Circumpolar Musings: Laws and legal

Police seize 600 kilos of mammoth tusks in Far East

Amanda Graham — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 22:49:39 GMT

(RIA Novosti, 11 February 2013) -- BLAGOVESHCHENSK, February 11 (RIA Novosti) – Police in Russia’s Far East Amur Region have seized some 600 kilograms (1,320 pounds) of mammoth tusks from residents of the neighboring Republic of Yakutia, the regional interior affairs department said on Monday. “Police found 71 tusks weighing about 600 kilograms at a warehouse [in Blagoveschensk],” the department said, adding three men were planning to sell the tusks to Chinese nationals. Police are currently investigating whether the fossils were obtained legally. The world market price of mammoth tusk is almost equal to the price of silver. One kilogram is worth 5,000 rubles ($166) at international auctions in Yakutsk, capital of Yakutia. Some 90 percent of the mammoth remains found so far have come from Yakutia. The region’s extreme weather conditions and permafrost allow scientists to find their remains largely intact.

Murkowski introduces bill to restore subsistence harvest of gull eggs in southeast Alaska

Amanda Graham — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 06:52:27 GMT

(Office of Senator Murkowski press release via Alaska Native News, 29 January 2013) -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday reintroduced legislation restoring the traditional rights of the Huna Tlingit to gather glaucous-winged gull eggs in Glacier Bay National Park as part of their subsistence hunting activities. “The Huna Tlingit have gathered gull eggs as part of their traditional subsistence activities for centuries – certainly long before Glacier Bay was made into a national park,” Murkowski said. “Gull eggs are part of their traditional diet and cultural identity, and I believe it’s an activity they should be allowed to continue legally.” Glacier Bay National Park in Southeast Alaska is the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit, who traditionally harvested gull eggs at rookeries from the cliffs of Glacier Bay prior to, and following, establishment of the park. Collection was prohibited in the 1960s under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and National Park Service regulations. The National Park Service determined in 2010 that annual harvests would not harm the gull populations in the park, but congressional action is still required to authorize gull egg collection. Murkowski’s legislation would allow tribal members of the Hoonah Indian Association to collect gull eggs up to two times a year at as many as five locations within Glacier Bay National Park. Murkowski introduced similar legislation in 2011, during the 112th Congress. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, plans to introduce companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Conservationists want ban on products made from polar bears

Amanda Graham — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:21:35 GMT

(Brett Smith/RedOrbit, 26 December 2012) -- Some conservationists are calling for increased restrictions on the buying and selling of rugs and other goods made from polar bears—citing the animal’s threatened status. Others disagree—saying climate change is the bears’ biggest threat and focusing on their trade de-emphasizes the true reason behind their endangerment. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which has long championed the polar bears’ cause, takes the position that climate change, not international trade, is their most significant threat. “If we were tempted to support (a ban) on the basis of trade being a major threat, it is not,” Colman O’Criodain, WWF’s wildlife trade policy analyst, told BBC News. “You could say that this is just a distraction factor and that it could have the effect of making people think something has been done to address the threat when the net effect will be almost negligible,” he added. Officials at the Humane Society International/UK disagree, citing a 375 percent increase in the number of polar bear skins offered at auction over the past five years as evidence that the animals are being hunted more than ever. ... Where some see a battle to protect polar bears by banning the trade of certain products, others see a move to de-emphasize the activities responsible for climate change. “The American government is using the threat of climate change to justify banning the international trade in polar bear parts while utterly failing to do anything to reduce their own activities,” Inuit spokesman James Eetoolook of the Nunavut Tunngavik told BBC News. In denouncing a potential ban, Eetoolook’s group cited their own research study, released earlier this year and conducted in the western side of Hudson Bay, which found the local polar bear population numbered around 1,000 animals and was possibly expanding. “This is not about climate change. This is about how polar bears were used to draw attention to climate change. It was dangerous and wrong for scientists to use incomplete data to make predictions,” Eetoolook said back in April when the study was released.

Court rules against village in global warming case

Amanda Graham — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 17:40:02 GMT

(Coastal Care, 21 September 2012) -- ... the village of Shishmaref in North Western Alaska, inhabited for 400 years, is currently facing evacuation due to rising temperatures, which are causing a reduction in sea ice, thawing of permafrost along the coast. The reduced sea ice allows higher storm surges to reach shore and thawing permafrost makes the shoreline more vulnerable to erosion. The town’s homes, water system and infrastructure are being undermined. A federal appeals court has ruled against the northwest Alaska village of Kivalina, which sued energy companies over claims that greenhouse emissions contributed to global warming that is threatening the community’s existence. The eroding village sought monetary damages to help with the estimated $400 million to relocate…

Greenpeace protests Arctic drilling in Russia, 23 detained

Amanda Graham — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:18:00 GMT

(Reuters, 17 April 2012) -- Russian police detained two dozen Greenpeace activists on Tuesday for protesting against Arctic drilling after Russia's largest oil producer signed a landmark deal with Exxon Mobil Corp to jointly prospect for oil in the far north. A spokeswoman for the environmental group, Vera Bakasheva, said a total of 23 activists were arrested for holding an unsanctioned rally outside Russia's Arctic Oil and Gas Conference in Moscow. "We wanted to give the message to the people at the conference that drilling in the Arctic is dangerous and needs to be stopped," Bakasheva said. The protest was organized after Rosneft and Exxon earlier this week sealed a wide-reaching partnership granting both sides access to each others' reserves. The deal paved the way for both companies to prospect for oil in three areas of Russia's Arctic Kara Sea, estimated by Rosneft to hold 36 billion barrels of recoverable reserves.

Dane fights for Greenland prisoners

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:11:19 GMT

(IceNews, 23 March 2012) -- A Danish prison inspector has spoken out about the practice of sending Greenlandic inmates to Danish gaols, claiming it contravenes their human rights to maintain close ties with their families. Hans Jørgen Elbo argues that Denmark would probably lose a case in the European Court of Human Rights if the Greenlanders serving sentences at Herstedvester Prison made a stand. As Greenland currently has no permanent jails, around 20 inmates have been sent to Herstedvester. Prisoners have been housed in Denmark since 1952, and the construction of Greenland’s first prison is still to be completed after various setbacks since 2007. Elbo was publicly reprimanded for his comments by Annette Esdorf, deputy CEO of the prison service (Kriminalforsorgen), at a meeting last week. He is unrepentant, however, claiming no one has been able to prove that the practice does not violate the prisoners’ rights. Speaking to Politiken, Peter Scharff Smith of the human rights Institute for Menneskerettigheder, said he agrees with the inspector.

