Bulletin: Federal Subsistence Board Concludes August Work Session

ANCHORAGE, Alaska–The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) met August 4-5 to work through several subsistence matters. They reviewed annual reports and letters from the Regional Advisory Councils (Councils), considered two wildlife special action requests, discussed delegation of authority to local managers for Unit 7 caribou, and received several informational updates.

The Board approved replies to Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Reports from the 10 Councils after a presentation by Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) staff, discussions with Council chairs, and minor edits. The reports had common themes such as salmon crises, including marine issues, monitoring and research gaps, enforcement and user conflicts, caribou declines and management, environmental and land use issues, and program administration and communication. The Board also discussed options for improving efficacy of the annual reply process. Councils will consider new guidelines at their fall meetings. 

The Board reviewed recent Council correspondence; they approved several replies and voted to elevate a select subset of letters to the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture. 

The Board adopted Temporary Wildlife Special Action Request WSA26-04 as modified by OSM, after considering the analysis presented by OSM staff, as well as comments from members of the public, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the Interagency Staff Committee. The Board also adopted Emergency Wildlife Special Action Request WSA26-08.

• WSA26-04, submitted by the Gates of the Arctic National Park Subsistence Resource Commission, requested establishing a winter moose season within Gates of the Arctic National Park in Unit 24A from December 15-April 15, with a harvest limit of one antlered bull with at least a one-inch antler for the 2026-2028 regulatory cycle. The Board adopted WSA26-04 with OSM modification to clarify the regulatory language and require a federal registration permit. The Board supported this request to restore some of the subsistence opportunity lost due to the recent transfer of accessible Bureau of Land Management lands in Unit 24A to the State of Alaska and because there are no conservation concerns. 
• WSA26-08, submitted by the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, requested implementation of the fall antlerless moose hunt in Zone 2 of the Kuskokwim hunt area in Unit 18. The Board approved this hunt via adoption of Proposal WP26-43 at their April 2026 regulatory meeting. Their adoption of WSA26-08 implements the Board’s intent on passing WP26-43 until the new federal subsistence wildlife regulations are published. 

The Board approved a delegation of authority letter for the Seward District Ranger of the Chugach National Forest to issue emergency or temporary special actions if necessary for caribou in Unit 7.

In addition to the above action items, the Board received briefings on several topics:

Regional Advisory Council chairs briefed the Board on the Alaska Salmon Crises Chairs’ Workshop, held August 3. The chairs requested a meeting with the Board and the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Commerce to directly communicate their salmon-related subsistence concerns. The Board directed OSM staff to draft a letter requesting a standing, annual meeting between the Board and the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to discuss subsistence issues and to elevate this specific meeting request.

OSM leadership briefed the Board on new guidance on consultation between federal in-season managers implementing special actions under Board-delegated authority, the State of Alaska, and Councils. 

On the morning of August 5, the Board held a closed executive session to develop recommendations to the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture for Council appointments and receive updates from the Solicitor and senior DOI leadership.

The Board confirmed the dates for the next Fisheries Regulatory Meeting (February 2-5, 2027) and will decide later, via email poll, on dates for their next work session in 2027.

Meeting materials from this meeting can be found at: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/archives

Information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska. 

Missing out on the latest federal subsistence issues? To receive email updates on Federal Subsistence Management Program activities, send a request to subsistence@ios.doi.gov. 

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