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KNBA News: Friday, February 6, 2026

KNBA | By Rhonda McBride
Published February 6, 2026 at 8:52 AM AKST
The main conference room at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife office in Anchorage, where the hearing on the Federal Subsistence Board, quickly reached maximum capcity. The rest of the overflow crowd was sent to a listening station in the lobby. Others signed up to testify online.
Rhonda McBride
The main conference room at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife office in Anchorage, where the hearing on the Federal Subsistence Board, quickly reached maximum capcity. The rest of the overflow crowd was sent to a listening station in the lobby. Others signed up to testify online.

KNBA's top story:

An overflow crowd and hours of testimony on the Federal Subsistence Board's future...

Matt Anderstrom, the food sovereignty coordinator for the Yakutat Tribe, testifies as the hearing on reforms proposed for the Federal Subistence Board at the USFW headquarters in Anchorage. Anderstrom opposes a Safari Club International proposal to change how Rural Advisory Council members are selected.
Rhonda McBride
Matt Anderstrom, the food sovereignty coordinator for the Yakutat Tribe, testifies as the hearing on reforms proposed for the Federal Subistence Board at the USFW headquarters in Anchorage. Anderstrom opposes a Safari Club International proposal to change how Rural Advisory Council members are selected.

It was only supposed to last for four hours, but this Tuesday’s hearing on a controversial proposal to reform the Federal Subsistence Board went more than six hours. Every person who signed up to testify, both online and at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife headquarters in Anchorage, got a chance to speak. Most were from rural communities that depend on hunting and fishing to put food on the table.

John Sturgeon, a longtime leader of the Safari Club International's Alaska chapter, testified on behalf of the sport hunting group's proposals to reform the Federal Subsistence Board. Sturgeon said the Safari Club prioritzes protecting the resource over subsistence. "Protection of wildlife has to come first. If there’s not wildlife, if there’s not fish, you’re not going to have subsistence," Sturgeon said.
Rhonda McBride
John Sturgeon, a longtime leader of the Safari Club International's Alaska chapter, testified on behalf of the sport hunting group's proposals to reform the Federal Subsistence Board. Sturgeon said the Safari Club, protecting the resource should be the top priority over subsistence.

Even though more than 100 people weighed in, it’s far from the last word in this debate.
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Rhonda McBride
Rhonda McBride has a long history of working in both television and radio in Alaska, going back to 1988, when she was news director at KYUK, the public radio and TV stations in Bethel, which broadcast in both the English and Yup’ik languages.
See stories by Rhonda McBride