Migratory Bird Hunting; Supplemental Proposals for Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations for the 2017-18 Hunting Season; Notice of Meetings, 53391-53394 [2016-19221]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 156 / Friday, August 12, 2016 / Proposed Rules
3. Section 97.307 is amended by
revising paragraph (f)(3), removing and
reserving paragraph (f)(4), and revising
paragraphs (f)(5) and (6) to read as
follows:
■
§ 97.307
Emission standards.
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(f) * * *
(3) Only an RTTY or data emission
using a specified digital code listed in
§ 97.309(a) of this part may be
transmitted.
(4) [Reserved]
(5) An RTTY, data or multiplexed
emission using a specified digital code
listed in § 97.309(a) of this part may be
transmitted. An RTTY, data or
multiplexed emission using an
unspecified digital code under the
limitations listed in § 97.309(b) of this
part also may be transmitted, provided
the bandwidth does not exceed 20 kHz.
(6) An RTTY, data or multiplexed
emission using a specified digital code
listed in § 97.309(a) of this part may be
transmitted. An RTTY, data or
multiplexed emission using an
unspecified digital code under the
limitations listed in § 97.309(b) of this
part also may be transmitted, provided
the bandwidth does not exceed 100 kHz.
*
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[FR Doc. 2016–19085 Filed 8–11–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 20
[Docket No. FWS–HQ–MB–2016–0051;
FF09M21200–156–FXMB1231099BPP0]
RIN 1018–BB40
Migratory Bird Hunting; Supplemental
Proposals for Migratory Game Bird
Hunting Regulations for the 2017–18
Hunting Season; Notice of Meetings
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
Proposed rule; supplemental.
ACTION:
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), proposed in
an earlier document this year to
establish annual hunting regulations for
certain migratory game birds for the
2017–18 hunting season. This
supplement to that proposed rule
provides the regulatory alternatives for
the 2017–18 duck hunting seasons,
announces the Service Migratory Bird
Regulations Committee (SRC) and
Flyway Council meetings, and provides
Flyway Council recommendations
resulting from their March meetings.
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
SUMMARY:
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14:23 Aug 11, 2016
Jkt 238001
Comments: We will accept
comments on this proposed rule and
any subsequent proposed rules resulting
from upcoming SRC meetings until
January 15, 2017.
Meetings: The SRC will meet to
consider and develop proposed
regulations for the 2017–18 migratory
game bird hunting seasons on October
25–26, 2016. Meetings on both days will
commence at approximately 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on the proposals by one of the following
methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments
on Docket No. FWS–HQ–MB–2016–
0051.
• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–HQ–
MB–2016–0051; Division of Policy,
Performance, and Management
Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike,
Falls Church, VA 22041.
We will not accept emailed or faxed
comments. We will post all comments
on https://www.regulations.gov. This
generally means that your entire
submission—including any personal
identifying information—will be posted
on the Web site. See the Public
Comments section, below, for more
information.
Meetings: The October 25–26, 2016,
SRC meeting will be at the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 5600 American
Boulevard, Bloomington, MN 55437.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron
W. Kokel at: Division of Migratory Bird
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of the Interior, MS:
MB, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church,
VA 22041; (703) 358–1714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
New Process for the Annual Migratory
Game Bird Hunting Regulations
As part of the Department of the
Interior’s retrospective regulatory
review, we developed a schedule for
migratory game bird hunting regulations
that is more efficient and provides
hunting season dates much earlier than
was possible under the old process. The
new process makes planning much
easier for the States and all parties
interested in migratory bird hunting.
Beginning last year with the
development of the 2016–17 hunting
seasons, we are using a new schedule
for establishing our annual migratory
game bird hunting regulations. We
combine the previously used early- and
late-season regulatory processes into a
single process, and make decisions for
harvest management based on
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Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
53391
predictions derived from long-term
biological information and established
harvest strategies to establish migratory
bird hunting seasons much earlier than
the system we used for many years.
