Federal Subsistence Board Approves Changes to Hunting Regulations

From a USFWS News Release:

The Federal Subsistence Board approved changes to Federal subsistence hunting and trapping regulations at its April 30-May 2 meeting in Anchorage. The new regulations are effective July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. Among the changes:

• The Board lifted closures to hunting by non-federally qualified hunters for moose in the Yukon River drainage portion of Unit 18; for moose on federal public lands in the Brevig Mission/Teller area of Unit 22D; for moose in most of Unit 26B in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; and for sheep on federal public lands in a portion of the Arctic Village Management Area of Unit 25A. These closures are being lifted because these populations have improved.

• The Board adopted proposals to extend the moose hunting season for federally qualified hunters in the Yukon River drainage portion of Unit 18 and increased the harvest limit for moose in most of Unit 26B in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, due to improved moose populations in these areas. The Board also approved regulatory changes to provide additional opportunities to hunt moose in part of Unit 21B in the Western Interior; in part of Unit 12 in the Eastern Interior; in Unit 9E on the Alaska Peninsula; and in Unit 26A on the North Slope.

• The Board recognized the customary and traditional use by Ninilchik residents of black bear on federal public lands in Unit 15 on the Kenai Peninsula and brown bear for Ninilchik residents on federal public lands in Unit 15C and established federal seasons and harvest limits for these hunts.

• The Board reduced the harvest limit for the Mulchatna Caribou Herd in Unit 9 and Unit 17, from five caribou to three, due to a steep decline in the population of the herd.

These regulations apply only on Federal public lands. Only rural Alaska residents may harvest wildlife under Federal subsistence regulations. For further information on Federal subsistence hunting and trapping, please consult the Federal subsistence wildlife harvest regulations book, which will be available at vendors, Federal field offices, the Office of Subsistence Management, and on the Web in late June. For additional information, contact Dan LaPlant at (907) 786-3871 or (800) 478-1456.