Members of the public can participate at every level of the federal subsistence fishery management program. The program is administered by the Office of Subsistence Management and regulated by the Federal Subsistence Board, taking into consideration recommendations from Regional Advisory Councils.

Regional Advisory Councils and the Federal Subsistence Board meet annually to consider subsistence fishery management proposals. Ways to participate include:

1) submitting management proposals,

2) sending written comments for consideration by Regional Advisory Council meetings,

3) testifying at Regional Advisory Council meetings ,

4) sending written comments to the Federal Subsistence Board ,

5) testifying at Federal Subsistence Board meetings, or

6) serving on a Regional Advisory Council.

 

1) TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

Any person or group can submit a management proposal.

You may submit proposals to change harvest limits, season dates, methods and means of harvest, or customary and traditional use determinations. (Additionally, residents of zone communities of national parks and monuments may apply for an individual customary and traditional use determination.)
 

The Office of Subsistence Management asks that proposals use the following format and provide the requested information:

Name:
Organization:
Address:
Phone:
Fax:
E-mail:

This proposal suggests a change to (check all that apply):

[  ] Harvest season(s)
[  ] Methods and means of harvest
[  ] Harvest limit(s)
[  ] Customary and traditional use determination(s)

1. What regulation do you wish to change? Include fishing district(s), area(s), specie(s), and the current regulation if possible.

2. How should the new regulation read? Write the regulation the way you would like to see it written.

3. Why should this regulation change be made?

4. What impact will this change have on fi sh populations?

5. How will this change affect subsistence uses?

6. How will this change affect other uses, such as sport/recreational and commercial uses?

7. Which communities have used this resource?

8. Where has this resource been harvested? Indicate specific areas if possible.

9. In what months has this resource been harvested?

Please attach any additional information to support your proposal. You may mail, fax, or e-mail your proposal to the Federal Subsistence Board, c/o Office of Subsistence Management, 3601 C Street, Suite 1030, Anchorage, AK 99503 fax: (907) 786-3898; e-mail: subsistence@fws.gov Revised 12/2004


[Download a current proposal form (.pdf)]

2) TO COMMENT IN WRITING ON A PROPOSAL

Any person or group can comment in writing on proposals to change federal subsistence regulations. Proposal books are distributed in early May and available through the Office of Subsistence Management. There’s a five-week comment period in May and June.

Comments submitted during this period are provided to Regional Councils for discussion at their fall meetings. Please include specific proposal numbers on comments.

Comments may be mailed to:

Federal Subsistence Board
c/o Office of Subsistence Management
Frontier Building
3601 C Street, Suite 1030
Anchorage, AK 99503

Fax comments to 907-786-3898.
E-mailed comments should be sent to subsistence@fws.gov .

 

3) TO TESTIFY AT A REGIONAL COUNCIL MEETING

Any person or group representative can testify at a Regional Advisory Council (RAC) meeting. Regional council meetings are held annually to consider proposals and make recommendations for subsistence fishery regulation changes.

Regional councils typically allow ample opportunity for public comments on proposals.

Regional Council meetings typically run one or two days and are held in communities within each of the state’s 10 federal subsistence resource regions. A schedule of Regional Advisory Council meetings is available through the Calendar page of this site as well as at [Federal RAC Calendar] . Specific information about the location and times of meetings is available through the federal coordinator of each region. To learn what region you’re in or to get the name of the coordinator for your region, contact the Office of Subsistence Management at 907-478-1456, or toll-free at 1-800-478-1456.

 

4) TO SEND WRITTEN COMMENTS TO FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD

Any person or group can send written comments to the Federal Subsistence Board. The federal board meets annually (typically in January) to consider subsistence fishery proposals and recommendations from Regional Advisory Councils. Comments on pending fishery proposals sent to the Federal Board after the Regional Advisory Council meetings automatically will be sent to the Board for its deliberations.

Comments may be mailed to:
 

Federal Subsistence Board
c/o Office of Subsistence Management
Frontier Building
3601 C Street, Suite 1030
Anchorage, AK 99503

Fax comments to 907-786-3898.
E-mailed comments should be sent to subsistence@fws.gov .