Under the new process, we develop
proposed hunting season frameworks
for a given year in the fall of the prior
year. We then finalize those frameworks
a few months later, thereby enabling the
State agencies to select and publish
their season dates in early summer. We
provided a detailed overview of the new
process in the June 10, 2016, Federal
Register (81 FR 38050). This proposed
rule is the second in a series of
proposed and final rules for the
establishment of the 2017–18 hunting
seasons.
Service Migratory Bird Regulations
Committee Meetings
The SRC will meet October 25–26,
2016, to review information on the
current status of migratory game birds
and develop 2017–18 migratory game
bird regulations recommendations for
these species. In accordance with
Departmental policy, these meetings are
open to public observation. You may
submit written comments to the Service
on the matters discussed.
Announcement of Flyway Council
Meetings
Service representatives will be
present at the individual meetings of the
four Flyway Councils this August,
September, and October. Although
agendas are not yet available, these
meetings usually commence at 8 a.m. on
the days indicated.
Atlantic Flyway Council: October 6–7,
2016, Hyatt Regency, 225 East Coastline
Drive, Jacksonville, FL.
Mississippi Flyway Council: August
25–26, 2016, Hyatt Regency, 311 South
4th Street, Louisville, KY.
Central Flyway Council: September
22–23, 2016, Sheraton Steamboat
Resort, 2200 Village Inn Court,
Steamboat Springs, CO.
Pacific Flyway Council: September 30,
2016, Sun Valley Resort, 1 Sun Valley
Road, Sun Valley, ID.
Regulatory Schedule for 2017–18
On June 10, 2016, we published a
proposal to amend title 50 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) at part 20
(81 FR 38050). The proposal provided a
background and overview of the
migratory bird hunting regulations
process, and addressed the
establishment of seasons, limits, and
other regulations for hunting migratory
game birds under §§ 20.101 through
20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K.
This document is the second in a series
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53392
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 156 / Friday, August 12, 2016 / Proposed Rules
of proposed, supplemental, and final
rules for migratory game bird hunting
regulations. We will publish additional
supplemental proposals for public
comment in the Federal Register as
population, habitat, harvest, and other
information become available. Major
steps in the 2017–18 regulatory cycle
relating to open public meetings and
Federal Register notifications were
illustrated in the diagram at the end of
the June 10, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR
38050).
All sections of this and subsequent
documents outlining hunting
frameworks and guidelines are
organized under the numbered headings
set forth in the June 10, 2016, proposed
rule (81 FR 38050). Later sections of this
and subsequent documents will refer
only to numbered items requiring your
attention. Therefore, it is important to
note that we will omit those items
requiring no attention, and remaining
numbered items will be discontinuous,
thereby making the list appear
incomplete.
The regulatory alternatives for the
2017–18 duck hunting seasons are
contained at the end of this document.
We plan to publish proposed season
frameworks in mid-December 2016. We
plan to publish final season frameworks
in late February 2017.
Review of Public Comments
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This proposed rulemaking describes
recommended changes or specific
preliminary proposals that vary from the
2016–17 regulations and issues
requiring discussion, action, or the
attention of the States or tribes. We will
publish responses to all proposals and
written comments when we develop
final frameworks for the 2017–18
season. We seek additional information
and comments on this supplemental
proposed rule.
New proposals and modifications to
previously described proposals are
discussed below. Wherever possible,
they are discussed under headings
corresponding to the numbered items
identified in the June 10, 2016,
proposed rule (81 FR 38050). Only those
categories requiring your attention or for
which we received Flyway Council
recommendations are discussed below.
1. Ducks
Duck harvest management categories
are: (A) General Harvest Strategy; (B)
Regulatory Alternatives, including
specification of framework dates, season
length, and bag limits; (C) Zones and
Split Seasons; and (D) Special Seasons/
Species Management.
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A. General Harvest Strategy
Council Recommendations: The
Mississippi Flyway Council
recommended that regulation changes
be restricted to one step per year, both
when restricting as well as liberalizing
hunting regulations.
Service Response: As we stated in the
June 10, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR
38050), we intend to continue use of
Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM)
to help determine appropriate duckhunting regulations for the 2017–18
season. AHM is a tool that permits
sound resource decisions in the face of
uncertain regulatory impacts, as well as
providing a mechanism for reducing
that uncertainty over time. The current
AHM protocol is used to evaluate four
alternative regulatory levels based on
the population status of mallards and
their breeding habitat (i.e., abundance of
ponds). Special hunting restrictions are
enacted for certain species, such as
canvasbacks, black ducks, scaup, and
pintails.
