The Voices of the Bering Sea Elders
Author: Sarah F.
The Being Sea Elders
group is comprised of 39 tribes in Alaska by the Being Sea. Their goal is to
help them keep their traditions and make a better world for there children.
They look for a way to be heard involving their ecosystem and try to protect
there a way of life from people how would destroy it. One of their main issues
is climate change because it is changing their way of life. Over the years they
have brought up major points on why to protect the Being Sea. In 2016 President
Obama made an executive order in making of the Northern Bering Sea Climate
Resilience Area or NARF. Bering Sea Elders Group was proud of this and were
honored. The Executive Order is set in helping keep the way the tribes'
traditions and help them live with the sudden climate changes with their
resources depleting. Climate changes have made it harder to live and survive.
With animals migrating faster and ice shifting hunting and fishing have become
harder for the tribes up north. Ice is melting and is thinner making it harder
to travel while hunting and making the ice dangerous. The marine life is in a
decline and that is making animals move to different locations. The Executive
Order summary: (Sec 1) Working with Alaskan Native tribes to work on the
environment to change it for the better. Using goals and working with the
tribes to keep the preservation of the Bering ecosystem. Helping with federal
decisions that involve the Arctic ecosystem with their knowledge. (Sec 2) In
the area of the Bering Sea, there will be a region that all organizations must
go through to make sure they are not upsetting the delicate ecosystem. Having
the ideas and needs of the Alaskan tribes to not hurt the wildlife in the area.
(Sec 3) certain areas cannot be leased or sold to oil or gas companies. Those
already in place before this order affects current areas. (Sec 4) A task force
will be made in the Bering Sea Area. (Sec 5) There is a tribal advisory council
for the Bering Task Force. The council with help makes improvements and input
on the task force. (Sec 6) The U.S will acknowledge the tribal decisions from
the Alaskan Native Americans. (Sec 7) vessels that have pollution will change
what they are doing to keep the pollution out. There are also identified no
discharge zones to help keep pollution risks down. (Sec 8) Reduce the impact of
shipping in the Bering Sea their shipping routes will be changed to help with
the ships in the area. (Sec 9) being prepared for oil spills the coast guard
will keep others in the loop with plans that they will use. (Sec 10) certain
commercial non-pelagic gear will not be able to be used in the area. In 2017
President Trump decided to revoke the executive order that Obama made for the
Bering Sea Elder Group. Having this happen has made the voices of the Alaskan
Tribe worked so hard get be silenced by the Trump administration. This is an
outrage and was specifically targeted even when it was not apart of the Arctic
Ocean Order. The Trump Administration was targeting that when they put in a
section to add the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience. The Alaskan
Delegation was to notify the tribes if the order would be removed. They were
not notified and not there when they made this decision. The Alaskan delegation
went behind there back and took their voice from not they don't have a voice in
the government now. This choice will hurt the environment and the knowledge the
tribes brought to the decision process. Now they are at the mercy of the
federal decisions from makers only non-from the actual community. With this
order being revoked the Arctic Refuge that is national wildlife refuge will be
now open to oil and gas development. The process to get leases for the oil and
gas company are rushing to do this before the next presidential election. The
process that takes years to do are being now only months to get it in place.
The process took years to get to make sure that no one would be affected. The
voices of concerned are being ignored and being drowned out to ensure that they
take this natural land and suck it dry of resources. This can pollute and kill
the animals that live in these areas destroying the natural beauty of this
untouched land. Tribes are being affected and are going to take it to
Washington, D.C. to get justice for these crimes and to stop this madness. As
of now, there are eight tribal representatives testifying to hold the
government to the actions they took. Taking back their rights and having their
voices be heard from the silence the government created.
Author Bio: Sarah is an Anthropology major at IUPUI minoring in Art History.
Sources:
http://www.beringseaelders.org/about-us/
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