Federal Subsistence Board approves Draft 2020 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Plan; rejects Request for Reconsideration of Unit 2 deer proposal

The Board voted unanimously to approve the Draft 2020 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Plan with modification to remove project 20-351 from consideration at this time. The Assistant Regional Director of the Office of Subsistence Management (OSM) will make the final decision on the plan, based on available funding.  

The Board discussed and heard Alaska Department of Fish and Game testimony on the threshold analysis for RFR18-01. The Board received six requests to reconsider Wildlife Proposal WP18-01, which the Board acted on in 2018, and which resulted in reduction of the deer harvest limit in Unit 2 from four male deer to two male deer for non-Federally qualified users hunting under State regulations on Federal public lands. The Board rejected RFR18-01, as the requests were not found to meet any of the criteria required for the Board to reconsider a proposal, as outlined in Federal subsistence regulations in 36 CFR 242.20(d) and 50 CFR 100.20(d). No new relevant information was presented for the Board’s consideration; none of the information the Board relied on was shown to be factually incorrect; and there was no demonstration that the Board’s interpretation of information, applicable law, or regulation was in error or contrary to existing law. Therefore, the Board’s previous action on WP18-01 will stand.

In addition to the two action items, OSM staff updated the Board on the Partners for Fisheries Monitoring Program (Partners Program) and the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program. Partners who participate in the Partners Program from the Orutsararmiut Native Council and the Native Village of Napaimute made presentations to the Board. OSM staff also gave updates on the budget and staffing.

Additional information on 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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