. JONES:  So  I did not unfortunately\n6   testify  in front of the Southcentral RAC.  I --it was\n7   supported with a decision I  believe it was six to five\n8   so  it was  pretty split.   And  had --there was  two\n9   members of  the RAC  that are from  Cordova and  one of\n10   them was not present at the meeting.  Had he been there\n11   and   voted   against   it   it   would   have  failed.\n12   Unfortunately it still went forward.  I was down south,\n13   I  didn't --yeah, I should have  been there.  I wasn't\n14   aware of how to call into it, this is --I'm pretty new\n15   to this process.  I've been  to a lot of Board of  Game\n16   and Board of Fish meetings, but this Federal process is\n17   a learning curve  for me.  So I'll  definitely be there\n18   next time.   And I did reach out to, I believe her name\n19   is Nissa, and  I put my name forward if  they wanted to\n20   place me on the RAC I am willing to serve and be at the\n21   table.\n\n23                   MR.  WOODS:   Well,  I  appreciate your\n24   testimony.  Thank you for the answers.\n\n26                   Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n29   comments.\n\n31                   (No comments)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n34   your testimony.   And we do appreciate,  always looking\n35   to recruit.....\n\n37                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, thank you.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:       .....RAC\n40   members with in  depth knowledge so appreciate  that as\n41   well.\n\n43                   MR. JONES:  Yeah, thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n46   We'll  go  ahead and  get  started  with the  order  of\n47   business for the day --this  afternoon and we'll start\n48   with WP-26-69, mink and weasel.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n25   \n40   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   Tom has it, he's already there.\n\n3                   MR.  PLANK:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair,\n4   members of the  Board.  Again for the  record my name's\n5   Tom Plank and I'm a Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  And I\n6   will  be presenting  a  summary  of  the  analysis  for\n7   Wildlife Proposal WP26-69 starting on page 1307 in your\n8   books.\n\n10                   Wildlife Proposal WP26-69 was submitted\n11   by  the Northwest  Arctic Council  and  it requests  to\n12   extend the trapping season for mink and weasel to close\n13   April  15th in Unit 23.  Proponent states that aligning\n14   the Federal season  to match the State season will help\n15   reduce confusion  and increase  opportunity.   Trappers\n16   have indicated increased mink and weasel populations in\n17   Unit  23.  Federal subsistence regulations for mink and\n18   weasel in Unit 23 have  not changed since 1990 when the\n19   Federal  management of  subsistence  fish and  wildlife\n20   resources on  Federal public  lands began  and at  that\n21   time  the current regulation was adopted from the State\n22   regulation.   In 2003  the Board of  Game extended  the\n23   trapping season for mink and weasel in Unit 23 to close\n24   April 15th.\n\n26                   Population dynamics of  mink and weasel\n27   in  Unit 23  are  not  well  documented.    Mink  occur\n28   throughout Unit  23, but  little is  known about  their\n29   abundance or  population trend.  Mink numbers fluctuate\n30   locally making it difficult to monitor their population\n31   trends.   Snow  in spruce  forests  in the  upper Kobuk\n32   drainage  are generally  suitable  for mink  while  the\n33   hardpacked  snow conditions in the remainder of Unit 23\n34   may limit the distribution of mink.  And from 2013, '14\n35   season  to 2023, '24 season, according to the voluntary\n36   trapping question  --trapper questionnaires,  mink was\n37   reported  as common with no change in population trends\n38   in region  5 which also  includes units 18, 22,  23 and\n39   26A.\n\n41                   There are two  species of weasels  that\n42   can be  found in forested,  brushy and open  country in\n43   Alaska,  however weasels are  not included in  the most\n44   recent ADF&G fur  bearer management report for  Unit 23\n45   or   indicated  to  occur  there.    And  according  to\n46   voluntary  trapper  reports  ermine  were  reported  as\n47   common with no change in population trend in unit --in\n48   region 5.\n\n---\n\n7   \n20   \n39   \n50\n\n1                   The harvest of mink  and weasel is  not\n2   well documented for Unit  23.  Sealing is  not required\n3   in Unit 23  and the only harvest  information available\n4   is from the voluntary trapping questionnaires and there\n5   were no responses  to the questionnaires for Unit 23 in\n6   recent years.\n\n8                   One  alternative   considered  was   to\n9   exclude Cape  Krusenstern National  Monument and  Kobuk\n10   Valley National Park  for the season extension.   These\n11   areas  are closed to  anyone hunting or  trapping under\n12   State  regulations.   Excluding  these  areas from  the\n13   season  extension  could   provide  refugia  and  would\n14   represent a conservative approach to the status of Unit\n15   23 mink  and weasel population.   And their  harvest is\n16   essentially unknown.    These areas  appear to  contain\n17   excellent  habitat  for  mink   and  weasels  and  this\n18   alternative   would  result   in  Federal   regulations\n19   remaining more restrictive than State regulations.\n\n21                   If this  proposal is  adopted the  mink\n22   and weasel trapping season in Unit 23 would be extended\n23   until  April 15th.  This would increase opportunity for\n24   Federally-qualified  subsistence  users  under  Federal\n25   regulations  although units  may  already trap  on most\n26   Federal lands until April 15th under State regulations.\n27   However this proposal  would allow users to  trap until\n28   April  15  in Cape  Krusenstern  National  Monument and\n29   Kobuk Valley National  Park which are closed  to anyone\n30   trapping under  State regulations.   No  impact to  the\n31   mink  or weasel populations  are expected as  users can\n32   already  trap until April 15th  on most Federal land in\n33   Unit   23  under   State   regulations.     And   while\n34   undocumented  harvest  pressure   on  mink  and  weasel\n35   populations  throughout  Unit 23  is  also  likely low.\n36   Adopting this  proposal would also  decrease regularity\n37   complexity and confusion by aligning State  and Federal\n38   regulations.\n\n40                   OSM's   conclusion   was   to   support\n41   proposal  WP26-69  with  modification  to exclude  Cape\n42   Krusenstern National Monument and Kobuk Valley National\n43   Park.     This   proposal  increases   opportunity  for\n44   Federally-qualified subsistence users and  there are no\n45   conservation concerns as users are already able to trap\n46   until April 15th  on most Federal public  lands in Unit\n47   23 under State  regulations.  State regulations  do not\n48   apply to National Parklands including Cape  Krusenstern\n49   National  Monument  and Kobuk  Valley National  Park in\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n44   \n50\n\n1   Unit 23.  Excluding National Park Service managed lands\n2   would  retain  the  current  Federal  regulations as  a\n3   conservative  approach to  provide refugia  to Unit  23\n4   mink and weasel populations as their population  status\n5   and harvest is unknown.\n\n7                   Thank you, Mr. Chair, members of Board.\n8   I'd be happy to answer any questions.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Tom.\n11   Any questions from the Board for Tom.\n\n13                   (No comments)\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIA", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '4a279aed-42b5-443f-8c42-fb1941b31be9', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_1.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:35:35.806695+00:00', 'content_hash': '52c8d29a78feb553a4013b93ddea00abb853bc7c6d5c2ca334b045a26a3f38a0'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.22.26', 'check_failed': False}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_2.pdf', 'body': {'text': "2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n1                  FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME III\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 23, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n22   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/23/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN     CHRISTIANSON:     (Speaker\n8   echoing) Good  morning, everybody.  Welcome to Thursday\n9   night fights!   Oh, sorry.   That's later  this evening\n10   downstairs.\n\n12                   (Laughter)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I like the echo\n15   effect.\n\n17                   Good morning.  We're going to start our\n18   morning off before public testimony, fixing the  lines.\n19   I could probably karaoke on this.\n\n21                   (Laughter)\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    This morning\n24   before  we do start  with public testimony  the Special\n25   Assistant of the Secretary is going to --Kara Moriarty\n26   is going to give us an update this  morning.  We really\n27   appreciate her taking the  time to come here and  share\n28   with us and the public an update.\n\n30                   Thank you.  You have the floor.\n\n32                   MS. MORIARTY:   Good morning, everyone.\n33   Oh, I'm  echoing too. Anthony,  are we going to  have a\n34   choir karaoke?\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Choir  choir\n37   choir.....\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:   It's a  sport center, you\n40   know.   And  for  the  Department  of  Interior  number\n41   four.....\n\n43                   (Laughter)\n\n45                   MS. MORIARTY:   Hey, that was  my son's\n46   baseball number.   Nice job,  Sara.  Nice work.   Well,\n47   good morning, everyone.   For those  that have not  had\n48   the  opportunity to meet --and  it's always weird when\n49   there's  people sitting behind you as you're talking --\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n22   \n34   \n40   \n48   \n50\n\n1   my name is Kara Moriarty and I'm the Senior Advisor for\n2   Alaskan Affairs for Secretary Burgum.\n\n4                   I just  flew in from  D.C. last  night.\n5   Landed about  1:00 a.m. this  morning.  I was  with the\n6   Secretary  yesterday in front of our Senior Senator who\n7   chairs  the Interior  Appropriations Committee,  as you\n8   were hearing testimony  on Interior's --or as he  was\n9   providing  testimony on the  President's budget for the\n10   Department of the Interior.\n\n12                   It is  an honor to  be in front  of the\n13   full Subsistence Board  once again.  I met  many of you\n14   back last July during your summer work session and I've\n15   seen many of  you over the prevailing  months either at\n16   RAC meetings that I've been  able to attend in  person.\n17   One in Wrangell, one in  Nome, as well as other various\n18   public   listening   sessions    around   the   Federal\n19   Subsistence review  that is  currently taking  place as\n20   well  as some individual tribal consultations.  Some of\n21   you have been involved in that as well.\n\n23                   As   far   as  the   report   from  the\n24   Secretary, as you  all know, the public  comment period\n25   for the  scoping review ended  a couple weeks ago.   We\n26   are just  starting that  process of  going through  the\n27   various comments  that were submitted.   So for  all of\n28   you either on the Subsistence  Board or those behind me\n29   that may have provided public comment we appreciate the\n30   input.  We're learning a lot about the program and it's\n31   going to take  us a while to  get through all of  those\n32   comments  to  have  a thoughtful  review  to  provide a\n33   potential recommendation to the Secretary.\n\n35                   All of that is yet to be determined.  I\n36   guess I would emphasize that it  was just a review.  No\n37   proposed changes are being made at this time.  If there\n38   were, of course that would start  a full public comment\n39   through the APA process.\n\n41                   I did have  a chance to visit  with the\n42   Under Secretary for the Department of Agriculture and I\n43   think  that when I was back  in D.C. last week and with\n44   everyone's schedules it's --you know,  just everything\n45   that we're all --all the departments are working on, I\n46   think it is going to take some time to work through all\n47   the various comments to see what we come up with.\n\n49                   I'm  happy, Mr.  Chairman, to  take any\n\n---\n\n7   \n12   \n19   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n39   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   questions.   That's really  the only  update I  have to\n2   speak of and look forward to being in and out.  I'll be\n3   in and  out today  and tomorrow as  you finish  up your\n4   meetings.  With  that, Mr. Chairman, I'll turn  it over\n5   to  you for  any questions  that you  or others  on the\n6   Subsistence Board may have.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n9   Kara.    Thank  you  for  the update.    Is  there  any\n10   questions or comments from the  Board.  RAC Chairs.  Go\n11   ahead, Jack.\n\n13                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  Jack Reakoff,\n14   Western Interior.   Once you evaluate all  the comments\n15   I'm  wondering about  the timeframe  for  the Councils'\n16   comments if  there's a change.  Are  we going to have a\n17   period  during our fall meetings to address any changes\n18   suggested by the DOI?\n\n20                   MS.  MORIARTY:  Good question.  I would\n21   be surprised if we get through all of that by your fall\n22   meetings  to be quite candid. With everything that's --\n23   other priorities that USDA has  and that we have at the\n24   Department of  the Interior, we're  in the middle  of a\n25   couple other  rulemaking processes  that is  more of  a\n26   prescriptive  time  period  than   the  scoping  review\n27   because  there's no  time  certain.    So  I  would  be\n28   surprised if we saw any recommendations if there are to\n29   come before your fall meetings later this year.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Louis.\n\n33                   MR.  GREEN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  How\n34   are you doing, Kara?\n\n36                   MS. MORIARTY:  Oh, there you are.  Hi.\n38                   (Laughter)\n\n40                   MR. GREEN:   I'm  the biggest  guy here\n41   besides.....\n\n43                   MS. MORIARTY:   I'm like  who's talking\n44   to me.  This is such a big --this is such a big room.\n\n46                   MR. GREEN:   I'm the  biggest guy  here\n47   besides that guy and you thought I was somewhere.\n\n49                   MS. MORIARTY:  Yeah.  Well, you know, I\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n15   \n17   \n24   \n33   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   did land  a couple hours  ago, so like I  apologize for\n2   the sleep deprivation this morning.\n\n4                   MR. GREEN:  Well, I'm everywhere.\n\n6                   MS.  MORIARTY:    Yeah,  that's  right.\n7   Nice to see you.\n\n9                   MR. GREEN:  Thank you.  Good to see you\n10   again.   Just a question.   You don't need to answer it\n11   if you don't have an answer.  Is there any thought that\n12   the Secretaries  of Interior  and Agriculture  are ever\n13   going to  pow-wow a  little bit with  the Secretary  of\n14   Commerce?\n\n## 16 MS. MORIARTY: On subsistence?\n\n18                   MR. GREEN: On our issues, yeah.   Well,\n19   we have salmon issues and there's other things going on\n20   out there that we don't have any control over and I was\n21   just wondering if, seeing as the Department of Commerce\n22   is  overseeing NOAA that there's an issue in the Bering\n23   Sea and the Gulf of Alaska.\n\n25                   MS. MORIARTY:   That's a good question.\n26   You  know, the three Secretaries were all together last\n27   week   actually.    We   were  at  the   Department  of\n28   Agriculture  for  a  roundtable.    Our  Secretary  was\n29   invited to  participate.   Secretary Lutnick was  there\n30   with  Secretary Rollins and our Secretary to talk about\n31   the seafood,  office of  the seafood  liaison that  the\n32   Department of Ag created.\n\n34                   So  the  three  of them  were  actually\n35   together talking about  seafood in a general  sense, so\n36   it's a  good question and something we can consider and\n37   try to find  a counterpart at Commerce  to discuss some\n38   of those issues.\n\n40                   MR.  GREEN:  Thank you.  Thank you, Mr.\n41   Chair.\n\n## 43 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Frank.\n\n45                   MR. WOODS:  Thank you for  representing\n46   us here in Alaska.  I've still got to invite you out to\n47   Bristol Bay.  In the  last few days you've heard public\n48   testimony from  all the rural  areas and tribes.   What\n49   I'd  like  to   ask  is  that,  number  one,   we  keep\n\n---\n\n8   \n19   \n26   \n30   \n44   \n50\n\n1   perspective  that  this  Board helps  regulate  the 300\n2   million acres in Alaska.   That we are unique, that the\n3   public  perspective is still in place,  and if you read\n4   the  1,500 pages  of  information  we  review  and  the\n5   70-plus  regulations that we're  doing the next  day or\n6   so,  you understand the  magnitude of what  we're faced\n7   with.\n\n9                   Also,  you know,  the consolidation  of\n10   all  the Federal programs,  every program in  Alaska is\n11   suffering with the  budget crisis.   Not only a  budget\n12   crisis,  but a work  force development problem  that we\n13   don't have enough people to  recruit to do all the work\n14   that we do.  Everybody I  know in every field are doing\n15   two  to three jobs.   And to  pass on  to the Secretary\n16   that not only this Board,  but I think every  governing\n17   body   that  regulates   land  or   issues  and   human\n18   interaction is being taxed right now.\n\n20                   We try  to --and we  think we  manage\n21   resource,  but  what  we're  doing  is  managing  human\n22   beings.  And  to be human about it,  that's not fair to\n23   the  system, it's not fair  to the government, and it's\n24   not fair  to the people.   So I appreciate  your charge\n25   and your representing us in Washington D.C.  Thank you.\n\n27                   MS. MORIARTY:  Thank you, Frank. I look\n28   forward to  getting out  to Bristol Bay.   It's  been a\n29   couple years, so I look forward to it.\n\n31                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Dan\n32   Dunaway,  Bristol Bay  RAC Vice  Chair.   Welcome,  and\n33   thank  you for  coming.   It just  occurred to  me what\n34   Frank  was  mentioning   how  complex  subsistence  is,\n35   particularly to get that point across to the people  in\n36   the lower  48.  We  have a new educational  manual that\n37   just got  printed and delivered  yesterday to here.   I\n38   was thinking maybe a few of those manuals going back to\n39   D.C.  I think  they're  more aimed  at school  kids and\n40   stuff, but might  be --and I  haven't had a  chance to\n41   look  through it,  but might  be a  handy tool  to help\n42   explain to people  in the Lower 48 that  just don't get\n43   this at all and how important it is.\n\n45                   So I just  wanted to bring that  up and\n46   also  kind of  echo  what Louis  brought  up about  the\n47   concerns of bycatch.   You're probably aware,  it's all\n48   over the  internet and all  of the social  media that's\n49   around  Alaska, I  don't think  trawlers  are the  only\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n31   \n38   \n46   \n50\n\n1   thing, but  it is a huge concern with the lack of Kings\n2   and lack of other fish.  Thank you very much.\n\n4                   MS. MORIARTY:   Thank you,  Dan.  Yeah,\n5   if there  are extra copies,  I would be happy  to share\n6   with my colleagues back in D.C. And I think that's part\n7   of the reason why the more --some of us who  are newer\n8   to  this issue,  either here in  Alaska like  myself or\n9   those that I  work with  back in  D.C. --the more  we\n10   learn through the review, the more we have to learn.\n\n12                   So we're  trying to  be thoughtful  and\n13   learn and understand  the legal foundations  around the\n14   Board  and the  RACs, and  all of  the other  issues as\n15   well.   But, yes, happy  to take back  some educational\n16   materials for my colleagues back  in D.C. if there  are\n17   some extra copies, so thanks for pointing that out.  As\n18   a  former school teacher,  it's probably in  a language\n19   that I can  relate to if it's targeted  to school kids,\n20   so that's perfect.  Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan,\n23   and  I'm sure Heather appreciates  the plug.  Any other\n24   questions. Comments.\n\n## 26 (No comments)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I definitely\n29   appreciate your  time in coming  to get a pulse  on the\n30   program.  Here we go, Rhonda.\n\n32                   MS. PITKA:   I think  earlier when  the\n33   scoping   process  started  you  said  that  we  had  a\n34   compressed  time frame  so recommendations  should come\n35   out by the spring.   If I'm remembering that right, and\n36   now  --so  there's no  deadlines?    There's  no hard\n37   deadlines?\n\n39                   MS.  MORIARTY:   No,  there were  never\n40   hard deadlines.  Nice to see you, Chief Pitka.  Nice to\n41   see  you.   No,  there  were never  any  hard deadlines\n42   because it's  a scoping process,  so we could  take our\n43   time.   Again, the more  we learn, the more  we need to\n44   learn.  So we are going to be thoughtful about any type\n45   of --if any recommendations come forward for sure.\n\n47                   I just would like to say, Mr. Chairman,\n48   if  --you know,  yes, I'll be here  for a couple hours\n49   today,  a couple hours  tomorrow, but I  would just say\n\n---\n\n5   \n16   \n24   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   that my door is always open to any of the Board members\n2   individually, the  RAC  members, other  members of  the\n3   public.   That's my job  is to represent  the Secretary\n4   and I can't get everywhere.\n\n6                   I  know  I've  had  lots  of  wonderful\n7   invitations to  be  in every  corner of  the state  and\n8   visit all 229  tribes, which I would love to  do, but I\n9   am doing my best and Sarah Taylor  in my office as well\n10   to try  and get to  as many of the  region as possible.\n11   We are looking  to see how many of  the RAC meetings we\n12   can get to in person again this fall.  It's a great way\n13   to try to get  to at least some of the regional centers\n14   across Alaska.  But my phone is always open, my door is\n15   always open, and again I appreciate the invitation.\n\n17                   MS. PITKA:  Sorry, just one more.  When\n18   we  do get  the  recommendations from  the  Secretary's\n19   Office do you think that there would be support to have\n20   an  All Regional Advisory  Council meeting?   We've had\n21   joint  Regional Council meetings in the past when we've\n22   had major issues to discuss like the Yukon River Salmon\n23   disaster or other issues that affect all of Alaska.\n\n25                   MS. MORIARTY:  We understand that there\n26   is a request for that and it's under consideration.\n\n28                   MS. PITKA:  Thank you, I appreciate it.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n31   Kara. I see  no further questions.  We  appreciate your\n32   time this morning.\n\n## 34 MS. MORIARTY: Thanks, everybody.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n37   We'll now open  up the floor for  public comment period\n38   on non-agenda items.  Again  we do have a packed agenda\n39   the  next two  days so  we  would ask  for brevity  and\n40   respect for other people as they want to testify today.\n41   If you want to go longer, it's your process.  I think a\n42   green card or a  blue card, what color do we  have here\n43   today?    Robbin  will  call  you  up and  we'll  start\n44   receiving public testimony this morning.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n47   have eight  folks that have signed  up in the room.   I\n48   don't know who has signed up online.  That's so that we\n49   can  kind  of  keep  track  of who  is  in  the  queue.\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n18   \n29   \n37   \n38   \n46   \n50\n\n1   Additionally  we will  have --after  the comments  on\n2   non-agenda items we will have an opportunity to comment\n3   on the  consensus agenda before  we move back  into our\n4   action items.\n\n6                   The  first person in the room is Jimmie\n7   Hurley, Sr.  Jimmy Hurley.\n\n9                   MR.  HURLEY:   Chairman, Federal  Board\n10   members, respective Board  members.  My name  is Jimmie\n11   Hurley.   I  am from  Bristol  Bay area,  Ekwok.   I've\n12   fished Bristol Bay  for 45 years and  fished Petersburg\n13   for a longline.  All my life I've been on boats.  I run\n14   barges up and down the Nushagak and it's just a life of\n15   fish.  I've helped kickstart  the CDQ program. I helped\n16   pretty much voice our opinion about Pebble Mine.  I was\n17   the very first one who stood up against Pebble Mine.\n\n19                   So I've been in  the political arena of\n20   Bristol Bay a long  time and I am  not done.  I  had to\n21   move in  here about five  years ago to  be here,  to be\n22   with  my family, and to testify about North Pacific and\n23   some of the  other ones because Nushagak River --we've\n24   seen some really declining in  King salmon and chum, so\n25   I teamed  up with  other tribes to  make more  aware of\n26   what's going on.  It's a real battle  to see our Native\n27   people on the Yukon-Kuskokwim pretty much starving, you\n28   know.\n\n30                   So I'm not going to sit around and keep\n31   my mouth shut about that, you know.  I want to voice my\n32   opinion on this and  that is partly why I moved  in.  A\n33   little  bit more.    I spotted  herring  in Togiak  and\n34   worked my  way up to so many others.   But I'm not here\n35   for  all  that. I  just  --that's  another  issue, but\n36   people  should be aware of, you know, your perspective.\n\n39                   This is  the first meeting  I ever went\n40   to  a  Federal meeting.  I've  been  to  all the  North\n41   Pacific and  all the  Fish and  Game meetings with  the\n42   State.   I  was made  aware that  Ekwok, Koliganek  and\n43   Stuyahok, we  can't  --we  can't  get any  caribou  up\n44   there.   It's  closed out and  everybody around  us has\n45   been --has access to caribou.\n\n47                   You  know, when I  go back, it's  $10 a\n48   gallon for me to go  up and we travel --I have to team\n49   up with somebody  who will go moose hunting.   And here\n\n---\n\n6   \n15   \n22   \n34   \n41   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   we see these woodland caribou all the way up Mulchatna.\n2   You know, the  Mulchatna Herd used  to be over  200,000\n3   and  it's depleted  down to  --I  don't know  what the\n4   numbers are,  but it  sure would be  good to  have that\n5   open.\n\n7                   If we can't get a moose, at least we'll\n8   come back with a caribou.  It's just common  knowledge,\n9   you know.   We're there to  to bring  meat back to  our\n10   table.   We have  a lot of  salmon.   I've sat  on many\n11   meetings.  Nushagak Advisory.   I pushed along a lot of\n12   things to  help. I've done  value added  at BBDC.  I've\n13   done  everything  pretty  much to  my  ability  to help\n14   Bristol Bay.\n\n16                   I need  some  help with  a proposal  to\n17   open up  at least one  caribou for each --for anybody\n18   going up the  river, you know.  So I'm not too sure how\n19   this works  with proposals.   I  mean it's  the Federal\n20   level here, but I  know how it works at the  State when\n21   we shut down King salmon fisheries.\n\n23                   Peter   Christopher   and   I   started\n24   Value-added King Salmon.  We  process salmon and it was\n25   probably the best in the world.  We did it.   It wasn't\n26   no  company, but it  came out of Bristol  Bay.  So it's\n27   not --you  know, it's something that --you know, you\n28   think that some people bring  these ideas.  You know, I\n29   learned all this  out of Indian Valley down  there.  We\n30   try to  put value  to our  fish.   But, anyway,  I sure\n31   could use  some  help  at  trying  to  get  a  proposal\n32   together to  open that  area because  there's a lot  of\n33   hungry mouths.\n\n35                   It's pretty sad to go back home and you\n36   hunt a moose.  You know,  you travel maybe 150 miles up\n37   the  main  river  or Nuyakuk  or  Mulchatna,  you know.\n38   That's a long ways to  travel for nothing and come back\n39   empty.   That's not a  good sign for  your family.  You\n40   got to maybe work on putting up more salmon.\n\n42                   So I appreciate all your time and thank\n43   you very much.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Jimmy.  Any comments from the Board?  And I know  we do\n47   have staff here that can  help you with that, getting a\n48   proposal put together for that area.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n22   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   MR. HURLEY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n5                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   Next on  our list  is Tom Harris.   Tom  Harris, please\n7   address the Board.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   MS.  LAVINE:    If  we  don't  have Tom\n12   Harris, the next on the list is Stanley Pete.  Stanley.\n\n14                   MR.  PETE:    Thank  you, Chairman  and\n15   members  of  the  Board.   Good  morning,  Chairman and\n16   members of the Board.  Thank you  for this opportunity.\n17   (In  Yup'ik).   My name  is Stanley  Pete.   My mother,\n18   Donna Pete, and  my father, Dennis Pete.   I am  from a\n19   small village on Yukon Delta, Nunam Iqua.  It's on wind\n20   swept  tundra with  permafrost.   My  family's bond  is\n21   strengthened through subsistence.\n\n23                   I come from a small Yup'ik village.  My\n24   family  and   community   have   always   depended   on\n25   subsistence.   The  subsistence harvest  opportunity of\n26   salmon  on Yukon  River is next  to non-existent.   The\n27   Yup'ik,   Cup'ik,   Koyukon  and   Canada   Athabascan,\n28   Gwich'in,  Han  Hwech'in and  the Hakon  Athabascan and\n29   their  descendants   are  feeling  the  agony  of  fish\n30   collapse.\n\n32                   The  regional,  cultural  and  temporal\n33   variations  are many  in these  different user  groups.\n34   Even  with all  of our  differences  in utilization  of\n35   salmon and many beliefs and ceremonies regarding salmon\n36   are  on  pause  or not  happening.    Our  children and\n37   grandchildren  are losing their  culture or  don't know\n38   what it is.  Us few who remember cherish and  yearn for\n39   that lifestyle.  The few that get fish from other areas\n40   are comforted and reminded of happier times.\n\n42                   With the  collapse of  salmon on  Yukon\n43   some  user groups, not  many, are suggesting  they have\n44   exclusive  rights or privileges to harvest salmon.  The\n45   collapse  of these  salmon  stocks  is causing  tension\n46   between user groups.   All user groups  don't have same\n47   food  availability.    Caribou,  bison, muskox,  moose,\n48   bears, don't live on bear tundra.  Marine mammals don't\n49   go  way inland.   How can any  co-management agreements\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n17   \n25   \n33   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   exist if there is tension in river.\n\n3                   We  have many  laws  and  acts by  both\n4   State and Federal  bodies that dictate when we  can and\n5   cannot do  subsistence. Marine  Mammal Protection  Act,\n6   Migratory  Bird Treaty  Act,  Alaska National  Interest\n7   Land Conservation Act, judicial rulings, many State and\n8   Federal  regulations,  statutes.    Even which  Natives\n9   qualify to subsist.\n\n11                   On the  Yukon it seams  the sole burden\n12   of  conservation of  salmon  is  placed on  subsistence\n13   users.  Key spawning habitat are at the mercy of mining\n14   activity.   Sedimentation,  water quality  degradation,\n15   vegetation loss,  catastrophic mining  spills alter  or\n16   even wipe out discreet salmon stocks.\n\n18                   Mining activity on Yukon is governed by\n19   State and Federal  regulators.  Bureau of  Land manages\n20   mineral development.  Environmental Protection Agencies\n21   enforce regulations  to  protect  water  from  impacts.\n22   State Agencies are also delegated authority. \n23   Water qualities are  of a concern also.   Environmental\n24   protection laws and State agencies govern standards.\n\n26                   In  the   Tanana  River   11.2  million\n27   gallons  a day  of treated  sewage  is discharged  into\n28   androgynous rivers.   It affects those fish  that go up\n29   the  stream,  the  river  to  spawn.   There  are  many\n30   variables   like    permafrost   degradation,    sewage\n31   discharge,   mining   activity,   hatcheries,  bycatch,\n32   interception, hydrology changes on Yukon water site.\n\n34                   I bring my  concerns here to  this body\n35   hoping  my voice  will  be  amplified.   If  all  other\n36   factors  of decline of Yukon salmon are disregarded and\n37   only put  on subsistence  users, how  can anyone  think\n38   these stocks will rebound?  Currently there are another\n39   100 proposed  mines in different  stages of development\n40   on Yukon water site.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n45   appreciate  that testimony.   I  think it gives  a good\n46   picture to what the  rural user faces as we just try to\n47   get a fish  or a  moose or  a caribou.   It's really  a\n48   heavy-weighted  responsibility   on  the   user  so   I\n49   appreciate that testimony in encapsulating I think what\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n14   \n21   \n23   \n26   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   the Yukon goes through as it tries to continue it's way\n2   of life, so thank you.\n\n4                   Any comments from the Board?\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n9   your testimony this morning.\n\n11                   MR. PETE:  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.  Rhonda.\n\n15                   MS.  PITKA:     Thank   you  for   your\n16   testimony today. I really appreciate  it.  I know  that\n17   you do a  lot of work with the  Tribal Fish Commission,\n18   so I'd  like to  thank you for  that work also  and for\n19   protecting the salmon.  I definitely thank you for your\n20   words today.  That was excellent testimony.\n\n22                   MR. PETE:  Thank you.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:  Next  speaker in the queue\n25   is Shania Murphy.  Shania.\n\n27                   MS. MURPHY:   Directors  of the  Board,\n28   Chairman  Christianson, Director  Lee Liddy,  thank you\n29   for  the  chance  to  speak  today.   I  just  want  to\n30   acknowledge that  I am on  the ancestral  lands of  the\n31   Dena'ina people.\n\n33                   There are  two things that I  wanted to\n34   talk about today and one of them is oysters reproducing\n35   in Southeast's waters.   When I  was deckhanding for  a\n36   dive boat over in Behm Canal, this guy came up who knew\n37   my captain, had two deer in his skiff and said I had 20\n38   people out here to my beach.   Come dive it if you want\n39   some oysters.  And that  was frightening to hear.  I've\n40   seen many  one-off populations  that have  huge oysters\n41   growing in them from old dilapidated farms in the '80s,\n42   but  to  my  understanding  there  is  more  than  that\n43   happening.\n\n45                   The second thing that  I wanted to talk\n46   about was sport  fishermen all the way down  at a place\n47   called Tree Point in Ketchikan.  It's near the Canadian\n48   border.   This is  a six-hour run by  a seven knot boat\n49   and about an  hour and 45  minutes to two hours  with a\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n30   \n34   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   faster boat.\n\n3                   We've seen sport fishermen all the  way\n4   down  there.   Charter fishermen  in  the summer  time.\n5   These commercial gillnetters  will follow right  behind\n6   them and  run them off  from their gillnet  grounds and\n7   they're coming every day.  It is  really concerning and\n8   I  would  really like  to  see something  done,  like a\n9   limited entry fishery for charter fishing.\n\n11                   That is all I have to say. Gunalcheesh,\n12   thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n15   Shania.   Any questions,  comments from  the board?   I\n16   appreciate your testimony this morning.  Thank you.\n\n18                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next in the queue we have\n19   Ali Ginter.  Ali.\n\n21                   MS. GINTER:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n22   and  members  of   the  Board.    Thank  you   for  the\n23   opportunity to speak  during public comment today.   My\n24   name is  Ali Ginter.  I am a  resident of  Ketchikan, a\n25   mother of four, and a Councilwoman for Ketchikan Indian\n26   Community.  (In Tlingit) is  my Tlingit name.  It means\n27   the  raven  who stands  up.    I  am Tlingit  from  the\n28   Kaach.adi  Clan   originally  from  Wrangell,   one  of\n29   Alaska's landless communities.\n\n31                   I  am  also  a  child  of  the  Tahltan\n32   people.  I am the daughter of Kayaani Shawat, Leafwoman\n33   Trixie Bennett, and the granddaughter of Minnie Larsen.\n\n36                   I first  want to  thank this Board  for\n37   recognizing  Ketchikan's rural  status.   That decision\n38   meant a great deal  to many families in  our community,\n39   mine included.   It made  people feel  seen, heard  and\n40   understood  for many of  us.  It  was an acknowledgment\n41   that our  lived reality matters.   And I wanted  to use\n42   this  non-agenda   public  comment   period  to   speak\n43   generally about rural life  subsistence and what  these\n44   issues mean to families like mine.\n\n46                   Sometimes   communities    are   viewed\n47   through statistics, maps,  or assumptions, but  numbers\n48   alone  do not  tell  the story  of how  people actually\n49   live.   Ketchikan is an  island community.  We  are not\n\n---\n\n5   \n16   \n26   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   connected to  the road system.   To leave or  return we\n2   rely on boats  and planes.  We depend  heavily on barge\n3   crate and services for the goods that stock  our stores\n4   and support our households.\n\n6                   When    transportation   costs    rise,\n7   families  feel  it.   When  weather  impacts  travel or\n8   deliveries, families feel  it.  That  is part of  rural\n9   life.   Rural life is  not only about geography,  it is\n10   also  about cost, access, isolation and reliance on one\n11   another.     For  many  families   subsistence  is  not\n12   recreation, it's not a hobby, it's not something extra,\n13   it's food  security, it's  dignity,  it's sharing  with\n14   elders, it's teaching  children where food comes  from.\n15   It's keeping cultural practices alive.\n\n17                   For my  family of  six harvested  foods\n18   help feed  our household.  We rely on salmon, whitefish\n19   and deer throughout the year.   As my children grow, so\n20   do  those  needs.    When  we harvest,  we  also  teach\n21   responsibility.   We use what we  can, we waste little,\n22   we  pass  on  values  of  gratitude,  stewardship,  and\n23   respect for the  resources that sustain  us.  For  many\n24   Alaska families,  subsistence is also tied  to identity\n25   and healing.\n\n27                   My husband  is Aleut,  a descendant  of\n28   those  displaced at  three  seas.    Like  many  Native\n29   families there were losses that cannot be undone.  When\n30   he teaches  our sons  to hunt and  provide, it  is more\n31   than harvesting food.  It is connection, it is healing,\n32   it is  reclaiming traditions  that earlier  generations\n33   were denied.  That is something difficult to capture in\n34   policy language, but is very real in our homes.\n\n36                   I also want to recognize those who came\n37   before me and advocated for  these issues long before I\n38   stood here today.   My mother  was heavily involved  in\n39   this work along with President  Burns and I am proud to\n40   be here  to continue  this good work  lending my  voice\n41   where I can.   When discussing rural communities, I ask\n42   that decision-makers  remember that  behind every  map,\n43   chart, or number are real people.\n\n45                   There    are    elders    waiting   for\n46   traditional foods, there are parents trying to  stretch\n47   a  budget,  there  are  children  learning  to  harvest\n48   respectfully.   There are communities working to remain\n49   connected to culture  and place.  Rural is  more than a\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n27   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   label.   Rural is a way of life, rural is a resilience,\n2   rural is  community,  rural is  responsibility  to  one\n3   another.\n\n5                   Thank  you  for   your  time  and   for\n6   listening.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n9   appreciate your testimony this morning.   Any questions\n10   or comments.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    I appreciate\n15   you taking the time to share that.  Thank you.\n\n17                   MS.  LAVINE:   Next on  our  list is  a\n18   gentleman from Togiak.   Mr. Cutchiuk.   Please correct\n19   my pronunciation.\n\n21                   MR.  CUTCHIUK:   Good  morning,  Chair.\n22   Members of the Board.  My name is Jimmy Cutchiuk. I  am\n23   from the village of Togiak in Southwest Bristol Bay.  I\n24   know Ms. Stewart  is there sitting. I  am testifying in\n25   support of opening a caribou season at  the Cape Peirce\n26   section of the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.\n\n28                   Refuge memos  that these  caribous live\n29   there year round in  the refuge and should  be utilized\n30   for subsistence by the villages that live in  that area\n31   closest  to where the  caribou reside.   My people have\n32   been hunting that area for as long as I can remember. I\n33   think I  started hunting that  area 20 to 30  years ago\n34   and I've  been traveling  with older  elders back  then\n35   because my only friends were those older areas that  --\n36   I mean the  older people that know that area.   So I've\n37   been traveling a lot with them.\n\n39                   Since  the Mulchatna  Caribou Herd  has\n40   been  closed and  the travel  conditions  were good,  I\n41   traveled this  winter 15  hours round  trip to  harvest\n42   caribou from the Nushagak Peninsula.   That's Southwest\n43   of Dillingham.  And with the cost of fuel as high as it\n44   is, and it's  going to get higher, like  it says in the\n45   news if their reports are good.  Local season would cut\n46   that to an eight-hour trip from my village.\n\n48                   It  was a good different food from what\n49   we  eat every year since the Mulchatna Caribou Herd has\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n14   \n25   \n33   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1   been closed  and the  only food that  we had  is moose.\n2   That caribou is really really  good and I'm glad we had\n3   good  travel conditions.   The  refuge  memo said  that\n4   these caribou lived  year round in that area,  so I put\n5   in a proposal  a couple years  ago.  I'd like  to thank\n6   some people  for helping me  putting in a  proposal for\n7   special action.  I'd like to get a permanent season for\n8   that area before they deplete the lunch buffet.\n\n10                   Thanks for your time.  Thank you.\n\n## 12 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: We appreciate 13 that. Any questions for Jimmy.\n\n15                   MR. WOODS:  Jimmy, you talked about the\n16   Cape Peirce  caribou  population and  a second  caribou\n17   topic  from   Bristol  Bay.     Dan   Dunaway  is   our\n18   representative on  the RAC. The  management of  Federal\n19   lands  is  really  patchwork,   especially  up  on  the\n20   Nushagak  for caribou is managed by the Mulchatna Herd.\n21   The  State biologist, John, that was  in before the one\n22   we have now was real active on trying to micro --kind\n23   of giving out  maybe quota shares to  different regions\n24   for the Mulchatna is too big.\n\n26                   That  that herd  you're talking  about,\n27   you're  correct, is  on Federal  land and I  would work\n28   through the RAC process to  get a proposal for that and\n29   I  would support any decisions or proposals or anything\n30   that come up for that  population.  It's on the western\n31   side of the Togiak  Refuge.  It's a micro herd,  but it\n32   also can be utilized.\n\n34                   The  other thing  too is the  State and\n35   the Feds --it says  not an embarrassment of the people\n36   or  the system, but  they have ceremonial  permits that\n37   can  be  issued  for  caribou and  moose.    The  Lower\n38   Peninsula also issues  educational permits for  caribou\n39   and  moose so at least our people can have a taste, but\n40   also can teach  young people on harvesting and  what it\n41   takes to harvest.\n\n43                   So I'll  shut up.   I  wasn't going  to\n44   comment,  but this  is the second  --and  I appreciate\n45   both  people coming up  from Bristol Bay  and speaking,\n46   especially on caribou and wildlife populations.   Thank\n47   you.\n\n49                   MR.  CUTCHIUK:   English  is my  second\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n11    \n21   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   language so I have a hard time trying to speak clearly,\n2   but that wasn't my intent.  Thank you.\n\n4                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You did a good\n5   job and I thank Frank  for giving options on the record\n6   that what is  available to create that  access point to\n7   the  resource, you know,  in the  interim of  getting a\n8   proposal before us.\n\n10                   So thank you, Frank.  Thank you, Jim.\n\n12                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair, we  have three\n13   more folks that  have signed up for the  comment period\n14   on non-agenda  items.  I  know that we do  have someone\n15   that signed up  for the consensus agenda.   I might ask\n16   if  there is anyone  else interested in  addressing the\n17   Board  on non-agenda  items.    We  will  have  another\n18   opportunity tomorrow morning.  I will continue with the\n19   three I have here.  Next person in the queue is Heather\n20   Bauscher.\n\n22                   MS. BAUSCHER:   Good  morning everyone,\n23   Mr. Chair, members of the Board.   I had a few things I\n24   failed  to mention  yesterday  and  I  just  wanted  to\n25   announce, because it came up earlier, that the teaching\n26   guides did officially arrive hot off the presses.  They\n27   got  a little delayed but they were delivered yesterday\n28   afternoon and I do have them in the back of the room.\n\n30                   This is  a  limited first  run  of  250\n31   copies  and the  printing was  generously  funded by  a\n32   member from the Southeast RAC that contributed  content\n33   regarding the early days of the program.  So I want  to\n34   say  a big  thank  you  to Cal  Casipit  on the  record\n35   because he didn't  want this to  exist only in  digital\n36   format and recognize  the need for physical  copies for\n37   rural Alaskans.\n\n39                   I also  forgot to mention  a few  folks\n40   and I  wanted to  say thank you  to the USDA  Office of\n41   Tribal Relations  for helping  to  fund the  curriculum\n42   guide as  well as  some of the  recent support  for the\n43   program.  Kim Amanderez (ph), she is  our new logistics\n44   support person, which  is actually what is  allowing me\n45   to expand this  program beyond Sitka and  Southeast, so\n46   big thank you to her.\n\n48                   And Taylor  Bauscher  did  all  of  the\n49   graphic design  on this  guide.  She  has been  working\n\n---\n\n6   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n27   \n36   \n46   \n50\n\n1   with me on this for more than two years to try  and put\n2   this together, so I failed to mention them earlier.  If\n3   people would like a copy  of the guide, please come see\n4   me  in the back and write down your information because\n5   I'm trying to keep track of where they go.\n\n7                   Thanks  to a  lot of  the conversations\n8   that have  been had in the  room lately.  I  am hopeful\n9   that  we will  find more  funding  in partnership  with\n10   agencies  or other shared agreements to keep this going\n11   because we  will be  at the bottom  of funding  for the\n12   student  travel this  fall.   I  only have  funding for\n13   community   workshops  until   next  spring,   but  the\n14   community  workshops have also been  a good way to find\n15   the people in the communities to help support youth and\n16   future cohorts.\n\n18                   So please  reach out if  you would like\n19   to talk  about that.  Thank you so  much for all of the\n20   support.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n23   Heather.\n\n25                   MS. LAVINE:   Next in the queue  is Ben\n26   Mallott.  Ben.\n\n28                   MR. MALLOTT:   Good morning  members of\n29   the committee today.  My name is Ben Mallott, president\n30   of AFN.   I am here  to make sure that  the Subsistence\n31   Board  is aware  of National  Park Service  rulemaking.\n32   This rulemaking is reviewing  certain hunting revisions\n33   on reserve  lands in Alaska.   This goes back  to 2015.\n34   Since 2015 this  rule has included the  definition that\n35   we all know in ANILCA for rural preference.\n\n37                   The  Park  Service is  reviewing  these\n38   pre-2015 rules and is unclear to AFN in their rule --I\n39   just  want to recognize  that this deadline  was pushed\n40   back  for 15  days  for  additional  comment  from  our\n41   membership.  I also want to thank DOI and also NPS, Don\n42   Striker, for  meeting with AFN.   This is also  part of\n43   the  process too, right?   We  ask these  questions and\n44   wait  for  Interior  to  get  back  to  us  with   more\n45   information.\n\n47                   But I also want to recognize that right\n48   now  in  rural  Alaska  times  are  tough.   Our  rural\n49   preference is really for those who need it the most and\n\n---\n\n7   \n17   \n29   \n37   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   so AFN is  really concerned about any  rules that could\n2   open our rural areas for those that don't live in rural\n3   Alaska.  With that said with  AFN and how this rule has\n4   been proposed of how --sorry, I didn't write my notes\n5   down.  It's on my phone.  I didn't print it off, so I'm\n6   trying to read real small.\n\n8                   It's unclear how AFN --to AFN and also\n9   I think this is a good question  for this Board, is how\n10   the NPS can manage subsistence on Federal lands, and so\n11   a part of ANILCA  as this rule seeks to .. According to\n12   State management.   AFN wants this Board to  be sure of\n13   this rule.  I'm  sure how this Board  and also AFN  how\n14   the State regulations  can impact and also  still apply\n15   to ANILCA when this rule is kind of  written the way it\n16   is.\n\n18                   AFN  has  made  comments  asking  this.\n19   Right now we  are asking if the state --asking if NPS\n20   is  asking that the ANILCA definition of subsistence be\n21   considered with State definition.  The State definition\n22   of  subsistence  is  for  all.    That's  not  a  rural\n23   preference.    A  preference  for  everyone  is  not  a\n24   preference at all.   So AFN is asking if NPS --we also\n25   encourage this Board to also consider through different\n26   regulations and  especially a sector order,  asking how\n27   it can make deference  for state  opportunities of  how\n28   that still applies to ANILCA.\n\n30                   Right now we are in the middle of a lot\n31   of uncertainty.  We  are coming up to a new  season and\n32   our  communities are  hurting.   Right  now communities\n33   have decided between  high fuel costs for  not only for\n34   heat, but also for activities  for fishing.  Right  now\n35   it is unclear of how these rules would actually blend a\n36   State preference for all and also a rural preference.\n\n38                   With that  said, it's  confusing.   I'm\n39   still waking up.  I want to make sure this committee is\n40   aware  of these rules  and actually just  aware that --\n41   and actually  has the same  questions to NPS of  how we\n42   can blend possible  additional State  regs over  ANILCA\n43   Title VIII.\n\n45                   Gunalcheesh  and thank  you for  having\n46   me.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n49   I appreciate  the update.   Any  questions or  comments\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n14   \n25   \n35   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1   from the Board.\n\n3                   (No comments)\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n6   seeing  none, thank you  for that update  this morning.\n7   Appreciate your time.\n\n9                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n10   have  a couple  more  people who  signed  up that  were\n11   misfiled for this morning.  Gayla Hoseth is next in our\n12   queue.   And  after  that will  be  Peter Angasan,  Sr.\n13   Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. HOSETH:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair\n16   and members  of the Board.   I just couldn't  stay away\n17   from  this  table,  I  guess.    I  wasn't  planning on\n18   testifying  at this  meeting.   But  my  name is  Gayla\n19   Hoseth.   I wear  many different  hats.   I am  here on\n20   behalf of  Curyung Tribal  Council here  today to  talk\n21   about some issues that are on non-agenda items that are\n22   really important though as  what's happening out  there\n23   affecting  our subsistence way  of life in  the Bristol\n24   Bay Region.\n\n26                   We just got out of a Board of Fisheries\n27   cycle and herring was a big topic.  Herring, as we have\n28   in Kulukak Bay, is where have our Federal waters on the\n29   west side of  Bristol Bay and Chignik is  the other one\n30   and  I think  there's  a little  section in  Iliamna of\n31   Federal waters.   The decisions that are being  made at\n32   the Board of  Fisheries and also  at the North  Pacific\n33   Fisheries Management  Council are  going to  impact our\n34   communities when it comes to subsistence.\n\n36                   How do  we tie  that together with  the\n37   Federal Subsistence Board in talking.   I was glad that\n38   the  question  that was  brought up  by Mr.  Green from\n39   Seward  Peninsula RAC  to  Ms. Kara  about what  is the\n40   connection with  the Department of Commerce  when these\n41   decisions  are being made is what's happening out there\n42   at the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council.\n\n44                   At  the  Board  of  Fisheries  we  have\n45   Proposal 188.   That part  of the Togiak  Herring stock\n46   will go  to the  Dutch Harbor/Unalaska  area for  their\n47   quota.  That's only if they are not catching 80 percent\n48   of the total allowable catch for Togiak.\n\n---\n\n11   \n18   \n25   \n32   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   In January  of 2027, the  North Pacific\n2   Fisheries  Management Council is  going to be  making a\n3   decision as to how much  biomass of herring is going to\n4   be taken  out of  the Bering Sea.   Right  now it  is 1\n5   percent.  That is going to possibly increase to 2  to 3\n6   percent.  That's  going to have significant  impacts on\n7   herring and the species that rely on herring or herring\n8   roe on help.   The smaller stocks of  herring along the\n9   western  coast of  Alaska  all  the way  up  as far  as\n10   Kotzebue and the species that rely on herring.\n\n12                   I  know  that  the   next  cycle  is  a\n13   fisheries cycle.  Trying to figure out how do we put in\n14   a proposal is challenging as I'm thinking in my head of\n15   the  proposal process, but a decision could possibly be\n16   made before the next Federal Subsistence  Board meeting\n17   of 2027.\n\n19                   As we see  the subsistence declines for\n20   fish, we  see the  subsistence declines  for moose  and\n21   caribou.   When we are really  looking at the ecosystem\n22   of our  waters, herring is  a key species in  the water\n23   that connects everything  that doesn't have  boundaries\n24   of who's managing what resource.\n\n26                   So I just  wanted to bring that  to the\n27   attention of  this Board and  maybe really push  to see\n28   how  we  do  work  with the  other  agencies  on  these\n29   decisions because I don't really see a cross connection\n30   of  how   we   are  communicating   and  having   those\n31   conversations.\n\n33                   I appreciate the engagement.  I  really\n34   want  to  focus  on  education.    I'm  glad  that  Ben\n35   highlighted a little  about the  National Park  Service\n36   comment period  that we're  currently in.    We are  in\n37   comment   period  after  comment   period  and  we  are\n38   constantly  reacting to all  of these changes  that are\n39   coming our way.   One thing that is really  key is that\n40   we really figure  out how do we focus  on educating the\n41   public  on what  are the  impacts  on this.  How do  we\n42   understand all of this and  so many different areas and\n43   sometimes we  catch comment  periods, and sometimes  we\n44   don't.\n\n46                   Very proud of Heather and the team that\n47   she works  with to do  the educational guide.   I think\n48   that's  going  to  help  people  get  engaged  in  this\n49   process.   I just  have  to say  since I  am here  from\n\n---\n\n**0354**\n\n9   \n22   \n24   \n32   \n41   \n45   \n50\n\n1   Bristol  Bay, I  am  really proud  of  Dan Dunaway  for\n2   sitting  in as  RAC.   The  RAC Chairman  here at  this\n3   meeting.   Also we have  RAC member Kenneth  Nukwak who\n4   came to  this process how  many years ago when  we were\n5   talking about caribou.   And a lot of  people don't get\n6   involved in this  process unless something is  wrong or\n7   they've  been  cited  or  their way  of  life  has been\n8   drastically affected.\n\n10                   Also I  want to recognize  Frank Woods.\n11   He  is from  our tribe  and  I am  really proud  of his\n12   leadership that  he serves  on the  Federal Subsistence\n13   Board in this space  as one of the  public members.   I\n14   can't forget  Crystal as  well.  She  is also  from our\n15   tribe.   So we  have a lot of  leadership here from the\n16   Bristol Bay  Region and  I just want  to say  thank you\n17   also  for  Jimmy for  speaking  up and  those  that are\n18   possibly going to speak  after.  But the herring  issue\n19   is a  big one that I don't want  us to overlook and not\n20   have it be on our radar for  all of us to pay attention\n21   in these different spaces that we are in.\n\n## 23 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n26   Gayla. I didn't realize we were Bristol Bay surrounded.\n27   I thought  Southeast had the  floor here.  Just  I know\n28   this as a Federal Board Program has seen this in Sitka.\n29   If there is  Federal waters  in the  bay, the  Makhnati\n30   Islands  were  closed  to the  harvest  of  herring for\n31   commercial purposes.\n\n33                   And  the State,  through pressure  from\n34   the  locals,  matched  that closure  area  in  there to\n35   provide for subsistence  uses and  conserve the  stock.\n36   So  this Board has  been engaged in  herring management\n37   toolmaking I guess.  I would look at what happened with\n38   Sitka and  maybe see what  we can do to  help entertain\n39   something out there to protect and preserve if there is\n40   going to be an increase.  Thank you.\n\n42                   MS.  HOSETH:   Thank  you very  much. I\n43   would be happy  to be a part of  those conversations as\n44   well.  Thank you.\n\n46                   MR. WOODS:   I just want to  thank you,\n47   Gayla, as a  public member I always  support statewide,\n48   regionally  wide,  and  all  the  issues  that  connect\n49   subsistence  to  Alaska.   The  youth  behind  you, I'm\n\n---\n\n5   \n14   \n23   \n26   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   looking at  a kid  I saw last  year, I  would challenge\n2   ourselves to bring those entities and I would recommend\n3   this. I've been recommending.  We have a RAC meeting at\n4   the school.\n\n6                   Like  Dan   was  talking   about  also,\n7   bringing a  youth track into  this process is huge.   I\n8   know it's costly, but it is important.  Your leadership\n9   back home  has been real  honored to have, not  just in\n10   this arena, but in different arenas, state and national\n11   wide.   We have  identified Federal  waters in  Bristol\n12   Bay.  We have identified the impacts of herring and its\n13   impact.\n\n15                   So with the RAC process I think we have\n16   some traction. And  thank you, Mr. Chair,  for speaking\n17   about  Sitka  and  the  Federal  waters  that  you  are\n18   identifying.  It's a different tract, but if that's why\n19   we are here, it's a non-agenda  items and we have a lot\n20   of issues statewide.  So  I'll move on because of time.\n21   Thank you,  Gayla, for  your input  and well  received.\n22   Thank you.\n\n24                   MS. HOSETH:   Through the  Chair, thank\n25   you, Frank.\n\n27                   MR.  GREEN:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n28   Gayla, I really appreciate the fact that you brought up\n29   the herring issue and the Board of Fish taking a cut of\n30   the Togiak  supposedly  fishery that  I  guess  doesn't\n31   really exist.  Does it?\n\n33                   So  the  point  I  was  going  to  make\n34   because you  brought that out  is the fact that  if you\n35   are going to fish --if people are going to fish out in\n36   the Bering Sea,  they are going to be  fishing on mixed\n37   herring  stock.  You  know, it's not  one stock.   So I\n38   think it's an important issue to really hone in on when\n39   they can  take somebody's  --a  percent of  somebody's\n40   catch  --a  quota, excuse  me, and  go fish it  in the\n41   middle of the  ocean, they're not going to be targeting\n42   only Togiak  herring.   They're going  to be  targeting\n43   Norton Sound area.  I used to fish Norton Sound.\n\n45                   Gayla, you  mentioned the  herring that\n46   are  probably  necessary to  make  it  all the  way  to\n47   Kotzebue,  and that would  be another small  stock, but\n48   sheefish feed  on herring.   I was just talking  to the\n49   main man  of the  Northwest Borough last  night and  he\n\n---\n\n3   \n10   \n12   \n17   \n20   \n31   \n40   \n47   \n50\n\n1   said  we  don't have  a  lot  but  we really  have  our\n2   sheefish and they are really doing well.\n\n4                   I encouraged  him to come  to the table\n5   and start  bringing that  out because  if the Board  of\n6   Fish is going  to allow a mixed stock  fishery, I don't\n7   think that's  going to be  doing any good for  the west\n8   coast of  Alaska.  So I really  appreciate you bringing\n9   that out.\n\n## 11 Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   other comments from the Board?  I appreciate it, Gayla.\n15   And thank you  and to AFN for  all that you do  for the\n16   rural subsistence user.  Thank you.\n\n18                   MS. HOSETH:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n19   Next in the queue is Peter Angasan, Sr.  Peter.\n\n21                   MR. ANGASAN, SR.:  Good morning.  A lot\n22   of Bristol  Bay folks here  today, huh?  I'm  from King\n23   Salmon,  from  Bristol  Bay.    I  went  to  a  meeting\n24   yesterday --not  here, but the other one.   The Yukon.\n25   There  was some kind  of agreement made  with Canadians\n26   and  Fish and  Game concerning their  lack of  stock up\n27   there and how  they're going to try to  preserve or get\n28   their stock  back.  But  the tribes weren't  invited to\n29   make comments for the agreement that was made with this\n30   group.\n\n32                   Although they left number four. It says\n33   if you have  a funeral, Father Max brought  up we could\n34   go get some fish and bring to the people.  But  I think\n35   that  there's 200 plus tribes and they're all Federally\n36   recognized, I think, and they  should have a say at the\n37   table concerning their  resources.  If we  don't have a\n38   say  about  our  resources,  it's  going to  be  a  big\n39   problem.\n\n41                   And then  we have  another big  problem\n42   because,  you know, we've got fishing that's in decline\n43   in  some areas.   You've got communities  that are just\n44   wilting away.   Then  we have our  children who  are in\n45   jeopardy  and they're leaving  us by means  of suicide.\n46   This is an epidemic.\n\n48                   You know, subsistence is not just going\n49   out and  getting a caribou or catching  a fish.  It's a\n\n---\n\n6   \n13   \n21   \n28   \n30   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n1   way for our elders to  communicate with us about how it\n2   used to be  and how it could  be and how it  should be.\n3   We  are the  elders  now.   We're  not  the young  kids\n4   anymore that went out with our elders.  We are the ones\n5   holding --leading the wagon so to speak.\n\n7                   But we're losing  39 people plus a  day\n8   nationally in suicide.  Alaska is the highest  rate and\n9   we don't want to  be in that rate. We want  to preserve\n10   our children.  Why?   Because one day our children will\n11   be our future  and we're going  to be hopefully  saying\n12   good job, we did well.\n\n14                   I'm  just saying  that subsistence  and\n15   how  we  can  represent our  communities  and  we can't\n16   represent them  if we're not at the  table.  I know I'm\n17   talking apples and oranges, but it all mingles down  to\n18   one thing.   We need to be recognized.  We need to have\n19   a seat  and our children have to be  heard.  We have to\n20   preserve our children.\n\n22                   I  mean   I  lost  my  son  because  of\n23   suicide.  I would have  never got involved if it wasn't\n24   for him  and I  wish I  have never  got involved.   But\n25   since I got  involved I realize what we need  to do and\n26   what  we  should do  and  what  we  can do  as  people.\n27   Subsistence is a way to preserve and help our children.\n\n## 29 That's all I have to say.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n32   that,  Peter.  I think that  sums up us living in rural\n33   communities  and the things we have to really encounter\n34   as we see resources and lifestyles changing and purpose\n35   diminishing.  So a real big thing we're struggling with\n36   as well.  Thank you.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Last in the queue is Spencer Beckman.  Spencer Beckman,\n40   you might be online.  If  you are, please press --oh,\n41   he's here.  Excellent.\n\n43                   MR.  BECKMAN:   Mr.  Chair.   Respected\n44   members of the  Board.  My name is  Spencer Beckman.  I\n45   was  raised  and  currently  reside  in  Craig,  Alaska\n46   located on Prince  of Wales Island.   I'm near lifelong\n47   subsistence  user and  a  rural  resident of  Southeast\n48   Alaska.   I  currently  serve as  the  Prince of  Wales\n49   Island Alaska Youth Stewards Program Manager.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n21   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   I'm    here    today     because    I'm\n2   participating in Heather Bauscher's course supported by\n3   the Sitka Conservation Council.  I'm taking this course\n4   with the  support of  Tlingit and Haida  so that  I may\n5   bring my youth group members in the future.\n\n7                   I'm also here today representing myself\n8   as a subsistence user.  This is my first experience and\n9   exposure  to the Federal  Board Management process.   I\n10   must say  that I'm very  thankful for the work  you all\n11   have done and  continue to do.  As  an Alaskan and more\n12   specifically  a   rural   subsistence   user   I   feel\n13   represented and that my voice is heard.