Court Rejects Alaska Appeal Over Fishing Rights

[hue]

Source: abc NEWS



The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal by the state of Alaska in a long-running fight over the control of rivers and the fishing and hunting rights of Native Alaskans.

The court on Monday declined to review a federal appeals court ruling that upheld U.S. Interior Department rules enforcing the fishing and hunting rights on some rivers that otherwise would be under state control.

The state urged the high court to step in to address claims that the federal government has improperly asserted control over rivers in more than half of Alaska.

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/court-rejects-alaska-appeal-fishing-rights-23126629

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This is an important win for Native Americans and our environment!!

[Lasher]

1. How is this a win for Native Americans and the environment?

The article doesn't say and I don't know much about the issue.

[Tempest]

3. It limits the state's ability to change subsistance rights and development along the rivers.

The state can't limit native use or expand non-native use of the rivers. Also, the state can't sell land along the rivers or allow mining or other development along the rivers.

The feds have treated the Alaska native population much better than the state has.

[Bandit]

6. Alaska has a state constitution that says EVERYONE is equal

They can not BY LAW give Alaska Natives special rights that other Alaskans can not enjoy. The Federal Government has demanded that Aaska Naives get special rights to hunt and fish both in endangered areas and for endangered species. We live in a country where we are equal or do we live in a country where some people have more rights than others? That is the big argument that has been going on in this state for about a decade or so. The state has had it's hands tied on this issue by our Constitution so the Feds came in and took over pretty much all substance issues.

[Tempest]

8. This issue is subsistance fishing on FEDERAL lands

The state constitution has nothing to do with this issue.

[Bandit]

9. Alaska has historically managed fish and game on all lands Federal or State.

When the issue of subsistance came up about ten years ago Alaska refused to allow special subsistance rights and the Federal Government stepped in and said they would take over regulating subsistance rights on all federal lands. However rivers are not Federal land and the State has always had authority over them.

[atreides1]

12. Let me ask you a question

Do you really believe that your Republican governor and his ALEC and Koch Brother allies have nothing but good intentions for those rivers and the lands that they border?

[Bandit]

13. Alaska has managed it's resources quite well

I won't give the credit to Republicans but they haven't screwed it up either. Our salmon industry has come back from complete decimation to "Extremely Healthy" and those are the words of our Dept of Fish & Game. Yes I do believe that our resources are being managed in good faith. Everywhere except Bristol Bay where they are trying to put the Pebble Mine into play. This is not about anyone getting rich. It is about subsistance and who should be eligible. Feds think ONLY Alaska Natives should get to subsist and the state saying if one can all can. I can think of no other state that actually gives it's residents an annual check because of how our resources have been managed.

[hue]

7. Alaskan Repukes have a long standing battle for control of many of Alaska's resources with the Feds

Dept of Interior. SouthEast Alaskan Conservation Council (SEACC) is working to protect Alaska's environment in many ways. You can follow the developments on their web site. The Alaskan DNR has been corrupted just as the WI DNR has been.

Here is one example: http://seacc.org/strong-communities/state-legislature/water-reservations-bill-ignites-fireworks-in-the-legislature

[uppityperson]

2. Do you have more info on what this was? thank you.

[Tempest]

4. A primer

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/alaska-whose-hunting-and-fishing-rights-matter-most

[Feral Child]

5. Proper decision.

Native American rights have been eroded since the very first treaty.

Alaska doesn't even want this to control fishing rights. They want to mine and deforest it.

[hue]

10. It looks like the 1% wants to control many state DNRs in order to mine & deforest as they wish.

This is most likely according to the ALEC template devised many years ago to satisfy the 1%'s lust for raw commodities.

[Feral Child]

11. Greedy.

There's never enough.