FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

DOI - 1531 - Southeast Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Southeast Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council	Agency Name	Department of the Interior
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	1531
Original Establishment Date	1/19/1993	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/regions/se
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	14
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Subsistence Council Coordinator
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Ms.
Current Charter Date	1/18/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	DeAnna
Date Of Renewal Charter	1/18/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	L.
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Perry
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(907) 209-7817
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(907) 586-7877
Specific Establishment Authority*	16 U.S.C. 3115 (1988)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	deanna.perry@usda.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/2/1980
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Non Scientific Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	All meetings are open to the public and provide opportunity for members of the public, Tribes, organizations, and agency representatives to participate in discussions and share information relevant to Federal subsistence management. At these public meetings, the Council receives public comments and considers technical information on fish and wildlife populations and subsequently makes recommendations to the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) encompassing consideration of the scientific data, local knowledge, and experience of subsistence hunters and fishers in the region. The Council drafts correspondence to the Board in the form of an Annual Report to bring awareness to subsistence and fish and wildlife conservation concerns in the region. The Council continues to track and participate in subsistence fish and wildlife management issues on the Federal lands within their region, which includes Tongass National Forest lands in Southeast Alaska such as Admiralty Island, Baranof Island, Chichagof Island, Prince of Wales Island, and Yakutat.
How is membership balanced?*	Members broadly represent the geographic, cultural, user, and gender mix present within the region. This is ensured through a rigorous outreach/recruitment effort and a thorough evaluation and recommendation process. Applicants are evaluated according to the following criteria: they must be a resident of the region in which they applied; have extensive knowledge of the region's fish and wildlife resources; have extensive knowledge of the region's subsistence uses, customs, and traditions; have extensive knowledge of the region's sport, commercial, and other nonsubsistence uses; and have evident leadership and communication skills. The applicants, their references, and key contacts within the region are interviewed by panels of Federal agency staff. These panels meet to rate and rank the applicants. This information is considered by the Interagency Staff Committee which makes its recommendation to the Board. The Board then meets to review the applicants and make their recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board recommendations balance points of view represented on the Council with the Council's function, which is to advise the Board on matters pertaining to subsistence. The Board also considers other factors such as geographic representation within the region. One member seat is designated as a non-voting seat. A non-voting seat serves a developmental purpose to engage and train the next generation of young leaders, potential future voting Council members, without altering the balance of voting power. In 2025, the Board held its first outreach effort to recruit applicants for this seat. The applicants for this seat are evaluated according to the following criteria: they must be a resident of the region in which they applied; must be between ages of 18-25; must have participated in subsistence activities, be otherwise knowledgeable in matters related to subsistence resources and uses of fish and wildlife, customs, and traditions in the region or to be engaged in a resource management related field of study; and have evident leadership and communication skills or potential, as well as awareness of Federal and/or State fishing and hunting regulations. The process of evaluating the applicants for this seat is similar to the voting membership applicants. The Secretaries review the Board's recommendations and make the final appointment decisions. The entire process takes approximately 12 months to complete.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Southeast Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council generally meets twice each fiscal year. The Council's recommendations to the Board are not only relevant, but have significant impact on regional rural residents, because, while the Board may decide not to adopt a Council recommendation regarding the take of fish and wildlife, it can do so only if such a recommendation fails to meet one or more of the three criteria in Title VIII, Section 805(c) of ANILCA. When possible, meetings are held in rural communities to provide the opportunity for personal involvement by those most directly impacted by Federal subsistence management. In FY 2025, the Council met twice. One meeting was in the local rural community of Sitka because it is important to the Council's function to accurately represent the whole region and facilitate local participation. The other meeting was held in Ketchikan, (a nonrural community at the time of the meeting), because a significant proposal to change its nonrural status was on the agenda and ripe for the Council's final recommendation to the Board. The opportunity for in-person appearance/participation by the Ketchikan community public members and tribal citizens was crucial.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	ANILCA established the Regional Advisory Councils as the public forum for the expression of views and information originating from the local communities of the region and to provide recommendations to the Board regarding management of fish and wildlife resources for subsistence uses on Federal public lands. The members of the Regional Advisory Council and the public participants provide the expertise of subsistence people to the process of modifying/forming regulations that govern their lives and to the management of Federal public lands they use for subsistence purposes. The Regional Advisory Councils are the vital link between the Board and the rural residents whose lives the Board's decisions affect.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Not applicable - all meetings are open to the public.
Recommendation Remarks	In FY 2025, the Southeast Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council (Council) provided three recommendations regarding take of wildlife on Federal public lands in Alaska and one recommendation on the proposal to rescind the nonrural status of Ketchikan. The nonrural determination procedure is an approximate 4 year process. Meeting minutes contain detailed information about the meetings held, including, but not limited to, any recommendations and justifications given by the Council.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	Yes
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	Modified subsistence fish and wildlife regulations may require the managing agencies to reprioritize staff and other resources. Other recommendations accepted by the Board may also require reallocation of agency funds. The Council also makes recommendations regarding fisheries information needs within the region and for annual funding for fisheries research projects related to those needs.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	Yes	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The Council provides recommendations and information to the Board, reviews policies and management plans, provides a public forum, develops proposals, evaluates current and anticipated subsistence needs, appoints members to the National Park Service subsistence resource commissions, and performs other duties required by the Board. The Council makes recommendations to the Board regarding proposed changes to fish and wildlife regulations; management plans; policies, standards, and guidelines; determinations of customary and traditional use of subsistence resources; fisheries research projects; determinations of community rural status; subsistence use allocations; and other matters related to subsistence take of fish and wildlife.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	Regional Advisory Council members are all volunteers. They provide expert knowledge and advice to the Board which the Board cannot otherwise obtain. Without the Council, the Program would need to greatly increase staff and research funding. The researchers would then need to seek information from the very people, or similar people, who now make up the Council. The Board adopts a preponderance of the Council's recommendations which may lower resource management costs.	Grants Review Comment