Regarding the Mississippi Flyway
Council recommendation to limit
regulatory changes to one step per year,
we recognize the longstanding interest
by the Council to impose a one-step
constraint on regulatory changes. We
note that the Central and Mississippi
Flyways have worked with Service staff
over the past 2 years to re-visit the AHM
protocol for managing harvest of midcontinent mallards (i.e., ‘‘doublelooping’’). This effort has included a
discussion of appropriate management
objectives, regulatory packages, and
management of non-mallard stocks. We
continue to believe that these
discussions are the appropriate venue to
discuss what role, if any, a one-step
constraint might play in management of
waterfowl in the Central and
Mississippi Flyways. Such discussions
should include the potential impact of
a one-step constraint on the frequency
of when the liberal, moderate, and
restrictive packages would be
recommended. On a final note, while
we recognize the Council’s concern
about potentially communicating a large
regulatory change to hunters, we have
concerns about the appropriateness of a
one-step constraint in situations when
the status of the waterfowl resource may
warrant such a measure. We look
forward to continued work with the
Flyway Councils on this issue.
B. Regulatory Alternatives
Council Recommendations: The
Mississippi and Central Flyway
Councils recommended that regulatory
alternatives for duck hunting seasons
remain the same as those used in 2016–
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Fmt 4702
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17. The Mississippi Flyway Council
further recommended changing the
framework closing date to January 31
during ‘‘moderate’’ and ‘‘liberal’’
seasons.
Service Response: As we stated in a
final rule published earlier this year (81
FR 17302, March 28, 2016), we do not
support the Council’s recommendation
to extend the duck season framework
closing date to January 31 at this time.
We note that the current framework
opening and closing dates were
developed through a cooperative effort
between all four Flyway Councils and
that framework dates are only one of
several components that comprise the
regulatory packages utilized in AHM.
Regulatory packages also consider
season length, daily bag limits, and
shooting hours. We believe the current
regulatory packages in the Atlantic and
Mississippi Flyways should remain
unchanged until revisions to the AHM
protocols have been completed. Those
efforts will include examination of duck
harvest management objectives, model
updates, and revisions to regulatory
packages, including framework dates.
We prefer that the issue of framework
dates and any other component of the
regulatory packages be addressed
through this cooperative process and
would prefer a comprehensive approach
to revising regulatory packages rather
than making incremental changes.
Thus, the regulatory alternatives
proposed in the June 10, 2016, Federal
Register (81 FR 38050) will be used for
the 2017–18 hunting season (see
accompanying table at the end of this
document for specific information). In
2005, the AHM regulatory alternatives
were modified to consist only of the
maximum season lengths, framework
dates, and bag limits for total ducks and
mallards. Restrictions for certain species
within these frameworks that are not
covered by existing harvest strategies
will be addressed in the proposed
frameworks rule in early December. For
those species with specific harvest
strategies (pintails, black ducks, and
scaup), those strategies will again be
used for the 2017–18 hunting season.
D. Special Seasons/Species
Management
iv. Canvasbacks
Council Recommendations: The
Central Flyway Council recommends a
2-bird canvasback daily bag when
populations are above 480,000, a 1-bird
daily bag limit when between 460,000–
480,000, and a closed season when
below 460,000.
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12AUP1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 156 / Friday, August 12, 2016 / Proposed Rules
16. Mourning Doves
DATES.
Council Recommendations: The
Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway
Councils recommended that the
framework closing date for mourning
doves in the Eastern Management Unit
be moved from January 15 to January 31
for the 2017–18 hunting season.
Public Comments
ehiers on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
The Department of the Interior’s
policy is, whenever practicable, to
afford the public an opportunity to
participate in the rulemaking process.
Accordingly, we invite interested
persons to submit written comments,
suggestions, or recommendations
regarding the proposed regulations.
