Southeast Alaska Indigenous Nations unite to protect transboundary rivers through legal action

A collective of 14 Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian nations is taking a stand to protect the cultural and environmental health of their ancestral waterways. The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC) is advocating for a seat at the table as mining operations expand across the Canadian border in British Columbia. The effort focuses on the stewardship of the Unuk and Stikine rivers, which are vital spawning grounds for salmon and ooligan. SEITC President Esther Aaltseen Reese, Eagle Tsaagweidí from Ḵéex̱ʼ Kwáan, emphasizes that these rivers are essential to the identity of her people. Reporting from ICT indicates that the commission filed a judicial review in the British Columbia Supreme Court in November 2025. The goal of this legal action is to secure meaningful consultation for Alaskan tribes regarding projects at the headwaters of the Unuk, Stikine, and Taku rivers, including the Red Chris Mine expansion and the restart of the Eskay Creek Mine. For residents like Cindy Wagner, who is Haida and Tsimshian, the health of the river is a matter of food security and tradition. As the assistant executive director of the SEITC, she has witnessed the resilience of the ecosystem, noting that ooligan and salmon have recently begun to return to the Unuk. The commission’s proactive stance seeks to ensure these natural resources are preserved for future generations. While the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Parks has stated it is working to meet consultation obligations, the SEITC remains firm in its position that Indigenous ties to the land exist regardless of modern borders. By uniting 14 tribal nations, the commission is demonstrating a powerful model of transboundary Indigenous leadership and environmental guardianship.