Reindeer Police wants change of name

Amanda Graham — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:57:29 GMT

(Trude Pettersen/Barents Observer, 22 November 2011) -- The Chief of Police in Western Finnmark Police District has applied for a change of name for the unique Norwegian police force the Reindeer Police. The reason for this is that the name is understood to have a negative connection with reindeer husbandry. "What other industry is connected to its own police in this way," says Police Chief Inspector Per Valved, to Nordlys. The Reindeer Police was established in 1949. Its main task is to combat crimes against nature and the environment and to police Sami reindeer herding within its area of jurisdiction, which covers the counties of Finnmark and Nord Troms – an area of 56,000 square kilometers. This vast territory is policed by a mere 15 officers. The Reindeer Police help are often present during the gathering, separation, marking and slaughtering of reindeer.

Unsettled land claims in Yukon in court

Amanda Graham — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:40:33 GMT

(CBC News, 16 November 2011) -- Unsettled land claims in the resource-rich southeast Yukon go on trial this week. A judge must decide if the Ross River Dena are entitled to compensation for loss of lands and resources. Years of land claim negotiations between Ottawa and Ross River came to a stalemate, and the talks were suspended completely in 2002. Ross River lawyers have been fighting ever since to make their case to a judge. They say federal lawyers have resisted every step of the way, to the point of denying any knowledge the Ross River Dena or Kaska. The claims are based on the historic Order of 1870 which made Yukon, and parts of the N.W.T., part of Canada, including an order to compensate First Nations for the lands taken by settlers or developers.

Russia to make law on Arctic territories

Amanda Graham — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:34:24 GMT

(Trude Pettersen/Barents Observer, 1 November 2011) -- Russia’s Arctic territories will become a separate object of state policy. A federal law on this subject is expected to be prepared in 2012. "The place and role of the northern territories in the country’s socio-economic development pre-determine the need to single out the Arctic zone as a separate object of state policy," a draft concept of the law reads, according to RIA Novosti. The draft concept has been prepared by the Ministry of Regional Development and has been handed over to the Government for approval. The final law will be prepared in 2012 as part of Russia’s state program for economic and social development of the Russian Arctic in 2012-2020. The authors of the draft believe that development of the Arctic zone should be a top national priority, like development of Siberia used to be: "The Arctic is a veritable storeroom of natural resources – 27 million square kilometers of the Continental Shelf where 70-75 percent of the mineral and biological resources of the world’s oceans and seas might be concentrated." The Russian Arctic zone includes the entire Murmansk Region, the Nenets, Yamal-Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous Areas, as well as some parts of Karelia, the Komi Republic, Yakutia, the Arkhangelsk Region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The Arctic zone’s territory also includes coastal lowlands of the Arctic Ocean, basins of rivers flowing into the Arctic seas, indivisible administrative-territorial entities, as well as major resource-production complexes being serviced by the Northern Sea Route.

Vigils for missing, murdered aboriginal women to be held

Amanda Graham — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:01:01 GMT

(CBC News, 4 October 2011) -- Groups across the country will be gathering to remember and honour missing or murdered aboriginal women, including several communities in Yukon. The Sisters in Spirit campaign, part of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, has dedicated Oct. 4 as a day of vigil and will also hold events in nine provinces including Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia as well as the Northwest Territories. There are more than 582 missing aboriginal women in Canada, according to data released Sisters in Spirit. Jayla Rousseau-Thomas, who is co-ordinating the vigils in the Yukon, said that includes 29 from the territory. “That’s more than one per community,” she said. “That’s more than one per First Nation. That’s a lot of women who are no longer with us, who’ve been missing or remain missing or are murdered.”

Nunavut defends rejecting Franklin search bid

Amanda Graham — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 17:42:55 GMT

(CBC News, 13 July 2011) -- Nunavut government officials are defending their decision not to give a Chicago man an archeological permit to search for Sir John Franklin's grave in the Arctic. Ron Carlson, a Chicago-based architect, pilot and Franklin history buff, had wanted to fly over King William Island with his DeHavilland Beaver aircraft and use thermal imaging equipment to look for the British explorer's grave. But Carlson told CBC News this week that his application for a territorial archeological permit was rejected just as he had arrived in Nunavut late last month. The territory's Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, which is responsible for issuing the permit, ruled that Carlson was not qualified. Doug Stenton, the department's heritage director, said many people want their name associated with Franklin, whose doomed 1845 voyage and disappearance in the Northwest Passage has fascinated historians for almost 170 years. "We feel for that reason that it's very important that these sites are investigated by individuals who have the proper experience, the proper qualifications, training," Stenton told CBC News on Tuesday. Nunavut is home to about 12,000 known archeological sites, and Stenton said his department needs to ensure the people who study those sites have the expertise and tools required to do the job. ... Carlson said he feels the Nunavut government never seriously considered his application and is intentionally blocking private searchers from accessing Franklin sites. But Stenton insisted that it's not a case of overly protecting high-profile undiscovered archeological sites. "I can't think of any reason why a well-resourced, competent, professional team wouldn't get a permit," he said.

Russia to submit U.N. Arctic claim next year

Amanda Graham — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:13:57 GMT

(Thomas Grove/Reuters, 7 July 2011) -- Russia said Wednesday it would formally submit an application to the United Nations next year to redraw the map of the Arctic, giving itself a bigger share. The plan follows a pledge last week to send troops and weapons north to guarantee its Arctic interests. The formal application to the United Nations would change the region's borders and allow exploitation of energy-rich Arctic territory. Russia, Norway, the United States, Canada and Denmark are at odds over how to divide up the Arctic seabed, thought to hold 90 billion barrels of oil and 30 percent of the world's untapped gas resources, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. "I hope that next year we will present a formal, scientifically grounded application to the commission of the U.N.," state-run RIA news agency cited Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov as telling a government maritime board. Top energy producer Russia has said it will spend millions of dollars on studies to prove that an underwater mountain range-- rich in oil, natural gas and mineral deposits -- is part of its own Eurasian landmass. Canada and Denmark reject the claim, saying the geographical formation, known as the Lomonosov Ridge, which stretches across the Arctic Sea, is a geographical extension of their own land. Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky also warned on Wednesday that increased focus from NATO on the region was threatening Moscow's Arctic interests. "Recently, we have been receiving confirmations that NATO has marked the Arctic as a zone of its interests," RIA quoted the navy chief as saying at the same board meeting.

Polar bears deserve Endangered Species Act protection, judge rules

Amanda Graham — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 07:06:20 GMT

(ENS, 30 June 2011) -- WASHINGTON, DC - A federal judge today upheld a 2008 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision to protect polar bears under the Endangered Species Act because climate change is threatening their survival. The polar bear was the first species added to the Endangered Species List due solely to the threat from global warming. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan dismissed challenges to the listing brought by the state of Alaska under the leadership of then-Governor Sarah Palin, and hunting groups, who argued that the listing was unnecessary. They contended that the bear is protected by other laws and that the science does not allow prediction of what effects climate change will have on the species. Judge Sullivan ruled that the Service's decision to protect the bear due to the melting of the Arctic sea ice was well supported. Scientific studies show that, due to the rapid melting of its Arctic habitat, two-thirds of the world's polar bears, including all the bears in Alaska, are likely to become extinct within the next 40 years. Despite finding the evidence of the severity of the polar bear's plight "troubling," Judge Sullivan declined to raise the threat level of the species from threatened to endangered. "It is not this Court's role to determine, based on its independent assessment of the scientific evidence, whether the agency could have reached a different conclusion with regard to the listing of the polar bear," the judge wrote in his ruling. Instead, he wrote, the court's job is only to determine whether the Fish and Wildlife Service's process to reach its own decision was "rational." The plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the agency's determination "rises to the level or irrationality."

