Southeast AK Sea Otter Impacts on Subsistence Resources

01/27/2021

2/1/21 defense "ADDRESSING A COMPLEX RESOURCE CONFLICT: HUMANS,SEA OTTERS, AND SHELLFISH IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA," Sonia Ibarra, 1p. Zoom link is in your email or contact [email protected]

01/31/2020

I am super proud to have share the experience of accompanying and mentoring 6 students at AISES, a conference focused on indigenous knowledge and science. Check out these student reflections:

Student Reflections from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Conference by Isabella Haywood | Jan 29, 2020 | Uncategorized In the world of science, the clinical often obscures the personal. While white lab coats and sterile surroundings are often necessary for research, scien...

11/20/2019

NEW STUDY SHOWS SOCIAL, CULTURAL, ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF HERRING SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY ARE AT RISK
Study calls on state to reform management of Sitka Sound roe fishery
A new study is recommending major changes to the way the State of Alaska manages the sac roe herring fishery in Sitka Sound and is predicting dire outcomes for the ancient subsistence herring roe fishery located there, which supports people across the state and Pacific Northwest, if things do not change.

The study, The Distribution of Subsistence Herring Eggs from Sitka Sound, Alaska, touts the enormous, wide-ranging social and ecological benefits of Pacific herring from Sitka Sound and the unique Alaskan subsistence economy and ecosystem services which depend on their production and distribution.

The study, which was sponsored by Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) and led by Investigator Thomas Thornton, Ph.D., found that spawning populations of herring outside of Sitka Sound have been depleted by commercial reduction and sac roe fishing and that the role of Sitka herring as a keystone subsistence resource and foundation forage fish for salmon, sea mammals and other fish and wildlife in the marine food web should be a matter of public policy concern, review and reform: https://www.sealaskaheritage.org/node/1092

Note: The author will give a lecture on the topic at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Sealaska Heritage, 105 S. Seward St. in Juneau. SHI is taking preorders for the book, which will be available through the Sealaska Heritage Store. To preorder, contact [email protected].

05/15/2018

Kake Public Meeting on UAF study on sea otter impacts to customary and traditional foods

Hi Folks!
We are hosting two public meetings in Kake on Thursday, May 17 at the Senior Center (1-3p) & School Commons (6-8p) to update folks on progress we’ve made regarding sea otter impacts to customary and traditional foods. We also want to hear from you too and talk about your ideas for sea otter and shellfish management!

03/30/2018

Alaska Senate passes Stedman’s sea otter resolution:

The Alaska Senate Wednesday, March 28 passed a resolution calling on the federal government to take steps to increase the harvest of sea otters in Southeast Alaska to protect shellfish and other commercially harvested seafood.

03/28/2018

Call to action from Central Council: Survey of your opinion on blood quantum requirement to hunt sea otters:

03/09/2018

One of the driving forces in my PhD work is to create a cooperative research process where communities can guide the research and to make sure that I am approaching the sea otter work in a respectful way. My understanding of the sea otter issue in Southeast has been largely guided by what I have learned from others whose ties to this beautiful place are far greater than any research study in this region. So I will share what folks from the communities (Hydaburg, Craig, Klawock, and Kake) I have been blessed to work with have shared with me so that it is their voices that come out in this post. Also let me note, that I was only able to hear the stories from a subset of tribal members from each community, and these responses don't represent the entire community. From 48 interviews, a majority of folks agreed that they wanted to see increased sea otter hunting close to communities because they saw a significant decrease in shellfish where sea otters were at. This meant that they lost of lot of shellfish harvesting spots because there was not enough to collect there and shellfish was smaller. With a team of local knowledgeable students, we've done lots of clam surveys around the communities of Hydaburg and Kake that has allowed me to measure how much it has changed, and it's substantial, there is significantly less and smaller shellfish at beaches with sea otters. When I then asked folks why were they not hunting more if they wanted to see more local hunting, two themes came up that would help them implement their recommended management strategies that were persistent across all interviews: 1) loosening up the many constraints on sea otter hunting and handicrafts, and 2) fuel or financial subsidies to hunters. Many people expressed concern over the blood quantum criteria (1/4) and specifically that their children were either ineligible or would be if they married a non-Native person. Most also expressed wanting whole pelts to be able to be sold to non-Natives and not just a "significantly altered" pelt that has been created into a finished product. A majority of study participants felt that USFWS's definition of "significant altered" was too restricted. I did ask folks of whether they thought sea otter hunting should be opened up to anybody and most respondents said no, with only 2 saying yes. Access to affordable local tanneries was also expressed as an important need to support hunters. As with any contentious issue, I think it would be helpful to do a thorough comparison of how to get rid of the barriers communities currently face by figuring out how to address them within the current legal constraints (Feds and Tribes have the power now), then do a thorough analysis of completly changing the legal restraints as posed by Stedman in shifting management power to the State and Tribes. Thoughts of trying to amend the Marine Mammal Act should be thought out carefully because that requires an act of congress and I don't know if folks across the county can understand the issues that are specific to Alaska.

Also, the date of the public comment hearing has been changed to Mon, March 12 @ 3:30p.

