Metlakatla's Fishing Rights Case Moves Forward

Federal Judge Allows Metlakatlas Fishing Rights Lawsuit to ProceedA federal judge has ruled that the Metlakatla Indian Communitys lawsuit challenging Alaskas authority to regulate fishing by its members can move forward. The community argues that their reservation, created in 1891, includes an implicit federal right to fish in nearby waters. The state, however, maintains that Metlakatla fishermen should follow the same rules as all other Alaskan fishermen.Despite objections from other Southeast Alaska tribes who wanted the case dismissed, the lawsuit has been allowed to proceed. These tribes expressed concerns that granting Metlakatla exclusive fishing rights in certain areas would infringe upon their own cultural property rights. However, attorneys for Metlakatla countered that the fishing rights in question were not legally protected for other tribes, partly due to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.While the state has filed a motion to end the case without a trial, this recent ruling by Judge Sharon Gleason puts the Metlakatla lawsuit back on track for further proceedings. DNN | The Daily News Now! The world’s first global local news network. Every city. Every story. AI powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.