Four Point Hope men have been sentenced for the 2015 illegal killing and waste of walruses on the Arctic Slope.
The announcement came yesterday from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Adam Sage, Jacob Lane, Guy Tuzroyluk, and Michael Tuzroyluk Jr. were charged with violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The men made two trips to Cape Lisburne on the Chukchi Sea coast in September 2015. They illegally shot and killed several walruses at a haul-out.
They then salvaged only the animals’ ivory tusks, leaving the carcasses to waste.
The men were sentenced to three years probation. They also have to pay one-thousand dollars restitution to be used for walrus conservation projects on refuges.
They must perform 500 hours of community service. And lead presentations on hunting ethics in Point Hope and nearby villages.
They are not allowed to hunt walrus for one year. But, they must hunt for the subsistence needs of Elders in the community.
They will also have to apologize to local leaders for their actions.
