National Park Service’s Final Rule Overrides State Wildlife Management Role, Draws Concerns
- ADF&G Press Release

Sam Cotten, Commissioner
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, Alaska 99811-5526


Press Release: October 23, 2015

Contact: Bruce Dale, Division of Wildlife Conservation Director, (907) 861-2101

National Park Service’s Final Rule Overrides State Wildlife Management Role, Draws Concerns

(Juneau) — The State of Alaska is concerned about restrictive hunting regulations published today by the National Park Service (NPS). The new federal restrictions released under the “Final Rule for Hunting and Trapping in National Preserves in Alaska” override state regulations governing practices of longstanding importance to rural Alaskans and bypass the state’s role under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act as manager for fish and wildlife on all lands in Alaska.

“We believe these regulations will have a noticeable effect on the lives of Alaskans, particularly those Alaskans living a subsistence lifestyle,” said Bruce Dale, director of the Division of Wildlife Conservation. “The final rule implements yet another level of regulation that will reduce Alaskans’ ability to provide food for their families and to retain their culture and heritage.”

NPS meetings on the subject disregarded the concerns of a diverse array of Alaskans opposed to the rule. NPS staff declined requests by many—including the Alaska Federation of Natives, Alaska Outdoor Council, the Subsistence Resource Councils associated with several NPS units, Regional Resource Advisory Committees and the State of Alaska—for continued work with stakeholders and the state to resolve these issues.

The state will review the new NPS regulations and will consider all options to resolve the issues.