Stewart B. Mckinney NWR Recreational Hunt Plan CD EA
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Recreational Hunting Plan March 2020 View of Salt Meadow Unit - Laura Shaffer, USFWS Appendix A- Compatibility Determination Appendix B – Environmental Assessment Appendix C – Intra-Service Section 7 Evaluation Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge Recreational Hunting Plan March 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge 733 Old Clinton Road Westbrook, CT 06498 Submitted By: Project Leader ______________________________________________ ____________ Signature Date Concurrence: Refuge Supervisor ______________________________________________ ____________ Signature Date Approved: Regional Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System ______________________________________________ ____________ Signature Date Stewart B. McKinney NWR Recreational Hunting Plan 2 Recreational Hunting Plan Table of Contents I. Introduction ...........................................................................................................................4 II. Statement of Objectives .......................................................................................................6 III. Description of Hunting Program........................................................................................6 A. Areas to be Opened to Hunting .....................................................................................6 B. Species to be Taken, Hunting periods, Hunting Access .................................................8 C. Hunter Permit Requirements .........................................................................................9 D. Consultation and Coordination with the State ................................................................9 E. Law Enforcement ..........................................................................................................9 F. Funding and Staffing Requirements ............................................................................ 10 IV. Conduct of the Hunting Program..................................................................................... 10 A. Hunter Permit Application .......................................................................................... 10 B. Refuge-Specific Hunting Regulations.......................................................................... 11 C. Relevant State Regulations .......................................................................................... 11 D. Other Rules and Regulations ....................................................................................... 12 V. Public Engagement ............................................................................................................. 12 A. Outreach for Announcing and Publicizing the Hunting Program ................................. 12 B. Anticipated Public Reaction to the Hunting Program ................................................... 12 C. How Hunters Will Be Informed of Relevant Rules and Regulations ............................ 12 VI. Compatibility Determination............................................................................................ 13 VII. References ........................................................................................................................ 13 List of Tables 1. Table 1. [Initial Costs of Hunting Program at Stewart B. McKinney NWR] ........................... 11 2. Table 2. [Annual Costs of Hunting Programs at Stewart B. McKinney NWR] ....................... 11 Appendices Appendix A - Compatibility Determination ............................................................................ A-1 Appendix B - Environmental Assessment ................................................................................ B-1 Appendix C - Intra Service Section 7 Evaluation ..................................................................... C-1 Stewart B. McKinney NWR Recreational Hunting Plan 3 I. Introduction National wildlife refuges are guided by the mission and goals of the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System), the purposes of the individual refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) policy, laws, and international treaties. Relevant guidance includes the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (NWRSAA) of 1966, as amended by the Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Refuge Recreation Act of 1962, selected portions of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and the Service Manual. Originally called Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge (NWR, refuge), Connecticut’s first national wildlife refuge was established in 1971 under authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1934, as amended. On February 25, 1985 pursuant to Public Law 98-548, 98 Stat. 2774, the Service accepted the deed to Chimon Island from the Nature Conservancy of Connecticut. On May 13, 1987 (P.L. 100-38) the refuge was re-designated as Stewart B. McKinney NWR in honor of Congressman McKinney’s contributions to its establishment. The Connecticut Coastal Protection Act authorized the expansion of the refuge on October 19, 1990, by incorporating Salt Meadow NWR as a Unit of Stewart B. McKinney NWR and permitting future land acquisitions (P.L. 101-443, H.R. 3468). Currently, the refuge consists of 10 management units along the coast of Connecticut from Westbrook to Greenwich. Refuge units include Salt Meadow (acquired 1971) {Menunketesuck Island added as part of Salt Meadow Unit in 2005}, Falkner Island (1984), Sheffield Island (1984), Milford Point (1985), Chimon Island (1985), Goose Island (1991), Great Meadows (1994), Outer Island (1995), Calf Island (2003), and Peach Island (2005). These units are located in the towns of Westbrook, Guilford, Branford, Stratford, Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Greenwich, Connecticut. In order to meet specific refuge and other broader Service directives, the following purposes were established for Stewart B. McKinney NWR: 1. To enhance the populations of herons, egrets, terns, and other shore and wading birds within the refuge. 2. To encourage natural diversity of fish and wildlife species within the refuge. 3. To provide for the conservation of all fish and wildlife within the refuge. 4. To fulfill the international treaty obligations of the United States respecting fish and wildlife. 5. To provide opportunities for scientific research, environmental education, and fish and wildlife-oriented recreation. Additionally, at the Falkner Island Unit (16 U.S.C. 742f): Stewart B. McKinney NWR Recreational Hunting Plan 4 6. “... for the development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources ...” 7. “... for the benefit of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in performing its activities and services. Such acceptance may be subject to the terms of any restrictive or affirmative covenant, or condition of servitude ...” Additionally, at the Salt Meadow Unit (16 U.S.C. 715d): 8. “… for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds.” Due to its location within the Atlantic flyway, the refuge provides important resting, feeding and nesting habitat for many species of wading birds, waterfowl, songbirds, shorebirds, and terns. Among the many species of birds found on the refuge are the endangered roseate tern and the threatened piping plover, which rely on the refuge for crucial habitat. Although many refuge units are small in acreage, their importance to wildlife is enormous. These blocks of undeveloped saltmarsh, forest, shrub lands and near-shore islands provide thousands of resident and migratory birds with essential habitat along a highly developed coast. Stewart B. McKinney NWR provides a diverse range and numerous opportunities for rural, suburban, and urban visitors to connect with Connecticut’s rich natural and cultural history in a variety of coastal settings. This urban refuge is as an oasis for wildlife and humans temporarily distancing themselves from the densely populated and developed areas, as well as bustle of major transportation corridors on road and waterways. The mission of the Refuge System, as outlined by the NWRSAA, as amended by the Refuge System Improvement Act (16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), is to: “... to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management and, where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.” The NWRSAA mandates the Secretary of the Interior in administering the System to (16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(4): • Provide for the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plants, and their habitats within the NWRS; • Ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the Refuge System are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans; • Ensure that the mission of the Refuge System described at 16 U.S.C. 668dd(a)(2) and the purposes of each refuge are carried out; Stewart B. McKinney NWR Recreational Hunting Plan 5 • Ensure effective coordination, interaction, and cooperation with owners of land adjoining refuges and the fish and wildlife agency of the States in which the units of the Refuge System are located; • Assist in the maintenance of adequate water quantity and water quality to fulfill the mission of the Refuge System and the purposes of each refuge; • Recognize compatible wildlife-dependent recreational uses as the priority general public uses of