Bulletin: Federal Subsistence Board Acts on Two Wildlife Special Action Requests

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) approved emergency Wildlife Special Action Requests WSA26-06 concerning caribou in Unit 9C and WSA26-07 concerning sheep in Units 20E and 25C.

Wildlife Special Action Request WSA26-06, submitted by Katmai National Park and Preserve, requested the harvest limit for the fall caribou hunt (August 1-September 30) be increased to “up to 2 caribou” in Unit 9C, within Katmai National Preserve for the 2026 season. They also requested additional authority be delegated to set harvest limits. The Board approved WSA26-06 and delegated additional authority to promote sustainable management of the growing Kukaklek caribou herd and provide additional opportunity for residents of Igiugig and Kokhanok.

Wildlife Special Action Request WSA26-07, submitted by Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, requested closing sheep hunting to all users on federal public lands within Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve in Units 20E and 25C for the 2026 fall season. The Bureau of Land Management requested to add the Glacier Mountain Controlled Use Area in Unit 20E to the closure so that WSA26-07 would mirror Wildlife Proposal WP26-76, which the Board adopted at their April 2026 wildlife regulatory meeting. Implementation of WP26-76 is delayed until the wildlife final rule is published in the Federal Register. The Board approved WSA26-07 to protect the viability of this extremely low sheep population until WP26-76 can take effect.

Information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

Missing out on the latest federal subsistence issues? To receive email updates on Federal Subsistence Management Program activities, send a request to subsistence@ios.doi.gov.

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