The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) has long been a vital part of the culture and survival of Native people living on the shores of the Bering and Chukchi Seas. Management responsibility for the Pacific walrus is shared by the United States (USA) and Russia. Since passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) in 1972, Alaskan Natives (primarily Yupik and Inupiat) have continued to harvest walrus under an exemption to the MMPA's moratorium on the taking of marine mammals for subsistence and handicraft purposes, provided the taking is non-wasteful. The Pacific walrus provides meat for food, ivory for income and art,and hides for skin boats. Hunting primarily occurs in the spring as animals move north into the Chukchi Sea and, to a lesser extent, in the fall and winter on their southward migration back into the Bering Sea.
