Five individuals from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta have been newly appointed or reappointed to the regional council that advises on federal subsistence management decisions – the Federal Subsistence Board Regional Advisory Council for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
They are: Francis Prince Jr. of Kotlik, Raymond J. Oney and Tiffany D. Andrew of Alakanuk, Myron P. Naneng Sr. of Bethel, and Frederick P. Beans of Mountain Village.
They join eight other already-sitting members of the Federal Subsistence Board Regional Advisory Council for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta: Henry Parks of Nunapitchuk, Norma T. Evan of Marshall, John W. Andrew of Kwethluk, Walter A. Morgan Sr. of Lower Kalskag, Jacqueline K. Cleveland of Quinhagak, Alissa Nadine Rogers of Bethel, Phillip K. Peter Sr. of Akiachak, and Wassily Alexie of Russian Mission.
Regional advisory council members are appointed by United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, with the agreement of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak. The advisory board members from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta were appointed alongside 36 other advisory board members from other regions across the state.
In total, there are 10 Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils in Alaska: Southeast Alaska, Southcentral Alaska, Kodiak/Aleutians, Bristol Bay, Western Interior Alaska, Seward Peninsula, Northwest Arctic, Eastern Interior Alaska, and North Slope. Together, the 10 advisory councils give input on federal subsistence management regulation and policies in Alaska, and advise the 11-member Federal Subsistence Board.
Until earlier this year, the Federal Subsistence Board was made up of eight members – three members of the public and five from federal wildlife management organizations. But a new rule finalized in October has added three tribally-appointed seats to the board, a move supported by many tribal and subsistence organizations, including the Alaska Federation of Natives and the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission.
The main Federal Subsistence Board will issue its own call for applications in early January 2025.