Subsistence in Alaska
In Alaska, all residents may qualify for subsistence
under the dual state-federal management system as long as
the wild resource is used for food, clothing, fuel, transportation,
construction, art, crafts, sharing, or customary trade.
Although all Alaskans are eligible, when and where they
hunt and fish is strictly regulated. According to the Alaska
Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) in 1999, approximately
60% of Alaska subsistence harvest by weight was fish, 20%
land mammals, 14% marine mammals, 2% birds, 2% shellfish,
and 2% plants.
Under the federal Marine Mammal Protection
Act (MMPA), only Alaska natives are permitted to hunt marine
mammals. Seals, sea lions, walrus, beluga and bowhead whales
comprise the marine mammal harvest. This practice must be
done in a non-wasteful manner. Federal agencies may restrict
Native subsistence use of marine mammals only if the population
of a particular species is depleted. In order to aid in
recovery Alaska Native hunters may volunteer to reduce their
catch.
Is there a relationship between marine mammal
research and subsistence? Yes! The study of marine mammals
in the wild is inherently difficult. The collection and
examination of tissues from these animals is complicated
by federal protective measures and permitting procedures.
It is undesirable and often illegal for researchers today
to sacrifice animals for research. Beached carcasses do
not always provide good samples due to condition of the
bodies and decomposition. What is the best way to collect
marine mammal samples? Since Alaska natives are permitted
to hunt marine mammals, it makes sense that partnerships
between native organizations and federal agencies have been
made across the state to better everyone's understanding
of these animals and the environment. Section 119 of the
MMPA contains provisions for the development of co-management
agreements between Alaska native organizations and federal
agencies for the purpose of collecting and analyzing data
on marine mammal populations, monitoring subsistence harvest
of marine mammals, and participating in research. Coastal
Alaska native communities have relied on the marine resources
for generations. Federal agencies such as the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) have recognized the importance
of this type of relationship.
In one example, the Alaska Native Harbor Seal
Commission (ANHSC) trains seal hunters and students to collect
samples during seasonal hunts. These seal hunters and students
represent various communities such as the Aleutians, Bristol
Bay, Kodiak and Prince William Sound. In some of these areas
seal populations are stable and considered healthy, in others
there is great decline. The goal of this program is to compare
seals from "healthy" areas to seals from areas
of decline, and to involve subsistence hunters in the sampling
process.
The Alaska Sea Otter & Steller Sea Lion
Commission (TASSC) works in partnership with the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service (USFWS) to manage sea otter populations
in Alaska. They established a bio-sampling program to train
local residents in the protocol of collecting sea otter
tissue samples to be used for research. Trained bio-samplers
perform necropsies, winter mortality surveys are conducted
and small boat surveys are done to actively document the
distribution and abundance of sea otters, Steller sea lions,
and other marine mammal populations.
When native organizations such as ANHSC and
TASSC work in conjunction with federal agencies, such as
NMFS, the "co-management" promotes Alaska natives'
participation in resource management. This partnership provides
protocols to collect tissue samples for scientific research,
so scientists can more efficiently assess the health and
condition of marine mammals in Alaska.
When studying seals, sea otters or sea lions,
various samples are collected. Tissues collected from marine
mammals for study include:
· Stomachs - study diets
· Teeth - determining age
· Whiskers - stable isotope analysis (can help trace
what the animal has eaten)
· Brain - stable isotope analysis
· Blubber - fat quality, fatty acid (metabolism)
· Skin & muscle - genetics analysis
· Reproductive tract - reproductive history
· Skulls - morphometric examination
· Heart
Tissue samples are sent to the University
of Alaska Fairbanks and placed in the Permanent Tissue Archival
Program, where they are stored and made available to researchers.
Those people who survive through subsistence
traditionally develop a certain respect for the environment.
In the case of Alaska natives, they obey state and federal
laws as well as customary laws from their forefathers. Subsistence
is a highly valued practice in rural Alaskan culture. Today,
these traditional values and skills are being used to help
the scientific community learn more about and preserve the
marine ecosystem of Alaska.
For more information on subsistence in
Alaska contact:
Alaska Department of Fish & Game
Division of Subsistence
1255 W. 8th St.
PO Box 25526
Juneau, AK 99802-4426
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