Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations; Proposed Rule

Vol. 77 Friday, No. 160 August 17, 2012 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 20 Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations; Proposed Rule VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:18 Aug 16, 2012 Jkt 226001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\17AUP2.SGM 17AUP2 erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 49868 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2012 / Proposed Rules DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The detailed information on the 2012–13 proposal provided a background and regulatory schedule and announced the Fish and Wildlife Service overview of the migratory bird hunting Service Regulations Committee (SRC) regulations process, and addressed the and Flyway Council meetings. 50 CFR Part 20 establishment of seasons, limits, and On June 12, 2012, we published in the other regulations for hunting migratory Federal Register (77 FR 34931) a third [Docket No. FWS–R9–MB–2012–0005; document revising our previously FF09M21200–123–FXMB1231099BPP0L2] game birds under §§ 20.101 through 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. announced dates of the June 2012 SRC RIN 1018–AX97 Major steps in the 2012–13 regulatory meetings. cycle relating to open public meetings On June 19 and 20, 2012, we held Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed and Federal Register notifications were open meetings with the Flyway Council Frameworks for Late-Season Migratory also identified in the April 17 proposed Consultants where the participants Bird Hunting Regulations rule. reviewed information on the current Further, we explained that all sections status of migratory shore and upland AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, game birds and developed Interior. of subsequent documents outlining hunting frameworks and guidelines recommendations for the 2012–13 ACTION: Proposed rule; supplemental. were organized under numbered regulations for these species plus headings. Those headings are: regulations for migratory game birds in SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin (hereinafter Service or we) is proposing 1. Ducks A. General Harvest Strategy Islands, special September waterfowl to establish the 2012–13 late-season B. Regulatory Alternatives seasons in designated States, special sea hunting regulations for certain C. Zones and Split Seasons duck seasons in the Atlantic Flyway, migratory game birds. We annually D. Special Seasons/Species Management and extended falconry seasons. In prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, i. September Teal Seasons addition, we reviewed and discussed for dates and times when hunting may ii. September Teal/Wood Duck Seasons preliminary information on the status of iii. Black Ducks occur and the number of birds that may waterfowl as it relates to the be taken and possessed in late seasons. iv. Canvasbacks v. Pintails development and selection of the These frameworks are necessary to regulatory packages for the 2012–13 allow State selections of seasons and vi. Scaup vii. Mottled Ducks regular waterfowl seasons. limits and to allow recreational harvest viii. Wood Ducks On July 20, 2012, we published in the at levels compatible with population ix. Youth Hunt Federal Register (77 FR 42920) a fourth and habitat conditions. x. Mallard Management Units document specifically dealing with the DATES: You must submit comments on xi. Other proposed frameworks for early-season the proposed migratory bird hunting 2. Sea Ducks regulations. In late August 2012, we will late-season frameworks by August 31, 3. Mergansers publish a rulemaking establishing final 2012. 4. Canada Geese A. Special Seasons frameworks for early-season migratory ADDRESSES: You may submit comments B. Regular Seasons bird hunting regulations for the 2012–13 on the proposals by one of the following C. Special Late Seasons season. methods: 5. White-fronted Geese On July 25–26, 2012, we held open • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 6. Brant meetings with the Flyway Council www.regulations.gov. Follow the 7. Snow and Ross’s (Light) Geese Consultants, at which the participants 8. Swans instructions for submitting comments reviewed the status of waterfowl and 9. Sandhill Cranes developed recommendations for the on Docket No. FWS–R9–MB–2012– 10. Coots 0005. 2012–13 regulations for these species. 11. Moorhens and Gallinules This document deals specifically with • U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public 12. Rails Comments Processing, Attn: FWS–R9– 13. Snipe proposed frameworks for the late-season MB–2012–0005, Division of Policy and 14. Woodcock migratory bird hunting regulations. It Directives Management, U.S. Fish and 15. Band-tailed Pigeons will lead to final frameworks from Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, 16. Mourning Doves which States may select season dates, MS 2042–PDM, Arlington, VA 22203. 17. White-Winged and White-Tipped Doves shooting hours, areas, and limits. 