Lisa Murkowski

I absolutely hear and understand the fears that you have about the future of subsistence.

I do not have that magic button that can put fish back in the river now.

If you are serious about talking about co-management, you have to look at getting more funding for it.

We have to be able to manage State waters, Federal waters, holistically.

So, one of the things that I often hear is that on Federal lands and waters, our subsistence resources and habitat are not being actively managed to ensure viable resource populations.

Let's have a demonstration project on co-management. Let's fund it.

One of the key takeaways from that was the need for Native people to have a seat at the table, equal voice in management of subsistence resource.

We have no choice but to be aware of every part and piece of the ecosystem, because everything is connected.

What it really comes down to is how you not only feed your families, but how you keep your culture and traditions alive.

When you rely on salmon for your food source, it is not just because it is what is on sale. It is because it is what you have.

I want to thank each of you for your written comments and what you have shared here for the committee and community.

It is so important that your connection to this resource be shared in a way that people from Washington, D.C. and other parts of the Country may not be able to quickly grasp.

Senator Murkowski, you will be called on to lead Alaskans in achieving this bold new consensus.

Our subsistence way of life must have unconditional Federal support, and the State of Alaska must show willingness to seek a different path forward other than litigation.

Congress should support and invest in Alaska Native peoples to increase our capacity to protect our interests in the lands and waters.

Thank you, Mr. Winkelman.

Let our Tribes help the federal government, and one another, to address salmon declines, climate change, and the impacts on our communities.

We appreciate your support for greater Tribal representation on the NPFMC.

If we don't fish, we don't eat. It is pretty basic.

We must work together, because ultimately the loss of salmon threatens your ways of life.

Traditional ecological knowledge must inform our actions and decisions.

The need for the Federal Government to pay attention, to pay attention, to listen, to understand, and to act.

I feel this is historic in many ways, to actually be able to bring the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to Bethel

We can never thank enough those who have stood to defend us and our Country's freedoms.

Congress needs to amend ANILCA to protect, once and for all, Alaska Native and Rural subsistence hunting and fishing rights.