Alaska Fish & Wildlife News
September 2025
Traditional Knowledge
The Board of Fish Brings in Indigenous Voices
The opportunity for traditional knowledge to influence fishing regulations is growing in Alaska. Public input has always had a prominent role in crafting regulations, but recently this aspect has expanded.
Alaska’s fishing and hunting policies are not made by the Department of Fish and Game. Implementing and updating regulations is the role of the Board of Fish and the Board of Game. Board members are appointed by the governor and approved by the legislature. Board meetings are public events where proposals are presented to the board members and issues are discussed. Input comes from three key sources:
Advisory Committees (ACs), a collection of more than 80 committees across the state that discuss local concerns and then submit proposed legislation changes
ADF&G, which conducts research such as biological and habitat studies and submits results to the boards, often in conjunction with the Advisory Committees
The public, individuals who submit proposals to the boards or provide public testimony.
But recently, former Fisheries Board Chair John Wood and Fisheries Board member Marit Carlson-Van Dort recognized a crucial piece of information the board was lacking: traditional knowledge. ACs and public testimony do cover some of issues of traditional knowledge; ACs present expanded perspectives on local issues and Indigenous traditional knowledge holders can use public testimony slots to discuss how policies affect them and their land. However, only three minutes is given for public testimony - an extremely short amount of time to condense a generation’s worth of knowledge.
Wood wanted to remedy that. He suggested to Carlson-Van Dort that traditional knowledge receive a designated slot for the Alaska Board of Fish. He told her that he had heard impactful testimony and the three-minute public testimony slot was insufficient. Her own experience at meetings backed that up and she agreed.
“It was horrible to interrupt an elder to tell them their time was up,” she said.
Carlson-Van Dort began drafting policy for such a slot, working closely with ADF&G Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang to ensure it would be legally acceptable for the department.
“It was tricky to craft in that way,” she said. “Like how subsistence as a practice is considered; how it’s prosecuted under the state government versus the federal government.”
She reached out to the Alaska Federation of Natives and held discussions with them. They were receptive and created a resolution to vote on at their 2023 conference. Carlson-Van Dort also utilized the North Pacific Council’s protocol on traditional and local knowledge as a resource and foundation for legal language, which she worked and modified to ensure it would become a part of the Board of Fish process and not subject to any individual chair.
Once approved, the traditional knowledge slot was ultimately given 10 minutes by the Board of Fish. This was an effort to maintain parity and fairness and to be mindful of the board’s time and budget.
“Other board members were afraid that traditional knowledge holders would have an advantage,” she said. “The 10-minute slot was an attempt to put sideboards on the slot and to prevent excessive time sinks.”
While 10 minutes is much better than the three minutes given for general public testimony, Carlson-Van Dort notes that there are still issues, such as how the knowledge is presented. “Some people can just talk well. Some people can’t.” It can be intimidating for tribal elders standing before a formal governing board to present their testimony, no matter how much knowledge or experience they hold.
Also, some traditional knowledge holders live in remote locations. Remote testimony is possible, but it’s an issue for time management and often presents technical difficulties. (It also opens the floor to theoretically anyone, which is a separate issue). There was one precedent for remote testimony during the COVID-19 pandemic when a Board of Fish meeting was moved last minute from Ketchikan to Anchorage, and the board allowed teleconference options for those who were originally scheduled to appear. But this has not become a standard.
But Carlson-Van Dort believes the new slot is an improvement, and said it’s made an impact on process and decision making. It allows board members to learn firsthand how their policy decisions affect local communities and landscapes. Tribal elders appreciate recognition and express enthusiasm over possibilities, and initial criticism has diminished. Board members have had great conversations with community members during their sessions.
Carlson-Van Dort plans to continue workshopping the traditional knowledge slot over the next board cycle based on what’s working and what’s not. She is keen to refine or improve a couple specific aspects during this next cycle. One is ensuring it has “guardrails” that create equity in time and representation so traditional knowledge is not given advantage over other important issues the board must consider.
The other is helping traditional knowledge holders express their experiences. Conveying knowledge verbally has been effective, but many traditional knowledge holders are uncomfortable standing before the board and can become nervous or flustered, affecting their ability to present the information. Carlson-Van Dort wants to explore ways to communicate that will help some elders feel more comfortable. However, there is a fine line between adaptivity and entertainment, especially in this environment.
“There is a risk of losing space if it becomes too flashy,” she said. “The whole point is that it’s supplemental to the science that ADF&G reports and supplemental to public testimony. I would like more creativity, but it can’t become a performance.”
While there is room for improvement, the value is clear. Members of the Board of Game have taken notice of the success and expressed interest in creating a similar slot in their own process, which she has eagerly agreed to facilitate.
Carlson-Van Dort emphasized in closing that she simply wants the public to be more aware of and engaged. The more involved the public is with both the Board of Fish and the Board of Game, the better for everyone. Members of the public have a lot of knowledge that can benefit both of the boards. The Board of Fish and the Board of Game are different entities; they each have their own way of doing things, and it's important for the public to understand each process and engage with both.
The next upcoming Board of Fish season will commence in October 2025 in Anchorage. You can learn about the policies they will be discussing and listen to recordings at their website.
Ben Henning is a publications specialist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game living in Anchorage, Alaska. Originally from Minnesota, he has lived in many places such as Texas, Arizona, and overseas, but says Alaska has felt the most like home. In his spare time, he loves exploring nearby mountain peaks and sampling all the coffee shops he can find.
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