Vol. 81 Monday, No. 59 March 28, 2016 Part III Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 20 Migratory Bird Hunting; Final Frameworks for Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations; Final Rule VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:19 Mar 25, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\28MRR3.SGM 28MRR3 Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES3 17302 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 59 / Monday, March 28, 2016 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR regulations process, and addressed the received written comments. establishment of seasons, limits, and Consequently, the issues do not follow Fish and Wildlife Service other regulations for hunting migratory in successive numerical order. game birds under §§ 20.101 through We received recommendations from 50 CFR Part 20 20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K. all four Flyway Councils. Some recommendations supported [Docket No. FWS–HQ–MB–2015–0034; Major steps in the 2016–17 regulatory FF09M21200–167–FXMB1231099BPP0] cycle relating to open public meetings continuation of last year’s frameworks. and Federal Register notifications were Due to the comprehensive nature of the RIN 1018–BA70 also identified in the August 6, 2015, annual review of the frameworks proposed rule. Further, we explained performed by the Councils, support for Migratory Bird Hunting; Final that all sections of subsequent continuation of last year’s frameworks is Frameworks for Migratory Bird Hunting documents outlining hunting assumed for items for which no Regulations frameworks and guidelines were recommendations were received. AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, organized under numbered headings. Council recommendations for changes Interior. Therefore, it is important to note that we in the frameworks are summarized ACTION: Final rule. omit those items requiring no attention, below. Wherever possible, they are and remaining numbered items appear discussed under headings SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service discontinuous and incomplete. corresponding to the numbered items in (Service or we) prescribes final On October 20–21, 2015, we held the August 6, 2015, Federal Register frameworks from which States may open meetings with the Flyway Council document. Consultants, at which the participants select season dates, limits, and other General options for the 2016–17 migratory bird reviewed information on the current hunting seasons. The effect of this final status of migratory game birds and Written Comments: A commenter rule is to facilitate the States’ selection developed recommendations for the protested the entire migratory bird of hunting seasons and to further the 2016–17 regulations for these species. hunting regulations process, the killing annual establishment of the migratory On December 11, 2015, we published of all migratory birds, and status and bird hunting regulations. We annually in the Federal Register (80 FR 77088) habitat data on which the migratory bird prescribe frameworks, or outer limits, the proposed frameworks for the 2016– hunting regulations are based. The for dates and times when hunting may 17 season migratory bird hunting commenter further stated that the occur and the number of birds that may regulations. This document establishes general public was excluded from the be taken and possessed in hunting final frameworks for migratory bird process and that regulation-setting seasons. These frameworks are hunting regulations for the 2016–17 meetings are not announced and closed necessary to allow State selections of season. There are no substantive to the general public. seasons and limits and to allow changes from the December 11 proposed Service Response: Our long-term objectives continue to include providing recreational harvest at levels compatible rule. We will publish State selections in opportunities to harvest portions of with population and habitat conditions. the Federal Register as amendments to certain migratory game bird populations DATES: This rule takes effect on March §§ 20.101 through 20.107, and 20.109 of title 50 CFR part 20. and to limit harvests to levels 28, 2016. compatible with each population’s ADDRESSES: States should send their Status and Harvest ability to maintain healthy, viable season selections to: Chief, Division of In the December 11 proposed rule we numbers. Having taken into account the Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish provided preliminary information on zones of temperature and the and Wildlife Service, MS: MB, 5275 the status and harvest of migratory game distribution, abundance, economic Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– birds excerpted from various reports. value, breeding habits, and times and 3803. You may inspect comments For more detailed information on lines of flight of migratory birds, we received on the migratory bird hunting methodologies and results, you may believe that the hunting seasons regulations during normal business obtain complete copies of the various provided for herein are compatible with hours at the Service’s office at 5275 reports at the address indicated under the current status of migratory bird Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041– FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or populations and long-term population 3803. You may obtain copies of from our Web site at http:// goals. Additionally, we are obligated to, referenced reports from the street www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/ and do, give serious consideration to all address above, or from the Division of NewsPublicationsReports.html. information received as public Migratory Bird Management’s Web site comment. While there are problems at http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/, Review of Public Comments and inherent with any type of representative or at http://www.regulations.gov at Flyway Council Recommendations management of public-trust resources, Docket No. FWS–HQ–MB–2015–0034. The preliminary proposed we believe that the Flyway Council FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron rulemaking, which appeared in the system of migratory game bird W. Kokel, U.S. Fish and Wildlife August 6, 2015, Federal Register, management has been a longstanding Service, Department of the Interior, MS: opened the public comment period for example of State-Federal cooperative MB, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, migratory game bird hunting management since its establishment in VA 22041–3803; (703) 358–1714. regulations. The December 11, 2015, 1952. However, as always, we continue SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal Register publication discussed to seek new ways to streamline and and proposed the frameworks for the improve the process. Regulations Schedule for 2016 2016–17 season migratory bird hunting Regarding the claims about excluding On August 6, 2015, we published in regulations. Comments are summarized the general public from the regulations- the Federal Register (80 FR 47388) a below and numbered in the order used setting process and holding closed proposal to amend 50 CFR part 20. The in the August 6 Federal Register. We meetings, we note that on May 27, 2015, proposal provided a background and have included only the numbered items we published in the Federal Register overview of the migratory bird hunting pertaining to issues for which we (80 FR 30205) a document concerning VerDate Sep<11>2014 15:19 Mar 25, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\28MRR3.SGM 28MRR3 Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES3 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 59 / Monday, March 28, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 17303 the first Service Regulations Committee (Federal survey strata 13–18, 20–50, and Councils regarding selection of the (SRC) meeting to discuss preliminary 75–77, and State surveys in Minnesota, ‘‘liberal’’ regulatory alternative for the issues on the 2016–17 migratory bird Wisconsin, and Michigan). In the Pacific 2016–17 season and will adopt the hunting regulations. On August 6, 2015, Flyway, we set hunting regulations ‘‘liberal’’ regulatory alternative, as we published in the Federal Register based on the status and dynamics of described in the August 6, 2015, Federal (80 FR 47388) a proposal to amend 50 western mallards. Western mallards are Register. those breeding in Alaska and the CFR part 20. The proposal provided a B. Regulatory Alternatives background and overview of the northern Yukon Territory (as based on migratory bird hunting regulations Federal surveys in strata 1–12), and in Council Recommendations: The process, and identified major steps in California and Oregon (as based on Atlantic and Mississippi Flyway the 2016–17 regulatory cycle relating to State-conducted surveys). Councils recommended that the open public meetings and Federal For the 2016–17 season, we will framework closing date for ducks be Register notifications, including notice continue to use independent extended to January 31 in the of the October 21–22, 2015, SRC optimization to determine the optimal ‘‘moderate’’ and ‘‘liberal’’ regulatory meeting. On October 20–21, 2015, we regulatory choice for each mallard stock. alternatives. held open meetings with the Flyway This means that we develop regulations Written Comments: Several Council Consultants, at which the for eastern mallards, mid-continent commenters expressed a desire for a participants reviewed information on mallards, and western mallards later closing framework date, citing the current status of migratory game independently, based upon the breeding changes in climate and the migratory birds and developed recommendations stock that contributes primarily to each timing of birds. Several others for the 2016–17 regulations