A federal judge has shot down Alaska’s bid to expand subsistence fishing beyond boundaries set by the federal government, affirming the federal authority over the state’s management of its waters.
In a March 29 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason permanently blocked Alaska from issuing orders that would contradict federal management decisions aimed at preserving fish for a small group of rural residents.
The dispute, centered around the question of who has the authority to manage fish and wildlife resources in Alaska, was raised in 2021, when Chinook salmon runs on the Kuskokwim River hit record lows.
Citing shrinking populations of salmon, the Federal Subsistence Board and other federal officials imposed a fishing ban on 180 miles of the Kuskokwim, where it flows through the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta National Wildlife Refuge....
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