\n\n15                   I commend you  for your professionalism\n16   and  willingness to find  common ground amongst varying\n17   Alaskan residents.  As you stated yesterday, Mr. Chair,\n18   we all  have a  lot in common  as Alaskans.   So again,\n19   thank  you for  what you  do  and for  setting a  great\n20   example of decorum for us all.\n\n22                   I, myself, am  not indigenous; however,\n23   my raising  in rural  Alaska has  instilled in me  many\n24   indigenous  values.    While  pursuing  my  masters  in\n25   education I  was  tasked with  writing  a paper  on  my\n26   culture.  For  a while I was  stumped.  I knew  that my\n27   ancestry was European, but as far as culture I was at a\n28   loss.\n\n30                   After   some  time   I  realized   that\n31   subsistence is my culture.   It is what makes me  who I\n32   am.  It connects me to the land, water,  fish, game and\n33   edibles around me.   Subsistence creates purpose  in my\n34   life as the gentleman before  me spoke.  Each season is\n35   something  to look  forward  to.    Subsisting  off  an\n36   ever-changing  landscape   has  made  me   a  life-long\n37   learner, keeping my mind sharp and my body strong.\n\n39                   I want to express today my support  for\n40   the   rural   status   of  Ketchikan,   Alaska,   while\n41   encouraging you to prioritize the subsistence rights of\n42   Unit 2 residents whose needs  have gone unmet in recent\n43   years.   I understand the importance of the subsistence\n44   way of life to my  neighbors in Ketchikan and I support\n45   those  rights.  Subsistence  is culture and  culture is\n46   connection.\n\n48                   Thank  you for your time and effort put\n49   before these issues.\n\n---\n\n1   \n4   \n6   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n32   \n40   \n48   \n50\n\n2                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n3   Spencer and appreciate it.  Any questions or comments.\n\n5                   (No comments)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Spencer  and I\n8   got to pull  a few fish eggs this spring  together.  We\n9   work in the  same department.  Good luck  with the kids\n10   this  summer.   It's really  important to  get out  and\n11   teach  that  engagement.   It's one  of these  areas in\n12   Southeast we find  every avenue to kind of  pick up our\n13   kids and  keep  them moving  towards  a goal  of  their\n14   purpose with good guardrails like Spencer.  He's also a\n15   teacher,  so  we  appreciate  that  leadership  in  our\n16   circle.\n\n18                   Thank you, Spencer.\n\n20                   MR. BECKMAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Frank.\n\n24                   MR.  WOODS:    Mr.  Chair,  thank  you.\n25   Through the Chair.  Spencer, thank you  for bringing it\n26   to light, the reality we  have in Alaska.  Just because\n27   you're   not  indigenous  doesn't  mean  you're  not  a\n28   subsistence  user and I  appreciate that.   Number one.\n29   It's a class  of cultures that need to  be addressed in\n30   this room, inside this room, outside this room and with\n31   each other.\n\n33                   That the  value system --I  value your\n34   testimony as  much  as I  do  any other  indigenous  or\n35   tribal entity.  That needs  to happen.  But it realizes\n36   that  we have  a conflict  of cultures doesn't  mean we\n37   have to disagree  and I appreciate your  honesty and up\n38   front saying that  I come to  this as a  non-indigenous\n39   person and I live off subsistence and culture.\n\n41                   If  you  heard  my   testimony  at  the\n42   beginning of the meeting, culture  is a shared group of\n43   activities  that  we  do  as  a  people.   Heritage  is\n44   inherited and I think there's a difference between that\n45   since I'm  --I'll  refer to  my  elder Joe  Chythlook.\n46   He's my designated grandfather in a culture that I live\n47   in.  He says that we only think we manage resource.\n\n49                   I  bring   this  forward   because  the\n\n---\n\n6   \n13   \n24   \n33   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n50\n\n1   Western way of management is  to what we're doing today\n2   and  that's  foreign  to our  people.    You come  from\n3   Southeast  that have  impacted  the  highest influx  of\n4   non-subsistence user in a resource for the last hundred\n5   years.\n\n7                   Western Alaska is  now just imposing on\n8   that   influx.     With   the   guide   industry,   the\n9   non-regulated transporters  to the  fisheries resource.\n10   The  deer population  we have  before us,  right?   All\n11   those  issues have to be delineated and disseminated at\n12   this meeting.\n\n14                   That's huge.   I thank  you because  we\n15   need more of you to  come testify and start sorting out\n16   these  issues  at  the  table.    Working them  out  in\n17   regulation.   I have  to respect everyone.   When  I go\n18   back home I'm not fully accepted in every arena.  I'm a\n19   half-breed.  So in the Western world I am Native.  I go\n20   back home to  my village and  I'm considered a  cussuck\n21   (ph).   I  don't  have the  same designation  of either\n22   world, right?   I grew up in  a world where we  have to\n23   adapt to survive.\n\n25                   The Native people  are strong, but also\n26   the pioneers of this state helped organize and they did\n27   a great job  of forming this committee  because without\n28   this committee our  rural people and Native  people and\n29   non-Native people would not be able to feed themselves.\n30   With the high cost of --there are people paying $20 a\n31   gallon  for heating fuel  right now.   Ten dollars plus\n32   for gas.  I looked at a $14 a gallon gas bill.\n\n34                   Rural  Alaska  cannot  afford  to  live\n35   without  this program.    I  appreciate  your  and  I'd\n36   appreciate to see you  in more meetings, you said  this\n37   was  your first  testimony, first  experience, welcome.\n38   You keep coming back.\n\n40                   Thank you.\n\n42                   MR. BECKMAN:  Thank you, Mr. Woods.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair, I just want\n45   to echo  some of the  comments that Frank made.   Kevin\n46   Pendergast,  BLM.   We are  here to  represent a  rural\n47   preference.   That  doesn't mean  a Native  preference.\n48   Native is an important part of that, but it's rural and\n49   these  folks  are  experiencing  the  same  challenges,\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n13   \n19   \n29   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   regardless  of where they  come from originally.   It's\n2   really important to me,  the mission that we  have here\n3   as  this body  and  kind  of  understanding  all  these\n4   perspectives.    I  just  appreciate  your  remarks and\n5   wanted to mention that.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you and\n8   appreciate that.  A true culture of sharing in Alaska.\n\n10                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, the last person\n11   to  provide testimony on  the non-agenda items  is Herb\n12   Mansavage.  Herb.\n\n14                   MR. MANSAVAGE:   Thank you, Mr.  Chair,\n15   and members of  the Board.  I apologize.  I'm not savvy\n16   to the federal  process of this  Board and so I  have a\n17   couple agenda items  that I will be speaking  to you as\n18   I'm not going to be available tomorrow or the weekend.\n\n20                   For  the  record,   my  name  is   Herb\n21   Mansavage  and I represent  the chair of  the Matanuska\n22   Valley  Advisory Committee.  But again, for the record,\n23   this is  going to be  a personal testimony, but  I just\n24   wanted to make a  note that we did  submit a letter  on\n25   behalf of WP26-15, the deer  closure.  I would ask that\n26   that letter is looked at as that was good  conversation\n27   and  unanimous support  from the advisory  committee in\n28   the Matanuska Valley.\n\n30                   Again, for the record, I'm going  to be\n31   giving  personal  testimony.   First  I'll  start  with\n32   WP26-15. I am  strongly opposed to  this.  Mostly  from\n33   the sense that I've been  involved in the Board of Game\n34   process for  the  State for  the  last 15  years,  very\n35   heavily.  As a chair I really try to do my best to work\n36   with  the biologists and the constituents from all over\n37   the state to understand our resource as best I can.\n\n39                   When these  things come up  before us I\n40   really  try to,  from the  State  perspective, look  at\n41   what's  a biological concern here.  And in this case my\n42   strong opposition comes  from the reasoning that  there\n43   is no  biological concern  on these  islands and  then,\n44   number two, it's  a transplanted species.  So  I see no\n45   reason  for  a  rural  preference  on  this  particular\n46   species in these areas.\n\n48                   Secondly, just quickly, is WP26-11, and\n49   that would be the Unit 6D black bear.  The  only reason\n\n---\n\n7   \n13   \n23   \n30   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1   I wanted to make  a note is I  could not see --it  was\n2   noted that closed  portions to non-Federally  qualified\n3   users.   I didn't explicitly see  that in the proposal,\n4   but I  just wanted  to ask that  that is  considered as\n5   well for those that are non-qualified for Federal lands\n6   there.\n\n8                   It's a very traditional --at least for\n9   myself, it's  one of the most beautiful areas in Alaska\n10   that I look forward to harvesting a black bear and it's\n11   great meat and  I just ask that it  is carefully looked\n12   at when that does come about.\n\n14                   For the non-agenda items I  just have a\n15   couple  comments  I  wanted  to make.    I'd  ask  when\n16   considering   these  proposals  --while  I'm  not  a\n17   Federally-qualified subsistence user, I  would ask that\n18   the Board  recognize subsistence nature  of all Alaskan\n19   game  and  fish,  which we  harvest  for  our families.\n20   Being a true steward of the land is a responsibility of\n21   all Alaskan residents and it's held with great care and\n22   respect.\n\n24                   To  follow   with  that,  while   I  am\n25   strongly  opposed to most  closures of Federal  land to\n26   non-Federally qualified  users for  the reasons  I just\n27   stated  above, I would ask that weapons restrictions be\n28   considered  before   total  closure   to  non-Federally\n29   qualified users.\n\n31                   Again I am speaking on personal behalf,\n32   but   I  am  a  board   member  of  Alaska  Bow  Hunter\n33   Association.  Part  of that board and  reason I've been\n34   on that board  for eight years is --you know, archery\n35   is  a heritage  and it's  a different  way of  not only\n36   hunting  the animals  but  experiencing  the  land  and\n37   environment and providing that food in that way.\n\n39                   So I  would just ask,  you know, before\n40   --and this is a  broad stroke, but before closures for\n41   non-Federally qualified users  are considered, I  would\n42   ask that --you know, it's something that a term may be\n43   a  primitive weapon such as a traditional muzzle loader\n44   or archery  equipment  is considered  for  those  users\n45   before a  total  closure  for  non-Federally  qualified\n46   users.\n\n48                   Lastly, again, kind of a broad  stroke,\n49   but in a lot of these areas I think trophy hunting gets\n\n---\n\n8   \n12   \n14   \n18   \n27   \n34   \n40   \n49   \n50\n\n1   a bad name and I'd like to make note that many  times a\n2   trophy hunter is  labeled as just  that, just a  trophy\n3   hunter, but meanwhile it's much larger than that.  True\n4   conservation  is in  most cases  the  taking of  large,\n5   mature animals, and  the meat is  just as valuable,  if\n6   not more, than the impressive  set of antlers, horn, or\n7   hide.  Thank you.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n10   Appreciate  that.   Any  questions?   And  this is  the\n11   Cordova Bay proposal, just for my mind space?\n\n## 13 MR. MANSAVAGE: Yes.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Okay.   Thank\n16   you.  I was just placing it to a geographical area.  Go\n17   ahead, Don.\n\n19                   MR. HERNANDEZ:   Thank  you.   It's Don\n20   Hernandez.  Chair of the Southeast RAC.  You brought up\n21   that issue of whether or not transplanted species could\n22   have  a  customary  traditional use  determination  and\n23   that's  something we've dealt  with in Southeast Alaska\n24   where  we  have  customary traditional  hunts  on  some\n25   transplanted  species   and  it  required   a  lot   of\n26   discussion as to validate that.\n\n28                   The position of Southeast RAC  --and I\n29   think  would be consistent with all Title VIII statutes\n30   would  be that  people  view --you say  customary and\n31   traditional and people  kind of take that as  one term,\n32   it's customary  and traditional, but  it's two separate\n33   concepts in our view.\n\n35                   Traditions   are   those  longstanding,\n36   deep-seated  values  that  people  have  towards  their\n37   practices,  whereas customs  is something  that changes\n38   over time.  You  grow accustomed to doing  something as\n39   situations change.  So it's two different concepts.\n\n41                   So  in  the  case   of  a  transplanted\n42   species the  tradition is to  go out and hunt  for your\n43   personal subsistence,  but over time customs change and\n44   you adapt.  So when  a species is introduced it becomes\n45   part of that tradition of hunting and gathering, so you\n46   have to  view it  in that respect.   So  hopefully that\n47   would  clarify  your   concerns  about  customary   and\n48   tradition uses of the introduced species.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n10   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n37   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  Thank you.\n\n5                   MS. PITKA:   Hi. I just wanted  to make\n6   sure to  clarify.  What's  your name and  community and\n7   which proposals were you opposed  to?  I usually  write\n8   it down at the beginning so I have a clear idea of what\n9   the testimony is for the proposal.  Thank you.\n\n11                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  For the record my  name\n12   is  Herb Mansavage.  I'm representing  myself from  Big\n13   Lake,   Alaska.    The  letter  that  I  spoke  of  was\n14   representing  the  Matanuska   Valley  Fish  and   Game\n15   Advisory  Committee.    We  are  opposed  --from  the\n16   Matanuska  Valley perspective, we  are opposed  only to\n17   WP26-15  and for  myself I was  opposed to  WP26-15 and\n18   WP26-11.\n\n20                   MS.  PITKA:     Thank   you  for   that\n21   clarification.\n\n23                   MR. MANSAVAGE:  Yes, thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you,  I\n26   appreciate your testimony today.\n\n28                   MS. LAVINE:   Thank you, Mr. Chair.   I\n29   have been made aware that there is an individual online\n30   who's  been trying  to  raise their  hand and  it's not\n31   showing up.  Her name  is Sunniaq (ph). Sunniaq, if you\n32   could unmute your phone and address the Board, you have\n33   the floor.   If you need to unmute  your phone, you can\n34   press star six.   Star 6 to  unmute your phone.   I see\n35   now that you have your hand up.  There you go.  Address\n36   the Board, please.\n\n38                   MS. LEAVITT:  Thank  you.  Dora Leavitt\n39   for the  record. I am  speaking on my  behalf.  I  am a\n40   subsistence  hunter,  lifelong   resident  of  Nuiqsut,\n41   Alaska.   I am  thankful for this  Board, but  I really\n42   feel like there needs to be more communication to folks\n43   that have no idea that these meetings are going on.\n\n45                   If it  wasn't for  Facebook I  wouldn't\n46   have listened in,  but I've been listening in.   We all\n47   depend  on  the  migration.    We  all  depend  on  the\n48   resources  from the land.   I live in  the heart of oil\n49   and gas industry  and I've been watching  the migration\n\n---\n\n4   \n12   \n22   \n28   \n35   \n43   \n50\n\n1   for years.  I am 61 years old.  Our elders  have taught\n2   us the pattern of the  migration, when to hunt, when to\n3   let the first herd pass.\n\n5                   This  is   something  that   we're  not\n6   educating the sport hunters.   We like to call it sport\n7   hunters.   I  am thankful  for the  closure of  some of\n8   these  heavily   trafficked  sports   hunting  in   the\n9   Northwest area.   A  great concern  besides  we have  a\n10   concern on the decline of  the Western Arctic Herd.  We\n11   rely on the Teshekpuk Herd.\n\n13                   Our community has put a conservation of\n14   one  million acres  that is  to  protect the  migratory\n15   birds,  the caribou  calving  area.   It  is a  heavily\n16   caribou  calving   area   that  has   been  closed   to\n17   development.   The northeast portion of  the Teshekpuk.\n18   Our community felt the  need to slow down industry  and\n19   as  a trilateral  group had  proposed  to conserve  one\n20   million acres  and it was  granted by BLM so  that they\n21   can do willow development.\n\n23                   It  seems like when  you give  and give\n24   and give our subsistence special areas that our parents\n25   took me as  a little girl to go hunt  are being covered\n26   with infrastructure and road system for the development\n27   of oil and gas.\n\n29                   So when we hear of 26A was going to get\n30   --was going to include 26A with the caribou --what do\n31   you call  it?   Closure or limiting  our bag.   I  am a\n32   whaling captain's wife.  We  do hunt before we have our\n33   blanket toss.  We are going  to have one in June.   But\n34   we do not overtake the caribou.\n\n36                   We rely  on the  migration.  I've  been\n37   watching  the caribou as  infrastructure goes up.   For\n38   the last past decade we've had  weather factors and the\n39   migration  has been  really  slowly to  go south.   For\n40   years we  didn't freeze  up until November  or snow  up\n41   until November, and then we --the migration would move\n42   when they see the first snow.  They would start moving.\n\n44                   With  road  development   and  industry\n45   infrastructure  I see  deflection of  the caribou  when\n46   they come from  the West, the Northwest,  the Teshekpuk\n47   Herd, I know that  Northwest Arctic herd is  heavily --\n48   it goes towards Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainwright.   We\n49   get a  little bit of the Central  Arctic herd.  A place\n\n---\n\n2   \n12   \n21   \n29   \n41   \n49   \n50\n\n1   where we can no longer hunt on State land.\n\n3                   I sit in the middle of Federal land and\n4   on  the other side  of the  river is  State land.   The\n5   regulations are different.   We no  longer can hunt  on\n6   the  other side  where  my parents  used  to hunt  that\n7   Central  Western  Herd  with  the pipeline,  corral  of\n8   pipeline.  I feel that we need to study Milne Point.  I\n9   see  pictures and pictures  of industry  workers taking\n10   pictures  of  thousand  of  caribou.    Instant  relief\n11   underneath these drill sites on the roads.\n\n13                   So  we  need  to understand  what  this\n14   development is doing to the pattern.  With the closures\n15   of  some of  these places  for sports  hunters can  not\n16   roam, can no  longer go, they  will go to  26-B on  the\n17   Dalton highway.   I see  no enforcement or I  don't see\n18   anybody  going over  there.   It's a  little camp.   It\n19   looks like a little village when we pass by in the fall\n20   time.\n\n22                   I stop there  occasionally to see who's\n23   catching  and what they're catching.   I don't see very\n24   much meat.  I  see a lot of  big trophies going  south.\n25   So  we need to  understand what other  places of sports\n26   hunters and  educate them.   I was educated to  let the\n27   first herd  pass so that  they will always go  that way\n28   and come back.\n\n30                   I am  thankful for  the testimonies  of\n31   these elders  that I hear.   We share the  same similar\n32   stories of my  elders now that I am  becoming an elder.\n33   I hunt  for a lot  of people, multiple families.   When\n34   you're awaiting captain's  flag, you hunt all  the time\n35   for everybody.   Not just for the caribou,  but we fish\n36   on  the Colville  and on  the Nigliq  Channel.   We are\n37   impacted by oil and gas.  There needs to be a study  on\n38   deflection.  When  they do wildlife survey  studies and\n39   they  use aircrafts or  loud hover boats  they displace\n40   the caribou.\n\n42                   So  I just wanted to testify and I want\n43   to thank all  the RACs.  The Eastern  RACs, the Western\n44   RACs, the Northern RAC for keeping up with the wildlife\n45   studies  and making and ensuring that the population is\n46   stable  and strong  and we  have  to slow  down on  the\n47   limits.  That's the right  way.  That's the Inupiaq way\n48   and the Athabascan way and whatever culture we live in.\n\n---\n\n7   \n14   \n15   \n22   \n24   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   So I  just wanted to share my testimony\n2   and I want to thank you for letting me on.  I do have a\n3   lot to  say.  I  watched the migration.   I used  to go\n4   only six miles south and  wait for the caribous to come\n5   to me and  they would.  For  over a decade now  I don't\n6   see them.\n\n8                   With  new  road infrastructure  on  the\n9   road system towards  the west, when I go  south to hunt\n10   caribou I  go about 30  miles upriver unless I  want to\n11   get the Central  Western Herd.  I go  up another little\n12   river towards Itkillit.  That's another river to  go on\n13   and catch another herd of caribou other than Teshekpuk.\n\n16                   So  we need to  educate about the first\n17   herd.  Someone needs to keep track of the 26-B unit.  I\n18   know we're  going to  see a  lot more.  I  go to  Happy\n19   Valley  occasionally too where  there's a lot  of guide\n20   hunters.   So  I  just  want to  thank  this Board  for\n21   letting me on and testify.\n\n23                   Thank you.  I'm done.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.   I\n26   appreciate  you taking  the time to  call in  and share\n27   concerns of the area with the caribou.  Do we  have one\n28   more online?\n\n30                   MS.  LAVINE:   Bonnie,  can you  please\n31   press star six to unmute yourself.\n\n33                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Are you able to hear me?\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes.\n\n37                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Hello?\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n40   the floor.\n\n42                   MS. AYOJIAK:  Mr. Chair  and members of\n43   the  Board.   My  name  is Bonnie  Ayojiak.  I am  from\n44   Manokotak.  It's  in the Nushagak  and Togiak areas  in\n45   the Bristol Bay.\n\n47                   First  of all I would like to thank you\n48   guys.  I commend you for all that you guys do.  As I am\n49   elder, just stepping into this elder role of mentorship\n\n---\n\n7   \n19   \n29   \n34   \n39   \n43   \n50\n\n1   and passing on traditional knowledge and the use of our\n2   land  and  waters,  I'm really  thankful  for  and very\n3   fortunate to  have leaders that  keep our needs  of our\n4   smaller communities that rely on subsistence use of our\n5   lands.  Thank  you to all  that work on  behalf of  our\n6   people all over the state.\n\n8                   The  young  people have  and  will have\n9   cultural and traditional practices continued as long as\n10   they live  off the land.  It's a  way of our being, our\n11   way of  life.   We are blessed  in this  state of  this\n12   great   nation  to  be  able  to  continue  living  our\n13   traditional way of life because of the subsistence that\n14   is  protected.   And we  share what  we catch,  when we\n15   catch, and very thankful for  those who share what they\n16   catch.  It's our way of being and I am happy  that some\n17   of   the  younger   elders  are   stepping  into   this\n18   leadership.\n\n20                   Thank  you  to Frank,  Gayla,  Kenneth,\n21   Jimmy, and to that young  man that spoke, Peter.  Thank\n22   you all for speaking out for our communities that don't\n23   know what's  going on, but they  use the land.   It may\n24   not be on a daily basis, but it's traditionally our way\n25   of life.   We just have  to keep sharing what  we know,\n26   especially  to  the  youth that  are  now  growing into\n27   being, you  know (in Yup'ik). Learning to live on their\n28   own.\n\n30                   Thank you  so much for  the opportunity\n31   to  speak  on behalf  of  myself,  my  family, and  our\n32   village  Manokotak in our  region, Bristol Bay.   Thank\n33   you.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you.  I\n36   appreciate you  for calling  in and  speaking for  your\n37   people.  I believe that concludes the public testimony.\n38   Next we have two on for consensus agenda.\n\n40                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n41   Yes,  next for the  consensus agenda testimony  we have\n42   Kenneth Nukwak, Sr.\n\n44                   MR.  NUKWAK, SR.:   Good morning to the\n45   Chair and  members of  the Board.   Thank you  for this\n46   opportunity.  I  will mainly be expressing  my feelings\n47   and my thoughts  on WP26-40 and WCR26-07.   I'd like to\n48   thank the Bristol  Bay RAC for I think  listening to me\n49   on WCR26-07, keeping it as status quo.\n\n---\n\n9   \n10   \n17   \n22   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   I had to be  really adamant in  January\n2   when I was in that Bristol Bay RAC meeting as a member.\n3   First  I'll introduce  myself.    My  name  is  Kenneth\n4   Nukwak,  Sr.   (In Yup'ik).    I sit  on the  Manokotak\n5   Native Limited Board  of Directors in Manokotak.   I've\n6   sat on  the Manokotak Village  Council and I've  sat on\n7   the Manokotak City Council, but I had to reduce my hats\n8   in order for the work.  I  could not bear so much work.\n\n11                   I  was  encouraged by  Gayla  Hoseth to\n12   fill out an  application for the Bristol Bay  RAC and I\n13   thank her for that  and believing in me.  Once I filled\n14   it out  I waited  for about  a year  and that's  when I\n15   really learned how  the system works in  this arena, in\n16   the Federal Subsistence Management Program.\n\n18                   To some of  it I disagree, and  I agree\n19   to disagree,  but I will  keep on  coming back if  I am\n20   allowed to.   If there is funding to  testify each time\n21   on the expressions of my people from Manokotak.\n\n23                   What I bring  to the table when  I come\n24   to the meetings,  it is not all from me.  It comes from\n25   my  community of Manokotak.   What they  express in our\n26   meetings.   But when  I bring it to  the table they are\n27   shot down every time.  Just about every proposal I have\n28   turned in as a Native  person has not been agreed upon.\n29   This is what I was told to  say from one of the leaders\n30   in Manokotak.   I  will say  it in  Yup'ik first.   (In\n31   Yup'ik)\n\n33                   I am translating it into English what I\n34   was  told  to  say was  mainly  because  the leadership\n35   within the Bristol Bay RAC is mainly English Caucasians\n36   and a few Natives, we are not being listened to.  Maybe\n37   that might be true.  The Western system  and my TEK and\n38   IEK do  not agree  on the same  table on  every meeting\n39   I've  been attending.  That makes me think I have to be\n40   really  careful what  is coming  before  me before  the\n41   meetings  come  up every  year  from the  time  I start\n42   attending  these   meetings  from  the   basic  initial\n43   starting in 2018.\n\n45                   Please  do not try to shut off our TEKs\n46   and our IEKs.   My traditional ecological  knowledge is\n47   fully ingrained.   My  indigenous ecological  knowledge\n48   will not  be pulled out.  I am  sorry.  Let me catch my\n49   breath.  (In  Yup'ik).  Our  way of life is  very, very\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n19   \n31   \n40   \n50\n\n1   important to us.  Whenever  I go out hunting I  have to\n2   be real careful and look behind my back every time ever\n3   since I got a citation in 2012.\n\n5                   I have  to remind the other  hunters to\n6   be careful.  If they had any citations, let me know.  I\n7   am going  to say it again.  It  is not only coming from\n8   me whatever I bring to the table.  It is coming from my\n9   community.   What I  hear in the  steam houses,  what I\n10   hear in the meeting room, I bring every time.\n\n12                   Listen to  us.   This is  with all  due\n13   respect.   If we do not agree,  I have learned to agree\n14   to disagree  and hopefully  we meet  on the same  table\n15   again with  an agreement.   On  WCR26-07 I  was worried\n16   that  it might pass,  but the way  I see it,  I read it\n17   afterwards, just a  couple days ago.  It's  on a status\n18   quo and I'm real happy for that.\n\n20                   Last year  the population  count report\n21   was 650.   If that  had passed two or  three years ago,\n22   the permits that come to our small villages (in Yup'ik)\n23   maybe they would have been less.  Less meat. How we are\n24   going to  be quartering up  the caribou to  disperse to\n25   the  people  that   cannot  hunt,  that  do   not  have\n26   snowmachines, that  do not have four-wheelers,  that do\n27   not have boats.  We know who they are because they walk\n28   on the  road from Manokotak  to the new town  site five\n29   miles  out and  we pick  them up  and bring  them where\n30   they're going.\n\n32                   The 900 clause came  into being without\n33   our knowledge in 2018.   I was  here at the meeting.  I\n34   did  not know  what it was  about.  Only  thing I heard\n35   during  that meeting in 2018 that the Nushagak Advisory\n36   Committee, if  I have my memory correct, and the Togiak\n37   Advisory Committee  had not  agreed on  it, but  yet it\n38   passed because Bristol Bay  RAC agreed on it.   Correct\n39   me if I am wrong.  I am open to being corrected.\n\n41                   On the  WP26-40 that's  when that  came\n42   into mind.  Subject went  to the idea and the proposal,\n43   I remind the group from Manokotak, Entities Group, that\n44   I turned  in a  proposal.  It  has been  very difficult\n45   trying to  educate the  community, but  that last  week\n46   they finally came together when  I called for a special\n47   Entities meeting for this meeting this  week.  We wrote\n48   up  --we  drafted  up  two letters.    The first  one,\n49   WP26-40, supporting  it and  I reminded  them that  the\n\n---\n\n3   \n13   \n25   \n32   \n43   \n50\n\n1   atmosphere for that  is already in opposition,  but yet\n2   they chose to draft up a letter in support.\n\n4                   On  WCR26-40 we  drafted  a letter  and\n5   everybody signed from the entities group.  That's about\n6   20 or 21  of them or 22  from the leadership group.   I\n7   hope  the OSM  had received  that.   When I  called the\n8   person that was going to  send it from Manokotak to the\n9   OSM office told me that it  was sent and that he got  a\n10   response that it was received,  but I never asked if it\n11   was  --I need  to  reconfirm that  they  received it.\n12   Thank you.\n\n14                   So  in  hopes of  waking  everybody up,\n15   because I am  awake, I am aware  and I am alert.   What\n16   comes  to  the   table  of  Manokotak,  and   not  just\n17   Manokotak,  I  hope  Togiak,   Twin  Hills,  Manokotak,\n18   Dillingham, Clarks  Point and Ekuk are aware.  To reach\n19   out to those  other six communities is  very difficult.\n20   Even  I  tried  on  social  media.    It's  still  very\n21   difficult.   I tried on  the phone to reach  out to the\n22   leaders of  each of  them.  Still  very difficult.   So\n23   trying to educate  those --bring this education to the\n24   leaders, to the other six communities not very easy.\n\n26                   I have  not come to Gayla  or Georgiana\n27   for this because they have  other --they are very busy\n28   and I respect that.  They have helped me a lot whenever\n29   I asked for help.   Even Frank has helped me  out.  Dan\n30   Dunaway, thank you for sitting there.  Please listen to\n31   me.\n\n33                   Rhonda Pitka, I have not forgotten  the\n34   day that you supported me  and Anthony and Charlie  and\n35   the late Gene.   When  I was rejected,  but I am  still\n36   here, that  meant a lot.   My vocabulary back  then was\n37   very --I didn't even know what the word egregious was.\n38   I didn't know I was horrible when  I got a citation.  I\n39   was just being myself.  Wouldn't anybody feel  the same\n40   way as I did if you guys got a citation for following a\n41   caribou?  I  hate the word chase.  Maybe  we chase them\n42   like the wolves do.\n\n44                   And  there is a lot that says we cannot\n45   herd them.  Our  ancestors used that term, which  makes\n46   me think  of a  scenario.  Hitting  a caribou  and it's\n47   still running and  we have to follow it.   Maybe it has\n48   happened  already.  Maybe a person  might have gotten a\n49   citation for  trying to  catch that  caribou that  they\n\n---\n\n4   \n12   \n19   \n26   \n34   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   wounded.    There's  no  problem  that  the  hunter  is\n2   protected from trying  to catch that caribou  that they\n3   wounded.\n\n5                   Maybe  the hunter  chasing the  caribou\n6   that he wounded  and then the law  enforcement comes by\n7   and tells him you cannot  chase that caribou.  But it's\n8   wounded.  So I am going to give you a citation.  That's\n9   only a scenario  I heard.  I  don't know if I  heard it\n10   from one  of my friends.   I  don't know  if it's  from\n11   Frank.\n\n13                   We must be protected for trying to live\n14   off of the land instead  of getting any citations.  The\n15   money that we have could be used for the gas, maybe for\n16   a spark  plug, maybe for  a new tank because  the tanks\n17   that we use are plastic today and they are very easy to\n18   puncture.\n\n20                   Whatever I  said that  might have  been\n21   aggressive  or too aggressive in the  meetings.  I will\n22   not apologize.  That's just who I am.  As long  as it's\n23   good to me.  I am just trying to come across, I am just\n24   trying to keep my TEK and  my IEK on the same table  in\n25   which western science has encroached upon us.\n\n27                   I  think that's  about it.    If I  may\n28   speak to Manokotak  if they're listening, maybe  one or\n29   two  are  listening, maybe  the  whole 20  of  them are\n30   listening.   (In Yup'ik)  Thank  you through the Chair.\n31   And I apologize if I did not  greet you guys with thank\n32   you, with a pat on the  back.  I am not the young  guy.\n33   (Laughs)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n36   Kenneth.    We  appreciate your  testimony  here today.\n37   And, again, he's  the young guy, Louis,  jumping around\n38   and shooting caribou.   So that presence that  you have\n39   in the room helps change the effort we make up here, so\n40   we appreciate your leadership and you hang onto the TEK\n41   and IEK and  every other way of  egregiously protecting\n42   our way of life.  We thank you for that, Kenneth.\n\n44                   MR. NUKWAK: Quyana.\n\n46                   (Applause)\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   All right.   I\n49   think we have one more consensus agenda commenter.\n\n---\n\n3   \n17   \n24   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LAVINE:   Yes.  The last  person in\n2   our queue is Linda Pete.  Linda.\n\n4                   MS.  PETE:    Good  morning,  everyone.\n5   Chair and  Board members. my name is  Linda Pete.  I am\n6   from Gakona Village.  I  was taught to introduce myself\n7   by naming my parents and grandparents, to know where my\n8   family comes from.   My parents are the  late Betty and\n9   Nick Tyone.  My mom was from Gakona and my dad was from\n10   Gulkana Village in  the Ahtna region.   My grandparents\n11   were the late  Buster and Alice  Gene.  My  grandfather\n12   was  born near  Sourdough  Lodge and  my grandma  was a\n13   Stickwan.  Her  maiden name was Stickwan and  came from\n14   --the village  got  moved.   It  was  by the  Gulkana\n15   Airport but they were forced  to move by the Army.   So\n16   she moved to Gakona.  That's where we live.\n\n18                   I am here today to represent myself and\n19   speak on  behalf of the  Native Village of Gakona.   We\n20   are the  one tribal village  in the Ahtna region.   The\n21   word you use is subsistence.  We don't use  that in our\n22   area.   We  refer to  it  as customary  and traditional\n23   hunting rights.\n\n25                   Subsistence is  a name that  came about\n26   from somebody, I don't know.  I am used to my customary\n27   and traditional ways  of life.  I grew up like that.  I\n28   lived with my  grandparents in the summer  time down in\n29   fish  camp  and  hunting,  go  berry  picking  with  my\n30   grandparents and my dad and mom.\n\n32                   We rely on  our wildlife and game.   We\n33   are on the  road system so we get  all kinds of hunters\n34   in  our area  from all  parts  of Alaska,  even out  of\n35   state.  You  know, it's hard  sometimes.  Our  village,\n36   only one family got a  moose probably in the last three\n37   years.   I live  in Copper  Center.   That is  where my\n38   husband was from.   I have three daughters  and one son\n39   and  some  grandchildren,  but  I  do  have  one  great\n40   grandson.\n\n42                   I  speak  not only  for today,  but for\n43   future generations.  We have to protect what we have or\n44   we will have none for them.  When I first got  involved\n45   in  State  and  Federal  Fish  and  Game,  under  State\n46   management  our   subsistence  designation   was  being\n47   threatened by the  State of Alaska.   There was  nobody\n48   from our  area from there,  but we  quickly formed  and\n49   went there and defended our subsistence rights.\n\n---\n\n6   \n14   \n20   \n28   \n37   \n38   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   Just  because people  move  in and  out\n2   doesn't change our status.  We will always be customary\n3   and traditional.   The Ahtna  people have been  in that\n4   area for  generations.  Documented  over 10,000  years.\n5   Probably more but who knows.\n\n7                   I am here today to testify on the moose\n8   and caribou season,  the extension in  Unit 11 and  13.\n9   It's been  warm in August  months.  I don't  know about\n10   any other areas but my  own, but it's like sometimes in\n11   the  80's,  still in  the  80's degrees  and  the moose\n12   aren't moving.  By it being extended another  five days\n13   I don't think will hurt the harvest.\n\n15                   Has anybody  ever  seen  the  moose  or\n16   caribou the day after the hunting season  closed?  I've\n17   seen it many times.  I think that will give us a better\n18   opportunity as we rely on moose and caribou when we can\n19   have caribou.\n\n21                   My Uncle Nick Jackson, he  spoke of the\n22   caribou  decline two years before it closed, but nobody\n23   listened to him.  I always bring that up because people\n24   need  to know  that our  elders know  what's going  on.\n25   Even  though people think  science is more  better, but\n26   traditional  knowledge  is  the way  that  they  should\n27   listen to the people.\n\n29                   For the proposal,  the 26-31, to  close\n30   BLM lands  to allow for  rural hunters,  that needs  to\n31   stay that  way.   I  don't  --non-rural  hunters  have\n32   better  opportunities than  the  rural hunters  in  our\n33   area.  The State of  Alaska selected over 80 percent of\n34   their land in  the Ahtna territory,  hunting territory.\n35   So they have a lot of opportunity.  The little piece of\n36   BLM that they want to hunt in, that takes away from us.\n\n39                   If you come up to our area when hunting\n40   season  opens, it's awful.  Everybody comes there after\n41   September  1st, up in the  Eureka area, there's I don't\n42   know  how many  cars up  there,  rigs, everything  they\n43   bring.   Even in the  Cantwell area they moved  up that\n44   way more.  And on the Denali Highway up towards Paxton.\n45   I see more of them are going up in Unit 13C because the\n46   allocation has moved more up that way.\n\n48                   I know  my two daughters  are listening\n49   online and they are really interested in learning about\n\n---\n\n8   \n14   \n23   \n31   \n33   \n40   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   these  processes and  they're  going  to  be  the  ones\n2   sitting here at the table defending  what should be our\n3   right.   When the Alaska Native  Land Claims was passed\n4   our elder that  told us who was there  representing our\n5   region said that  the State of Alaska promised that our\n6   hunting and fishing rights will  be protected.  But the\n7   State has failed that process.  We are not protected.\n\n9                   I don't  know how  many lawsuits  Ahtna\n10   has  with the  State of  Alaska in  the last  20 years.\n11   It's so many.  That's what we have to do to protect our\n12   rights,  is to  file  a lawsuit  against  the State  of\n13   Alaska.\n\n15                   I sit  on the Ahtna  Incorporated Board\n16   and I sit on the Ahtna Intertribal Resource Commission.\n17   I  am  the president  for  my  village.   I  have  been\n18   involved in this arena since I  was 19.  I got  elected\n19   on stuff starting  at 19.  I quickly  learned about all\n20   this stuff going on and I will continue to advocate for\n21   my people  until I can't  any longer.  I  know you guys\n22   are needing a break. I'll stop at that.  Thank you.\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We  appreciate\n25   that.   Thank you for your  testimony too.  I  was just\n26   missing  Gloria Stickwan  here  and  I  said  you  look\n27   familiar  and then  you say  you are from  the Stickwan\n28   family,  so I was  like, oh, right  on.  I  can see the\n29   resemblance and hear  the passion from the area.   So I\n30   appreciate you sharing the testimony today.\n\n## 32 MS. PETE: Thank you.\n\n34                   MS. PITKA:   I'd like to thank  you for\n35   your long-standing testimony back when I first became a\n36   Regional Advisory  Council member back in 2014.  It was\n37   people from  Ahtna  that really  educated the  Regional\n38   Advisory  Council on  hunting issues.    Thank you  for\n39   that.\n\n41                   MS.  PETE: It's only me here today.  We\n42   had a death in our region, so  that's why you don't see\n43   anybody here.  It's a priority for them to  be with the\n44   family, so thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Condolences to\n47   the community as well.  Thank you.  One more?\n\n49                   MS.  LAVINE:   Thank  you, Chair.   One\n\n---\n\n2   \n10   \n17   \n25   \n37   \n45   \n50\n\n1   more.  Carrie Stevens.\n\n3                   MS. STEVENS:  Good morning.  I promised\n4   I would  be  very short.   For  the record  my name  is\n5   Carrie Stevens.  I am speaking for myself this morning.\n6   Through the Chair,  thank you.  Thank  you for allowing\n7   me  to  speak.    On the  consensus  you  have Wildlife\n8   Closure, I  think it's 26-22.   That is the  closure in\n9   25D West for moose.\n\n11                   And I  just wanted to  thank the  State\n12   for being in agreement.   I am grateful this is  on the\n13   consensus agenda for  all the reasons that I  stated on\n14   25D remainder and  we are just still in  the same place\n15   in 25D  West.   And so  this closure  really absolutely\n16   does provide for the subsistence users of the area.\n\n18                   We are still  seeing increased presence\n19   of  non-Federally  qualified  users in  our  area.   In\n20   particular we are seeing a lot of trespass in the early\n21   spring  around hunting  for  the big  animal.   That is\n22   fairly new.  Not sure what is going on there.  Probably\n23   one  buddy told his other  buddy, told his other buddy,\n24   and they tend to leave a lot of trash in the area.\n\n26                   I  share  that  in   relation  to  this\n27   closure  because there  are still  a  lot of  non-local\n28   residents, non-Federally qualified subsistence users in\n29   the area and we do have  a State Tier 2 permit  system.\n30   They  are harvesting moose in the river corridor, right\n31   in places where the local hunters hunt.  So we still do\n32   have  non-Federally   qualified  users   in  25D   West\n33   harvesting moose.  So I just wanted to put that on  the\n34   record that  just because  there is  a closure  doesn't\n35   mean that there  is not  non-Federally qualified  users\n36   harvesting in 25D West.\n\n38                   We  continue  to  have  very low  moose\n39   density, very high predator numbers, and a really  --I\n40   don't want to  say poor, but maybe minimal  habitat for\n41   moose.  Of course we are facing the salmon crisis and I\n42   don't believe that  we know the full effect  of that on\n43   the ecosystem and it really is quiet out there.  I just\n44   can't tell you how quiet it is without the salmon.\n\n46                   So I  just wanted  to share  that I  am\n47   grateful for  this closure.   I know the people  of the\n48   area are  very grateful  for this closure.   So  I just\n49   wanted to put that on record.\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n22   \n29   \n36   \n38   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n2   Karie.  Any comments, questions.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none.\n7   Thank you.  We will take a 10-minute break.\n\n9                   (Off record)\n\n11                   (On record)\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n14   Welcome   back.    As  we   fill  our  seats  a  little\n15   announcement here.   We are probably going  to order in\n16   for  lunch.    Seeing  as  the  agenda today  stops  at\n17   5 o'clock  sharp we have  an Executive Session  that we\n18   have to do at 5:00.  So if we leave here for an hour we\n19   will be  loggerheading and  getting started  again.   I\n20   think  the staff  is going  to  circulate something  to\n21   order form.\n\n23                   Also it's  going  to be  a  real  tight\n24   proposal,  so again  we appreciate  everybody and  them\n25   being  here and  if we  do  have testimony  that we  be\n26   respectful of  the time  today.   Not limiting  anyone,\n27   just  respectful of the  time, pointed to  the proposal\n28   and what's in before us.\n\n30                   So we just appreciate all that and look\n31   forward  to moving on and hopefully we will get through\n32   a  good part  of this  today and  looking like  a later\n33   evening tomorrow because we keep running into something\n34   to do today.  So I appreciate that we will go ahead and\n35   open up the floor for Staff for the next proposal.\n\n## 37 Thank you, Brian.\n\n39                   MR. UBELAKER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n40   For  the  record,  Brian  Ubelaker.    I  will  now  be\n41   presenting  summary   for  Wildlife   Proposal  WP26-64\n42   regarding  muskox in  Unit 22.   This  analysis can  be\n43   found on Page 1,241 of your meeting materials.\n\n45                   This proposal, submitted  by the Seward\n46   Peninsula   Subsistence   Regional   Advisory  Council,\n47   requests  changing  the  closing date  of  the  Federal\n48   muskox season from March 15th to March 31st in Units 22\n49   and  23 Southwest.   The proponent explains  that March\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n17   \n19   \n31   \n37   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   weather  and snow conditions make travel safer and more\n2   predictable than earlier in the season,  especially for\n3   local hunters using snowmachines.\n\n5                   Extending  the  season   would  improve\n6   harvest  opportunity without  biological concern  since\n7   calving occurs later  in the spring.  The  intent is to\n8   provider rural subsistence users with more flexibility,\n9   better safety  and increased  efficiency when  pursuing\n10   muskox to meet subsistence needs.\n\n12                   As this  proposal covers what  the last\n13   two  proposals  covered   on  the  biology,  regulatory\n14   history, and harvest  section, for brevity I  will skip\n15   over those unless anybody would  like me to run through\n16   them real quick.\n\n## 18 (No comments)\n\n20                   MR. UBELAKER:  Moving on.  The proposal\n21   would  extend the  Federal muskox  season  by 15  days,\n22   giving   subsistence   users   more   opportunity   and\n23   flexibility to  avoid  poor weather  and unsafe  travel\n24   conditions.   No biological  concern is  expected since\n25   the  muskox  population  is already  carefully  managed\n26   through quotas and  permits.  Pregnant cows  should not\n27   be impacted.   This calving occurs later in the spring.\n28   While late March hunts could  add some stress to muskox\n29   groups, the  overall low  harvest pressure should  make\n30   this effect minimal.\n\n32                    A   drawback   is   added   regulatory\n33   complexity since  the Federal  and State  closing dates\n34   would  no longer align, requiring hunters to be mindful\n35   of  land  status.   However,  hunters  already navigate\n36   similar land status differences under other hunts.\n\n38                   Therefore,  the  OSM conclusion  is  to\n39   support proposal WP26-64.  Adopting this proposal would\n40   provide   increased  harvest   opportunity  and   safer\n41   conditions  for   federally  qualified   users  without\n42   raising  conservation concerns.    Extending into  late\n43   March  maintains  meat   and  quality  while  improving\n44   flexibility for subsistence hunters.\n\n46                   With that I will take questions.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n11   \n15   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n2   questions for Brian on the muskox.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n7   seeing none.  Any summary of written public comment?\n\n9                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Mr.  Chair, no,  there\n10   were not.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n13   that.  Summary  of   tribal  government  Alaska  Native\n14   Corporation consultation.\n\n16                   MR.  LIND:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair.\n17   There were no comments on this proposal.  Thank you.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n20   tribal, Alaska  Native organization  testimony here  or\n21   online.\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n26   seeing  none.     Advisory  group  testimony,   comment\n27   summary, SRC State Advisory or multi-agency group.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   MS  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Not\n32   that I'm aware of.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any  public\n35   testimony here or online wave your hand.\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n40   seeing none.  We'll move on to Council recommendation.\n\n42                   MR.  GREEN:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n43   Louis  Green  for  Seward Peninsula  Regional  Advisory\n44   Council.  We  voted to support the WP26-64  in our fall\n45   meeting.   Our  justifications  were  changing  weather\n46   patterns  recently made  it  more difficult  to  access\n47   muskoxen  herds.   A  two-week  extension will  provide\n48   users  more opportunity to harvest if  there is a delay\n49   in  access  due  to  the  weather.   As  there  are  no\n\n---\n\n3   \n8   \n17   \n19   \n23   \n26   \n28   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n**0380**\n\n1   conservation concerns  and the  season will not  affect\n2   calving, the Council supports this proposal.\n\n4                   The  saying goes  when March  comes in,\n5   it's in like a lion and out like a lamb.  So the latter\n6   part of  that kind  of extending  that season  it holds\n7   true to the saying.\n\n9                   In our  winter meeting,  to follow  up,\n10   the Seward  Peninsula RAC  voted to  submit a  Board of\n11   Game proposal  to align  the season  end dates  because\n12   there  was a  mismatch.  It  goes from the  15th of the\n13   State  and we want  to go to  the 30th or  31st.  So we\n14   were going to --we voted  to submit that Board of Game\n15   proposal to align  the season end dates  if approved by\n16   this Board.\n\n## 18 That's all I have. Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n21   Louis.  I believe we do have one online  that wanted to\n22   be recognized, Robbin.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:    Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n25   Harold Napoleon, you have the floor.\n\n## 27 (No comment)\n\n29                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Napoleon, if you would\n30   like  to address the  Board on Wildlife  Proposal 26-64\n31   Unit  22  muskox,  please  press  star  six  to  unmute\n32   yourself.   If this is  a comment for non-agenda items,\n33   you will have  another opportunity tomorrow.   So, once\n34   again, if this is a comment on Wildlife Proposal 26-64,\n35   please press  star six to unmute yourself.   Thank you.\n36   If you're on Teams just raise your hand --sorry, press\n37   unmute your microphone icon.\n\n## 39 MR. NAPOLEON: Haw'aa.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hello, Harold.\n42   You have the floor. We can hear you.\n\n44                   MR. NAPOLEON:  Oh, good.  I'm sorry.  I\n45   didn't want to address specifically what you're talking\n46   about.  I  just wanted  to share my  own ideas on  what\n47   subject you're talking  about and that's what  you call\n48   subsistence.  I've  been working for the  Yup'ik people\n49   all my life.  I started at 22 and I've worked  on their\n\n---\n\n3   \n14   \n23   \n29   \n33   \n36   \n42   \n50\n\n1   hunting  and fishing  rights all  those  years securing\n2   them.\n\n4                   I just wanted to make this point.  When\n5   you talk about  --I think you missed  --we mis-coined\n6   the word.  When you're talking about the culture of the\n7   Alaskan  Native  people, hunting  and fishing  aren't a\n8   part of our culture.   That is who we are.   People, no\n9   matter how powerful  they are, can regulate  it besides\n10   our own selves.  So  that's what you are talking about.\n11   You are talking about the culture  of the Alaska Native\n12   people.  They are the  only ones who should regulate it\n13   if they want to.\n\n15                   So I believe it's  an intrusion on  the\n16   part  of  the  Federal  government  and  the  State  to\n17   regulate  the hunting  and fishing  of Alaska  Natives.\n18   Including where they  could hunt, when they  could hunt\n19   and how they  could hunt.  Where they  could fish, when\n20   they could fish, what size nets.  So you are regulating\n21   a way of life. The  only people that should regulate it\n22   are the Natives themselves.\n\n24                   So that's all  I wanted to say.   Thank\n25   you very  much  for listening  to  me.   I'll  continue\n26   listening.  I finally got on.  I've  been trying to get\n27   on.  I'm new to all of this, so excuse me and thank you\n28   for your work.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n31   calling in, Harold,  and we appreciate the  brevity and\n32   the way of life you represent.  Thank you.\n\n34                   Next we have  Alaska Department of Fish\n35   and Game.\n\n37                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n38   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n39   opposes  the proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n40   regulations,  causing confusion  amongst the  users and\n41   also makes it challenging for law enforcement.\n\n43                   If  I may, I  do have one  question for\n44   Mr. Ubelaker.  In the  OSM analysis at the beginning of\n45   the  summary it  says to  March 31st,  but then  in the\n46   proposed  Federal reg  it says  to March  30th. When  I\n47   count on  my little  fingers, 15 extra  days is  to the\n48   30th.  So I just  wanted clarification because  I heard\n49   31st, but  then I  was looking at  the material  and it\n\n---\n\n3   \n8   \n10   \n14   \n18   \n22   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n38   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n**0382**\n\n1   says 30th.  I didn't know what the date was with the 15\n2   extra days for sure.\n\n4                   MR. UBELAKER:   Through the  Chair, Mr.\n5   Mulligan.  If the proposal is asking for 15 days, I got\n6   my talking points wrong  on my math.  So  thank you for\n7   correcting me.\n\n9                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n12   InterAgency  Staff  Committee.    They  provide   their\n13   standard comment.\n\n15                   MS.  GREDIAGIN:   Mr. Chair.    We also\n16   need    to   get    the   Northwest    Arctic   Council\n17   recommendation.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, okay.   It\n20   didn't pop  up on  there.  I'm  sorry.   Northwest, you\n21   have the floor.\n\n23                   MS. PILCHER:   Good  morning, everyone.\n24   Nissa  Pilcher for the record.  Council Coordinator for\n25   Northwest  Arctic.  So the Council voted to unanimously\n26   support WP26-64.   The Council supported  extending the\n27   season as it allows  people to get out when  conditions\n28   are safer and provides more flexibility to harvest.\n\n30                   Thank you.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n33   that.  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n35                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n36   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n37   comment.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n40   Board discussion  with your  liaison, Council  Chair or\n41   State  Representative.   Any  points  of clarification,\n42   discussion.\n\n44                   (No comments)\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Hearing, seeing\n47   none.  Open the floor for Board action.\n\n49                   MR.  PENDERGAST:    Mr. Chair.    Kevin\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n25   \n31   \n34   \n38   \n42   \n50\n\n1   Pendergast, BLM.   I  think there's  a question  on the\n2   floor we need  to settle before I can  make any motion.\n3   That is are we talking about extension to March 30th or\n4   March 31st?   I  noticed the  proposed regulatory  text\n5   says  March 30th.   The general description  says March\n6   31st.  This needs to be settled, I think.  I'm not sure\n7   exactly how to  do that, but I  don't want to  make the\n8   wrong motion.\n\n10                   MS. GREDIAGIN:   Lisa Grediagin for the\n11   record.    So  I'm looking  at  the  proposal that  was\n12   actually submitted and I think that's kind of where the\n13   confusion comes in  because in the issue  statement and\n14   the submitted proposal it says from March 15th to March\n15   31st.  But then in  the proposed regulation language it\n16   says to March 30th.  You know, it was submitted  by the\n17   Council, but basically  OSM helped draft  that.  So  it\n18   was probably ultimately our fault.\n\n20                   So  I guess at this juncture I might --\n21   I mean it's  one day. I might just defer to Louis if he\n22   has  a preference  if he  wants  an extra  day or  not.\n23   Because  I think  the confusion  came  from the  actual\n24   proposal as it was submitted.\n\n26                   MR. GREEN:  So I had a little confusion\n27   when I was  bringing up the  date.  When I  was reading\n28   this it didn't make sense  because 15 days after is the\n29   30th, so  I suppose  that's appropriate.   Okay,  thank\n30   you.\n\n32                   MR. GREDIAGIN:   I mean  if that's what\n33   the RAC discussed.\n\n35                   MR.  GREEN:   Yeah, yeah.    I mean  --\n36   yeah, we asked for 15 extra  days.  So thanks for that,\n37   Kevin.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   So  we  would\n40   recognize the  date as  the 30th  based on  discussion.\n41   Thank you.  The floor is open for a motion.\n\n43                   MR.  PENDERGAST:    Mr. Chair.    Kevin\n44   Pendergast, BLM.   Mr. Chair, I move to  adopt Wildlife\n45   Proposal 26-64  to extend the Seward  Peninsula Federal\n46   muskox season closing date in  Units 22 and 23 south of\n47   Kotzebue Sound and  west of and including  the Buckland\n48   River drainage from March 15th to March 30th.  If I get\n49   a  second, I will open the discussion by explaining why\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n12   \n20   \n28   \n33   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   I plan to support my motion.\n\n3                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n4   seconds.\n\n6                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Thank you.  I'll open\n7   by  noting  that  I think  it's  always  desirable when\n8   possible to have alignment and reduce confusion between\n9   the  regulations.   So  I was  heartened  to hear  that\n10   there's thinking about,  you know, trying to  make that\n11   happen through the State process.\n\n13                   In   this    instance   the    muskoxen\n14   population throughout this range is healthy and stable.\n15   Federal subsistence harvest rates have remained low and\n16   most  muskoxen  are   harvested  under  State  permits.\n17   Extending the Federal  subsistence season is  therefore\n18   not expected to increase harvest substantially or  lead\n19   to a conservation concern.\n\n21                   At the same time extending the  Federal\n22   season  will  provide Federally  qualified  subsistence\n23   users  with a meaningful preference.  The additional 15\n24   days in  March will  provide Federally  qualified users\n25   with an additional opportunity to harvest muskox  later\n26   in the season when the  days are longer and weather and\n27   travel conditions are generally better.\n\n29                   The  additional  two  weeks  will  also\n30   provide  Federally  qualified  subsistence  users  with\n31   buffer  time  to  account for  bad  weather  conditions\n32   earlier in the season.\n\n34                   The Seward Peninsula  Regional Advisory\n35   Council also reports  that the meat and  conditions are\n36   favorable  for subsistence uses during this time of the\n37   season.\n\n39                   The  BLM support  of  this proposal  is\n40   consistent with the Seward Pen and Northwest Arctic RAC\n41   recommendation.\n\n43                   Thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Kevin.  Board deliberation, discussion.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n21   \n23   \n29   \n31   \n35   \n38   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none.   Please read into  the record the  motion\n3   and roll call.\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n6   The motion  is to  adopt WP26-64  to extend  the Seward\n7   Peninsula Federal muskox  season closing date in  Units\n8   22  and 23  south of  Kotzebue  Sound and  west of  and\n9   including  the Buckland River  Drainage from March 15th\n10   to March 30th.\n\n12                   BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n14                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n18                   MS. PITKA:   I support  in deference to\n19   the  Regional Advisory Councils, the Seward Pen and the\n20   Northwest Arctic.\n\n22                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n24                   MS.  JOHN:    BIA votes  to  adopt  the\n25   proposal  as recommended  and  justified by  the Seward\n26   Peninsula and Northwest Arctic RACs as it has no effect\n27   on   conservation  concerns  and  it's  safer  for  the\n28   residents and it's flexible.  Thank you.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n32                   MR. WOODS:  Public  Member Woods adopts\n33   in favor of  the RAC's recommendation and  also they're\n34   aligning proposals.  Thank you.\n\n36                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n37   Ingersoll.\n\n39                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n40   in   deference  to  the   RACs  and  for   the  reasons\n41   articulated by the Bureau of Land Management.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n44   Service Member Boario.\n\n46                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n47   supports  in  deference  to the  Seward  Peninsula  and\n48   Northwest  Arctic Advisory Councils and for the reasons\n49   outlined by BLM.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n28   \n33   \n39   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n3                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney is in\n4   support of WP26-64 as outlined  by the RACs in the area\n5   and also OSM.  Thank you.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n9                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n10   votes in  support as  in agreement  with comments  made\n11   previous to me.\n\n13                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n14   Striker.\n\n16                   MR. STRIKER:   Park Service supports in\n17   deference  to the RACs  for the reasons  articulated by\n18   Director   Pendergast.    The  two  week  and  one  day\n19   extension.\n\n21                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n23                   CHAIR  CHRISTIANSON:     I  support  in\n24   deference to the RAC.\n\n26                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n27   passes unanimously.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n30   Appreciate that.   We'll move on to the next  one.  Oh,\n31   we're on Western  Interior. WP26-50. I feel  like we're\n32   accomplishing stuff.\n\n34                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n35   Once again, Brian Ubelaker.   I will give you the brief\n36   summary  for  WP26-50  regarding  the  Upper  Kuskokwim\n37   Controlled Use Area  in Unit 19.  This  analysis can be\n38   found on Page 1,127.\n\n40                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n41   Western Interior  Alaska Subsistence  Regional Advisory\n42   Council and  requests reducing  the size  of the  Upper\n43   Kuskokwim   Controlled    Use   Area    under   Federal\n44   regulations.   So it  matches the smaller  area already\n45   defined under State regulations.\n\n47                   The  CUA  was   originally  established\n48   under State regulations  in 1981 to  reduce competition\n49   between   local   and   non-local  moose   hunters   by\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n15   \n23   \n28   \n34   \n40   \n47   \n50\n\n1   prohibiting the use of aircraft.\n\n3                   At the start of the Federal Subsistence\n4   Program  in 1992 matching  language was adopted  in the\n5   Federal regulations.   Under State regulations  between\n6   2001 and 2008  the Controlled Use Area  grew and shined\n7   through   several   different  modifications   to   the\n8   boundary.\n\n10                   At  the point when  the CUA was  at its\n11   largest  in 2006  Federal  regulations were  adopted to\n12   align the  boundaries.  Since  that time the  State has\n13   reduced the size  of the CUA while  Federal regulations\n14   have remained unchanged.\n\n16                   There  were  several   alternatives  to\n17   consider for this  proposal.  The first of  which is to\n18   align  Federal and  State season  dates.  State  CUA is\n19   only in effect during the State's moose hunting season.\n20   The  Federal  CUA however  extends  through the  entire\n21   Federal moose season, including late  September and the\n22   winter hunt.\n\n24                   If  the Federal  regulations match  the\n25   State's,  Federally qualified  subsistence users  could\n26   use aircraft for the end of September and again  during\n27   the winter season.\n\n29                   The second  alternative is  eliminating\n30   the Federal  CUA  entirely because  the  State  version\n31   already regulates aircraft use in this area and because\n32   the Federal CUA contains almost no Federal public lands\n33   the Federal CUA is essentially meaningless.\n\n35                   It  only   adds  an   extra  layer   of\n36   restrictions that  apply solely to  Federally qualified\n37   subsistence   users.     Removing  it   would  simplify\n38   regulations, reduce confusion and eliminate unnecessary\n39   complexity.\n\n41                   The  third  alternative.     There  are\n42   several Unit 19D  moose hunt areas that  are defined by\n43   the boundaries of the Upper  Kuskokwim CUA.  