April 05, 2002
Friday - 12:10 pm

Anchorage - Calling subsistence "an issue vital to Alaska's families," Gov. Tony Knowles today announced that he will call the Alaska Legislature into special session to resolve subsistence next month, immediately upon conclusion of its regular session. Unless the regular session is extended - or unless the Legislature takes action on subsistence before then - the subsistence special session will begin on May 15.

According to a news release from the Governor's office, Knowles' announcement follows a strong message sent by Anchorage voters, about 3 of 4 of whom (or more than 72 percent) voted in Tuesday's municipal election to call for a statewide vote on a constitutional amendment regarding subsistence.

"Tuesday's vote, by urban Alaskans in our state's largest city, sends a strong, clear, simple message to the Legislature - let Alaskans vote," said Knowles. "It is time to act. The simple amendment to our Alaska Constitution, which I have introduced, will be a giant step in bringing Alaskans together. We can build a stronger and better Alaska for future generations by forging unity on this vital issue."

Knowles gave three reasons for calling the Legislature into special session:

• There is more momentum on a subsistence solution now than at any time in recent memory. Last fall's Subsistence Summit, the subsequent development of an innovative Constitutional amendment by a smaller working group, and Tuesday's Anchorage vote, show that a majority of Alaskans are ready to resolve this issue.
• Legislators are now on notice that this issue must be resolved this year. A small minority of legislators who have previously blocked action and who would like the subsistence issue to quietly fade away will no longer be able to avoid the issue.
• It's the right thing to do. The majority of Alaskans understand subsistence, recognize its importance and clearly support it. If they are allowed to vote on the issue, every poll that's ever been done shows that Alaskans will choose to protect subsistence.

On Feb. 14th, the Governor introduced a constitutional amendment drafted largely by members of the Subsistence Summit. Described as innovative by the Governor's office, it recognizes Alaska's indigenous peoples and protects the importance of subsistence for rural Alaskans first, and also recognizes the needs of those urban residents who have a customary and traditional use of fish and game resources.

The first and only hearing the proposal has received is scheduled for today in the House Resources Committee.

The proposed amendment reads as follows:

Section 19. Priorities for Subsistence Uses.

(a) The policy of the State of Alaska is to recognize the subsistence tradition of the indigenous peoples of Alaska and to accord a priority to customary and traditional subsistence uses in the allocation of fish, wildlife, and other renewable resources.

(b) The Legislature shall provide that, whenever it is necessary under the sustained yield principle to impose any restrictions on the taking of a fish, wildlife, or other renewable resource, the customary and traditional subsistence uses of that resource by rural residents in the area of the state in which those customary and traditional uses have occurred shall receive priority over all other consumptive uses of the resource. When a renewable resource is not sufficient to satisfy all customary and traditional subsistence uses, priorities among subsistence users shall be based on customary and direct dependence on the resource as the mainstay of livelihood, proximity to the resource, and the availability of alternative resources.

(c) The Legislature may grant lower priorities for subsistence uses to other residents of the state who demonstrate customary and traditional use of a fish, wildlife, or other renewable resource. These priorities may be granted so long as they do not diminish the subsistence priority of rural residents of the state.

The governor briefed legislative leaders and the Bush Caucus in Juneau earlier this week before announcing the special session according to today's news release.

Related Information:

Text & audio of the Governor's speech.

Source of news release and digital photo:

Office of the Governor
Web Site

 

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