First, I want to thank Kevin Shove for his recent letters in the newspaper and for his concern about our local goat populations. I have served on the Upper Lynn Canal Fish and Game Advisory Committee (“the AC”) for the past seven years. Over those seven years the AC has repeatedly asked both the Haines Borough and the US BLM (our two local heliski managers) to limit heliskiing in areas where there are concerns over impacts to goat populations. Both the Haines Borough and the BLM have largely ignored those requests. In November of 2020, after ADF&G closed both the Takinshas and the Kicking Horse areas to all goat hunting, the AC asked the BLM and the Haines Borough to also close those areas to heliskiing until the goat populations recover. Both entities refused to do so. Both the borough and the BLM are prioritizing the interests of the heliski industry over their duty to conserve an important local wildlife resource, and they are neglecting their responsibilities to local goat hunters and guides. I would urge anyone concerned about this issue to express those concerns to the Haines Borough Assembly and also to the BLM field office in Glenallen.
Derek Poinsette