If the CUA\n44   is reduced or  eliminated, these hunt areas  would need\n45   to be  updated so that  seasons and harvest  limits are\n46   not unintentionally changed.\n\n48                   If adopted,  this proposal  would align\n49   Federal and State regulations, reduce confusion and may\n\n---\n\n5   \n12   \n19   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   increase opportunity  for local  users during the  late\n2   and winter seasons.   No impacts are expected  to moose\n3   populations or to Federal  opportunity since only local\n4   residents have C&T for moose in the area.\n\n6                   However, matching the current extent of\n7   the CUA under  State regulations  would be  essentially\n8   meaningless as  there are  only 33.5  acres of  Federal\n9   public lands.   These lands are located within the city\n10   limits of  McGrath, which has an  ordinance prohibiting\n11   the discharge of firearms.\n\n13                   Eliminating  the   CUA  under   Federal\n14   regulations  would  be  in  alignment with  Secretarial\n15   Order 3447, which directs the Department of Interior to\n16   identify   and   remove   unnecessary   regulatory   or\n17   administrative  barriers  to  hunting  and  fishing  on\n18   Department-managed lands and waters.\n\n20                   Therefore, OSM's  recommendation is  to\n21   support WP26-50  with  modification  to  eliminate  the\n22   Upper  Kuskokwim CUA entirely  and change the  Unit 19D\n23   moose hunt period descriptors.  I'll be happy to answer\n24   questions.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Brian.  Any questions from the Board or Staff.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n32   seeing none.   We'll move on to the  summary of written\n33   public comment.\n\n35                   MR.  UBELAKER:   Mr.  Chair,  none were\n36   submitted.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Summary  of\n39   tribal   government  and   Alaska  Native   Corporation\n40   consultation.\n\n42                   MR. LIND:  Thank you,  Mr. Chair, Board\n43   members.  There were no comments.  Thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Tribal, Alaskan\n46   Native organizational testimony.\n\n48                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n15   \n18   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n2   seeing  none.  Advisory  group testimony, SRC, Advisory\n3   Committees of the State or multi-agency working group.\n\n5                   MS.  LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  We\n6   have no comments from ACs or SRCs.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank  you.  Is\n9   there  any public testimony  here or online,  it's your\n10   opportunity to be recognized.\n\n12                   MS.  LAVINE:  And for those of you that\n13   would  like to  provide testimony on  Wildlife Proposal\n14   26-50 you can raise your hand or press star five.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Nobody.  We'll\n17   move on to the Council recommendations.\n\n19                   MR. REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  Jack Reakoff,\n20   Western  Interior  Regional   Council.    The   Council\n21   submitted this proposal  after discussion with OSM.   A\n22   motion was made.   So support the proposal  WP26-50 was\n23   modified by OSM.\n\n25                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n28   Jack.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n30                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n31   The  Alaska Department of  Fish and Game  supported the\n32   proposal as  written.  Discussing  with my  counterpart\n33   here  and knowing  the  make-up of  the  land which  is\n34   predominantly  State and we do have that controlled use\n35   area in  place in order to reduce  regulatory burden we\n36   would support  the modification to basically remove the\n37   Federal CUA.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     InterAgency\n40   Staff Committee.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:    The  InterAgency  Staff\n43   Committee provided the standard comment.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Board  discussion  with   the  State  Liaison,  Council\n47   Chairs.  Yes, go ahead.\n\n49                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n3   \n7   \n17   \n19   \n25   \n29   \n33   \n37   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Kevin, you have\n\n2   the floor.\n\n4                   MR. PENDERGAST:  If I could trouble Mr.\n5   Mulligan to repeat  his comment.  I'm not  sure I quite\n6   heard them completely.\n\n8                   MR.  MULLIGAN:     Through  the  Chair.\n9   Member   Pendergast.    So,  as  I  said,  given  OSM's\n10   recommendation  I believe  says  to  eliminate the  CUA\n11   because you  see on  the map the  Federal one  is quite\n12   larger currently.   So instead  of doing  what the  RAC\n13   originally  intended, which was to match us down to the\n14   corridor,  like  it  is,  they  just  want  to  totally\n15   eliminate   it  because,   as   Mr.  Ubelaker   already\n16   mentioned, there is a very small portion.....\n\n## 18 MR. PENDERGAST: What, 33 acres?\n\n20                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Yeah, 33 acres.   Which\n21   would then --I mean  make this pretty obsolete when it\n22   comes  to you guys's  regulations.  So  we're good with\n23   that.  State still has  its in place and we'd  like you\n24   guys taking regs off your books.\n\n26                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Thank you.  So it's a\n27   slight modification from the original position based on\n28   information that's come to light.\n\n30                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Yeah.  I guess basically\n31   to  make  it clear  to  everybody  we  support the  OSM\n32   modification as presented by Mr. Ubelaker.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   So I  guess my\n35   next  question would  be  to  look  at Jack  about  the\n36   suggested section --second option we heard there.\n\n38                   MR.  REAKOFF:  Mr. Chair.  I've been on\n39   this Regional Council dealing with this Controlled  Use\n40   Area for many years.  The area was reduced by the State\n41   or wanted  to be  in alignment with  that. With  the 33\n42   acres we don't  feel that this  is an  issue.  So  just\n43   eliminating that and  going with the State  because the\n44   State-managed areas we don't have a problem with that.\n\n46                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n49   that, Jack.  So we are still not at adjournment yet.\n\n---\n\n2   \n7   \n9   \n11   \n19   \n21   \n31   \n36   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n## 1 (Laughter)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We are going to\n4   --the floor  is open for a  motion.  We just  had some\n5   point of clarification and maybe an understanding where\n6   we might motion this.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n12                   MR.   PENDERGAST:   Kevin   Pendergast,\n13   Bureau of Land  Management. Mr. Chair, I move  to adopt\n14   Wildlife Proposal 26-50 to reduce the size of the Upper\n15   Kuskokwim Controlled Use  Area or eliminate it  in Unit\n16   19D to match the current State regulations.  If I get a\n17   second, I will open the discussion by explaining why  I\n18   intend to vote in support of my motion.\n\n## 20 MR. STRIKER: NPS seconds.\n\n22                   MR. PENDERGAST:   Thank you.  First, as\n23   explained  by OSM, the  Upper Kuskokwim  Controlled Use\n24   Area in  Federal regulation  only applies  to Federally\n25   qualified  subsistence users  hunting moose  on Federal\n26   lands.   Since  the  Upper  Kuskokwim  CUA  on  Federal\n27   regulations  is not larger than the Upper Kuskokwim CUA\n28   under State regulation, Federally qualified subsistence\n29   users  are now restricted  from using aircraft  to hunt\n30   moose in Federal lands outside of the State's CUA.\n\n32                   I'm  making  some  changes  on the  fly\n33   here, so bear with me.  Eliminating the Upper Kuskokwim\n34   CUA under Federal  regulations to match the  area under\n35   State regs will align Federal and State regulations.\n\n37                   One moment.  Making some changes on the\n38   fly here.  Bear with us.   Mr. Chair, I'd like to amend\n39   my original motion.  So I'd like to amend my own motion\n40   by moving  to adopt  Wildlife Proposal  26-50 with  OSM\n41   modification to eliminate the  Kuskokwim Controlled Use\n42   Area in Unit 19D.  If I get a second on that amendment,\n43   I will provide some brief rationale.\n\n## 45 MR. STRIKER: NPS seconds.\n\n47                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank  you.  First, as\n48   explained  by OSM,  the Upper Kuskokwim  Controlled Use\n49   Area in Federal  regulation only  applies to  Federally\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n12   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n35   \n37   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n50\n\n1   qualified  subsistence users  hunting moose  in Federal\n2   lands.   Since the  Upper Kuskokwim  CUA under  Federal\n3   regs is --yeah, I think I'm going to end the rationale\n4   now in  deference to the  RAC and has analyzed  by OSM.\n5   Thank you.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   So that's  an\n8   amendment to the original motion?\n\n10                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   That's  correct,  as\n11   modified.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    As modified.\n14   So we  have two votes  on the  floor here or  just one?\n15   Just the one, okay.  It was seconded.  Okay, thank you.\n16   I  was just  making sure  I wasn't  hearing two  on the\n17   floor.\n\n19                   All right.  So we are here.  Motion and\n20   seconded.   Any further discussion, deliberation by the\n21   Board as modified?\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     All  right.\n26   We'll read  into the  record and do  roll call.   Thank\n27   you.\n\n29                   MS. LEONETTI:  The  motion is to  adopt\n30   Wildlife Proposal 26-50 as modified by OSM to eliminate\n31   the  Upper Kuskokwim Controlled Use Area and modify the\n32   hunt area descriptors  for moose in Unit  19D including\n33   eliminating the North  Fork hunt area. So  I'll call on\n34   BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n36                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n\n38                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n39   Striker.\n\n41                   MR. STRIKER:  Park  Service supports in\n42   deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n45   Ingersoll.\n\n47                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n48   in deference to the RAC and for the purpose of reducing\n49   regulatory burden.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n21   \n23   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n3                   MS.  PITKA:    I  support  WP26-50   as\n4   modified in deference to the Regional Advisory  Council\n5   and also for the reasons just said. Thank you.\n\n7                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n8   Service Member Boario.\n\n10                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n11   supports  in deference  to  the  RAC  for  the  reasons\n12   outlined by BLM.\n\n14                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n16                   MS.  JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt WP26-50\n17   as modified  by OSM  and  supporting the  input by  the\n18   Western Interior RAC.  I  want to thank Mr. Reakoff for\n19   his local knowledge  and the additional input  that you\n20   provided.\n\n22                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n24                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney is in\n25   support of WP26-50 as modified by OSM  and supported by\n26   Western Interior RAC.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n30                   MR. WOODS:   Public Member  Woods moves\n31   to adopt.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n35                   MR. PAYENNA:  Public  Member Payenna is\n36   in support of WP26-50 in deference to the RAC.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair.  The  motion\n43   to adopt as modified 26-50 carries unanimously.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Next we have WP26-51.\n\n48                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n13   \n15   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n37   \n40   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Oh, one second.\n2   I think we have a notice here.  Yes, go ahead, Sara.\n\n4                   MS.  BOARIO:     I  apologize  for  the\n5   process  question.  The Fish and Wildlife Service would\n6   like  to defer  this  with  the  agreement  of  Western\n7   Interior RAC.  To do  so do we need to --do  I need to\n8   adopt it to defer it or can I defer instead?\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I think we can\n11   make  a  motion  with  concurrence  with  the  Regional\n12   Advisory Council Chair.\n\n## 14 MS. BOARIO: Jack.\n\n16                   MR. REAKOFF:   I'm always supportive of\n17   deferring Proposal  WP26-51 we got out in  front of us.\n18   We don't have  a C&T.  We  have to propose  a customary\n19   and  traditional use  determination  for  muskox.   Our\n20   regional  members are seeing  muskox in our  region and\n21   they  have interest in this proposal,  but at this time\n22   it's to be  deferred so that we can  submit a Customary\n23   and  Traditional Use Determination and have to bring it\n24   back forward.\n\n## 26 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  The\n29   floor is open for that motion.\n\n31                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n32   Fish  and Wildlife Service  moves to defer  WP26-51 for\n33   the reasons stated by the Western Interior RAC.\n\n35                   MR. STRIKER:  The Park Service seconds.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n\n39   discussion?\n\n41                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Kevin.\n\n45                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n46   What I would like to do, if this is a proper procedure,\n47   is move to amend the  motion or make an amended motion.\n48   Just to clarify defer to 2028.\n\n---\n\n0395\n3   \n4                   MS. BOARIO:  Yes.\n5   \n8   \n9                   MS. BOARIO:  WIRAC?\n10   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Maker of  the\n2   motion, do you.....\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     .....concur\n7   with that?\n\n11                   MR.  REAKOFF:    That's  totally  fine.\n12   Thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So let the main\n15   motion reflect that time.\n\n17                   MS.  BOARIO:    Yes.    Move  to  defer\n18   WP26-51 to 2028 cycle.  Is that correct?\n\n20                   MR. PENDERGAST:  2028.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes.   Let the\n23   record reflect that.  Thank you, Kevin.\n\n25                   MR. PENDERGAST:  So it's not coming  up\n26   this summer.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I just said the\n29   second concurs with that change.  Okay.  Thank you.  So\n30   we have concurrence with the maker and the second.  Any\n31   more deliberation, discussion.\n\n33                   (No comments)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Read the motion\n36   into the record, please, and roll call.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to defer\n39   WP26-51 to the 2028 wildlife cycle.  Fish  and Wildlife\n40   Service, Member Boario.\n\n42                   MS. BOARIO:  Supports.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n46                   MS. PITKA:  I support.\n\n48                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n49   Ingersoll.\n\n---\n\n0396\n11   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n2   \n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n4   Striker.\n5   \n6                   MR. STRIKER:  Support.\n7   \n8                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n9   \n10                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Support.\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n14                   MR. PAYENNA:  Support.\n16                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n18                   MR. WOODS:  Support.\n20                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n22                   MR. ONEY:  Support.\n24                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n26                   MS. JOHN:  BIA supports to defer.\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Support\n31   deferral.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:   Motion to  defer passes\n34   unanimously.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   We made  it to\n37   another page.   I can see the  end of this one.   Right\n38   on.   WP26-41/42, Yukon  Delta.  We  might just  make a\n39   move here because the Y-K Jackie isn't here and you can\n40   see how important it is for us to have our conversation\n41   piece with the RAC.  So  if there's no objection by the\n42   Board here, we might just slide down to the next region\n43   as far  as order of  business.  That  way we  can allow\n44   Jackie time to get back here.\n\n46                   If  there's no  objection  here by  the\n47   Board, we'll just step  over that region.   Sorry about\n48   that.  And we'll just jump on down  to the Bristol Bay.\n49   When they  do show up  this afternoon we'll go  back to\n\n---\n\n3   \n9   \n15   \n25   \n34   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   when Y-K is on the  line.  Thank you for  your patience\n2   with that.  We'll move down to Bristol Bay WCR26-05.\n\n4                   MS.  HOLMAN:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n5   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n6   wildlife  biologist  with  the  Office  of  Subsistence\n7   Management.  So this will  be a short analysis --short\n8   synopsis, there we go, the analysis for WCR26-05.\n\n10                   So this Closure Review  is for Unit 9C,\n11   that  portion draining into  the Naknek River  from the\n12   south.  Public lands are closed during December for the\n13   hunting   of  moose   except  by   Federally  qualified\n14   subsistence users hunting under these regulations.\n\n16                   Regulatory history  in the  1990s ADF&G\n17   issued emergency orders closing the December antlerless\n18   hunt.   In 1992 they  proposed the harvest limit  to be\n19   changed.  As  a result of all of these  things going on\n20   this action, the Naknek Drainage, was then divided into\n21   two  hunt  areas  and the  December  hunts  were closed\n22   except by Federally qualified  subsistence areas.   The\n23   area  draining into the Naknek  from the north and that\n24   draining from the south.\n\n26                   In 2016 it was  determined that a State\n27   permit  could  be  required for  both  fall  and winter\n28   seasons, so that  is what is currently still  used.  In\n29   '22 the State lengthened  the moose season in  Units 9B\n30   and  9C and  aligned  hunt areas.    This extended  the\n31   season by 20 days within the full  units.  Five days at\n32   the end of the fall season and 15 days at the beginning\n33   of the winter season.\n\n35                   In 2022 the  closure was also  reviewed\n36   by the  Board and  maintained.   Since  the early  20th\n37   Century moose  on  the Alaska  Peninsula gradually  has\n38   expanded their range southwestward.  This expansion was\n39   accompanied by a dramatic population increase until the\n40   1960s when the population peaked and began to decline.\n\n42                   Suitable habitat for moose in Unit 9 is\n43   relatively  limited. The  moose  population status  and\n44   trends  in  Unit  9 is  difficult  for  several reasons\n45   including  low moose  densities  and  snow and  weather\n46   conditions that are frequently inadequate for surveys.\n\n48                   Surveys started  in 1991 by  the Alaska\n49   Peninsula  and  Becharof Wildlife  Refuge.   So there's\n\n---\n\n6   \n12   \n22   \n30   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   figures 1, 2  and 3 in your  book show some of  this --\n2   the  density bull:cow calf:cow ratios.  In recent years\n3   the  bull:cow   ratios  have   been  relatively   high,\n4   averaging 60 bulls and 100 cows well above the 20 bulls\n5   per 100 cows in the State management objective.\n\n7                   I will say  you'll note  also in  those\n8   figures  there's kind of some weird information.  There\n9   was a change  around 2018 in how they  did the surveys.\n10   So that did kind of create a little goofy line there in\n11   those figures.\n\n13                   So the Alaska resident moose harvest in\n14   Units  9B  and   9C  occurs  by  registration   permit,\n15   non-resident moose harvest  occurs in those units  by a\n16   different  registration permit.   While  reported moose\n17   harvest  can  be  parsed  out  by  subunit,  it  is not\n18   possible to distribute it by hunt area.  Therefore, the\n19   number of moose  reported harvests only in  the closure\n20   area  is not available, although reported moose harvest\n21   within Unit 9C provides some insight.\n\n23                   From 2000 to  2023 total moose  harvest\n24   in Unit 9C averaged 29  moose per year, ranging from 16\n25   to  43.   Ninety percent  of the  Unit 9  moose harvest\n26   occurs in the fall.  On Figure 4 it shows the breakdown\n27   of  reported moose  harvest  in Unit  9C  by local  and\n28   non-local users.  Local users are defined as those with\n29   a customary and traditional use determination.\n\n31                   If  this  closure   is  rescinded,  the\n32   non-Federally qualified users would be able to  harvest\n33   moose on  Federal public  lands within  the portion  of\n34   Unit 9C draining into the  Naknek River from the  south\n35   during December.   It may also  result in an  increased\n36   moose  harvest although  increases are  expected  to be\n37   minimal  as  winter  conditions  make  this  area  very\n38   difficult to access.\n\n40                   While the  2022 and 2023  moose density\n41   estimates within the  closure area are above  the State\n42   management   objectives   for    a   moderate   density\n43   population,   this   low   density   moose   population\n44   fluctuates within a dynamic equilibrium.  While Unit 9C\n45   bull:cow  ratios are  above  management objectives  and\n46   could sustain additional  bull harvest, calf:cow ratios\n47   indicate a stable population.\n\n49                   While   bull:cow   ratios   within  the\n\n---\n\n9   \n14   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n28   \n36   \n43   \n50\n\n1   closure area are  well below or below  management areas\n2   the overall Unit  9C moose  populations are  not.   The\n3   adjacent  --sorry, I'm  seeing cross-eyed here.   It's\n4   been a long meeting.   The adjacent areas are very high\n5   and  bull harvest is much  more likely there during the\n6   fall   when  Federal  lands  are  open.    Conservation\n7   concerns  do   not  warrant  maintaining   the  closure\n8   although OSM looks forward to hearing from.....\n\n10                   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair, members  of the\n11   Council.   I apologize.   My notes  --this is  not the\n12   right set of notes.  It has all the information though,\n13   so that's why I got a little turned around there.\n\n15                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n16   Appreciate that.  Any questions?\n\n18                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Sara.\n\n22                   MS.  BOARIO:  I'm sorry.  I struggled a\n23   little  bit to  follow that  and I'm  wondering  if you\n24   could describe  the charts  again for us.   If  you can\n25   find  the  right  set  of  notes.    Sorry.    I  fully\n26   appreciate note  challenges.  I'm trying  to understand\n27   how the neighboring TCAs relate to the closure area.\n\n29                   MS.  HOLMAN:  It  might be easier  if I\n30   just open the analysis at this point.  So those figures\n31   show the trend count areas.   So there's all --there's\n32   a Big Creek Corridor and there's a Park Creek Corridor.\n33   So there was a  change in 2018  and that kind of  shows\n34   that  weird line or  2015 approximately.   That kind of\n35   shows the weird lines for the trend count areas.\n\n37                   The trend count area for the  Big Creek\n38   Corridor is relatively matched up to this closure.  The\n39   Park border area involves more of the National  Park in\n40   that area where  there's much more limited  hunting, if\n41   any,  taking place, depending on the specific location.\n42   If that helps answer some of that.\n\n44                   So the  first  Figure 1  is  the  moose\n45   density estimates  overall.  So  you have all  TCAs and\n46   then the  two separate ones.   The second one  is those\n47   bull:cow  ratios  and  the third  one  is  the calf:cow\n48   ratios.    If there's  something  else, Member  Boario,\n49   through the  Chair, if  there's something  I missed  in\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n38   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   there let me know.\n\n3                   MS.  BOARIO:   That's  helpful.   Thank\n4   you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n7   questions from the Board.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n12   that.  Was there any written public comment received?\n\n14                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair, there were  no\n15   written public comments received on this one.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n18   Summary  of   tribal  government   and  Alaska   Native\n19   corporation.\n\n21                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Board\n22   members.   There  were no  comments  or resolutions  on\n23   that.  Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Tribal, Alaska Native organization  testimony.  Here or\n27   online raise your hand.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n32   seeing  none.  The  Alaska Advisory groups,  SRC, State\n33   Advisory or multi-agency working group.\n\n35                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   We've received no  documents from any of  those groups.\n37   Thanks.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n40   public  testimony here or online please raise your hand\n41   to be recognized.\n\n43                   (No comments)\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:       Council\n46   recommendations.\n\n48                   MR. DUNAWAY:   Mr. Chair.   Dan Dunaway\n49   for  the  Bristol   Bay  RAC.     Council   recommended\n\n---\n\n0401\n6   \n14   \n22   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n50\n\n1   maintaining the  status quo and continuing the closure.\n2   Two  members present  at  our  meeting  that  are  very\n3   intimately  familiar   with  this  area  and   hunt  it\n4   regularly  expressed a  lot  of concern  and discomfort\n5   with the proposal and the data.\n\n7                   As  you can see in the most recent data\n8   the  numbers are  pretty erratic,  depending  on survey\n9   conditions, which are erratic, and the  limited habitat\n10   where these  animals are.   We have two  other members.\n11   One  was online and another wasn't present, but they're\n12   also very familiar with this area and we  all supported\n13   their concern that it should be continued.\n\n15                   There's  an expression,  a concern  for\n16   the predation and predators and bears in  the area that\n17   can  really disperse the  moose and keep  them somewhat\n18   depressed.  It was a very, very long meeting so we were\n19   not able  to discuss these  as deeply as we  would have\n20   liked to, but we felt that it would be better to wait a\n21   little bit until we saw stronger data trends.\n\n23                   Thank you.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan.\n26   Making sure that  was the only one.   Any questions for\n27   Dan.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:     Appreciate\n32   that.    Moving  on  to  InterAgency  Staff  Committee.\n33   Sorry.  State of Alaska.  I apologize for that.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Jumping  ahead, Robbin.\n36   Shame, shame.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Get her.\n\n40                   (Laughter)\n\n42                   MR.  MULLIGAN:    All  right.   In  all\n43   seriousness,  Mr. Chair.   For  the  record the  Alaska\n44   Department of  Fish  and Game  supports rescinding  the\n45   closure.   As you've seen, we are meeting objectives in\n46   the sub-unit.  We are meeting ANS also in the sub-unit,\n47   which is 100-140 animals,  but we average a  harvest of\n48   150 to  200 within  9C.  We  don't have  objectives for\n49   that particular sub-unit,  so it's hard to  say whether\n\n---\n\n3   \n16   \n18   \n21   \n29   \n40   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   or not this is meaning anything because we don't manage\n2   that fine of a scale as far as our objectives.\n\n4                   I will make another point.  That if you\n5   rescind  the  closure,  the   State  manages  with  the\n6   registration hunts.  Those registration hunts are based\n7   off  of quotas.   Additional animals will  not be taken\n8   because  an  additional  area  doesn't mean  additional\n9   animals.   We manage  for the population  regardless of\n10   land  status.   So  if you  do  support rescinding  the\n11   closure, no  additional opportunity  will be  provided.\n12   It's a registration hunt.   We have those reported in a\n13   certain amount of time.  We have that quota and then if\n14   it is  reached, we  close those  hunts under the  State\n15   regulations.\n\n## 17 Thank you.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n20   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n22                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I'm\n23   going to read  an abbreviated version of  our comments.\n24   You  can find  the full  comment on  Page 1036  of your\n25   meeting materials.  The Federal Subsistence Board  will\n26   need to consider  a few key  sections of ANILCA  before\n27   taking action  on  proposals  requesting  closures  and\n28   closure reviews.\n\n30                   Specifically those  sections pertaining\n31   to   Council  deference,   Section  805(c)   and  those\n32   pertaining to limitations  to closures or  restrictions\n33   of subsistence  and  non-subsistence  uses  on  Federal\n34   public  lands  and  those are  in  Sections  815(3) and\n35   816(b).   These  three sections speak  to the  heart of\n36   Board authority and require  a careful balance  between\n37   the Federal  Priority, the continuation  of subsistence\n38   uses, the  necessary conservation  of subsistence  fish\n39   and wildlife and unnecessary restrictions.\n\n41                   In  the  case   of  WCR26-05  the   ISC\n42   suggests that the Council's recommendation may not meet\n43   the criteria for deference.\n\n45                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n48   Robbin.  Board  discussion with their  liaison, Council\n49   Chairs,  State reps.   This is your  opportunity to ask\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n11   \n21   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n44   \n50\n\n1   for clarification.\n\n3                   Sara.\n\n5                   MS.  BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, to the RAC, to\n6   Dan.   I just wonder  if you have  any thoughts on  the\n7   additional  information  from  Mr. Mulligan  about  the\n8   added area not being additional.   And I know you can't\n9   speak for the  whole RAC, but I am  wondering what your\n10   thoughts are on that.\n\n12                   MR. DUNAWAY:   Through  the Chair,  Ms.\n13   Boario.  Actually  I really appreciate Fish  and Game's\n14   analysis.  I was trying to  remember.  I don't think we\n15   had Fish and Game biologists  present at our meeting to\n16   explain that.  I know the king salmon in Naknek area in\n17   the past has --when they were in Tier  II for caribou\n18   they  were   dumfounded  how   many  Anchorage   people\n19   qualified and how many king salmon Naknek people didn't\n20   qualify.\n\n22                   They're also in  a very convenient path\n23   from Anchorage,  so there  also were  concerns. If  the\n24   quota  analysis  as  Mr. Mulligan  described  that  may\n25   suffice, but  it did get  back to the local  folks that\n26   hunted and  were pretty uncomfortable with  the numbers\n27   that were offered and that's the best I can say.\n\n29                   Thank you.\n\n31                   MS.  BOARIO:    Appreciate  that,  Dan.\n32   Thank you.\n\n34                   MR. WOODS:  A question for Dan.  During\n35   this deliberation, you  know, it's a low  density area.\n36   It's south  of the Naknek  River.  That area,  like you\n37   pointed  out,  has   a  high  density  of   brown  bear\n38   population  right  at  the  Katmai  National  Park  and\n39   Preserve  on the  upper  end.   But they  distribute it\n40   throughout the  whole area and that  high concentration\n41   of predators impact  that Federal side, but  also along\n42   the whole  drainage because  they're up  and down  that\n43   corridor the whole season.\n\n45                   That  means  they're   in  the  calving\n46   season  during  the  hunting  season  when  fish aren't\n47   running and they  only congregate on  the upper end  of\n48   Katmai during the salmon season.  So the low density of\n49   moose reported I see --and there might be a  number in\n\n---\n\n4   \n8   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1   ANS, but  then you  look at  the numbers  for different\n2   units.  It's really apparent that they're not --I mean\n3   really low numbers.\n\n5                   Thank you  for that.   I'm  inclined to\n6   rescind  this.  I'd like to support your recommendation\n7   just for that purpose.  Thank you.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n10   questions, clarification.  RAC Chairs or State.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n15   seeing none.  We'll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n17                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, can I request a\n18   two-minute break.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Two minutes.\n\n22                   MS. BOARIO:  Thanks.\n\n24                   (Off record)\n\n26                   (On record)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Almost  two\n29   minutes, huh?\n\n31                   MS. BOARIO:  I'm ready.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Oh,  you're\n34   ready?   I'm ready.  You guys ready?  We've been ready.\n35   I really like these Native  ladies next to me.  They're\n36   keeping me well fed under the table, keeping us going.\n\n38                   Sara, you have the floor.\n\n40                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair, thank you.  Mr.\n41   Chair,  I move  to rescind  the closure.   If  I get  a\n42   second, I will explain my justification.\n\n44                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service seconds.\n\n46                   MS. BOARIO:   Mr. Chair.   I appreciate\n47   the   Council's   concerns    and   perspective   about\n48   potentially erratic  data.   However, with  what we  do\n49   have  biologically there is  no reason to  continue the\n\n---\n\n0405\n4   \n10   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n26   \n30   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n48   \n50\n\n1   closure to moose  in Unit 9C south of  the Naknek River\n2   to  non-Federally qualified users  and moose density is\n3   above State population objectives.\n\n5                   The closure has been  in place for some\n6   time, over many years, leading  to a lack of historical\n7   use in this area and  the area is relatively  difficult\n8   to  get  to  especially in  December  with  a harvested\n9   moose.\n\n11                   The   Fish    and   Wildlife    Service\n12   understands  the  recommendation  of  the  Bristol  Bay\n13   Regional  Advisory  Council   to  retain  the  closure.\n14   However, the new  information provided by Mr.  Mulligan\n15   about  how the hunt is managed underscores that opening\n16   this area will not lead to more moose being harvested.\n\n18                   It is  for these reasons  that the Fish\n19   and Wildlife Service recommends  to rescind the closure\n20   in Unit 9C.  Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n23   Board discussion, deliberation.\n\n25                   (No comments)\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n28   seeing none.  We'll read into the record the motion and\n29   roll call.\n\n31                   MS. LEONETTI:  The motion is to rescind\n32   the  closure for  WCR26-05.   We will  start  with FWS,\n33   Member Boario.\n\n35                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n36   supports.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n40                   MS. JOHN:  BIA opposes the motion.  BIA\n41   supports retaining the  existing moose hunting  closure\n42   for Unit 9C as recommended  by the Bristol Bay Regional\n43   Advisory Council.  We  concur with their  justification\n44   as they  consider  testimony and  information from  its\n45   members,   tribal  representatives   and  other   rural\n46   residents regarding  the importance of  the closed area\n47   for local Federally qualified users.\n\n49                   This  will  help  to  provide  for  and\n\n---\n\n6   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n25   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   continue  to maintain  moose hunting  opportunities for\n2   subsistence hunters  to better  meet their  needs.   We\n3   appreciate the additional detailed information provided\n4   by  Mr. Dunaway regarding this moose population and the\n5   factors affecting their abundance.\n\n7                   Quyana.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n11                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney  does\n12   oppose as stated by BIA and Bristol Bay RAC.\n\n14                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n16                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods opposes\n17   through  the information passed  on our RAC  along with\n18   the  full analysis  and  different areas.    Unit 9  is\n19   different  sections and  only south  of  the Naknek  is\n20   identified  on my  map.   We  have heard  from the  RAC\n21   members and  I respect the  Bristol Bay  RAC and  their\n22   recommendations  and  along  with  BIA's  comments  for\n23   helping  Federally  qualified  subsistence  users  meet\n24   their needs.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n30                   MR. PAYENNA:  Public Member Payenna, in\n31   alignment with BIA's  comments and in deference  to the\n32   RAC, we vote to oppose.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n36                   MS. PITKA:  I  vote to oppose  WCR26-05\n37   to rescind the  closure.  I vote to  retain the closure\n38   in  deference to the  Regional Advisory Council  and in\n39   recognition of the continuation of subsistence uses  of\n40   the resource.   And also in recognition that  there are\n41   data  gaps for that particular  species and I hope that\n42   surveys  can be  stronger  in the  future  and be  more\n43   supportive.\n\n45                   Thank you.\n\n47                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n49                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports  for the\n\n---\n\n0407\n2   \n5   \n14   \n17   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   reasons stated by the Fish and Wildlife Service.\n\n3                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n4   Striker.\n\n6                   MR.  STRIKER:   Park  Service  supports\n7   rescinding  for  the  reasons  well articulated  by  my\n8   sister   agency.      Furthermore   we  think   there's\n9   necessarily a  high bar  for a closure.   I  think that\n10   that same high bar in terms of substantial evidence has\n11   to exist to continue closures.  And we should celebrate\n12   when we can rescind closures.  That's something that we\n13   should all be proud of.  So thank you.\n\n15                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n16   Ingersoll.\n\n18                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n19   the  motion.     It's  challenging  with  the   bar  of\n20   substantial  evidence  and what  constitutes  evidence.\n21   There is  limited evidence here  and I think  the doubt\n22   must  err on the side of rescinding closures when there\n23   is limited evidence in either direction.\n\n25                   And also I think the Department of Fish\n26   and Game  has articulated  that rescinding  the closure\n27   will not lead to an increasing harvest.\n\n## 29 MS. LEONETTI: Chair Christianson.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   I support  in\n32   deference  to the RAC.  I  mean oppose.  Like you said,\n33   both ways  here.  Not  enough information to  really go\n34   one  way or  the other.   So I'll lean  on our Regional\n35   Advisory Council and  the statement we heard  there. It\n36   might not  change the  amount of  moose,  but it  might\n37   change  the people harvesting them inside of the state.\n38   So I mean  that's the testimony we heard  there is that\n39   sometimes  it's   the  people  around   too  that   are\n40   competition  with each other.   So in  deference to the\n41   RAC.\n\n43                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair,  the motion\n44   fails.  Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   We'll move on to the Kodiak, WP-32.\n\n49                   MR.   ROBERTS:     Hello,  Mr.   Chair.\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n31   \n39   \n50\n\n1   Members  of the  Board.   I'm  Jason Roberts.   I'm  an\n2   anthropologist at OSM  and I'll be providing  a summary\n3   of  the analysis  of  Wildlife  Proposal WP26-32.  This\n4   analysis begins on Page 925  of your meeting book.  The\n5   proposal was submitted by  the Kodiak Aleutians Council\n6   and  it requests that the Board recognize the customary\n7   and  traditional  use  of  brown  bears  in Unit  8  by\n8   residents of Kodiak.\n\n10                   The Council initially defined Kodiak as\n11   including all the communities located along the  Kodiak\n12   road  system except for the U.S.  Coast Guard Base, the\n13   Nemetz  Housing Development  and the  Pacific Spaceport\n14   Complex.  A map of this  proposal area is shown on Page\n15   936 of  your meeting  book.  But  there have  been some\n16   kind  of leak breaking modifications to this area since\n17   the  proposal  was  originally  submitted  and  I  will\n18   describe those a bit later.\n\n20                   The proponents note  that all residents\n21   of  Kodiak Island  have a  long  history of  harvesting\n22   brown  bears for  food and  using  brown bear  parts in\n23   traditional  handicrafts.     They  explain  that   the\n24   importance of accessing  brown bear for food  and other\n25   needs on Kodiak is well documented, and they argue that\n26   residents of  the more  remote communities  located off\n27   the islands  road system already have a C&T finding for\n28   brown bear  and that residents  of Kodiak who  have the\n29   same history of  use should not  be excluded from  this\n30   finding.\n\n32                   Looking  at  a  bit  of the  regulatory\n33   history here in 1986.  The Alaska Board of Game made  a\n34   positive  customary  and  traditional use  finding  for\n35   brown  bear in  Unit  8.    However, that  finding  was\n36   reversed  in 1987 after no residents requested a permit\n37   for the special subsistence registration hunt that took\n38   place for that one year.\n\n40                   There  was  no   Federal  hunt  and  no\n41   communities  were  recognized as  having  customary and\n42   traditional  use of  brown  bears in  Unit  8 when  the\n43   Federal   program  began   and   announced  its   first\n44   regulations in '92.  However, the Board did carry  over\n45   several  C&T  determinations  in  Unit  8,  such  as  a\n46   determination for deer for all  Unit 8 residents.  This\n47   determination is notable because deer are an introduced\n48   species on Kodiak Island while the Kodiak brown bear is\n49   an  endemic  species  whose name  is  derived  from the\n\n---\n\n3   \n16   \n24   \n25   \n37   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Alutiiq word for island and  has been present there for\n2   thousands of years.\n\n4                   In '96,  a proposal requested  that the\n5   Board recognize  the customary  and traditional  use of\n6   brown  bears in Unit 8  by all Unit  8 residents.  When\n7   considering this proposal, the Kodiak Aleutians Council\n8   at the time  noted concerns that allowing  residents of\n9   Kodiak  City  to  harvest  brown  bears  under  Federal\n10   regulations   could  negatively   impact  the   guiding\n11   industry by  reducing the number  of permits  available\n12   for other  Alaska residents  and non-resident  hunters.\n13   At this time  it appears that during  these discussions\n14   it  wasn't  clear  that  the  Board  could  allocate  a\n15   specific number of permits to individual communities.\n\n17                   The Council ultimately recommended that\n18   the Board recognize C&T for brown bears by residents of\n19   Akiak,  Karluk, Larson  Bay, Old  Harbor, Ouzinkie  and\n20   Port  Lyons,  all of  which  are located  off  the road\n21   system.      The  Council   also  requested   that  the\n22   communities  of Ouzinkie and Port Lyons be added to the\n23   C&T based on histories of migration  and intermarriage.\n\n26                   In   '97  the   Board  recognized   the\n27   customary and traditional  use of elk in Unit  8 by all\n28   Unit 8 residents.   This determination is  also notable\n29   because  elk, like deer,  are an introduced  species on\n30   Kodiak.     The   Council   recommended   that   Kodiak\n31   communities  located both on and off the road system be\n32   included  in the  C&T due  to the  history  of kinship,\n33   connections and sharing between these communities.  The\n34   current proposal is  the first to request  an expansion\n35   of  the  C&T  for  brown  bear  in  Unit  8  since  the\n36   determination was made for off-road communities.\n\n38                   Subsistence practices remain central to\n39   the identity, family life, community well being  across\n40   both remote and road  accessible communities on Kodiak.\n41   In a 2021  subsistence survey households on  the Kodiak\n42   Road System harvested an average  of 224 pounds of wild\n43   resources, with  salmon, non-salmon fish and large land\n44   mammals accounting for much of this harvest.  It's also\n45   noted that  close social  connections link  communities\n46   across  the island and the sharing of subsistence foods\n47   between road system and  off-road system communities is\n48   common.\n\n---\n\n13   \n19   \n25   \n26   \n34   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   In recent  years residents  of off-road\n2   communities  are  increasingly relocating  to  the road\n3   system  area   due  to  declining   commercial  fishing\n4   opportunities,   rising  cost   of  living   and  aging\n5   populations.  The  road system includes the  U.S. Coast\n6   Guard  base,  the  Nemetz  and  the  Pacific  Spaceport\n7   Complex,  which  the proponents  would like  to exclude\n8   from this proposed C&T determination due to differences\n9   in the  average length of residence, harvest and use of\n10   subsistence resources, subsistence knowledge and access\n11   to facilities and  services that are distinct  from the\n12   rest of the communities.\n\n14                   The Coast Guard Base is a discrete area\n15   within  Kodiak  station, CDP.    The  Nemetz is  a  new\n16   off-base Coast Guard  housing development within Kodiak\n17   Station,  and the Pacific Spaceport is located South of\n18   Kodiak City at Narrow Cape.\n\n20                   The current land use  agreement for the\n21   Spaceport though does  not permit  the construction  of\n22   long-term lodging facilities.  Research from 2021 shows\n23   that the demographic characteristics  of Kodiak Station\n24   CDP differ from those of other road system communities.\n\n27                   Residents of Kodiak Station tend to  be\n28   younger,  have  shorter  residency  periods,  are  more\n29   likely  to be employed year round and generally harvest\n30   fewer subsistence resources.  These patterns  are shown\n31   in more detail in  Table 2 on Page 938 of  your meeting\n32   book  and  they're  consistent  with previous  research\n33   documenting these trends in the early '90s.\n\n35                   Coast Guard  personnel typically  serve\n36   three-year tours,  but the  Kodiak Base  sees a  pretty\n37   high  number   of   extension  requests   due  to   the\n38   attractiveness  of  living,  hunting,  and fishing  and\n39   perusing outdoor  opportunities  in  the  Kodiak  area.\n40   Even   so,   shorter    residency   generally   affects\n41   subsistence participation.   And  while Kodiak  Station\n42   residents  do  harvest  fish  and  wildlife,   previous\n43   studies  conducted  in  the '90s  noted  that newcomers\n44   participate less in  traditional subsistence activities\n45   than long-term  residents  and  often  require  several\n46   years  to  learn  harvest  methods,  gear  and seasonal\n47   locations of wild resources.\n\n49                   So  Kodiak  brown  bears  have  been  a\n\n---\n\n5   \n13   \n24   \n34   \n44   \n50\n\n1   distinct  subspecies  on  the  Kodiak  Archipelago  for\n2   roughly 12,000 years. Archeological evidence shows that\n3   Alutiiq  people have  consistently  harvested and  used\n4   brown bears throughout their history on the islands.\n\n6                   Historic  records  and  oral  histories\n7   document  strong cultural  and  spiritual ties  between\n8   Kodiak residents and  brown bears.  These  beliefs have\n9", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': 'da1b68b3-9e16-4841-9310-2c74a35c7317', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_2.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:35:47.080661+00:00', 'content_hash': '984740c4fdaecdc77f99f16671e62f75cc24861fbd93692c42378991052ec174'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.23.26', 'check_failed': False}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_3.pdf', 'body': {'text': '2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n43   \n44   \n45   \n46   \n47   \n48   \n49   \n50\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                          VOLUME IV\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 24, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n38   Recorded and transcribed by:\n39   Computer Matrix Court Reporters\n40   329 F Street, Suite 222\n41   Anchorage, AK 99501\n42   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n1                    P R O C E E D I N G S\n2   \n4   \n6   \n10   \n12   \n18   \n37   \n50\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/24/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Good  morning,\n8   we\'re going  to get started with the  last day, Friday.\n9   Kudos to those who made it.\n\n11                   (Laughter)\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   I mean up here\n14   on the  Board.  All  right, we\'re going to  get started\n15   with the order of business this morning.   We do have a\n16   quorum  established.  So  first off this  morning we\'re\n17   going to do public testimony on non-agenda items.\n\n19                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  And\n20   for the members of the public, people listening online,\n21   I\'m  going to  give  a few  updates  and guidelines  in\n22   regards  to how we  are going to  streamline our public\n23   comment process.   As you know public  participation in\n24   the Federal  Subsistence  Management  Program  is  what\n25   makes our  program special and  it is how we  can track\n26   and document and rely on the knowledge and expertise of\n27   our  Staff, our Chairs, our Regional Advisory Councils,\n28   and the public all across  this very big state.  Today,\n29   we  have three  different  types  of  opportunities  to\n30   provide testimony to  the Board.  The first  is on non-\n31   agenda  items, the second is going to be momentarily on\n32   the  consensus agenda, if there  are any items you wish\n33   to  speak  to on  the  consensus  agenda and  then,  of\n34   course, always the  opportunity to speak  to regulatory\n35   action items on  the non-consensus agenda as  they come\n36   up on the public agenda, in their order.\n\n38                   We\'ve had such a successful meeting and\n39   we  have  extended  our  days  and  we  really want  to\n40   complete  this agenda  and  we  owe it  to  you all  to\n41   finalize  Board action and decisionmaking on all of the\n42   proposals that we have before us and to do that we need\n43   to limit  public comments.   So today I\'m going  to ask\n44   you all to be  mindful of your  time.  More than  that,\n45   I\'m  going to  ask you  to  limit it  to five  minutes.\n46   People  in the room, you may see  me wave or stand when\n47   we get close  to it.  I\'m  not going to come  and yoink\n48   [sic] you, but I\'m really going to try  my very best to\n49   give an opportunity  for everybody  to participate  and\n\n---\n\n2   \n14   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n26   \n35   \n50\n\n1   for us to get through this agenda.\n\n3                   For people  online,  you  are  able  to\n4   raise your  hand to  get in the  que by  pressing star,\n5   five.  You can do so now if you are online and you wish\n6   to make  comments on  non-agenda items,  you can  press\n7   star, five and, again, I\'m  going to limit you to about\n8   five minutes.  We also, so that  we can get on with our\n9   business, have asked that you complete your sign up for\n10   testimony on non-agenda items or consensus agenda items\n11   by --well, the non-agenda items by 9:30.  So people on\n12   the phone,  you can press star, five to get in the que.\n13   People in the room you can fill out the cards.\n\n15                   And with  that, our first person in the\n16   que is Emily Edenshaw.\n\n18                   (Pause)\n\n20                   MS.  LAVINE:    Emily  Edenshaw is  not\n21   available and will likely call in later, maybe.\n\n23                   The  next in the que, in line, or sorry\n24   in the room, is Mr. Luls  from Togiak.  Oh, Mr. --oh,\n25   thank you, oh, Lelani Lulrs, thank you.\n\n27                   MS. LULRS:   Oh, the first  to testify,\n28   I\'m  so nervous.  Wacaa\' Mr. Chair, and the Board.  (In\n29   Native).  Hello, Mr. Chair and  the Board.  My name  is\n30   Lelani Lulrs and I\'m from Togiak, Alaska.   My mother\'s\n31   name  is Rosa,  my father\'s  name  is Steven  Lulrs, my\n32   grandmother\'s name is Fannie and my grandfather\'s  name\n33   is Henry  Kohuk (ph).   Quyana, for the  opportunity to\n34   speak today.\n\n36                   I wanted to give you a brief history of\n37   my upbringing  and way of  life.  My  grandfather would\n38   travel from the  headwaters of the Kuskokwim  River all\n39   the way down to  Ugashik and to the mouth  of the lake,\n40   and if you\'re  familiar with the Bristol Bay  region or\n41   above it  and beyond it,  it encompasses all of  Wes --\n42   almost all of Western Alaska.    Upon meeting his wife,\n43   Fannie, and having eight children he was a leader among\n44   the region bringing his children along to teach our way\n45   of life.   As a child,  we would leave  school early to\n46   travel to our fish camp in (In Native), Alaska, we were\n47   the last family to head to  our fish camp for months at\n48   a time.  There at  fish camp is where we would  harvest\n49   nearly 150 kings, the last  time we stayed at fish camp\n\n---\n\n13   \n27   \n31   \n49   \n50\n\n1   was nearly 15 years ago where our last harvest was only\n2   10 kings.  At fish camp is where my sister and I caught\n3   our first caribou.  We packed it nearly five miles back\n4   to our skiff.  And I don\'t know if you could imagine or\n5   perhaps imagine in your heads  two young kids, 11 and 9\n6   year old, crying across the  tundra with a pack of ribs\n7   on our backs yelling at our  mom and dad, like why  did\n8   we kill a caribou so far away from our skiff but that\'s\n9   our family, right.   And as we\'ve grown  we\'ve seen the\n10   fluctuations of  our relatives  in our  waters and  our\n11   lands and as our salmon stocks have been on the decline\n12   we\'re seeing a higher resilience on our land relatives.\n\n14                   As subsistence users  within the region\n15   we are  the first to  notice when our relatives  are in\n16   trouble,  or what to harvest when others are suffering.\n17   We  are  the  first  to  notice  when  stocks  are   in\n18   abundance.   Our caribou  herds have  grown in  numbers\n19   within the last  few years, however, State  and Federal\n20   recommendations  have not  considered that our  need to\n21   feed our families has grown due to the decrease in king\n22   salmon.  The  past fall we spent nearly  three grand to\n23   harvest one single  moose.  With  the increase in  fuel\n24   prices,  the cost to  feed our families  has increased.\n25   I\'m  watching families  unable  to feed  their families\n26   their traditional foods due to the increase in cost.\n\n28                   I   also  wanted   to   speak  on   the\n29   importance  of herring and  herring roe on  kelp within\n30   our region.\n\n32                   Currently,  the  State   has  increased\n33   allocation in the  Dutch Harbor food and  bait industry\n34   and  the fleet of  trawlers in  the Federal  waters are\n35   asking for more  allocation of herring.   I do  realize\n36   that this  is not the  fish, but  I wanted to  make the\n37   Board  aware of what\'s happening within our Federal and\n38   State waters.  Herring is a key pelagic fish that feeds\n39   our salmon  and are the  first foods in the  spring for\n40   our people within our region and across the west coast.\n41   They  did  not take  into  consideration that  families\n42   along the  western coast  that rely  on herring  in the\n43   spring.    Just  because we\'re  not  harvesting herring\n44   commercially does not  mean that we are  not harvesting\n45   herring  for subsistence.   I really do  appreciate the\n46   Board Chair and your comments on protecting the herring\n47   in the Southeast and would  love to move forward on how\n48   we can protect our herring along the west coast.\n\n---\n\n10   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   One  recommendation  that  I had  as  a\n2   subsistence users  in the  region is  to have  regional\n3   leaders travel along  Federal and State surveys  of our\n4   animals so that  we have an equal determination  of our\n5   animals  and I would also  invite those that would like\n6   to participate in  our hunts to observe  how we harvest\n7   in  our area.   And  as  a hunter  and  gatherer and  a\n8   subsistence users within  my region I would  invite any\n9   of you that would want to come along to come along.\n\n## 11 Quyana for listening.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n\n14   Appreciate your testimony this morning.  Any comments.\n\n## 16 Frank.\n\n18                   MR. WOODS:  Well, Lelani, I\'m glad  I\'m\n19   not the only  one that had a  struggle with pronouncing\n20   your name.  I appreciate your testimony and input.  Not\n21   only that your knowledge of the area, real honorable to\n22   sit here and  listen to your --and  the group that you\n23   came with, BBNA,  and Togiak, you  come from a  village\n24   that  set precedence,  the  State  of  Alaska  and  the\n25   Federal government, that  sat down and said  let\'s work\n26   this out  with the Walrus Commission.   They have their\n27   own traditional council that has wildlife citations and\n28   proposals before them.   They also take  control of the\n29   village  to  the point  where  we  model  at.   It\'s  a\n30   cooperative management.  I see you in many meetings and\n31   I  appreciate that knowledge just as a community member\n32   and  a  subsistence  users  of  the  resource,  but  an\n33   Alaskan, because what you\'re talking about is we\'re all\n34   affected  by all these  things.   And as  a traditional\n35   indigenous  Native Alaskan, I think we have a different\n36   perspective.  We have a  holistic approach.  We look at\n37   things coordinated and  are connected and that  means a\n38   lot in our area.  Because No. 1, we help try to come to\n39   --when you  speak  you  help come  try  to solve  the\n40   problem,   whether  it\'s  good  or  bad  and  we\'re  on\n41   different  pages, coming to the table with solutions is\n42   what I hear you talk about.\n\n## 44 So, thank you.\n\n46                   MS. LULRS:   Quyana for  your comments,\n47   Woodsy --or Frank.  Growing up --because I have a (In\n48   Native) dad,  he\'s a  White man,  he always  instilled,\n49   like he adopted our Yup\'ik values as his own and when I\n\n---\n\n9   \n11   \n14   \n17   \n24   \n50\n\n1   see  that we  can  come  together  whether  we\'re  from\n2   outside Alaska that moved  in here to be  a subsistence\n3   users or as  an Alaska Native that lives  off the land,\n4   that we\'ve lived on for the last 10,000 years, I think,\n5   we could come to an agreement for the betterment of our\n6   lands and waters  and air, so it\'s not  always a fight.\n7   And that\'s what I look to do, I  just like to be in the\n8   middle and mediate things.\n\n10                   MR. WOODS:  Thank you.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n13   appreciate that.   Thank you.\n\n15                   MS. LAVINE:  Next in the room is Gloria\n16   Burns.\n\n18                   MS. BURNS:   (In Native)  Good morning,\n19   thank  you,   Chairman  Christianson  and  Board.     I\n20   appreciate the opportunity  to share some  observations\n21   and to be  present with all of  you.  I feel  like I\'ve\n22   seen you all so much you\'re getting to be very familiar\n23   faces.\n\n25                   I\'m the  president of  Ketchikan Indian\n26   Community.   The  first thing that  I wanted  to really\n27   talk about is the  disjointed way in which the  Federal\n28   agencies are  approaching consultation with  tribes and\n29   how  it affects the trust and treaty responsibility and\n30   then, in  turn, affects your  ability to listen  and to\n31   effectively  manage  this  effort to  move  the  Forest\n32   Service out  of Alaska  while we\'re  doing a TLMP  land\n33   management plan  in Southeast,  while we\'re  increasing\n34   outsourcing  and essentially, you know, pillaging of my\n35   non-human  relatives,  at  the  same time  we\'re  going\n36   through these processes of regulatory and it feels like\n37   every system  is being  broken.  And  when you  look at\n38   some of the rules  around consultation and the  ways in\n39   which the Federal  government is supposed to  honor the\n40   trust  and treaty  responsibility to  tribes, it\'s  not\n41   supposed to be in a vacuum,  separate of each other.  I\n42   would  say that  these  management practices  regarding\n43   Federally-qualified  users  on  the Tongass  cannot  be\n44   looked  as separate from  the Roadless Rule,  cannot be\n45   looked  separate from  the intention  to dismantle  the\n46   Federal Subsistence Board, cannot be looked at separate\n47   from the moving of the Forest Service management out of\n48   Alaska,  from the consolidation of the Bureau of Indian\n49   Affairs out of  Alaska.  Literally every  single system\n\n---\n\n21   \n34   \n41   \n50\n\n1   that  supports the  rural  subsistence  users  who  are\n2   indigenous are  being destroyed  and I  would say  that\n3   it\'s destroying  the quality  of life  for every  rural\n4   subsistence user, indigenous or not.  And I want to say\n5   that  it   really  is  frustrating  to   watch  Federal\n6   agencies, as the State who has been, in my opinion, and\n7   the opinion of  the Ketchikan Indian Community,  a poor\n8   management  of  some of  the  resources we  find  to be\n9   extremely important,  as  this happens  and then  we\'re\n10   moving on to,  you know, a conversation  we\'re not even\n11   having is, like  the Governor\'s --the  Governor\'s idea\n12   of changing the Constitution for a unified system while\n13   we\'re sitting here.   So it\'s very hard  to pour energy\n14   and love  into a system that  I know needs to  stand up\n15   because it\'s  so important to  all of us, while  I know\n16   that  every single system that should be supporting and\n17   protecting my  people is  currently  in a  system of  a\n18   disarray or pulled  down.  And I  just had to  say that\n19   because so  much of the  time and energy is  going into\n20   that.\n\n22                   I   want  to   say  that   the  Federal\n23   Subsistence Board and  its make up and it\'s  make up of\n24   the RACs  is extremely  important and  Ketchikan Indian\n25   Community will continue  to support that because  it is\n26   what is  good for  the Federally-qualified  user and  I\n27   think what\'s good  for the Federally-qualified  user is\n28   good for all of Alaska and that I would love to come to\n29   a meeting  some day  in which the  State is  looking to\n30   align  their  regulations  with  the  traditional   and\n31   ecological knowledge that is  being presented through a\n32   very  thought  out  process that  is  not  a popularity\n33   contest as is the ACs.  You know so I want to say that.\n\n35                   I want to  say that as we  move through\n36   what is becoming  a very divisive time in  my region, I\n37   want to say  that Ketchikan showed up, we  knew all the\n38   rules, we indicated the importance  of our life.  And I\n39   just want  to say,  because I think  I want  to explain\n40   what rural is to me, how I grew up.\n\n42                   I grew up  five miles out of  Ketchikan\n43   when I  wasn\'t  living with  my Noni,  you know,  right\n44   outside, you  know,  essentially in  Ketchikan with  no\n45   running water half the year.  The running water that we\n46   did have was from a muskeg dam where we cut all  of our\n47   wood, where we  chopped all of our wood,  where when we\n48   didn\'t have food  we didn\'t have money for  a bullet to\n49   go  get a deer,  we went ahead  and we went  in a giant\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n34   \n42   \n44   \n49   \n50\n\n1   clam pit and we didn\'t have gas for a car so you walked\n2   in to town and  then you went ahead, if you didn\'t have\n3   a relative who was from out  of town who might give you\n4   a ride, you went ahead and you called  a cab, we called\n5   Mr. Tatsu because he drove  cab and, Neil, and we\'d say\n6   drop me off  out at the Saxman Beach  where the cockles\n7   were big  and we would  get dropped off and  you\'d work\n8   the tide  in and out and  then you\'d go home  and you\'d\n9   eat  your seamers, your  half clams, you  know, shells,\n10   your  clam chowder, smoke your cockles, you know, that.\n11   And because of  where we lived, our catch  was often my\n12   uncle  Robert Omquest, it was from  his boat, he\'d fish\n13   then he\'d bring his home catch and we\'d take care of it\n14   or you  were,  you  know, doing  things  that  I  guess\n15   everybody in this room wouldn\'t actually consider legal\n16   to put  a fish  on your table.   And  so that  was that\n17   experience.\n\n19                   And so I  just want to say  I know that\n20   you\'re in a difficult  situation right now and  say, we\n21   fought this fought since we  were left out by 153 votes\n22   from  being Federally-qualified,  we\'ve done  this vote\n23   three times,  Ketchikan  just shut  two  schools  down,\n24   Ketchikan had a landslide that separated everybody from\n25   everywhere else and when we go --if we go through this\n26   process again  we\'ll only look more rural  in two years\n27   --in  one year, we\'re  going to look much  more rural.\n28   So I\'m thankful you have  a very limited scope in which\n29   to  judge  whether  or not  to  address  this threshold\n30   analysis.\n\n## 32 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you, 33 Gloria.\n\n35                   MS. LAVINE:   Once, again,  I will  ask\n36   everyone to please work to limit their comments to five\n37   minutes.  I will stand to help keep  track when you are\n38   approaching your limit.   For people online  and people\n39   in the room,  we will take comments or  raised hands to\n40   provide  comments on non-agenda items until 9:30.  