Delegates to the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention voted Saturday to approve a resolution regarding federal amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) sponsored by U.S. Representative Nick Begich.
The resolution was a late submission by the Nome Eskimo Community and Bering Straits Regional Caucus and was drafted just days before it passed.
The resolution warned the proposed amendments would weaken long-standing protections for marine mammals central to Alaska Native subsistence and culture, including whales, seals and polar bears.
The vote followed months of organizing among tribal and environmental groups. Kawerak, Inc., the regional tribal nonprofit for the Bering Strait region, sent a letter on Aug. 4 urging Rep. Begich to reconsider the proposals, saying they “would undo decades of progress and risk irreparable harm” to marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
The Eskimo Walrus Commission joined in opposing the proposed amendment in an Aug. 25 letter. The letter, signed by the commission's Director, Vera Metcalf, urged Rep. Begich to proceed carefully with changes to the MMPA and requested involving Alaska Native co-management organizations.
Begich’s draft legislation would revise key definitions in the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, including changing “optimum sustainable population” from “maximum productivity” to the number “necessary to support the continued survival” of a species. It also shortens permitting timelines for industrial activities involving incidental “takes” of marine mammals and automatically approves applications if agencies fail to act within 165 days.
Delbert Rexford, delegate from the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation, spoke in opposition of Rep. Begich's proposed amendments.
"The magnitude of the intent to amend MMPA is going to threaten and jeopardize our continued protection of subsistence harvest," Rexford said.
In a Sept. 23 release, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game endorsed the idea of reform, arguing that the MMPA has become “outdated” and limits human use even as many species have recovered. The department said current rules create “ecosystem imbalance” and restrict subsistence harvests through residency and blood quantum requirements.
But the Nome Eskimo Community and other coastal tribes maintain that the proposed changes prioritize industrial development over traditional stewardship. In its letter, Kawerak cited concerns that the new definitions could permit dangerously low population levels and reduce scientific oversight by federal agencies.
“Marine mammals cannot be managed in isolation,” the organization wrote, warning that the amendments “risk tipping the balance in ways that affect entire food chains".
The resolution formally called on Congress to consult Alaska Native communities before amending the MMPA, and requested any changes only move forward if it has the support of tribes represented by AFN.
Resolution 25-42 passed with amendments.
Rep. Begich spoke onstage shortly after the resolution was approved. He did not address the resolution during his speech, but spoke with Alaska Public Media after leaving the stage.
"It was presented for the purposes of soliciting feedback, and we'll certainly take that feedback under consideration," Rep. Begich said in response to a question about the resolution.
Rep. Begich said the "proliferation of marine mammals" was impacting the ability for people to subsist because of "marine mammal predation".
Resolutions submitted by Kawerak
Kawerak submitted six resolutions at the convention addressing issues of food security, housing, education and energy access in rural Alaska. One resolution, 25-16, calls for greater tribal authority over purchasing locally produced foods, while another, 25-17, seeks to lower transportation costs for Alaska Native food businesses that serve remote communities. Both passed without discussion.Â
Kawerak also proposed a resolution, 25-18, urging the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Bureau of Indian Affairs to simplify housing assistance through a joint application process to address Alaska’s housing shortage. It was amended to include verbiage urging HUD and the BIA to act in accordance with the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. Resolution 25-18 was passed.Â
In partnership with Sealaska, Kawerak submitted resolution 25-19 opposing any transfer of Indian education programs or funding to the State of Alaska, calling instead for federal oversight and equitable distribution of Impact Aid to local school districts. The resolution was amended and subsequently passed.Â
Additional measures include advocating for renewed state and federal funding for adult education programs to strengthen employment and self-determination opportunities, and promoting energy security through bulk fuel investments and improved infrastructure to reduce high energy costs in rural communities. Both resolutions, 25-22 and 25-23, passed.
