Interior Alaska News

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) has recognized the efforts of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) and other stakeholders for their role in renewing Alaska’s subsistence whaling quota at the 69th International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Lima, Peru. The renewal will extend for six years following a consensus reached on the measure.

“Today, we celebrate the preservation of subsistence whaling, a cultural practice our Alaska whalers have sustainably conducted for thousands of years,” stated Sen. Sullivan. He acknowledged the hard work of AEWC representatives John Hopson Jr., Crawford Patkotak, and North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak. Before attending the IWC meeting, these representatives met with senior executive branch officials and over 20 embassy representatives to discuss their priorities.

Senator Sullivan also expressed gratitude to Mary Eileen Manning from his staff who attended the meeting in Peru, along with the U.S. Commissioner and delegation to the IWC. “Congratulations to all of our whaling communities throughout the North Slope and the Bering Straits region!” he added.

The recent renewal follows a successful commitment secured by the U.S. delegation in 2018 for streamlined quota renewal.

As ranking member of the Senate Commerce Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change and Manufacturing Subcommittee, Senator Sullivan has consistently supported Alaska Native whalers' efforts to continue their subsistence practices.

The International Whaling Commission manages global whale stocks through an agreement ratified by 88 countries under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. The convention allows certain nations that certify cultural or subsistence needs for their aboriginal populations to harvest specific whale species.

Alaska’s subsistence harvest is both sustainable and non-commercial. The IWC has repeatedly confirmed that Alaska’s bowhead whale population remains biologically sustainable.