That\n41   means you need to sign up by 9:30.\n\n## 43 Next in the room is Leslie Isaacs.\n\n45                   MR. ISAACS:  You got to hit the button,\n46   technology challenged  this morning, sorry  about that.\n47   My coffee cup, for the  record, is only this full, that\n48   means I only had half a cup so far.\n\n---\n\n34   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   So  good  morning.    My  name  is  (In\n2   Native) I am Haida Eagle Frog from the (In Native) Clan\n3   and this morning  I\'m speaking to you on  behalf of the\n4   Hydaburg   Cooperative   Association,    a   Federally-\n5   recognized tribe located in  Hydaburg, Alaska on Prince\n6   of  Wales Island.   The  agenda item  that I  wanted to\n7   speak to is the reduction and the change of the make up\n8   of the  Board that is  here this  morning.  And  what I\n9   want  to share  is how  important  subsistence or  what\n10   would technically  be called  subsistence, but  what is\n11   our way of  life in the village, how  important that is\n12   to us.    In  Hydaburg,  we have,  depending  on  whose\n13   statistics you  look  at we  have  about a  28  percent\n14   unemployment rate, so  if you go one, two, three you\'re\n15   unemployed; one,  two, three,  you\'re unemployed;  one,\n16   two, three  you\'re  unemployed, which  means you  don\'t\n17   have  an income to drive  45 minutes to  an hour to the\n18   nearest grocery store to buy  a piece of meat that cost\n19   120 or 130  bucks that here at Costco you\'d  be able to\n20   buy for $25.   So your  resources are already  strained\n21   and  limited.  And then what  I know, because I used to\n22   work   for   the   state  of   Alaska,   Department  of\n23   Administration,  I\'m chairman of a  few --or one board\n24   and on  several boards,  that are  looking at  economic\n25   development issues.  I worked  for the city of  Klawock\n26   as a city administrator for a dozen years.   And what I\n27   know is meetings like this take place and if you\'re not\n28   represented at  the table  your voice  is never  heard.\n29   And that lack of  representation exists all  throughout\n30   our  villages.  There\'s  decisions that are  being made\n31   that are going to impact my tribal citizens at Hydaburg\n32   Cooperative Association in  very detrimental ways  that\n33   they don\'t even know are being made.\n\n35                   Now,  I  recognize our  Board  Chair is\n36   from Hydaburg  and I thank  you for that.   However, if\n37   you take away  the representation of our  people in our\n38   villages it has a very harmful effect because our voice\n39   isn\'t even  heard.  Our  opinions are kept  to ourself.\n40   We\'re going to go  do what we need to do to put food on\n41   the table  to take care  of our families but  it\'s very\n42   important that  we work  with the  systems that  are in\n43   play and that we\'re part of that system.\n\n45                   I want to share with you a really quick\n46   story about fishing and I know it\'s not relevant to the\n47   deer  stories but one summer we\'re out sockeye fishing,\n48   beach seining,  putting up fish  for the winter  and my\n49   son, he was about 12 or 13 years old, and my father who\n\n---\n\n16   \n25   \n27   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n41   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1   now can  no longer fish with us because he\'s 87, but at\n2   the  time he was about my age,  which I thought was old\n3   then and now I think is kind of pretty young but my dad\n4   turned to me and --because my son was in the skiff, my\n5   dad turned  to me  and said,  he\'s really getting  this\n6   figured  out, he\'s going to  be a good  skiff man.  And\n7   the importance of  that to me is that I remember when I\n8   was my father\'s skiff man  and now my son is practicing\n9   our way  of life,  helping put up  fish but  there\'s my\n10   father, who very proudly is  telling me how good my son\n11   is doing.   And if you  can\'t tell I  have tears in  my\n12   eyes because of  the emotional connection we  have with\n13   our  way of life.  This isn\'t  just putting food on the\n14   table, this is generation to  generation to generation,\n15   teaching our young ones who we are.\n\n17                   I sat in front of a U.S. Forest Service\n18   presentation  down on Prince of Wales Island, they were\n19   talking about  the LWDs  and some of  us know  what the\n20   large woody debris  is, but at the  time I had no  clue\n21   and   the   scientists   in   the  room,   the   Forest\n22   practitioners, the stream  management people, they were\n23   all getting up giving a very technical presentation and\n24   in my --I got 10 seconds left.\n\n26                   (Laughter)\n\n28                   MR. ISAACS:  And in my response to them\n29   I said, this,  I don\'t care what  you call it,  I don\'t\n30   care how  you do  it, you just  make sure  that there\'s\n31   fish there so that I could teach my grandson our way of\n32   life.\n\n34                   And with that I\'ll close.\n\n36                   Haw\'aa.\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n39   Scooter,  appreciate  you representing  Hydaburg  today\n40   too.  Thank you.\n\n42                   MS.  LAVINE:  Next in the que is Shania\n43   Murphy who is going to speak for Emily Edenshaw.  Thank\n44   you.\n\n46                   MS. MURPHY:  Ms. Emily Edenshaw had  to\n47   fly out for a family medical and as we all know, family\n48   comes first and she\'s asked me to say this for her.\n\n---\n\n22   \n29   \n50\n\n1                   Good morning, Chair  and members of the\n2   Federal  Subsistence Board,  My name is Emily Edenshaw.\n3   I serve  as the Tribal  Administrator and  CEO for  the\n4   Ketchikan Indian Community.  Before stepping into  this\n5   role, I had  the honor of serving as  President and CEO\n6   of the Alaska Native Heritage  Center. I also served on\n7   the  State of Alaska\'s tourism board, and I co-authored\n8   an academic paper  examining the origins of  tourism in\n9   Alaska tracing how the  industry, in part, grew out  of\n10   the  boarding school  era  and  the commodification  of\n11   Alaska  Native cultures.  I  share  that  not  just  as\n12   background  but to  underscore  that  I  come  to  this\n13   conversation  with   both  professional   and  academic\n14   experience  in  tourism,in  addition to  my  role  as a\n15   Tribal  administrator.    But above  all  else,  I come\n16   before  you as  a mother  and an  auntie to  many young\n17   people  across Southeast  Alaska, including  Ketchikan,\n18   Craig, Hydaburg,  Anchorage, and Fairbanks.  I\'m also a\n19   homeowner  in Ketchikan, and  my family has  deep roots\n20   across this region. I\'m speaking from both professional\n21   responsibility and lived experience.\n\n23                   Today, I want  to talk about  something\n24   that is often treated separately  but in reality, it is\n25   deeply  interconnected:  tourism,   sport  fishing  and\n26   hunting, along with the health  of our waters.  And why\n27   that  matters  directly  to your  role  as  the Federal\n28   Subsistence Board.\n\n30                   Southeast   Alaska    is   experiencing\n31   unprecedented  levels of  tourism  in communities  like\n32   Ketchikan,  Juneau, Craig, and more, we are seeing more\n33   visitors  than ever before.  Tourism is Alaska\'s third-\n34   largest industry and with that scale comes real impact.\n35   Strain on infrastructure.   Strain on housing.   Strain\n36   on public  safety.  And most importantly, strain on the\n37   natural resources that subsistence users depend on.  At\n38   the same time,  we are seeing increasing  pressure from\n39   sportfishing   and  hunting   industries.  Lodges   are\n40   expanding.  Guided  operations  are  growing.  And  the\n41   cumulative  harvest and  use of  fish  and wildlife  is\n42   intensifying.  Let me be clear, this is not about being\n43   against tourism or sportfishing, this is about balance,\n44   this is about sustainability and this is about ensuring\n45   that subsistence is  not pushed to the  margins because\n46   right now, what we are  seeing is an imbalance. We have\n47   large-scale, profit-driven activities  operating in the\n48   same ecosystems that our people rely on for subsistence\n49   yet  the cumulative impacts of those activities are not\n\n---\n\n12   \n14   \n34   \n50\n\n1   always fully  accounted for in management decisions and\n2   when you  add pollution  into that  equation, when  you\n3   consider  what is being  discharged or dumped  into our\n4   waters,  the concern  becomes even  more  urgent.   Our\n5   waters  are not  just  resources,  they  are  our  food\n6   systems, they are our culture, they are where knowledge\n7   is passed down  from one generation to the  next.  Last\n8   summer, I  processed my  first  batch of  fish with  my\n9   mother-in-law.  I remember  complaining  about my  back\n10   hurting, and  she said,  you\'re only  working on  three\n11   fish.\n\n## 13 (Laughter)\n\n15                   MS. MURPHY:  She taught me how to filet\n16   a fish,  how to follow the spine  with the knife and to\n17   this  day, I love the  sound of cutting  fish.  That is\n18   not just a memory,  that is culture, that is  identity.\n19   And the  question before  us is  this: what  happens if\n20   access to those experiences is diminished? What happens\n21   if the resources themselves are no longer there  in the\n22   same  way?  That  is where your  role becomes critical.\n23   Under  federal law, this Board  has a clear mandate: to\n24   provide  a priority  for  subsistence  uses on  Federal\n25   public  lands and waters.   That responsibility  is not\n26   passive,    it    requires    active,   forward-looking\n27   management.    It  requires you  to  consider  not just\n28   individual  regulations  but  cumulative impacts.    It\n29   requires you  to recognize  when increasing  commercial\n30   activity,  including  guided  sport  use  and  tourism-\n31   related  pressures  begin  to encroach  on  subsistence\n32   opportunity and  it requires  you to  act before  those\n33   impacts become irreversible.\n\n35                   When I spoke  in support of HB  366, my\n36   message  was grounded in a simple principle: the people\n37   closest to  the impact must  have a meaningful  role in\n38   decision-making.    The  same  principle applies  here.\n39   Rural and tribal communities are not just stakeholders,\n40   we  are rights holders, we are knowledge holders and we\n41   are   the  ones  living  with  the  outcomes  of  these\n42   decisions  every day.   So  I ask  this Board  to fully\n43   utilize  its authority  to  strengthen oversight  where\n44   pressure  is  increasing,  to  account  for  cumulative\n45   impacts    across   tourism,    sport   harvest,    and\n46   environmental  stressors  to  ensure  that  subsistence\n47   priority is not just protected in  theory but upheld in\n48   practice because these issues are not separate they are\n49   connected  and  so is  your  responsibility  to address\n\n---\n\n5   \n7   \n10   \n13   \n21   \n25   \n49   \n50\n\n1   them.   If we are serious about protecting subsistence,\n2   about honoring rural priority, and about  ensuring that\n3   future  generations can  live, harvest,  and thrive  in\n4   Southeast Alaska then we must act with intention now.\n\n6                   Gunalch esh. Haw\'aa. Thank you.\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n9   Shania, appreciate the testimony.\n\n11                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n12   Next in the que is Mr. Joe Williams.\n\n14                   MR. WILLIAMS:   Good morning.  My  name\n15   is   Joe  Williams.    I\'m  tribal  President  for  the\n16   Organized  Village of Saxman.   I choose  to stand this\n17   morning primarily because I\'m old school.  I grew up in\n18   the  Alaska   Native  Brotherhood  and   Alaska  Native\n19   Sisterhood and we were taught then when you\'re speaking\n20   you must stand so that people will see who is speaking.\n\n22                   I\'m  here today  to share  a  couple of\n23   stories  with you  and this  should tell  you  that I\'m\n24   already very old, if you hadn\'t already figured it out.\n\n26                   When  I was growing  up we had  a young\n27   man in our  village and since he\'s passed  it\'s okay to\n28   use  his  name, his  name  was  Henry Jackson.    Henry\n29   Jackson stood 5.3"  He was our hunter in our community.\n30   When hunting season came it  was when he decided it was\n31   hunting season.   This  will tell you  this was  during\n32   Territorial days.   And  when he  hunted he would  come\n33   home  with two  or  three deer,  fed  the community  of\n34   Saxman.  Today we have right at about 440 in population\n35   in our small community of Saxman.  Traditionally, early\n36   on it was  right at about 120 to 130 if you counted all\n37   the dogs  and cats in  the community of Saxman,  but we\n38   fed --he fed us during those  winter months.  Then we\n39   became a state.   And often times we --please know, I\n40   give  tours for a  living during the  summer months and\n41   I\'m always asked,  has becoming a  state been good  for\n42   you?  Initially I  would say yes.  But I  remember when\n43   my dad was asked to pay 25 cents for a fishing license,\n44   a commercial fishing license and he said, what for,  so\n45   we can  find out how  many commercial fishermen  are in\n46   Southeast Alaska.   So I\'m not sure how  many folks can\n47   afford  that 25 cent fishing license today because it\'s\n48   no longer 25 cents.\n\n---\n\n18   \n25   \n37   \n44   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   I want you  to think in terms  of this.\n2   Here we  are sitting  in a committee  event, the  way I\n3   view this.   I\'m a president of  a Federally-recognized\n4   tribe,  the  574  Federally-recognized  tribes  in  the\n5   United States,  of that 229  of them are right  here in\n6   Alaska.  Federally-recognized tribes bring more Federal\n7   dollars  to the community  of Alaska than  --if Alaska\n8   had to  service us,  they would be  truly in  a serious\n9   financial challenge.   Federally-recognized tribe.   We\n10   have  a  direct  relationship with  the  United  States\n11   government.   And when  we\'re talking about  fishing we\n12   are set  in a committee  with no  authority other  than\n13   those that are representing us.  That, I struggle with.\n14   A Federally-recognized  tribe and  the committee  picks\n15   presidents over  our authority.   This  may not  be the\n16   venue to  say that  but I need  to start  someplace and\n17   this is where I happen to start this morning.\n\n19                   Often   times   when    Alaska   Native\n20   Brotherhood, we judge our  speaker by the color  of his\n21   hair, if it  was grey like mine is, we were going to be\n22   here for a  long time.  I  was told I had  five minutes\n23   and I just took  30 seconds of that 4 to  5 minute time\n24   period this morning.\n\n26                   I  appreciate the  opportunity to  come\n27   and address you this morning,  please know that.  But I\n28   would like to  leave you with this  thought, Federally-\n29   recognized tribe has the authority of the United States\n30   government  and, yet,  we  sit on  a committee  and our\n31   voice  is   not  heard   if  we  should   not  have   a\n32   representative on this Board.  So when you hear someone\n33   saying  that   they  are   representing  a   Federally-\n34   recognized tribe,  they are representing  a government.\n35   It was given  by the United  States government to  that\n36   Federally-recognized tribe.\n\n38                   Mr. Chairman, thank  you very much  for\n39   your time.  Members here today on the Board, appreciate\n40   your time, and those of you  who are here today to  say\n41   what you  have to say, please  say do so as  was stated\n42   earlier, if  you don\'t speak  who\'s going to  speak for\n43   your community.\n\n45                   Gunalcheesh.  Gunalcheesh.\n\n47                   (Applause)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you, Mr.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n16   \n42   \n50\n\n1   Williams.\n\n3                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair, we have  a few\n4   more people in the room,  we have one person online, we\n5   will be taking no more requests for non-agenda items at\n6   this time.  I just wanted to let the person online know\n7   that we\'ll get  to him at the end of the in-room folks.\n8   Next in the que is Clinton Cook.\n\n10                   MR.  COOK:  Good  morning.  My  name is\n11   Clinton  Cook.   I  am  also a  tribal  President of  a\n12   Federally-recognized tribe in Craig, Alaska.  I\'ve been\n13   sitting  over here  for five  days  calm as  a cucumber\n14   listening to my right as a tribal President to stick up\n15   for my resource that is being attacked.\n\n17                   A  few  years  ago this  body,  of  the\n18   Federal Subsistence  Board, recognized  our subsistence\n19   rights were harmed  by the reduction of  deer, our only\n20   game we can  harvest, was  in decline,  and we  changed\n21   your  position so  we had  access to  that animal  by a\n22   rural priority.  That was in place until rural priority\n23   of  Unit  1 got  switched  so where  did  our pre-rural\n24   status of Unit 1 go?  Did you just wad up that piece of\n25   paper  and throw  it  out  like we  didn\'t  matter?   I\n26   believe  the process  was flawed one  year ago  when we\n27   were told  we did not  come testify and Unit  1 flooded\n28   the room, I have no idea what room it was in.   There\'s\n29   been lots of talk up here  about fishing, that priority\n30   has nothing  to do with fishing.   I can get  a Federal\n31   subsistence permit to spear salmon in the river but all\n32   of our  permits for  fish come from  the State.   Let\'s\n33   make that clear,  there\'s no rural priority  for salmon\n34   in our area,  I still have to  go to the State  and ask\n35   for a  permit in  once  was  the day  was traditionally\n36   ours.   I  respect our  salmon.   If you  don\'t realize\n37   where I live in Craig,  Alaska, just Google it and then\n38   Google Hunters Bay,  Alaska, we\'re four miles  from the\n39   border of   Canada to go get sockeyes  because we don\'t\n40   want to put more pressure on our streams that are close\n41   to home.\n\n43                   I\'ve  been  sitting   there  listening,\n44   wondering  why people can  talk about non-agenda items.\n45   I\'ve respected that until now.   When every day  public\n46   testimony talks about  agenda items.  I\'ll  be clear of\n47   that.  The comments  about fishing isn\'t about  a rural\n48   priority,  fishing is a State fishery  where we have to\n49   buy a license or get  a permit to harvest sockeyes, the\n\n---\n\n13   \n24   \n29   \n50\n\n1   same with deer, we have  to buy a permit, they  give us\n2   tags, we harvest  --try to harvest our  animals.  Look\n3   at  the  data.    Over  five  days  for one  Federally-\n4   qualified  user to harvest one deer.  Gas, we\'re fairly\n5   lucky, we haven\'t  hit the $6 plateau yet  for a gallon\n6   of gas but  we still pay $10  for a loaf of bread.   We\n7   still pay $9.50  for a gallon of milk.  We\'re forced to\n8   start eating food that we don\'t like to eat because our\n9   rural  priority hasn\'t been  met, our subsistence needs\n10   are  not being met.  I  don\'t like eating pork chops or\n11   hamburger.   But when my rural priority and subsistence\n12   is not being met we have no choice.\n\n14                   I\'m passionate  about my  region and  I\n15   will defend it to the end  if needed.  You guys have  a\n16   daunting task in front of you but I felt --I followed\n17   the law just  like everybody else did, I  had the right\n18   to challenge the request for reconsideration because  I\n19   felt we weren\'t allowed in  the process.  All week, all\n20   week I\'ve heard  everybody say, with  the mic in  their\n21   hand,  I give deference to the  RAC.  Then I heard, oh,\n22   we can\'t give deference to  the RAC on a rural priority\n23   because it doesn\'t affect harvest.  It affects harvest.\n\n25                   But  I don\'t want  to take too  much of\n26   your time.  I\'m a tribal leader.  I feel giving me five\n27   minutes  in front  of this  body once  a year  is once,\n28   again, not okay.\n\n30                   The  last thing I\'d like to speak on is\n31   the challenge  that came  to Interior  from the  Safari\n32   Club.   We sit  as an alliance  of Southeast  tribes in\n33   Alaska, we  formed a body  of an alliance  of Southeast\n34   tribes  in Southeast  Alaska.    The  priority  was  to\n35   defence everybody in  this semi-circle.   Everybody  in\n36   this room  we defended adamantly.   My tribe  has trust\n37   land.  On that trust land we have a gift shop  and duty\n38   free tobacco, a  very popular place on our  island.  It\n39   felt so  important  to  me  to protect  the  Office  of\n40   Subsistence  Management,  the   RAC  Councils  and  the\n41   Federal  Subsistence Board, we had Staff sitting in our\n42   businesses  day  after  day  taking their  name,  their\n43   address,  and  we  forwarded   that  document  to   the\n44   Department  of Interior protecting  this right  we have\n45   for  a rural  priority in  Alaska.   This  is our  only\n46   voice.  We took it serious.  We had other businesses we\n47   posted up in to protect you guys as a body.  We have  a\n48   cannabis store,  the first tribe  in Alaska  to have  a\n49   dispensary, we posted  people up in there to  make sure\n\n---\n\n15   \n19   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n34   \n46   \n50\n\n1   our voices were  heard.  I put those  same documents on\n2   the Inter  Island Ferry  Authority, a  ferry that  runs\n3   from Ketchikan to Hollis every day, just like  a cruise\n4   ship docking up on our island.  We  got comments off of\n5   that ferry boat to protect our way  of life.  I took it\n6   as  a serious harm to the rural people of Alaska to not\n7   have a voice in subsistence.   I believe in the end  we\n8   submitted well over 250 documents to Interior out of my\n9   village because  I felt the passion to protect my voice\n10   as a rural user and to protect you, who listen to me as\n11   a rural user.  I wanted to make sure that you guys know\n12   we took it serious to  protect the process we are given\n13   and one percent  of the fish and game  that subsistence\n14   users use every year in Alaska.\n\n16                   Thank  you for your  time.   Thanks for\n17   the five minutes.  And  I look forward to the proposals\n18   coming that affect my area.\n\n## 20 Thank you.\n\n22                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n23   President Cook, appreciate your testimony this morning.\n\n25                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, President Cook.\n26   Mr. Aaron  Beam conceded  some of his  time to  you but\n27   there is some time left, Mr. Beam.\n\n29                   MR. BEAN:  Good morning.  Aaron Bean of\n30   the Craig Tribe.  I\'m not going to repeat a lot of what\n31   President Cook said but I would like to just, you know,\n32   incorporate all  that testimony by  reference, apply it\n33   to mine.\n\n35                   And mainly I wanted to  ensure that, in\n36   fact,  the people  making  the  decisions  here  today,\n37   received  our   request  for  consideration   that  was\n38   submitted on July  21st, 2025.  I went  through some of\n39   these  things  in  the almanacs  that  are  provided by\n40   volume  for these meetings, which is impressive, if you\n41   people can get through that,  but I wanted to make sure\n42   that you read that and that you  read it word for word,\n43   and that  you took it  the same way you  would if there\n44   were  an  analysis  given  by  any  other  governmental\n45   official sitting before you, with the same weight.\n\n47                   And to speak briefly  to what President\n48   Cook  had mentioned, I  understand that you  guys can\'t\n49   manage wolves and bears and  predators, we get it.  The\n\n---\n\n20   \n22   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   deer population on Prince of Wales Island is plummeting\n2   at  alarming rates prior to Ketchikan getting its rural\n3   status.   So  I just  want to  make that  really clear.\n4   This is not  conjecture, this is not  speculation, this\n5   isn\'t something that people feel is happening, the data\n6   is  there if you read it.  You know the bear population\n7   is growing  because you have  to have a guided  hunt in\n8   order  to take  it, which means  people are  not paying\n9   that much money  to go kill a  bear on Prince of  Wales\n10   when  they  can the  next  island  up, just  plain  and\n11   simple.    The wolves,  we believe,  and we\'ve  made it\n12   really clear through the  RAC process, again, supported\n13   with the  data, traditional ecological  knowledge, that\n14   it\'s not being managed the way  that we think it is, we\n15   think that there\'s  more wolves.  And  speaking briefly\n16   to  the study that\'s  cited with radio  collars, that\'s\n17   over  20 years  old,  talking  that there\'s  unreported\n18   poaching and like it\'s absurd.  The data set should not\n19   be considered.\n\n## 21 Anyway, I\'m going to wrap it up here.\n\n23                   All we\'re asking is that you  take this\n24   into  consideration the  same way  you  would with  any\n25   other government.  I\'ve spent a lot of time, our tribe,\n26   our Council,  our elders,  we\'ve  spent a  lot of  time\n27   trying to articulate our position and we\'re just asking\n28   that you consider that.   And I appreciate your time, I\n29   look forward to the  discussion and you guys  taking up\n30   the request  for  reconsideration  because  we  believe\n31   firmly that it meets all the criteria needed.\n\n## 33 Thank you.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n36   Aaron, appreciate your testimony this morning.\n\n38                   MS. LAVINE:  We have one more person in\n39   the room and at his request  we will --I will let  the\n40   person online go first.   We have one person online and\n41   that  is  Eric Benedict.    Eric, you  may  address the\n42   Board.\n\n44                   MR.  BENEDICT:  Hello,  thank you.  Can\n45   you all hear me?\n\n47                   REPORTER:  Yes.\n\n49                   MR. BENEDICT:  Hello, can you hear me?\n\n---\n\n3   \n12   \n26   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n46   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, yes, I can\n2   hear you, sorry.\n\n4                   MR. BENEDICT:   Oh, perfect,  thank you\n5   so much.  Hello.  Members of  the Board.  Thank you for\n6   hearing my  testimony.  My  name is Aaron Benedict.   I\n7   live in Juneau and spend my summers  working with youth\n8   in Angoon but  I grew up in the wilderness  of New York\n9   City.   I represent  myself as a  non-rural subsistence\n10   users  who regularly  interacts with  rural subsistence\n11   users.\n\n13                   My biggest  concern is that  the people\n14   who  rely  on   these  resources  are  not   adequately\n15   compensated  by visitors  and  outfitters who  directly\n16   profit off the extraction of resources.   I am grateful\n17   for  the generosity of  the subsistence users  who have\n18   taught me and shared with me both resources and method.\n19   I think  we should look  at creative ways to  have non-\n20   subsistence users  compensate, subsistence  communities\n21   appropriately for  extracted resources in  places where\n22   fish and wildlife  numbers are decreasing.  I  think it\n23   is  important that fees for commercial and personal use\n24   permits  somehow find their way to the communities that\n25   they may be in competition with.\n\n27                   I am grateful  to have been  invited to\n28   partake in subsistence and in the traditional lands and\n29   waters of the clans and  people of Kootznoowoo.  I have\n30   been lucky to take part in beach seining, berrypicking,\n31   crabbing,  collecting   gumboots  and   cockles,  black\n32   seaweed  and enjoy these resources  as a guest in these\n33   lands.\n\n35                   That is my short statement.\n\n37                   Gunalcheesh  and  thank   you  all  for\n38   listening.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n41   your testimony this morning, appreciate it.\n\n43                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair.   We had  one\n44   misfiled  comment.    Oh,  actually,  please  go  ahead\n45   Lawrence Amore [sic].\n\n47                   MR. ARMOR:   Good morning.  My  name is\n48   Lawrence Armor.  I am speaking on behalf of the Klawock\n49   Cooperative  Association  and   my  role  as  Community\n\n---\n\n3   \n11   \n25   \n50\n\n1   Catalyst  charged with  protecting  and sustaining  our\n2   customary and traditional uses and practices.\n\n4                   I want to address recent petitions from\n5   the Safari  Club International directed at  the Federal\n6   Subsistence  Board.   These proposals to  remove public\n7   seats, require deference  to the  Alaska Department  of\n8   Fish  and  Game  and  limit  special  actions  are  not\n9   neutral.   They represent  a fundamental  shift in  who\n10   holds authority and whose voices matter.\n\n12                   For   our   community,   customary  and\n13   traditional use is  not theoretical, it is how  we feed\n14   our families,  how we  teach our  children, and how  we\n15   maintain our  cultural identity.   Federal  protections\n16   under the Alaska  National Interests Lands Conservation\n17   Act exist  because Congress  recognized that  rural and\n18   Alaska Native communities require a priority, not  just\n19   equal  footing, to  continue  this way  of  life.   For\n20   Alaska Native people  customary and traditional  use is\n21   not  simply access to resources, it  is the exercise of\n22   inherent rights  and responsibility to  pass knowledge,\n23   stewardship  and food security  from one  generation to\n24   the next.\n\n26                   The  current  proposals  would  require\n27   deference  to  the  State  of  Alaska  on  conservation\n28   matters, curtail  the Board\'s temporary  special action\n29   authority   and  fundamentally   undermine  the   rural\n30   priority  established  under  ANILCA.    We view  these\n31   proposals as a  direct attack on subsistence  rights of\n32   Alaska  Native people  and  rural Alaskans.    Congress\n33   created  the Federal  Subsistence  Program because  the\n34   State  of  Alaska   cannot  constitutionally  implement\n35   ANILCA\'s  rural  priority as  affirmed  in  McDowell v.\n36   State, the  Katie John  cases, and  most recently,  the\n37   United States v.  Alaska.  The State has  had more than\n38   three  decades to amend its Constitution and has chosen\n39   not to.  Any management  authority back to the State or\n40   weakening  the  Board  and the  Office  of  Subsistence\n41   Management would  betray the  original  intent and  the\n42   Federal trust  responsibility.   Removing public  seats\n43   removes a lived experience of  people on the land  from\n44   the decisionmaking process.   Limiting special  actions\n45   restricts the  Board\'s ability  to respond  to realtime\n46   conditions that directly affect our access, our safety,\n47   and our food  security.  Taken together,  these changes\n48   move decisionmaking further away from communities  most\n49   impacted  and toward outside interests that do not rely\n\n---\n\n2   \n8   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n25   \n33   \n50\n\n1   on these resources to survive.\n\n3                   I\'m   here  to   be  clear   protecting\n4   customary and traditional use is not just about access,\n5   it\'s  about upholding a legal obligation and honoring a\n6   way of life that has  existed long before these systems\n7   were put in place.\n\n9                   On  behalf of  the Klawock  Cooperative\n10   Association,  I  urge  the  Board  to  maintain  public\n11   representation,  uphold  independent  Federal authority\n12   under  ANILCA, preserve the full use of special actions\n13   to   protect  customary   and   traditional  uses   and\n14   practices.  Because if these  protections are weakened,\n15   the  consequences will not be abstract, they\'ll be felt\n16   in our homes, our freezers and our future generations.\n\n## 18 Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n21   Lawrence, for your testimony this morning.\n\n23                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, the last on the\n24   non-agenda item testimony is Karen Linnell.\n\n26                   MS.  LINNELL:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n27   For  the record  my name is  Karen Linnell.   I  am the\n28   Executive  Director   of  Ahtna   InterTribal  Resource\n29   Commission, which is comprised  of eight Federally---\n30   and State recognized tribes and two ANCSA Corporations,\n31   who are  the land  owners and that  participate in  our\n32   Board and the work that we do.\n\n34                   This week has  been a rough week.   I\'m\n35   sorry  I  missed yesterday,  apparently there  was some\n36   conversation  that happened, and the day before, but we\n37   had  to put an  elder away.   He took  his last journey\n38   home.  Just  a few weeks  ago I saw him  in Glennallen,\n39   and  he rarely leaves Chistochina, which is my village,\n40   where I grew  up, because he\'s caring for  his autistic\n41   grandson.  And so I called him  and I said, is that you\n42   that I  saw in Glennallen,  he started laughing  and he\n43   said,  yeah, I  had to  run to  Glennallen while  I can\n44   because my boy\'s --while my boy\'s  in school.  And  I\n45   told him to swing by  the house, I got some  moose meat\n46   for you.   He came by, I sent  him home with some moose\n47   burger  and moose  meat.    And we  talked  just for  a\n48   minute,  he said I  got to get home  before he gets off\n49   the bus  and he  took off  and left.   He  called me  a\n\n---\n\n18   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   couple  days  later  and  he said,  gee,  I  made  some\n2   spaghetti for that  boy with that  moose burger and  he\n3   just ate it up, he said, he almost ate the whole thing.\n4   And  16 years he\'s  been taking care  of that  boy.  As\n5   soon as he retired, he --first thing he ended up doing\n6   was caring for his grandson.   This last couple days, I\n7   got home at 2:00 o\'clock in the  morning yesterday from\n8   Mentasta  for the  potlatch, and  I  watched the  young\n9   people there  in Mentasta care for the elders, they did\n10   all the cooking,  they were in their teens  and 20s and\n11   doing everything.  They had a little bit of supervision\n12   in the kitchen but they  did everything.  They were out\n13   boiling the  meat, the bones  in the cook shack.   They\n14   were in the  kitchen prepping all  the salads and  food\n15   for everybody.  There was a couple hundred people there\n16   for a few days.  They took care of them.  That moose is\n17   so important to who we are and what we do.\n\n19                   I sit here and I\'ve been doing this for\n20   close to 30 years now, coming to meetings and trying to\n21   fight  for our subsistence  and protecting our  ways of\n22   life,  I  don\'t know  how  many  --how many  Regional\n23   Directors  I\'ve been through,  that we\'ve had  to train\n24   and educate on why  Alaska\'s different, especially with\n25   the Park Service, BLM, you know, in our ability to hunt\n26   and do  subsistence to feed our families  and can carry\n27   on our  cultural practices.    Every Administration  it\n28   seems  we get a new director and we have to educate you\n29   on  the  laws that  fit  Alaska, we\'re  not  like other\n30   states.   We  have dual  management  because the  State\n31   cannot  provide for a rural priority and so this public\n32   process  is  an  important  step  to  protecting  those\n33   rights.  I was going to say, Mr. Williams, I went white\n34   so  I can  talk longer and  stand up in  front of these\n35   people more too.\n\n## 37 (Laughter)\n\n39                   MS. LINNELL:  I just wanted to say that\n40   this body  has a  duty to protect  the rural  priority.\n41   You have a  duty to provide  for subsistence needs  for\n42   rural Alaskans.   There are several proposals  in front\n43   of  you   to  close  Federal  lands  to  non-Federally-\n44   qualified users.   They\'re looking for that  little bit\n45   of  extra  edge  on being  able  to  provide  for their\n46   families.  This is a  wildlife season on proposals, and\n47   we  participate  in  all  the  different  arenas.    We\n48   participate in  the State arena  and I get to  ball out\n49   Ben  every  now  and  then  at  the  State  level,  Ben\n\n---\n\n16   \n30   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Mulligan,  and I  get to  do that.   But  participating\n2   there,  actively  participating in  our  local Advisory\n3   Committees,  our Regional  Advisory Committees,  that\'s\n4   what we have to do in order to  protect our hunting and\n5   fishing rights.   And  having ANCSA  and having  ANILCA\n6   watered down, you know, 1972.   We\'re over 50 years now\n7   of trying to get this  right and the McDowell case made\n8   sure that  we didn\'t  get  a rural  priority under  the\n9   State and  we ended up  in dual management and  here we\n10   are and  it\'s not going  to get fixed by  watering down\n11   the  Federal Subsistence  Board  and I\'ll  believe  the\n12   Constitutional  amendment when  I see  it actually  get\n13   passed but  this is  something that  they\'re trying  to\n14   rush through so don\'t act  on what might happen but act\n15   on what\'s going on right now.\n\n17                   I\'m seeing threats to  our habitats and\n18   things through executive orders and Secretarial  orders\n19   that affect the  habitat for our moose  and our caribou\n20   and we need to do what\'s right  for the resource.  When\n21   you  start worrying  about taking  care  of people  and\n22   doing that, I watch that  happen at ADF&G, the Board of\n23   Game, they  start  worrying about  people,  they  start\n24   worrying about money even and how many permits from out\n25   of state, how  many non-resident permits can  they sell\n26   in  their lotteries and  drawings because they  need to\n27   bring money  in to the  Department and that\'s  not what\n28   they\'re there for.  Alaska  subsistence needs to be the\n29   priority for Alaskan people.\n\n31                   And  I know  I\'ve exceeded  my time,  I\n32   want to  just thank  you for  the opportunity to  speak\n33   this morning.\n\n35                   Chin\'an.\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n38   your continued  leadership and  condolences to  you and\n39   your community.\n\n41                   MS. LINNELL:  Thank you, sir.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   That concludes\n44   public comment this morning.  Let\'s take a five  minute\n45   break.   Oh, next, real  quick before we take  a break,\n46   sorry, we\'re going to  do a comment on --what was that\n47   again?\n\n49                   MS. LEONETTI:  On the consensus agenda.\n\n---\n\n4   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n34   \n40   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN   CHRISTIANSON:       On   the\n2   consensus  agenda.  So  this is another  opportunity to\n3   speak.\n\n5                   MS. LAVINE:  If anyone online wishes to\n6   speak  to proposals or closure reviews on the consensus\n7   agenda listed online you can raise your hand.\n\n9                   (Pause)\n\n11                   MS. LAVINE:  No hands.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n14   Take a five minute break.\n\n16                   (Off record)\n\n18                   (On record)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Let\'s   get\n21   started again here please.  If we could take our seats.\n\n23                   (Pause)\n\n```\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   It  looks like\n26   WP26-12-13(a)-14(a).\n```\n\n28                   MS. VOORHEES:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n29   Members of the  Board.  My name is Hannah Voorhees.  It\n30   looks like --oh, good there\'s the correct slide, thank\n31   you.    I\'m an  Anthropologist  with  OSM  and I\'ll  be\n32   presenting Proposal  WP26-12-13(a)-14(a), which  begins\n33   on Page 737 of your Board book.\n\n35                   Proposals 26-12-13(a) submitted  by the\n36   Native Village  of Eyak and Dennis Zadra, respectively,\n37   request that  the  Board recognize  the  customary  and\n38   traditional use of brown  bears in Unit 6  by residents\n39   of Cordova.\n\n41                   WP26-14(a)     submitted     by     the\n42   Southcentral Council requests that the Board  recognize\n43   the customary  and traditional  use of  brown bears  in\n44   Unit 6 by residents of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.\n\n46                   Native  Village  of  Eyak  states  that\n47   brown bear use is well documented  in our local Cordova\n48   history and within the tribes traditional  storytelling\n49   and  has been passed  down through generations  of Eyak\n\n---\n\n8   \n14   \n26   \n35   \n45   \n50\n\n1   tribal members  who have lived  in the area  since time\n2   immemorial.   Dennis  Zadra states  that  residents  of\n3   Cordova have  a deep history of  practicing subsistence\n4   for  brown  bears.    The  Southcentral  Council, which\n5   submitted  WP26-14(a) states  that subsistence  hunting\n6   for  brown bears  is a  time honored  practice for  the\n7   communities of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.\n\n9                   Companion   Proposal   WP26-13(b)/14(b)\n10   requests to establish a brown  bear hunt in Unit 6 with\n11   a harvest  limit of  one bear  by Federal  registration\n12   permit and a season of August 1st through June 30th and\n13   that will be coming before you next, I believe.\n\n15                   So  currently   there  is   no  Federal\n16   subsistence  priority  for  brown  bears  in   Unit  6.\n17   Residents  of  Cordova   already  have  customary   and\n18   traditional  use   determinations  for   the  following\n19   species in  areas in  Unit 6.   Black bears  and wolves\n20   throughout the unit,  goats in Units 6A, 6C  and 6D and\n21   moose in Units 6A, 6B and 6C.  Residents of Chenega Bay\n22   and  Tatitlek already  have  C&T  for  several  species\n23   within  Unit  6,  including  black  bears   and  wolves\n24   throughout the unit,  goats in 6A, 6C and  6D and moose\n25   in Unit 16.\n\n27                   When   considering   a   customary  and\n28   traditional  use determination  analysis eight  factors\n29   are  considered, these are listed beginning on Page 743\n30   of  your Board  book.   The  Board makes  customary and\n31   traditional  use  determinations  based on  a  holistic\n32   application  of  these  eight factors  as  well  as the\n33   reports and  recommendations of  the Regional  Advisory\n34   Council.\n\n36                   The subsistence practices  of residents\n37   of Chenega, Tatitlek and Cordova are about the cultural\n38   traditions of  the Chugach  Sugpiaq, Alutiiq  of Prince\n39   William Sound, the  dAXunhyuu Eyak of the  Copper River\n40   Delta and  Russian and American settlers.   Subsistence\n41   patterns  in the region focus on the marine environment\n42   but bears  and goats  were utilized  and they  were the\n43   largest  and  most  important land  mammals  originally\n44   available.\n\n46                   Native  Village  of Eyak  affirms  that\n47   brown  bears  have  been traditionally  used  by  their\n48   people.    Ancestral  knowledge,  memory  and  cultural\n49   continuity establish that the traditional  use of brown\n\n---\n\n12   \n13   \n45   \n50\n\n1   bears  is  an  integral part  of  the  regions cultural\n2   heritage.  Researchers beyond the tribe have, likewise,\n3   demonstrated a  deep record of  brown bear  use in  the\n4   region  going back thousands of years which is detailed\n5   in the  analysis, and this begins on  Page 744.  I just\n6   wanted to flag this,  I\'m not going to go  into all the\n7   detail of the archeological sites just for brevity, but\n8   there\'s  a  robust  body of  evidence  about  very deep\n9   history of brown bear use in this  region.  I just want\n10   us to  keep that in  mind because  I am  going to  talk\n11   about some more recent interruptions in use since 1900.\n\n14                   So   while   black  bears   are   still\n15   harvested there is  less evidence for the  use of brown\n16   bears  in  the  region  since  1900,  particularly  for\n17   Chenega Bay and Tatitlek.  The reasons for this are not\n18   entirely  clear.   Looking  at Division  of Subsistence\n19   surveys  across study areas  between 1985 and  2003, an\n20   average  of approximately 4 percent of surveyed Cordova\n21   households  attempted  to harvest  brown bears  and one\n22   percent  of households  were successful.    There\'s one\n23   year of data  with some harvest locations from 1985 and\n24   in that year all the brown bears were harvested in Unit\n25   6.   During  all the  years  in which  Chenega Bay  and\n26   Tatitlek  were  surveyed  between   1984  and  2003  no\n27   households reported  harvesting or  using brown  bears.\n28   Chenega Bay was surveyed seven times during this period\n29   and  Tatitlek was surveyed  five times.   However, just\n30   over six percent of Chenega Bay households attempted to\n31   harvest  brown bears in  two survey years.   Brown bear\n32   hunting  tends to be very specialized and it\'s possible\n33   that some  households that  harvested brown  bears were\n34   not included  in  the surveys  or the  surveys did  not\n35   capture harvest for  other reasons and regulations  may\n36   have contributed to  harvest of black bears  over brown\n37   bears in  Prince William  Sound.   The State  limit for\n38   black bears throughout  Unit 6 is one bear.   The State\n39   limit for  brown bears  in Unit  6D, which  encompasses\n40   Prince  William Sound,  is one  brown  bear every  four\n41   regulatory years.  The State limit for brown bears is a\n42   little  bit more  liberal  in  Unit 6A  to  6C east  of\n43   Cordova where  hunters can  take one  brown bear  every\n44   regulatory year.\n\n46                   So  looking  next   at  reported  State\n47   harvest, between  1988 and  2023, residents  of Cordova\n48   harvested a  total of  169 brown bears  in Unit  6 with\n49   most harvest occurring in Units  6B and 6D.  During the\n\n---\n\n7   \n15   \n29   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n41   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   same time residents of Chenega Bay and Tatitlek did not\n2   report harvesting  any  brown bears  within the  units.\n3   There are no brown bear sealing records for Chenega Bay\n4   in Unit 6 for any  year in ADF&G;s records although two\n5   brown bears were sealed for  Tatitlek in Unit 6, one in\n6   1984 and one in 1985.\n\n8                   The OSM conclusion is  to support these\n9   proposals.   In addition  to testimony from  the Native\n10   Village  of   Eyak  there\'s  strong   ethnographic  and\n11   archeological evidence that both brown and black  bears\n12   play  an essential role in Chugach Sugpiaq, Alutiiq and\n13   dAXunhyuu Eyak  culture and  alignment  with the  eight\n14   factors.\n\n16                   Since 1900 there\'s more evidence of use\n17   of  black  bears  than  brown  bears  particularly  for\n18   Chenega  Bay   and  Tatitlek.     However,  subsistence\n19   practices are characterized  for their adaptability and\n20   shifting use of brown and black bears may reflect local\n21   preference, shifting  opportunity as  well as  external\n22   constraints.   Under  Federal Subsistence  regulations,\n23   residents of Cordova, Chenega Bay and  Tatitlek already\n24   have C&T for  black bears throughout Unit 6.   Based on\n25   this and other  determinations for land mammals  in the\n26   region the three communities have already established a\n27   recognized pattern of harvest and use of wild resources\n28   in Unit 6 consistent with the eight factors.\n\n30                   Thank   you.      That   completes   my\n31   presentation and I\'m happy to take any questions.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n34   the presentation, Staff.  Any questions for Staff.\n\n36                   (No comments)\n\n38                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n39   seeing  none, any  written  comment --public  written\n40   comments received.\n\n42                   MS.  VOORHEES:    Mr.  Chair,  this  is\n43   Hannah  Voorhees.    There   were  no  written   public\n44   comments.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   Summary of tribal government and Alaska Native Corp.\n\n49                   MR.  LIND:   Good  morning, Mr.  Chair.\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n11   \n17   \n19   \n23   \n26   \n29   \n34   \n41   \n50\n\n**0582**\n\n1   Orville  Lind,  Native  Liaison for  OSM.    During the\n2   consultation  sessions  there   were  no  comments   or\n3   questions on this proposal.  Thank you.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n6   Orville.  Tribal, Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n8                   MS. LAVINE:   If you are representing a\n9   tribe or Alaska  Native --oh, we have  somebody in the\n10   room --please.\n\n12                   MR.   SMITH:     Hi,   I\'m  Jim   Smith\n13   representing NVE, Native  Village of Eyak.   We support\n14   this.   Brown  bear has  been traditional  to  the Eyak\n15   people and  the Sugpiaq people  and so we put  this one\n16   forward alongside our relatives in Chenega.\n\n## 18 Thank you.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank you, Mr.\n21   Smith.  Advisory Group, SRC,  State Advisory Committee,\n22   multiagency work group.\n\n24                   MS. LAVINE:  We  received no comment on\n25   those proposals.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n30                   MS.  LAVINE:    In  the  room  we  have\n31   Michael Opheim or Dustin Carl --oh, I\'m sorry, not for\n32   this --are you signed  up for this  one --yes, very\n33   good, okay.\n\n35                   MR. OPHEIM:  Good morning Board.  Thank\n36   you for  the opportunity  to speak  on WP26-12,  13(a),\n37   14(a).  My name is Michael Opheim.  I\'m the Tribal Fish\n38   and Wildlife Liaison  for our tribal Fish  and Wildlife\n39   Department at Chugach Regional Resources Commission and\n40   happy to give our  testimony.\n\n42                   The    Chugach    Regional    Resources\n43   Commission would like to voice the support for WP26-12,\n44   13(a)  and  14(a).    The  Chugach  Regional  Resources\n45   Commission  or  CRRC  serves the  seven  tribes  of the\n46   Chugach  Region  in  Southcentral  Alaska;  the  Native\n47   Village of Eyak, Valdez Native Tribe, Native Village of\n48   Tatitlek, Chenega  IRA Council, Qutekcak  Native Tribe,\n49   Port  Graham  Village  Council  and  the  Nanwalek  IRA\n\n---\n\n8   \n10   \n14   \n25   \n32   \n35   \n38   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   Council.   The  proposals recognize  the  customary and\n2   traditional use of brown bears by residents of Cordova,\n3   Chenega  Bay, and  Tatitlek.   The  residents of  these\n4   tribal communities have traditionally used bear harvest\n5   for  food  and  clothing  as  recorded  throughout  the\n6   history  by the tribes traditional storytelling and the\n7   C&T determination should reflect that.\n\n## 9 Thank you for your time.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n12   your  testimony.   Hearing or  seeing  no other  public\n13   testimony, Council recommendation.\n\n15                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n16   These  proposals are  beneficial to  subsistence users.\n17   The  C&T is  well justified.   As Michael  mentioned we\n18   heard a lot  of testimony to that and  the OSM analysis\n19   is  quite  thorough   and  keeps  the  door   open  for\n20   subsistence users to perhaps switch to other resources,\n21   as  needed, due  to the  fluctuation  of resources  and\n22   their  availability.  There\'s  a long history  of brown\n23   bear use  in Unit  6 documented  orally and written  in\n24   historical records.\n\n26                   The   Southcentral   RAC    takes   C&T\n27   determinations  really  seriously and  we  particularly\n28   appreciate it when  those communities affected come  to\n29   our  meeting,  as  happened here,  and  explained  it a\n30   little  bit better to us, their personal and historical\n31   use.\n\n33                   So, once, again, this is beneficial  to\n34   subsistence users and we would support it.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n37   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n39                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n40   For  the record, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game\n41   opposes   the   proposals.     Currently   under  State\n42   regulations we have  a negative C&T finding  for Unit 6\n43   brown bear.\n\n45                   Thank you.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n48   InterAgency Staff Committee comment.\n\n---\n\n4   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n27   \n29   \n31   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank you,  Mr.  Chair.\n2   I\'ll read an abbreviated comment.  The full comment can\n3   be found in your meeting materials.\n\n5                   The   Board    makes   customary    and\n6   traditional  use determinations for the sole purpose of\n7   recognizing  the  pool of  users who  generally exhibit\n8   some or all  of the eight factors.  The  Board does not\n9   use such  determinations  for  resource  management  or\n10   restricting harvest.\n\n12                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Board discussion  with Liaison,  Council Chairs,  State\n16   rep.\n\n18                   (No comments)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n21   seeing none, open the floor for Board action.\n\n23                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.   The Forest\n24   Service moves to adopt WP26-12, 13(a), 14(a), following\n25   a second  I\'ll  explain why  I  intend to  support  the\n26   motion.\n\n28                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service seconds.\n\n30                   MR. WOODS:  Second.\n\n32                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Thank you for  seconds\n33   and thirds, right.  I  support this motion in deference\n34   to the RAC and in  acknowledgement of the testimony  of\n35   the Native Village of Eyak and the long history of oral\n36   tradition and archeological evidence in support of this\n37   determination.   Even  though recent  harvest of  brown\n38   bears has not  been as much  as it perhaps  was in  the\n39   past, the  customary and traditional  use determination\n40   is based on the long history and there\'s an opportunity\n41   here  for subsistence  users  to  shift  their  use  of\n42   resources over time.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n47   comments, discussion, deliberation.\n\n49                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n9   \n11   \n13   \n17   \n20   \n28   \n30   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n2   seeing none, we\'ll  go ahead and  read into the  record\n3   the motion and roll call.\n\n```\n5                   MS.  LEONETTI:  Okay.  The motion is to\n6   adopt Wildlife Proposal 26-12, 13(a) and 14(a).\n```\n\n8                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n10                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n14                   MS. PITKA:   I support as outlined  and\n15   in  deference to  the  Southcentral Alaska  Subsistence\n16   Regional Advisory Council.\n\n18                   MS. LEONETTI:   Forest  Service --or,\n19   Fish and Wildlife Service, Member Boario.\n\n21                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n22   supports   for  the   reasons  outlined   by   the  OSM\n23   justification  which  underscores  just   that  we  are\n24   stepping into a  story that is thousands  of years long\n25   and I appreciate the write  up and also as  articulated\n26   by  the  Forest   Service  and  in  deference   to  the\n27   Southcentral RAC.\n\n## 29 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n31                   MS. JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt WP26-12,\n32   13(a),  14(a)  in support  of  the motion  made  by the\n33   Forest   Service.     This  gives   deference  to   the\n34   recommendation of  the  Southcentral  RAC  on  the  C&T\n35   determinations  and  proposals and  we concur  with the\n36   Councils justification for each of them.\n\n38                   Quyana.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n42                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n43   to adopt WP26-12,  13(a) and 14(a) as  testimonies from\n44   Eyak and supported by Southcentral RAC.\n\n46                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n48                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n49   approved  for all  the reasons  above  and the  RAC and\n\n---\n\n0586\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n30   \n36   \n50\n\n1   OSM\'s analysis.  Thank you.\n\n3                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n5                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n6   supports WP26-12, 13(a)  and 14(a) in deference  to the\n7   RAC.\n\n9                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n11                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports for  the\n12   reasons stated by the U.S. Forest Service.  Thank you.\n\n14                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n15   Striker.\n\n17                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service  supports in\n18   deference to the RAC  for the reasons summarized by  my\n19   Forest Service colleague.\n\n21                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair.   The motion\n26   passes unanimously.\n\n```\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n29   We\'ll move on to WP26-13(b), 14(b).\n```\n\n31                   MS. HOLMAN:   Good morning,  Mr. Chair.\n32   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n33   Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  This will be for Wildlife\n34   Proposal  WP26-13(b) and 14(b) --can be found starting\n35   on Page 757 of your meeting book.\n\n37                   You  heard kind of  a little  bit about\n38   who submitted  these proposals and what  they\'re asking\n39   for.    Specifically  these  --this  one  covers  the\n40   establishment of the brown bear hunts in Units 6C --or\n41   excuse me, 6 --I\'m not sure what I put there --with a\n42   harvest  limit  of  one  bear by  Federal  registration\n43   permit  and a season  of August 1st  through June 30th.\n44   Both  of these  proponents state  that  a time  honored\n45   subsistence practice  of brown bears in  Prince William\n46   Sound  date far  back.   Most of  Prince William  Sound\n47   consists of Federal  public lands, which consist  of --\n48   which  are   --which   contain   robust  brown   bear\n49   populations that can  withstand limited Federal harvest\n\n---\n\n2   \n13   \n34   \n50\n\n1   and provide subsistence opportunity.\n\n3                   So the  regulatory history.   The  last\n4   Federal Subsistence  regulatory change for  brown bears\n5   in Unit 6  was in the early 1990s.   Biologically brown\n6   bears can be found throughout most of Unit 6, including\n7   Hinchinbrook, Montague, Hawkins and Kayak Islands and a\n8   --and the  portion of  Unit 6D  East of  the Columbia\n9   Glacier to Icy Bay on the mainland.  No population data\n10   exists.   Population data  is --full population  data\n11   exists because it\'s sparse for brown bears in Unit 6 so\n12   a conservative approach to managing them is warranted.\n\n14                   No  permits  or   harvest  tickets  are\n15   required  to hunt brown  bears in Unit 6A,  6B, 6C or D\n16   Remainder under State regulations, while a registration\n17   permit  is  required to  hunt  brown bears  in  Unit 6D\n18   Montague  Island.    All  harvested  brown  bears   are\n19   required to  be sealed within  30 days of the  kill and\n20   provide harvest information.   Table 1  on Page 763  of\n21   your meeting  book shows the  harvest of brown  bear in\n22   Unit 6 broken down by subunit most --with most of  the\n23   bears Units --in  Unit 6 --in Unit 6  --harvested in\n24   6D and 6A.  6A  is primarily guided participants and 6D\n25   is participation by non-local Alaskans who hunt without\n26   a  gu --has  more participation of  non-local Alaskans\n27   who  hunt without a guide.  Non-residents and non-local\n28   residents account  for 88 percent  of the Unit  6 brown\n29   bear  harvest between 2014  and 2023.   Unit-wide local\n30   residents, so residents  of Unit 6C, not  including the\n31   non-rural community of Valdez,  harvested an average of\n32   6.2 bears per year from  2014 to 2023 accounting for 12\n33   percent of the harvest during the same time period.\n\n35                   One  alternative   considered  was   to\n36   delegate authority  to the Federal in-season manager to\n37   limit the number of permits issued.  This could be done\n38   through a first come,  first serve registration permits\n39   or through a random draw.   Permits could be limited by\n40   subunit requiring division of Unit 6 into multiple hunt\n41   areas.  While  local residents harvest few  bears under\n42   State regulations the proposed Federal season is longer\n43   than  existing State seasons  and the harvest  limit is\n44   higher for  Unit 6D.    The Federal  season would  open\n45   August 1st through June 30th.   Unit 6, while the State\n46   season opens September  1st in Unit 6A, 6B  and 6C, and\n47   October 15th in  Unit 6D.   Brown  bear harvest  during\n48   early October and September may be higher as  bears are\n49   concentrated near salmon  streams and deer hunters  may\n\n---\n\n**0588**\n\n3   \n11   \n22   \n29   \n32   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   harvest  a brown  bear opportunistically  while hunting\n2   deer or if a brown bear threatens their deer kill.\n\n4                   If Proposal  WP26-13(b) and  14(b) were\n5   adopted Federal brown bear hunt would be established in\n6   Unit  6 increasing subsistence opportunity.  Impacts to\n7   the  brown bear  population is  uncertain  as there  is\n8   little biological information regarding  brown bears in\n9   Unit 6 so a  conservative approach to managing them  is\n10   warranted.\n\n12                   This  proposal   increases  subsistence\n13   opportunity.  Harvest  pressure is expected to  be very\n14   low and there is no conservation concern in Unit 6A, 6B\n15   and  6C.   The additional  Federal  subsistence hunting\n16   opportunity during August and late June is not expected\n17   to  substantially  increase   harvest  and  provide   a\n18   subsistence  opportunity.    Limiting  the  number   of\n19   permits   issued  in   Unit  6D   balances  subsistence\n20   opportunity with conservation  concerns and provides  a\n21   safeguard against over harvest.\n\n23                   So  the  OSM conclusion  is  to support\n24   with modification to divide Unit  6 into two hunt areas\n25   and delegate  authority to the  Cordova Ranger District\n26   to  set or adjust  annual harvest quotas  determined by\n27   permit type and limit  the number of permits issued  in\n28   6D.\n\n30                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair,  Members of  the\n31   Board.  I\'d be happy to address any questions.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n34   Thank  you for  the presentation.    Any questions  for\n35   Staff on this proposal.\n\n37                   (No comments)\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Was  there any\n40   written public comment received?\n\n42                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair,  there was  no\n43   written public comment received on this proposal.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corp.\n\n48                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n49   were no comments or questions.  Thank you.\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n9   \n11   \n14   \n17   \n20   \n28   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   This  is  the\n2   opportunity for tribal  and Alaska Native  organization\n3   testimony.\n\n5                   (No comments)\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n8   seeing none.....\n\n10                   MS. LAVINE:  Wait, Mr. Chair.....\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Oh, you  have\n13   one.\n\n15                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, I do  believe\n16   Michael Opheim is.....\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Oh, Michael,\n19   you have the floor, yes.\n\n21                   MR. OPHEIM:  Good morning again.  Thank\n22   you  for the opportunity.   My name  is Michael Opheim.\n23   I\'m the Tribal Fish and Wildlife Liaison for our tribal\n24   Fish  and  Wildlife  Department  at  Chugach   Regional\n25   Resources  Commission and we\'d like to show our support\n26   for  WP26-13(b) and  14(b) for the  same reason  as the\n27   previous proposals.\n\n29                   The   residents    of   these    tribal\n30   communities have  traditionally used  bear harvest  for\n31   food and clothing as recorded throughout history by the\n32   tribes   traditional    storytelling   and    the   C&T\n33   determination should reflect that.\n\n35                   Thank you for your time.\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n38   your testimony, appreciate that.  Any other testimony.\n\n40                   (No comments)\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   No.   Advisory\n43   group, RAC, SRC, multiagency working group.\n\n45                   MS. LAVINE:  We received no comments.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n48   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n11   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n43   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n## 1 (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n4   seeing none, Council recommendation.\n\n6                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n7   Now that the Board has established a C&T, the next step\n8   usually is Federal hunt and a State is already  allowed\n9   so  it  seems  fitting that  a  Federal  hunt  would be\n10   established as well.\n\n12                   We  did have  some  concerns about  the\n13   brown bear populations but noted that the harvest limit\n14   of  one bear is reasonable and conservative.  Providing\n15   additional subsistence  opportunities is  important and\n16   the Federal manager can assess  the season how best  to\n17   manage  this   hunt  in   6D.     Providing  additional\n18   subsistence  opportunities  is  important.    We   have\n19   confidence in  the Federal manager to  assess in-season\n20   how best to manage.   The analysis was thorough for the\n21   C&T  so one bear  is good, conservative  and additional\n22   opportunity for subsistence users.\n\n## 24 Thank you.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n29                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n30   For the record, the Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n31   opposes  this   as  it  misaligns  State   and  Federal\n32   regulations  and even the OSM recommendation.  Just for\n33   the record we manage brown bears, not by just splitting\n34   the unit, we  have a separate regulatory  structure for\n35   subunit A, B and C,  which is one bear every regulatory\n36   year,  but then specifically in 6D, Montague Island, we\n37   have registration hunts  that occur there and  it\'s one\n38   bear every four regulatory  years, and the same  for 6D\n39   Remainder.  And looking at the latest management report\n40   that  we  have from  Staff,  that  is  done every  four\n41   regulatory  years  because of  population  concerns and\n42   overharvest.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   Oh, sorry, one more thing.\n\n48                   We encourage  a robust  consultation if\n49   this is  adopted  given if  you  do adopt  a  differing\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n8   \n14   \n16   \n21   \n23   \n26   \n37   \n39   \n50\n\n1   management scheme  with only  two hunts  as opposed  to\n2   ours and given the population concerns within 6D.\n\n4                   Thank you.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n7   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:   Yes,  Mr. Chair.   I  was\n10   reminded that  yesterday Mr. Dennis Zadra  commented on\n11   this  proposal and  expressed  his disapproval  of  the\n12   August part of the season.  And for the ISC comment, we\n13   provided the standard comment.\n\n15                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n18   Robbin.   