Contacts
Nicholas Throckmorton, 202/208.5636
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing hunting regulations for the upcoming 2004-2005 waterfowl season similar to those set last year. The proposal again contains restrictions on harvest of northern pintail and canvasbacks because of continuing concerns about population status.
Under the Service=s late-season frameworks proposal, hunting season lengths will be 60 days in both the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways, 74 days in the Central Flyway, and 107 days in the Pacific Flyway.
"While breeding habitat conditions in some of our survey areas are not as good as we have seen in recent years, overall the habitat and populations of key waterfowl species are sufficient to justify the hunting opportunity these regulations afford," said Service Director Steve Williams. "All flyway councils joined the Service in supporting these regulations."
Estimates of pintail and canvasback numbers were similar to last year and the Service will continue last year=s restriction. Seasons for pintails and canvasbacks will be 60 days in the Pacific Flyway, 39 days in the Central Flyway, and 30 days in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways.
Breeding populations of scaup remain well below their long-term average, and as a result the Service is proposing to maintain restrictions implemented in 1999 that reduced the bag limit from six (seven in the Pacific Flyway) to three (four in the Pacific Flyway) per day. Restrictions on the harvest of black ducks in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways that have been in place for a number of years will continue this year.
This proposal will appear in the Federal Register for public comment and on <http://migratorybirds.fws.gov> soon.
Highlights of the proposed late-season frameworks follow.
Atlantic Flyway: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia
Ducks: A hunting season of not more than 60 days (30 days each for pintails and canvasbacks) between September 25, 2004, and January 30, 2005. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), two wood ducks, three scaup, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, one mottled duck, one fulvous whistling duck, one canvasback, and four scoters. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded merganser. The season on harlequin ducks is closed.
Geese: For light geese, states may select a 107-day season between October 1, 2004, and March 10, 2005, with a daily bag limit of 15 geese and no possession limit. For Atlantic Population Canada geese, the season this year will allow portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont and New York to hold a 45-day season between the October 25, 2004, and January 31, 2005 with a two-bird daily bag limit. Delaware, Maryland and Virginia will be allowed to hold a 45-day season in Atlantic Population areas between November 15, 2004 and January 31, 2005, with a one-bird daily bag limit, and two-bird bag limit for the last 20 days. In Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Long Island, New York, a 60-day season on North Atlantic Population Canada geese is proposed between October 1, 2004, and January 31, 2005, with a two-bird daily bag limit. Special or experimental seasons and regular seasons to harvest resident and other populations of migratory Canada geese are authorized in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. For Atlantic brant, the season length may be 50 days with a daily bag limit of two.
Mississippi Flyway: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin
Ducks: A hunting season of not more than 60 days (30 days each for pintails and canvasbacks) between September 25, 2004, and January 30, 2005. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than four mallards (two hens), three mottled ducks, three scaup, two wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, one pintail, and one canvasback. The proposed daily bag limit of mergansers is five, only one of which may be a hooded merganser.
Geese: Generally, seasons for Canada geese may be held between September 25, 2004, and January 31, 2005, and vary in length, among States and areas, with daily bag limits varying from one to three. States may select seasons for light geese not to exceed 107 days with 20 geese daily between September 25, 2004, and March 10, 2005; for white-fronted geese not to exceed 86 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 107 days with a one-bird daily bag limit between September 25, 2004, and February 13, 2005; and for brant not to exceed 70 days with a two-bird daily bag limit or 107 days with a one- bird daily bag limit between September 25, 2004, and January 31, 2005. There is no possession limit for light geese.
Central Flyway: Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming
Ducks: Duck seasons may be held between September 25, 2004, and January 30, 2005. In the High Plains Mallard Management Unit (roughly west of the 100th Meridian), a 97-day season (39 days each for canvasbacks and pintails) is proposed. The last 23 days may start no earlier than December 11, 2004. A 74-day season (39 days each for canvasbacks and pintails) is proposed for the remainder of the Central Flyway. The proposed daily bag limit is six and may include no more than five mallards (two hens), two redheads, three scaup, two wood ducks, one mottled duck, one pintail, and one canvasback.
Geese: States may select seasons between September 25, 2004 and February 13, 2005 for dark geese and between September 25, 2004 and March 10, 2005 for light geese. In the East Tier, states may select a 95-day season for Canada geese, with a daily bag limit of three. In the Eastern Goose Zone of Texas, the State may select an alternative 107-day season with a daily bag limit of one. For white-fronted geese, states may select either an 86-day season with a daily bag limit of 2 birds or a 107-day season with a daily bag limit of one bird. In the West Tier, states may select a 107-day dark- goose season with a daily bag limit of five birds. In the Western Goose Zone of Texas, the State may select a 95-day season with a daily bag limit of three dark geese (including no more than one white-fronted goose). Colorado, may select a 95-day season with an aggregate bag limit of three. For light geese, all states may select a 107-day season with a daily bag limit of 20 and no possession limit.
Pacific Flyway: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and portions of Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming
Ducks: A 107-day season between September 25, 2004, and January 30, 2005. The proposed daily bag limit is seven ducks, including no more than two mallard hens,two redheads, four scaup, one pintail, and one canvasback. Canvasbacks and pintails will be limited to one bird daily and open for only a 60-day period of the regular duck season.
Geese: 100-day seasons for California, Oregon, and Washington, with outside dates between October 2, and January 30. Basic daily bag limits are 3 light geese and 4 dark geese, except in California, Oregon, and Washington, where the dark goose bag limit does not include brant. 107-day seasons, with outside dates between September 25, and January 30 may be selected in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Basic daily bag limits are 3 light geese and 4 dark geese. Other restrictions vary by State and zone. For brant, the season lengths are 16 days in Oregon and Washington and 30 days in California, with a two-bird daily limit. Washington may split its brant season into 2 segments. Goose seasons and bag limits were increased in two of California=s waterfowl zones in response to increasing populations of geese and to help address depredation concerns that are resulting from these increasing numbers.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
visit our home page at <http://www.fws.gov>.
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