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Michael R. Zacharof (Richard) a Council member for the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island (ACSPI) Tribal Council for thirty-five years. He was born and raised on St. Paul Island where he has raised his Family, Grandchildren and Greatgrandchildren. He is a commercial halibut fisherman and vessel owner. He has forty years managing and supervising our local subsistence fur seal harvest and has taught generations of Tribal members the ways of our traditional subsistence harvest. He is a life-long subsistence hunter and gatherer for his community and has taught his Sons and Tribal members how to hunt.
From his life-long subsistence experience he has learned how to foresee not only the patterns in the weather but the conditions of the Bering Sea and its surroundings. The waters are warmer and the shore lines and cliffs are rapidly eroding. He is seeing the effects of global warming in his lifetime living in our community.
Over the course of his lifetime he has seen a significant decline in the species surrounding our area. From the Stellar Sea Lions, Fur Seals, Halibut, Snow Crab, King Crab, and decline of seasonal birds coming back to the island to raise their young. These are all critical species to our traditional ways in the Pribilof Islands.
Richard is aware of the mitigation measures that need to be taken to combat climate change and now is the time to take action. He is grateful to be on the Tribal Advisory Council and working with collaboration of our council to start achieving the goals for future generations

Richard Zacharof

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