Ak Hunting News: Alaska Protests Federal Subsistence Board Allowing Bear Claws Sale

[Webmaster]

This news clip is from Alaska Hunting News. Discussion is welcome, but these robot generated news threads are not monitored by the webmaster.

The Federal Subsistence Board recently took action that allows commercial sales of bear claws and other parts of bears taken for subsistence to continue, despite the State of Alaska's protest. By retaining rules that allow unconstrained sales of bear parts, the Board undermines state, national, and international wildlife protection and enforcement efforts. The State of Alaska filed an appeal with the Federal Subsistence Board:

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[martentrapper]

I think it is high time the residents of alaska should be able to INCREASE their opportunities to profit from the use of the natural resources in their area.

[HunterTom]

Subsistence?

Selling of bear parts should not be classified as subsistence. This is ridiculous, it will only step up the killing of bears that would have been left alone. This is a terrible decision by the federal government...

[sh]

this is exactly

the kind of abuse that will happen with these brilliant washington DC types in charge. selling bear claws to get gas money to go out and shoot more bears for more claws and more gas money....duh......

[JDM]

residents?

Doesn't sound like it applies to all residents....

Gall bladders next?

[martentrapper]

It doesn't apply to all residents at present. Just the qualified rural subsistence users.
If we can only shoot one bear per year, 2 in some areas, what is so dangerous about selling parts of our kill. I think it an insult for the state to say that alaska's people will kill too many bears just to make a small amount of money from claws.
Gall bladders next...............I certainly hope so.

[JDM]

gall bladders...

I've always thought that a person should be able to sekk the gall bladder of a legally taken bear, hide and skull sealed...it is not illegal to take the gall bladder, just illegal to sell it....Don't understand the need to differentiate between a subsistence bear and one killed with a sport license in the case of hadicrafts or claws though.

A friend of mine once submitted a proposal to the BOG regarding the sale of legally taken bear gall bladders and they treated him like he had 3 eyes...
If the bear is sealed, then it would make sense that they could also seal/record if the gall bladder is brought in, document it and have a paper trail for a legal sale??

Should be a good topic for and argument

[HunterTom]

MartenTrapper

Unfortunately, if there's a motive, more will be taken. This is bad news, many rural areas are already trying to shoot out all of the predators (Baldwin Peninsula for example...). It's just one more reason for them to take more than necessary.

[Webmaster]

ADFG Update

The following update from ADFG received 26 Sept 06:

Federal Subsistence Board Allows for Unconstrained Sales of Bear Parts, Creates Commercial Market for Bear Claws

SUMMARY: The Federal Subsistence Board recently took action that allows commercial sales of bear claws and other parts of bears taken for subsistence to continue, despite the State of Alaska’s objections and requests for enforceable limitation on sales. By retaining rules that allow unconstrained sales of bear parts, the Board undermines state, national, and international wildlife protection and enforcement efforts.

BACKGROUND: On May 16, 2006, the Federal Subsistence Board, which operates in the State of Alaska and is comprised of federal representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and a federally-appointed Chairman, rejected a proposal to limit sales of bear part handicrafts and instead continue to authorize the unconstrained sale of bear parts. Instead of taking action to prohibit commercial exchanges, the Board adopted only an unenforceable, generalized prohibition against sales of handicrafts that are “significant commercial enterprises.”

The current regulations (1) authorize unconstrained sales as a customary and traditional activity despite a record demonstrating that only limited non-cash exchanges was traditional and that cash sales did not traditionally occur; (2) allow the commercial sale of bear parts handicrafts, including internet based sales; and (3) provide no tracking mechanism for sales or the source of their parts in handicrafts; (4) have been interpreted to allow purchase of claws, teeth, skulls and bones by non-federally qualified subsistence users, despite the fact that such purchase is prohibited under state law.

Through its actions, the Federal Subsistence Board has created and is perpetuating a new market for bear claws, skulls, and bones that will mask illegal sales. This action compounds problems with the international trade of Endangered Species and contributes to the illegal harvest, overharvest, and waste of bears in Alaska and in other states and countries. With the North American brown and black bears listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and brown bear populations in the 48 conterminous states listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, regulations allowing unlimited and untracked sales of bear claws, teeth, bones, and skulls violate sound management principles.

By permitting internet and eBay sales, the federal regulations create a commercial market for bear claws. As a result, it is likely that in addition to increased levels of legitimate subsistence hunting, illegal hunting and illegal use of bears taken in other hunts will also increase, creating an entirely “commercial” market. Both federal and state authorities have indicated that a generalized restriction against “significant commercial enterprises” is not enforceable.

The State of Alaska filed an appeal with the Federal Subsistence Board, and the Board is expected to make a decision on the appeal in the near future. To view the State’s appeal, please visit http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/index...nt.subsistence. If the State’s appeal is rejected, the State (and/or other interested parties) may consider challenging the regulations in court.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Wayne Regelin, Deputy Commissioner, at (907) 465‑4100, or Sarah Gilbertson, Subsistence and Federal Issues Coordinator, at (907) 267-2138.

[martentrapper]

Unfortunately, if there's a motive, more will be taken. This is bad news, many rural areas are already trying to shoot out all of the predators (Baldwin Peninsula for example...). It's just one more reason for them to take more than necessary.

The definition of what is "more than necessary" is debateable. Fact is, there are bag limits for bears, and for most other species,........so I don't see the problem with a successful hunter, making some income from the legal harvest of an animal. I dispute the idea that the majority of residents will kill off all our animals if they are able to sell part of their kill.

There will always be those who wish to exploit resources. Part of the problem is that it is easier to exploit something that is illegal. A legal trade in animal parts would squash, to some degree, an illegal trade. Illegal trade drives prices up and increases illegal use. Just look at what happened during prohibition.

[Brian M]

They allowed the sale of grizzly bear furs from the area near Tok this spring, right? Does anyone know the preliminary #'s on that hunt? I'm curious if it actually resulted in increased pressure and success.

-Brian

[HunterTom]

That would be good information to have.... Hopefully someone can fill us in.