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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 134 / Friday, July 16, 2021 / Rules and Regulations
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population, resulting in a 3-year 2018
20 average of 8.84 percent, which is similar to the previous 3-year average of 8.25 percent. Using the current harvest strategy and the above most recent 3year average abundance and recruitment estimates, the allowable harvest for the 202122 season is 2,378 cranes.
14. American Woodcock Council Recommendations: At the April SRC meeting, the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyway Councils recommended season framework dates for American woodcock in the Eastern Management Region and Central Management Region be changed to September 13January 31
and use of the moderate season framework for the 202122 season.
Service Response: In 2011, we implemented a harvest strategy for American woodcock 76 FR 19876;
April 8, 2011. The harvest strategy provides a transparent framework for making regulatory decisions for American woodcock season length and bag limits while we work to improve monitoring and assessment protocols for this species. The American Woodcock Harvest Strategy is available on our website at https www.fws.gov/birds/
surveys-and-data/webless-migratorygame-birds/american-woodcock.php.
In the October 9, 2020, proposed rule 85 FR 64097, we proposed to change the opening framework date for American woodcock in the Eastern and Central Management Regions to a fixed date of September 13. Framework dates currently are October 1January 31 and the Saturday nearest September 22
January 31 for the Eastern and Central Management Regions, respectively.
Results from an assessment conducted by Service staff suggest that total season harvest would not increase in either management region as a result of these changes. Consistent with our earlier proposal, we agree with the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyway Councils recommendations that the framework dates for the Eastern Management Region and Central Management Region be changed to September 13January 31.
Utilizing the criteria developed for the strategy, the 3-year average for the Singing Ground Survey indices and associated confidence intervals fall within the moderate package for both the Eastern and Central Management Regions. As such, a moderate season for both management regions for the 202122 season is appropriate.
16. Doves Council Recommendations: The Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and
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Pacific Flyway Councils recommended adoption of the standard regulatory alternative as prescribed in the national mourning dove harvest strategy for their respective Mourning Dove Management Units. The standard regulatory alternative consists of a 90-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for States within the Eastern and Central Management Units, and a 60-day season and 15-bird daily bag limit for States in the Western Management Unit.
The Central Flyway Council also recommended changes to the Special White-winged Dove Area in Texas. They proposed to add 2 days to the existing 4 days allowed in that area, and to codify in Federal regulations that hunting may occur only from noon to sunset during those days. This latter restriction has been in Texas State regulations, so making this provision would involve only codifying the shooting hours in Federal regulations.
Service Response: Based on the harvest strategies and current population status, we agree with the recommended selection of the standard season frameworks for doves in the Eastern, Central, and Western Management Units for the 202122
season. We also agree with the Central Flyway Councils recommendation to add 2 days to the existing 4 hunting days permitted in the Special Whitewinged Dove Area in Texas, and to codify in Federal regulations that shooting hours for those 6 days will be from noon to sunset. The additional days will allow more opportunity and flexibility to hunters by providing 3
consecutive days of dove hunting each of the first two weekends in September.
As we have stated in the past see 76 FR
54056, August 30, 2011, the Service remains concerned about the effect of early September hunting on late-nesting mourning doves. We note that abundances of mourning doves in the Central Management Unit have declined since 2008, and additional harvest associated with this change could exacerbate that trend. We encourage Texas and the Central Flyway Council to conduct appropriate monitoring of both mourning and white-winged doves that will inform adjustments to the dove harvest management strategy, if necessary, to maintain desired abundances of doves. Such efforts should include contemporary nesting ecology studies to determine the extent of nesting activity in September, various aspects of nesting ecology e.g., nesting rate, clutch size, nest success, and exposure of nesting adults to harvest.

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Required Determinations National Environmental Policy Act NEPA Consideration The programmatic document, Second Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement:
Issuance of Annual Regulations Permitting the Sport Hunting of Migratory Birds EIS 20130139, filed with the Environmental Protection Agency EPA on May 24, 2013, addresses NEPA compliance by the Service for issuance of the annual framework regulations for hunting of migratory game bird species. We published a notice of availability in the Federal Register on May 31, 2013 78
FR 32686, and our Record of Decision on July 26, 2013 78 FR 45376. We also address NEPA compliance for waterfowl hunting frameworks through the annual preparation of separate environmental assessments, the most recent being Duck Hunting Regulations for 2021
22, with its corresponding May 2021
finding of no significant impact. The programmatic document, as well as the separate environmental assessment, is available on our website at https
www.fws.gov/birds/index.php, or from the address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.
Endangered Species Act Consideration Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq., provides that the Secretary shall insure that any action authorized, funded, or carried out is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered species or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat.
After we published the October 9, 2020, proposed rule, we conducted formal consultations to ensure that actions resulting from these regulations would not likely jeopardize the continued existence of endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of their critical habitat. Findings from these consultations are included in a biological opinion, which concluded that the regulations are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species.
The biological opinion resulting from this section 7 consultation is available for public inspection at the address indicated under ADDRESSES.
Regulatory Planning and Review Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Executive Order E.O. 12866 provides that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs OIRA will review all significant rules. OIRA has reviewed
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