Before promulgation of final migratory
game bird hunting regulations, we will
take into consideration all comments we
receive. Such comments, and any
additional information we receive, may
lead to final regulations that differ from
these proposals.
You may submit your comments and
materials concerning the proposed rule
by one of the methods listed in
ADDRESSES. We will not accept
comments sent by email or fax or to an
address not listed in ADDRESSES.
Finally, we will not consider handdelivered comments that we do not
receive, or mailed comments that are
not postmarked, by the date specified in
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14:23 Aug 11, 2016
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We will post all comments in
their entirety—including your personal
identifying information—on https://
www.regulations.gov. Before including
your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying
information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire
comment—including your personal
identifying information—may be made
publicly available at any time. While
you can ask us in your comment to
withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so. Comments and materials we
receive, as well as supporting
documentation we used in preparing the
proposed rule, will be available for
public inspection on https://
www.regulations.gov, or by
appointment, during normal business
hours, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Migratory Bird
Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA.
We will consider, but possibly may
not respond in detail to, each comment.
As in the past, we will summarize all
comments we receive during the
comment period and respond to them
after the closing date in any final rules.
Required Determinations
Based on our most current data, we
are affirming our required
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53393
determinations made in the June 10,
2016, proposed rule (81 FR 38050); for
descriptions of our actions to ensure
compliance with the following statutes
and Executive Orders, see that
document:
• National Environmental Policy Act;
• Endangered Species Act;
• Regulatory Flexibility Act;
• Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act;
• Paperwork Reduction Act;
• Unfunded Mandates Reform Act;
and
• Executive Orders 12630, 12866,
12988, 13132, 13175, 13211, and 13563.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20
Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements,
Transportation, Wildlife.
Authority
The rules that eventually will be
promulgated for the 2017–18 hunting
season are authorized under 16 U.S.C.
703–711, 16 U.S.C. 712, and 16 U.S.C.
742 a–j.
Dated: August 2, 2016.
Karen Hyun,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
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53394
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
MOD
I
I
LIB
RES
Beginning
Shooting
Time
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunnse
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
1/2 hr
before
sunrise
1/2 hr.
before
sunrise
Ending
Shooting
Time
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Sunset
Opening
Date
Oct1
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Oct1
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Oct 1
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Oct1
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Sat nearest
Sept 24
Closing
Date
Jan. 20
Last Sunday
in Jan.
Last Sunday
in Jan.
Sun. nearest Last Sunday
Jan. 20
in Jan.
Last Sunday
in Jan.
Season
Length (in days)
30
45
60
30
45
60
39
60
74
60
86
107
Daily Bag
3
6
6
3
6
6
3
6
6
4
7
7
4/2
2/1
4/1
4/2
3/1
5/1
5/2
3/1
5/2
7/2
PO 00000
RES
Frm 00061
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 9990
Sun. nearest Last Sunday Last Sunday
Jan. 20
in Jan.
in Jan
RES
CENTRAL FLYWAY (a)
LIB
I MOD I
Sun. nearest Last Sunday Last Sunday
Jan. 20
in Jan.
in Jan.
PACIFIC FLYWAY (b)( c)
RES
MOD
LIB
I
I
E:\FR\FM\12AUP1.SGM
Species/Sex Limits within the Overall Daily Bag Limit
Mallard (Total/Female)
(a)
(b)
12AUP1
EP12AU16.045</GPH>
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
LIB
I MOD I
(c)
3/1
4/2
In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit, all regulations would be the same as the remainder of the Central Flyway, with the exception of season length. Additional days would
be allowed under the various alternatives as follows: restrictive- 12, moderate and liberal- 23. Under all alternatives, additional days must be on or after the Saturday nearest
December 10.
In the Columbia Basin Mallard Management Unit, all regulations would be the same as the remainder of the Pacific Flyway, with the exception of season length. Under all alternatives
except the liberal alternative, an additional? days would be allowed.
In Alaska, framework dates, bag limits, and season length would be different from the remainder of the Pacific Flyway. The bag limit (depending on the area) would be 5-8 under the restrictive
alternative, and 7-10 under the moderate and liberal alternatives. Under all alternatives, season length would be 107 days and framework dates would be Sep. 1- Jan. 26.
