Public Listening Session Announced for Wildlife Proposal WP24-28/29 Regarding the Western Arctic Caribou Herd

For Immediate Release:
February 6, 2024

The Federal Subsistence Board will hold a public listening session via teleconference on February 22, 2024, from 4pm to 6pm or until the end of public participation, to receive public testimony on Wildlife Proposal WP24-28/29.  

Wildlife Proposal WP24-28, submitted by the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group, requests a reduction in the caribou harvest limit across the range of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) to four caribou per person, per year, only one of which may be a cow. Specific areas include Units 21D remainder, 24B remainder, 24C, 24D, and all caribou hunt areas within Units 22, 23, and 26A.

Wildlife Proposal WP24-29, submitted by the Northwest Arctic Subsistence Regional Advisory Council, requests a reduction in the caribou harvest limit in Unit 23 to four caribou per person, per year, only one of which may be a cow.

The WACH has continued to decline, with the most recent population estimate being 152,000 caribou. The intent of this listening session is to receive additional feedback on these proposed harvest limit reductions to inform the Federal Subsistence Board in its decision making.  It is also intended to provide opportunity to ask questions and have limited discussion between other participants.

The public is encouraged to participate in this listening session by calling the telephone number below. When prompted, enter the passcode.  Comments will be forwarded to the Federal Subsistence Board for their consideration during their April 2024 meeting.  If adopted, these harvest limit reductions would become effective July 1, 2024.  

Public Listening Session Information:  
February 22, 2024, from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. (or until the end of public participation)  
Teleconference: Toll Free:  (833) 436-1163
Passcode:  269707579#

Reasonable Accommodations: The Federal Subsistence Board is committed to providing access to these meetings for all participants.  Please make request in advance for sign language interpreter service, assistive listening devices, or other reasonable accommodations.  Please make requests to Kayla McKinney, (907) 786-3888, subsistence@fws.gov at least seven 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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View meeting announcement here

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