Board  discussion  with the  Liaison, Council\n19   Chair,  State   rep,  opportunity  to  ask   a  pointed\n20   question, clarification.\n\n22                   (No comments)\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n25   seeing none, the floor is open for a Board action.\n\n27                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair,  the Forest\n28   Service moves to adopt WP26-13(b)  and 14(b), following\n29   a  --as   modified  by  the  Office   of  Subsistence\n30   Management, specifically to divide Unit 6 into two hunt\n31   areas and  delegate authority  to the  Cordova District\n32   Ranger  to set  or adjust  annual  harvest quotas  with\n33   robust  consultation  with  the  State  of  Alaska  and\n34   determine  the type of permits and determine the number\n35   of permits issued in  Unit 6D.  If I get  a second I\'ll\n36   explain my rationale.\n\n## 38 MR. STRIKER: Park Service seconds.\n\n40                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr.  Chair.  This would\n41   provide  for a subsistence  priority within Unit  6 for\n42   brown bears.   Harvest pressure is expected  to be very\n43   low  and  the   record  reflects  that  local   use  is\n44   approximately  12 percent of the historic use there and\n45   providing  a local  subsistence  priority through  this\n46   action  would  fulfill  the  purposes  of  ANILCA   and\n47   delegation of  authority by  letter and  Forest Service\n48   commits to robust consultation with the State of Alaska\n49   in managing that season.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n11   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n4   Jerry.  Any other Board discussion, deliberation.\n\n6                   (No comments)\n\n8                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n9   seeing none, please read into the record the motion and\n10   roll call.\n\n12                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n13   Wildlife Proposal 26-13(b) and 14(b) as modified by OSM\n14   to  divide  Unit 6  into  two hunt  areas  and delegate\n15   authority to  the Cordova  District Ranger with  robust\n16   consultation with ADF&G to set or adjust annual harvest\n17   quotas, determine  the type  of permits  and limit  the\n18   number of permits issued  in Unit 6D via delegation  of\n19   authority letter only.\n\n21                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n23                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Supports.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n\n26   Striker.\n\n28                   MR. STRIKER:  The Park Service supports\n29   in deference to the  RAC for the reasons  enumerated by\n30   Regional Forester Ingersoll including his commitment to\n31   robust consultation with the State.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n35                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports for  the\n36   reasons stated by the Forest Service.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n40                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n41   supports  for reasons articulated by the Forest Service\n42   and in deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n46                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n47   supports with the robust coordination with the State of\n48   Alaska  along with the  recommendations by the  RAC and\n49   Forest Service.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n16   \n19   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n42   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n3                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n4   to support as modified by OSM WP-26-13(b) and 14(b) and\n5   supported by Southcentral RAC.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  BIA Member John.\n\n9                   MS. JOHN:    BIA votes  to adopt  WP26-\n10   13(b) and 14(b) in support of the motion made by Forest\n11   Service.   This gives deference to the Southcentral RAC\n12   recommendations on these brown bear harvest  proposals.\n13   We  concur with the Council\'s justification for each of\n14   them and thank  them for their  efforts to provide  the\n15   subsistence opportunities to rural users.\n\n17                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n18   Service Member Boario.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n21   supports  with  OSM modification  and  for  the reasons\n22   justified by the Forest Service.  And we recognize that\n23   the  Southcentral   RAC   supports  one   bear   as   a\n24   conservative approach and harvest pressure is  expected\n25   to be low.  This will provide subsistence opportunity.\n\n27                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n29                   MS.  PITKA:    I  vote  to  support  as\n30   modified  by OSM  and  in  deference  to  the  Regional\n31   Advisory Council and as outlined by the Forest Service.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n37                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Mr. Chair,  the motion\n38   passes unanimously.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n41   Next we\'ll move on to WP26-16.\n\n43                   MR. UBELAKER:  Good morning, Mr. Chair.\n44   Board Members.   For the record,  Brian Ubelaker and  I\n45   will be providing you  a brief summary of the  analysis\n46   of Wildlife Proposal 26-16, which  can be found on Page\n47   787 of your meeting materials.\n\n49                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n\n---\n\n10   \n27   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   Southcentral  Alaska   Subsistence  Regional   Advisory\n2   Council and  requests  two changes  to  Federal  beaver\n3   hunting  regulations in  Unit  6.   First,  it asks  to\n4   increase the possession limit from one beaver to three;\n5   the  second,  to  extend the  hunting  season  from the\n6   current May through October to a yearround season.  The\n7   proponent states  the intent  is to  better align  with\n8   traditional   subsistence  practices   which  is   more\n9   opportunistic in nature.\n\n11                   Currently, the Federal harvest limit is\n12   one beaver per day with only one in possession from May\n13   through  October.   Federal trapping  regulations allow\n14   unlimited harvest from  December through April.   There\n15   is no State  beaver hunting season in Unit  6 but there\n16   is  no limit during the November through April trapping\n17   season.   Beaver are not rigorously surveyed  in Unit 6\n18   and    most   information    comes   from    incidental\n19   observations,  trapper  reports  and  sealing  records.\n20   Based  on  this   information  beaver  are   considered\n21   abundant in Unit 6 especially in Subunits 6A through 6C\n22   and  there are  no indications  of  population decline.\n23   Harvest is estimated as sustainable averaging  about 60\n24   beaver a year since 2002,  of which over 90 percent are\n25   taken  by trapping.   Very few beaver  are harvested by\n26   firearms.\n\n28                   If adopted,  this proposal  would allow\n29   Federally-qualified  subsistence users  to hunt  beaver\n30   yearround and keep up to three in possession at a time.\n31   Because trapping  already allows unlimited  harvest and\n32   very few  beaver are taken  under hunting  regulations,\n33   only a  minimal increase  in harvest  is expected.   No\n34   conservation concerns have  been identified and  Unit 6\n35   is about 75 percent Federal public lands, these changes\n36   would benefit a wide range of subsistence users.\n\n38                   Therefore,  OSM\'s   conclusion  is   to\n39   support  this  proposal  as  it  increases  subsistence\n40   opportunity, supports traditional harvest practices and\n41   poses no conservation concerns.\n\n43                   And,   with   that,   I\'m   happy   for\n44   questions.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n47   Brian.  Any questions for Staff.\n\n49                   (No comments)\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n2   seeing none, any written public comment.\n\n4                   MR. UBELAKER:  No, Mr. Chair.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n7   appreciate  that.   Summary  of  tribal  government and\n8   Alaska Native Corporation consultation.\n\n10                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n11   were no comments or questions on  this proposal.  Thank\n12   you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n15   ACs, SRCs, State Advisory or multiagency workgroup.\n\n17                   MS.  LAVINE:     We  did  not   receive\n18   comments, Mr. Chair.\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any public like\n21   to testify here or online please raise your hand.\n\n23                   (No comments)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Seeing   or\n26   hearing none, Council recommendation on this.\n\n28                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you  very much, Mr.\n29   Chair. Judy Caminer from the Southcentral RAC. About 60\n30   beaver   have  been  taken,   which  isn\'t   very  much\n31   considering the large area we\'re talking about.  People\n32   felt  that  beaver  are  abundant  and  no conservation\n33   concern.  Fish  and Game had no  comments, again, might\n34   have been  a timing problem on that.  We also said that\n35   people,  when they\'re spending  time out in  the field,\n36   would be --it would be easier, better for  them to --\n37   if they\'re  unable to  process their  take right  away,\n38   it\'s  better  to  have  a  higher  limit,  or  more  in\n39   possession I\'ll  say.  Also  we felt  that local  users\n40   certainly  utilize beaver for  food as well  as for fur\n41   and there are no conservation concerns.\n\n43                   Thank you very much.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n46   Judy.  Kodiak.\n\n48                   MS.  SKINNER: Rebecca  Skinner for  the\n49   Kodiak/Aleutians  RAC.   We  did discuss  this proposal\n\n---\n\n6   \n9   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1   because our  people from our  area have the  ability to\n2   hunt beaver  in Unit  6.  In  discussion we  noted that\n3   people from our area don\'t  tend to hunt beaver in Unit\n4   6 and we deferred to  the home RAC, Southcentral RAC to\n5   make a determination.  Thanks.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n8   Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n10                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n11   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish  and Game\n12   opposes  the proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n13   regulations.  As you\'ve heard there\'s currently no open\n14   season in GMU 6 under State regulations to hunt beaver.\n15   However,   there  is   beaver   trapping  under   State\n16   regulations from November 10th to April 30th, no limit,\n17   and  a  beaver can  be  taken with  steel  trap, snare,\n18   firearm  or   bow  and  arrow.    There  is  a  sealing\n19   requirement as well.\n\n21                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n24   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n26                   MS.   LAVINE:      Mr.   Chair.     The\n27   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n28   comment.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n31   Board discussion, any questions.\n\n33                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n36   floor.\n\n38                   MR.   INGERSOLL:     To  the   Advisory\n39   Council, would you consider making an aligned  proposal\n40   to  the Board of  Game to address  the inconsistency in\n41   regulation?\n\n43                   MS.  CAMINER:   I  can certainly  bring\n44   that up to the RAC, thank you for the suggestion.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n47   Hearing and seeing no more comments  we\'ll go ahead and\n48   move for Board action.\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n12   \n15   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair.  The Forest\n2   Service moves to adopt WP26-16.  If I get a second I\'ll\n3   explain why I intend to support my motion.\n\n## 5 MR. PENDERGAST: BLM seconds.\n\n7                   MR.  INGERSOLL:     Thank  you.  Forest\n8   Service  supports  this  proposal in  deference  to the\n9   Advisory Councils and because yearround beaver  hunting\n10   is a  traditional cultural  practice and  there are  no\n11   conservation concerns.  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   further Board discussion or deliberation.\n\n## 16 Frank.\n\n18                   MR. WOODS:  One comment for the RAC and\n19   participation of the  ADF&G.  We have  the same problem\n20   with  beaver  back  home  is  that  number  1,  there\'s\n21   trappers and  we have avid  hunters in the  fall, looks\n22   like this  proposal is  to help  satisfy a  subsistence\n23   need.   Separate, I\'ll  guarantee you  that subsistence\n24   beaver  tastes better  than  the  sports or  commercial\n25   beaver.\n\n## 27 (Laughter)\n\n29                   MR. WOODS:   That\'s a joke.   Back home\n30   we prize that  as red meat especially in  the spring or\n31   fall  I could say,  especially when you\'re  camping and\n32   out  hunting  and  then  provides  the  opportunity  to\n33   families to provide red meat.   So anything we could do\n34   to help that I\'m in support.  And I\'d encourage the RAC\n35   to work --at some point to robustly work with ADF&G to\n36   align  those proposals because  I think Dan  can concur\n37   that the beaver  proposal just before the  ACs has been\n38   long due but it\'s a lot of work.  So thank you.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Any other Board\n41   comment, deliberation.\n\n## 43 (No comments)\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n46   seeing none, please read into the record and roll call.\n\n48                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n49   Wildlife Proposal 26-16.\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n10   \n13   \n19   \n21   \n27   \n29   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n3                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n7                   MS.  PITKA:     I  support  WP26-16  in\n8   deference  to the  Regional  Advisory  Council  and  as\n9   outlined.  Thank you.\n\n11                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n12   Service Member Boario.\n\n14                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n15   supports   as   outlined   by   the   Forest    Service\n16   justification  acknowledging  that   local  subsistence\n17   users use beaver for food  and their food and there are\n18   no conservation concerns and in deference to the RAC.\n\n## 20 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n22                   MS. JOHN:  BIA  votes to adopt  WP26-16\n23   in support of  the motion made  by the Forest  Service.\n24   This gives  deference to  the Southcentral  Alaska RAC.\n25   And recommendations on this beaver harvest proposal, we\n26   concur with the Councils justification as well.\n\n28                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n30                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n31   to support  WP26-16 which  is outlined  by Southcentral\n32   RAC and in support by OSM and no conservation concerns.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Woods.\n\n36                   MR.   WOODS:     Public  Member   Woods\n37   approves.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n41                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n42   supports WP26-16 in deference to the RAC.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n46                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports  for the\n47   reasons already stated by my colleagues.\n\n49                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n16   \n22   \n36   \n50\n\n1   Striker.\n\n3                   MR. STRIKER:  Park Service supports  in\n4   deference  to the RAC  and for the  reasons outlined by\n5   the Forest Service.\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n11                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n12   passes unanimously.\n\n```\n14                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Next we\'ll call\n15   WP26-17.\n```\n\n17                   MR. SANDERS:  Good  morning, Mr. Chair.\n18   Members of  the Board.   My name is Andrew  Sanders and\n19   I\'m a Biologist with the Chugach National Forest.  I\'ll\n20   be presenting WP26-17, which begins on Page 797 of your\n21   meeting materials.\n\n23                   This  proposal  was submitted  by  Onie\n24   Wilkes of Cooper Landing and requests the creation of a\n25   late fall season for moose  in Unit 7 from October 20th\n26   to  November 10th.  The proponent states that residents\n27   of  Cooper Landing  are allowed  to hunt moose  in both\n28   Unit 7 and Unit 15B but that there\'s only an additional\n29   late fall season  in Unit 15B.   Establishing the  same\n30   late  fall season in Unit 7  would allow Cooper Landing\n31   residents the  opportunity to  participate in  the late\n32   fall  season hunt closer to home where they customarily\n33   and  traditionally hunt.   Rural  residents of  Chenega\n34   Bay, Cooper Landing, Moose Pass, Hope and Tatitlek have\n35   C&T for moose in Unit 7.\n\n37                   A moose  population estimate  has never\n38   been performed moose in Unit 7.  Trend counts have been\n39   conducted every  other year  since the  1990s and  have\n40   been declining since  then.  Taken with  other historic\n41   data  the  Unit 7  moose  herd  appears  to  have  been\n42   declining since the 1970s.  The most recent demographic\n43   survey was performed in 2013 and indicated a population\n44   in decline with  a low calf  to cow ratio.   Unit 7  is\n45   very  mountainous and  below  Alpine  and is  primarily\n46   mature  Forest in  late  successional stages  with some\n47   extensive  areas of spruce  beetle kill.   Poor habitat\n48   due  to Forest  succession is  suspected  of being  the\n49   limiting  factor  for  the  Unit  7  moose  population,\n\n---\n\n11   \n14   \n32   \n44   \n50\n\n1   however, U.S.  Forest Service active  Forest management\n2   in areas of spruce beetle kill  is resulting in patches\n3   of  early seroral* habitat that are expected to benefit\n4   moose.   Severe winters  with heavy snow  are normal in\n5   the Kenai mountains.   During winter  Unit 7 moose  are\n6   observed to  concentrate in  low  elevation areas  with\n7   lower snow depth and more  winter browse.  These  areas\n8   are near roads and railroads and approximately 23 moose\n9   are  killed by  motor vehicle  and  train strikes  each\n10   year.\n\n12                   I\'d  like  to   include  some  cultural\n13   knowledge and traditional practices.\n\n15                   Present day  Unit 7  Remainder overlaps\n16   with   the  traditional   territory  of   the  Dena\'ina\n17   Athbascans  of the  Northern  Kenai  Peninsula and  the\n18   Alutiiq  of   the  outer  Kenai   Peninsula  Coast  and\n19   neighboring  Prince  William   Sound.    Dena\'ina  oral\n20   traditional  and   historical  reports   indicate  that\n21   caribou  were  the  dominant  ungulate   on  the  Kenai\n22   Peninsula until large  wildfires in the 1880s  and that\n23   moose were scarce  or unknown throughout most  of their\n24   territory until around that same time.  A comprehensive\n25   subsistence  survey  was  performed in  Cooper  Landing\n26   during the  winter of  1990/1991 and  found that  moose\n27   were the most widely used land mammal in the community.\n28   Hope  Sunrise  was  surveyed  in   1991  and  residents\n29   reported   that   prior   to   the  implementation   of\n30   regulations  mandating   hunting  seasons   moose  were\n31   traditionally hunted in late October or early November.\n\n33                   Moose  harvest  in   Unit  7  Remainder\n34   occurs   under  Federal   regulations   by  a   Federal\n35   registration  permit  and  under  State regulations  by\n36   harvest ticket.   Federal moose  harvest in Unit  7 has\n37   ranged from zero  to 7 moose since  Moose Pass received\n38   customary and  traditional use.   The  average reported\n39   combined  harvest  for  both  State  and  Federal hunts\n40   during the most recent five year period was 22.6 moose,\n41   which is up from 20 moose during the previous five year\n42   period but still far below  the historic average of 104\n43   moose per year.\n\n45                   Currently,   subsistence  priority   is\n46   provided by opening  the Federal season 11  days before\n47   the State season and allowing the harvest of bulls with\n48   forked  antlers in  addition to  the  spike 50-inch  or\n49   three brow tine  antler restriction in the  State hunt.\n\n---\n\n17   \n20   \n33   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n42   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   An additional  late fall season would provide increased\n2   moose   harvest   opportunity   to  Federally-qualified\n3   subsistence users  and  would  provide  opportunity  to\n4   harvest  during cooler weather.  It could also increase\n5   harvest  success by  allowing hunters  to target  moose\n6   that early winter  conditions have concentrated  in the\n7   low  elevation habitat.   It  would  also align  season\n8   dates with Unit 15B  simplifying management.   However,\n9   the moose population in Unit 7 appears to be decreasing\n10   and stressed by limited  winter habitat.  Additionally,\n11   approximately  one moose is  killed by train  and motor\n12   vehicle  strike in  Unit  7 for  every  moose taken  by\n13   hunters.     A  late   season  hunt   could  create   a\n14   conservation   concern   by   significantly  increasing\n15   harvest success  and placing  additional stress on  the\n16   moose.\n\n18                   The  OSM preliminary  conclusion is  to\n19   oppose Proposal WP26-17.\n\n21                   While  adoption  of   Proposal  WP26-17\n22   would   provide  greater   opportunity  to   Federally-\n23   qualified subsistence users, the limited data available\n24   for  Unit 7  moose raises  concerns  about whether  the\n25   population could  support additional  harvest pressure.\n26   The  Unit 7  moose population appears  to occur  at low\n27   density  due  to habitat  limitations  and is  possibly\n28   declining.   Federally-qualified  users currently  have\n29   priority  through an  early season  and  reduced antler\n30   restrictions,  therefore,  conservative  management  is\n31   warranted  and  additional   harvest  pressure  is  not\n32   recommended at this time.\n\n## 34 Thank you.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n37   Andrew.  Any questions for Staff on the presentation.\n\n39                   MS. BOARIO:  Mr. Chair.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, go ahead.\n\n43                   MS. BOARIO:  Question, thank you.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Sure.\n\n47                   MS. BOARIO:  And  I apologize if others\n48   need to  answer this because  I see information  in two\n49   sections and I just want to make sure I\'m tracking.\n\n---\n\n0602\n7   \n10   \n12   \n15   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n27   \n35   \n38   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   So as  you recounted, the  limited data\n2   available  suggests a  potential conservation  concern,\n3   that\'s on Page 806.  And then on Page 811 under the ISC\n4   comment it says, current State data suggests that there\n5   is a conservation  concern.  And so I\'m  trying to make\n6   sure I\'m following.\n\n8                   MR. SANDERS:  I think I\'ll defer to the\n9   State on why they.....\n\n11                   MS. BOARIO:  Totally fine.\n\n13                   MR.   SANDERS:     .....came  to   that\n14   conclusion.\n\n16                   MS.  BOARIO:  Well,  it\'s under the ISC\n17   section so just noted, whoever needs to answer at  some\n18   point, I just  see two different kind  of perspectives.\n19   Thank you.\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n22   other questions.\n\n24                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Well, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n28                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin with BLM.  I was\n29   going through  the materials  as well  and maybe  it\'ll\n30   become more  clear as more  testimony is  given but  it\n31   seemed to me that the  ISC was looking forward toward a\n32   potential future concern instead of looking backward at\n33   existing data.   Maybe that\'s a bit of  the space we\'re\n34   seeing, but that was my sense.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n37   questions for Staff on their presentation.\n\n40                   (No comments)\n\n42                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n43   seeing none.....\n\n45                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods.\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Woods, you have\n48   the floor.\n\n---\n\n12   \n15   \n17   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  WOODS:   The recommendations  were\n2   outlined.  Population appear  to be low in  density due\n3   to  habitat limitations.  The formation  of a new hunt.\n4   It looks like  the recommendation is to close  the fall\n5   hunt, as one of the options, and  then open up so it --\n6   maybe it would have  been better to go back  to the RAC\n7   and ask for  a winter hunt just  for Federal --on the\n8   Federal side besides  this extended moose season.   I\'m\n9   reading  through the  --I\'ll  finish  so maybe  public\n10   testimony  will  bring  that  out  along  with  ADF&G\'s\n11   report.  Thank you.\n\n13                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n14   other questions from the Board for Staff.\n\n16                   (No comments)\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n19   seeing  none,  was  there any  written  public  comment\n20   received.\n\n22                   MR. SANDERS:  No comments were received\n23   during the open public comment period.\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n26   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corporation\n27   consultation.\n\n29                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  There\n30   were no comments or questions.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n33   Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n38   seeing none,  Advisory group,  SRC, State  committee or\n39   multiagency group.\n\n41                   MS.  LAVINE:  Mr. Chair, we received no\n42   comments, thank you.\n\n44                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n45   public testimony here or online please raise your hand.\n\n47                   (No comments)\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n\n---\n\n3   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n50\n\n0604\n\n1   seeing  none we\'ll  move to  Council  recommendation on\n2   this proposal.\n\n4                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n5   Southcentral Council supported establishing a late fall\n6   season  as  proposed in  the  submitted proposal  which\n7   mirrors  the season  in Unit  15B and  C.   The Council\n8   stated   a   late  fall   season   provides  additional\n9   opportunity to harvest moose for subsistence  users who\n10   were not successful earlier in the season.  The Council\n11   acknowledged there are  some conservation concerns  for\n12   the Unit  7 moose population  and the lack of  data but\n13   successful harvesting of  moose in that unit  is really\n14   very  difficult.    however,  we felt  that  additional\n15   harvest  pressure  and  the few  additional  moose that\n16   might  be  harvested  during the  late  fall  season is\n17   manageable   and  would   not  add   to  the   existing\n18   conservation  concerns or  situations.   We  also agree\n19   that  moose  seasons   during  the  peak  of   rut,  as\n20   recommended at their  fall 202 --at our 2025  meeting\n21   were  not a  good idea  so  we wanted  to adjust  those\n22   dates.\n\n24                   Thank you very much.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n27   Judy.  Any questions.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n32   seeing none, Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n34                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n35   For the  record the Alaska Department of  Fish and Game\n36   opposes the proposal.   Similar to what you heard  from\n37   the  Forest Service analysis,  we agree that additional\n38   harvest, given the information that  we --I mean to be\n39   honest, don\'t know, will give us pause for conservation\n40   measures.  Knowing  that and knowing that  Member Pitka\n41   always asks us about information, after reading through\n42   our latest --our management report, we are going to --\n43   I  mean we  are trying.    The situation  is that  your\n44   traditional moose  surveys are not the best  use and so\n45   we\'re looking  at things that,  you know, say,  even 10\n46   years ago weren\'t available to us and so I just want to\n47   kind of highlight the  things that we\'re looking  at in\n48   order to  try to  get an assessment  in this  region is\n49   things  like  forward  looking  infrared  radar  and  a\n\n---\n\n10   \n27   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n50\n\n1   genetic-based population survey and all of that is very\n2   new technology, things that we didn\'t have in the past.\n3   So we are trying new and  innovative ways to try to get\n4   a  handle on populations but until this point it\'s been\n5   challenging.   We haven\'t  done an assessment  and even\n6   when we did have the  funding to conduct it, conditions\n7   haven\'t been right, and so we do hold that as more of a\n8   conservative  population and so we get worried a little\n9   easier than we do in other places.\n\n11                   The other  thing I  wanted to  mention,\n12   just  for this body, not in  particular to our position\n13   on the proposal, is that, you know, this body is always\n14   interested in every  --you know,  our efforts, on  the\n15   Federal  side,  just  in  general,  educating  hunters,\n16   having  hunters having additional  education on what it\n17   is to be responsible hunters, legal hunters and in Unit\n18   7, this one  and as well as 15, we require them to read\n19   additional material and take a  quiz and pass that quiz\n20   in order to go hunting.  It\'s one of those things that,\n21   you   know,   given   the   --where   it\'s   located\n22   geographically in  the state,  we have a  lot of  folks\n23   that like to utilize this area, we have a lot of people\n24   around so we want to make sure that, you know, they are\n25   getting   that  extra   learning   in  order   to  hunt\n26   responsibly and legally.\n\n28                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n30                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n\n31   Questions.\n\n33                   (No comments)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n36   seeing none,  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Good moose  habitat has declined  during recent decades\n40   in parts  of Unit  7 and throughout  much of  the Kenai\n41   Peninsula  because  of a  warming  and drying  climate.\n42   This has  resulted in an  overall decline in  the moose\n43   population.   Meanwhile hunting pressure  has increased\n44   from  non-Federally-qualified  users   and  that  group\n45   continues  to  harvest  most moose  in  the  unit.   In\n46   contrast the number  of Federally-qualified subsistence\n47   users  has remained relatively small and stable.  Since\n48   2018 an average of 62 Federal permits have  been issued\n49   annually to  Federally-qualified subsistence  users and\n\n---\n\n11   \n13   \n18   \n20   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n36   \n39   \n50\n\n**0606**\n\n1   an average of 29 hunters  have participated in the hunt\n2   resulting in an annual harvest of  zero to seven moose.\n3   It is  unlikely that either  an extended  season or  an\n4   addition  of a late season after the rut would increase\n5   harvest   by   Federally-qualified   subsistence  users\n6   substantially.  Current State data suggests there isn\'t\n7   a  conservation   concern,  however,   if  conservation\n8   concerns  arise  delegating  authority  to  the  Seward\n9   District  Ranger to close the Federal hunt would enable\n10   a rapid and timely response.\n\n## 12 Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n15   Robbin.   Board  discussion with  the  Liaison, Council\n16   Chair,  State  rep,  this is  your  opportunity  to get\n17   clarification, ask a question.\n\n## 19 Rhonda.\n\n21                   MS. PITKA:  I\'d like to thank the State\n22   for   taking  that  information  that  I  ask  and  the\n23   questions  that  I  ask  seriously  and providing  that\n24   information in  the analysis,  it\'s really  helpful for\n25   decisionmaking and in managing moose populations.\n\n## 27 Thank you.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   If  there\'s no\n30   discussion we\'ll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n32                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   Mr.  Chair,  from the\n33   Forest Service.  Forest Service moves to adopt Proposal\n34   26-17.  If I get a second I\'ll explain why I  intend to\n35   support my motion.\n\n37                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n38   seconds.\n\n40                   MR. INGERSOLL:   Mr. Chair.  This  is a\n41   complex one.   There is a  conservation concern and  we\n42   acknowledge  and appreciate  the  partnership with  the\n43   State  of   Alaska  in  assessing  the  population  and\n44   managing  for a sustainable  population there.  Habitat\n45   is in decline  and that seems to be  driving factor and\n46   Federally-qualified  subsistence users  take only  less\n47   than 20 percent of  the total moose harvested  and even\n48   more  are taken by collisions with vehicles and trains.\n49   So there is  a conservation concern but  the Federally-\n\n---\n\n0607\n8   \n11   \n13   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n29   \n31   \n39   \n41   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   qualified use is  small and a subsistence  priority for\n2   rural  users  is  important and  matters  here.   If  a\n3   conservation  concern  increases  the  Seward  District\n4   Ranger  has the authority to restrict harvest as an in-\n5   season manager.   And so, therefore, for  these reasons\n6   and  in deference to the Southcentral Advisory Council,\n7   Forest Service supports.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Any  further\n10   deliberation, discussion.\n\n12                   (No comments)\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   Read it  into\n15   the record and roll call, please.\n\n17                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n18   Wildlife Proposal 26-17.\n\n20                   Forest Service Member Ingersoll.\n\n22                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Support.\n\n24                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Pitka.\n\n26                   MS. PITKA:   I support for  the reasons\n27   articulated  already and  in deference to  the Regional\n28   Advisory Council.\n\n## 30 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n32                   MS. JOHN:   BIA votes  to adopt WP26-17\n33   in support  of the motion  made by the  Forest Service.\n34   This gives deference to the Southcentral Alaska RAC and\n35   we concur with  their justification.  Avoiding  harvest\n36   during the rut and extending the hunt to early November\n37   should  not create conservation  issues as indicated by\n38   the Council.\n\n## 40 MS. LEONETTI: Public Member Woods.\n\n42                   MR. WOODS:  Public Member Woods  adopts\n43   the recommendations by the RAC in coordination with the\n44   State and to provide subsistence opportunity for --our\n45   charge  is  under  that  regulation  helps  subsistence\n46   opportunity for Federally-qualified subsistence users.\n\n48                   Thank you.\n\n---\n\n2   \n8   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n3                   MR. PENDERGAST:   BLM supports WP26-17.\n4   I want  to  provide just  a  little bit  of  additional\n5   rationale  from  our  perspective  since we\'re  talking\n6   about moose on  the road system, right  in our backyard\n7   from where we\'re sitting here.\n\n9                   Acknowledge  there  are  concerns about\n10   moose  population but from  what I\'m tracking  and what\n11   the  ISC  analyzed  I\'m  not  hearing  that  there\'s  a\n12   conservation  concern  at  this time.    And  given the\n13   number  of users  we\'re  talking  about  that  and  the\n14   difficulty  of this terrain and the success they\'ve had\n15   to date I\'m not convinced that if we  open this up it\'s\n16   going  to create,    you  know, or  lead  quickly to  a\n17   conservation concern.   Federally-qualified subsistence\n18   users have harvested  a relatively low number  of moose\n19   on average and  the additional late fall  season is not\n20   expected  to  significantly increase  that  harvest but\n21   adopting this will  provide a meaningful preference  to\n22   Federally-qualified subsistence users.   So our support\n23   is based on that rationale and in deference to the RAC.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:     Fish   and  Wildlife\n26   Service Member Boario.\n\n28                   MS. BOARIO:   Fish and Wildlife Service\n29   supports for the reasons outlined by the Forest Service\n30   and the speakers that followed and in deference  to the\n31   RAC.  Thank you.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Oney.\n\n35                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n36   to support WP26-17 in deference to Southcentral RAC and\n37   comments by Forest Service.\n\n39                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n41                   MR.  PAYENNA:   Public  Member  Payenna\n42   votes to support WP26-17 in deference to the RAC and in\n43   agreement  with comments  submitted by  BLM  and Forest\n44   Service.  Thank you.\n\n46                   MS.  LEONETTI:    Park  Service  Member\n47   Striker.\n\n49                   MR. STRIKER:   Park Service supports in\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n7   \n10   \n12   \n21   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n36   \n43   \n50\n\n1   deference to  the RAC  for the  reasons articulated  by\n2   Jerry.\n\n4                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I support.\n\n8                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n9   carries unanimously.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Go ahead.\n\n13                   MS.  PITKA:  At this time I\'d just like\n14   to state on the record that I\'ll be absent for about an\n15   hour and a  half this afternoon and during  that time I\n16   would like  to  give my  proxy to  Public Member  Frank\n17   Woods to  vote in  deference to  the Regional  Advisory\n18   Council  and also  in recognition  if  there\'s any  new\n19   information  presented  he  withhold voting  my  proxy.\n20   Thank you.\n\n22                   I\'m  also  just  stating  this  on  the\n23   record  because it\'s  been proven  this  week that  the\n24   Chairman doesn\'t like to eat lunch.\n\n26                   (Laughter)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You\'ve seen my\n29   stomach, it needs a day off.\n\n31                   (Laughter)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   You\'ve got the\n34   floor Brian.\n\n37                   MR. UBELAKER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  I\n38   will be presenting --oh, sorry.  For the record, Brian\n39   Ubelaker and I will be presenting a summary of Wildlife\n40   Proposal WP26-22 which was removed off of the consensus\n41   agenda  and can  be found  on Page  73 of  said meeting\n42   materials.\n\n44                   Proposal   WP26-22  is   one  of   five\n45   proposals submitted  by the Cooper Landing  Safe Trails\n46   Committee   which  requests   trapping  setbacks   from\n47   designated roads,  trails, beaches  and campgrounds  in\n48   the Cooper Landing area.  WP26-22 specifically requests\n49   establishing  setback  distances   of  100  yards  from\n\n---\n\n0610\n6   \n13   \n23   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   designated pullouts  and roads.   These setbacks  would\n2   not apply to  traps that  are elevated  at least  three\n3   feet above  hard ground, placed  under water or  ice or\n4   otherwise  enclosed.    The  remaining  four  proposals\n5   submitted by the Committee are on the consensus agenda.\n\n7                   The  proponent  states  these  measures\n8   would make Cooper  Landing safer for families  and pets\n9   benefiting  the local recreation  based economy.   They\n10   cite support from community  surveys, search and rescue\n11   groups  and   provide  examples   from  other   Alaskan\n12   communities where similar setbacks have been adopted.\n\n14                   The  proponent   also  submitted   five\n15   similar trapping  setback proposals to the Alaska Board\n16   of Game for their 2025/26  meeting cycle.  Of those the\n17   Board of Game adopted Proposal 145 in their March  2026\n18   meeting   with  modification,   reducing  the   setback\n19   requirement to  50 yards.   Board of Game  Proposal 145\n20   most closely mirrors  Federal Proposal WP26-22  in that\n21   it  also  requested 100  yard setbacks  from designated\n22   roads and pullouts.\n\n24                   To  maintain consistency  for all  user\n25   groups OSM  supports aligning Federal  regulations with\n26   the State\'s recent  adoption of Board of  Game Proposal\n27   145.  However, Proposal 145 included roads and pullouts\n28   not  covered  in WP26-22  and  the  codified regulation\n29   resulting  from its adoption has not yet been published\n30   in  the  Alaska  Administrative  Code,  therefore,  OSM\n31   recommends either opposing  WP26-22 or deferring action\n32   until   the   State\'s   codified   regulation   becomes\n33   available.\n\n35                   Thank  you,  with that,  I will  try to\n36   answer any questions.\n\n38                   MR. PENDERGAST:  I have a question.\n\n40                   MS. PITKA:  Please, go ahead, BLM.\n\n42                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n43   I am hopelessly confused and  at this point I\'m  hoping\n44   you can  help out.  Which proposal  aligns with current\n45   --well,  with recently passed State  regulations which\n46   will eventually become part of the AAC?\n\n48                   MR.  UBELAKER:     Through  the  Chair.\n49   Member  Pendergast.   Wildlife Proposal  WP26-22 aligns\n\n---\n\n3   \n7   \n19   \n29   \n36   \n41   \n49   \n50\n\n1   with three of the requested  areas that were adopted by\n2   Proposal 145.\n\n4                   MR.  PENDERGAST:   145.   South  Quartz\n5   Creek Road,  Forest Service  Sectional joining  highway\n6   and all pullouts on Federal land, et cetera, et cetera?\n\n8                   MR. UBELAKER:  No.  All pullouts on the\n9   Sterling Highway  doesn\'t  100 percent  match what  was\n10   adopted in  Proposal 145.   Proposal 145 asked  for all\n11   Sterling  Highway pullouts  from  Tern Lake  to Russian\n12   River Ferry and the boat launch, where Proposal  --the\n13   Federal  Proposal  26-22   asks  for  Sterling  Highway\n14   pullouts from Tern  Lake to Cooper Landing.  So there\'s\n15   a section of,  I think, like 12-ish miles  on the other\n16   side of  Cooper Landing that  are not asked for  in the\n17   Federal proposal that  will be adopted under  the State\n18   side.\n\n20                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Feel free to punt this\n21   as more  people like  the State get  on the  ability to\n22   speak here, but  my struggle right now, my  question is\n23   like we\'re talking  about Southcentral road  accessible\n24   areas  where people can  set traps, I\'m  very concerned\n25   about creating confusion between State and Federal regs\n26   so  I\'m --I  think I\'m looking  for how  I can support\n27   aligning those, I\'m just not  --it\'s just not clear to\n28   me what that is.\n\n30                   MR. UBELAKER:   It\'s  our opinion  that\n31   once the Statehas codified regulations in AACthen if --\n32    if 26-22 is deferred it can be modified to 100 percent\n33   match what the State has  in their regulation, if not a\n34   new proposal could be submitted to match  what\'s in the\n35   codified regulation.\n\n37                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Stating it another way\n38   then, is it fair to  say that there\'s nothing before us\n39   today that  an up or  down vote  would achieve  perfect\n40   alignment with State regulation?\n\n42                   MR. UBELAKER:  My opinion, OSM opinion,\n43   no.  There is --there are too many mismatches.   Some\n44   of the language  adopted in the  State Proposal 145  is\n45   also  covered in  Federal Proposal  26-23.  There  --I\n46   think there are  too many variables if we  try to match\n47   anything before the State  has language solidified that\n48   we can 100 percent word for word match.\n\n---\n\n7   \n9   \n11   \n14   \n16   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n37   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  PENDERGAST:  Okay.   So if  I were\n2   motivated towards eventual match, one possibility could\n3   be to defer this for additional State AAC  attached and\n4   some  additional work come  back to get  this in place.\n5   If  that  were  of  interest  to me  that  might  be  a\n6   potential path?\n\n8                   MR. UBELAKER:  Correct.\n\n10                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank you.\n\n12                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Any   other\n13   questions.\n\n15                   (No comments)\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n18   written comment received.\n\n20                   MR. UBELAKER:  Oh boy were there ever.\n\n22                   (Laughter)\n\n24                   MR. UBELAKER:   Yes, Mr. Chair.   There\n25   were 10  written public comments  submitted in  support\n26   with  the common  topics of  the  comments being  these\n27   proposals protect families, pets and recreational users\n28   while still allowing  responsible trapping.   Traps  in\n29   multi-use areas  create real  safety risks and  current\n30   regulations  are difficult to  enforce.   Most trappers\n31   follow  ethical guidelines but some do not and setbacks\n32   provide  clear  rules  to  prevent  conflicts.     With\n33   overwhelming community support  and successful examples\n34   elsewhere in Alaska these common sense measures balance\n35   public safety,  recreation and  traditional subsistence\n36   practices.\n\n38                   There were also five comments submitted\n39   in  opposition with the  common topics of  the comments\n40   being   these   proposals   are   overly   restrictive,\n41   unnecessary and would burden subsistence trappers under\n42   ANILCA.   Many commentors  stating they have  never had\n43   any incident with traps and informal communication with\n44   local trappers has always ensured safety.  Trapping has\n45   been part  of Alaska\'s  heritage and  these regulations\n46   would  remove large  areas  from traditional  use while\n47   creating confusion about  land boundaries.   Education,\n48   responsible  dog handling  and community  communication\n49   are far better solutions than restricting trapping.\n\n---\n\n2   \n6   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n19   \n22   \n26   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n40   \n42   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n4   Summary of tribal government, Alaska Native Corporation\n5   consultation.\n\n7                   MR. LIND:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Board\n8   members.  There were no questions or comments on  these\n9   proposals.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n12   Orville.  Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n14                   (No comments)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Hearing  or\n17   seeing  none, Advisory  Group, SRC,  State Advisory  or\n18   multiagency.\n\n20                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n21   There were no comments submitted for this proposal.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n24   Robbin.   Any public testimony  here or online  show of\n25   hands.\n\n27                   MS. LAVINE:   Mr. Chair.  First  in the\n28   que  is Sandy  Vanbrunt.   Please  unmute yourself  and\n29   address the Board.\n\n31                   (Pause)\n\n33                   MS. LAVINE:  Go ahead.\n\n35                   (Pause)\n\n37                   MS.  LAVINE:  Sandy, if you --your mic\n38   appears unmuted but we cannot hear  you.  Maybe there\'s\n39   also a mute function on your computer.\n\n41                   (Pause)\n\n43                   MS. LAVINE:   And  we still can\'t  hear\n44   you.   Sandy, while  we wait for  you to try  again the\n45   next person in the que is Chris Perry.\n\n47                   MR. PERRY:  Can you hear me?\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Yes,  you have\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n50\n\n1   the floor.\n\n3                   MR. PERRY:    Yeah,  good  morning  and\n4   thanks for this  opportunity to speak on  this WP26-22.\n5   My name is  Chris Perry, I\'ve been a  resident of Homer\n6   for 43 years and have  done winter recreation in Cooper\n7   Landing for most  of this time.  I\'d like to comment on\n8   support of WP26-22.\n\n10                   This  proposal  setback are  not  anti-\n11   trapping proposals and any consideration that they  are\n12   in any way is not --does an injustice to any and  all\n13   comments concerning  this  proposal.    These  are  not\n14   allocative  issues and should not be considered only --\n15   they should  be considered  only as  public safety  and\n16   cooperation  between  user  groups.    There  are  some\n17   restrictions in the  state considering closed  trapping\n18   areas and setbacks, these are mostly in municipalities.\n19   ADF&G   code  of   ethics   is  mostly   non-regulatory\n20   recommendations  that suggest  and recommends  avoiding\n21   multi-use areas to avoid conflict, posting signage back\n22   to  trapping  areas.   There  are  no  restrictions for\n23   placing  traps  on  or  in  close  proximity  to  these\n24   pullouts, rest areas or on  these roads.  These highway\n25   pullouts and rest areas are a very small portion of the\n26   actual highway miles in the area being considered.  The\n27   new  Sterling  Highway bypass  will  provide many  more\n28   miles  of  remote access.    There  are many  miles  of\n29   highway shoulder that a trapper can  safely pull off to\n30   set traps in close proximity to the highway with little\n31   chance of  user conflict.   ADF&G  Trappers Association\n32   and some  individual trappers and  most importantly the\n33   trapper code  of ethics  support, encourage  and direct\n34   trappers  to avoid  these  areas  where  there  may  be\n35   conflict  between user  groups.  This  is all  good and\n36   many trappers adhere closely to these guidelines.  Most\n37   trappers  will not  use signage  as they  say it  draws\n38   attention  to  their  trapline   and  exposes  them  to\n39   vandalism.   The problem is that  most trail users have\n40   no  idea identifying  active trapping  areas, and  many\n41   non-trappers  can\'t believe that trapping is allowed on\n42   and in close  proximity to public maintained,  publicly\n43   used and often  dedicated easement trails.   There have\n44   been 11  dogs trapped within  two miles of my  house in\n45   the last eight  years.  Most of these  dogs are trapped\n46   within 20  feet of a  road easement with no  signage of\n47   active trapping.   Five of these  dogs were trapped  by\n48   the same  trapper  who  considers  himself  an  ethical\n49   trapper  who will not post signage and checks his traps\n\n---\n\n21   \n25   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   only weekly.   Two dogs  were trapped at the  same trap\n2   set  location.   One dog  spent  four days  in a  trap,\n3   melting four  feet deep in  the snow --four  foot deep\n4   hole in the  snow before being released 100  yards from\n5   their owners property.  There  are no leash laws in any\n6   of these  areas.   Dog owners  are supposed  to control\n7   their  animals.    The  leashes  I  use   are  24  foot\n8   retractable and allow the dog  to be more than three to\n9   six feet from  the owner.  As traps can be set in close\n10   proximity or on a trail  this will not prevent trapping\n11   conflict.  The Sterling Highway through Cooper  Landing\n12   is one of the most highly used roads in the state.  I\'m\n13   horrified to consider an unsuspecting traveler stopping\n14   at a pullout  or rest area  to exercise themselves  and\n15   their dog  to be confronted  with their dog dying  in a\n16   conibear trap.  It\'s very  difficult to release a  dog,\n17   and  no signage  or indication of  legal trails  in the\n18   area.   At this time  it\'s completely legal to  place a\n19   trap in the middle of  a dedicated easement without any\n20   notification.\n\n22                   Thank you  so much  for your  time.   I\n23   hope you can consider this  for passage now, this is an\n24   important issue that needs to be dealt with.\n\n26                   Thank you so much for your time.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Thank  you for\n29   taking the time to call  in and testify.  Any questions\n30   for the public testifier.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n36                   MR. PERRY:  Thank you again.\n\n38                   MS.  LAVINE:    Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n39   Next  in the  que is  Sandy Vanbrunt.   Sandy,  can you\n40   unmute your phone, you can --or unmute your --oh,  I\n41   see.\n\n43                   MS. VANBRUNT:  I am --can  you hear me\n44   now?\n\n46                   MS. LAVINE:  Yes, we can.\n\n48                   MS. VANBRUNT:  Okay.\n\n---\n\n6   \n8   \n14   \n23   \n50\n\n1                   MS.  LAVINE:  Oh, Sandy, we need you to\n2   call back in  so we will  wait --oh,  are you on  your\n3   computer,  can you  speak.   Sandy,  we can\'t  hear you\n4   through  your computer so please call in and we\'ll give\n5   you a minute.\n\n7                   (Pause)\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:    So,  Sandy,  please  try\n10   calling in  one more time.   We heard you  briefly when\n11   you called in with your phone and you will need to mute\n12   your --okay, great, you  can speak into your  phone. \n13   You have the floor.\n\n15                   MS.  VANBRUNT:  Okay.  Thank you.  Good\n16   afternoon  --or  good  morning.    My name  is  Sandy\n17   Vanbrunt  and I\'m  presenting  testimony  on behalf  of\n18   Lorraine Temple,  President of the  Cooper Landing Safe\n19   Trails.  I\'m going to move away from my computer so you\n20   don\'t  get  that reverberation  from  two different  --\n21   unfortunately  Lorraine is unable  to be here  today so\n22   I\'m going to read her testimony.\n\n24                   My name  is  Lorraine  Temple  and  I\'m\n25   President of the Cooper Landing Safe Trails.  I am a 42\n26   year resident of the Kenai Peninsula and 22 of those in\n27   the Cooper  Landing area.  I am submitting testimony on\n28   Proposal  WP26-22, which  would regulate  trap setbacks\n29   for  certain roads and  highway pullouts in  the Cooper\n30   Landing area.  Cooper Landing residents  utilize public\n31   lands for many uses with recreation as its highest use.\n32   This  area has also  become a destination  for visiting\n33   recreationalists and that  number is growing.   As with\n34   any  area where there  is multiple  use there  has been\n35   some conflict, this  is why Cooper Landing  Safe Trails\n36   was  founded.    Our  goal  is  to  help  resolve  user\n37   conflicts  in a manner  that acknowledges  and respects\n38   these various uses.  We are here today to ask  for your\n39   support on  WP26-22 which  would require  the 100  yard\n40   setback  for trapping  snares  from  certain roads  and\n41   pullouts in the Cooper Landing area, with exception for\n42   non-lethal  traps set three  feet above ground  or snow\n43   level  enclosed underwater or  under ice.   We  ask for\n44   this  support of  this proposal  with  an amendment  to\n45   change  the 100  yards to the  50 yards.   In March the\n46   Alaska  Department  of  Fish and  Game,  Board  of Game\n47   passed a proposal, No. 145, which has the same language\n48   as 26-22  with an amendment  for the  50 yard  setback.\n49   This is why we are asking for the 50 yard amendment for\n\n---\n\n13   \n17   \n19   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n32   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   26-22.   Passage of WP26-22  would then align  with the\n2   new State of Alaska  regulations and would be  far less\n3   complicated for  the users.  Further  implementation of\n4   this  proposal will also align with U.S. Forest Service\n5   core values,  one of which  is to manage for  safety in\n6   every way, physical,  psychological and social.   While\n7   we have additional reasoning for  this proposal overall\n8   the core of our request is to help the public by having\n9   consistency  across   the  different   land  management\n10   agencies.   On behalf  of Cooper  Landing Safe  Trails,\n11   thank  you  for  your  consideration  of  WP26-22  with\n12   amendment.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n15   Thank you for  your time to call in  and testify today,\n16   any questions.\n\n18                   (No comments)\n\n20                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n21   seeing none, appreciate it.  Any more Robbin.\n\n23                   MS. LAVINE:  (Shakes head negatively)\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   That concludes\n26   our public testimony.  Council recommendation.\n\n28                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n29   Looking  back  at our  notes, it  was quite  a thorough\n30   discussion because we had many, many  comments, written\n31   and verbal, on both sides.\n\n33                   We specifically  took action on  19, so\n34   in  some ways  I can\'t help  you too much  on this one,\n35   however, I do have it in my notes and we had heard from\n36   Fish and  Game that the Board  of Game was going  to be\n37   taking  up those proposals, similar proposals.  I think\n38   we wanted  to wait to see how  that turned out and then\n39   ask  the Board to perhaps do  something similar, but in\n40   general  we   did  say  that  we   opposed  unnecessary\n41   restrictions on subsistence users.  We do have sympathy\n42   for dogs  getting injured,  of course,  but I  think we\n43   just want  to  look a  little bit  more at  consistency\n44   between the regulations.\n\n46                   Thank you.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n49   Judy.  Alaska Department of Fish and Game.\n\n---\n\n16   \n31   \n33   \n35   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  MULLIGAN:   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.\n2   For the record the Alaska Department  of Fish and Game,\n3   we  --I  don\'t  know if  that\'s quite  right.   So  in\n4   conversations  we had once  the Board met,  OSM reached\n5   out and asked about this  proposal going on to the non-\n6   consensus  agenda, in  my response  I  said, given  the\n7   action  that was just  taken and you  taking up similar\n8   actions   here  it  would  be  appropriate  to  have  a\n9   conversation so  the Board knew  what had been  done in\n10   our March  meeting.  As  far as how  that goes,  it was\n11   going  to be  up  to  you because  as  OSM has  already\n12   acknowledged,  it\'s different.   22 has beaches  in it,\n13   145  only had roads and pulloffs, so there\'s definitely\n14   some differences and also the Board of Game modified it\n15   for the 50 yard instead of the 100.\n\n17                   Knowing there\'s all these little things\n18   at play and in order to get it right, you know, I guess\n19   here\'s the  thing, is as  I know Member  Pendergast has\n20   said, he prefers to  vote it up or down and,  or if you\n21   guys want to defer, either  way it\'s going to happen in\n22   two  years because in order to support anything we like\n23   to  see the regulatory  --our own  regulatory language\n24   and then  see what comes  forward to the Board  just so\n25   it\'s  clear because as  you guys are  well familiar, if\n26   you guys do alignments we  tend to support those but in\n27   order  to do  that and  with, I  would say  100 percent\n28   confidence, knowing that  it is exactly what  our Board\n29   passed, it\'s probably a good idea not to take action on\n30   this one until at such time we have that certainty.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n\n34                   MS. LEONETTI:  Forest Service.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Forest Service.\n\n38                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   Yeah, if  we were  to\n39   defer  action on this proposal, how  long would we need\n40   to go  in order  to understand  exactly the  regulatory\n41   language passed by the Board of Game?\n\n43                   MR.  MULLIGAN: So  --oh, through  the\n44   Chair,  Member  Ingersoll.     We  like  to   have  our\n45   regulations promulgated by June 30th because that\'s the\n46   new regulatory cycle and that\'s --but as soon as I get\n47   a final copy that we\'re comfortable with I can share it\n48   but we will know for sure once we get those approved by\n49   the Lt. Governor\'s office, which  given print schedule,\n\n---\n\n0619\n4   \n6   \n9   \n13   \n16   \n18   \n42   \n44   \n46   \n50\n\n1   I\'m thinking it\'s  going to be by the  beginning of the\n2   June,  so you might not need to  defer it that long but\n3   that\'s up to you guys but that\'s our timeframe.\n\n5                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Thank you.\n\n7                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n8   State.  InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n10                   MS.   LAVINE:      Mr.  Chair.      The\n11   InterAgency  Staff  Committee   provided  the  standard\n12   comment.  Thank you.\n\n14                   CHAIRMAN    CHRISTIANSON:         Board\n15   discussion.  Any more questions.\n\n17                   MS. CAMINER:  Mr. Chair.\n\n19                   MR.  WOODS:   So,  Mr.  Chair, and  the\n20   Council  and  OSM,  State  and  the  RAC,  adoption  of\n21   Proposal  WP26-19   would  allow   conservation  safety\n22   concern, but I have a question on adopting proposals of\n23   secondary recommendation from OSM and it\'s addressed in\n24   different parts of this analysis,  is, do away with all\n25   the other proposals  and that would include  18 through\n26   22 and  23 would  result in  Federal regulations  being\n27   more restrictive and those questions for me are hanging\n28   in the air on --I like the recommendation of deferring\n29   for a short period to catch up.   It\'s almost like a --\n30   if  anybody\'s been involved  in the State  process with\n31   RS2477,  that\'s exactly  what  we\'re  faced with  right\n32   here,  that there\'s  different restrictions,  different\n33   requirements and I\'m reluctant to  pass but I\'d like to\n34   see  defer  if  that  makes  passage  and  --it\'s  so\n35   complicated without a  map, so complicated without  the\n36   easements, it\'s a very needed clarification in not only\n37   State  and Federal regulations  but for user  groups to\n38   make it a more, not only safe, but enjoyable experience\n39   to  work and  operate  off our  trails, but  also we\'re\n40   going  to   provide  subsistence  opportunity   in  the\n41   trapping world.\n\n## 43 So, thank you.\n\n## 45 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Judy.\n\n47                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you,  Mr. Chair.\n48   Well,  I\'m just wondering, if the  Council or the Board\n49   could   take  these  proposals  up  once  we  have  the\n\n---\n\n7   \n15   \n25   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n50\n\n0620\n\n1   information  from  the  Board  of  Game,  could  it  be\n2   considered  somewhat out of cycle, either with the fall\n3   RAC  meetings or perhaps a special  action by the Board\n4   rather  than  waiting  a  couple  years  for  the  next\n5   wildlife cycle.  You probably don\'t have to answer that\n6   for me now but just something to think about.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:   Well, I --Mr. Chair,\n9   Kevin Pendergast,  BLM.   You know  I  was giving  some\n10   thought to timelines and we do have a fisheries meeting\n11   coming  up in a  little over a  year and that  might be\n12   kind  of a  middle  road providing  ample  time to  get\n13   things  aligned and so  forth so that\'s  something I\'ve\n14   been thinking over here.\n\n16                   MR.  INGERSOLL:  Mr. Chair.  I think in\n17   reference to Frank\'s comment,  several of these actions\n18   remain on  the consensus agenda.   So the  WP26-19 with\n19   modification is on the consensus agenda for support and\n20   then 18, 20, 21  and 23 are on the consensus  agenda to\n21   take no action so I believe if we take --if we were to\n22   take 22 and defer it for a future action we could --if\n23   it\'s  the  will of  the  Board, align  with  the recent\n24   action from the Board of Game.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Maybe  we just\n27   --at this time, I\'m hearing pretty much concurrence by\n28   the Board  that we can  entertain a motion to  defer at\n29   this time.\n\n31                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n\n34   floor.\n\n36                   MR. PENDERGAST:    BLM  moves  that  we\n37   defer  this  wildlife  proposal,  22,  until  the  2027\n38   fisheries  meeting.  The intent being hopefully to give\n39   the RAC time to work this at a little bit finer detail,\n40   the  State  regulation  will presumably  have  time  to\n41   attach and  it just  --I  appreciate the testimony,  I\n42   appreciate that the public safety  concerns that exist,\n43   I think in a certain sense those  probably have existed\n44   for awhile and may be on the uptick but I\'m not hearing\n45   that one year  is going to tip the scale one way or the\n46   other, but from the matter of good policy when I\'ve got\n47   five  different proposals before me and a pending State\n48   regulations, you know,  there\'s just so  many unknowns,\n49   it just seems a little irresponsible to kind of just --\n\n---\n\n0621\n4   \n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n20   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n42   \n47   \n50\n\n1   even though I like the  up or down votes, you  know, to\n2   go there right now.  So I\'m moving that we go ahead and\n3   defer.\n\n5                   MR.  INGERSOLL:   I  will  second BLM\'s\n6   motion having  to do  mainly with  the National  Forest\n7   system land.\n\n9                   (Laughter)\n\n11                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Oops,  sorry, yep, for\n12   stealing the motion.\n\n14                   (Laughter)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We all got each\n17   other\'s back.\n\n19                   (Laughter)\n\n21                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Motion\'s  been\n22   made to defer, any other deliberation or discussion.\n\n24                   (No comments)\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Any opposition\n27   to defer this motion.\n\n29                   (No opposing votes)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n32   seeing none, motion carries unanimous.  26-24.\n\n34                   MS. HOLMAN:   Again, hello,  Mr. Chair.\n35   Members of the  Board.  Kendra  Holman for the  record,\n36   Wildlife Biologist with OSM.  This will be a summary of\n37   the analysis for  Proposal WP24-2 --26-24  that can be\n38   found starting on Page 813  of your meeting book.  This\n39   proposal was submitted by the Eastern Interior Regional\n40   Advisory Council requesting to  increase the brown bear\n41   harvest limit to two bears in Unit 11.\n\n43                   The proponent states that this proposal\n44   would  provide  additional opportunity  for  Federally-\n45   qualified  subsistence   users   and   there   are   no\n46   conservation concerns for brown bears in the unit.\n\n48                   As far as regulatory history goes there\n49   was no Federal hunting for brown bears in Unit 11 prior\n\n---\n\n23   \n47   \n50\n\n1   to 1999  and the last  change was around 2016  when the\n2   Board allowed  for hunting  for brown  bears over  bait\n3   following the Board of Game adopting a similar proposal\n4   in 2015.  