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 156 / Friday, August 12, 2016 / Proposed Rules
Jkt 238001
[FR Doc. 2016–19221 Filed 8–11–16; 8:45 am]
14:23 Aug 11, 2016
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
REGULATORY ALTERNATIVES FOR DUCK HUNTING DURING THE 2017-18 SEASON
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 156 (Friday, August 12, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53391-53394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19221]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 20
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-MB-2016-0051; FF09M21200-156-FXMB1231099BPP0]
RIN 1018-BB40
Migratory Bird Hunting; Supplemental Proposals for Migratory Game
Bird Hunting Regulations for the 2017-18 Hunting Season; Notice of
Meetings
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), proposed in
an earlier document this year to establish annual hunting regulations
for certain migratory game birds for the 2017-18 hunting season. This
supplement to that proposed rule provides the regulatory alternatives
for the 2017-18 duck hunting seasons, announces the Service Migratory
Bird Regulations Committee (SRC) and Flyway Council meetings, and
provides Flyway Council recommendations resulting from their March
meetings.
DATES: Comments: We will accept comments on this proposed rule and any
subsequent proposed rules resulting from upcoming SRC meetings until
January 15, 2017.
Meetings: The SRC will meet to consider and develop proposed
regulations for the 2017-18 migratory game bird hunting seasons on
October 25-26, 2016. Meetings on both days will commence at
approximately 8:30 a.m.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on the proposals by one of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-
MB-2016-0051.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: FWS-HQ-MB-2016-0051; Division of Policy, Performance, and
Management Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC; 5275
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
We will not accept emailed or faxed comments. We will post all
comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that your
entire submission--including any personal identifying information--will
be posted on the Web site. See the Public Comments section, below, for
more information.
Meetings: The October 25-26, 2016, SRC meeting will be at the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, 5600 American Boulevard, Bloomington, MN
55437.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron W. Kokel at: Division of Migratory
Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the
Interior, MS: MB, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041; (703)
358-1714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
New Process for the Annual Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations
As part of the Department of the Interior's retrospective
regulatory review, we developed a schedule for migratory game bird
hunting regulations that is more efficient and provides hunting season
dates much earlier than was possible under the old process. The new
process makes planning much easier for the States and all parties
interested in migratory bird hunting. Beginning last year with the
development of the 2016-17 hunting seasons, we are using a new schedule
for establishing our annual migratory game bird hunting regulations. We
combine the previously used early- and late-season regulatory processes
into a single process, and make decisions for harvest management based
on predictions derived from long-term biological information and
established harvest strategies to establish migratory bird hunting
seasons much earlier than the system we used for many years. Under the
new process, we develop proposed hunting season frameworks for a given
year in the fall of the prior year. We then finalize those frameworks a
few months later, thereby enabling the State agencies to select and
publish their season dates in early summer. We provided a detailed
overview of the new process in the June 10, 2016, Federal Register (81
FR 38050). This proposed rule is the second in a series of proposed and
final rules for the establishment of the 2017-18 hunting seasons.
Service Migratory Bird Regulations Committee Meetings
The SRC will meet October 25-26, 2016, to review information on the
current status of migratory game birds and develop 2017-18 migratory
game bird regulations recommendations for these species. In accordance
with Departmental policy, these meetings are open to public
observation. You may submit written comments to the Service on the
matters discussed.
Announcement of Flyway Council Meetings
Service representatives will be present at the individual meetings
of the four Flyway Councils this August, September, and October.
Although agendas are not yet available, these meetings usually commence
at 8 a.m. on the days indicated.
Atlantic Flyway Council: October 6-7, 2016, Hyatt Regency, 225 East
Coastline Drive, Jacksonville, FL.
Mississippi Flyway Council: August 25-26, 2016, Hyatt Regency, 311
South 4th Street, Louisville, KY.
Central Flyway Council: September 22-23, 2016, Sheraton Steamboat
Resort, 2200 Village Inn Court, Steamboat Springs, CO.
Pacific Flyway Council: September 30, 2016, Sun Valley Resort, 1
Sun Valley Road, Sun Valley, ID.
