"Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Scenery" by U.S. National Park Service , public domain
![]() | Gates of the ArcticSubsistence Management |
featured in
![]() | National Parks Pocket Maps | ![]() |
![]() | Alaska Pocket Maps | ![]() |
covered parks
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
Photo courtesy of Anchorage Museum
Subsistence Management in Gates of the Arctic
Protecting Subsistence
Rights
Anaktuvuk Pass residents hunting
caribou in 1962.
Subsistence Resource
Commissions
In 1980, Congress recognized the uniqueness and importance of a subsistence
way of life to rural residents by identifying it as one of the purposes of the Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). Through Title VIII of
ANILCA, Congress established a policy that rural residents engaged in a subsistence way of life be provided the opportunity to continue to do so, consistent
with sound management principles and the conservation of healthy fish and
wildlife populations; that the utilization of public lands in Alaska is to cause
the least adverse impact possible on rural residents who depend upon subsistence resources; that the non-wasteful subsistence uses of fish and wildlife be
the priority consumptive use; and that in managing subsistence activities, the
federal land managing agencies shall cooperate with adjacent landowners and
land managers, including tribal governments, Native corporations, and state and
federal agencies.
To achieve this complex synthesis of protection and use, Congress felt it was important
to formally involve those who have a personal knowledge of traditional subsistence
activities and resources on federal lands. For
national parks and monuments where subsistence uses were traditional, Subsistence
Resource Commissions were established to
make recommendations to the park superintendents, Secretary of Interior, and Governor
of Alaska on a hunting program for the park
areas.
The Gates of the Arctic National Park Subsistence
Resource Commission (SRC) was established
in 1982, and has been formally meeting with
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
Resident Zone Communities the NPS since 1984 to provide a sounding
Photo by Jack Reakoff
Wolverine pelts (right) and wolf hides (reversed) dry
outside a home in Wiseman, one of Gates of the
Arctic’s 11 resident zone communities.
Sleds are used to haul a harvested moose home from
the field.
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
For more information on Gates of the Arctic National
Park and Preserve’s Subsistence program, contact
Marcy Okada at (907) 455-0639 or email her at
Marcy_Okada@nps.gov.
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™
Photo by Heidi Schoppenhorst
The SRC is comprised of nine members
representing different geographical, cultural,
and user diversity for the Gates of the Arctic
region. Three members are appointed by the
Secretary of Interior, three appointed by the
Governor of Alaska, and three appointed by
Federal Regional Advisory Councils. The
Commission meets at least twice a year to
review regulatory wildlife and fisheries proposals and make recommendations which
may address major topics such as eligibility,
access, harvest monitoring, methods and
means of taking, research needs, use of cabins
and shelters, trapline management, and timber
management.
board for local concerns and develop a subsistence management program specific to Gates
of the Arctic. It was the intent of Congress to
limit eligibility for subsistence activities within
Gates of the Arctic National Park to local rural
residents who have a personal or family history
of use of park resources. Hence, 11 communities near Gates of the Arctic National Park
were designated as subsistence resident zone
communities for the park. Alatna, Allakaket,
Ambler, Anaktuvuk Pass, Bettles, Evansville,
Hughes, Kobuk, Nuiqsut, Shungnak, and
Wiseman were identified as communities with
a significant concentration of subsistence users
who have customarily and traditionally used
park resources and lands.