Management objectives for brown bears in Unit\n5   11  is to provide the greatest sustained opportunity to\n6   participate   in  hunting   them.    Brown   bears  are\n7   considered abundant in  Unit 11, frequent sightings  of\n8   females  with cubs suggest good productivity.  Based on\n9   incidental  observations  and harvest  locations  brown\n10   bears  habitat --brown  bears inhibit  --in --I\'m\n11   getting tongue-tied  here --inhabit most  of Unit  11\n12   except  the high  elevation  glaciers.    In  2019  the\n13   National  Park Service  conducted an aerial  survey for\n14   brown  bears that covered  much of Unit  11 preliminary\n15   results suggested that brown bear densities within Unit\n16   11 are  consistent  with recent  density  estimates  in\n17   nearby units.   Given  the low  yearly harvest,  access\n18   limitations and the large amount of habitat that serves\n19   as  refugia due to  a restricted eligibility  for users\n20   for  the  National  Park  Service  regulations  hunting\n21   likely  has  no   influence  on  brown  bear   numbers,\n22   composition, or productivity trends in the unit.\n\n24                   No  permits  or   harvest  tickets  are\n25   required to hunt brown bears  in Unit 11 under State or\n26   Federal  regulations.    Although  all harvested  brown\n27   bears are required  to be sealed within 30  days of the\n28   kill providing harvest  information.  Bait may  be used\n29   to  hunt brown  bears  under  both  State  and  Federal\n30   regulations.  Local residents defined as hunters living\n31   in Units 11 or  13 harvested an average of one  to five\n32   bears annually  from  2010  to 2013.    Over  the  same\n33   timeframe  they averaged  2.6  bears  per  year  or  25\n34   percent of the total report  harvest.  Info on this can\n35   be  found on Table 1 on Page  819 of your meeting book.\n36   While an annual harvest composed of at least 50 percent\n37   males is not  a management objective for  Unit 11, this\n38   metrics is monitored in Unit 11.  From 2014 to 2018 the\n39   percent of females in the reported harvest averaged 34.\n40   This can  be found,  again, on Table  --in Table  1 on\n41   Page   819.    Brown  morta  --brown  bear  mortality\n42   occurring as DLP in Unit  11 are typically --typically\n43   ranges from zero  to one bear in a  five year reporting\n44   period.   Unreported  human caused  mortality of  brown\n45   bears in Unit 11 is likely minimal given the relatively\n46   low levels of harvest pressure.\n\n48                   If this  proposal were  to be  adopted,\n49   the  brown bear harvest limit in Unit 11 would increase\n\n---\n\n11   \n23   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n47   \n50\n\n1   from   one   to   two  bears   increasing   subsistence\n2   opportunity.  This  proposal would increase  regulatory\n3   complexity by misaligning State  and Federal limits for\n4   brown bears in  Unit 11.  However, a  proposal could be\n5   submitted to  the State  for their  2027/2028 Board  of\n6   Game  cycle which considers this region.  A prohibition\n7   on  the take of  cubs and sows  with --of  cubs --and\n8   sows with cubs under both State and Federal regulations\n9   helps to  protect  the reproductive  component  of  the\n10   population and promit --and promote recruitment.\n\n12                   Additionally,  most of  the brown  bear\n13   harvest    is    by    non-Federally-qualified   users.\n14   Federally-qualified subsistence users have historically\n15   only harvested a few brown bears in Unit 11 and most --\n16   and must salvage  both the meat and the  hide.  Harvest\n17   is  not expected  to increase  substantially from  this\n18   additional  limit increase.    This proposal  increases\n19   subsistence opportunity  and there are  no conservation\n20   concerns due to the low harvest pressure of brown bears\n21   and brown bear populations that are considered abundant\n22   and healthy.\n\n24                   The OSM  conclusion is to  support this\n25   proposal.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  Members of the Board.\n26   Happy to address any questions.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n29   Thank  you for that  presentation.  Any  questions from\n30   the Board for Staff.\n\n## 32 (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Appreciate it.\n35   Summary of written public comment.\n\n37                   MS.  HOLMAN:  So,  Mr. Chair, there was\n38   one  written public  comment  received  from the  Ahtna\n39   InterTribal   Resource   Commission   supporting   this\n40   proposal.   This proposal would change --this proposed\n41   change   would   provide    greater   flexibility   and\n42   opportunity for Federally-qualified  subsistence users.\n43   Brown bears are an important part of the Ahtna cultural\n44   traditions  --is  a short part  of what  their comment\n45   included.   I\'ll let them add additional detail to that\n46   if they would like when they come up.\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n49   Summary of tribal, ANCSA Corporation.\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n10   --\n13   \n16   \n18   \n20   \n22   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n30                   (Laughter)\n31   \n34   \n38   \n50\n\n1                   MR.  LIND:     Thank  you,  Mr.  Chair.\n2   During  the  August  consultation  sessions  we  had  a\n3   representative from Ahtna  who were in support  of that\n4   proposal.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n7   Orville.  Tribal Alaska Native organization testimony.\n\n9                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair.   Karen Linnell\noh, actually she did not put her name down for 24 --\n11   actually --sorry --sorry, not for 24 so --and I do\n12   not see anyone with their hands raised online.\n\n14                   MS.  LINNELL:   Are  you calling  me or\n15   not?\n\n17                   MS. LAVINE:  Nope.\n\n19                   (Laughter)\n\n21                   MS. LAVINE:  Nope.\n\n23                   MS. LINNELL:  Okay.\n\n25                   (Laughter)\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Get your steps\n28   in Auntie.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Advisory group\n33   testimony, SRC, State Advisory, multi-agency.\n\n35                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair,  we  do have\n36   comments from  the Wrangell-St.  Elias Advisory  Group.\n37   Just one moment.\n\n39                   For  Wildlife Proposals  26-24, 25,  26\n40   and 71  increase the  harvest limit of  brown bears  in\n41   Units  11, 12 and 13.   The Wrangell-St. Elias National\n42   Park   Subsistence   Resource   Commission  unanimously\n43   supported a group of  proposals increasing the  harvest\n44   limit  of brown  bear in  Units  11, 12  and 13  with a\n45   modification  requesting that  monitoring continues  of\n46   brown bear  populations.  Many  observations have shown\n47   that brown bear have been doing well in these units but\n48   it is important to prevent overharvest.  Increasing the\n49   harvest limit will allow for more harvest opportunities\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n8   \n10   \n12   \n36   \n38   \n41   \n47   \n50\n\n1   for local subsistence users.\n\n3                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n6   Robbin.   Any public  testimony here  or online  please\n7   raise your hand.\n\n9                   (No comments)\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  RAC Chair.\n\n13                   MS.  CAMINER:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n14   Southcentral.  This proposal is an area which is really\n15   challenging for hunter  access and that will  limit the\n16   harvest.  Any additional harvest could help local moose\n17   and caribou populations.   Additionally, there is local\n18   tribal support.   And as Robbin just  said, Subsistence\n19   Resource  Commission  for  the  Park  Service  for  the\n20   proposal as well as from the Ahtna InterTribal Resource\n21   Commission.       This    would   provide    additional\n22   opportunities   for   Federally-qualified   subsistence\n23   users.   The Council  noted that while  there is  not a\n24   conservation concern  regarding brown  bear populations\n25   it\'s  always  good  to  have  additional  monitoring if\n26   finances allow.   Again,  it\'s very  inaccessible, very\n27   low  harvest  pressure, this  is  kind of  compensatory\n28   mortality, not additional  mortality.   Agree with  the\n29   SRC   about   the  continued   monitoring   and  ensure\n30   conservation  concerns do not  develop.  And  we always\n31   appreciate our relationship  with the Ahtna InterTribal\n32   Resource Commission,  they supply a  lot of information\n33   to the RAC  and to the Board that\'s  very valuable.  So\n34   as long as they support  it we also feel comfortable in\n35   supporting this as well.\n\n## 37 Thank you.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n40   Judy.  Eastern Interior.\n\n42                   MS.  MCDAVID:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n43   Brooke McJesus,  Eastern Interior  Council Coordinator.\n44   The  Eastern Interior Council  voted to take  no action\n45   and  defer to  the home  Council but  they did  want to\n46   submit a comment just for consideration to the Board.\n\n48                   EIRAC   actually   did    submit   this\n49   proposal, they have C&T for this area for and folks who\n\n---\n\n0626\n23   \n26   \n29   \n31   \n34   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n1   live  in  Unit  12  have  C&T  for  this  part  of  the\n2   Southcentral region.    Their intent  was  to  increase\n3   subsistence opportunity but they ultimately decided not\n4   to take action  on this proposal since it\'s  outside of\n5   their  region and  there were  some constraints  during\n6   their  meeting.   Although they  deferred  to the  home\n7   region, they did just want  to note that this  proposal\n8   would misalign State and Federal regulations so perhaps\n9   consider  --maybe  the  Southcentral  Council   could\n10   consider  a Board  of  Game  proposal  in  the  future.\n11   Additionally, the Council agrees with the comments that\n12   were  submitted  by  the  Ahtna  InterTribal   Resource\n13   Commission  and the Wrangell-St. Elias SRC that if this\n14   proposal  is  adopted   there  needs  to  be   improved\n15   monitoring  of brown  bear populations  in  Unit 11  in\n16   coordination with  AITRC and other  local stakeholders.\n17   Brown bear population  information is severely  lacking\n18   and the Council expressed concerns about increasing the\n19   harvest limit  without a way  to assess the  impacts to\n20   the  population.     They   also   noted  the   Federal\n21   Subsistence  Board  cannot guarantee  monitoring  would\n22   occur if this proposal is adopted.\n\n24                   So  thank  you  for  considering  their\n25   comments.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n28   questions from the Board.\n\n## 30 (No comments)\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n33   seeing none, Department of Fish and Game.\n\n35                   MR. MULLIGAN:   Thank  you, Mr.  Chair.\n36   For the record the  Alaska Department of Fish and  Game\n37   opposes this proposal as it misaligns State and Federal\n38   regulations.  We did look back in to the records and we\n39   haven\'t seen  a similar proposal  at the Board  of Game\n40   for  at least  the last  few  cycles.   Thank you,  Mr.\n41   Chair.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ben.\n44   InterAgency Staff Committee.\n\n46                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  The\n47   ISC provided the standard comment.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n\n---\n\n0627\n3   \n5   \n8   \n13   \n16   \n17   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n50\n\n1   Robbin.   Board discussion with their Liaisons, Council\n2   Chair and State rep.\n\n4                   (No comments)\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:    Hearing  and\n7   seeing none we\'ll open up the floor for Board action.\n\n9                   MR. STRIKER:  Mr. Chair.   The National\n10   Park Service moves to adopt  WP26-24 and if I receive a\n11   second I\'ll explain why I  intend to vote in support of\n12   my motion.\n\n14                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish  and Wildlife Service\n15   supports.\n\n18                   MR. STRIKER:  Thank you.\n\n20                   MS. BOARIO:  Seconds.\n\n22                   (Laughter)\n\n24                   MR. STRIKER:  The National Park Service\n25   supports  WP26-24  in  deference  to  the  Southcentral\n26   Subsistence Regional  Advisory Council.  No  impacts to\n27   the Unit 11 brown bear are expected from this proposal.\n28   Unit  11 is  a  very large  remote  area and  currently\n29   experiences very low harvest  pressure for brown  bear.\n30   While no  formal population assessments  have occurred,\n31   brown  bear  populations  in  Unit  11  are  considered\n32   generally abundant, healthy and well distributed across\n33   the unit.   Federally-qualified subsistence  users have\n34   historically only harvested a few brown bears from Unit\n35   11 and must salvage both meat for human consumption and\n36   the hide.   Harvest  is not  expected to  substantially\n37   increase by --to increase substantially  by increasing\n38   the subsistence harvest  limit to two  bears.  It  will\n39   allow those that do hunt  brown bear for food though to\n40   harvest two if  they wish to do so.  The prohibition on\n41   the take  of cubs and  sows with cubs under  both State\n42   and Federal regulations will remain and help to protect\n43   the  reproductive component  of the  population.   Park\n44   Service also  agrees with  Councils recommendation  and\n45   others  recommendation   that   while   there   is   no\n46   conservation  concern right  now  regarding brown  bear\n47   populations  in  the  unit,   we  do  desperately  need\n48   additional  monitoring  of  the  population  to  ensure\n49   sustainable harvest.  The proposal is further supported\n\n---\n\n8   \n10   \n13   \n15   \n18   \n22   \n24   \n27   \n31   \n34   \n39   \n42   \n44   \n47   \n50\n\n1   by Wrangell-St. Elias  Subsistence Resource Commission.\n2   Many local observations  by that group have  also shown\n3   that brown bears  are doing well and as  you heard they\n4   also  encourage additional  monitoring to  prevent over\n5   harvest.   Increasing the  harvest limit,  bottom line,\n6   will allow  for more  harvest  opportunities for  local\n7   subsistence users.\n\n9                   Thank you.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don.\n12   Questions, comments, deliberation.\n\n14                   (No comments)\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:   Hearing  none,\n17   please read into the record and roll call.\n\n19                   MS. LEONETTI:   The motion is  to adopt\n20   Wildlife  Proposal 26-24.  Forest Service Member --oh,\n21   Park Service Member Striker.\n\n23                   MR. STRIKER: Park Service supports.\n\n25                   MS.  LEONETTI:   Forest Service  Member\n26   Ingersoll.\n\n28                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Forest Service supports\n29   in deference  to the RAC  and to our colleagues  in the\n30   Park Service.\n\n32                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public  Member Pitka via\n33   Mr. Woods.\n\n35                   MR. WOODS:  Mr. Woods votes in favor of\n36   the  recommendations  of  the RAC  and  information, no\n37   conservation  concern,  and  provides  opportunity  and\n38   thank you.\n\n40                   MS. LEONETTI:  Mr. Woods, that was your\n41   vote, correct?\n\n43                   MR. WOODS:  Yes.\n\n45                   MS. LEONETTI:   Would you like  to vote\n46   your proxy for Rhonda Pitka.\n\n48                   MR. WOODS:  Voting for Ms. Pitka I also\n49   would concur and approve for reasons stated.  Thanks.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n10   \n12   \n20   \n22   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n39   \n41   \n44   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   MS. LEONETTI:  Thank you.\n\n3                   Fish   and   Wildlife   Service  Member\n4   Boario.\n\n6                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife  Service\n7   votes  in  support  for the  reasons  outlined  by Park\n8   Service  Member  Striker  and   in  deference  to   the\n9   Southcentral Subsistence Regional Advisory Council.\n\n## 11 MS. LEONETTI: BIA Member John.\n\n13                   MS. JOHN:   BIA  votes  to support  the\n14   National  Park Service motion  and in deference  to the\n15   Southcentral  RAC.   We  concur   with  the   Council\'s\n16   justification  plus we  support  the Ahtna  InterTribal\n17   Resources Commission on this  proposed regulation which\n18   would provide additional  subsistence opportunities for\n19   rural users in the area.\n\n## 21 MS. LEONETTI: Public Member Oney.\n\n23                   MR. ONEY:  Public Member Ray Oney moves\n24   to  support  WP26-24  in  deference  to  the  RACs  and\n25   National Park Service.\n\n27                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public Member Payenna.\n\n29                   MR.  PAYENNA:     In  concurrence  with\n30   comments submitted by the Park Service and in deference\n31   to the RAC I support WP26-24.\n\n33                   MS. LEONETTI:  BLM Member Pendergast.\n\n35                   MR.  PENDERGAST:     BLM  supports  for\n36   reasons stated by the Park Service.\n\n38                   MS. LEONETTI:  Chair Christianson.\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Support.\n\n42                   MS. LEONETTI:   Mr.  Chair, the  motion\n43   passes unanimously.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n46   We\'re going to take a little break --1:00 o\'clock.\n\n48                   MS. LAVINE:  Mr. Chair.\n\n---\n\n2   \n9   \n11   \n15   \n19   \n21   \n23   \n28   \n31   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n48   \n50\n\n## 1 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Yes.\n\n3                   MS.  LAVINE:    Can   I  just  make  an\n4   announcement as we break for a shortened lunch, we have\n5   50  minutes and  so  if  you have  not  got your  lunch\n6   organized and you need time, OSM Staff is willing to do\n7   a head count and order pizza locally.  You\'ll just need\n8   to support the order.  Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n## 10 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Thank you.\n\n12                   MS. GREDIAGIN:   Yeah, and,  Gisela, do\n13   you  want to stand up and raise  your hand, if you want\n14   pizza talk to Gisela, thanks.  Thank you, Gisela.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you.\n17   That sounds  good.   1:00  o\'clock, we\'ll  just take  a\n18   short break.  1:00 o\'clock.\n\n20                   (Off record)\n\n22                   (On record)\n\n24                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Good afternoon.\n25   That was  a  refreshing lunch  break.   Before  we  get\n26   started  with the  next proposal  we\'re  going to  have\n27   Robbin give a little update on something.\n\n29                   UNIDENTIFIED  SPEAKER:   A student  art\n30   contest.\n\n32                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair.  For\n33   those of you  --our Board members,  our Council Chairs\n34   and representatives and  our ISC members, for  those of\n35   you  that have voting  slips in your  meeting materials\n36   this is  your last opportunity  to vote on  the student\n37   art contest.  Please do so within the next hour and get\n38   your  voting  form to  Caron McKee.   Hopefully  we can\n39   tally and announce the winners before we adjourn.\n\n41                   Thank you.\n\n43                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:     Thank  you,\n44   Robbin.  WP26-27.\n\n46                   MS.  LAVINE:   Mr.  Chair, WP26-27  was\n47   withdrawn.\n\n49                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  WP26-28.\n\n---\n\n6   \n15   \n21   \n27   \n34   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   MS. HOLMAN:   Mr. Chair, Members of the\n2   Board.     For  the   record  Kendra  Holman,  Wildlife\n3   Biologist with OSM.  This  is a summary of the analysis\n4   for  Wildlife  Proposal  WP26-28a  that  can  be  found\n5   starting on Page 847 of your meeting book.\n\n7                   This  proposal  was  submitted  by  the\n8   Southcentral   Alaska    Regional   Advisory    Council\n9   requesting  to extend  the closing  date  of the  moose\n10   season in  Unit 11  to September  30th.   The proponent\n11   states that this proposal would extend the moose season\n12   to  compensate for  changes in  climate  and allow  for\n13   additional   harvest   opportunity    and   provide   a\n14   subsistence priority.\n\n16                   There have been many regulation changes\n17   since the Federal regulations were established in 1992.\n18   Most recently  in July of  2020 the Board  adopted with\n19   modification temporary  --oh, sorry. Ignore  that one.\n20   I added something in there I shouldn\'t have.\n\n22                   In   2022  the   Board  established   a\n23   community harvest system for moose and caribou in Units\n24   11  and  13  administered   by  the  Ahtna  Intertribal\n25   Resource  Commission  by   adopting  deferred  proposal\n26   WP18-19.\n\n28                   The   moose    population   has    been\n29   considered low density  across Unit 11 for  many years.\n30   High  brown  bear  and  wolf  numbers  in  Unit 11  may\n31   contribute  to the low calf:cow ratios observed in this\n32   unit, as well  as the overall  low, but stable  density\n33   moose population.\n\n35                   The State management objective for Unit\n36   11 is to maintain a population with a post hunt --post\n37   fall  hunt minimum bull:cow ratio of 30 bulls:100 cows.\n38   ADF&G conducts  aerial surveys along the  western slope\n39   of  Mt. Drum  in  Unit  11 about  every  other year  to\n40   determine population and composition trends. While this\n41   survey area only  comprises a small portion of Unit 11,\n42   it is a  long-term consistent data set  and provides an\n43   index for moose status in  Unit 11 unit-wide.  This can\n44   be found on Table 1 of Page 855 of your meeting book.\n\n46                   With  low  hunting   pressure,  limited\n47   access and  relatively low  levels of  predator harvest\n48   the  moose  population  is  expected  to  remain  at  a\n49   relatively  stable  but low  density.   Bull:cow ratios\n\n---\n\n0632\n3   \n11   \n16   \n25   \n32   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n1   remain  well above  management  objectives while  other\n2   matrixes remain stable.\n\n4                   Wrangell-St.  Elias  conducts  periodic\n5   moose  surveys across Unit 11  and portions of Unit 12.\n6   The results of these surveys can be found on Table 2 on\n7   Page 855 of your meeting  book.  The most recent survey\n8   results established a record low number of moose at  an\n9   almost 40  percent  decline from  the previous  survey,\n10   which was in 2013.\n\n12                   Harvest   from   2000-2024   the  moose\n13   averaged  55 per year,  which included an  estimated 10\n14   unreported harvested.  Harvest information can be found\n15   on Table 3 of Page 858 of your meeting book.\n\n17                   From 2014-2024  Federal permits  FM1106\n18   and FM1107  averaged 15  percent success  rate and  the\n19   joint Federal/State permit RM291  averaged a 16 percent\n20   success rate.   Figure  1 on Page  857 of  your meeting\n21   book shows  the moose harvest  during each week  of the\n22   general  season,   State  harvest  ticket  in  Unit  11\n23   Remainder.  Specifically  on average 58 percent  of the\n24   harvest occurs during the last two weeks of the season.\n\n26                   While    this    proposal     increases\n27   subsistence opportunity there is a conservation concern\n28   for  the Unit 11  moose population, which  has declined\n29   substantially in recent years.   Increasing harvest  in\n30   Unit 11  moose population  is not  recommended at  this\n31   time.  The OSM conclusion is to oppose this proposal.\n\n33                   Thank you,  Mr. Chair.  Members  of the\n34   Board.  I\'d be happy to address any questions.\n\n36                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  Any\n37   questions for Staff on this one?\n\n39                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.\n\n41                   CHAIRMAN  CHRISTIANSON:   You have  the\n42   floor.\n\n44                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Kevin Pendergast, BLM.\n45   I\'ve  heard and read the statement moose population has\n46   declined  substantially in recent years.  I\'m trying to\n47   find out where can I  find that information in the book\n48   other than just  a statement?  I\'m looking  at Table 2,\n49   but  I don\'t  think that\'s  --that\'s just  kind of  a\n\n--', 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '8ba6ba6b-26bc-48e1-b968-03399472f6b8', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/attachment_3.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:36:03.109605+00:00', 'content_hash': '1e654f5d32fe001b5470091b2d0e7b1e67d3f4edfdefb99ad3789f52c9a3e8a2'}, 'title': 'FSB 4.24.26', 'check_failed': False}, {'url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/content.pdf', 'body': {'text': "0001\n2   \n4   \n5   \n6   \n8   \n12   \n13   \n14   \n15   \n16   \n18   \n29   \n30   \n31   \n33   \n34   \n35   \n36   \n37   \n38   \n39   \n40   \n41   \n42   \n43   \n49   \n50\n\n1                  FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD\n\n3                      REGULATORY MEETING\n\n7                           VOLUME I\n\n9                    EGAN CONVENTION CENTER\n10                      Anchorage, Alaska\n11                        April 21, 2026\n\n17   MEMBERS PRESENT:\n\n19   Anthony Christianson, Chairman\n20   Raymond Oney, Public Member\n21   Benjamin Payenna, Public Member\n22   Rhonda Pitka, Public Member\n23   Frank Woods, Public Member\n24   Sara Boario, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n25   Jeremiah Ingersoll, U.S. Forest Service\n26   Jolene John, Bureau of Indian Affairs\n27   Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management\n28   Don Striker, National Park Service\n\n32   Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n\n44   Recorded and transcribed by:\n45   Computer Matrix Court Reporters, LLC\n46   329 F Street, Suite 222\n47   Anchorage, AK  99501\n48   907-227-5312; [email protected]\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n6   \n12   \n20   \n25   \n34   \n37   \n42   \n50\n\n## 1 P R O C E E D I N G S\n\n3               (Anchorage, Alaska -4/21/2026)\n\n5                   (On record)\n\n7                   MS. LEONETTI:  Welcome to the Wildlife\n8   regulatory meeting of the Federal Subsistence Board. \n9   (In Native) my Yup'ik name is Ciiquq, I also go by\n10   Crystal Leonetti and I'm the Director for Office of\n11   Subsistence Management.\n\n13                   I have a few announcements to make\n14   before the meeting gets underway.  This meeting of the\n15   Federal Subsistence Board and the public process we\n16   rely upon is crucial to upholding the Alaska National\n17   Interest Lands Conservation Act, Title VIII, and to\n18   support the rural priority for subsistence hunting,\n19   trapping and fishing on Federal public lands in Alaska.\n\n21                   This meeting is being recorded and\n22   transcribed.  Anything you say to the Board will become\n23   a part of the public record.  Transcripts will be\n24   available on our website.\n\n26                   For those attending our meeting in\n27   person please make sure you sign-in at the table just\n28   outside the meeting room doors.  There's a sign-in\n29   sheet for each day of the meeting and we'd appreciate\n30   if you would sign-in each day that you are here.  For\n31   those joining online the agenda and meeting materials\n32   can be found online at doi.gov\\subsistence\\board under\n33   the meetings tab.\n\n35                   Our progress through the agenda will be\n36   updated daily on the web.\n\n38                   For those online please remember to\n39   mute yourselves when you are not addressing the Board. \n40   If you are calling in on your phone you can press star,\n41   six to mute yourself or use the mute feature on Teams.\n\n43                   This is a regulatory meeting and the\n44   Board will be discussing and deliberating on proposals\n45   to change wildlife regulations for 2026 to 2028 as well\n46   as reviewing existing closures that are up for review. \n47   There will be an opportunity for tribal and public\n48   comments during that proposal periods.  You can see the\n49   steps of the proposal presentation procedure on the\n\n---\n\n26   \n31   \n41   \n50\n\n1   non-consensus agenda.  There will be an opportunity for\n2   public to comment on non-agenda items at the beginning\n3   of each day starting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22nd. \n4   The Chair will announce this each morning and that will\n5   be an opportunity for those present as well as those\n6   participating on the phone to speak on non-agenda\n7   items.  We would ask you hold any comments on proposals\n8   or agenda items until such time as they come up before\n9   the Board so that the Board will hear all pertinent\n10   information at the time they're working on that item. \n11   However the Chair can make exceptions.  This is a very\n12   full agenda with 78 wildlife proposals, 46 of those on\n13   the non-consensus agenda and 17 closure reviews.  This\n14   is definitely the most proposals the Board has seen at\n15   any meeting in the last 10 years.  We recognize there\n16   are many large issues like the Park Service proposed\n17   rule, Public Land Order 5150, a request for\n18   reconsideration on Ketchikan Rural, the Federal\n19   Subsistence Management Program review and Fisheries\n20   issues at large that we all care about.  We're going to\n21   have an update from the Department of Interior, Senior\n22   Advisor for Alaska, on the program review later this\n23   week.  There is still outstanding requests for tribal\n24   consultation that are being honored, but this isn't the\n25   venue to provide input on the review.\n\n27                   So with that full agenda we're going to\n28   ask you to keep your comments very succinct and to the\n29   point so that we don't go --we don't have to go late\n30   into the evenings or late on Friday.\n\n32                   This way of life, living with and in\n33   relationship to the land is precious for so many people\n34   across Alaska.  In this program we're limited in how we\n35   can support it.  It is bigger than just fish and\n36   wildlife.  Updating publicly informed fish and wildlife\n37   is the focus and the authority of the Federal\n38   Subsistence Management Program.  We ask to remain\n39   focused, succinct and focus on the most important\n40   aspects of the regulations in front of us this week.\n\n42                   If you would like to address the Board\n43   during the meeting for folks in the room please fill\n44   out a blue testifier form that you'll find at the front\n45   table.  This helps us keep track of anyone who'd like\n46   to speak regarding a specific agenda item.  If you are\n47   online using the Teams platform you can raise your hand\n48   by pressing the button.  If you're calling in you may\n49   raise your hand by pressing star, five.  If you would\n\n---\n\n16   \n29   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n39   \n41   \n43   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   like to email your comments in you may do that as well\n2   by emailing [email protected].  If you're unable\n3   to stay with us until the public comment opportunity is\n4   open for the particular proposal you'd like to address\n5   you may consider submitting a written comment instead. \n6   You can do that by emailing your comment to that same\n7   email address, [email protected].  You need to\n8   indicate your name, affiliation and what proposal or\n9   closure your comment addresses.  Written comments will\n10   be accepted until the start of the presentation of each\n11   proposal or closure review analysis.  We will share\n12   those with the Board.  When you address the Board\n13   please state your name for the record before making a\n14   comment or presenting a topic.  This helps us get an\n15   accurate record of our meeting.\n\n17                   Our meetings are conducted by Robert's\n18   Rules which helps us provide structure and maintain\n19   order throughout the meeting.  All participants, Board,\n20   Staff and public members are expected to be courteous\n21   and respectful in all interactions as a matter of\n22   meeting etiquette.  It's understood that the nature of\n23   some of the issues discussed at these meetings can be\n24   difficult and controversial.  We are all here because\n25   we care about subsistence and we all need to strive\n26   together to work on issues before us.  Although some\n27   comments shared throughout this meeting may be\n28   passionate no insults will be tolerated.\n\n30                   So with that, Mr. Chair, I'll do a roll\n31   call to establish quorum.\n\n33                   Chair Tony Christianson.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Present.\n\n37                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member Charlie\n38   Brower is excused from this meeting.\n\n40                   Public member Chief Rhonda Pitka.\n\n42                   MS. PITKA:  Here.\n\n44                   MS. LEONETTI:  U.S. Fish and Wildlife\n45   Service, Sara Boario.\n\n47                   MS. BOARIO:  Good morning.  Present.\n\n49                   MS. LEONETTI:  National Park Service,\n\n---\n\n0005\n1   Don Striker.\n2   \n3                   MR. STRIKER:  Present.\n4   \n7   \n9   \n12   \n14   \n17   \n18                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Present.\n19   \n21   Woods.\n22   \n23                   MR. WOODS:  Here.\n24   \n27   \n28                   MR. ONEY:  Here.\n29   \n32   \n34   \n44   \n50\n\n5                   MS. LEONETTI:  Bureau of Indian\n6   Affairs, Jolene John.\n\n8                   MS. JOHN:  (In Native)\n\n10                   MS. LEONETTI:  U.S. Forest Service,\n11   Jerry Ingersoll.\n\n13                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Good morning.  Present.\n\n15                   MS. LEONETTI:  Bureau of Land\n16   Management, Kevin Pendergast.\n\n20                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member, Frank\n\n25                   MS. LEONETTI:  Public member, Raymond\n26   Oney.\n\n30                   MS. LEONETTI:  And Public member, Ben\n31   Payenna.\n\n33                   MR. PAYENNA:  I am here.\n\n35                   MS. LEONETTI:  Thank you.  And, Mr.\n36   Chair, we do have a quorum.  I'll also note that we\n37   have our Department of Interior Solicitor, Lisa Doehl\n38   here.  We also have on the line U.S. Forest Service\n39   General Counsel, Randall Lockyear.  We are joined by\n40   Alaska Department of Fish and Game Deputy Commissioner,\n41   Ben Mulligan and Subsistence Liaison, Aaron Poetter. \n42   And all of the RAC Chairs that are present here in the\n43   room and online.  We have a quorum.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n46   that, Crystal.  And then we'll just begin.  Welcome\n47   everybody this morning to the Federal Subsistence Board\n48   Wildlife meeting and look forward to a productive\n49   meeting.  Crystal said all the detailed stuff and so we\n\n---\n\n0006\n10   \n13   \n15   \n17   \n26   \n28   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n40   \n50\n\n1   just try to put out as a precursor to the meeting just\n2   what the expectations are so that you're --you're\n3   informed and know when you can testify and do what you\n4   need to do to get yourself heard here on the record. \n5   And so we welcome the new Board members to this\n6   meeting, the new rural and tribal seat members as well\n7   as the actings that we have sitting here.  We\n8   appreciate the service that we work on here as we focus\n9   on the --setting regulations on the public lands.\n\n11                   And so with that we look to review and\n12   adopt the agenda at this time.\n\n14                   MR. WOODS:  Move to approve.\n\n16                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yeah, Robbin.\n\n18                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,\n19   members of the Board.  This is Robbin Lavine,\n20   Subsistence Policy Coordinator.  And I have a couple of\n21   changes to the agenda that I'm aware of, but before we\n22   move forward with that I would like to request a pause. \n23   There are a couple of --we want to connect to the\n24   screens and the meeting appropriately.  If you'd give\n25   us about five minutes.\n\n27                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Five minutes.\n\n31                   (Off record)\n\n33                   (On record)\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right.  We\n36   apologize about the technical difficulties.  We're\n37   going to go ahead and resume again where we left off\n38   and we were reviewing and adopting the agenda so we'll\n39   go ahead and return it back to Robbin Lavine.\n\n41                   MS. LAVINE:  Thank you, Mr. Chair,\n42   members of the Board.  OSM has --is aware of a couple\n43   of modifications to the agenda, some that OSM would\n44   like to request and I think other Board members or\n45   members of the Federal Subsistence Management Program\n46   have some suggested changes as well.  So I'd like to\n47   bring those forward.  And before I talk about changes\n48   or modifications to the agenda I want to make an\n49   announcement on the order of our regions that we are\n\n---\n\n0007\n10   \n27   \n32   \n34   \n37   \n50\n\n1   taking up the proposals in.  And we are starting for\n2   the very first time with North Slope and we are working\n3   through the proposals in consecutive order by --from\n4   the North Slope to Eastern Interior, et cetera, et\n5   cetera, all the way down, finishing with Southeast on\n6   the last day.  And we are printing up some agendas with\n7   the order of the proposals as we take them up during\n8   the meeting and they will be available at the front\n9   desk or in the back of the room.\n\n11                   So with that announcement made there\n12   are a couple of items that I would like to request for\n13   OSM is that we defer the Wood Bison Management Plan to\n14   the summer work session.  That will give more time for\n15   that discussion during the work session and also with\n16   Chairs in attendance hopefully.  We are also requesting\n17   to defer 26-01 to the Fisheries regulatory meeting.  If\n18   deferred the Board may want to consider any changes\n19   that might need to be made in actions on Wildlife\n20   proposals 26-10, 26-13(b) and 14, 27, 28(a), 43/44, 51,\n21   61 and 62(b) which is on the consensus agenda and 65. \n22   These are things that OSM Staff is tracking and we\n23   imagine that the suggested changes would be more\n24   administrative than --something easy that hopefully we\n25   might be able to deal with at the time that we take up\n26   those proposals.\n\n28                   Those are the changes that I want to\n29   note and request the Board approve.  And I believe\n30   there are other requests for changes to the agenda that\n31   Board members can bring forward.\n\n33                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Robbin,\n36   the floor is open for Board members.\n\n38                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Mr. Chair.  Kevin\n39   Pendergast, Bureau of Land Management.  I do have a\n40   request to withdraw one proposal.  Mr. Chair, I request\n41   withdrawing Wildlife proposal 26-27 from the agenda. \n42   This was BLM proposed.  BLM submitted the proposal with\n43   the intent of providing the BLM Glennallen Field Office\n44   in-season manager with more flexibility in managing the\n45   Nelchina Caribou Herd by delegating the manager the\n46   authority to set harvest limits on Federal lands in\n47   Unit 13 remainder.  In an effort to reduce regulatory\n48   complexity and provide the in-season manager with the\n49   same management flexibilities it has in Unit 13A and B,\n\n---\n\n0008\n13   \n16   \n19   \n30   \n32   \n40   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n50\n\n1   BLM also requests delegating the manager with the\n2   authority to set sex restrictions.  In its comments the\n3   Alaska Department of Fish and Game opposed this\n4   proposal because the Nelchina Herd has not recovered to\n5   a level in which any proposed liberalization of the\n6   Federal regulations should be considered.  It's not\n7   expected for the herd to recover to such population\n8   level for at least another year.  BLM would therefore\n9   like to have more time to consult and coordinate with\n10   Fish and Game as well as AITRC, the National Park\n11   Service and other stakeholders before deciding the best\n12   plan for co-management of the herd.\n\n14                   So again for that reason we'd request\n15   to change and withdraw Wildlife proposal 26-27.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n18   Kevin.  Any other Board members, changes?\n\n20                   MR. STRIKER:  I'm a little bit out of\n21   my depth here so I'll ask for my fellow Board members\n22   to help me out.  We did get a request yesterday to\n23   remove 66, 67 and 69 from the consent agenda and to put\n24   it on the regular agenda.  I think that perhaps only 66\n25   is relevant in this case for reasons that we can get\n26   into when we actually have the conversation, but I\n27   would request that we also consider moving those off of\n28   the consent agenda and having them as part of the\n29   conversation.\n\n## 31 Thank you.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  And we'll get\n34   to that procedurally when we get to that portion of the\n35   agenda and it will be an opportunity for us then.  So\n36   that will probably be this afternoon as we start to get\n37   into that presentation from the Staff and do that.  So\n38   there's another opportunity here, this is just the\n39   first stab at that.\n\n41                   Thank you, Don.\n\n43                   Any other Board action request,\n44   deferral.\n\n46                   (No comments)\n\n48                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Hearing and\n49   seeing none, move to adopt the agenda as presented\n\n---\n\n2   \n4   \n7   \n10   \n18   \n20   \n22   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n40   \n44   \n50\n\n```\n1   with.....\n```\n\n3                   MR. WOODS:  So moved.\n\n5                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  So moved.  Can\n6   I get a second?\n\n8                   MS. BOARIO:  Fish and Wildlife Service\n9   seconds.\n\n11                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Can we --and\n12   just so the record reflects that we are reviewing and\n13   adopting by second a request to change the agenda to\n14   defer the Wood Management Bison Plan to the summer work\n15   session, defer WP26-01 to the Fisheries regulatory\n16   meeting and then to withdraw the BLM 26-27 Wildlife\n17   proposal.\n\n19                   All in favor signify by saying aye.\n\n21                   IN UNISON:  Aye.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Opposed same\n24   sign.\n\n26                   (No opposing votes)\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Motion carries\n29   unanimous to accept the agenda with the changes.\n\n31                   Thank you.  Next we move into Board\n32   information sharing session.  Board members and OSM\n33   Director, this is an opportunity for the Board members\n34   here that represent different agencies to share things\n35   that they have going on that affect the --this\n36   program, the way of life and then --and then what it\n37   is that they're mandated to manage.  So at this time\n38   we'll go ahead and open the floor and maybe we'll start\n39   down with Jerry.\n\n41                   I --do we have a list?  Oh, wait,\n42   sorry.  Yeah.  We're good.  Crystal will take over\n43   after this.\n\n45                   Jerry, you got it.  He --we're going\n46   to let Jerry go first because Jerry is the winner of\n47   jeopardy, Federal Subsistence Board big game we played,\n48   I was real competitive.  We were talking about --but,\n49   yeah, there's our winner of jeopardy, Jerry.  Welcome.\n\n---\n\n11   \n32   \n34   \n38   \n40   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   MR. INGERSOLL:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n2   And it is an honor to be here and to be taking part in\n3   these deliberations.  And I say that because I will be\n4   retiring from Federal service next week on April 30th\n5   after serving 38 and a half years with the Forest\n6   Service.  And I have to say that the work on the\n7   Subsistence Program is among the highlights of my\n8   career because this work matters to Alaskans and to\n9   rural communities and to Native and non-Native\n10   residents and I believe in this work.\n\n12                   The Forest Service is also going\n13   through a reorganization.  And I want to assure you\n14   that we will continue to have an active role and play\n15   an active role in subsistence management.  The position\n16   of Regional Forester is planned to be abolished and\n17   that is the position that I am acting in today, but\n18   there will be a State Director for Alaska in the new\n19   organization and that position has just been advertised\n20   yesterday.  And we'll receive competitive applications\n21   and the agency intends to move as quickly as reasonably\n22   possible to fill that job.  In the interim between my\n23   retirement and when that position is filled, the\n24   Regional Forester in Portland will provide coverage for\n25   Alaska.  The Deputy Regional Forester in Juneau will be\n26   delegated the authority to act as Acting Regional\n27   Forester for the purposes of subsistence management and\n28   of course our outstanding Staff continues to work in\n29   this field.  So I want to provide assurance that my\n30   retirement will not interrupt our commitment to this\n31   program and our engagement with the rest of you.\n\n33                   Thank you very much.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you and\n36   congratulations with your retirement.  Appreciate your\n37   service on here, Jerry.\n\n39                   All right.  Next we've got Mr. Striker.\n\n41                   MR. STRIKER:  Wow, was that just\n42   anticipation.  Thank you, Crystal.\n\n44                   Don Striker with the National Park\n45   Service.  Good to see everybody.  I echo Jerry's\n46   sentiment in the importance of these proceedings and\n47   this process.  It's one of the highlights of my career\n48   too and I take the responsibility really, really\n49   seriously.  On that note I'm sure many people have\n\n---\n\n9   \n32   \n34   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   noticed that the National Park Service recently\n2   proposed a draft regulation for hunting and trapping in\n3   national park system units in Alaska.  Originally this\n4   was a 30 day review period, about a week ago Friday we\n5   decided to extend the comment period so the comment\n6   period for that rule is now this Friday.  And you can\n7   see in the listing in the Federal Register all the\n8   different ways that you can send comments in on that.\n\n10                   I would like to take the opportunity to\n11   remind folks here though that our responsibilities and\n12   regulations guiding consultation doesn't have a\n13   deadline.  So even though there's a hard deadline for\n14   getting written comments in on this rule, whether it's\n15   the State or the ANCs or any other entity that wishes\n16   to do consultation with the National Park Service, we\n17   will continue that consultation throughout the process\n18   of the draft, the review of the comments on the reg,\n19   publication of a final regulation, et cetera, et\n20   cetera, et cetera, and that's not going to happen fast. \n21   So I offer this because although it was unintended I\n22   should have noticed that this particular rule coming\n23   out at the same time that there was a review of Federal\n24   Subsistence Board activities put squarely in the\n25   spotlight any effort anywhere that has anything\n26   potentially to do with subsistence and that has served\n27   to be a third rail for me in the last couple of --in\n28   the last couple of weeks.  I should have seen that\n29   coming, I just totally whiffed on it.  So everybody has\n30   plenty of opportunity to continue to consult with me is\n31   the take home message.\n\n33                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n35                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.\n\n37                   Raymond, Mr. Oney.\n\n39                   MR. ONEY:  Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  My\n40   name is Raymond Oney, my Yup'ik name is (in Native). \n41   I'm from the village of Alakanuk on the mouth of the\n42   Yukon River that spills out into the Bering Sea.  I've\n43   been a lifelong resident of the Yukon.  I'd like to\n44   thank my family for allowing me to come to meetings\n45   like this.  It's been hard over the year, but I'm very\n46   fortunate that my wife has allowed me to come to these\n47   meetings.  I want to thank the people from the YK area\n48   also too for all their support over the years serving\n49   as the YKRAC member.  I learned a lot from different\n\n---\n\n7   \n9   \n11   \n13   \n34   \n43   \n50\n\n1   areas of the YK area and also being in this position\n2   has given me a greater view of what's going on\n3   throughout the state of Alaska in our backyard, in our\n4   --in our home --home village.  So looking forward to\n5   all the comments and all the deliberations that will be\n6   going on this week.\n\n8                   So again thank you.\n\n10                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Ray.\n\n12                   Jolene.\n\n14                   MS. JOHN:  Yeah, good morning.  (In\n15   Native) Jolene John, Regional Director, BIA.  Just want\n16   to share that just this week we're seeing releases of\n17   the President's budget for fiscal year '27.  I have\n18   seen just briefly what BIA's budget looks like so if\n19   you're interested that should be available.  For those\n20   that are familiar with the Tribal Interior Budget\n21   Council process they are going to revisit that\n22   structure and meet with tribes of May 19 and 20 in\n23   Washington, DC.  Alaska has been experiencing a lot of\n24   water and fuel crises across mostly the rural coastal\n25   communities and areas where they've experienced extreme\n26   winter temperatures.  And so the senior leadership of\n27   BIA has taken --made a decision to contribute toward\n28   providing some relief for those that are seriously\n29   struggling with the source.  And similarly the Senate\n30   Committee on Indian Affairs is going to Bethel the week\n31   of May 4 at which time the BIA leadership will be there\n32   to hear what the impacts have been following Typhoon\n33   Halong.\n\n35                   Bureau of Indian Affairs' employees\n36   were offered the third round of the deferred\n37   resignation program and fortunately we only have one\n38   employee at this time and through the efforts of our\n39   senior leadership in DC we also may have a chance to\n40   open a few positions at our region, mostly the lower\n41   grade levels and that should offer some relief for\n42   support.\n\n44                   Across the nation BIA is also focusing\n45   on probate programs.  Recently during the Tribal Self-\n46   Governance Conference our --Kena Spellmark\n47   particularly spoke about this effort and encouraged\n48   tribes that my be interested to really dig deep and see\n49   if they can assist in the process by way of contracting\n\n---\n\n8   \n15   \n17   \n20   \n22   \n35   \n48   \n50\n\n1   or compacting this program.  Our tribes in Alaska are\n2   very interested in how probate works and so we're\n3   seeing increases of requests for detailed proposals and\n4   presentations in the region.  So we welcome those\n5   invites.  Also as a result there's --I'm talking with\n6   the Alaska Federation of Natives to see if we can have\n7   some kind of space for a probate surge activity.\n\n9                   And good news this week that we heard\n10   our providers conference package has reached the\n11   Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs' office which is\n12   more hopeful than what it was last year.  Hopefully we\n13   will see providers conference happen this year, the\n14   first week of December.\n\n16                   And that is it for me.  Quyana.\n\n18                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n\n19   Jolene.\n\n## 21 Rhonda.\n\n23                   MS. PITKA:  Good morning.  I'm Rhonda\n24   Pitka from the village of Beaver.  I've been Chief of\n25   the village of Beaver since 2011.  I was elected\n26   Chairman of CATG, Council of Athabaskan Tribal\n27   Governments in the same year --two months after I was\n28   elected Chief.  So it's a --it's always been an\n29   interesting role in leadership in the Yukon Flats and\n30   it's one that I hold very dear to my heart.  I was\n31   recently appointed as Vice President of Tanana Chiefs\n32   Conference and I look forward to the next two years of\n33   my term finishing up Chief Sharon Hildebrand's Vice\n34   President term.\n\n36                   We're one of the tribes that was\n37   extremely cold this year.  The temperatures reached\n38   minus 50 for five weeks in a row.  We didn't get a\n39   plane for three weeks in a row and when the temperature\n40   dropped down to minus 70 every --every fuse that could\n41   break in our generator broke.  This comes at a time\n42   when we're already being chronically under funded and\n43   Federal funding has been cut back considerably.  We\n44   thank the BIA for their assistance and their help with\n45   getting water and fuel to our village.  We --the\n46   challenges that we face on the ground in our villages\n47   can't be overstated.\n\n49                   The Yukon River salmon disaster.  We\n\n---\n\n10   \n32   \n50\n\n1   have had no fishing on the Yukon River since 2019. \n2   This has been a critical fishing disaster.  It's been\n3   heartbreaking to say the least.  We --I just got done\n4   with Yukon River Panel last week and the forecast is\n5   low again.  And it's going to continue to be low until\n6   we actually get very serious about a unified plan to\n7   manage Yukon River salmon that involves all of the\n8   entities along the river that don't work in silos and,\n9   you know, generally work against each other.\n\n11                   One of the other things that the salmon\n12   disaster brought on was our reliance on moose as a\n13   protein source because we don't have any fish anymore. \n14   In our area we've always had poor moose browse and\n15   we've always had low moose numbers.  We live in a\n16   wildlife refuge and because of laws that are none of\n17   our making we don't have easy access to predator\n18   control.  And that combined with the overrun of hunters\n19   from out of state, from Wasilla, from Anchorage, from\n20   Fairbanks into our areas has caused a considerable\n21   disaster.  Families are having to go out 10 to 20 days\n22   in order to have success in feeding their families and\n23   getting a moose.  And a lot of people haven't.  These\n24   aren't wealthy people that have jet boats and all of\n25   this stuff, you know, they're poor and the cost of gas\n26   that they use to go harvest for their families is\n27   extremely expensive, if it's even available.  The\n28   continued war in Iran is affecting the price of gas\n29   considerably to the point where villages in the region\n30   are considering turning off their generators at night\n31   to save fuel.\n\n33                   So our ability to live our way of life\n34   has been --has always been marginalized, it's always\n35   been on the edge, but now with these further cut backs\n36   from the Federal government in ways that they've never\n37   cut back before in the name of efficiency, has caused\n38   our way of life to be in considerable decline.  So it's\n39   been a very, very serious years and I really would like\n40   to congratulate everybody on their retirement and it's\n41   --and it's actually really said because whenever we\n42   have this many retirements in a row we lose\n43   considerable knowledge on this Board and then we have\n44   to go through and educate everybody else again.  We've\n45   taken considerable effort on this Board as public\n46   members to make sure that our agency heads are educated\n47   properly in our way of life and we will continue to do\n48   that and continue to do so no matter what\n49   Administration we're in.\n\n---\n\n2   \n5   \n7   \n16   \n31   \n50\n\n1                   Thank you.\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n4   that update, Rhonda.\n\n6                   We'll move on down.  Kevin.\n\n8                   MR. PENDERGAST:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n9   I'll be brief.  Kevin Pendergast, Bureau of Land\n10   Management.  I've been State Director at the BLM since\n11   last June so coming up on one year anniversary, with\n12   BLM in Alaska for six years prior to that, in Alaska 26\n13   years, came up in the year 2000.  Lived and worked all\n14   over the state.  So this is actually my first wildlife\n15   cycle meeting so looking forward to the proceedings.\n\n17                   Just a couple of updates from BLM's\n18   perspective.  And someone brought up the topic of, you\n19   know, staffing these days, continues to be a challenge. \n20   We're operating in an environment of reduced staffing\n21   and that's consistent with one of the priorities of\n22   this Administration and so we're all working to pivot\n23   and really make sure our work is focused on priorities\n24   at any given time.  So in certain senses we're busier\n25   than we ever have been at BLM and our staffing picture\n26   looks different, but we're also extremely proud of all\n27   the progress we're making, we've got great folks doing\n28   good work and again just, you know, trying to make sure\n29   we're keeping the right things moving at all the right\n30   times and not let any balls drop.\n\n32                   I know top of mind for many folks\n33   across the state and I would expect we hear a little\n34   bit it during the proceedings, but is what's happening\n35   with public land orders.  Public Land Order 5150 up in\n36   the central part of the state running along the Dalton\n37   Corridor is of particular interest to many folks.  And\n38   that Public Land Order was rescinded and the Secretary\n39   signed what I'll call an opening order on those lands. \n40   And what's important about that in this context is that\n41   when that happens what had been state top filings\n42   attach just by operation of law, nothing we need to do\n43   further, and become State selections.  So right now\n44   we've got in the Dalton Corridor a little over 2\n45   million acres which is State selected land which\n46   removes from Federal rural subsistence priority. \n47   That's not the end of the story, there's more work to\n48   come in that area, but that's the current status quo\n49   today.  We've had great partnership from the State\n\n---\n\n0016\n12   \n27   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n37                   Ben.\n38   \n50\n\n1   thinking about subsistence impacts of these actions and\n2   what might be done to facilitate access for users going\n3   forward in and across those lands to subsist under\n4   State law to reach Federal lands and subsist in that\n5   way, so really pleased with the dialogue we've got\n6   going there as these actions take place.  Executive\n7   Order 14153 has more instruction for us and things we\n8   need to focus on with respect to public land orders. \n9   So some more work to come around the state, it's early\n10   days, but you'll hear more about steps as we move\n11   through the pieces and parts of that executive order.\n\n13                   Shifting to the North Slope just for a\n14   second, there's been a lot of activity up there.  Again\n15   much of it directed and very in-line with\n16   Administration priorities, but there's been a return to\n17   and an emphasis on oil and gas leasing in the National\n18   Petroleum Reserve in Alaska as well as to the east in\n19   the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. \n20   So what's coming in the near term, we had a very\n21   successful sale in March in the NPR-A, but what's\n22   coming in the near term is a lease sale in the coastal\n23   plain of ANWR in early June.  That was publicly\n24   announced late last week and then --and then documents\n25   published this past Monday.  So that's kind of the\n26   latest up there.\n\n28                   But again just an extraordinarily busy\n29   time at BLM.  Happy to be able to take out several days\n30   and focus in on these issues.\n\n32                   Thank you.\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n35   Kevin.\n\n39                   MR. PAYENNA:  Hey, good morning,\n40   everybody.  I'm brand new to the Federal Subsistence\n41   Board, this is my first official meeting.  Just a\n42   little background on myself.  I'm a lifelong Nome\n43   resident, my father was born and raised on King Island\n44   so I grew up doing a lot of marine mammal hunting as\n45   well as land hunting.  And I've served on other boards\n46   and chairman and vice chairman seats for Kawerak Board\n47   of Directors, Alaska Co-Management Council, Eskimo\n48   Walrus Commission and other boards like that so I am a\n49   little bit familiar with board processes, but this is\n\n---\n\n4   \n6   \n23   \n48   \n50\n\n1   my very first Federal Subsistence Wildlife Board\n2   meeting so I'm anxious to learn how the process goes\n3   and be a part of it.\n\n## 5 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Sara.\n\n7                   MS. BOARIO:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n8   Good morning, everyone.  Sara Boario, Regional Director\n9   for the Fish and Wildlife Service.  It's great to see\n10   the room filling up this morning.  I think this is the\n11   biggest rooms we've been in since my tenure on the\n12   Board.  So some of you are really small and far away,\n13   but doing my best to look around and see all the\n14   wonderful, familiar faces.  This is a position I've had\n15   the privilege to serve in for the last just over four\n16   years and the far greater privilege is to have spent a\n17   lifetime in Alaska, living, working, learning alongside\n18   so many folks across this state.  This work is, as\n19   Jerry noted, and congratulations, Jerry, we will miss\n20   your experience, but as Jerry noted this work is so\n21   important to so many people and their lives across the\n22   state.\n\n24                   So as part of my information sharing\n25   this morning I wanted to introduce some key program\n26   leadership, just three very important folks that are\n27   here to serve you, know how they can assist you finding\n28   information on a range of issues.  They support me in\n29   all I do as well, but they're here to work for all of\n30   you.  Wendy Loyla, you can just raise your hand, I'll\n31   make this quick, but Wendy Loyla is our program lead\n32   for the Migratory Bird Program here in Alaska and she\n33   also serves as the Fish and Wildlife Service\n34   representative on the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-\n35   Management Council alongside Mark Burch with the Alaska\n36   Department of Fish and Game and Randy Mayo who many of\n37   you know from the interior region who serves as the\n38   Native Caucus Chair.  And of course the Executive\n39   Director for many years, Patty Schwalenberg, who has\n40   hosted at Ahtna InterTribal Resource Commission.  I\n41   would be remiss if I didn't notice --note that AMBCC\n42   recognized our Board colleague who can't be with us\n43   here this week, Charlie Brower, for his extraordinary\n44   role in founding --being one of the handful of\n45   founding members for AMBCC.  So, Charlie, wherever you\n46   are, thank you for just your many decades of service\n47   and contributions to AMBCC.\n\n49                   The migratory bird team is preparing to\n\n---\n\n9   \n19   \n42   \n50\n\n1   fly their statewide aerial surveys that inform both the\n2   spring/summer subsistence and fall/winter bird harvest. \n3   We should know by August, I know it's been on many\n4   people's minds how the emperor goose population is\n5   doing, we should know by August what those numbers are\n6   looking like and for now we know this year that harvest\n7   remains --and egging remain closed and we hope for\n8   better numbers here in the future.\n\n10                   Our shorebird team is --continues to\n11   evaluate the health of populations on the North Slope\n12   and other areas and will be supporting the fourth\n13   annual Utqiagvik migratory bird festival in mid June. \n14   They continue to track seabird die-offs and continue to\n15   share information on avian influenza which we get many\n16   questions about.  So thank you, Wendy, to you and your\n17   team.  If you have anymore questions, folks, Wendy's\n18   here and happy to meet you.\n\n20                   Karlin Itchoak, he serves as our\n21   Assistant Regional Director for our National Wildlife\n22   Refuge System in Alaska.  He works with all of us,\n23   everyone in this room, to oversee and steward 16\n24   national wildlife refuges, managing and conserving over\n25   76.8 million acres, approximately 85 percent of the\n26   public lands within the National Wildlife Refuge System\n27   nationwide.  His work also includes shared and co-\n28   stewardship and recently he and his team just\n29   negotiated and finalized a 638 agreement with --\n30   between Koniag, Inc. and Kodiak National Wildlife\n31   Refuge.  Karlin also, and I know we get many questions\n32   about this, I wanted to make sure folks were aware. \n33   Karlin also oversees our refuge law enforcement.  His\n34   Chief, Dan Shamhart, wanted to be with us here today\n35   too and be in the room, be able to meet request and he\n36   is out at previously scheduled training.  But our\n37   Federal wildlife officers, we know we hear from folks\n38   lots of questions about subsistence enforcement and the\n39   critical role they play in working with communities to\n40   protect our resources.  So thank you, Karlin, and your\n41   team for that.\n\n43                   Finally Pete Fasbender is our Assistant\n44   Regional Director for fish and aquatic conservation in\n45   our Ecological Services Program.  His Staff helped\n46   manage our in-season fisheries and monitor populations\n47   of non-salmon species like whitefish and sheefish. \n48   Their Staff, his Staff also manages threatened and\n49   endangered species, prepares for and responds to oil\n\n---\n\n12   \n20   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n47   \n50\n\n1   spills and under the Marine Mammal Protection Act works\n2   alongside the Alaska Nannut Co-Management Council and\n3   the Eskimo Walrus Commission as well which also Charlie\n4   serves on.  He and his many hats so lots of shout outs\n5   to Charlie today.  A noted intersection with Pete's\n6   team's work, yesterday during tribal testimony we heard\n7   about some of the tribe on Prince of Wales work with\n8   Pete's team on combining their indigenous science into\n9   our Alexander Archipelago wolf species status\n10   assessment.  That was Pete's team that worked with them\n11   in just a concrete intersection with people's lives.\n\n13                   And last but not least, Jill Klein,\n14   behind me, our Regional Subsistence Coordinator and a\n15   crucial member of the InterAgency Staff Committee. \n16   She's also been wearing many hats lately.  She's been\n17   assisting Karlin as one of his Refuge Supervisors.  She\n18   brings just a tremendous amount of statewide knowledge,\n19   huge support to me.\n\n21                   So thank you to my team and I hope\n22   folks get a chance to meet them and know that we're all\n23   here to serve you and help answer questions on your\n24   mind.\n\n26                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n29   Sara.\n\n## 31 Frank.\n\n33                   MR. WOODS:  Hey, good morning, public\n34   member Frank Woods.  I'm from Dillingham.  I am a\n35   resident, born and raised in Clark's Point, but raised\n36   in Dillingham, graduated.  I'm a Curyung tribal member,\n37   an avid --not just a subsistence user, but a rural\n38   resident.  