If you would like to provide a public testimony via teleconference here is the number to call: 1-844-586-9085 Once you dial in you will be asked information on the specific bill you want to testify about: SJR 13.

If you would like to provide a public testimony via email, here is the email for the entire Senate Resource Committee (including Chair Sen. Giesel) who is hosting the public testimony: [email protected]

03/09/2018

Update: Sea Otter Co-Managment Resolution (SJR 13) has been changed to Mon, March 12 @ 3:30p

Here is the website where you can get info on resolution:
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/30?Root=SJR%2013

Here is a link to the complete resolution that I encourage you to review:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/30/Bills/SJR013A.PDF

If you would like to provide a public testimony via teleconference here is the number to call: 1-844-586-9085 Once you dial in you will be asked information on the specific bill you want to testify about: SJR 13.

Recommendations for public testimonies: 1) State your name, address, and title and organization if you are speaking on their behalf. 2) State your support or opposition of the resolution first. State why you support or oppose the resolution in the form of 2-3 points. 3) Explain your 2-3 points, and 4) restate your support or opposition of the resolution again. If there are lots of people calling in they will try to adhere to a 3 minute rule, so it helps to time yourself. If there are not a lot of people calling in they will let you speak longer.

Link to the meeting including agenda, audio and video (select 03/07/2018 03:30 PM): http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Committee/Details/30?code=SRES

If you would like to provide a public testimony via email, here is the email for the entire Senate Resource Committee (including Chair Sen. Giesel): [email protected]

If there are resolutions that have been passed regarding to this bill, I encourage you send those to the above email PRIOR TO THE MEETING so that they will be part of the public record and there will be a paper trail of support or opposition for this resolution.

This web site is the place to track bills, locate and contact your legislators (session) (interim), and access committee information. Questions? Try our help wizard or call 907-465-4648.

03/06/2018

URGENT: Sea Otter Co-Managment Bill (SJR 13) up for public comment on 3/7/18, 3:30p:
Dear Folks,

Stedman has introduced a resolution regarding sea otter co-managment between tribes and Fish and Game that is up for public comment. The hearing is scheduled for Wed, March 7th at 3:30pm

Here is info on the resolution directly from the Alaska State Legislature:
BILL: SJR 13 SHORT TITLE: URGING CO-MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SEA OTTERS
BILL VERSION:
CURRENT STATUS: (S) RES STATUS DATE: 02/19/18
SPONSOR(S): SENATOR(S) STEDMAN, Wilson
HEARING: (S) RES Mar 07 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 -- Public Testimony -- TELECONFERENCE

TITLE: Urging the United States Congress to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act and urging the United States Department of the Interior to permit Alaska Native organizations and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to co-manage, take, and study marine mammals under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Here is the website where I copied the info above and where you can search info for other bills:
http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/30?Root=SJR%2013

Here is a link to the complete resolution that I encourage you to review:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/30/Bills/SJR013A.PDF

Information about the organizational structure of this bill:
This bill is being sponsored by Senator Bert Stedman and it will be presented to the Senate Resource Committee ((S) RES) on 3/7/18. As the sponsoring Senator, Stedman will know the most about the specific resolution details. The Resource Committee is made of several members, and is specifically chaired by Senator Cathy Giesel. Senator Giesel is who you can direct questions regarding the procedures for the upcoming meeting on 3/7, and what will happen next after the meeting.

If you would like to provide a public testimony via teleconference here is the number to call: 1-844-586-9085 Once you dial in you will be asked information on the specific bill you want to testify about: SJR 13.

Recommendations for public testimonies: 1) State your name, address, and title and organization if you are speaking on their behalf. 2) State your support or opposition of the resolution first. State why you support or oppose the resolution in the form of 2-3 points. 3) Explain your 2-3 points, and 4) restate your support or opposition of the resolution again. If there are lots of people calling in they will try to adhere to a 3 minute rule, so it helps to time yourself. If there are not a lot of people calling in they will let you speak longer.

Link to the meeting including agenda, audio and video (select 03/07/2018 03:30 PM): http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Committee/Details/30?code=SRES

If you would like to provide a public testimony via email, here is the email for the entire Senate Resource Committee (including Chair Sen. Giesel): [email protected]

If there are resolutions that have been passed regarding to this bill, I encourage you send those to the above email PRIOR TO THE MEETING so that they will be part of the public record and there will be a paper trail of support or opposition for this resolution.

Please pass on this info to anyone who you think may be interested and please let me know if you have any questions or need help accessing information.

This web site is the place to track bills, locate and contact your legislators (session) (interim), and access committee information. Questions? Try our help wizard or call 907-465-4648.

02/09/2018

Landed in Kake, America. I was invited to share my research on sea otter impacts to customary and traditional foods and the work of my colleagues at Organized Village of Kake’s First Annual Community Meeting. Boy do I love to travel heavy: suitcase full of snacks, research flyers, project stickers, computer, 3D glasses to share project video, my weaving contribution to meeting door prize, clam shells eaten by sea otters, my clothes, gear to go clamming, check, check, and check!