18. Alaska We have considered all pertinent We will not accept emailed or faxed 19. Hawaii comments received through July 27, comments. We will post all comments 20. Puerto Rico 2012, on the April 17 and May 17, 2012, on http://www.regulations.gov. This 21. Virgin Islands rulemaking documents in developing generally means that we will post any 22. Falconry this document. In addition, new personal information you provide us 23. Other proposals for certain late-season (see the Public Comments section below Subsequent documents will refer only regulations are provided for public for more information). to numbered items requiring attention. comment. The comment period is FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Therefore, it is important to note that we specified above under DATES. We will W. Kokel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife will omit those items requiring no publish final regulatory frameworks for Service, Department of the Interior, MS attention, and remaining numbered late-season migratory game bird hunting MBSP–4107–ARLSQ, 1849 C Street items will be discontinuous and appear in the Federal Register on or around NW., Washington, DC 20240; (703) 358– incomplete. September 21, 2012. 1714. On May 17, 2012, we published in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal Register (77 FR 29516) a second Population Status and Harvest document providing supplemental The following paragraphs provide Regulations Schedule for 2012 proposals for early- and late-season preliminary information on the status of On April 17, 2012, we published in migratory bird hunting regulations. The waterfowl and information on the status the Federal Register (77 FR 23094) a May 17 supplement also provided and harvest of migratory shore and VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:18 Aug 16, 2012 Jkt 226001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\17AUP2.SGM 17AUP2 erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2012 / Proposed Rules 49869 upland game birds excerpted from million) was similar to the 2011 this year’s selection of the appropriate various reports. For more detailed estimate and 96 percent above the long- hunting regulations. information on methodologies and term average. Estimated abundance of Status of Geese and Swans results, you may obtain complete copies American wigeon (A. americana; 2.1 ± of the various reports at the address 0.1 million) was similar to the 2011 We provide information on the indicated under FOR FURTHER estimate and 17 percent below the long- population status and productivity of INFORMATION CONTACT or from our Web term average. The estimated abundance North American Canada geese (Branta site at http://www.fws.gov/ of green-winged teal (A. crecca) was 3.5 canadensis), brant (B. bernicla), snow migratorybirds/ ± 0.2 million, which was 20 percent geese (Chen caerulescens), Ross’s geese NewsPublicationsReports.html. above the 2011 estimate and 74 percent (C. rossii), emperor geese (C. canagica), above their long-term average. The white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons), Waterfowl Breeding and Habitat Survey estimate of blue-winged teal abundance and tundra swans (Cygnus Federal, provincial, and State (A. discors) was 9.2 ± 0.4 million, which columbianus). Production of arctic- agencies conduct surveys each spring to was similar to the 2011 estimate and 94 nesting geese depends heavily upon the estimate the size of breeding percent above their long-term average. timing of snow and ice melt, and on populations and to evaluate the The estimate for northern pintails (A. spring and early summer temperatures. conditions of the habitats. These acuta; 3.5 ± 0.2 million) was 22 percent In 2012, snowmelt timing was average surveys are conducted using fixed-wing below the 2011 estimate, and 14 percent or earlier than average throughout most aircraft, helicopters, and ground crews below the long-term average. The of the important goose breeding areas. and encompass principal breeding areas northern shoveler estimate (A. clypeata) Conditions throughout Alaska and of North America, covering an area over was 5.0 ± 0.3 million, which was similar northwestern Canada were good. The 2.0 million square miles. The traditional to the 2011 estimate and 111 percent exception was the Yukon-Kuskokwim survey area comprises Alaska, Canada, above the long-term average. Redhead Delta, where spring phenology was later and the northcentral United States, and abundance (Aythya americana; 1.3 ± 0.1 than average, and flooding ensued when includes approximately 1.3 million million) was similar to the 2011 ice blockages trapped snowmelt. In square miles. The eastern survey area estimate and 89 percent above the long- addition, flooding on Southampton includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, term average. The canvasback estimate Island caused near-total nesting failure Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, (A. valisineria; 0.7 ± 0.05 million) was of the geese breeding there. Gosling Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, similar to the 2011 estimate and 33 production of Canada goose populations New York, and Maine, an area of percent above the long-term average. that migrate to the Atlantic and approximately 0.7 million square miles.

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