Continuing its leadership defending hunting on federal lands in Alaska, SCI spearheaded a group letter opposing the proposed move of the Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the Office of the Secretary of Interior or the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The OSM provides technical advice to the Federal Subsistence Board—meaning it helps the Board decide whether to shut down federal lands in Alaska to all but federally qualified subsistence users (defined as rural residents). The letter objects to the move because the Service has the scientific expertise necessary for the OSM’s technical recommendations. Moving the OSM to the Office of the Secretary would politicize the process. Moving the OSM to the Bureau of Indian Affairs would marginalize approximately half of all subsistence users who are not Alaska Natives. The letter was signed by 26 like-minded conservation organizations who are all members of the American Wildlife Conservation Partners, a consortium of organizations that represent the interests of America’s millions of hunter-conservationists, professional wildlife and natural resource managers, outdoor recreation users, conservation educators, and wildlife scientists.
SCI Spearheads Letter Opposing Proposed Move of the Office of Subsistence Management