Yukon First Nation adopting own justice system

Amanda Graham — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:36:52 GMT

(CBC News, 21 February 2011) -- The Teslin Tlingit Council in southern Yukon has signed a historic agreement to run its own justice system, allowing the self-governing First Nation to enact its own laws and set up its own court. Teslin Tlingit Chief Peter Johnston signed the Administration of Justice Agreement with federal Indian and Northern Affairs Minister John Duncan and Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie at a ceremony Monday in Teslin. "The Teslin Tlingit Council now has the legislative, executive and judicial powers over its self-government jurisdictions, enabling us to further enshrine the Tlingit way of life into everything we do," Johnston said in a release. "We look forward to working with Canada, Yukon and our citizens to continue advancing our social, economic and constitutional visions." The agreement allows the First Nation to enact its own laws in a variety of areas, including wildlife protection, control of the First Nation's settlement land, controlling overcrowding of homes, local zoning and planning, adoption, the solemnization of marriages and wills and inheritances, according to the release. The First Nation will establish a "peacemaker court" to prosecute violations of its legislation, impose penalties and resolve disputes based on traditional Teslin Tlingit processes. As well, the First Nation will set up its own corrections programs and services for those who receive sentences from the peacemaker court. The Teslin Tlingit will not take over criminal law cases or matters under federal jurisdiction, such as national security, according to federal officials. The Teslin Tlingit becomes the first among Yukon's 11 self-governing First Nations to sign a justice agreement with the territorial and federal governments. As part of the Umbrella Final Agreement, which was signed by the federal, Yukon and First Nation governments in 1993, the parties have committed to reaching justice agreements with each self-governing First Nation. The Teslin Tlingit's justice system will not only apply to its own citizens — regardless of where they are in Yukon — but also to non-citizens who are visiting or residing on Teslin Tlingit traditional lands.

Sami reindeer-herders can sue the state

Amanda Graham — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:17:36 GMT

(Sveriges Radio, 18 February 2011) -- A district court in northern Sweden has ruled there is no reason why indigenous Samis there cannot sue the Swedish state for infringing on their fishing and hunting rights. The court rejected the argument of state lawyers that there were legal errors in the suit. The Sami parliament, which has only advisory powers, had argued that the Sami people should have a major influence over fishing and hunting rights, rather than the Swedish state. Speaking with Swedish Radio, Mattias Åhrén of the Sami Council, the organization representing the Samis across the Nordic region, says the ruling will have a major impact.

N.W.T. to sign devolution agreement

Amanda Graham — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:39:05 GMT

(CBC News, 19 January 2011) -- Northwest Territories Premier Floyd Roland plans to sign a controversial devolution agreement next week, regardless of how much support there is for it from aboriginal leaders. In a confidential letter obtained by CBC News, Roland set a tentative date of Jan. 26 to sign the devolution agreement-in-principle (AIP) with the federal government. "The invitation remains open for aboriginal leaders to sign the AIP, and to remain part of the process as negotiations continue," Roland wrote in the letter, which was dated Monday and addressed to aboriginal groups. "While we sincerely hope that aboriginal governments will join us in this historic moment, we will, of course, respect whatever decision you make, as we trust you will respect ours." The agreement-in-principle sets the terms for transferring federal authority over the N.W.T.'s land and resources to the territorial government. Since a copy of the agreement was obtained by CBC News and made public in October, some of the N.W.T.'s aboriginal leaders have said they will not sign the agreement with the territorial and federal governments. Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief Sam Gargan said the exclusion of aboriginal governments from the talks that created the agreement-in-principle remains a major sticking point among many chiefs.

Fishing groups sue over sea lion protection

Amanda Graham — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:22:24 GMT

(AP via Anchorage Daily News, 8 January 2011) -- UNALASKA - Alaska seafood organizations are suing to stop a ruling by the National Marine Fisheries Service that would protect fish on which the endangered Steller sea lions feed. Alaska Public Radio Network reported the ruling by the fisheries service has closed an area to fishing Atka mackerel and Pacific cod. The Alaska Seafood Cooperative fishes in the closed area, and takes about 90 percent of its Atka mackerel quota. Linda Larson, an attorney for the cooperative, said the ruling is misguided and unfairly blames overfishing for the decline of the Steller sea lion population when other factors might be to blame. Larson said the cooperative doesn't view the situation as a "conservation emergency." The fisheries service said it had to close the area to be in compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

Nunavut Inuit decry narwhal tusk export ban

Amanda Graham — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 04:43:28 GMT

(CBC News, 15 December 2010) -- Inuit leaders are accusing the federal government of banning whalers in most of Nunavut's communities from exporting their narwhal tusks. Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the territory's Inuit land-claims organization, says the trade restrictions, which were imposed by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, violate Inuit harvesting rights. In a release Wednesday, Nunavut Tunngavik president Cathy Towtongie called on Ottawa to reverse its decision. Her organization is considering legal options, she added. "DFO does not have the right to impose such restrictions on Inuit, particularly when the [narwhal] population is thriving and harvest numbers do not threaten the species," Towtongie stated in the release. Nunavut Tunngavik says it was notified of the trade restrictions last week. The group said under the federal order, export permits will not be issued under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for narwhal tusks harvested from 17 of Nunavut's 25 communities, including the territorial capital of Iqaluit. Inuit whalers in Kugaaruk, Taloyoak, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Pond Inlet are still permitted to export their harvested narwhal tusks. "They've decided that there are different subpopulations, that some populations may be at risk," Gabriel Nirlungayuk, Nunavut Tunngavik's wildlife director, told CBC News. "We don't really know what that means. We would like DFO to explain themselves."

Legal rights of Sami herders appealed

Amanda Graham — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 08:43:04 GMT

(Radio Sweden, 1 November 2010) -- Sweden's equality ombudsman has appealed a recent decision acquitting the northerly district of Krokoms for not letting the indigenous Sami reindeer herders express their opinions when it came to issuing building permits that would affect their herds' grazing land. Swedish television reports that the ombudsman has chosen to appeal, because the case could set a precedent for similar conflicts.

