Bill > S254

This bill, known as the Alaska's Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act or ARTIST Act, amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 to better protect the cultural practices and livelihoods of Alaska Native people who create and sell handicrafts made from marine mammal ivory. Specifically, it defines "authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing" as items made by Alaska Natives residing on the coast using traditional methods without mass-production tools, and clarifies that "marine mammal ivory" includes walrus or cetacean teeth or tusks. The bill exempts Alaska Natives living on the coast from certain prohibitions on taking marine mammals if the taking is for subsistence or to create and sell these authentic handicrafts, provided it's not wasteful. It also allows for the sale of these items in interstate commerce if they meet the definition of authentic handicrafts, and permits the sale of edible portions of marine mammals for native consumption. The bill includes provisions for the Secretary to impose regulations on taking marine mammals if a species is determined to be depleted, but these regulations must be based on substantial evidence, consider Indigenous knowledge, and be removed when no longer necessary. Finally, it prohibits states from blocking the interstate commerce or sale of marine mammal ivory or bone incorporated into authentic Alaska Native handicrafts.