Alaska FWS to Repatriate Remains from Remote Islands
Published Date: 3/19/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska has finished checking and listing Native American human remains and related items from Atka and Agattu Islands. These remains, linked to local tribes, are set to be returned starting April 18, 2025. This means tribes can soon reclaim their ancestors respectfully, with no costs or delays mentioned.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Repatriation Available Starting April 18, 2025
If you are an Indian Tribe, Native Hawaiian organization, or a lineal descendant, the human remains and funerary objects described in this notice may be repatriated on or after April 18, 2025. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has completed the inventory and will accept repatriation requests beginning that date.
Specific Remains and Objects Identified for Return
The notice identifies human remains representing a total of 18 Native American individuals and 158 associated funerary objects tied to Atka, Agattu, and Tanaga Islands. Specifically: Atka — at least 3 individuals (no funerary objects); Agattu — at least 13 individuals and 12 objects; Tanaga — at least 2 individuals and 146 objects.
Who May Request Repatriation and How Requests Are Resolved
You may submit a written request for repatriation if you are one of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations identified in the notice, or if you are a lineal descendant or tribe not named who can show by a preponderance of the evidence a cultural affiliation. If competing requests are received, USFWS will decide the most appropriate requestor; joint repatriation requests are treated as a single request.
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Key Dates
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