Winter speed limits in force in Finland

Amanda Graham — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:15:34 GMT

(YLE, 17 October 2010) -- Winter speed limits started coming into effect Monday on some 9,000 kilometres of Finnish roads. Lower limits are aimed at improving traffic safety. It is estimated that at summer speeds, shorter, darker days would double the number of accidents, and slippery roads would contribute to many more. Lower speed limits are being posted, starting this week in the north, and will gradually be implemented in central and southern regions by no later than Friday the 22nd. Reduced speed limits will remain in force until late March or early April. During winter months, the legal top speed on highways is 100 kilometres per hour and on most other roads, with some exceptions, 80 kilometres per hour.

Esso Norge presses Kings Bay

Amanda Graham — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:46:53 GMT

(Svalbard Posten via IM Translation, 26 September 2010) -- The relationship between Esso Norway, which owns the tank facility in Ny-Ålesund, Kings Bay as the owner of the site has gone from bad to worse over the past year. The conflict between Esso Norway and Kings Bay is increasing. The oil company resort to falsehood to push Kings Bay further. Kings Bay State Company, which owns and operates Ny-Ålesund, has long been in dispute with Esso Norway over the tank facility in Ny-Ålesund. The starting point is an order from the Climate and Pollution Directorate (Klif) to Esso Norway to secure emissions at its tank facility in Ny-Ålesund. Esso Norway has been unwilling and has proposed to the Kings Bay that it takes over the entire tank facility, with NOK 500,000 in compensation. Kings Bay Chairman Knut Ore believes the old and worn-out plant would become a great expense, and require 3.5 million NOK for taking over the responsibility. The case has wandered back and forth between the two companies, without any solution being reached. Esso Norway has a 30 October deadline to carry out the order from Klif. So far nothing has happened, and nothing suggests that something will happen before the time limit expires in five weeks. Esso Norway has threatened to remove the entire plant if Kings Bay does not bend and take over. In this case, all activities in Ny-Ålesund will stop when there no longer will be fuel for the power station. While negotiations have been going on, Kings Bay has requested conditions for the supply of diesel fuel before winter begins. Esso Norway requires 850,000 NOK in shipping their own vessel to take the trip north with 500,000 litres of diesel. In an email to Kings Bay Svein H. Bjørnestad, head of legal department of Esso Norway, acknowledges the the urgency of the order and says that he finds it necessary to concretize this in order to avoid further misunderstandings. He writes: "Local authorities closed the waters around Svalbard 31 October due to ice conditions. Esso's vessel Bergen Faith has limited opportunities to go in these waters after 1 October, when they are completely dependent on acceptable weather conditions." Knut Ore respond to the claim that the waters close 31 October, and says that this is something Esso Norway is claiming to push Kings Bay further.

EU seal ban suspended

Amanda Graham — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:03:58 GMT

(CBC News, 20 August 2010) -- A European Union ban on seal products was temporarily suspended Thursday, the day before it was set to take effect, because of a legal challenge by Inuit leaders. The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, representing Canada's 53,000 Inuit, and other Inuit organizations in Greenland and Norway filed a legal challenge against the EU's ban earlier this year, calling it illegal and immoral. The Canadian Seal Marketing Group and the Fur Institute of Canada are also involved in the challenge. The EU's General Court, based in Luxembourg, agreed to impose a delay on the ban in order to properly consider the legal challenge, saying the delay was in the "interest of the proper administration of justice." "I'm pleased to report that we have just learned this morning that the petition launched by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami for an injunction has been granted," Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea announced in St. John's. "This means that the ban does not come into force tomorrow." Inuit leaders were pleased with the news. "The … [court] has decided there's more time required to properly review our request," said Mary Simon, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, told CBC News. "To us, that is a very important decision because it is rare that the European Union court would suspend an EU legislation." "To us, it makes it clear that the EU court is taking our legal case seriously." Simon expects the court case will be heard in the fall or early winter.

Gender equity in Indian Registration Act

Amanda Graham — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:35:30 GMT

(Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) press release #2 - 3324, 11 March 2010) -- On March 11, 2010, the Government of Canada introduced proposed legislation to enhance Gender Equity in the Registration Provisions of the Indian Act. Spurred by a civil lawsuit filed by Sharon McIvor and her son Jacob Grismer, the Court of Appeal for British Columbia ruled on April 6, 2009, that the Indian Act discriminates between men and women with respect to registration as an Indian, and therefore violates the equality provision of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court gave the Government until April 6, 2010, to amend those provisions. If enacted by Parliament, Bill C-3 will ensure that eligible grandchildren of women who lost status as a result of marrying non-Indian men will become entitled to registration (Indian status) in accordance with the Indian Act. No one will lose their Indian status as a result of these amendments. ... Information on the legislative amendments can be found on INAC's website.

Alcohol board says "No" to liquor licenses in Bethel

Amanda Graham — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:44:32 GMT

(Alex DeMarban/Dutch Harbor Fisherman, 26 February 2010) -- Alcoholic beverages still can't be sold in Bethel. In its meeting today, the state alcohol control board rejected all six liquor license applications requested by Bethel entities, according to director Shirley Gifford. Earlier, the Bethel City Council sent the board letters of protest requesting all applications be denied, in part due to the deadly history of alcohol in the region. Also, Bethel voters in a recent advisory vote said they don't support liquor licenses. Meeting in Juneau, the five-member Alcoholic and Beverage Control Board unanimously rejected the application based on the city council's protests, Gifford said in an e-mail. The requests came from four restaurants, a grocery store and the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

Murmansk lawmakers pass radwaste bill that will turn Kola Peninsula into a nuclear dump

Amanda Graham — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:04:23 GMT

(Anna Kireeva with Maria Kaminskaya/Bellona, 23 February 2010) -- MURMANSK - Legislators in Russia’s Far Northern Murmansk Region, on the Kola Peninsula, have signalled a green light to the interment of liquid radioactive waste in their region – brushing aside the public and environmentalists’ concerns and, effectively, giving Moscow authorities a carte blanche to create nuclear repositories in Murmansk, while the costs of handling the already accumulated stockpiles of radioactive waste will have to be borne by regional and municipal budgets. The questionable bill “On Management of Radioactive Waste” was passed in its first reading in the federal parliament in the Russian capital during a plenary session on January 20 and raised a storm of objections from Russia’s ecological organisations. Non-governmental organisations decried the bill as a means for the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom to attend to its own narrow interests while going bluntly against the interests of the nation. In an open letter to lawmakers in Moscow, they urged them to halt on passing the bill without making serious amendments. They praised the attempt to better regulate the issues of radiation safety in Russia – the country still has no law governing the management of radioactive waste – but the new law, environmentalists said, will allow injecting liquid radioactive waste underground, which runs contrary to other Russian legislation already in force – namely, the Law on Protection of the Environment and the Water Code. It will, they said, place all responsibility for the disposal of liquid radioactive waste on the shoulders of local municipalities and absolve Rosatom of any accountability for the handling of waste already accumulated. It will also allow authorities to disregard the public’s opinion when making decisions to create radioactive waste repositories, environmentalists warned. The bill probably affects Murmansk Region more than other constituent territories of the Russian Federation. Vast stockpiles of radioactive waste have been accrued on the Kola Peninsula in the decades since atomic power has been used commercially and for military purposes in the Soviet Union and Russia. These activities have engendered quite a number of most urgent problems in terms of radiation safety, including storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste at former naval bases, such as the infamous Andreyeva Bay, issues associated with decommissioning Soviet and Russian nuclear-powered fleet and refuelling vessels, just to name a few.

