Regional subsistence board responds to rural hunting need

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

The Kodiak / Aleutians Subsistence Regional Advisory Council wrapped up its meeting in Kodiak last week.

The council steps in when it comes to subsistence issues like one that a small community in the Aleutians East Borough was experiencing.

Some residents in False Pass wanted access to hunting a restricted population of caribou on Unimak Island, where they’re located.

As council member Della Trumble from King Cove pointed out, it’s too expensive for residents to hunt elsewhere like Cold Bay, and it’s not as common for other communities to harvest that caribou.

The council granted an emergency special action request to allow False Pass to hunt that population. However, considering the limited number in the population, it also gave the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge Manager the authority to close the season if necessary. The season would last from August 15 to October 15.

During the two day meeting, the council also talked about fisheries research projects, ongoing subsistence hunts like the one for the emperor goose, and heard updates from various state and federal agencies.