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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 134 / Friday, July 16, 2021 / Rules and Regulations survey data, we determined the appropriate allowable harvest for the Atlantic brant season according to the harvest strategy, and published the results in the final frameworks rule.
However, in 2020, the Atlantic Flyway Council developed and adopted a new harvest strategy for Atlantic brant that uses available data and a demographic model to predict population abundance for the subsequent year and determine the appropriate regulatory alternative.
The Atlantic Flyway Councils newly adopted harvest strategy now fits within the regulatory schedule, and makes the Services 2015 adopted harvest strategy obsolete and unnecessary. Based on the Atlantic Flyway Councils new harvest strategy, the 2021 predicted Atlantic brant population index is 126,000 birds and results in a prescribed season framework with a 50-day season and a 2-bird daily bag limit for Atlantic brant in the Atlantic Flyway for the 202122
season. Therefore, we also agree with the Atlantic Flyway Councils recommendation for a framework for Atlantic brant with a 50-day season and 2-bird daily bag limit for the 202122
season.
We also agree with the Pacific Flyway Councils recommendation that the 202122 Pacific brant season framework be determined by the harvest strategy in the Councils management plan for the Pacific population of brant pending results of the 2021 WBS. As we discussed in the August 21, 2020, Federal Register 85 FR 51854, the harvest strategy used to determine the Pacific brant season frameworks does not fit well within the current regulatory process. In developing the annual proposed frameworks for Pacific brant, the Pacific Flyway Council and the Service use the 3-year average number of brant counted during the WBS in the Pacific Flyway to determine annual allowable season length and daily bag limits. The WBS is conducted each January, which is after the date that proposed frameworks are formulated in the regulatory process. However, the data are typically available by the expected publication of these final frameworks. When we acquire the survey data, we determine the appropriate allowable harvest for the Pacific brant season according to the harvest strategy in the Pacific Flyway Councils management plan for the Pacific population of brant published in the August 21, 2020, Federal Register 85 FR 51854.
The recent 3-year average 20192021
WBS count of Pacific brant was 151,434.
Based on the harvest strategy, the appropriate season length and daily bag limit framework for Pacific brant in the
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202122 season is a 107-day season with a 4-bird daily bag limit in Alaska, and a 37-day season with a 2-bird daily bag limit in California, Oregon, and Washington.
7. Snow and Rosss Light Geese Council Recommendations: The Pacific Flyway Council recommended two changes to the light goose season frameworks in the Pacific Flyway.
Specifically, the Council recommended:
1. In Oregon, increasing the daily bag limit for light geese to 20 per day, statewide and during the entire season framework, and 2. In Washington, increasing the daily bag limit for light geese on or before the last Sunday in January to 10 per day and 20 per day thereafter.
Service Response: We agree with the Pacific Flyway Councils recommendations for increasing the daily bag limit for light geese in Oregon and Washington. Three populations of light geese occur in the Pacific Flyway and are above the Councils management plan population objectives based on the most recently available breeding population indices. The population estimate for the Western Arctic Population WAP of lesser snow geese was 419,800 in 2013, which is above the objective of 200,000 geese.
Rosss geese were estimated at 233,300
in 2019, and are above the objective of 100,000 geese. The Wrangel Island Population WIP of lesser snow geese was 685,120 in 2020, and the recent 3year 20182020 average was 477,640, which is above the objective of 120,000
geese based on the 3-year average. Also, light geese in the Pacific Flyway are indexed by fall and winter surveys in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. The most recent winter index was 1,599,641 light geese in 2019. The annual index has increased 6.04 percent annually since 2000, when the index averaged about 550,000, and indicates continued growth of light goose populations in the Pacific Flyway.
Current evidence suggests most light geese in Oregon and Washington during fall and early winter are primarily WIP
snow geese, but an influx of WAP snow and Rosss geese occurs during late winter as birds begin to move north toward breeding areas. The current 6bird daily bag limit for light geese in Oregon on or before the last Sunday in January, and in the Northwest Permit Zone season long and Washington were intended to minimize harvest of WIP
snow geese when they were below the population objective. The bag limit increase to 20 light geese per day in Oregon and Washington will simplify regulations by matching the 20-bird
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daily bag limit currently allowed for light geese in the basic season framework for the Pacific Flyway.
9. Sandhill Cranes Council Recommendations: The Central and Pacific Flyway Councils recommended establishment of two new hunting areas for the Rocky Mountain Population RMP of sandhill cranes including Duchesne County in northeast Utah and Cascade and Teton Counties in northcentral Montana, and that allowable harvest of RMP cranes be determined based on the formula described in the Pacific and Central Flyway Councils Management Plan for RMP cranes.
Service Response: We agree with the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils recommendations to establish the two new hunting areas for RMP cranes. The new hunting areas are consistent with the hunting area requirements in the Pacific and Central Flyway Councils RMP crane management plan.
We also agree with the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils recommendations to determine allowable harvest of RMP cranes using the formula in the Pacific and Central Flyway Councils management plan for RMP cranes pending results of the fall 2020 abundance and recruitment surveys. As we discussed in the March 28, 2016, Federal Register 81 FR
17302, the harvest strategy used to calculate the allowable harvest of RMP
cranes does not fit well within the current regulatory process. In developing the annual proposed frameworks for RMP cranes, the Flyway Councils and the Service use the fall abundance and recruitment surveys of RMP cranes to determine annual allowable harvest. Results of the fall abundance and recruitment surveys of RMP cranes are released between December 1 and January 31 each year, which is after the date proposed frameworks are developed. However, the data are typically available by the expected publication of these final frameworks. When we acquire the survey data, we determine the appropriate allowable harvest for the RMP crane season according to the harvest strategy in the Central and Pacific Flyway Councils management plan for RMP cranes published in the March 28, 2016, Federal Register 81 FR
17302.
The 2020 fall RMP crane abundance estimate was 25,636 cranes, resulting in a 3-year 201820 average of 22,909
cranes, similar to the previous 3-year average, which was 20,894 cranes. The RMP crane recruitment estimate was 9.70 percent young in the fall
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