The state of Alaska is rejecting a proposal to share management of subsistence resources with Alaska Natives.

Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) has proposed the Alaska Native Subsistence Co-Management Demonstration Act. The bill authorizes state, federal and tribal co-management of wildlife throughout the traditional hunting territory of the Ahtna people.

Alaska Commissioner of Fish and Game Cora Campbell, however, said the state can't accept the idea. She said the Alaska Constitution bars co-management with any party, be it Alaska Natives or the federal government.

"The Alaska Constitution is unambiguous in reserving to the people for common use fish, wildlife and waters, while at the same time mandating a sustained yield of those same resources. I cannot support reducing the state's wildlife management authority to volunteer Congress to take over or give to another entity,'' Campbell said in a letter to Young, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs, and Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), the top Democrat on the subcommittee, Alaska Dispatch reported.

The state of Alaska didn't send a representative to a March 14 hearing on the proposed bill. Neither did the Obama administration.

Audio from the hearing can be found on the Indianz.Com SoundCloud.

Get the Story:
State rejects idea of co-management of Alaska wildlife with Native corporation (Alaska Dispatch 4/3)

Committee Notice:
Legislative Hearing on a Discussion Draft bill, “The Alaska Native Subsistence Co-Management Demonstration Act of 2014” (March 14, 2014)

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House panel schedules hearing on Alaska Native subsistence bill (3/5)

Related Stories:
Audio from House hearing on Alaska Native subsistence draft (3/14)