Iceland needs to strengthen legal system for EU membership

Amanda Graham — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:31:29 GMT

(IceNews, 25 February 2010) -- The European Commission recommended that Icelandic should become one of the EU’s official languages in a statement on Iceland’s EU accession talks. The statement continued that Iceland would need to strengthen the independence of its judiciary and to make new laws to prevent conflicts of interest between the public and private sectors and their employees. The European Commission believes Iceland should be allowed to begin accession talks; but the final decision rests with the combined prime ministers and presidents of existing EU states. They next meet in March. Large swathes of Iceland’s laws are already in accordance with EU regulation due to its membership of the EEA and Schengen. Among the areas that do not fall under the EEA or Schengen are fisheries, agriculture and environmental and financial policy and Iceland would need to adapt its laws in theses areas, Visir.is reports.

Svalbard Treaty is 90 years old

Amanda Graham — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:42:37 GMT

(Birger Amundsen/Svalbardposten, 9 February 2010) -- Today, 90 years ago the Svalbard Treaty was signed in Paris. ... Svalbard Treaty was signed on 14 February 1920 and came into force, was ratified, 14 August 1925.

Yukon First Nation passes own Family Act

Amanda Graham — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:26:09 GMT

(CBC News, 2 February 2010) -- The Carcross Tagish First Nation in Carcross, Yukon, has recently passed its own Family Act, as it plans to take over child welfare services from the territorial government. While the Yukon government currently retains final legal responsibility for aboriginal children in care in Carcross, that power will eventually be transferred to the First Nation. Carcross Tagish spokesperson Nina Bolton said the First Nation wants to keep its children in the community, as well as keep families together using a traditional model. "It's something that's been talked about for years, with concerns about how our families and children were treated," Bolton told CBC News on Monday. "Things had to change … we should be looking at going back to how things used to be handled, and taking things into hands ourselves." Bolton said child welfare regulations and procedures are being finalized, while the First Nation is in talks with the territorial and federal governments over details of the transition, such as financial transfers. In the meantime, First Nations staff are being trained and officials plan to create safe houses within the community.

Seal hunters face battle with EU over trade

Amanda Graham — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:25:53 GMT

(Carl Mortished/Times Online, 18 Jnuary 2010) -- Hunters in Canada and Greenland are challenging a European Union regulation banning the import of seal products. Aboriginal people in northern Canada and Greenland fear that the EU law will destroy the trade in seal pelts, remove a vital source of income for families and force Arctic communities to live off handouts. Adopted in response to pressure from animal rights activists, the law prohibits the import of seal products, including meat and pelts, into the EU. Auctions at Copenhagen are a leading trading centre for fur and Inuit hunters had been earning 300-500 Danish kroner (£35-£60) for each seal pelt. But the new law, which came into effect in September, caused the price to collapse and two Inuit organisations — Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, of Canada, and Inuit Circumpolar Council, in Greenland — are challenging it even though it includes an exemption “for traditional hunting by indigenous communities which contribute to their subsistence”. The prohibition is suspended until July while the European Commission seeks to define the scope of “traditional hunting”. Inuit groups have expressed dismay over the attempt by civil servants in Brussels to regulate their way of life.

Inuit groups sue EU over seal trade ban

Amanda Graham — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:39:46 GMT

(CBC News, 13 January 2010) -- Inuit groups in Canada and Greenland are taking the European Union to court over its import ban on products derived from the seal hunt. The lawsuit, announced Wednesday in Ottawa, aims to overturn the ban adopted by 27 European countries last year. The court documents have been filed in the European General Court, the first level of the EU's court system. The coalition of groups involved in the lawsuit includes the Canadian Inuit organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Inuit Circumpolar Council in Greenland and several Inuit individuals from both countries. "I suppose the best alternative would be for the EU not to have adopted this legislation, but that ship has sailed," Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Mary Simon told CBC News on Wednesday. "We are seizing the moment and we've gone to court."

Bethel council lays groundwork to define alcohol limits

Amanda Graham — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:15:56 GMT

(Alex Demarban/Arctic Sounder, 29 December 2009) -- At a special meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 29, the Bethel City Council introduced a proposed municipal ordinance that defines which types of businesses, if any, can sell alcohol in the community. The council did not vote on the ordinance but introduced it so the public would have a chance to comment on it at the next regularly scheduled council meeting on Jan. 12, said Mayor Joe Klejka. The council is struggling to deal with the aftermath of voters' decision in November to remove Bethel's 32-year-old status as a "damp" community. Restaurants are applying for liquor licenses and other businesses, such as stores, are taking steps to apply to open liquor stores. The council set an advisory vote for Jan. 19 so people can provide feedback on just how "wet" Bethel should be. Do residents want bars, liquor stores, restaurants or any other establishments selling alcohol? The council won't vote on the municipal ordinance banning sales until after that date, said Klejka. That way, if voters say they want some businesses to sell alcohol, such as restaurants, then the council can remove restaurants from the prohibited list. The council is also expected to decide at the next meeting whether it will protest Osaka Restaurant's liquor license application, said Klejka. Kilsuh Park, Osaka's owner, submitted the first application to the state alcohol control board since Bethel went wet.

Looking for a few good lawyers

Amanda Graham — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:52:35 GMT

(Jørgen Chemnitz/Sermitsiaq, 30 December 2009) -- When Thomas Trier assumes his new position as judge and head of the Court of Greenland tomorrow, he will be the first to head the legal body established as part of the increasing autonomy granted the country this summer as part of the Self-Rule Act. The court will have 40 employees, including another judge and four legal aides. But Trier has expressed his disappointment over the lack of qualified Greenlandic candidates for the aide positions. “It’s due to the fact that there aren’t a lot of Greenlandic lawyers,” he said. “This is an important social institution, and lawyers themselves, as well as the administration, need to encourage people to study law.” He suggested expanding the legal studies programme at the University of Greenland. Currently law students must take at least some of their courses in Denmark. “Something needs to happen,” Trier said. “The need is enormous, and we need to remember that the judiciary is the third pillar of the separation of powers.” Taking over responsibility for the judiciary is hoped to lead to an increased professionalism amongst the country’s legal professionals. All judges and public defenders are to be hired full-time, and will receive additional training. ... In addition to personnel issues, one of the basic issues facing the new court is office space, especially for circuit courts. “The courthouse in Qaqortoq is too small to house two judges, so it’s a real logistical challenge, and I don’t think a new structure will be in place until 2012. We need to build, we need to procure funds, and there are personnel that need to relocate – as well as those who can’t relocate. We need to cover all our bases.” As the new court finds its feet in the coming weeks, circuit court judges will also be preparing for qualifying exams. “The exams are in March, and hopefully they will nominated by June. Then they need to be approved, so I hope we can have them in place by July. At that point the circuit courts should be operating full-time."