Regulatory Schedule for 2017-18
On June 10, 2016, we published a proposal to amend title 50 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at part 20 (81 FR 38050). The
proposal provided a background and overview of the migratory bird
hunting regulations process, and addressed the establishment of
seasons, limits, and other regulations for hunting migratory game birds
under Sec. Sec. 20.101 through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart
K. This document is the second in a series
[[Page 53392]]
of proposed, supplemental, and final rules for migratory game bird
hunting regulations. We will publish additional supplemental proposals
for public comment in the Federal Register as population, habitat,
harvest, and other information become available. Major steps in the
2017-18 regulatory cycle relating to open public meetings and Federal
Register notifications were illustrated in the diagram at the end of
the June 10, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR 38050).
All sections of this and subsequent documents outlining hunting
frameworks and guidelines are organized under the numbered headings set
forth in the June 10, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR 38050). Later sections
of this and subsequent documents will refer only to numbered items
requiring your attention. Therefore, it is important to note that we
will omit those items requiring no attention, and remaining numbered
items will be discontinuous, thereby making the list appear incomplete.
The regulatory alternatives for the 2017-18 duck hunting seasons
are contained at the end of this document. We plan to publish proposed
season frameworks in mid-December 2016. We plan to publish final season
frameworks in late February 2017.
Review of Public Comments
This proposed rulemaking describes recommended changes or specific
preliminary proposals that vary from the 2016-17 regulations and issues
requiring discussion, action, or the attention of the States or tribes.
We will publish responses to all proposals and written comments when we
develop final frameworks for the 2017-18 season. We seek additional
information and comments on this supplemental proposed rule.
New proposals and modifications to previously described proposals
are discussed below. Wherever possible, they are discussed under
headings corresponding to the numbered items identified in the June 10,
2016, proposed rule (81 FR 38050). Only those categories requiring your
attention or for which we received Flyway Council recommendations are
discussed below.
1. Ducks
Duck harvest management categories are: (A) General Harvest
Strategy; (B) Regulatory Alternatives, including specification of
framework dates, season length, and bag limits; (C) Zones and Split
Seasons; and (D) Special Seasons/Species Management.
A. General Harvest Strategy
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi Flyway Council recommended
that regulation changes be restricted to one step per year, both when
restricting as well as liberalizing hunting regulations.
Service Response: As we stated in the June 10, 2016, proposed rule
(81 FR 38050), we intend to continue use of Adaptive Harvest Management
(AHM) to help determine appropriate duck-hunting regulations for the
2017-18 season. AHM is a tool that permits sound resource decisions in
the face of uncertain regulatory impacts, as well as providing a
mechanism for reducing that uncertainty over time. The current AHM
protocol is used to evaluate four alternative regulatory levels based
on the population status of mallards and their breeding habitat (i.e.,
abundance of ponds). Special hunting restrictions are enacted for
certain species, such as canvasbacks, black ducks, scaup, and pintails.
Regarding the Mississippi Flyway Council recommendation to limit
regulatory changes to one step per year, we recognize the longstanding
interest by the Council to impose a one-step constraint on regulatory
changes. We note that the Central and Mississippi Flyways have worked
with Service staff over the past 2 years to re-visit the AHM protocol
for managing harvest of mid-continent mallards (i.e., ``double-
looping''). This effort has included a discussion of appropriate
management objectives, regulatory packages, and management of non-
mallard stocks. We continue to believe that these discussions are the
appropriate venue to discuss what role, if any, a one-step constraint
might play in management of waterfowl in the Central and Mississippi
Flyways. Such discussions should include the potential impact of a one-
step constraint on the frequency of when the liberal, moderate, and
restrictive packages would be recommended. On a final note, while we
recognize the Council's concern about potentially communicating a large
regulatory change to hunters, we have concerns about the
appropriateness of a one-step constraint in situations when the status
of the waterfowl resource may warrant such a measure. We look forward
to continued work with the Flyway Councils on this issue.
