FINAL REPORT

National Subsistence Technical - Planning Meeting
For the Protection of Traditional & Tribal Life-ways
April 13-15, 2003

Purpose of Workshop

At present, there is a critical need for a comprehensive central body of understandable information on the safety of subsistence foods and contaminant sources. The principal goal of this project is to gather, review and identify gaps in the information on the safety of subsistence foods and contaminant sources. This information will be reviewed by key tribal members with experience in subsistence management projects, technical experts and staff from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from around the country. A technical meeting will be held for the purpose of bringing together tribal, technical and EPA administrators to review what has already been done, identify what resources exist and put together a draft "toolbox" for review at a National Subsistence Summit.

Workshop Outcomes

The first deliverable of this project will be to develop a working document which will be highlighted and further discussed during a National Subsistence Summit. The working document will address the following topics with regard to the safety of subsistence foods and contaminant sources.

• What are the primary issues and concerns
• What programs and resources exist
• What are the gaps in contaminant research

In addition to a working document, the technical meeting will produce a draft of a web-based subsistence "toolbox" manual. This toolbox will draft out a guide to assist Tribes in developing a course of action to respond to concerns about the safety of their subsistence foods.

Goals and Objectives

A primary goal is to research and identify what has been done and what resources exist regarding contaminants. This work will begin prior to the technical meeting. Workshop participants will review the researched information and reports on programs that deal with the safety of subsistence foods and contaminants. Gaps in research will be identified and summary results discussed at the 3-day technical meeting.

A three-day technical meeting will be held in Anchorage, Alaska on April 13-15, 2003. Approximately 30 tribal representatives with experience in subsistence management projects, technical experts and EPA agency representatives from across the United States and Canada will be invited to attend the technical meeting located at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage, Alaska. This meeting will be documented through video as well as tape recording.

Technical representatives will share findings and exchange information regarding on-going and planned research initiatives dealing with the safety of subsistence foods and contaminants. The representatives will:

1. Discuss what the primary issues and concerns are from their areas of work;
2. Review information regarding programs and resources that already exist;
3. Exchange information on what has worked and has not worked in their or other communities;
4. Discuss what is known about testing and existing sources of contaminant testing;
5. Discuss appropriate methods for outreach and evaluation;
6. Identify gaps in information;
7. Develop workshop recommendations.

Technical representatives will discuss the need for a National Subsistence Summit. The planning may include 1) identifying successful programs to highlight during the National Subsistence Summit; 2) developing a list of participants to invite to the summit; and 3) developing the conference reading materials, program and agenda.

Drawn from the findings of the technical meeting, a draft toolbox will be compiled. Meeting results, recommendations and resource information will be drafted into a preliminary subsistence toolbox for use during the National Subsistence Summit.

Comments:

You are invited to submit comments or suggestions to the Planning Board. Please submit comments to conference@aknsc.org.

Additional Information to download:

Tribal Leaders Cover Letter - General Information

Tribal Contaminants Information Form

Planning Board Meeting Notes

Tribal Natural Resources Contaminant Database Concept Paper
by Fred Corey, Aroostook Band of Micmacs