I'm also Native under the tribal designation\n39   of Curyung which makes my --my lineage goes back a\n40   long time.  I follow that because number 1, each one of\n41   our agencies that approached this Board yesterday, you\n42   know, had a consultation with us which was\n43   unprecedented and has grown up.  We had no voice when I\n44   was growing up.  We didn't have a say in what was\n45   supposed to be done with our resources and how we're\n46   supposed to manage.\n\n48                   I'd like to address that.  Number 1, I\n49   recognize RAC, Dan Dunaway is our representative.  We\n\n---\n\n20   \n27   \n36   \n50\n\n1   have a whole group, please raise your hand or stand up,\n2   from Bristol Bay, from Kenneth, to Jorjana, looks like\n3   Jimmy, Jimmy's wife, and all the people in Bristol Bay\n4   last --at this meeting last wildlife cycle we put in a\n5   proposal with that group and proponents back there to\n6   change the regulation and expand the area for caribou. \n7   We are the last caribou hunt, I never imagined running\n8   out of caribou in Bristol Bay when we had 200,000 in\n9   the Mulchatna Herd.  We're down to two a year for the\n10   villages that are in the consortium of Federally-\n11   qualified subsistence users in Bristol Bay.  When we\n12   expanded that region and expanded that hunt it got --\n13   started getting utilized this last year.  We got calls\n14   that the herd had moved up into the expanded area and\n15   people were hunting.  And so that proposal and the\n16   proponents that address that, I was on that end asking\n17   this Board to change that regulation.  It actually\n18   implemented and worked for that purpose.  So I thank\n19   this Board and the proponents and the people engaged.\n\n21                   As anybody knows I work hard, number 1,\n22   at highly educating our youth in the process because\n23   that's our future.  I engage and help in trying to get\n24   people here, get people interested.  There are a lot of\n25   highly bright and educated people that need to be\n26   engaged in our process.\n\n28                   So regionally we just intercept --this\n29   is the first where the Board cycle --we have Board of\n30   Fish and all the regulation processes that go with\n31   that.  In our area there's only like 7,000 people, the\n32   size of Ohio.  There ain't enough people engaged in the\n33   regulatory process, State, Federal or local management. \n34   And we have to recruit heavily because that needs to\n35   happen not just regionally, but statewide.\n\n37                   I'll shut up and that, you know,\n38   there's one thing I'd like to have got from John\n39   Elliott.  It says tolerance is a responsibility of\n40   those with the higher vision.  And each one of us in\n41   here are sitting here for that reason, that we have a\n42   higher vision for our people.  Subsistence is changing\n43   dramatically, it is a constant --we are growing as a\n44   state, we have run out of land and places to put\n45   people, we are conflicting with each other and our own\n46   user groups have a hard time putting anything on the\n47   table.  I say that because we have the responsibility\n48   to help the rural residents, feed our people that live\n49   there.  And I'd like to thank you for all attending\n\n---\n\n12   \n16   \n23   \n50\n\n1   because we need this and more, right, we need to help\n2   young --we need young people to help us write the laws\n3   that make sense to them because I'm not doing this for\n4   me, you know, I know what the laws are, I know what the\n5   rules are.  We abide by those rules as subsistence\n6   users and harvesters because we don't want to lose that\n7   right.  But Federal and State managers, they put those\n8   regulations for the best intentions, sometimes they're\n9   wrong and that's why we live in America is if the rules\n10   and the laws are wrong our responsibility is to help\n11   guide them rules.\n\n13                   I'll shut up because we've got a long\n14   meeting and I'm --welcome to the Federal Subsistence\n15   Board.\n\n17                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n18   Frank, for being --your brevity.  Appreciate your\n19   passion.  I think everything Frank said --that's why\n20   we sit here, we appreciate to see the growth like he\n21   said yesterday having the longest, largest consultation\n22   process.\n\n24                   My name's Anthony Christianson, I've\n25   been on the Board since 2012.  And so watching it\n26   happen from the start when we'd have one tribal\n27   representative I think in the room if we were lucky and\n28   we'd sit here and kind of look at ourselves and ask\n29   ourselves how long we should keep the door open because\n30   somebody might call in.  Now we're like we got five\n31   minutes until the door closes and can we fit one more\n32   in.  And so that's the growth we see with our tribal\n33   representation.  The public you can see the rooms are\n34   full, the youth groups out there are now --you know,\n35   we're calling in and being guest speakers to people who\n36   have a learning curve higher than ours.  Like Frank's\n37   stating, the ball's always changing and evolving and\n38   we're learning as it --as it goes how to manage the\n39   system and in a changing environment.  And it takes the\n40   eyes and ears of our Regional Advisory Council Chairs,\n41   the RAC members who sit and listen to all the testimony\n42   from the public lands that need addressing to make sure\n43   our way of life is protected, to the students that are\n44   educating themselves and looking at this process so\n45   it's not something that's a weird science, but an\n46   applicable way to help drive your lifeway like Frank\n47   was stating.  So we really encourage everyone to\n48   continue to do what we see happening out there, full\n49   hallways, full classrooms and then education happening\n\n---\n\n0022\n4   \n35   \n38   \n40   \n44   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   across the landscape at a real critical time for the\n2   conservation of a way of life and a species that we all\n3   depend on, salmon and especially this week, wildlife.\n\n5                   And so we do have a huge agenda here\n6   before us, lots to go through that does affect our way\n7   of life to bring balance to the user groups and so I'll\n8   be brief in mine as well.  I've been mayor of Hydaburg\n9   19 years, grandfather to three kids already even though\n10   it doesn't look like it.  But hey, Sara, I just found\n11   out --as you know we go through training, Sara was a\n12   ball star so recently just won the gold medal\n13   basketball tournament at 50.  So, you know, these\n14   things matter, right, like because you've got to stay\n15   in this lifestyle healthy, right, we have to be able to\n16   hike mountains and we got to be able to pull fish and\n17   we have to be a uncle that is visibly, actively engaged\n18   in a lifestyle not just for myself, but for the next\n19   generation and the people that we serve here because if\n20   I sat here and was just a pumpkin that wouldn't make\n21   sense to our constituents.  So my way of life is like\n22   Frank a rural user, I depend on the land, the resources\n23   and all that abound in our great state.  And it still\n24   continues to serve us, you know, and some areas are\n25   really tight and hopefully we can find solutions to\n26   those and some areas are abundant, but experiencing\n27   user conflict because of the abundance in that area and\n28   lack in others.  And so it's just a moving target as\n29   far as how this body continues to manage these\n30   resources.  Hopefully in a holistic approach that makes\n31   sure our subsistence user gets their need met in these\n32   regions.  And that's the priority focus for this Board\n33   and hopefully we can nail that down this week with the\n34   proposals we have before us.\n\n36                   And so appreciate everybody and their\n37   time.\n\n39                   And next we have Crystal.\n\n41                   MS. LEONETTI:  Well, I don't know if I\n42   can play ball anymore, but I did run three miles this\n43   morning.  So.....\n\n45                   (Laughter)\n\n47                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I made it sound\n48   better than it was.\n\n---\n\n2   \n16   \n23   \n43   \n50\n\n1                   (Laughter)\n\n3                   MS. LEONETTI:  Well, just a little bit\n4   about me.  I'm the Director for Office of Subsistence\n5   Management, lifelong Alaskan, born and raised in Homer\n6   and Anchor Point, Alaska.  My dad's side of the family\n7   are homesteaders that came up from Texas and Nebraska\n8   so I grew up on a little farm in Anchor Point.  And my\n9   mom's side of the family, Yup'ik from Curyung, so\n10   Dillingham area.  And I am a tribal citizen of Curyung\n11   and shareholder of Curyung Unlimited and Bristol Bay\n12   Native Corporation.  And I see my elder, Joe Chythlook\n13   in the audience and I just want to say hi to Joe and\n14   acknowledge all my elders out there, good to see all of\n15   you and I hope we do you proud this week.\n\n17                   I live in Anchorage where I always said\n18   I would never live and I live here with my husband and\n19   our two kids.  So I have the honor and privilege of\n20   working for all of you and for the Federal Subsistence\n21   Management Program and with an awesome Staff at Office\n22   of Subsistence Management.\n\n24                   So the Federal Subsistence Management\n25   Program is closing out a wildlife regulatory cycle at\n26   this meeting and in the beginning stages of a fisheries\n27   regulatory cycle.  The window to submit Federal\n28   fisheries proposals closed in early April.  We\n29   currently have eight proposals and 10 closure reviews\n30   for the 2027 to 2029 Federal subsistence fish and\n31   shellfish regulations cycle.  The proposals and closure\n32   reviews are available on the OSM website at\n33   doi.gov\\subsistence\\fisheries.  Public comments on the\n34   fisheries proposals and closure reviews will be\n35   accepted through July 31st and the public an also\n36   attend the Regional Advisory Council meetings in the\n37   fall to provide verbal testimony for the Council's\n38   deliberation and recommendations to the Board.  I would\n39   say the RACs, the Council meetings, is where the rubber\n40   meets the road, that's where the work happens.  The\n41   Board will meet to take up the fisheries proposals and\n42   closure reviews on February 1 through 5, 2027.\n\n44                   The OSM's fiscal year budget.  We are\n45   currently receiving for this fiscal year $9.4 million. \n46   It's lower than usual, but OSM will continue delivering\n47   essential services that protect and support rural\n48   subsistence opportunities across 220 million acres of\n49   Federal lands and waters in Alaska.  This work includes\n\n---\n\n8   \n31   \n50\n\n1   core functions that keep fish and wildlife resources\n2   healthy and available for rural residents including\n3   processing regulatory proposals, supporting the Federal\n4   Subsistence Board and Regional Advisory Councils and\n5   conducting public meetings and consultations and\n6   maintaining critical permitting and regulatory\n7   publications.\n\n9                   A little bit about the Fisheries\n10   Resource Monitoring Program.  The FRMP has announced\n11   the 2026 monitoring plan listing funded projects which\n12   is now available in its entirety on the Federal\n13   Subsistence Management Program website.  This program\n14   identifies regional priority information needs\n15   identified by the Councils and through funding\n16   assistance to partner organizations provides\n17   information to sustain subsistence fisheries on Federal\n18   public lands for rural Alaskans.  The program proposal\n19   review process is rigorous and with the available from\n20   USDA and Department of Interior we were able to approve\n21   10 projects addressing priority needs in all fisheries\n22   regions of Alaska.  Five projects are funded by USDA in\n23   southeast Alaska and five projects are funded by DOI,\n24   one for each of the remaining regions in Alaska.  USDA\n25   has allocated just under 600,000 towards the southeast\n26   Alaska projects for year one of this four year cycle. \n27   Looking at Jerry, saying thank you for that.  And\n28   Department of Interior has allocated just over $750,000\n29   towards year one of the cycle for the projects in the\n30   rest of the regions of the state.\n\n32                   Just briefly about staffing.  OSM has\n33   been creative in utilizing three to four month long job\n34   exchange opportunities for remaining Staff to gain\n35   skills and new perspectives while remaining on track to\n36   fulfill ANILCA Title VIII.  We've had a rotating cast\n37   in our Operations Deputy position, our State Liaison\n38   position, several administrative positions and in our\n39   Fisheries and Anthropology Division Lead positions.  Of\n40   those in the room please stand, the Acting Subsistence\n41   Liaison --State Liaison is currently Jarred Stone\n42   whose permanent position is Fisheries Biologist. \n43   Thanks, Jarred.  And also Kevin Foley, Acting Fisheries\n44   Division Lead whose normal job is Fisheries Biologist. \n45   Thanks, Kevin.  And also Liz Williams, Acting\n46   Anthropology Division Lead whose normal job is\n47   anthropologist.  Thanks, Liz.  We've been fortunate\n48   enough to welcome temporary job assignments from the\n49   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service so thank you, Sara, and\n\n---\n\n22   \n30   \n43   \n50\n\n1   from the Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance. \n2   And at our front table outside the door there is Glenn\n3   Westdahl who many of you have seen and gotten to know\n4   over the years and he is retiring at the end of this\n5   month which we're very sad about, but we're wishing him\n6   well in his journey in his next chapter.  So be sure to\n7   congratulate Glenn when you see him.  And law\n8   enforcement.  Are there any law enforcement in the\n9   room, I'd like to say thank you to you if you are. \n10   Hopefully we'll have some law enforcement for\n11   professionals joining us throughout the week.  OSM has\n12   been working to increase their involvement to provide\n13   that on the ground knowledge of how regulations are\n14   applied and to respond to priorities of the Regional\n15   Advisory Councils.  OSM met with a very large\n16   contingent of Federal agency law enforcement in\n17   February and we appreciate their utmost integrity in\n18   showing up to provide support.  The Regional Advisory\n19   Councils have been asking for that support and we're\n20   glad that they can provide information to them at their\n21   meetings.\n\n23                   I'd like to thank the Deputy\n24   Commissioner of Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Ben\n25   Mulligan, for his ongoing presence and involvement,\n26   willingness to discuss the goals our two programs have\n27   in common and participate in candid discussions both on\n28   long term issues and ever changing fish and wildlife\n29   around the state.  So thank you, Ben.\n\n31                   Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations. \n32   As we continue to do our diligence and the Federal\n33   fiduciary responsibility to engage with the sovereign\n34   tribal governments of Alaska as well as our\n35   responsibility to consult with ANCSA corporations, OSM\n36   has been working to update our contact list.  So you\n37   may be seeing an email to update your tribe or\n38   corporation's information and we appreciate your\n39   response so that we can stay in full communication with\n40   you.  Thank you to all the tribal governments and\n41   Alaska Native corporations for continuing to work with\n42   the Federal Subsistence Management Program.\n\n44                   And lastly the Council Chairs.  Thank\n45   you for meeting yesterday and coming in just a little\n46   bit early to do that.  We appreciate all the work that\n47   you do.  We met and we collaborated on addressing\n48   critical subsistence issues across your diverse\n49   regions, we shared information and coordinated on\n\n---\n\n5   \n8   \n15   \n20   \n33   \n50\n\n1   several matters including introductions to each other,\n2   some of you are new and correspondence, some policies\n3   and future coordination.  So thanks to all the Council\n4   Chairs for that.\n\n## 6 All right. Mr. Chair, that's all I\n\n7   have.\n\n9                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you. \n10   Thank you, everyone, for your information sharing and\n11   again farewell to all those who are retiring and thank\n12   Glenn for his service, I just now heard --found that\n13   out, I probably heard it before, but he does a good job\n14   keeping us in line so we appreciate that service.\n\n16                   Next we'll move on to our Regional\n17   Advisory Council Chair discussion, topics of concern\n18   with the Board.  And we'll start over here with Mr. Don\n19   Hernandez.\n\n21                   MR. HERNANDEZ:  Thank you, Chairman\n22   Christianson.  Good morning, Board.  I'm Don Hernandez,\n23   Chairman of the Southeast RAC and I live in the little\n24   community of Point Baker which is on Prince of Wales\n25   Island.  It's a pleasure to be here with you in\n26   Anchorage for this meeting.  Unfortunately I did not\n27   make the last Board meeting, I got stranded at home due\n28   to the bad weather, I'm glad to be here this time.  I'd\n29   like to welcome the new members to the Board and I'd\n30   also like to thank Jerry Ingersoll for attending our\n31   Council meeting in Juneau this winter.  It was much\n32   appreciated by the Council.\n\n34                   So I think I'll start with kind of a\n35   situation that the whole state experienced this year,\n36   very severe weather in southeast Alaska as well.  We\n37   had several storms with hurricane force winds in the\n38   fall and it was overall a very mild fall through most\n39   of the hunting season, the temperatures were really\n40   mild, wet, stormy, not the best for hunting deer.  And\n41   then in December everything drastically changed, got\n42   bitter cold, heavy snows, snow just kept piling up all\n43   through December.  January was a major thaw with\n44   unseasonably mild weather again, very wet, stormy. \n45   Completely turned around again in February, I mean,\n46   more bitter cold and started snowing and kept snowing\n47   right up through March.  And snow piled up clean up\n48   until 1st of April which is a little unusual for\n49   southeast, it was record setting snowfalls.  And that\n\n---\n\n7   \n44   \n50\n\n1   all kind of raised a lot of concerns about our deer\n2   populations in southeast and maybe some concerns with\n3   fisheries as well, you know, you got these extreme rain\n4   events with extreme scouring and landslides and things\n5   like that happening throughout the region.  So there's\n6   a lot of concern there.\n\n8                   This past year has been a really busy\n9   one for the Southeast RAC.  We've dealt with some very\n10   consequential issues for our region and also besides\n11   the regular business of making recommendations on\n12   proposals and closure reviews and our Fisheries\n13   Resource Management Projects.  We also reviewed and\n14   made comments on game proposals to the Alaska Board of\n15   Game and we submitted comments on the Secretarial\n16   Review.  And we added more input to the Tongass Forest\n17   Plan revision which is an ongoing project which has,\n18   you know, a lot of implications for subsistence uses in\n19   southeast Alaska.  The Council's greatest challenge for\n20   the past year came as a result of the Board's decision\n21   last year to change Ketchikan's status from non-rural\n22   to rural.  That caused the Council to take immediate\n23   action to protect the continuation of subsistence uses\n24   by residents of Unit 2 who are experiencing a decline\n25   in deer population and that's kind of resulted in a\n26   failure of a lot of local harvesters to be able to meet\n27   their needs.  The Council submitted a special action\n28   request to deal with the season that we just had, 2025\n29   season.  The Board took no action on those special\n30   actions that we requested, they essentially said they\n31   wanted to see how the first season with Ketchikan\n32   hunters being Federally-qualified, how that went.  So\n33   at our March meeting we also at the same time we put in\n34   the special action request we also put forward some\n35   proposals for this meeting.  One of the proposals was\n36   to initiate an .804 analysis to do a prioritization to\n37   take place at this Board cycle.  I should note that the\n38   Board also has received a request for reconsideration\n39   on your decision on Ketchikan rural determination.  I\n40   think it's important that the Board take action on our\n41   .804 prioritization determination just due to the time\n42   frame of a request for reconsideration and the\n43   uncertainty of how that may turn out.\n\n45                   So yesterday I attended the tribal\n46   consultation session and heard lots of testimony about\n47   the deer situation in Unit 2.  So you are aware of the\n48   importance of making a fair and equitable .804\n49   prioritization for Unit 2.  I should point out that the\n\n---\n\n18   \n31   \n50\n\n1   Southeast RAC had never done an .804 determination\n2   prior to this one.  And I think you'd be pleased with\n3   how we went about this process.  First and foremost the\n4   Council heard many hours of testimony and we listened\n5   to that testimony.  It was real important testimony,\n6   very informative and the Council paid a lot of\n7   attention to all of the testimony that we received on\n8   that.  Also we had some very excellent analysis from\n9   the OSM Staff on this and we also reached out to the\n10   Staff several times for guidance on how to proceed and\n11   how to evaluate criteria and what was necessary for\n12   justifications on our actions.  And Staff assistance\n13   was very helpful and they should be commended for that. \n14   So after a lot of deliberation from Council members\n15   from throughout the region, we were able to present to\n16   you what we think is a fair and equitable proposal that\n17   is called for in this situation.\n\n19                   So now I'd like to give you a little\n20   synopsis of other actions taken by the Council.  Okay. \n21   Sitka meeting last spring, they said we would put\n22   forward the special action requests and drafted the\n23   proposals you're going to be dealing with here at this\n24   meeting.  And also at that meeting we had more --we\n25   dealt with the Forest Plan, we made comments to the\n26   Forest Plan at that meeting.  We also wrote a letter to\n27   the Board concerned with wolf management in Unit 2 and\n28   we also drafted a letter with concerns on one of the\n29   sockeye systems in our region.  Eek Lake is a major\n30   subsistence sockeye stream in the Hydaburg area.\n\n32                   So then we had our fall meeting and it\n33   took place in Wrangell.  And as you know all the\n34   Council meetings got delayed due to the Federal\n35   furlough so we didn't have a lot of --so our meeting\n36   got delayed from October until December.  And we also\n37   shortened the meeting because there wasn't a whole lot\n38   of Staff available at that time due to all the changes\n39   and meeting schedules and whatnot.  So normally we\n40   would have done our wildlife recommendations at that\n41   meeting, but we only took up a couple of those and we\n42   pushed all of our wildlife recommendations back to our\n43   winter meeting which just happened a month ago which\n44   kind of made for kind of a short time period between\n45   our meeting and your deliberations, but I think\n46   hopefully, you know, the Staff got everything written\n47   up the way we wanted it and were prepared.  So it was a\n48   two day --only a two day meeting.  December, bad time\n49   for travel in southeast Alaska.  Myself and two other\n\n---\n\n12   \n25   \n28   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n40   \n50\n\n1   Council members didn't make it to the meeting, had to\n2   attend by phone, but we got some stuff done at that\n3   meeting as well.  Took up a closure review and did a\n4   couple of other wildlife proposals that weren't as\n5   controversial.  And the Council also spent a fair\n6   amount of time drafting the comment letter on the\n7   Secretarial Review on the Management Program, Federal\n8   Management Program.  And we also spent some time, a\n9   fair amount of time, drafting a comment letter with our\n10   comments on the wildlife proposals before the Alaska\n11   Board of Game.\n\n13                   So at our Juneau meeting is where we\n14   did the bulk of our work for this year and instead of\n15   our normal three day meeting we asked for an extra half\n16   of day so we had three and a half day meeting so we\n17   could go through all these wildlife proposals and like\n18   I say that's where we spent a huge amount of time\n19   discussing the .804 determination that you'll be\n20   dealing with here.  And we also added another\n21   opportunity to add more comments on the --on the\n22   updated Forest Plan for the Tongass Forest, we took\n23   some time to work on that as well.  So it was a very\n24   busy --some very busy meetings this year.\n\n26                   So thank you.  That concludes my\n27   report.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Don. \n30   Any questions from the Board for Don.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I always\n35   appreciate Southeast work.  Thank you.  Dan.\n\n37                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n38   Dan Dunaway, I'm the Vice Chair of the Bristol Bay RAC. \n39   Our Chair, Nanci Morris, couldn't be here.\n\n41                   So where to start.  First I was glad\n42   that Frank acknowledged Bristol Bay elders and\n43   residents that are in attendance and are going to keep\n44   me honest and squared away and correct me if I've made\n45   a mistake.  I'm Dan Dunaway, born and raised in\n46   Anchorage.  I've lived in the Dillingham area for 37\n47   years and before that I lived in Alaska Peninsula\n48   Aleutians since 1978.  So southwest Alaska's kind of\n49   been my home since --I forget when that was, whenever\n\n---\n\n2   \n19   \n38   \n50\n\n1   '78, however old I was.\n\n3                   The Council continues to observe\n4   subsistence in the Bristol Bay region in strong and\n5   critical.  Conditions are getting, especially for\n6   weather and population, are getting variable and less\n7   predictable.  Across a --during our most recent\n8   meeting communities reported highly unusual weather\n9   patterns.  Last year we basically had no snow to travel\n10   on, it was very difficult, we were --very hard to\n11   access a lot of our hunting areas.  This year we got\n12   snow and it was generally pretty good, but you're also\n13   a little weary when they don't have safe ice, but one\n14   friend of mine said that the --one of the rivers had\n15   like five feet of ice on it so it's a little easier to\n16   feel good about traveling in those conditions.  It's\n17   melting rapidly now, but access to hunting areas and\n18   free travel is still really a concern.\n\n20                   Among wildlife we have mixed trends,\n21   moose and caribou populations are present in many of\n22   these areas, but like I said access is difficult, but\n23   the Mulchatna Caribou Herd is still very poor.  It may\n24   be increasing, it's difficult to know.  The RAC has\n25   supported the Bear Reduction Program that the State has\n26   started, but keeps getting stopped by court action.  As\n27   we go into these days with rapidly increasing food\n28   prices, especially meat, getting these herd --this\n29   herd back stable and harvestable is really important to\n30   us.  Interestingly enough the Nushagak Caribou Herd is\n31   doing well, partly because we haven't been able to hunt\n32   it much.  Now we're a little concerned that --about\n33   over-grazing.  I have not gotten reports on how many\n34   were harvested this year, but I know several folks\n35   managed to get a few.  I went out for three days,\n36   didn't get anything, moose or caribou.  We didn't go\n37   far enough.\n\nas Frank\n\n39                   But let's see.  That --\n40   mentioned the Nushagak Peninsula hunt areas was\n41   expanded and that was really valuable to people because\n42   they are moving around because they are eating their\n43   main area and they're starting to wander around looking\n44   for food farther afield.  The North Alaska Peninsula\n45   Herd is doing a little better.  I believe some people\n46   are catching a few caribou.  One really part I really\n47   want to notice and compliment the Park Service for is\n48   the Kukaklek Bench caribou hunt.  That's been an\n49   important issue for me as I'm pretty close with people\n\n---\n\n12   \n31   \n50\n\n1   in Egegik and a few in Iliamna and Kokhanok and we\n2   started pushing for this years ago and I thought it\n3   would be one of these forever, some day we'll get a\n4   hunt and lo and behold it started happening way before\n5   we expected and it's making a difference.  Egegik takes\n6   a lot of their young folks out to teach them to hunt. \n7   The middle of winter and the cost of meat, four or\n8   five, six caribou in a village makes a big difference. \n9   And there's no sneaking around, they can do it right\n10   out front.  So I really want to thank the Park Service\n11   for accommodating that, it's wonderful.\n\n13                   Going on to fish, salmon, especially\n14   king salmon are a high concern.  We're overwhelmed with\n15   reds right now almost, but kings are looking worse and\n16   worse all the time and that's so important to people\n17   around the Bay.  Nushagak has been hurting the most,\n18   but now I hear Naknek River, Egegik, Togiak, they're\n19   not doing so well and the first are smaller, they're\n20   sparse.  Whatever can be done to help that is really,\n21   really important.  Silvers have been really poor and\n22   little.  There was a time when I could catch enough\n23   using sports gear that I didn't need to put a net out\n24   and now there's so few fish I don't bother putting a\n25   net out and some of them are so dinky they'd squirt\n26   through anyway.  So what's going on there, the concern. \n27   Some salmon did better, humpies are okay I guess,\n28   they're not as critical to us, but they are an\n29   important species in the whole mix so we don't want to\n30   ignore them.\n\n32                   We've also been --through the Council\n33   we've been getting regular reports from the North\n34   Pacific Fisheries Management Council on the bycatch. \n35   They make some very nice presentations, but I usually\n36   end up in others so doesn't really give us a clear path\n37   to how to fix the problem so we remain very concerned. \n38   Years ago when I was still on the RAC early on the\n39   Chair and I, and I think other members, our meeting was\n40   here, the Anchorage Westward or whatever it is now,\n41   Hilton, was right next door to the North Pacific\n42   Council so we ran through our meeting quick and a whole\n43   bunch of us led by I think Donald Mike went over and\n44   testified at the Council.  And we saw some significant\n45   changes that dramatically reduced bycatch around 2007,\n46   2008.  We thought it was fixed and then I start seen\n47   fusses on Facebook and hearing other stuff and I --\n48   well, we got that fixed.  But no, the bycatch is way\n49   back up.  So we are again extremely concerned about\n\n---\n\n8   \n21   \n38   \n50\n\n1   that.  I'm not sure if trawlers the entire blame, from\n2   my experience around trawlers in Unalaska and so on,\n3   but I've seen the quality of fish and salmon that are\n4   intercepted in photos and all, it's a --I hope we can\n5   somehow coordinate with other Federal agencies to get a\n6   handle on this.  And not just me, the whole Council, I\n7   shouldn't be just speaking for me.\n\n9                   Other key issues.  We were brought up\n10   at this --our last meeting was a need to improve\n11   tribal consultation.  I hope some of the folks that\n12   raised those concerns could have seen this meeting\n13   yesterday, I think there was a massive response to the\n14   concerns like ours on that regard.  A lot of the\n15   consultations in the past have kind of --they come in\n16   the summer and people are scattered and so distracted. \n17   I've talked to Orville about this, called village after\n18   village and there's nobody to talk to or they're just\n19   too busy so I compliment the effort that occurred\n20   yesterday at an easier time.\n\n22                   Several folks brought up the\n23   representation of smaller, remote --more remote\n24   communities.  We bounce our meetings between Naknek and\n25   Dillingham.  We've tried to have meetings that --in\n26   Togiak to Port Heiden, but the logistics --we get the\n27   word back from OSM that it's just not practical.  We\n28   even used to say we're willing to sleep on the gym\n29   floor, but it is very difficult and the air services\n30   are a little more limited in our area now than they\n31   used to be.  But communities like Manokotak, New Stu --\n32   New Stuyahok, Koliganek face barriers in participation. \n33   We do try hard, I --I especially like to say I have a\n34   lot of friends in Egegik, Kokhanok, Iliamna and we have\n35   some like Kenneth Nukwak now's from Manokotak and he's\n36   been an eloquent spokesman for his community at our RAC\n37   and our Advisory Committee meetings, he's on both.\n\n39                   Third issue.  Council emphasized the\n40   importance of maintaining adequate staffing and\n41   resources.  We're really concerned with this shift over\n42   to --when OSM moves we want to make sure they get some\n43   Staff support because I know they used to draw a lot on\n44   Fish and Wildlife.  Also with knowing we have public\n45   members on the main Board here, we hope they're getting\n46   the support as much as the agency heads who can draw on\n47   their whole agency.  Our public members put a lot of\n48   extra personal effort in this and they need the support\n49   too.  And I feel wonderfully supported by our Staff\n\n---\n\n3   \n35   \n38   \n41   \n50\n\n1   when we have these meetings and expect to help me with\n2   the script here.\n\n4                   The Council continues to stress the\n5   importance of local knowledge, community observations\n6   are the first indicators of change and concern. \n7   Hopefully I'm adequately reporting them here. \n8   Subsistence resources are available, but access, timing\n9   and predictability become more challenging again\n10   especially in the winter, but also some of the salmon\n11   runs, we've got a little tiny king run and it --you\n12   might have a couple of pulses in --unpredictably in\n13   late June and if you're not there you don't get them. \n14   And then kind of added to this, it's been really\n15   growing over the wintertime, the fuel costs and food\n16   costs are just skyrocketing.  My wife comments every\n17   time she goes to the store.  I watched some folks, I\n18   was getting --well, I'm actually buying gas now and\n19   stashing it because the rumors are when the barge comes\n20   it's going to go way up.  We pay 6.40 a gallon now\n21   which is nothing compared to what Beaver and other\n22   places do, but I see people from Manokotak loading up\n23   big jugs of gas and before the trails go to pot they're\n24   hauling them back to Manokotak.  I don't think\n25   anybody's hauling it to Togiak, but even the people\n26   selling the gas are expressing real concerns.  And it's\n27   not just gas, it'll be the heating oil.  So there's a\n28   lot of effort going out and cutting wood and that. \n29   There's a lot of Native lands and they're trying to\n30   control the proper use of their lands.  There's\n31   poaching going on I believe and other folks have to go\n32   to State lands or Federal lands to get wood.  I'm lucky\n33   I have a chunk of land that the trees are dying from\n34   the beetle so I can't keep up.\n\n36                   So that about summarizes it.  Thank you\n37   very much.\n\n39                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Dan. \n40   Any questions.\n\n42                   MR. WOODS:  Yeah, thank you, Dan, for\n43   your report.  As a public member you got a proposal,\n44   W26-05, it'll be brought up later, but appreciate all\n45   the work that Rock's doing in recruiting.  Looks like\n46   there's public outreach for the village participation\n47   and also I like your idea of bring it back to the\n48   schools and rural villages because that's needed\n49   especially --you know, putting the RAC meetings in the\n\n---\n\n3   \n5   \n9   \n21   \n36   \n50\n\n1   school engages the youth, engages the communities and\n2   introduces people to start communicating better.\n\n4                   So thank you, Dan.\n\n6                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n7   Frank.  I think we'll go to Ms. Judy and then after Ms.\n8   Judy we'll take a short break.\n\n10                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and\n11   thank you, Board members.  I'm Judy Caminer, I am\n12   representing the Southcentral Regional Advisory Council\n13   because our Chair, Greg Encelewski, who was I believe\n14   at the morning member yesterday isn't available today. \n15   So you'll see me today and then when we get to our\n16   proposals as well.  I also have a couple of my\n17   colleagues from the Council here today in the audience,\n18   Michael Opheim, Angela Totemoff, so appreciate their\n19   support and there may be others showing up when we get\n20   to proposals too.\n\n22                   The Southcentral region has about 50\n23   communities.  And I know there's Councils with other\n24   regions with larger number of communities, but the bulk\n25   of this region is connected by roads and many of the\n26   region's subsistence users are more --I think I'll say\n27   that a different way then.  User conflict as you've\n28   heard from many others and competition for limited\n29   resources are of course one of the highest concerns\n30   here.  We have miles and miles of roads, trails and\n31   freshwater marine access points.  How should these\n32   resources be distributed including how should these\n33   resources be distributed among just rural users is a\n34   topic that seems to be coming more and more before the\n35   Council and very regularly.\n\n37                   I'm glad Crystal started off the\n38   meeting mentioning Title VIII and I'm very pleased that\n39   all of you echoed the importance of Title VIII and your\n40   responsibilities to uphold it.  Our RAC takes those\n41   responsibilities likewise very seriously and when we\n42   see something like the program review and we attended\n43   and saw many, many, many people providing comments. \n44   When Crystal and Katya and Crystal's team stayed late\n45   into the night to take all those comments, that's very\n46   much appreciated, but we don't like the concept that\n47   the Board or the regulations might turn into State\n48   regulations.  That's not upholding Title VIII.  And\n49   similarly with the Park Service proposed rule where it\n\n---\n\n24   \n34   \n40   \n42   \n50\n\n1   says in there let's just be like the State regulations. \n2   That doesn't sit well with us because we know State\n3   regulations may not uphold Title VIII.  And sorry, Don,\n4   your comment on timing is exactly true.  Many of the\n5   RACs met before the regulation --the draft rule came\n6   out.  Many of the Subsistence Resource Commissions\n7   which are Park Service Commissions established to\n8   advise the Superintendents had met already.  And\n9   unfortunately the presentation --we had very little\n10   time to even look at it and the presentation was pretty\n11   slim let's say.  So to hand us a press release and then\n12   one copy of the Federal Register notice, it's a lot to\n13   absorb and it's not enough for a group to have that\n14   and, you know, what do you think about it when people\n15   don't have a basis to make constructive comments.  So\n16   we did put together comments, we got them done and then\n17   we find out the deadline's been extended.  That didn't\n18   help us unfortunately and it probably may not have\n19   helped many other people either.  I mean, you have a\n20   deadline, you get it done and then you find out it's\n21   extended.  I think we look forward to seeing the\n22   environmental assessment and specifically of course the\n23   810 analysis, but we really can't support it.\n\n25                   So some of our specific areas of\n26   concern are the crash of the Nelchina Caribou Herd and\n27   then those impacts that --to the people who relied on\n28   it, much of which you've heard already and much of\n29   which you'll hear as we go through it.  The reduced\n30   number of resources with plenty of users wanting to\n31   have them.  We have concern over we're displaced non-\n32   Federally-qualified Federal hunters are now focusing on\n33   since they can't harvest the Nelchina Caribou.\n\n35                   And the concern over salmon populations\n36   across the region and specifically of course the upper\n37   Copper River as has almost always been a concern and\n38   the Kenai River.  We also have a concern about just the\n39   region-wide increases in populations of users.\n\n## 41 Some regional priorities still remain.\n\n43                   We'd like further research on climate\n44   change and how it affects all of us and how to mitigate\n45   further affects on subsistence needs.  We also hear as\n46   we always do that funding is reduced, but it's going to\n47   be very challenging for us, for you to make decisions\n48   without the needed information.  We advocate for our\n49   region to receive more Fisheries Resource Monitoring\n\n---\n\n21   \n24   \n28   \n31   \n34   \n36   \n42   \n45   \n47   \n49   \n50\n\n1   money.  Again we hear that there's not much money and\n2   we know that there's not much Staff, but at some point\n3   everything gets to a breaking point is something for\n4   you to consider there too.  We'd also advocate and\n5   you'll hear this I'm sure over and over of getting more\n6   youth involved and particularly for our Council, we're\n7   interested in that.  We'd also like to --in our annual\n8   report we'll once again ask for some compensation for\n9   time.  I know there's many rules against that, but it's\n10   something to look into again.  Commercial traveling\n11   operations --excuse me, commercial trawling operations\n12   and how they're detrimental to subsistence uses.  I\n13   think that's something that needs to be --continued to\n14   be looked into whether at North Pacific or otherwise. \n15   And we'd like adequate signage in areas that are used\n16   for subsistence hunting and fishing where you know\n17   you're going to have a large influx of people, that's\n18   really important.  We do have a concern about marine\n19   resources in light of the changing ecosystems that we\n20   mentioned before.\n\n22                   So we will be transmitting that report\n23   to you and look forward to your advice on that.\n\n25                   We had 24 wildlife proposals including\n26   one statewide and two crossover proposals and we'll\n27   talk about that as the meeting progresses.\n\n29                   But thank you for your time here today\n30   and your dedication.  We appreciate it.\n\n32                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n33   Judy.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n35                   (No comments)\n\n37                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right. \n38   Hearing and seeing none we're going to go ahead and\n39   take a five minute break.  And when we do return the\n40   Board up here has to take a quick picture just so you\n41   know.  So quick break.\n\n43                   MS. LEONETTI:  We're going to ask for\n44   audience involvement in that too so be prepared.\n\n46                   (Off record)\n\n48                   (On record)\n\n---\n\n18   \n21   \n25   \n34   \n45   \n50\n\n1                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  All right. \n2   Thank you all for that.  Appreciate everybody getting\n3   into the picture.  I think that gives a good snapshot\n4   that we're all in it together, you know, that this is\n5   what the Federal Board process looks like, you know,\n6   with the leadership here, with the leadership from our\n7   Regional Advisory Councils and the leadership from our\n8   tribal, ANCSA and village people and rural Alaskans. \n9   So we appreciate you stepping into the picture and\n10   giving, you know, big uncle a snapshot of what we look\n11   like, that, you know, we're --we're actually human\n12   beings that are working through a process and, you\n13   know, whether it's decisive or not or might not all\n14   agree, we can all stand up and take one good smiling\n15   picture together.  And I think that really encapsulates\n16   what this program is about.  So appreciate that and\n17   everybody willing to step in and do that.\n\n19                   We'll get back to Regional Advisory\n20   Council Chairmen and we'll start with Rebecca.\n\n22                   MS. SKINNER:  Thank you.  My name is\n23   Rebecca Skinner, I'm the Chair of the Kodiak-Aleutians\n24   RAC.  Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the Board.\n\n26                   Just to remind people that KRAC has\n27   three sub-regions.  We have the Kodiak-Archipelago, the\n28   Alaska Peninsula and then the Aleutian Islands.  We are\n29   currently one member short and we have a --kind of a\n30   gap in representation from the Peninsula sub-area.  I\n31   bring this up because we have had less discussion on\n32   caribou than we would in the past.  You'll notice that\n33   later in my report.\n\n35                   I want to also note that communities in\n36   our region which is the Southwest Alaska region rely on\n37   commercial fishing.  And our region is home to all of\n38   the trawling ports in the state as well as Area M\n39   salmon fishery.  I appreciate the RAC Chairs meeting\n40   yesterday.  This was the start of an opportunity for\n41   dialogue among the different regions and I'm looking\n42   forward to the ongoing opportunity to share our\n43   regional perspective, knowledge and accurate\n44   information about what happens in our region.\n\n46                   The Kodiak-Aleutians RAC was able to\n47   meet in September of 2025 prior to the government\n48   shutdown.  We generated a comment letter on the\n49   Subsistence Program review and that's available in the\n\n---\n\n12   \n37   \n50\n\n1   correspondence section of our website so I'm not going\n2   to speak in detail to that.  But I did want to note the\n3   importance of the Councils, the fact that they are\n4   regional and they are made up of residents in each\n5   respective region.  This is not the case with the State\n6   Fish and Game Advisory Committees or really any other\n7   regulatory body that has advisory committees.  And I\n8   wanted to note the importance of maintaining this\n9   requirement for residency in the area and then the\n10   local perspective that that brings to the management\n11   process.\n\n13                   I also wanted to note in regards to\n14   FRMP that at our last RAC meeting a couple of months\n15   ago we had a mini strategic planning session to talk\n16   about the FRMP program, the grant opportunities and\n17   then the PINs or the priority information needs that we\n18   have as a RAC.  So we weren't developing the PINs, we\n19   were more talking about FRMP more broadly.  So we went\n20   through this process, I think it was well received by\n21   the RAC, everyone was really excited and then we\n22   learned about the cut in funding.  So consequently the\n23   Kodiak-Aleutians RAC doesn't have a funded FRMP\n24   project, but because we had a really good strategic\n25   discussion if we expect the current FRMP funding levels\n26   to continue I'm hopeful that as a RAC we can continue\n27   our strategic discussion at our next meeting, maybe\n28   have the same facilitation and brainstorm about how we\n29   can meet our fishery monitoring needs for our region\n30   and the state as well given the very limited resources. \n31   So this may mean coming up with ideas, pretty bold\n32   ideas, about how the program could be restructured or\n33   how the funding can best be leveraged because dividing\n34   all that --the fund --the smaller funding among all\n35   of the regions, it doesn't work very well because\n36   there's just too many regions and too many needs.\n\n38                   This winter in Kodiak we did have --it\n39   was a pretty cold winter, we have a fairly extended\n40   cold period so for us, fairly extended I mean somewhere\n41   between three and five weeks and very cold is in the\n42   single digits.  I realize other regions that's not even\n43   cold, but for us that's pretty cold and we had pretty\n44   high winds.  One thing I wanted to share is that this\n45   longer and colder period created thicker sea ice,\n46   normally we don't get sea ice, it was thick enough that\n47   I saw a seal lounging on the ice in Womens Bay, that's\n48   the first time I've ever seen that.  Normally we get\n49   kind of like slushy ice that builds up in the bay, but\n\n---\n\n7   \n21   \n49   \n50\n\n1   this time it was clearly thick enough for the --this\n2   fat seal to haul himself out and sit on the ice.  So\n3   that was pretty exciting.  But that is going to have\n4   impacts on our deer population because the deer\n5   population is most susceptible to winter overkill when\n6   we have high winters or hard winters.\n\n8                   For this wildlife cycle the Council\n9   continues to observe a mix of stability and growing\n10   uncertainty across the Kodiak-Aleutians region.  In\n11   terms of wildlife populations we're seeing mixed\n12   trends.  Some species like ptarmigan and certain\n13   waterfowl appear to be doing well in localized areas. \n14   At the same time there are concerns about deer\n15   populations following the more severe winter conditions\n16   and then ongoing variability in marine mammal\n17   observations.  We also have reports of whale strandings\n18   and other mortality events and we may --remain\n19   concerned that these may be tied to broader ecosystem\n20   changes.\n\n22                   Bird populations continue to be a\n23   significant issue for our region.  So we do have within\n24   our region is Izembek which I --I've heard is kind of\n25   known as the --not like the waterfowl capital of the\n26   world, but that's kind of how it's been presented.  We\n27   had our last RAC meeting out in Cold Bay and we got to\n28   go out on the lagoon and see the huge flocks of --I\n29   think they were black brant that were flying around the\n30   lagoon.  We don't have those kinds of aggregations of\n31   birds in Kodiak so seeing that at Izembek was pretty\n32   impressive.  And I was told they weren't even large\n33   flocks, that it was actually fairly small flocks for\n34   that time of year.  So migratory birds are very\n35   important in our region.  We remain concerned about\n36   decline in emperor geese, brant and cackling geese and\n37   we do understand the need for conservation measures,\n38   but we note that fall closures and restrictions in\n39   particular have a disproportionate impact on our region\n40   because the species that we hunt are primarily\n41   available in the fall.  So they --for example emperor\n42   geese do come to Kodiak, but the time when they're\n43   there, the spring season isn't open.  So really the\n44   only time to hunt these birds would be in the fall.  So\n45   fall closures basically preclude any hunting\n46   opportunity.  And then when those opportunities are\n47   limited it does directly affect subsistence users and\n48   cultural practices.\n\n---\n\n15   \n24   \n35   \n40   \n43   \n45   \n49   \n50\n\n1                   We're also hearing consistent\n2   observations from our communities about changing\n3   environmental conditions.  This can mean warmer\n4   summers, more variable winters so some winters are much\n5   warmer with less snow, some winters like this winter\n6   are much colder.  We always have wind in Kodiak, but\n7   this winter seemed particularly high winds.  And then\n8   shifting seasonal timing of when animals or fish --\n9   when they show up.  It's been different in the last\n10   probably five years we're seeing really big shifts in\n11   availability, things are not where we expect to see\n12   them.  These changes are affecting wildlife\n13   distribution, overwinter survival, migration patterns\n14   and ultimately subsistence access and success.\n\n16                   From our annual report the Council\n17   continues to emphasize the need for improved wildlife\n18   monitoring and data collection.  Gaps in surveys and\n19   limited resources make it difficult to fully understand\n20   population trends and to make informed management\n21   decisions.  We also continue to raise concerns about\n22   limited enforcement capacity throughout our region and\n23   the need for better coordination across agencies.\n\n25                   Finally I want to highlight again the\n26   importance of local knowledge.  Many of these changes\n27   are being first observed at the community level and\n28   that information is critical to understanding what's\n29   happening on the ground.  Overall the Council is seeing\n30   a system that still supports subsistence, but with\n31   increasing variability.  We encourage the Board to\n32   continue prioritizing data, communication and local\n33   input while ensuring that conservation measures also\n34   consider meaningful subsistence access.\n\n36                   Finally I want to thank our\n37   coordinator, Leigh Honig, for her great work and\n38   continually positive attitude, both are much\n39   appreciated.\n\n41                   That's all I have.  Happy to try to\n42   answer any questions.\n\n44                   Thank you.\n\n46                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n47   that, Rebecca.  Any questions or comments from the\n48   Board.\n\n---\n\n2   \n7   \n9   \n13   \n44   \n50\n\n## 1 (No comments)\n\n3                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate the\n4   report there.  We do see the same thing in Southeast,\n5   similar to Kodiak, a big shift in cycles and timings\n6   based on weather patterns.  So thank you for that.\n\n8                   Next we'll call on Leonard.\n\n10                   MR. BARGER:  Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. \n11   Put my other glasses on, after you get to the old age. \n12   So before I start I gave you guys a handout earlier so.\n\n14                   First of all, good morning, Mr. Chair,\n15   and members of the Board.  I'm here today and I wish\n16   I'd be home right now.  My nephew caught a whale last\n17   night and he was --that's his second whale so it was,\n18   you know, pretty good and pretty cold, but they just\n19   put it up this morning, about 6:00 this morning.  And\n20   so that's his second whale.  He was the first one that\n21   caught the whale at Point Hope, the first one.  We call\n22   him the king and queen, him and his wife.  So he'll set\n23   the date for the whaling festival in June.  So he's got\n24   the honor to do that.  So he'll --I just want to, you\n25   know, give a background of Point Hope, you know, we're\n26   pretty traditional.  And I've been asked to be a\n27   captain and I told some people heck no, F' no, you\n28   know, I don't want to be a captain because if I become\n29   a captain it's only this village here in Point Hope\n30   that we've got these young greedy elders nowadays, you\n31   know.  They want cars, trucks, snowmachines, four-\n32   wheeler.  They could get them if I catch my first\n33   whale.  They'll take my wife's car, they'll take my\n34   truck, they'll take my snowmachines, snow --Hondas,\n35   guns, TVs, anything.  Back then they used to distribute\n36   pots and pans, but no, like I said we've got these\n37   young greedy elders nowadays that, you know, they want\n38   cars, snowmachines, four-wheelers, but, you know, I\n39   don't want to be a --I'm a good driver now so I drive\n40   the boat for my nephew.  I've been offered, you know,\n41   snowmachines, boats to be on different crews, but I\n42   told my nephew I'm whaling with you because my former\n43   captain he lives in Anchorage.\n\n45                   And, you know, we take it very serious. \n46   You know, before I got here I never sleep for two days\n47   and a good rest.  So, you know, when we're out on the\n48   ice, you know, we're hunting.  You know, we hunt for\n49   our people.  We barter and we trade, you know, for --\n\n---\n\n9   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   you know, we don't sell that, you know, we're not\n2   allowed to sell the muktuk and beluga and stuff, you\n3   know, we barter.  You know, I got friends that, you\n4   know, my daughter, she's got friends from, you know,\n5   other places, she wants blueberries and, you know, all\n6   the other stuff, but, you know, I just want to give\n7   that brief, you know, view, you know, me and Point Hope\n8   and stuff.\n\n10                   My name is Leonard Barger, I'm from\n11   Point Hope and I serve as the Vice Chair of the North\n12   Slope Borough Advisory Council.  Thank you for the\n13   opportunity to speak today and to participate in the\n14   importance of regulation process.  I also want to\n15   express the --my gratitude for the chance to share\n16   several key priorities that are deeply important to the\n17   subsistence users in the North Slope.  And like I\n18   stated, you know, North Slope is pretty, you know,\n19   people in the North Slope are --you know, this is a\n20   bad time for us right now, we're out there whaling.  I\n21   know Charlie's not here, I know he's excused.  He's a\n22   captain, you know, he'd rather be out there.  And our\n23   Chairman, he's a whaling captain, you know, he couldn't\n24   make it.  He called me up, hey, Leonard, you better go\n25   to the Fish and Game Board meeting.  I was like I'm\n26   driving for my nephew.  No, no, you got to go.  So I'm\n27   here now.  So I'm --I would like to stay until, you\n28   know, when this meeting's over, but I'm leaving\n29   tomorrow because my nephew --my other nephew's been\n30   bugging me, you better get home, you better get home,\n31   you know, we need you to drive because the other drive\n32   he just --he came here last night to Anchorage so he's\n33   without a driver.  So I told him I'll be there, you\n34   know, tomorrow afternoon.  So and, you know, it's\n35   pretty hard, you know, I couldn't sleep, people were\n36   texting me all night last night, I didn't go to sleep\n37   until about 3:00 o'clock this morning.  So I was\n38   getting texts left and right and my nieces and my\n39   nephews, my daughters and my uncle were calling me and\n40   texting me.  So I had to turn my phone off to go to\n41   sleep.\n\n43                   (Laughter)\n\n45                   MR. BARGER:  So anyways I would like to\n46   --the users of the conflict between subsistence and\n47   sport users in the North Slope region remains one of\n48   our community's most processed concerns as mainly the\n49   sport hunters like Anaktuvuk Pass, their --they have a\n\n---\n\n29   \n45   \n50\n\n1   big issue over there.  I have a lady, she --she's on\n2   the Board, you know, she's on the Fish and Game Board,\n3   she's been on the Board for a long time and she brings\n4   up this issue over and over, nothing has --hasn't been\n5   done.  Nothing.  She brings it up over and over.  And\n6   she tears --tears up and brought the issues and stuff\n7   and still nothing the past 10 years she's been bringing\n8   it up.  So she's getting tired of it, you know.  This\n9   lady's been, you know, the backbone of the community,\n10   you know, voicing their concerns for their community. \n11   And also, you know, we talked about the caribou.  You\n12   know, Point Hope and Point Lay we have only one stock\n13   of caribou that we hunt, the Western Arctic Caribou\n14   Herd.  And that's the main caribou.  This time of the\n15   year like right now in March I would have to travel --\n16   I would have to go to Buckland or call my friends, you\n17   guys getting caribou and, you know, there's caribou.  I\n18   had --I had to drive all the way from Point Hope all\n19   the way to Buckland just to get caribou.  Why, I get\n20   that animal for captains that we depend on it during\n21   whaling time, keeps us warm out there on that --that\n22   animal that we catch.  We don't get males during the\n23   winter, lot of people know that we don't get whale --\n24   males during the winter, we get the cows and now\n25   they're regulating.  I know northwest is regulating the\n26   --you know, the proposal on the cow.  Us North Slope\n27   Borough we went, you know, one cow and four, you know,\n28   bulls and that's good, but, you know.\n\n30                   And the other thing is on the behavior\n31   of the caribou that, you know, a lot of people that go\n32   out and hunt, you know, especially the sport hunters,\n33   that's the major concern we have in the North Slope.  A\n34   lot of sport --you know, we see them fly in, fly out. \n35   And Nuiqsut, you know, that's --they're --you know,\n36   they see them there and they had the excuse, oh, my\n37   meat got rotten.  And they --you know, they got the\n38   big antlers.  We know that they --they just hunt the\n39   antlers only.  And there's quite a few seen, you know,\n40   that their ant --you know, that their meat, they said\n41   oh, it got rotten.  Us people here in Alaska, we take\n42   care of our meat, we know how to take care of our meat,\n43   how to process it, you know, how to take care of it\n44   through the whole summer or winter, to prepare.\n\n46                   So also I'd like to --behavior studies\n47   has been conducted and examined whether repeated short\n48   terms, should be in long term affected on their\n49   migration behavior.  This lack of research leaves our\n\n---\n\n21   \n50\n\n1   communities with unanswered questions while the\n2   problems grow more urgent each year.  Likewise the\n3   comprehensive studies has been conducted to study on\n4   the impact of users conflict, subsistence users.  In\n5   the previous annual report to the Board we informed the\n6   Board of the needs, of the importance of the studies,\n7   types and interactions among other things through\n8   wildlife research monitoring programs.  And that's\n9   another --you know, we'd love to have to see\n10   monitoring programs and stuff that these animals.  And\n11   also the food source, primary food source, are being\n12   out competed by wealth and access.  This is not equal\n13   playing field and the Council feels responsible to\n14   bring forward.  Look to your leadership and your\n15   expertise as technical experts and quite honestly as a\n16   space where we can gauge the dialogue that will bring\n17   real resources, solutions, reach in the ground.  I\n18   think we are in the point of the history that need\n19   coordination and collaboration between Federal agency\n20   and State to help address this conflict issue.\n\n22                   And also I know people were talking\n23   about gas prices.  When I went to Noatak in February I\n24   went there just to go get fish and stuff, you know,\n25   prepare for whaling and I got sled load of trout.  And\n26   I had to call my wife and I said I'm low on money.  I\n27   had to pay 17 bucks a gallon of gas over there.  That's\n28   how much their gas prices were there at Noatak,  17\n29   bucks a gallon of gas.  Heating fuel was 19.95 a gallon\n30   and they're limiting households five gallons for, you\n31   know, to buy.  So those kinds of issues and stuff, you\n32   know, we talked about gas prices all over, it's hurting\n33   all over the world, not just, you know, any other\n34   place, you know, people were complaining here in\n35   Anchorage, oh, gas prices are high.  You go to the\n36   villages they're a lot higher, you know, we pay more. \n37   You know, you guys are lucky you guys are only pay five\n38   bucks, you know, other villages are paying six, seven\n39   bucks a gallon of gas.  And you guys got more access\n40   and more, you know, food that you guys have here.  You\n41   guys got Walmart, you guys got, you know, all these\n42   places that you have.  I always order food from Amazon,\n43   you know, cheaper, you know, it's a lot cheaper.  And\n44   at our store we --you know, when --my kids like to\n45   have hamburger.  A bag of hamburger, you know, you guys\n46   see here it's only like 12 bucks here, in my store at\n47   AC, 65 bucks for the bag, one bag of hamburger patties\n48   65 bucks.  And you --we all celebrate, you know,\n49   Thanksgiving.  We want that ham.  Guess how much I had\n\n---\n\n5   \n21   \n50\n\n1   to pay for --well, my wife wanted the ham and it was a\n2   hundred and 25 bucks just for that ham.  Those kinds of\n3   things, real high price, you know, that we pay now at\n4   our local stores.\n\n6                   So I just bring, you know, all these\n7   issues.  You know, fish, I had to --you know, we talk\n8   about fish, this year --this summer --last summer I\n9   just only caught 40 to 50 and I kept only seven for me,\n10   for my family.  The other ones I give to elders and\n11   widows.  My first catch, I'll go bring it to them right\n12   away because they want that taste of the --what they\n13   eat.  That's my priority, I give them first the elders,\n14   the widows.  I respect them and that's the way of life\n15   that us Natives that we bring up, we hunt for our\n16   elders first and widows.  And right now I know my\n17   nephew is bringing elders --and we have a lot of\n18   ladies and men that are widows, he's over there feeding\n19   them right now, the taste of that muktuk.  That's our\n20   tradition, we honor them and we feed them.\n\n22                   And so back to my letter.  I'm getting\n23   way off on my things that are not in there.  But anyway\n24   first of all, you know, thank you for, you know,\n25   hearing me out and this is my first time, you know, as\n26   coming here to the Board.  You know, you guys listen to\n27   us as a RAC.  I'm just one, I'm talking to all our RAC\n28   members in the North Slope, I'm their voice, I'm there\n29   --you know, I --I listen to them and I'm here, you\n30   know, I wish we had all of our members were --you\n31   know, be here talking about their issues instead of the\n32   Chairs, you know, it would be nice to have them here,\n33   you know.  Like I talked about that lady that lives in\n34   Anaktuvuk, she's been there on the Board for so many\n35   years and, you know, she's been bringing up, bringing\n36   up all these issues and stuff, but nothing's being\n37   done.  And she was getting tears, tears every time she\n38   talk over and over.  And we tell her, you know, we're a\n39   hundred percent behind you, we fight for everyone. \n40   We're, you know, talking about the issues that we need,\n41   the proposals, the --you know, the laws and stuff. \n42   One elder tell me hey, go get me a caribou.  I say hey,\n43   I got to --I got to get my hunting license.  No, no,\n44   you go get me a caribou, I want it.  I said no, no, I\n45   got to wait until I get my hunting license.  We don't\n46   have a guy that, you know, gives out hunting license. \n47   We don't know --some people don't know about the, you\n48   know, tech, you go on your phone, you can get it\n49   online, you know, some people don't know about it.  And\n\n---\n\n14   \n35   \n50\n\n1   so that elder wanted that --you know, that meat.  And\n2   there was caribou close by in our town and I said I --\n3   can you wait, I've got to call a friend of mine, see if\n4   she can get me a hunting license.  So I called her in\n5   Barrow so she ordered it for me and send it --send it\n6   to me on email so I was good to go.  And I went to go\n7   get that caribou for him and it was a cow.  And, you\n8   know, he doesn't want male because they're stinky, you\n9   know, they rut, we --we know it's rut during, you\n10   know, February, December, we don't want that male, but\n11   young ones, the young males, you know, they're good,\n12   but we don't want to get them, we want them to grow. \n13   So that's the issue, you know.\n\n15                   Present in the North Slope communities\n16   what does matter.  Our communities are not only dealing\n17   with regulatory complexes, they are dealing with rapid\n18   ecological changes, weather patterns are shifting,\n19   animal behavior and changes.  Communities like\n20   Anaktuvuk --like I said Anaktuvuk Pass have struggled\n21   through the difficult periods not having caribou to\n22   harvest.  Now we hear that the Western Arctic Caribou\n23   Herd had dropped to roughly 100 animals --100,000\n24   animals and it has the --caused deep concern from the\n25   place like Tikigaq, Point Hope and Point Lay.  The\n26   people most affected by regulation changes and\n27   decisions must be able to understand them.  Weighing in\n28   their --on them and see that their voices matter.  