Lisa Murkowski

The Federal Government must act.

What good is the federal trust responsibility if the results in the loss of our fish, our communities, our culture, our lives?

Salmon are not just swimming dollar signs, Salmon are our life. They are in our DNA.

Allow them to have an opening to enable their communities to continue to teach this way of life.

We want you to understand the importance of Tribal voices, Local & Traditional Knowledge and cooperative management in fishery management processes.

We appreciate your support for congressionally directed spending for AYK salmon populations and are grateful for your work on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

I would like to thank U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski and the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for holding this Field Hearing

Our tribes matter. Subsistence matters. Our villages matter. Salmon matter. We cannot be ignored any longer.

We need immediate action to find solutions to this crisis. That won't happen unless the Federal Government is willing to listen to and partner with Tribes.

I would like to thank Senator Murkowski, members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and your staff for organizing this field hearing to hear directly from our Tribes.

We voted you in with trust, as well as others. It is time for us to wake up and not sleep.

We appreciate Senator Murkowski's work to assist AYK salmon populations through Congressionally-directed spending in support of research, monitoring, and co-management.

We urge you to push federal agencies to work with us to develop co-stewardship agreements for federally-managed lands and fisheries.

We also appreciate Senator Murkowski's support for greater Tribal representation on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council.

What do we do to replace wild food sources, like salmon, when they are in such states of collapse?

Our situation is dire, and it indicates we need a fundamental shift in our fishery management systems.

Short of legislation, what needs to happen, because legislation will take a long time, I know that, but I think even something as simple as crossing the lines, crossing parties and getting a compromise on this one issue

I would just really encourage Senator Lisa Murkowski and the Committee on Indian Affairs that you please govern us for the health and well-being of our people.

We need to be paying attention to that aspect of knowledge that you bring to the table.

This is not a check the box. This is not something that I had to do. This is something that I want to do, because I hear you.

Help me end suicide. Help me protect our Native rights. Help me restore our resources for future generations. And most of all, help me save Alaska.

I have actually been challenged on this, on even having this field hearing here in Bethel.

I hope that our tribal leaders, the State and Federal Government will become a stronger advocate for recovery and wellness.

We need your support for funding these, I don't know if they are private companies.

Thank you for your comments.