HJR 22 is a Threat To Our Subsistence Ways of Life
May 1, 2024 | Written By: Dorothy Shockley and Rebecca Noblin
In a time not so long ago Indigenous people, or “first people,” in Alaska were free to hunt and fish to feed ourselves. Alaska Native peoples developed complex cultures and traditions around living off the land. Times weren’t always easy, but our ancestors respected the land, animals, and fish, believing they gave of themselves so that the people could survive. In return, the people did not take more than they needed in order for the animals and fish to multiply and thrive. Today, these practices and traditions are referred to as “subsistence.”
Then came statehood–January 3, 1959, to be exact. The first state legislature established the Department of Fish & Game (“the department”). In January 1960 the Commissioner of Fish and Game was vested with great authority to manage Alaska’s fish and game.
In the 64 years since the department was established, it has successfully depleted multiple stocks of fish and game to the point that the first people cannot feed ourselves nor hold traditional practices that were established around hunting, fishing, and trapping. During those same 64 years, the department consistently refused to consult with the first people who stewarded the land and fish and game from time immemorial.
Now the legislature has introduced House Joint Resolution 22 (HJR 22), which would enable the department to take over subsistence management on federal lands. This is a BAD idea in so many ways. So far the department has not shown that it can sustainably manage wildlife. More importantly, subsistence is not a priority for the department. Today there is no one in the state subsistence office. The department has disregarded the first people and our thousands of years of knowledge, as well as the federal government's recognition of Tribal governments. Despite federal law to the contrary, the department will not give subsistence priority when the fish and game are scarce.