 

5) TO TESTIFY AT FEDERAL SUBSISTENCE BOARD MEETINGS

Any person or group representative can testify at Federal Subsistence Board meetings. The federal board meets annually (typically in Anchorage in January) to consider subsistence fishery proposals and recommendations from Regional Advisory Councils.

The date and location of meetings is available on the Calendar page of this website. More specific information about the meeting can be obtained by contacting the Federal Subsistence Board, c/o Office of Subsistence Management, Frontier Building, 3601 C Street, Suite 1030, Anchorage, AK 99503.

Testimony at Federal Subsistence Board meetings is generally limited compared to the liberal levels of public input allowed at Regional Advisory Council meetings.

 

6) TO SERVE ON A REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL

Any resident of a resource region knowledgeable about subsistence is eligible to serve on that region’s Advisory Council, including residents of non-rural communities such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Ketchikan.

The Federal Subsistence Board solicits nominations for regional council vacancies from Alaska residents within each region. Regional council members are intended to represent the geographic, cultural and user diversity from within their region. Each year, one-third of the terms on each regional council expire.

            30 percent of seats on Regional Advisory Councils are reserved for members representing commercial or recreational uses of fish or wildlife. The remaining 70 percent of council seats are dedicated for subsistence interests.

The recruitment process usually starts the first week of January with public notices soliciting applications for membership. A panel of agency field staff members conducts follow-up and reference interviews, then forwards its recommendations to the Interagency Staff Committee. The staff committee advises the Federal Subsistence Board, and the board submits recommendations to the Secretary of Interior.

Evaluation of candidate qualifications involves review of an individual’s experience, skill and leadership ability. Evaluations and FSB recommendations to the Secretary of Interior are confidential. Key regional entities are invited to offer reference comments on candidates. Appointments are announced in early September.

For information on how to apply for a vacancy on a regional council, or to obtain an application, contact the Office of Subsistence Management, 3601 C Street, Suite 1030, Anchorage, AK 99503, 907-786-3888 or 800-478-1456.

For more information or to download an application, click here.

 

CALENDAR FOR PARTICIPATION

JANUARY

Period opens for proposals on subsistence fisheries regulations to the Federal Subsistence Board; any person or group can submit a proposal.

Federal Subsistence Board meets to consider subsistence fishery proposals. Any person or group can testify.  Any person can seek reconsideration of a decision made by the board.  Requests for reconsideration must be made within 60 days of the effective date of the challenged regulation or within 60 days of publication of the regulation in the federal register, whichever comes first.

FEBRUARY

Regional Advisory Council meetings are held statewide through March to consider wildlife proposals and prepare fisheries or shellfish proposals. Any person or group can testify.

END OF MARCH

Period closes for submission of proposals for changes to subsistence fisheries regulations.

MAY

Period opens for written public comments on proposed subsistence fishery regulation changes.

 

END OF JUNE

Period for written public comment on proposed subsistence fishery regulation changes closes. (Comments sent after deadline will be forwarded to councils but won't be included in council briefing booklets.)

JUNE TO AUGUST

Federal Regional Teams develop their technical analyses of proposed fishery regulations in consultation with Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

Regional Advisory Council meetings are held to consider and make recommendations on proposed subsistence fishery regulations. Any person or group can testify.

NOVEMBER

Written comments from the public on RAC recommendations can be sent to the Federal Subsistence Board at the Office of Subsistence Management, 3601 C Street, Suite 1030, Anchorage, AK 99503.

 

 

 

PARTICIPATING IN RULE-MAKING

The Federal Subsistence Board also may consider proposals to change general provisions and program structure of federal subsistence management regulations in Alaska. These are found in subparts "A" and "B" of federal regulations. Any member of the public, any Regional Advisory Council or the Office of Subsistence Management may propose such changes to the Secretary of Interior.

After review by the Secretary, the proposed rule-making is published in the Federal Register, opening a public comment period, typically 30 days. A public hearing on the proposal is also held during this time. The proposal becomes a final rule-making upon second publication in the Federal Register. Members of the public dissatisfied with the rule can petition the Secretary of Interior for reconsideration. Further appeals must be made through federal courts.

(last updated 01/30/07)

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