ESKIMO WALRUS COMMISSION

The Eskimo Walrus Commission (EWC) was formed in 1978 by Kawerak, Inc. and represents 19 Alaskan coastal walrus hunting communities from Barrow to Bristol Bay. Initially formed as a consortium of Native hunters, the EWC is now a recognized statewide entity working on resource co-management of walrus on behalf of Alaska Natives. A cooperative agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the EWC was developed in 1997 to ensure the participation of subsistence hunters in conserving and managing walrus stocks in the coastal communities. This cooperative agreement is authorized under section 119 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and funding for the agreement supports administrative functions of the EWC and ongoing projects in collaboration with the FWS. Since the development of the cooperative agreement, progress has been made in many areas of walrus co-management... As an Alaska Native marine mammal commission and co-management entity, the work of the EWC..

Primary location: Nome United States