DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT Section 502, Title 14 California Code of Regulations MIGRATORY GAME BIRD HUNTING (WATERFOWL, COOTS, MOORHENS) February 19, 2020 STATE OF CALIFORNIA THE RESOURCES AGENCY DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE ANDandWILWildWILDLIFE TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................i LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................. iii LIST OF APPENDICES ......................................................................................................iv PROPOSED PROJECT ...................................................................................................... 5 STATE AND FEDERAL ROLES IN ESTABLISHING WATERFOWL HUNTING REGULATIONS ............................................................................................ 6 SUMMARY OF IMPACTS AND MITIGATION................................................................... 9 AREAS OF CONTROVERSY........................................................................................... 11 ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED ............................................................................................ 11 FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALANCY ........................................................................................ 11 SUBMITTING COMMENTS ON THE ED ........................................................................ 12 CHAPTER 1 - THE PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................................... 13 Background ................................................................................................. 16 Existing Conditions ..................................................................................... 21 Proposed Changes and Analysis............................................................... 28 POLICY CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................................................... 30 POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ................................................................... 30 Effects of Habitat Degradation ................................................................... 31 Effects of Diseases, Pesticides, and Other Contaminants ....................... 32 Effects of Illegal Harvest............................................................................. 32 Effects of Subsistence Harvest .................................................................. 32 Effects of Harvest Outside the United States ............................................ 33 Effects of Major Development Projects ..................................................... 33 Effects on Listed Species ........................................................................... 33 Effects on Migratory Bird Habitats ............................................................. 34 Effects on Recreational Opportunities ....................................................... 34 Effects on Methods of Take and Impacts on Individual Animals.............. 35 Effects from Drought................................................................................... 35 Effects of Habitat Change .......................................................................... 47 Cumulative Impacts .................................................................................... 61 Cultural Resources ..................................................................................... 62 CHAPTER 2 – ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................................... 62 Alternative 1. No project – no change from the 2019-20 hunting regulations................ 62 Alternative 2. Reduced Season Lengths, Season Timing and Bag Limits..................... 63 Alternative 3. Elimination of all mechanically- and artificially-powered spinning wing decoys as a method of take. ...................................................................... 65 LITERATURE CITED ........................................................................................................ 67 i LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Summary of Alternatives and Their Impacts ....................................................... 6 Table 2. Proposed Season Dates and Bag Limits for 2020-21 ...................................... 13 ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Waterfowl Zones in California ........................................................................... 15 Figure 2. Administrative Waterfowl Flyways .................................................................... 17 Figure 3. CA Breeding Population Estimates .................................................................. 42 Figure 4. Northeastern California Canada Goose Pair Survey....................................... 43 Figure 5. Waterfowl Mortality from Botulism .................................................................... 44 Figure 6. Waterfowl Mortality from Avian Cholera ........................................................... 45 Figure 7. CA Breeding Population Estimates for Mallards vs. Harvest .......................... 46 iii LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A. 2019-20 Regulations Related to Migratory Waterfowl, Coot, Moorhen, and Snipe, Sections 502, 507, Title 14, California Code of Regulations .......A-1 Appendix B. Possible Effect of Climate Change Impacts on Waterfowl……………….B-1 Appendix C. Western Mallard and California Breeding Population Status .................. C-1 Appendix D. Pintail, Canvasback, and Scaup Population Status ................................ D-1 Appendix E. Additional Hunting Day Analysis ...............................................................E-1 Appendix F. Pacific Flyway Goose Population Status ................................................... F-1 Appendix G. Effects of Habitat Change Analyses ........................................................ G-1 Appendix H. Estimated Retrieved Harvest of Ducks and Geese in California............. H-1 Appendix I. Possible Effects of Spinning Wing Decoys in California ............................. I-1 iv SUMMARY On behalf of the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission), the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) has prepared this environmental document (ED) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)(Public Resources Code Section 21000 et seq.) in compliance with the Commission’s certified regulatory program (CRP) as approved by the Secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency (Public Resources Code, Section 21080.5; CEQA Guidelines Section 15251, subd. (b); California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 781.5). This summary provides a brief description of the proposed project, project alternatives and summary of environmental impacts. PROPOSED PROJECT The project discussed in this document (the proposed project) involves modifications to the current waterfowl hunting regulations for the 2020-21 waterfowl hunting season. Specifically, the Department is proposing to: • Open the duck season on the second Saturday in October and close January 20 for the Northeastern Zone. This reduces the duck season length to 103 days from 105. • Open the duck season on the fourth Saturday of October and close January 31 for the Southern San Joaquin Valley, the Southern California, and the Balance of State zones. This reduces the duck season length to 100 days from 105. • Open the regular goose season on the fourth Saturday in October and close January 31 for the Southern San Joaquin Valley and the Southern California zones. This recommendation reduces the season length to 100 days from 105. • Designate two days as Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days (VAMP Days hereafter) for the Northeastern, Southern San Joaquin Valley, Southern California, and Balance of State zones. Designate two days as Veterans and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunting Days (VAMP) for the Northeastern, Southern San Joaquin Valley, Southern California, and Balance of State zones. 5 STATE AND FEDERAL ROLES IN ESTABLISHING WATERFOWL HUNTING REGULATIONS Migratory birds are managed under the provisions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of July 3, 1918 (40. Stat. 755:16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.), Federal regulations [50 CFR 20(K)(L)], as well as California statutes (Fish and Game Code sections 355 and 356) and regulations selected by the Commission. The regulations governing the take of migratory game birds in California are selected by the Commission and forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) each year. States (California) must set waterfowl hunting regulations within the federal frameworks established by the Service through the following generalized four-step process: 1. The Service, with assistance from the states, assesses the status of migratory game bird populations and establishes a set of regulation frameworks; 2. The Department recommends season dates and proposed changes to the Commission; 3. The Commission makes and forwards season selections to the Service regarding regulations for California; and 4. The Service and the State publish the final regulations. The Federal frameworks specify the outside dates, total number of hunting days, bag limits, shooting hours, and methods of take authorized for migratory game birds. The Department will recommend specific season dates and bag limits to the Commission that are within the federal frameworks. The Commission may not select more liberal season dates or bag limits than those set by the Federal frameworks. The