Metlakatla Court Case

SEAS has been working with the State of Alaska Department of Law over the past two plus years to deny this lawsuit by the Metlakatla Indian Community (MIC). SEAS has hired an attorney to help us in this endeavor. Our attorney has worked with State lawyers to make sure all of our concerns are addressed. This petition to the Federal courts would give MIC unprecedented commercial fishing rights in Districts 1 and 2.

New dates for the MIC trial. 

The Court adopts the following scheduling order, as agreed to by the parties:

• January 17, 2025: Expert Witness Disclosures
• February 17, 2025: Expert Witness Rebuttal Reports
• March 19, 2025: Deadline for Expert Witness Depositions
• Dispositive Motions Within 30 Days of Final Expert Depositions with Opposition and Reply Deadlines Set Per Local Rule 7.2(b).
• The Court set trial for five (5) days to start on August 18, 2025, in Juneau, Alaska.

The trial date has been moved to August 18, 2025, and it will be limited to “whether the Community holds an off-reservation fishing right in Alaska fishing districts 1 and 2.”

If yes, then a separate trial will be held on whether the limited entry permit program is ok under the conservation-necessity principle.