B. Regulatory Alternatives
Council Recommendations: The Mississippi and Central Flyway
Councils recommended that regulatory alternatives for duck hunting
seasons remain the same as those used in 2016-17. The Mississippi
Flyway Council further recommended changing the framework closing date
to January 31 during ``moderate'' and ``liberal'' seasons.
Service Response: As we stated in a final rule published earlier
this year (81 FR 17302, March 28, 2016), we do not support the
Council's recommendation to extend the duck season framework closing
date to January 31 at this time. We note that the current framework
opening and closing dates were developed through a cooperative effort
between all four Flyway Councils and that framework dates are only one
of several components that comprise the regulatory packages utilized in
AHM. Regulatory packages also consider season length, daily bag limits,
and shooting hours. We believe the current regulatory packages in the
Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways should remain unchanged until
revisions to the AHM protocols have been completed. Those efforts will
include examination of duck harvest management objectives, model
updates, and revisions to regulatory packages, including framework
dates. We prefer that the issue of framework dates and any other
component of the regulatory packages be addressed through this
cooperative process and would prefer a comprehensive approach to
revising regulatory packages rather than making incremental changes.
Thus, the regulatory alternatives proposed in the June 10, 2016,
Federal Register (81 FR 38050) will be used for the 2017-18 hunting
season (see accompanying table at the end of this document for specific
information). In 2005, the AHM regulatory alternatives were modified to
consist only of the maximum season lengths, framework dates, and bag
limits for total ducks and mallards. Restrictions for certain species
within these frameworks that are not covered by existing harvest
strategies will be addressed in the proposed frameworks rule in early
December. For those species with specific harvest strategies (pintails,
black ducks, and scaup), those strategies will again be used for the
2017-18 hunting season.
D. Special Seasons/Species Management
iv. Canvasbacks
Council Recommendations: The Central Flyway Council recommends a 2-
bird canvasback daily bag when populations are above 480,000, a 1-bird
daily bag limit when between 460,000-480,000, and a closed season when
below 460,000.
[[Page 53393]]
16. Mourning Doves
Council Recommendations: The Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway
Councils recommended that the framework closing date for mourning doves
in the Eastern Management Unit be moved from January 15 to January 31
for the 2017-18 hunting season.
Public Comments
The Department of the Interior's policy is, whenever practicable,
to afford the public an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking
process. Accordingly, we invite interested persons to submit written
comments, suggestions, or recommendations regarding the proposed
regulations. Before promulgation of final migratory game bird hunting
regulations, we will take into consideration all comments we receive.
Such comments, and any additional information we receive, may lead to
final regulations that differ from these proposals.
You may submit your comments and materials concerning the proposed
rule by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We will not accept
comments sent by email or fax or to an address not listed in ADDRESSES.
Finally, we will not consider hand-delivered comments that we do not
receive, or mailed comments that are not postmarked, by the date
specified in DATES. We will post all comments in their entirety--
including your personal identifying information--on https://www.regulations.gov. Before including your address, phone number, email
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you
should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal
identifying information--may be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we
will be able to do so. Comments and materials we receive, as well as
supporting documentation we used in preparing the proposed rule, will
be available for public inspection on https://www.regulations.gov, or by
appointment, during normal business hours, at the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, 5275 Leesburg
Pike, Falls Church, VA.
We will consider, but possibly may not respond in detail to, each
comment. As in the past, we will summarize all comments we receive
during the comment period and respond to them after the closing date in
any final rules.
Required Determinations
Based on our most current data, we are affirming our required
determinations made in the June 10, 2016, proposed rule (81 FR 38050);
for descriptions of our actions to ensure compliance with the following
statutes and Executive Orders, see that document:
National Environmental Policy Act;
Endangered Species Act;
Regulatory Flexibility Act;
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act;
Paperwork Reduction Act;
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act; and
Executive Orders 12630, 12866, 12988, 13132, 13175, 13211,
and 13563.
List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 20
Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.
Authority
The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 2017-18
hunting season are authorized under 16 U.S.C. 703-711, 16 U.S.C. 712,
and 16 U.S.C. 742 a-j.
Dated: August 2, 2016.
Karen Hyun,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and
Parks.
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[FR Doc. 2016-19221 Filed 8-11-16; 8:45 am]
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