Federal Subsistence Board to hold Public Meeting on Temporary Wildlife Special Action Requests WSA22-05 and WSA22-06 (Western Arctic Caribou)

Temporary Wildlife Special Action Request WSA22-05, submitted by the Northwest Arctic Subsistence Regional Advisory Council, requests that the Board reduce the caribou harvest limit in Unit 23 from five caribou per day to four caribou per year, only one of which may be a cow for the remainder of the 2022-2024 regulatory cycle.

Temporary Wildlife Special Action Request WSA22-06, submitted by the Western Interior Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council (Western Interior Council), requests that the Board reduce the caribou harvest limit across the range of the WACH from five caribou per day to four caribou per year, only one of which may be a cow for the remainder of the 2022-2024 regulatory cycle.  Specifically, reduce the harvest limit in Units 21D, remainder; 24A, remainder; 24B, remainder; 24C; 24D; and all caribou hunt areas within Units 22, 23, and 26A.

Public hearings on WSA22-05 and WSA22-06 were conducted on April 26, 2023, and on WSA22-06 only on May 2, 2023. A tribal consultation was conducted on May 15, 2023.

Following the public hearing on WSA22-05/06 held on May 2, 2023, members of the Western Interior Council indicated their support for withdrawing this request.  While Councils cannot formally withdraw special action requests outside of a public meeting, the Council chair may address this issue with the Board when it meets to consider this request on June 8.

Both proponents cite conservation concerns over the recent decline of the WACH as the impetus for these requests.  Copies of the requests can be found at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/board. 

The staff analysis for these requests will be available online by June 1, 2023, at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/board. 

The public is encouraged to participate by calling the telephone number below. There will be an opportunity for public comments. When prompted, enter the passcode.  

Board teleconference meeting information:

June 8, 2023, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  (or until the Board completes its business)
Teleconference: Toll Free: 1-888-455-7761
Passcode: 9176286

Reasonable Accommodations: The Federal Subsistence Board is committed to providing access to these meetings for all participants. Please make requests in advance for sign language interpreter services, assistive listening devices, or other reasonable accommodations. Please make requests to Kayla Mckinney, (907) 786–3880, subsistence@fws.gov, at least 7 business days prior to the meeting you would like to attend to give the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sufficient time to process your request. All reasonable accommodation requests are managed on a case-by-case basis.  

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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