Agreement Between the Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service

The primary purpose of this agreement is to set forth an operational structure for the conservation and management of harbor seals in Alaska between the Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service in order to achieve the following goals:

1. To develop an Annual Action Plan for the conservation of Alaska harbor seal populations and the co-management of subsistence uses of harbor seals in Alaska;
2. To promote the sustained health of harbor seals in order to protect the culture and way of life of Alaska Natives who rely on the harvest of harbor seals for subsistence uses;
3. To promote scientific research and the collection of data, including the traditional knowledge of Alaska Natives, in order to facilitate management decisions concerning harbor seals in Alaska;
4. To identify and resolve, as early as possible, through a consultative process, any management conflicts that may arise associated with Alaska harbor seals; and
5. To provide information to subsistence hunters and the public at large, as a means of increasing the understanding of the sustainable use, management, and conservation of harbor seals.