Number Of Recommendations*	216	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	In 2025, the Council made a total of three recommendations to the Board regarding proposed changes to federal subsistence regulations regarding the take of fish on Federal public lands in Alaska. The Council voted to retain status quo for Federal subsistence fisheries closure to harvest herring and herring roe to all but federally qualified subsistence users in the waters under Federal subsistence fisheries jurisdiction in the Makhnati Island area (FCR25-03) The Council voted to support with OSM modification the Federal fisheries proposal to modify the area of mainstream upstream of the Taku River, using Taku River Lodge as lower boundary (FP25-01) [ BOARD DEFERRED ACTION] The Council voted to support with OSM modification Federal fisheries proposal to close the Federal public waters throughout District 1 to the harvest of Eulachon except by federally qualified subsistence users in the Unuk River (FP25-02) [BOARD DEFERRED ACTION] Additionally, the Council provided the Board with a recommendation on rural/nonrural determination: The Council opposed Federal nonrural determination proposal to rescind the nonrural status of Ketchikan (NDP25-01)	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	89.35%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	ANILCA, Title VIII, Section 805(c) requires the Federal Subsistence Board to consider and adopt the report and recommendations of the Regional Advisory Council concerning the taking of fish and wildlife within the region for subsistence uses on public lands. The Board may choose not to follow a recommendation only if it determines the recommendation is not supported by substantial evidence, violates recognized principles of fish and wildlife conservation, or would be detrimental to the satisfaction of subsistence needs. Under this constraint, the Board generally adopts the Council's recommendations. In FY2025, two proposals that the Council provided recommendations on were deferred by the Board and will be counted once Board takes final action - total recommendations were actually 218)	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	6.48%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	In some previous cases, the Federal Subsistence Board made further modifications to the Council's recommendation.	Access Other	Yes
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	There is an extensive effort to announce the public meetings of the Regional Council via news releases, radio public service announcements, website postings, Facebook postings, and newspaper ads. The agenda, meeting minutes, and meeting transcripts are available on the Federal Subsistence Management Program website and are mailed or emailed upon request to the communities within the region and interested organizations and agencies. The Designated Federal Officer has a toll-free number to provide easier access for the public to call into the meetings and to disseminate the actions of the Council. There are various publications produced to share the actions of the Council. These include, but are not limited to, meeting booklets for their semi-annual meetings, topic-specific informational letters, brochures, and public handouts.
Agency Feedback Comment*	The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Title VIII, Section 805(c) requires the Federal Subsistence Board (acting for the Secretary) to inform the Regional Advisory Council when the Board chooses not to adopt a Council recommendation concerning the taking of fish and wildlife on the public lands and waters within the region for subsistence uses. The Board has expanded this to include reporting on those Council recommendations it does adopt and those it adopts with modification. These actions and their justifications are written in what is referred to as the 805(c) Letter. The Board considers recommendations in the Council's annual report and makes a formal reply. Board decisions regarding other matters for which the Council makes recommendations are reported to the Council in a less formal manner by the Designated Federal Officer (Council Coordinator) or the Council Chair.	Narrative Description*	Since Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980, Title VIII has provided for the continuation of subsistence uses of fish and wildlife resources on Federal public lands and waters by rural residents of Alaska. Title VIII required the creation of Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils to enable rural residents to have a meaningful role in Federal subsistence management. The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture subsequently established the Federal Subsistence Management Program. The Program is a multi-agency effort that includes the Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. These agencies manage the Federal public lands where subsistence activities take place, including waters running through or next to Federal public lands, and limited marine jurisdiction. The Secretaries delegated management of authority for subsistence uses in Alaska to the Board, which is comprised of the agency heads of the five Federal public land managers in Alaska and a representative appointed by the Secretaries to serve as Chair as well as five public member representatives. The Board is the decision-making body that oversees the Federal Subsistence Management Program. The ten Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils provide recommendations and information to the Board, review policies and management plans, provide a public forum, develop/modify regulatory proposals for subsistence use of fish and wildlife, evaluate current and anticipated subsistence needs, and perform other duties required by the Board. The Councils make recommendations to the Board regarding proposed changes to fish and wildlife regulations; management plans; policies, standards, and guidelines; determinations of community rural status; subsistence use allocation and other matters related to subsistence take of fish and wildlife. The Councils meet at least twice a year. Council Chairs attend at least one Board meeting a year to present the recommendations of their Councils and provide knowledge and advice to the Board.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$170,749.12	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$179,286.58
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$40,644.62	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$42,676.85
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$29,377.62	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$30,846.50
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$45,885.38	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$48,179.65
11. Total Costs	$286,656.74	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$300,989.58
Date Cost Last Modified	9/3/2025 7:21 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	1.15	Est Cost Remarks	FY26 travel costs for Council members and Federal staff are estimated based on an assumption that two Council meetings will be held in person during FY26. Projected payments to Federal Staff were done using a multiplier of 1.05.
Cost Remarks	More staff than normal attended FY25 fall meeting due to controversial nonrural determination proposal. Both 3-day council meetings were held in person with a hybrid virtual attendance option. All Council’s meetings were held in person. Other costs include meeting book production and printing, meeting advertisement, venue, refreshments, FR publishing costs, StarLink usage for remote areas, and recording/transcription costs. Travel reimbursement for non-Federal members include all council members' travel costs such as air fare, charters, lodging, and per diem.

Interest Areas

Category Area Animals Fish and Wildlife Basic Science Biology Government Federal Government Land Land Management and Use Legislation Regulations Social Sciences Social Sciences

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