It's official: Bethel petitioners have signatures for "damp" vote

Amanda Graham — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:29:25 GMT

(Alex Demarban/Arctic Sounder, 28 December 2009) -- Bethel residents hoping to tighten that city's alcohol laws have enough valid signatures to put their question on the ballot. Petitioners turned in 544 valid signatures, said city clerk Lori Strickler on Monday. They needed 404 signatures — 35 percent of the voters who submitted ballots in the last election. After 32 years as a damp community — a status prohibiting alcohol sales but allowing alcohol imports — Bethel voters chose in early October to go "wet." But with local restaurants and stores taking steps to acquire liquor licenses, and with police in outlying villages saying no import limits have increased alcohol-related crimes, petitioners want Bethel to go damp again. Strickler said she'll recommend the council set the special election for sometime in April, to give her office time to prepare. But the council could set an earlier date, she said. The question: "Shall the city of Bethel adopt local option to prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages?" The city council is also planning its own special election, an advisory vote set for Jan. 19 pending approval from the Department of Justice. The council wants to better understand what Bethel wants, and their election will ask detailed questions. Voters will get the chance to answer whether they support restaurants selling beer and wine, a bar, privately-owned liquor store, a city-owned liquor store or some other establishment that sells alcohol.

Web resource: The Arctic Governance Project

Amanda Graham — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:29:15 GMT

Welcome to the Arctic Governance Project. This is a dynamic website providing several opportunities for visitors to offer insights and opinions on Arctic Governance. The Project invites all interested parties to contribute to the dialogue through the website.Climate change – coupled with globalization—has triggered a rapidly accelerating cascade of events leading to profound environmental and socioeconomic changes in the Arctic—both on land and at sea. In response, demand is growing for science-based innovation in the conservation, management and governance of Arctic resources. This demand, in turn, has generated an outpouring of new ways of thinking about governance in the Arctic—resulting in a range of concrete proposals and policy alternatives for sustaining arctic communities, ecosystems and biodiversity.The project draws on the insights from traditional ecological knowledge and cutting edge scientific knowledge.The Project has assembled an array of global perpectives and proposals on governance solutions in its Arctic Governance Compendium. The Project's leadership and a diverse cross-section of researchers and stakeholders will subject these proposals to careful scrutiny at the the Tromsø Summit in January 2010.

U.S. lawsuit targets pesticide impact on polar bears

Amanda Graham — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:18:33 GMT

(Yereth Rosen/Reuters, 3 December 2009) -- ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The U.S. government violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to curb use of pesticides that have been accumulating in the Arctic food chain and in the fat of polar bears, a species listed as threatened, environmentalists charged in a lawsuit on Thursday. While the biggest threat to polar bears comes from the rapidly warming Arctic climate and the disappearance of sea ice, the pesticide onslaught creates more woes for an already stressed population, said Rebecca Noblin, a Center for Biological Diversity staff attorney in Anchorage. "The health impacts of pesticides tend to make polar bears more susceptible to disease, to lower cub survival," Noblin said. "Since polar bears are already struggling, the combined impacts of the two could lead to more problems." The Center for Biological Diversity filed the lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The lawsuit is probably the first to target the impact of pollutants emitted far away on an Endangered Species Act-listed population, Noblin said. Persistent organic pollutants commonly contained in pesticides are known to be carried by atmospheric and ocean currents thousands of miles (km) northward to the Arctic. Tony Brown, a spokesman for the EPA's regional office in Seattle, said the agency had no immediate comment on the lawsuit. The lawsuit targets 14 types of pesticides it says scientists have found in alarming quantities in lakes, snowpack and fish and animals' bodies in the far north.

Alaska fights to reverse polar bear listing

Amanda Graham — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:25:05 GMT

(Dan Joling/AP, 15 November 2009) -- ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell says he has the best interest of polar bears at heart, but he doesn't intend to let the federal government's expanded protection for bears get in the way of the state's continued prosperity. Like his predecessor, Sarah Palin, the governor is suing the federal government to overturn the listing of the iconic symbol of the Arctic as a threatened species, a move made last year that he believes could threaten Alaska's lifeblood: petroleum development. "Currently some are attempting to improperly use the Endangered Species Act to shut down resource development," Parnell says. "I'm not going to let this happen on my watch." As Alaska North Slope wells dry up, the state is turning to potential offshore discoveries to refill the trans-Alaska pipeline and ensure the long-term prospects of a $26 billion proposed natural gas pipeline. Protections for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act could thwart that, Parnell says, adding that they're not needed. "Alaskans have an excellent track record of both developing our natural resources and protecting our wildlife," says Parnell, who replaced Palin when she resigned in late July. That's a position critics dispute after the 10.8-million gallon Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, a 200,000-gallon North Slope pipeline spill in March 2006, and the state-funded killing of more than 1,000 wolves and hundreds of black bears since 2003 to increase moose and caribou populations.

Yukon case goes before Supreme Court

Amanda Graham — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:56:10 GMT

(Chuck Tobin/Whitehorse Star, 10 November 2009)** -- A landmark case about aboriginal rights and title in the Yukon which has drawn significant national attention will be before the Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday morning. The case involves an agricultural lease that was given out by the Yukon government for 65 hectares of land north of Carmacks, in the area of a trapline belonging to Johnny Sam, a member of the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation. The first nation and Sam challenged the authorization of the lease. They argued the Yukon government had a duty to consult with the first nation on matters within its traditional territory, but that it failed to fulfill that duty. ... Each party will have one hour and 15 minutes to make their arguments to the justices of the Supreme Court. There are also several intervening parties who will make submissions, but will be limited to 10 minutes each. In general, the federal government is throwing its support behind the position of the Yukon government, as are Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Kwanlin Dun First Nation, the Council of Yukon First Nations and several other aboriginal governing bodies, including the national Assembly of First Nations, are lining up behind the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation. In all likelihood, the court will reserve its decision.

