At its meeting tonight (2-10-26), the Sitka Assembly will consider passing a resolution in support of maintaining Sitka’s rural designation ahead of an upcoming review of the Federal Subsistence Management Program.
The federal government began a scoping process late last year that could lead to wide-ranging changes to federal subsistence management in the state. Those proposed changes include removing rural priority and eliminating public seats from the Federal Subsistence Board — which were added to ensure Indigenous and rural representation.
In a memo, Mayor Steven Eisenbeisz and assembly members Katie Riley and Scott Saline said as a rural community, the vast majority of Sitka residents harvest large quantities of “traditional, personal, and subsistence use” fish and game. They said the resolution reflects Sitka’s longstanding priority to maintain the community’s rural designation and protect the subsistence rights of its residents.
If passed, the city will submit the resolution to the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture ahead of the Feb. 13 comment deadline.
In other business, the assembly will hear a report on phase 1 of the Sitka Land Suitability and Feasibility Study, which was wrapped up in December.
The Sitka Assembly meets at 6 p.m. tonight. Raven News will broadcast the meeting live, following Alaska News Nightly.
