INTRODUCTION TO SITKA TRIBE OF ALASKA AND THE

INTRODUCTION TO SITKA TRIBE OF ALASKA AND THE SOUTHEAST ALASKA TRIBAL OCEAN RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP Esther Kennedy SEATOR Project Manager Sitka Tribe of Alaska

Who is the Sitka Tribe of Alaska? The Sitka Tribe of Alaska is a Federally recognized Alaska Native tribal government. ~3, 000 Tribal Citizens Resource Protection Department protects access to traditional cultural and subsistence resources

The SEATOR Partnership § Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research § 16 Tribal governments in SE Alaska, plus Federal, State, University, and non -profit partners

Our goals • To preserve and expand safe access to traditional resources. • To collaboratively respond to marine environmental threats, including harmful algal blooms, ocean acidification, and metal contamination. Photo credit: Ian Johnson, Hoonah Indian Association

What does monitoring look like?

Collaborations with AOOS/IOOS

Challenges Unstable funding Widespread geographic range � Challenge for data analysis and interpolation between sites Logistical hurdles Instrument breakdowns � Error reduction and interlaboratory comparisons � Ongoing maintenance costs

Questions? Bethany Goodrich Photography Esther Kennedy SEATOR Project Manager Sitka Tribe of Alaska esther. kennedy@sitkatribe-nsn. gov 907 -747 -7197