Alcohol runners face stiff penalties

Amanda Graham — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:38:46 GMT

(Kyle Hopkins/Anchorage Daily News, 1 November 2009) -- Weeks after two hub cities in rural Alaska voted to remove bans on local liquor sales, the state is launching a campaign warning bootleggers they face big fines and mandatory jail time if caught. Even if they're only smuggling one bottle. Even if it's their first offense. The effort is about spreading word of tough penalties the Legislature enacted in 2008 rather than reacting to recent votes to lift liquor prohibitions in Bethel and Kotzebue, said Assistant Attorney General Robin Koutchak. Some rural leaders have told prosecutors they were caught unaware of the strict new rules. "They wished that the state had made more of an effort to notify people that if you were busted for bootlegging, even one bottle, that you would be going to jail," she said. Koutchak estimates at least 300 people have been convicted under the new bootlegging penalties, which were part of an omnibus crime bill that also included stiffer punishment for sex offenders and child pornography offenses. It became law in July last year.

Baker Lake officer reprimanded for muskox kill

Amanda Graham — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:44:17 GMT

(CBC News, 28 October 2009) -- A conservation officer in Baker Lake, Nunavut, has been disciplined for violating the territory's Wildlife Act, but won't be charged because he had received wrong information from his superiors. Environment officials say the case reveals a systematic lack of training for conservation officers in Nunavut, and has prompted changes as a result. The officer in question was patrolling outside Baker Lake on Sept. 10 when he and a civilian acquaintance shot and killed two muskox they encountered. The animals were killed out of season and in an area that was closed to hunting. The officer had also issued himself a licence to kill the muskox. "In this case, it was determined that an offence most likely had occurred," Chris Hotson, assistant director of wildlife operations with Nunavut's Environment Department, told CBC News. Hotson looked into the incident after a complaint was filed, and said it was not a straightforward violation of the act. "The investigation also revealed that the individuals acted in the belief that the legal requirements had been fulfilled," he said.

Bethel buying time on alcohol vote

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:26:46 GMT

(Shane Iverson/KYUK – Bethel via APRN, 24 October 2009) -- The Bethel City Council is trying to buy time with the Alcohol Beverage Control Board before they approve liquor licenses in the City. Many on the council believe that Bethel residents did not intend to allow for local sales when they voted to revoke local option. The Council is now proposing an advisory election to see what Bethel residents want now.

Polar bear habitat proposed for Alaska

Amanda Graham — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:31:19 GMT

(John Broder/New York Times, 22 October 2009) -- WASHINGTON - The Interior Department on Thursday proposed designating more than 200,000 square miles of land, sea and ice along the northern coast of Alaska as critical habitat for the shrinking polar bear population. The area, the largest single designation of protected habitat for any species, encompasses the entire range of the two polar bear populations that exist on American land and territorial waters. Government scientists estimate that there are roughly 3,500 bears in the two groups, known the Chukchi Sea and the Southern Beaufort Sea populations.Officials said the bears’ range was shrinking because of the disappearance of sea ice linked to global warming. “Proposing critical habitat for this iconic species is one step in the right direction to help this species stave off extinction, recognizing that the greatest threat to the polar bear is the melting of sea ice caused by climate change,” said Thomas L. Strickland, the assistant interior secretary for fish, wildlife and parks. In May 2008 the Interior Department declared, under the terms of the Endangered Species Act, that the polar bear was threatened with extinction. The Bush administration found that the bears’ habitat was shrinking because of melting ice, along with commercial activities like shipping, oil and gas operations, hunting and tourism. Yet Bush administration officials said at the time that they did not intend to use the Endangered Species Act to address global warming, a policy affirmed by the Obama administration.

Subsistence rights expected to headline AFN convention

Amanda Graham — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:17:48 GMT

(Kyle Hopkins and Sean Cockerham/Anchorage Daily News, 18 October 2009) -- Alaska Native leaders expect the push for rural subsistence hunting and fishing rights to resurface this week as a major theme at the state's largest gathering of the state's indigenous people. ... The annual three-day AFN meeting draws thousands of people from across the state and begins Thursday in Anchorage. An annual elders and youth gathering begins today. As in 2006, subsistence rights are expected to be a centerpiece issue of the main convention. ... The details are complex but the central question is straightforward: Should rural Alaskans taking fish or wildlife for their subsistence use get first dibs over other Alaskans, as promised under a 1980 federal law? In 1989, the Alaska Supreme Court said no, ruling that it's unconstitutional to favor one group of hunters or fishermen over another based on where they live. The federal government waded into regulation of subsistence hunting and fishing on the federal lands as a result, leaving Alaska with an unusual, overlapping tangle of state and federal subsistence rules. AFN leaders say that system is broken. "People are just tired of the dual management. They're tired of a system that's not working. And tired of people getting citations and people having closures and people not having enough fish," said AFN President Julie Kitka.

Alaska sea otters granted critical habitat protection

Amanda Graham — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:04:01 GMT

(ENS, 8 October 2009) -- ANCHORAGE, Alaska - It took a court order to accomplish, but threatened sea otters in southwest Alaska now will have some respite from the pressure of human activities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wednesday designated 5,855 square miles of nearshore waters along the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and Alaska Peninsula as critical habitat for the northern sea otter, Enhydra lutris kenyoni. The Service does not anticipate that this critical habitat designation will result in any closure of commercial fishing in southwest Alaska because sea otters eat bottom-dwelling creatures of no commercial value and spend most of their time in shallow water close to the shore. The agency took this action under a court order resulting from a lawsuit against the Service by the Center for Biological Diversity. "Critical habitat has a proven record of aiding the recovery of endangered species," said Rebecca Noblin, a staff attorney with the Center in Anchorage. "We are pleased that habitat for threatened Alaska sea otters will finally be protected. With the habitat protections of the Endangered Species Act now extended to sea otters in Alaska, this iconic species has a fighting chance of recovery."

Liquor laws relaxed in Bethel, Kotzebue

Amanda Graham — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:45:48 GMT

(Kyle Hopkins/Anchorage Daily News, 8 October 2009) -- Voters in two regional shopping hubs in rural Alaska are on pace to loosen liquor rules after decades of prohibition. On Tuesday, Bethel residents voted 543-482 to do away with the city's 32-year-old ban on liquor sales, according to an unofficial tally by the city clerk Wednesday afternoon. At least 114 ballots remain to be counted, the city says. Key supporters of the proposal say they don't really want liquor stores or bars but grew fed up with state restrictions last winter when then-Gov. Sarah Palin proposed reducing how much alcohol people in Bethel and other "damp" communities could buy each month. Opponents, including the school district and regional health corporation, feared lifting the ban would flood surrounding villages with inexpensive liquor. Bethel has been the largest community to forbid liquor sales. But towns and villages across Alaska have banned booze in an attempt to battle crippling rates of alcohol abuse, accidental death, suicide and domestic violence. The other major liquor vote came in Kotzebue. A proposal to allow a city-run liquor store, bar or alcohol-serving restaurant was passing 389-353 there Wednesday, with 90 questioned or absentee votes still uncounted, according to the city. "I think a lot of people realized that what we have right now wasn't working," said Willie Goodwin, chairman of the Kotzebue elders council.

