09-27 Creating cultural heritage zones

Published on November 10th, 2009

By ALEX DEMARBAN

Summary

AFN supports the need to establish cultural heritage zones in and around villages and canyons of the Bering Sea, Arctic and other ocean systems to project habitat used by subsistence animals. Encourage tribes, village and regional corporations to work toward creating these zones through appropriate state and federal agencies and Alaska's congressional delegation.

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Full Text

RESOLUTION 09-27

THE CLIMATE CHANGES IN THE OCEANIC SYSTEMS REQUIRE PROTECTIONS FOR OUR VILLAGES

WHEREAS: The climate changes affecting the Arctic Ocean is having a dramatic impact on the overall health of the Bering Sea and other oceanic systems adjacent to Alaska; and

WHEREAS: The impacts on our Tribal villages brought about by climate change are compounded by large factory trawler fishing boats, especially affecting our subsistence salmon needs through their by-catch problems North of the Alaska Peninsula; and

WHEREAS: The foods upon which we depend for survival are either declining in numbers or moving further away from our homes, thus making it more expensive and difficult to provide food for our families; and,

WHEREAS: We must work to establish protections and stop habitat destruction by bottom trawlers to ensure our foods have enough food to survive to provide for our needs;

WHEREAS: The AFN 2009 Convention has already passed Resolution 09-09 protecting 50 mile zones; and this resolution offers a possible mechanism to fulfill that resolution; and.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Delegates to the 2008 Annual Convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives that AFN supports the need to establish cultural heritage zones in and around our villages and the canyons of the Bering Sea, the Arctic and other Oceanic systems to help protect the habitat used for food, nurturing and caring for their young for the animals we depend upon for our survival; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage our Tribal Governments, village and regional ANCSA Corporations and the regional non-profit organizations to work towards establishing these cultural heritage zones by working together through the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, National Marine Fisheries Service, the Alaska Board of Fish and our Congressional Delegation to ensure that these habitats of particular concern are protected for our survival.

SUBMITTED BY: KONIAG, INC

BOARD ACTION: TO FLOOR

CONVENTION ACTION: AMENDED AND PASSED