Federal Subsistence Board approves changes to subsistence hunting and trapping regulations

After hearing staff analyses and comments from the public, Regional Advisory Councils, Tribes and ANCSA Corporations, and the Interagency Staff Committee, the Board adopted 32 out of the 54 proposals and deferred one proposal. The Board acted on 17 wildlife closure reviews, voting to maintain status quo on 13 of them. Some of the more significant decisions, which will be implemented in the
2020–2022 regulatory years (July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2022), included:

• The sealing period for wolf trapping and hunting in Unit 2 will be extended from “within 14 days of harvest” to “within 30 days of the end of the season.” Language referencing a combined Federal-State harvest quota for wolves in Unit 2 will be removed, and the hunting harvest limit changed from 5 wolves to “no limit.” (WP20-16/17 approved).
• Federal drawing permit hunts for goats (excluding kids and nannies with kids) will be established in Units 7 and 15 on the Kenai Peninsula, August 10–November 14, with authority delegated to the Federal in-season manager to close the season, set any needed sex restrictions, set the number of permits to be issued, and permit conditions.
• A Federal drawing permit hunt for caribou will be established in Unit 15, August 10–September 20; three new hunt areas will be established, and authority delegated to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Manager to close the season, set the harvest quota and sex restrictions, and set any needed permit conditions.
• A Federal drawing permit hunt for sheep will be established in Unit 15, August 10–September 20, with a harvest limit of one ram with ¾ curl horn or larger, and authority delegated to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Manager to close the season, set the harvest quota, and set any needed permit conditions.
• Use of snowmachines will be allowed in Unit 17 to assist in the taking of a caribou: caribou may be shot from a stationary snowmachine, using regulatory language adopted by the Alaska Board of Game in February 2018.    
• A community harvest system for caribou and moose will be created in Units 11 and 13, subject to a framework to be established by the Federal Subsistence Board, for Federally qualified subsistence users living within the Ahtna traditional communities of Chistochina, Chitina, Copper Center, Gakona, Gulkana, Mentasta Lake, and Tazlina.

The Board rejected proposals that requested to rescind the Federal moose season in Unit 1C Berners Bay, to rescind the reduced deer harvest limit for non-Federally qualified users in Unit 2, and to open the Arctic Village Sheep Management Area in Unit 25A (Red Sheep and Cane Creek areas) to the harvest of sheep by non-Federally qualified users.

The Board deferred proposal WP20-26 until the Board’s summer 2020 work session (dates to be announced later). This proposal requests that Federally qualified subsistence users be allowed to use a snowmachine to position wolves and wolverines for harvest on Bureau of Land Management lands in Units 9B, 9C, 17B, and 17C, provided the animals are not shot from a moving snowmachine.  The Board will also discuss Request for Reconsideration RFR15-01 at their summer work session.

The Board voted unanimously to endorse the updated Fortymile Caribou Herd Harvest Plan as presented in the meeting materials.

Transcripts from the April 20–23/April 27 meeting will be posted at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/library/transcripts/federal-subsistence-board when available.

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

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