Sami reindeer herders to be given more freedom under new proposal

Amanda Graham — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:23:25 GMT

(IceNews, 29 September 2009) -- A government appointed work group has declared that the indigenous Sami population of Sweden should be granted further freedom to undertake activities other than their traditional reindeer herding, as reported in The Local last week. Current legislation stipulates that the Sami herders are forbidden from partaking in activities other than reindeer herding, which was found to be antiquated by the working group. The group declared that in modern society it had become more difficult for Sami to support themselves through the solitary practice of herding and that the rules governing the people and the practice were in need of updating. There are approximately 20,000 Sami in Sweden, mostly located in the country's north, where their traditions have brought them increasingly under fire from animal rights activists. The working group’s proposal allows for those Sami who are not involved in herding to become a member of the sameby or ‘Sami village’ scheme. At present there are 51 samebys in Sweden. Samebys are the financial and administrative collectives that have sole reindeer herding rights. These collectives comprise of roughly 10 percent of the Sami population and also control fishing and hunting rights within their zone. The head of the governing board of the Sami Parliament Sara Larsson voiced both praise and disappointment at the proposal: “There are some good things there, but we had hoped for greater reforms which take into account the land and water rights of all Sami”. Larsson also criticised the group for not requesting that Sweden join the International Labour Organisation’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention. She did however praise efforts to encourage samebys to pursue activities outside of reindeer herding.

New details emerge in Kookesh case

Amanda Graham — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:32:12 GMT

(Eric Morrison/Juneau Empire, 9 September 2009) -- The sockeye fishery Sen. Albert Kookesh and three fellow subsistence fishermen are accused of overfishing in July was on the verge of collapse less than a decade ago due to overfishing, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Kookesh, D-Angoon, Stanley D. Johnson, Rocky L. Estrada Sr., and Scott T. Hunter were cited for illegally harvesting 73 sockeye over their limit on July 12 in Kanalku Bay near Angoon. District Attorney Doug Gardner filed paperwork Tuesday that joins the court cases together. All four men have pleaded not guilty and a trial has been set for Oct. 5. The maximum fine for the citation is $500. The men were cited after harvesting 148 sockeye with a beach seine net, 73 more salmon than allowed on the valid permits in their possession at the time. Each person's subsistence permit allows for 15 sockeye to be harvested from the Kanalku Lake area. One man in possession of a valid permit wasn't cited. According to the court documents, Kookesh first told the trooper that the group had about 60 to 70 sockeye before the fish were counted. After counting, Kookesh said that additional permits from people not present also were valid toward the limit. It is "common knowledge in Angoon that everyone could fish everyone's permit," Kookesh is quoted saying in the affidavit. In contrast, Kookesh told The Associated Press in August that he would fight the case to help align the state constitution with federal law governing subsistence on federal land.

Over 2 tons of poached red caviar seized in Far East

Amanda Graham — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:53:41 GMT

(RIA Novosti, 9 September 2009) -- PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY - Police in Kamchatka in Russia's Far East have seized over two metric tons of poached red caviar early on Wednesday, a police spokesman said. "A vessel carrying 2.2 metric tons of salmon caviar was detained on Wednesday in the Kamchatka River," the source said. The vessel's 25-year-old owner failed to provide documents verifying the legality of the delicacy. A probe into the incident has been launched. During last year's anti-poaching operations, police seized over 61 metric tons of red caviar and 525 metric tons of salmon were seized. A total of 107 vessels were confiscated. Salmon caviar, or red caviar, is not as highly prized as the black caviar from sturgeon.

Inuktitut speakers need police services: deputy mayor

Amanda Graham — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:03:01 GMT

(CBC News, 2 September 2009) -- The RCMP should provide more Inuktitut-language services in Nunavut's Inuit communities, says the deputy mayor in Clyde River, Nunavut. Nick Idlout said his community has about 1,000 residents, most of them unilingual Inuktitut speakers. However, the hamlet's two RCMP officers do not speak the Inuit language, he said. The Clyde River hamlet council will discuss the issue on Thursday, when it has its monthly meeting with the local RCMP detachment. Idlout said the national police force or Nunavut's Justice Department should hire more Inuktitut speakers, adding that many Inuit are frustrated with the police and tired of a backlogged court system. "We're supposed to be living in 2009 … where we say use it or lose it, or we're militarizing the Arctic and spending billions of dollars on icebreakers," Idlout said Tuesday. "Why can't they spend a few million dollars putting more cops on the ground that speak Inuktitut, or at least have a civilian person working for the RCMP to be able to understand and communicate properly with the communities?" He added that residents who call the RCMP's toll-free phone number in Iqaluit often get a response in English only.

Border guards seize yacht

Amanda Graham — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:41:14 GMT

(NRK via BarentsObserver, 27 August 2009) -- A small Norwegian sailboat is detained in Russia’s East Siberia Sea by border guards. The Norwegian sailboat and its three crew members have violated Russian law, says press-spokesman in the Murmansk branch of the border guard, Alexei Astaskin to NRK. The crew indented to sail around the North Pole. They started in Vardø, Norway’s easternmost town in the end of July. "They did not go through the mandatory border and customs control in Murmansk port," the border guard spokesman said. Instead they sailed all the way to the Russia's Far Eastern coast. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry has been in contact with the crew. Press-contact in the Ministry, Ragnhild Imerslund, says they have the impression that the case will be solved. "The cooperation with the Russian border guards is working very well," Imerslund told NRK.

Inuvikput legislation can help state’s climate

Amanda Graham — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:37:06 GMT

(Mark Begich/The Tundra Drums, 27 August 2009)** -- Alaskans know we are at “ground zero” for the effects of global climate change. Storms raging over ice-free waters that were once frozen solid now erode the shoreline, undercutting villages and toppling homes into the sea. Melting permafrost is causing roads and foundations to heave and buckle. The cost to maintain or replace this public infrastructure is estimated in the billions. The loss of sea ice is devastating for polar bear, walrus and seals; ocean acidification is weakening the marine food chain; and warming waters are changing the migration patterns of fish. This is life-altering for Arctic residents who have depended on these species for their nutritional and cultural needs for thousands of years. The loss of ice also means the Arctic will play an increasing role in our nation’s commerce, energy independence and foreign policy by opening previously inaccessible areas to oil and gas development, shipping and tourism. A package of legislation I recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would help the nation prepare for these opportunities and challenges. I call my seven bills the Inuvikput package after the Inupiaq word for “the place where we live.” They call for: Better science—Much research is already underway into various aspects of the Arctic and this bill calls for a comprehensive strategy to coordinate that research and ensure no research overlap or gaps. Arctic Ambassador—Many Arctic nations are represented by ambassadors before the Arctic Council. American interests would be enhanced by appointment of a U.S. ambassador to the Arctic to strengthen our nation’s voice before international forums. [etc.]