We\n29   have a lot of voices over there, but, you know, when we\n30   have meetings some of them don't want to go to the\n31   meetings.  And we --you know, I'm just one voice, I\n32   can't make that decision or rule for my community, we\n33   have to have their voice heard too.  So they also need\n34   the opportunity to ask questions.\n\n36                   I bring this to your attention because\n37   there are --there's room for improvement.  We operate\n38   under the assumption that people know how to engage to\n39   make their voices heard, but that is not the case.  In\n40   my region alone I think there's opportunities to\n41   strengthen and expand outreach effort across the North\n42   Slope communities, to provide similar explanations of\n43   proposals, decisions and program roles, vitals and\n44   diagrams are helpful.  Develop community level maps. \n45   there are maps, you know, like Unit 23 and that covers\n46   Point Hope and that's in, you know, the Northwest\n47   Arctic region.  And, you know, I'm happy and thankful,\n48   Crystal, that approves me to go to the Northwest RAC\n49   because I rep --I'm with the North Slope, but the\n\n---\n\n10   \n36   \n42   \n44   \n50\n\n1   issues and stuff in the Northwest Arctic, they concern\n2   us too in Point Hope because we're in Unit 23.  We get\n3   the same animals.  And I brought up in our RAC that,\n4   you know, mapping, they should follow the North Slope,\n5   you know, boundaries or the ANCSA boundaries to put us\n6   instead of, you know, putting us in Unit 23, put us in\n7   that same unit for --so we don't have to voice our\n8   concern because we don't have representation in\n9   Kotzebue.  And I brought that up in our meetings.\n\n11                   So increase in persons visiting and\n12   opportunities for two-way conversation, ensure\n13   materials and translate and interpret because we would\n14   go to meetings like some of us here, you know, we're\n15   Inupiaq or, you know, Indian --translate, some of --\n16   you know, some of us (in Native) we don't --when I\n17   say, (in Native) means we can't understand.  Like when\n18   we regulate some of the elders think, you know, four\n19   caribou plus one, they think it's for a family, it's\n20   not, it's per person, that's what they think, you know. \n21   We have to give them more understanding of what we, you\n22   know, regulate on their proposals and stuff that, you\n23   know, like --because like some elders --I talk to a\n24   lot of elders myself and I talked to a lot of them\n25   passed on and, you know, hate to see them, but they're\n26   in a better place, no more suffering, they're eating --\n27   you know, they're eating, you know, healthy up there. \n28   But, you know, I'd like to go back again, increase in\n29   persons visiting and opportunities for two-way\n30   conversation.  One more education about land\n31   management, regulate history and how to navigate the\n32   complicate of Unit 26A and widen our region.  This\n33   investment is not optional, it is essential for the\n34   functions, responsible public driven Subsistence\n35   Management Program.\n\n37                   And I would like to thank you for the\n38   opportunity to share this priority with you and I hope\n39   we can discuss with more details.  And I bless you and\n40   thank you for listening to me about my --you know, my\n41   thing that we have here.\n\n## 43 Thanks, Mr. Chair.\n\n45                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n46   Leonard.  I think this is the most valuable part of it\n47   and getting to know each other and what you represent\n48   and how you serve your people is probably the pinnacle\n49   of the program.  So thank you for feeding the elders\n\n---\n\n4   \n7   \n12   \n18   \n20   \n50\n\n1   and appreciate those super subsisters that are always\n2   looking out for the needs of our people in the\n3   community.\n\n5                   We'll move on next to --are there any\n6   questions from the Board or comments?\n\n8                   We need to take a real --one five\n9   second pause, not a long one, we have a little\n10   technical Teams difficulty so we going to give the IT\n11   that time.\n\n13                   We can continue here since that's just\n14   between us here.  We'll go ahead and step over to Mr.\n15   Mulligan from the State and we'll give him an\n16   opportunity to information share as well as we do get\n17   our IT together.\n\n## 19 Thank you.\n\n21                   MR. MULLIGAN:  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. \n22   For the record Ben Mulligan, Deputy Commissioner for\n23   the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.  I come into\n24   these meetings and I've been coming to them for eight\n25   years now trying to think of a way to succinctly give\n26   the Board, the RACs, the public, a summary of what the\n27   Department is doing.  I mean, there's so much going on\n28   right now, you know, we had some of the Board talk\n29   about, you know, things that are going on with their\n30   budgets.  And right now we are in Legislative session\n31   still and so our budget is still in the air.  And I\n32   think the one thing that I've seen floating around\n33   Facebook and the press that you guys all may have seen\n34   as a decision by the --at least on the House side, may\n35   jeopardize the continued function of the Fairbanks\n36   sport fish hatchery.  There's several pieces of\n37   legislation out there that would impact the Department. \n38   And so like I said in order to facilitate the meeting\n39   going by smoothly I would say if you have a specific\n40   thing you want to know about your region come chat. \n41   Most of the time you'll see me sitting right here, I\n42   won't move because I'm trying to prepare for the next\n43   proposal or closure review comments that I'm going to\n44   give, but I will always take the time if you come sit\n45   down and ask me a question about what's going on in\n46   your region, more than happy to --you know, Dan came\n47   by real quick just to ask about a proposal and I gave\n48   him the low down, more than happy to do that with\n49   anybody else as well because, I mean, I do --we just\n\n---\n\n14   \n20   \n22   \n26   \n28   \n32   \n45   \n50\n\n1   came out of --I mean, kind of springtime I guess\n2   depending on where you're at which meant that a lot of\n3   wildlife surveys had been conducted.  And at the same\n4   time as all of you know this is the time to gear up for\n5   field projects so we have a lot of folks hiring,\n6   getting training related for all the projects that you\n7   see out in your areas that we're conducting.  We also\n8   have subsistence household surveys that are wrapping up\n9   in --but in some areas they will still be continuing\n10   into the spring.  There's just a ton of stuff that we\n11   do and no way that I could tell you all about it in a\n12   way that would lead us to probably getting done until\n13   after you all went to lunch.\n\n15                   So with that and not to, you know,\n16   speak lightly because we do do a lot is just say come\n17   by, pick my brain for a few minutes, and if I don't\n18   know I'll take notes and I will try to get back to you\n19   with that information.\n\n## 21 So thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n23                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you, Mr.\n24   Mulligan.  Any questions or comments from the Board for\n25   Ben.\n\n## 27 (No comments)\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I appreciate\n30   the State being here.  And we're good.  We'll move on\n31   to Mr. Louis Green.\n\n33                   MR. GREEN:  Well, thank you, Mr. Chair. \n34   My name is Louis Green, I'm the Chairman of the Seward\n35   Peninsula RAC in the Bering Straits region.  I wear a\n36   lot of hats, but not as many as Charlie over here, but\n37   I serve on the regional ANCSA Board, Bering Straits,\n38   and I serve on the village corp Board Sitnasauk for\n39   Nome.  I think I'm going to be dipping my toes in the\n40   water with the AFN Subsistence Committee, Bering\n41   Straits put my name forward for that.  And that gives\n42   me a pretty wide range of people who I represent so\n43   it's, you know, we, the people, I think.  I --that's\n44   where I come from.\n\n46                   Just personally my --through my\n47   lifetime I've fathered seven children, got three\n48   natural born grandchildren and a couple others that --\n49   is that loud enough, I could hear my echo out here\n\n---\n\n33   \n39   \n50\n\n1   which is kind of rare because I'm not so good at\n2   hearing.  So anyway --thank you, Katya, I served on\n3   the Northern Norton Sound Advisory Committee for about\n4   13 years back in '93 to '05, part of the --most --\n5   half time as Vice Chair.  I'm giving out kind of who I\n6   am because I know there's new people in here and\n7   there's new people coming.  I spent a lot of time in my\n8   life --the reason I'm in this arena here and I've been\n9   for over 25 years between the State and the Fed systems\n10   is --I guess it's a passion of mine because my\n11   grandmother bringing me up from the time I --at least\n12   I can recall five years old, trying to be part of\n13   fishing salmon at the time.  It's been a --you know,\n14   my whole life I've been hunting and gathering and I\n15   always brought my family and friends and their friends\n16   through times of those seasons to hunt and gather.  So\n17   I'm kind of --like I said it's a passion of mine. \n18   I've commercial fished from Kodiak to the Bering Strait\n19   and around the corner, familiar with the halibut\n20   fisheries, the king crab fisheries, we have red king\n21   crab there in the Norton Sound, the herring fishery\n22   that kind of came and went, see a lot of the need for\n23   that to come back.  I spent time herding reindeer with\n24   an airplane as well as handling in the chutes with\n25   people up on the Northern Seward Peninsula.  I also was\n26   a spotter pilot out of Togiak and Norton Sound for\n27   herring.  Marine mammal hunter, walrus, seals, Beluga. \n28   And what I do with that is I try to pass it on to the\n29   younger generation, I always have.  It's been a passion\n30   of mine to make sure that these younger people have the\n31   skills to be able to continue to feed the families that\n32   they bring up into the world.\n\n34                   So I have a --like I said I was the\n35   father of seven.  I also have a friend in life that's\n36   my partner in life, Gayla Hoseth, and we have similar\n37   passions about our natural fish and game, natural\n38   resources, which is a rare thing maybe.\n\n40                   As far as the Board, we're here to --I\n41   appreciate the ability to be here and the opportunity\n42   to speak to you to elevate the concerns of --there's\n43   several concerns brought forward of our Council\n44   members.  I go back to the early '90s and Board of Fish\n45   meetings and it's been --you know, it's really heart\n46   wrenching because I sit there and I listen to what I\n47   heard over 30 years ago from people now, it's all the\n48   way across the state and western Alaska especially and\n49   I just don't understand why things are so bad that --\n\n---\n\n19   \n21   \n23   \n28   \n50\n\n1   and then nobody's really seemingly doing anything about\n2   it.  We know there's --there's a industry out there\n3   that's not on the beach like the rest of us.  And I'll\n4   speak a little more to that, but I wanted to get to a\n5   point here that one of my lifelong friends, a grandma's\n6   boy like me, I wanted to recognize Tommy Gray and his\n7   lifelong service for, you know, decades of service to\n8   the Advisory Committees, the Beluga Commission, the\n9   Federal Subsistence RAC process.  And, you know, Tommy\n10   was one of the regulars, his voice, commitment shaped\n11   every discussion.  You know, I used to tell him, I said\n12   I'm sure glad you're sitting here because, you know,\n13   everybody tells me I talk too much, but, man, when\n14   you're there at the table you put me in a good light\n15   because you talk more than me.  And we'd laugh and go\n16   about our business.  It's --he's well missed there at\n17   the table.  So I just wanted a moment of silence for\n18   Tommy Gray and I'd ask everybody to stand.\n\n## 20 Thank you.\n\n## 22 (Moment of silence)\n\n24                   MR. GREEN:  Okay.  Thank you and that\n25   honor that.  He always called me young man, I was\n26   almost as old as him.  And thank you, folks, for doing\n27   that.\n\n29                   One of the things that --you know,\n30   many of us have served on these Councils and Committee\n31   for, you know, decades and one of the --you know, for\n32   the idea that continuity flows, we have the information\n33   and we hear how people up here from the government side\n34   of things are changing out and we're seeing it, you\n35   know, hearing it today.  The people that are there that\n36   have been there for a long time are there because they\n37   want to be like myself, we have one fellow that's been\n38   over 30 years, Elmer Seetot, and Tom Gray was, you\n39   know, two or three decades himself.  I've been there\n40   since 2010 at the Federal level.  So looking at the\n41   future is looking into the youth that we have in our\n42   region and trying to foster the interested ones into\n43   coming to the table and taking part in here and taking\n44   over for us.  Like I said, you know, we're --we can't\n45   do this forever, but we probably will anyway, you know,\n46   but we do this because it's part of our life story and\n47   so we want to pass that on and have it continue.  The\n48   unfortunate thing for those of us that do this, there's\n49   no retirement plan so here we are.\n\n---\n\n40   \n50\n\n1                   Our youth today, they face a time where\n2   their fish and their game resources are down and, you\n3   know, we came from a time when there was abundant --\n4   lots, we've --we seen lots, we had easy opportunity,\n5   but nowadays it's not like that anymore for different\n6   reasons.  I say, you know, bringing these younger\n7   people into the system --I like what I heard somewhere\n8   somebody was doing this in the school system.  Mr.\n9   Woods might have mentioned that where they do their\n10   meetings in a school and during a school --when it's\n11   in session sounded like to me.  I think that might be\n12   something that my region might want to --we might want\n13   to look into.  We're already looking into the program\n14   to bring our youth into the regulatory system and\n15   learning how to navigate it and our Council's explored\n16   some ways to engage our youth and the one thing that we\n17   really appreciated was the fact of adding a non-voting\n18   youth seat to our charters which we thought was a step\n19   forward.  Unfortunately haven't had that happen in our\n20   area yet where we have one on the Council, but I think\n21   that we were really interested in seeing how the\n22   Federal agencies such as BLM and the National Park\n23   Service could help support that youth involvement in\n24   our region.  Like planting a seed, we'd like to see\n25   someway to have those youth engaged.  And a friend here\n26   from Southeast, Heather Bauscher, Bauscher, excuse me,\n27   did come up to our Council meeting in March and present\n28   what she's doing here with these youth back here with\n29   her now.  We want to see that from up there, I'd like\n30   to see that in every region.  I think it would be the\n31   smartest thing that we could do is bringing our youth\n32   forward so I'm putting a lot of emphasis on that.  She\n33   does actually have a manual for this I think she's\n34   coming out with and if you're interested in something\n35   like that in your region I would suggest that you have\n36   a sidebar conversation with her.  She's very willing to\n37   have those conversations.  So appreciate her being here\n38   today and that was really a pleasure to have her up\n39   there when we conducted out last meeting.\n\n41                   The talk about salmon.  The idea that\n42   salmon have played a part in human history is\n43   phenomenal, you know, they've been around for 5 million\n44   years.  Knowing of a study that took place back in the\n45   late '80s pointing out that the --the importance of\n46   salmon to the whole Pacific Rim was interesting.  I --\n47   I'm not --I don't have a name on that, but there was a\n48   hell of a presentation done by the guy that was part of\n49   that.  At one time I watched a short film there.  But\n\n---\n\n17   \n50\n\n1   what was interesting was they had identified two salmon\n2   production areas or regions in Western Alaska and one\n3   was Bristol Bay, one we can all understand that, we\n4   look at millions of sockeye fish --salmon that go\n5   there.  But the other one was which has been in sad\n6   shape since probably the late '70s is the Norton Sound. \n7   So when you talk about salmon it plays a part in every\n8   part --everything from marine world to the --to the\n9   land, you know.  I made an example to somebody, I said,\n10   you know, of all the sea mammals that feed on that and\n11   all the sharks and whatever else feeds on salmon on the\n12   way, when they're out there rearing in the sea and then\n13   they return to the river systems and lakes, the\n14   predation of those fish, not just man, when it hits\n15   land it's bears and wolves, human beings and everything\n16   in between.\n\n18                   But one of the things that I drew an\n19   example of was, you know, the moose we eat and we're\n20   having moose herd problems, we all know that too,\n21   that's another factor in our lives out in rural Alaska\n22   is that, you know, that big animal on four legs is --\n23   provides a lot of --a lot of protein for people.  And\n24   what I said was, you know, the salmon, they come up the\n25   river and people always see a river like this, right,\n26   it's --there's the bank and there's the other bank. \n27   There's willows growing on that bank.  But what they\n28   don't think about is the water table underneath it\n29   stretches out beyond that bank and the way to identify\n30   how far it reaches is kind of like the willow pattern\n31   that's on the side of the rivers, it kind of goes back\n32   aways and then fades away.  Well, moose eat those\n33   willows and for decades now I can say that Norton Sound\n34   has been pretty sad for those types of animals that\n35   feed on that because the salmon, the marine river\n36   nutrients that they deliver to those rivers is not\n37   really being delivered anymore.  Just for instance we\n38   got involved in this in '93 at the Board of Fish level\n39   and we had salmon, we had problems with salmon, chums\n40   and kings were going, silvers were going.  The idea\n41   that that far back was involved and I thought we were\n42   doing things to progress forward, to come to a point\n43   where management would actually do something and we\n44   would retain those runs and everything would get\n45   better, but, you know what, I went down to the Nome\n46   River last summer where there's a spawning bed there,\n47   it's below a spring and there wasn't one king there. \n48   One --there wasn't anything in that section of the\n49   river.  And I thought where have we come from 1993 to\n\n---\n\n27   \n39   \n50\n\n1   now, we've come from fish and fighting for fish to the\n2   point where there is none.  So something's absolutely\n3   wrong and I don't think it's the people that are\n4   sitting here at the table that are representing our\n5   folks, it's the people that are in the management side\n6   of things in the governments, they --Federal that\n7   aren't listening.  And, you know, talking about\n8   traditional knowledge we all bring it to the table, we\n9   have biological knowledge come to the table and yet\n10   we're still dealing with --it's like a monetary issue,\n11   it's not about how a person can feed themselves because\n12   for 20,000 years, I say 20,000, people have been\n13   walking down to a river and feeding themselves.  They\n14   didn't have to buy 16 and $17 gas to go fishing, they\n15   didn't have to buy 16 and $17 gas worth a gallon of gas\n16   to go caribou hunting 90 to a hundred miles which we do\n17   now, it's pathetic.  So the problem isn't the people\n18   that come here representing the masses of people, it's\n19   the management systems that we're dealing with that\n20   aren't doing what they need to be doing to preserve\n21   things for the future.  And, man, when I look at\n22   listening to my friend over there on the North Slope\n23   talking about the difficulties of just going and taking\n24   care of business and paying $17 for a gallon of gas I\n25   go my goodness.  We shouldn't have to do that, nobody\n26   should.\n\n28                   So in the interests of our natural\n29   resources being intact I think that if we were --if\n30   we're managing --if our systems were managed for\n31   subsistence first then everybody would have a piece of\n32   the pie, all the other user groups would have\n33   something.  So when I look at from the Norton Sound's\n34   Nome sub-district all the way down to Bristol Bay I\n35   just --it's a sad thing to witness in my lifetime. \n36   I'm going to be 68 years old in a couple of weeks.  And\n37   to think that, you know, at the age of 35 I started\n38   this and it's --it's worse than it ever was.\n\n40                   The caribou, what's the answer for the\n41   caribou.  You know, we deal with that too up there in\n42   Norton Sound, up on the Seward Peninsula, we're both of\n43   that WACH, Western Arctic Caribou Herd.  We seen where\n44   we protected the people's who are Federally-qualified,\n45   people's right to hunt them close by and it made a\n46   difference like up in the Noatak, I know that we closed\n47   the Federal lands and it gave opportunity for people to\n48   go out there.  And one was an old man that went out\n49   there, we had a young fellow come in here and talk to\n\n---\n\n12   \n33   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   us at a meeting and he said he was so happy, he got up\n2   there and he's --he described what that old man told\n3   him about hunting that animal and how he had to stalk\n4   it and he got it and how he was dancing around, the guy\n5   was imitating him.  And it was like, you know, you see\n6   that and then --and realize that all the people that\n7   sat at the table from the '80s on, the elders that are\n8   all dead and gone now and we've become the elders, am I\n9   going to have to dance like that someday because I got\n10   opportunity.  I sure hope not and that's why we're\n11   here.\n\n13                   So the Norton Sound stocks have been\n14   depressed for decades and I always say we're the canary\n15   in the coal mine, we got hit first, then the next was\n16   Unalakleet, and then the next was the Yukon and then\n17   the Kuskokwim and I see it in --down in Bristol Bay. \n18   I fished there last year, subsistence with my partner,\n19   Gayla Hoseth.  And we're lucky there was a few kings,\n20   but to see that big system down there starting to get\n21   hit, when are we going to wake up the people that are\n22   supposed to be doing the job of preserving those\n23   resources.  I hear mining, mining, mining.  Well, it\n24   ain't mining that's doing that to our fish except it is\n25   considered in my mind mining out in the ocean with\n26   those trawlers.  I've never spoken well of them since\n27   they first started with the CDQ program, I didn't like\n28   what we were getting involved in up there in my region\n29   and I told my Board member not to get into it and buy\n30   into it, just --you got the quota, just stay out of\n31   the infrastructure.  Didn't happen.  Now we're part of\n32   it.\n\n## 34 So where do we go from here.\n\n36                   Our Council has been at the table and\n37   we've had discussions about that and we talk about the\n38   fact that --I know we sent letters in that say there's\n39   the Department of Agriculture and the Department of\n40   Interior, where is the Department of Commerce and why\n41   doesn't this Federal Subsistence Board have the ability\n42   not to have any authority over those Federal water\n43   fishes.  There's some questions to be answered.\n\n45                   And I'm about ready to rest here.  I\n46   think we all have the same thoughts, I heard other\n47   people speak of the Department of Commerce.  The\n48   Department of Commerce needs to be engaged with us and\n49   sit at the table so that they can take that information\n\n---\n\n11   \n21   \n23   \n25   \n28   \n30   \n35   \n37   \n39   \n46   \n48   \n50\n\n1   back to the --to DC and tell whoever's Administration\n2   is at the time that this is what's going on up there. \n3   It's not the land of plenty anymore.  The people up\n4   there need what they have, they don't have it, they\n5   need it.  So the Superintendent --excuse me, the --I\n6   think the idea of the Department of Commerce directly\n7   in a cross jurisdictional dialogue and decision-making\n8   particularly when we're having salmon bycatch and\n9   trawlers, we --impacts is the very top of the priority\n10   list, we should find some way to get to that.\n\n12                   In closing the Seward Peninsula\n13   Regional Advisory Council appreciates the Board's time\n14   and attention to these matters and we look forward to a\n15   continued partnership and ensuring that the needs and\n16   the rights and the voices of our subsistence users\n17   present and future bringing from the past, that we have\n18   here at the table are heard and respected.  We need to\n19   manage for subsistence.  I want to see that before the\n20   day I take my last breath.\n\n22                   So thank you.  Sorry about the passion.\n\n24                   Thank you, Mr. Chair.\n\n26                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  That's why we\n27   love you, Louis.  Any questions from the Board.\n\n29                   (No comments)\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  I think that's\n32   a good place to take lunch and think about everything\n33   Louis said and we'll come back at --one hour and 15\n34   minutes.  We'll see you guys back here at 1:30.\n\n36                   (Off record)\n\n38                   (On record)\n\n40                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Caron McKee. \n41   Caron McKee.  We want you to come --if you're willing\n42   to do a little introduction we're going to reconvene\n43   this meeting after lunchtime to the art project we have\n44   there so we can let everybody here know what's going on\n45   with that and what our expectations with voting are.\n\n47                   Thank you.\n\n49                   MS. McKEE:  Hi, Mr. Chair and members\n\n---\n\n12   \n24   \n26   \n29   \n32   \n37   \n50\n\n1   of the Board.  I'm Caron McKee, I'm the Outreach\n2   Coordinator for the Office of Subsistence Management. \n3   And we hosted a student art contest this year, it was\n4   open to all students in Alaska, grades K through 12. \n5   We had a whopping 189 submissions which is one of the\n6   highest levels of participation we've ever had so we\n7   really want to thank all the parents and teachers who\n8   encouraged their kids to participate.  The quality of\n9   the art this year was really amazing to see, just the\n10   knowledge of species and subsistence uses and\n11   resources.\n\n13                   So we're excited to have all the Board\n14   members and ISC members be the judges this year.  You\n15   have supplemental binders and in those binders there is\n16   a voting form.  The art itself is displayed on the two\n17   back tables in the back, there's 25 pieces of art for\n18   you to peruse during the meeting and then when you feel\n19   like it go ahead and fill out your judging form and\n20   return it to me.  I'm seated over here kind of near the\n21   coffee stand.  And when judging is completed we'll\n22   tally the votes and announce the first and second place\n23   winners.\n\n## 25 Thank you.\n\n27                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you for\n28   that.  Appreciate the update.\n\n30                   All right.  With that we'll get back to\n31   our RAC Chair reports and we'll call on Mr. Charlie.\n\n33                   MR. WRIGHT:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n34   Through the Chair.  Thanks for this time and thanks to\n35   the Council for being here and doing all that you do\n36   and all the sacrifices you make.  Appreciate you.\n\n38                   First I'd like to recognize all the\n39   Chiefs in the room and the former Chiefs.  I grew up\n40   along the Yukon River between Rampart and Tanana,\n41   hunting, fishing, trapping and living a subsistence\n42   lifestyle.  And I have to say right now that my\n43   subsistence needs haven't been met in 15 plus years\n44   wholly.  I have to go all the way to Bristol Bay to get\n45   fish for my family because we can't get fish on the\n46   Yukon.  I drive my truck to Anchorage and I fly to\n47   Ekwok and I fish, freeze and dry fish and I bring it\n48   all the way back to the Yukon and drive it down the\n49   Yukon to my mother in Rampart so that she could stop\n\n---\n\n6   \n11   \n21   \n29   \n47   \n50\n\n1   looking downriver and wanting fish.  I do that every\n2   chance I get to bring fish home to her.  I have to do\n3   that for my extended family, I've always been a\n4   provider for them.  So it's something that I'll always\n5   do as long as I can walk and get along.\n\n7                   I also run culture camps, teach\n8   trapping for over 30 years tying hard to keep the\n9   traditions alive for the people along the river in my\n10   area.\n\n12                   I go over 500 miles to moose hunt, even\n13   more than that if it takes me the whole --sometimes I\n14   don't get one, but if it takes the whole season you\n15   talk about a thousand miles.  I don't like to hunt near\n16   my village because there's people there that have less\n17   opportunity than me and they don't have a good boat,\n18   they don't have a camp down the river that they can go\n19   to and have a good floor in place to stay and look for\n20   moose.\n\n22                   A lot of the communities in the Eastern\n23   Interior are in a no other means situation and it's\n24   getting worse as we go forward with all the added\n25   pressure from the outside of the region.  The moose,\n26   caribou, sheep, bear are in bad shape, low numbers,\n27   sometimes it takes a whole moose --a whole season to\n28   find a moose like I said a little big ago.\n\n30                   In my mind a Federal Review needs to be\n31   --to favor the Federally-qualified users at this time. \n32   Like I said we're in a no other means in a lot of the\n33   villages right now and we the people need this Board to\n34   make the right decisions for us during this review.  We\n35   all need the Department of Commerce to take action\n36   before our salmon go extinct, we need special actions\n37   to support the areas that have low numbers of moose or\n38   the --so the managers --otherwise the managers will\n39   keep hunting these areas until there's nothing left.  I\n40   asked a manager what was the magic number he would\n41   consider closing a hunt on a caribou herd, he told me\n42   500.  That's not sustainable with client uncertainty\n43   now.  As humans we all need to do better for the\n44   resources.  We need to get along and we need to work\n45   together to sustain these herds and runs of salmon for\n46   the generations to come.\n\n48                   The way that the Board is structured\n49   now the people that live off the land and on the land\n\n---\n\n4   \n35   \n44   \n50\n\n1   are the ones making these recommendations for changes\n2   and they're the good ones, they're the people that see\n3   everything, that have seen all the changes.\n\n5                   There should be no hunting by non-\n6   Federally-qualified users until the managers can do a\n7   proper count.  Using kill numbers don't say nothing,\n8   but how many was killed.  As an example in 20F where I\n9   come from there's been no count for years and now\n10   there's no more moose, none.  There's too much\n11   uncertainty in this kind of management, not --don't\n12   open hunts and not put game wardens on there also\n13   because we have an awful lot of wanton waste going\n14   on.     And it's time to strengthen the rules for\n15   wanton waste and wasting.  They need to lose hunting\n16   time, the individuals that are found wanton waste\n17   because there's too many people that are hungry right\n18   now.  If you can get out there and hunt and you can get\n19   out there and talk to the communities in the area and\n20   if you don't want the meat, you only want the racks,\n21   then there's a place for that meat to go.  There has\n22   been for years.  I talked to a Fort Yukon resident\n23   yesterday and he told me he wished to see a subsistence\n24   hunt only where they cut off the racks, half of the\n25   rack on a moose like they do in the Nowitna management\n26   style.  The big bulls are all being taken out and this\n27   is your problem.  They teach the young how and what to\n28   eat and how to heal themselves and from other natural\n29   affects.  They know what to do with the big ones that\n30   --we are seeing a lot of parasites in the moose in\n31   20F, two out of three have parasites.  Growing up we\n32   seen them in the cyst form, but now they're six to\n33   eight inches long, going up the legs, underneath the\n34   fascial tissue and they're in the marrow already.\n\n36                   There's been a few changes in the\n37   fishing at the North Pacific and the Board of Fish. \n38   There was 150 tribes in the unity room.  There are --\n39   and this is because there's no escapement goals being\n40   met anywhere in our rivers.  Maybe a couple, Kuskokwim\n41   could be one of them, they're fishing and they manage\n42   towards the top of the escapement goal.  And I think\n43   that's why they're successful with their co-management.\n\n45                   Climate.  We think --my group think\n46   that the cold winters --the cold winter we just had is\n47   great for salmon, the spawning grounds and other\n48   creeks, steams, will be full of ice and that'll mean\n49   good health for the salmon.  And the ice comes down on\n\n---\n\n9   \n20   \n25   \n27   \n30   \n32   \n35   \n37   \n44   \n50\n\n**0060**\n\n1   the Bering Sea will bring good health, healthy\n2   nutrients to the sea and the colder water will keep\n3   toxic algae blooms down on the bottom.  Overall better\n4   health to the system with our small changes to the\n5   management bodies, North Pacific and the Board of Fish\n6   we hope to see better numbers in the future.  And\n7   health of the salmon and other species that depend on a\n8   healthy ecosystem.\n\n10                   The lack of salmon is affecting the\n11   whole ecosystem from top predators to very small bugs. \n12   In my area wolves hunt spawning fish, they feed up to\n13   250 species in an anadromous stream, they put a\n14   hundred, 200 fish up on the bank and they leave and\n15   they come back in a week later and they eat the skins,\n16   that's all they want.  They left everything else. \n17   They're providers like myself.  This salmon disaster's\n18   affecting everything in this ecosystem, spawning ground\n19   to the Bering Sea.\n\n21                   And that's the short and sweet report\n22   that I want to make and I want to thank you guys for\n23   the opportunity and your dedication and sacrifice of\n24   your time.\n\n## 26 Thank you.\n\n28                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n29   Charlie.  Any comments or questions from the Board.\n\n## 31 (No comments)\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  We appreciate\n34   your leadership.  Thank you, Charlie, for your report.\n\n## 36 Move on to Jacqueline.\n\n38                   MS. CLEVELAND:  (In Native) Jacqueline\n39   Cleveland.  (In Native).  Hi, my name is Jacqueline\n40   Cleveland or (in Native) and I'm from Quinhagak.  I'm\n41   here as the Chair for the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta RAC and\n42   this is my first time at a Federal Subsistence Board\n43   regulatory meeting as a Chair.\n\n45                   And with that I believe salmon and\n46   caribou continue to be our most concerning food\n47   security issues.  For salmon as many of you know there\n48   has been a salmon crisis on the Yukon River for too\n49   long and for the Kuskokwim watershed which is doing\n\n---\n\n5   \n12   \n21   \n34   \n42   \n50\n\n1   better, but still not like it --how it used to be. \n2   And in our bay outside of Quinhagak we continue to\n3   harvest all five species of salmon with sockeye salmon\n4   being at the top for both the bay and Kuskokwim River.\n\n6                   There were two big meetings this\n7   winter.  As many of you know North Pacific and Board of\n8   Game for Area M or sorry, Board of Fisheries for Area M\n9   and we're hopeful some of the actions taken in these\n10   meetings will help more salmon return to our rivers and\n11   bay.\n\n13                   It is difficult for subsistence users\n14   to have a --have to continually attend meetings and\n15   advocate our subsistence fisheries in multiple\n16   regulatory arenas like Board of Fish, North Pacific,\n17   NSSD.  We really need to help --we really need the\n18   help of our government leaders to bring all these\n19   entities together to protect and manage salmon across\n20   their entire ecosystem including their ocean habitat.\n\n22                   And on a lighter note the people in our\n23   region are very happy with the co-management\n24   arrangement between the Kuskokwim River InterTribal\n25   Fish Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\n26   manager.  Having tribal representation at the decision-\n27   making table has resulted in more trust being built all\n28   around.  And they are also prioritizing conservation to\n29   make sure escapement goals are being met and future\n30   generations are able to continue to fish.  And we're\n31   hopeful to see co-management on the Yukon soon as well\n32   as the Yukon River InterTribal Fish Commission\n33   continues to build its capacity.\n\n35                   As for the Mulchatna Caribou which are\n36   historically a vital subsistence food source for us, we\n37   haven't been able to hunt them for several years now. \n38   Our RAC is writing a letter to request the formation of\n39   a Mulchatna Caribou working group to bring Federal and\n40   State managers as well as local people together to\n41   collaborate with rebuilding efforts.\n\n43                   I'm going to have to mention that the\n44   aftermath of Typhoon Halong continues to impact our\n45   communities and subsistence life as we try to rebuild. \n46   And our RAC has also requested that those who had to\n47   relocate to Anchorage or other urban areas remain\n48   eligible to hunt and fish as rural subsistence users\n49   under Federal regulations since their relocation was\n\n---\n\n2   \n19   \n26   \n35   \n43   \n50\n\n1   out of their control.\n\n3                   Moving on to moose.  Moose numbers in\n4   Unit 18 are so high right now it is becoming a very\n5   popular spot for sport hunting and guided hunts.  This\n6   is a complex problem because we need to harvest moose\n7   so that their numbers don't get so high that they\n8   crash, but the influx of outsiders is creating an\n9   increasing competition with local subsistence users and\n10   more issues with trespassing on Native corporation\n11   lands and Native allotments.  There are also more\n12   reports of wanton waste.  And the YKDelta RAC would\n13   like to see more law enforcement in the area during the\n14   fall season, hunting season, and have check points at\n15   hub community airports like Bethel and Saint Mary's to\n16   ensure meat is being salvaged properly and to reduce\n17   wanton waste.  Also in some cases when meat is donated\n18   to communities it's already gone bad.\n\n20                   We're putting a few Board of Game\n21   proposals for parts of Unit 18 to try to shorten the\n22   long --the non-resident season and start the resident\n23   seasons earlier.  This might help the conflicts by\n24   letting locals have an earlier shot at moose before\n25   non-residents arrive.\n\n27                   Our RAC has also asked that regulatory\n28   maps be updated so that they show Native corporation\n29   lands and Native allotments.  We think this could help\n30   raise awareness about the ownership and maybe reduce\n31   trespassing.  And these maps should be posted at\n32   airstrips and boat launches.  And I wanted to add it\n33   would also help the hunter and subsistence user on the\n34   ground by having these maps as well.\n\n36                   And going back to my community of\n37   Quinhagak sport fish --fishers are rafting well into\n38   mid-September on the Kanektok River during moose season\n39   when locals are trying to hunt.  We really want to see\n40   the permits for floating to end before moose hunting to\n41   reduce conflicts and increase chances of locals getting\n42   their subsistence moose.\n\n44                   Commercial sport fish guiding\n45   operations that are on the Kanektok River.  Locals feel\n46   that there needs to be a limit on the number of boats\n47   in the State waters when it comes to sport fishing\n48   operating boats each day.  Much like the Refuge allows\n49   like six boats a day or something, we kind of wanted\n\n---\n\n4   \n28   \n34   \n50\n\n1   something similar within State waters because the\n2   Kanektok River is getting overcrowded and contributing\n3   to erosion.\n\n5                   Which brings me to the RDIs.  There are\n6   currently five RDIs recordable disclaimers of interest,\n7   efforts that the State of Alaska is pursuing within our\n8   region which would affect Federal lands and those held\n9   by Alaska Native corporations as well.  And the\n10   proposed disclaimers of interest will transfer\n11   ownership in submerged lands to the State of Alaska\n12   ending the subsistence priority for rural subsistence\n13   users.  The Department's RDIs are based on findings\n14   that the body --bodies of waters at issue are\n15   navigable.  And the comment period for this had been\n16   shortened from 90 days to 30 days.  One of those --one\n17   of those non-navigable rivers affected is Quinhagak's\n18   very own Arolik River or Arolik River.  The river and\n19   surrounding lands hold deep cultural, historical and\n20   subsistence importance to the Yup'ik people of\n21   Quinhagak.  Today the --with the increased sport fish\n22   traffic on the Kanektok River sometimes leaving locals\n23   without an area to subsist, we have heavily relied on\n24   the Arolik for food, travel, teaching and the passing\n25   down of traditional knowledge, connections that cannot\n26   be meaningfully evaluated or honored in a 30 day\n27   comment period.\n\n29                   I want to note that I plan to join the\n30   BLM consultation for this on Thursday morning from\n31   10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  I'm hoping that the YKDelta\n32   RAC is not called on during this time if possible.  So\n33   that's Thursday morning.\n\n35                   The Federal Subsistence Program is so\n36   important to the people of rural Alaska, the YKDelta\n37   RAC had a long discussion of all the topics in the\n38   review and I won't mention all, but I wanted to\n39   highlight a couple.  Ultimately the RAC hopes that the\n40   outcomes of the review will be used to strengthen and\n41   improve the program and not to diminish it.  We fully\n42   support the Federal Subsistence Program and keeping it\n43   with OSM and DOI.  The rural priority for subsistence\n44   on Federal lands is extremely important for food\n45   security in rural places.  That said the dual\n46   management system between Federal and State governments\n47   make it very complicated for subsistence users on the\n48   ground.  The RAC supports all opportunities to simplify\n49   regulations and meeting cycles while still maintaining\n\n---\n\n2   \n12   \n21   \n26   \n28   \n31   \n33   \n36   \n38   \n50\n\n1   the rural priority.\n\n3                   The YKDelta RAC and other RACs have\n4   continued to request that Council members receive\n5   compensation for attending meeting and providing their\n6   local and traditional knowledge to the program and to\n7   the Federal Subsistence Board.  Members should be\n8   fairly compensated for their time away from families,\n9   jobs and subsistence activities and for their\n10   expertise.  This could also help with the recruitment\n11   to fill vacancies within the RAC.\n\n13                   Lastly we ask that the Board and OSM\n14   keep working to improve the correspondence process,\n15   elevate letters in a timely manner and ensure more\n16   responses and two-way communication with the RAC.  It\n17   is great that RAC Chairs are now being encouraged to\n18   attend the summer work session where we have more time\n19   to discuss issues with the Board instead of just\n20   through correspondence.\n\n22                   I look forward to attending this summer\n23   and also continuing to work with other Chairs from\n24   other regions so we can all work together to protect\n25   our subsistence life.\n\n27                   Quyana.\n\n29                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n30   Jacqueline.  Any questions from the Board, comments.\n\n32                   (No comments)\n\n34                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate the\n35   report today.\n\n37                   Jack, you have the floor.\n\n39                   MR. REAKOFF:  Thank you, Mr. Chair and\n40   Board members, new Board members on the Board. \n41   Appreciate your service, appreciate the service of\n42   members who are leaving the Board.  And so we --this\n43   --I've been on the Western Interior Regional Advisory\n44   Council since 1993, I've attended a lot of Board\n45   meetings and I was sent as the Secretary for the\n46   Western Interior Council by my Chair, Ron Sam, who\n47   schooled me to attend these meetings and he told me it\n48   was a process that he went through as a 12 year old\n49   boy.  So I've attended a lot of Federal Subsistence\n\n---\n\n23   \n47   \n50\n\n1   Board meetings, I have a long history of remembering\n2   when the Board was much smaller and wasn't comprised of\n3   --there was the Chair, Mitch Dementieff and the\n4   regional heads.  And that was a real problem trying to\n5   advocate for proposals with people sometimes that were\n6   new to the process, didn't have any experience and I --\n7   it just didn't work out.  The review process in 2008,\n8   we went through Pat Pourchot, we talked about\n9   additional membership and public members and the\n10   statute under .805 so that there's --and ANILCA Title\n11   VIII is referring to administrative structures that has\n12   --gives rural residents a meaningful role in\n13   subsistence management.  So this --the process there,\n14   you know, multiple reviews, we're on our third or\n15   fourth review right now is basically the --get the\n16   Board make up that we have right now so we have a mix\n17   of agency concerns and processes and then we have the\n18   public member process and of course the regional\n19   council process is very important to the whole program. \n20   And so there was --when we had an all RAC meeting in\n21   2016 there was 110 regional council members all in the\n22   same room.\n\n24                   So my background is I was born in\n25   Alaska, I moved to the Brooks Range when I was three\n26   years old.  We lived in Evansville for four years, we\n27   moved down to Southwest Alaska, I commercial salmon\n28   fished down there, I lived on --at Galena and a lot of\n29   people in Galena, I went to school in Galena when I was\n30   10 to 11 years old and we moved back to the Brooks\n31   Range in 1970.  I've lived in Wiseman since 1971 when I\n32   was 13 years old before the road, before the pipeline,\n33   before the --before the utility corridor.  And so this\n34   5150 issue is a big deal for us and my community.  And\n35   so we --I'm on the --of course the Western Interior\n36   Regional Advisory Council, I was on the Koyukuk River \n37   Advisory since 1990, I'm the Chairman of the Koyukuk\n38   River Advisory to the State Board of Game and Board of\n39   Fish.  I'm on the Gates of the Arctic Subsistence\n40   Resource Commission, I've been on there since 1991. \n41   And so we just had a meeting last week and I'll be\n42   referring to some of the actions taken by that\n43   Commission.  I'm the Vice Chair of that.  And I'm the\n44   liaison for our community association with the State of\n45   Alaska and so I receive paperwork, notifications about\n46   things from the State.\n\n48                   So the conditions this year, we had a\n49   pretty hot summer, it hit 90.3 and as far as I can\n\n---\n\n14   \n43   \n50\n\n1   determine I have a 120 years of oral history from the\n2   old timers that lived in Wiseman, the community that I\n3   live in was established in 1905.  I have a cabin that\n4   was built in 1901 and was moved there.  It's an old\n5   place, it's an old gold rush community.  There are 12\n6   people that live in the community.  Point Baker's got\n7   about 15, we got 12 and these small places they rely\n8   heavily on subsistence.  We're off grid, we don't have\n9   a power plant, we make our own power and we're acutely\n10   aware of how we use electricity because we pay $7.50 a\n11   gallon which would be cheap in most rural villages off\n12   the road system, but we run that through a generator\n13   and that's very expensive electricity.\n\n15                   So the conditions this last summer were\n16   really hot, but then in August we had 12 inches of rain\n17   from August to early September, we had a flood of 3.71\n18   inches, I take weather for the National Weather\n19   Service.  It's --it blasted the bottoms out of the\n20   rivers and the streams, scoured teeth down to boulders\n21   as big as that screen that's sitting out in front of us\n22   and decimated any spawning habitat that was available\n23   with --we've had very poor runs of --in the Yukon\n24   River system, we're losing these cohorts of salmon one\n25   after another.  So then we went into a --it kind of\n26   straightened up, we had --it froze up hard and the\n27   ground was frozen six inches deep on September 25, then\n28   a monsoon or this --whatever this typhoon that went\n29   through, beat up western Alaska, knocked 70 percent of\n30   the timber down in the lower Koyukuk River, the old --\n31   the people that lived down there said the timber's just\n32   all laid down, their trails are obliterated.  It warmed\n33   up dramatically, it thawed the ground out and the\n34   cotton grass sedge started to grow because it thought\n35   it was springtime.  And then it froze again and now\n36   we've ended up with 16 inches of snow.  So the dall\n37   sheep population was decimated, we had 12 bad winters\n38   in a row, deep snow, with snow last winter of '24/'25,\n39   52 inches deep.  And we had rain on snow, killed about\n40   20 percent of the sheep population, there's GPS\n41   collared sheep in the study, we lost around 20, 25\n42   percent of the sheep population.\n\n44                   The Federal Subsistence Board provided\n45   a closure on the dall sheep population that allowed the\n46   population to get recruitment into the population so at\n47   least we have some younger animals.  But once they're\n48   at nine years of age they start to taper off in\n49   productivity.  So the sheep population is low, but it's\n\n---\n\n4   \n33   \n42   \n50\n\n1   stabilized because we're getting a younger component in\n2   there.  That was the objective to get the younger\n3   component.\n\n5                   The Western Interior Regional Advisory\n6   Council has produced a sheep management plan.  We have\n7   fisheries resource monitoring programs, we don't have a\n8   wildlife monitoring program so it was incumbent upon\n9   the Regional Council to produce a sheep management plan\n10   because we had data that we did not have, there's no\n11   composition data developed with the State survey\n12   technique so they're currently with the Gates of the\n13   Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission, we're\n14   submitting a hunting plan recommendation.  When they\n15   survey they're going to have half curl, three-quarter\n16   curl and full curl.  If they're flying a moose survey\n17   they go for yearling bulls, medium sized bulls and\n18   adult bull.  That tells you what their population\n19   performance is, it tells you if they're getting\n20   recruitment.  We use science.  So the half curl\n21   component is the most important portion of the survey,\n22   it tells you if your sheep have actually survived as\n23   lambs and then entered the population.  They're big,\n24   they're going to be --at half curl they're going to be\n25   three or four years of age.  They have 2,500 photos of\n26   dall sheep at the Department of Fish and Game, we're\n27   going to enumerate that exactly.  What that means is\n28   dall sheep don't produce lambs until they're three\n29   years of age so it tells you if you've got one half\n30   curl ram that means you got a female of the same\n31   cohort, it's going to tell you what your performance\n32   is.\n\n34                   So that's it.  We're requesting that\n35   the Federal Subsistence Board adopt our sheep\n36   management strategy because we need --we have --look\n37   at the turnover in these agencies, we constantly got\n38   people --new biologists showing up, we need to have\n39   something, a document in front of them that tells them\n40   what the ecology of this animal is and how to --how to\n41   manage this animal.  That's what our objectives are.\n\n43                   So thank you very much for the sheep\n44   closure, that established a younger component in the\n45   population.  Thank you very much if you adopt the sheep\n46   management strategy that will be used within our\n47   region.  We're not making it --forcing it onto other\n48   regions, but we had it out for comment for several\n49   years.\n\n---\n\n26   \n50\n\n1                   The conditions this year with shallow\n2   snow and then the tundra started to grow in October,\n3   the caribou --well, we had two meetings, the Western\n4   Interior met with our Eastern Interior back in December\n5   and so we discussed our --our primary joint meeting\n6   was discussion of the program review, salmon common\n7   issues that we have salmon on the Yukon River.  And so\n8   we worked with Sara Taylor on this --on the program\n9   review and we've --we also talked with the BLM about\n10   the lifting of the 5150 or basically the State was top\n11   filed on 2.1 million acres around our community, those\n12   were lifted, the State attached to that.  That happened\n13   on --in our second meeting in February and WIRAC was\n14   meeting in Fairbanks again and we were informed that we\n15   had one month of subsistence harvest to go before that\n16   was the end of the rural subsistence priority.  It was\n17   40 below zero when the clock started.  I had to hunt\n18   caribou at 40 below zero.  When you pick --when you're\n19   dressing --you lay it on the ice for a second, your\n20   hand sticks to the knife, you're covered in frozen\n21   blood, it's not my favorite time to kill caribou, but I\n22   targeted bull caribou and specific caribou.  I learned\n23   how to hunt from Raymond Panyeak, he's an Inupiaq elder\n24   at Anaktuvuk Pass, we hunt by collar, we hunt by the\n25   health of the animal and so I got three bull caribou.\n\n27                   I am distraught when I see on Facebook\n28   cow caribou harvests.  That has to stop.  I will tell\n29   this Board again caribou don't have a calf until\n30   they're three or four years of age and they only have\n31   one calf ever, they never have a twin.  So cow caribou\n32   harvest when you got a declining population is a --\n33   it's --we're going to lose the Western Herd, I keep\n34   seeing cow caribou killed over there.  We're not\n35   killing any --I told the guys around, I've got some\n36   young guys around Wiseman, like we do not kill cow\n37   caribou.  And the bull caribou that I killed in the\n38   first of March had a quarter inch of fat, they were in\n39   good --because of the low snow and that green grass\n40   that they had underneath the snow, they're in good\n41   condition like they'd would have been at the end of\n42   May.  There's absolutely --it's one of the best\n43   conditions I've seen.  This is going to convey into the\n44   sheep population.  The sheep population is going to\n45   respond to that or be really --there's not many, but\n46   they're going to be really super healthy and\n47   productive.  So really I'm really encouraged by this. \n48   This is the first time in 12 years where we've actually\n49   had that.\n\n---\n\n28   \n44   \n50\n\n1                   Our moose population is also low.  I\n2   hunted all fall, I have to hunt when it gets cold\n3   enough to hang a moose, I hunted all fall, all the way\n4   to the 1st of October, I didn't get a moose.  The moose\n5   population --the flood put all the moose up high, the\n6   population is lower, it's about two-thirds --it's\n7   about a third lower than it used to be.  So what's\n8   going to happen now that the --our community we need\n9   access to the Gates of the Arctic National Park which\n10   is only five miles distance to the rest of us.  So I\n11   was at our Regional Council meetings I kept telling BLM\n12   we need an 810 analysis, we have issues that we need to\n13   talk to.  Back about the --when we had a Department of\n14   Natural Resource meeting about access for subsistence\n15   lo and behold there's a memorandum of understanding\n16   with the State of Alaska and it should be in your\n17   packet.  This memorandum of understanding is signed by\n18   Director Pendergast here, it's signed by the\n19   Commissioner of Natural Resources, John Boyle, Doug\n20   Vincent Lang at the Department of Fish and Game and the\n21   Commissioner of Transportation.  This document is going\n22   to --they're going to meet with our community\n23   hopefully in early June, we're going to go over our\n24   access to reach the Federal lands that --by --the\n25   Commissioner can actually sign for certain access\n26   easements into the Park, and to the other Federal\n27   public lands.\n\n29                   So right now the State has top filed on\n30   2.1 million acres, I check the mapping program every\n31   day, there's --I see no selection.  The State is\n32   eligible to select, but they haven't selected yet and\n33   we don't know --as you were saying there's other\n34   public land orders that may be lifted.  The State may\n35   actually shift some of their selection away from where\n36   the utility corridor is and may make more BLM land\n37   which would be available for subsistence use.  That's\n38   what that actions means.  So I'm acutely aware of --\n39   I'm watching daily so that I know what we can\n40   anticipate so I can work with the Department of Fish\n41   and Game, my --our area biologist, he says we don't\n42   know what's going to happen.  He doesn't want to change\n43   State regulations too quickly.\n\n45                   So I want the Board to be aware that\n46   we're sort of in flux right now about where we can\n47   hunt.  We've made a special action request to the Gates\n48   of the Arctic Subsistence Resource Commission that was\n49   finalized yesterday afternoon.  I kept running in and\n\n---\n\n7   \n33   \n42   \n45   \n50\n\n1   out of here, that's what --I was dealing with that\n2   issue with the coordinator for the Gates of the Arctic\n3   Subsistence.  There's an area in Unit 24A just to the\n4   north of our community, inside of the Park, you'll get\n5   that special action request and you'll deal with that\n6   at some point this summer.\n\n8                   So this utility corridor thing doesn't\n9   just affect my community, it affects Rampart, Stevens\n10   Village, Bettles, Evansville, Allakaket and Alatna,\n11   Anaktuvuk Pass and Nuiqsut.  There's people from\n12   Nuiqsut.  There's people from Nuiqsut that have road\n13   access, they drive down the road, I see where they kill\n14   caribou, I know they're taken care of, there's nothing\n15   left, they take the whole thing.  There's a gut pile\n16   there.  There's people that utilize the utility\n17   corridor, but that's not well documented because\n18   they're transitioning.  It's well documented about us\n19   because we're --we live there, we have registration\n20   permits for moose.  We will still need the Federal\n21   registration permit for the exterior portions that\n22   actually get into the Federal public lands in the fall\n23   hunt, we'll need the sheep permit for the Gates of the\n24   Arctic National Park and if the --if the --there's an\n25   area in 26B that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge\n26   comes within 400 yards of the road.  So there's an area\n27   in the Arctic Refuge that we will be utilizing as part\n28   of our --because we're being displaced from the\n29   mountains that we normally could hunt on, for decades\n30   we've hunted under Federal subsistence regulations, as\n31   of March 26th that stopped.  So we're going to be\n32   acutely aware of where we can hunt.\n\n34                   So I want the Board to be aware that\n35   we're work --we're working with the State process,\n36   we're working with whoever we can to try and get the\n37   easements we need to have the least adverse --.810 of\n38   ANILCA says it's supposed to --the analysis is\n39   supposed to come up with a --to mitigate this issue\n40   with the least adverse to the subsistence users. \n41   That's what we're trying to do.\n\n43                   So thank you very much, Director\n44   Pendergast.\n\n46                   So I --we have --our hare population\n47   is increasing, our caribou population is low.  We had a\n48   meeting of the Gates of the Arctic Subsistence Resource\n49   Commission, the Kobuk Valley and the Northwest Arctic\n\n---\n\n22   \n50\n\n1   Regional Advisory Council has decided they do not want\n2   to see any cow harvest, they are endorsing the\n3   regulations for four bull caribou.  We're --we agree\n4   to that, I will submit a proposal to the State Board of\n5   Game for Unit 24 and when we come for call for\n6   proposals next year for the wildlife cycle four bull\n7   caribou for Unit 24.  26B, the Central Arctic Caribou\n8   Herd was 34,000, it's down to 26,500.  They had a late\n9   spring, they had --they were calving into snow.  The\n10   number of caribou calves is about one out of five had a\n11   calf.  It's not going to sustain that population. \n12   Right now they have a five caribou bag limit for all\n13   hunters on the North Slope.  That means cows, bulls,\n14   calves, the whole works, July 1 to April 30th.  That is\n15   a disaster, that has to change.  If there's going to be\n16   any cow harvest there should never be --cows are in\n17   lactation all the way through the --into October.  You\n18   can't kill cows with calves in July and August when\n19   they're in lactation because you're basically putting\n20   that calf into a position of starvation or wolf fodder,\n21   one of the two.\n\n23                   So there's going to be proposals before\n24   --I'm going to submit proposals before the Board of\n25   Game to reduce the four bull caribou, there's\n26   absolutely no reason --the Porcupine Caribou Herd was\n27   100 or 218,000.  This summer they surveyed Porcupine at\n28   146,000.  It's declined 30 percent, it needs protection\n29   on the cow component.  Porcupine Caribou Herd for eight\n30   years now is coming to the Dalton Highway and it's like\n31   a fence.  When I was hunting on the roads south of --\n32   they were mostly south of Wiseman, 98 percent of the\n33   tracks came to the road and turned back, only 2 percent\n34   crossed the road.  Why is that, because they see people\n35   on the road, they don't like people, they --they\n36   bounce off that road.  It's --it's really -it's just\n37   graphic, just a --that population wants to go to the\n38   west, there's trails in the ground that the caribou\n39   follow.  The Nunimut people are like where --have you\n40   seen any Porcupine Caribou, they know they were\n41   supposed to come.  I said the road is bouncing them\n42   off, Raymond, or --and various people over there.  The\n43   herd is (indiscernible) across that road, once they\n44   cross the road there's about 150 miles of unused lichen\n45   to the west, the whole south slope of the Brooks Range\n46   is unused by caribou for over 50 years.  I know for a\n47   fact because the Western Arctic used to use that area\n48   and left in 1973 to go to the Kobuk, they've been over\n49   there ever since.  But the Porcupine Herd has used the\n\n---\n\n10   \n15   \n21   \n24   \n28   \n30   \n33   \n41   \n43   \n45   \n50\n\n1   Old Crow Flat all the way to the Ogilvie Mountain and\n2   now moving wants to go west and they will.  Some have\n3   gotten across there, they had a real easy winter,\n4   they're going to remember that.  They know --they go\n5   back to exactly the same places that they've had good\n6   food before, they've got a GPS in their head.  I got to\n7   have a little instrument in my hand to do that.  They\n8   do --they know exactly where they're at on the\n9   landscape.\n\n11                   So we can anticipate Porcupine coming\n12   back, the Porcupine Herd needs protection.  I will be\n13   working with the Board of Game and you will be\n14   receiving proposals also in the next wildlife cycle.\n\n16                   So that's sort of an overview of what's\n17   going on with our Council.  We have --we're going to\n18   be working with DNR and the Department of Fish and Game\n19   throughout the summer and we will be making reports\n20   back to --at our --through our fall meeting cycle.\n\n22                   So thank you, Mr. Chair.  Any questions\n23   from the Board?\n\n25                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you,\n26   Jack, for that thorough report.  Any questions from the\n27   Board or comments.\n\n## 29 MR. REAKOFF: Thank you.\n\n31                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Appreciate your\n32   recommendation as well.  Judy has her hand up.  Yes.\n\n34                   MS. CAMINER:  Thank you, Mr. Chair. \n35   And one thing I neglected to mention, but it was said\n36   by several of the RAC Chairs, we really appreciated\n37   that all RAC meeting of a few years ago.  And I think\n38   all of us would probably like to see another one if\n39   that could be arranged again.  I know it's a lot of\n40   money, but very worth while.\n\n## 42 Thank you.\n\n## 44 CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON: Yes, Jack.\n\n46                   MR. REAKOFF:  One additional comment. \n47   You know, when we lost --we didn't --lost our fall\n48   meeting with the government closure.  When OSM wanted\n49   to have another meeting I said well, let's go for mid\n\n---\n\n0073\n15   \n18   \n26   \n30   \n32   \n34   \n46   \n49   \n50\n\n1   December with EIRAC because we need to talk to them\n2   about this 5150 stuff and --and the salmon issues. \n3   That's cost --that's cost effective to --we --when\n4   all possible to have overlap with two different\n5   councils.  You're using the same Staff and its cost\n6   effective for the --for the program, especially with\n7   budgetary constraint.  And so I will --I --we highly\n8   enjoyed meeting with EIRAC, they are good friends over\n9   there.  And so we have commonality of issues, we would\n10   --I said I would like to have meetings with YKD at\n11   some point.  So the schedule --the coordinator should\n12   work to --trying to schedule two different Councils\n13   together if that's possible because it's effective. \n14   Three --three Councils with YKD would be even better.\n\n16                   So thank you, Charlie.  Thank you, Mr.\n17   Chair.\n\n19                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Thank you.  I\n20   think that's a good recommendation as well.  Things\n21   happen when we get together.  So thank you guys, the\n22   Regional Chairs for the report today and giving us some\n23   insight to what the people you serve are speaking to\n24   and the issues, the animals and the conservation\n25   concerns.\n\n27                   Next we have on the agenda is --I got\n28   to flip my page, 2027 to '29, subpart C and D proposals\n29   and closure review.  We get to this.\n\n31                   MR. DUNAWAY.  Mr. Chair.\n\n33                   CHAIRMAN CHRISTIANSON:  Yes, Dan.\n\n35                   MR. DUNAWAY:  Thank you.  While we hav", 'pages': None, 'truncated': True, 'extraction': 'firecrawl-public-document-markdown', 'request_id': '19065a97-c209-4a4e-837c-94a3744d5431', 'source_url': 'https://downloads.regulations.gov/DOI-2024-0011-0051/content.pdf', 'observed_at': '2026-10-04T00:36:08.657855+00:00', 'content_hash': '809c72357a8873c72c011490c22fbbfc55ec7ceca5b0f8789b12fefa50105edf'}, 'title': 'pdf', 'check_failed': False}]}

Collection history starts with our observations; it is not complete legislative amendment history.