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Report examines impacts of cruise ships on Glacier Bay's Huna Tlingit people

Report examines impacts of cruise ships on Glacier Bay's Huna Tlingit people
The effects of cruise ships in Alaska's Glacier Bay on the Huna Tlingit people are outlined in a new anthropological study initiated by the National Park Service. Glacier Bay is the core homeland of the Huna and considered sacred by the people.

Interviewees for the study identified a number of 'tangible' adverse effects of cruise ship tourism—some historical and some ongoing. These include air and water pollution, trash dispersal, noise pollution, wakes, fish and wildlife disturbances, various impacts on Tlingit boaters, and increased region-wide exposure to shipborne diseases.

Interviewees also identified 'intangible' adverse effects such as 'disrespect' by people on ships, the disruption of Huna connections to Glacier Bay, inappropriate public interpretation and the effects of outside observers on traditional activities.

Positive effects were noted, too, especially economic advantages.

Years in the making, the 186-page study by several university anthropologists involved formal interviews with at least 50 Huna Tlingit. Informal input was received from many others.

The report makes clear the sacred nature of Glacier Bay to its native people and may be illuminating reading for those who work in the cruise industry by them giving greater appreciation for the Huna Tlingit perspective.

The study noted that while there are technically no visitation limits on the Huna Tlingit in Glacier Bay, NPS regulations on hunting, prohibitions against carrying firearms, limits on boat numbers and boat operating requirements, commercial fishing restrictions and other regulated limits on use create an impression among some Huna users that their access is being blocked by the park in favor of recreational uses by visitors.

This contributes to a sense that cruise ships are linked to broader 'injustices' and the ships are seen by some as emblematic of displacement and the loss of access and control over Glacier Bay.

Commenting on the report, John Binkley, president of Cruise Lines International Association-Alaska, said: 'We follow all of the federal, state and local laws, regulations and voluntary guidelines. The National Park Service does extensive scientific-based research on marine wildlife, ecosystems and traditional culture. Park rangers and local traditional leaders do interpretive presentations on board the ships during Glacier Bay visits,' he added.

Binkley noted that sometimes practices and perceptions from 'the old days' may still linger in people's minds. 'The entire marine industry has changed since the old days,' he said, 'and the cruise industry continues to be a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship.'

Some of the perceptions in the report date back years, and cruise ship practices have changed. For example, regulations concerning air emissions are much stricter now. Also, while the Tlingit culture may have been missing entirely from National Park Service interpretations in years past, that, too, has changed.

Huna people are now involved in cruise ship interpretative programs, sharing their knowledge of Glacier Bay and its importance to their people, and expressing the need to respect and care for it as an ancestral homeland.

For instance, the report cites Alice Haldane, who was initially wary of cruise ships but subsequently became an interpreter working on Holland America vessels. She described how Tlingit interpretative presentations raise awareness about the historical struggles of the Tlingit people and the direct impact her presentations have had on her audiences.

The report said these interpreters 'strive to add meaning to the moments the tourists spend in Glacier Bay and the surrounding communities, in a way that fosters visitor respect and a sense of responsibility for the place and for the people who continue to live there.'

The report, which includes recommendations that may guide future consultation and communication between the Huna and the National Park Service regarding cruise ship policies and management, is available here.