HUNTING OF MIGRATORY BIRDS, ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS (DRAFT SUPPLEMENT TO THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OF 1975). [Part 1 of 1]

Dates

Year: 2010

Citation

2010, HUNTING OF MIGRATORY BIRDS, ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS (DRAFT SUPPLEMENT TO THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OF 1975). [Part 1 of 1]: v. 1.

Summary

PURPOSE: The adoption of a process for authorizing migratory bird hunting in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and four bilateral conventions is proposed. Regulations allowing the hunting of migratory game birds currently are promulgated annually. Seven components for which alternatives are considered include six that deal with the fall-winter hunting season: 1) the schedule and timing of the general regulatory process, 2) frequency of review and adoption of duck regulatory packages, 3) stock-specific harvest strategies, 4) special regulations, 5) management scale for the harvest of migratory birds, and 6) zones and split seasons. A seventh component concerns the subsistence hunting regulations process for Alaska [...]

Summary

PURPOSE: The adoption of a process for authorizing migratory bird hunting in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and four bilateral conventions is proposed. Regulations allowing the hunting of migratory game birds currently are promulgated annually. Seven components for which alternatives are considered include six that deal with the fall-winter hunting season: 1) the schedule and timing of the general regulatory process, 2) frequency of review and adoption of duck regulatory packages, 3) stock-specific harvest strategies, 4) special regulations, 5) management scale for the harvest of migratory birds, and 6) zones and split seasons. A seventh component concerns the subsistence hunting regulations process for Alaska and the impact of cumulative harvest of migratory bird hunting on National Wildlife Refuges. The 1975 final EIS continued the issuance of annual regulations which establish open seasons, season lengths, daily bag limits, shooting hours, area closures, and other species-management provisions. A 1988 supplemental EIS adopted the same action, but proposed that annual framework regulations remain unchanged when population levels or other parameters fell within a defined range of conditions. Promulgation of annual hunting regulations relies on a process of monitoring, data collection, and scientific assessment. At key points during that process, Flyway Technical Committees, Flyway Councils, and the public review and provide input on technical assessments or other documents related to proposed regulatory frameworks. After approval, each State selects its seasons, usually following its own schedule of public hearings and other deliberations. After State selections are completed, the Fish and Wildlife Service adopts them as Federal regulations. Four alternatives, including the No Change Alternative (Alternative 1) are evaluated in this draft supplemental EIS. Under Alternative 2, which is the preferred alternative, annual regulations would be promulgated using a single process for early and late seasons based on predictions derived from long-term biological information and established harvest strategies. The Flyway Technical Committee and Council Meetings would be held in mid-April and their recommendations would be forwarded to the Service Regulations Committee (SRC) for their meeting in late April. The SRC would make their recommendations and the resulting proposed frameworks would be published by early June. During the public comment period, the status of duck populations for the current year would be made available. Publication of the seasons selected by the States would occur in mid-August. If unexpected changes in population status were discovered during the annual survey, the proposed rule could be modified prior to September 1. Alternative 2 reduces the number of annual Flyway Council meetings from two to one and the SRC would convene twice rather than three times. Alternative 3 would promulgate biennial (or longer) regulations using separate early and late season processes. This alternative would have the same separate schedules for early and late season regulation processes as Alternative 1, but differs in that the Flyway Council and SRC would not meet each year. Early and late season regulations would be set according to the most up-to-date biological data in the first year, and the framework regulations developed in the first year would then be carried over into a second year. Guidelines would be developed to establish criteria for emergency considerations. Under Alternative 4, a single process for early and late seasons would be used and regulatory proposals would be developed using data from the previous year as under Alternative 2. However, like Alternative 3, framework regulations developed in a given year would remain in place for two (or more) consecutive years. POSITIVE IMPACTS: Promulgation of annual hunting regulations would provide opportunity to harvest a portion of certain migratory bird populations by establishing legal hunting seasons, limit harvest of birds to levels ompatible with their ability to maintain populations at objective levels, avoid the taking of endangered or threatened species, limit taking of other protected species where there is reasonable possibility that hunting is likely to adversely affect their populations, provide equitable hunting opportunity in various parts of the country, and assist in preventing depredations on agricultural crops by migratory birds. A reduced number of meetings would lower administrative costs by 40 percent per year. NEGATIVE IMPACTS: Implementation of the preferred alternative would necessitate considerable technical work over a period of years to adjust underlying biological models to a new regulatory time scale. LEGAL MANDATES: Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703-712).

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Web Link	http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/regulationspolicies/mgbhr.html

HUNTING OF MIGRATORY BIRDS, ISSUANCE OF REGULATIONS (DRAFT SUPPLEMENT TO THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OF 1975). [Part 1 of 1]

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