Former U.S. Congresswoman Mary Peltola took the stage at the annual gathering of the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) to focus not on her political future, but on subsistence fishing rights in Alaska. As shared by Alaska’s News Source, Peltola told the audience, “I want to preface everything I’m saying with, this is going to be very anticlimactic for everybody… No big announcements, no big declarations.”

Though still officially listed as a candidate for the 2026 Congressional race, Peltola did not commit to a campaign launch or a bid for governor, instead emphasizing the urgency of rural Alaskans’ subsistence needs.

A pivotal part of her address centered on how subsistence harvest compares to commercial take. She cited a figure showing 98.6 percent of harvested fish in Alaska is commercial, versus just 1.4 percent non-commercial. She used that statistic to frame ongoing federal-state tension over rural fishing priority rights, notably the past dispute on the Kuskokwim River.

Peltola reflected on what she characterized as inequities, “People who are in this fight against the Kuskokwim… they’re just begrudging us crumbs.” With the case now before the Supreme Court, she said, “I’m hoping that if the Supreme Court takes this up, I’m hoping somehow this message gets to them.”

For fishermen and communities across Alaska, her message emphasized that subsistence is not just tradition, but it’s an essential pillar in rural economies and culture. Her remarks were clear that the fight over subsistence fishing rights will be front and center.