NANA
Elders Advice
Temporary Special Action on Caribou Hunting in Game Unit 23
HUNTERS ' SUCCESS for Caribou
S
Always camp and hunt on the south side of the river .
When caribou start crossing the river , wait until they ’ re halfway across and approach from the North to keep the migration moving south .
If you already have caribou , let the next boat in line have a chance .
Use smaller caliber rifles for the safety of others .
Respect the cabins you stop at and replace anything you use ; keep allotments clean .
Keep the land and water clean of trash .
Thank you for your respect and abiding by our traditions — Kiana Elder ’ s Council
We live on this land and drink from the river .
In Northwest Alaska , local residents , primarily NANA shareholder families , account for about 94 percent of the total Western Arctic Caribou harvest in a given year . The hunt happens in Alaska Game Unit 23 . The Western Arctic Caribou herd is the largest of its kind in Alaska . The heard migrates over a territory more than 140,000 square miles from the Arctic Ocean to the lower Yukon River and Trans-Alaska pipeline .
On April 18 , 2016 , the Federal Subsistence Board approved Temporary Special Action WSA16-01 , closing Federal public lands in Unit 23 to caribou hunting by non- Federally qualified users effective July 1 , 2016 , and continuing through June 30 , 2017 . According to the press release , issued by the United States Department of the Interior ( DOI ), “ the [ Federal Subsistence ] board felt that there was sufficient evidence indicating that the closure was necessary to allow for the continuation of subsistence uses and for conservation of a healthy caribou population as mandated under [ The Alaska National Interest Lands ] Conservation Act ] ANILCA Section 815 .”
The action closes hunting to non-residents of Alaska , those who have lived in Alaska for less than a year , and non-rural residents , including members of Arctic Tribes that now live in urban areas .
Many NANA shareholders may wonder how this will affect upcoming hunts in the region . To be a federally qualified user , one must have a permanent place of residence in Unit 23 , which includes the communities of Ambler , Buckland , Deering , Kiana , Kivalina , Kobuk , Kotzebue , Noatak , Noorvik , Point Hope , Selawik and Shungnak . Urban shareholders who hunt in Unit 23 will not be able to hunt on Federal lands , but will be able to hunt on NANA lands and State of Alaska lands . Most of the hunting in the region involves NANA and State Lands , as well as waterways , so the impacts will likely be minimal for most shareholders .
It ’ s recommended that you always check state and federal regulations before participating in subsistence activities , and to make sure you have all permits and licenses required . If you see any violations on NANA lands , please contact the lead Trespass Officer , Raymond Woods , at ( 907 ) 412-2720 . If you have any questions , or would like a map designated land ownership in the region , please contact lands @ nana . com or go to the Lands section on nana . com / lands .
WHAT IS THE FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD ?
The Federal Subsistence Board is the decision-making body that oversees the Federal Subsistence Management Program . The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture have delegated the authority to manage fish and wildlife for subsistence uses on Federal public lands and waters in Alaska to the Federal Subsistence Board . The Federal Subsistence Board is made up of the regional directors of the U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service , National Park Service , Bureau of Land Management , Bureau of Indian Affairs , the U . S . Forest Service , and the three appointed public members . The Secretaries have delegated the authority to manage fish and wildlife for subsistence uses on Federal public lands and waters in Alaska to the Federal Subsistence Board . ( Source : U . S . DOI )
Protecting Our Lands :
NANA Trespass Program
2017 Annual Meeting
The NANA Trespass Program began on August 22 , 2016 . This year , 10 officers attended the three day training session in Kotzebue with lead officer Raymond Woods . The officers selected to patrol the region are : Chad Geary and Irvin Morris ( Buckland area ); Vern Cleveland and Benny Westlake ( Lower Kobuk River area ); Whittier Burns and John Norton ( Noatak area ); Allen Ticket , Sr . and Allen Ticket , Jr . ( Selawik area ); and Enoch Stalker ( Kotzebue area ). John Norton and Chad Geary also monitor the Port Site at Red Dog Mine .
NANA currently has four boats for river patrols , and land department staff have been busy getting the boats and motors prepared for the season . The boats will be used on the Ambler , Buckland , Noatak , Kobuk , Selawik , Squirrel , and Shungnak River areas .
The multi-day , intensive training inluded the NANA offices and partners from state agencys . The trainees received instruction from the U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service on policies regarding land use ; the Alaska State Troopers on agency regulations , hunting and fishing laws , laws regarding arrest , use of force , and State of Alaska laws on trespass ; and NANA representatives on land policies , land status and easements .
The officers also received a first aid and CPR refresher training course . The final day of the three-day gathering included training on GPS , area assignments , performance expectations , Human Resource policies , and boating and aircraft safety .
The NANA Resource Protection Officers started patrols on September 1 , 2016 , and the program continued through mid-October .
The 2017 Annual Meeting of NANA Shareholders will take place in Kotzebue , Alaska , on March 13 , 2017 , at the Kotzebue Middle / High School .
NANA invites all shareholders to attend this important meeting to hear reports from NANA ’ s leadership team about your corporation and meet with family and friends . For a complete list of NANA meetings and events log on to nanatkut . com / events or stop by your NANA Relations Coordinators office for a schedule .
2 HUNTER � 2016 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER