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Self-regulation of marine mammals by Native peoples 



The use by Alaska Natives of marine mammals for literally 

 thousands of years has made Native peoples wise stewards of marine 

 mammal populations. Native cultures throughout Alaska and other 

 countries have developed a comprehensive set of rules, largely 

 unwritten, governing the use of marine mammals. These rules are 

 premised on conservation, the avoidance of waste, and respect for 

 the fish and animals that are used. For the most part, they have 

 worked quite well in regulating Native uses. Unfortunately, most 

 of what is heard or known about Native take are those few who 

 behave wastefully. 



Because success in hunting requires a good understanding of 

 the behavior of marine mammals species, and of the environment in 

 which they operate, Alaska Natives have also developed a 

 comprehensive body of knowledge about these animals and their 

 habitat. That knowledge is holistic in nature, looking at 

 particular species in the context of their inter-relationships with 

 other species and the environment in which they all live. It also 

 is based primarily on experience and the teachings of elders. 

 Relatively little comes from books or university courses. 



Taken together, these rules and the indigenous knowledge on 

 which they are based have protected all of the species on which 

 Natives rely for subsistence purposes. No species of marine 

 mammals has been placed in a depleted, threatened or endangered 

 status by Native take. Indeed, as the following table 

 demonstrates, Native take of marine mammals represents only a very 

 small percentage of their overall populations: 



It might be noted in this respect that Native take often pales in 

 comparison to other sources of take. For example, a study prepared 

 for NOAA found that 85% of the take of sea lions from 1956 to 1990 

 came from sources other than Natives, principally commercial 

 fisheries. Trites & Larkin, "The Status of Steller Sea Lion 

 Populations and the Development of Fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska 

 and Aleutian Islands," (July 1992), p. 49. 



