Federal Subsistence Board defers action on Temporary Wildlife Special Action Request WSA21-01 (Units 23 and 26A caribou and moose)

In a June 16, 2021 public teleconference, the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) discussed Temporary Wildlife Special Action Request WSA21-01. Temporary Special Action Request WSA21-01, submitted by the Northwest Arctic Subsistence Regional Advisory Council, asked to close Federal public lands in Units 23 and 26A to the harvest of caribou and moose by non-Federally qualified users from August 1 through September 30, 2021. This meeting was open to the public to listen in; however, a comment session was not provided since the Board previously had a public hearing and a written public comment period open for the public to address this special action.

06/16/2021
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Robbin La Vine

(907) 786-3353 or (800) 478-1456

robbin_lavine@fws.gov

The Board deferred action on this request, and will reconsider it prior to the 2022 hunting season. The Board requested that Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) staff seek additional input on concerns related to caribou from the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group, Federal land-managing agencies, local Fish and Game Advisory Committees, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Regional Advisory Councils, commercial guides and transporters, and subsistence users in the area. The Board also asked OSM staff to include comparisons of moose harvest by survey area within Unit 23 in their analysis. The Board will further discuss and take action on this request in 2022, and the public will be informed in advance of the Board’s meeting to take action.

The Board’s deferral of this temporary special action request means that at this time, there are no changes to Federal regulations for moose or caribou in Units 23 or 26A for the 2021 season. Existing regulations, published prior to this request, are still in effect.

Information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

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