USFWS Video Celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day
September 18, 2012

In recognition of National Hunting and Fishing Day (celebrated on September 22 this year) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Region has published a video documenting the journey of trout from a hatchery in Anchorage to area lakes, where they became available to eager anglers. In this video, you can digitally join that trip, as more than 14,000 catchable-sized rainbow trout are moved from hatchery tanks to two local lakes! The fish were among the first to be delivered from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s new William Jack Hernandez sport fish hatchery. The hatchery helps maintain the vitality of Alaska’s sport fisheries by increasing recreational fishing opportunities while reducing fishing pressure on natural stocks. News Release

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Basic Hunter Education includes a variety of hunting and outdoor skills, including this exercize in boarding and exiting a small boat safely with a firearm. Credit: ADF&G

National Hunting and Fishing Day
Hunter Recruitment in Alaska
September 5 , 2012

Hunting is a lifestyle and an important activity for millions of Americans, bringing them outdoors and in touch with nature. More than 13 million people across the country enjoy hunting, and through hunting they contribute to wildlife conservation and management. National Hunting and Fishing Day on September 22, 2012, celebrates the programs that ensure that hunting continues for future generations. Learn more... 

 

 

 

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Prince of Wales flying squirrel in a tree. Photo Credit: Jeff Nichols

ESA Listing of Prince of Wales flying squirrel found not warranted
August 29 , 2012

Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Prince of Wales (POW) flying squirrel as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.  Based on its review, the Service finds that the petition, dated September 30, 2011, does not present substantial information indicating that listing this species may be warranted. Therefore, the agency will not initiate a status review.  

• News Release
• Federal Register Notice
• Literature Cited

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Bioengineering using rootwads and brushlayers restore eroded bank; steps and platform allow for recreational use while protecting stream bank from further erosion. Photo Credit: David Wigglesworth/USFWS

Kenai River Habitat Work Lands National Recognition -DOI Assistant Secretary Anne Castle to Recognize River Center Highlight America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Rivers Initiative
August 17 , 2012

Coordinated action to preserve and restore the natural resources of the Kenai River is capturing national attention.  On Friday, August 24th Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science Anne Castle will visit the Donald E. Gilman River Center to meet with state and local officials and community organizations to learn more about habitat restoration work along the Kenai River and its tributaries and to highlight reasons why Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar selected the Kenai River partnership effort to be part of the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Rivers Initiative. 

• Read more
• YouTube Video

Attention Sheep Hunters
August 7, 2012

If you are planning to hunt sheep in Game Management Unit 25A, please be aware of Federal hunting regulations that do not appear in your State of Alaska regulations booklet: The entire Arctic Village Sheep Management Area (AVSMA) is closed to general sheep hunting.

The Arctic Village Sheep Management Area (AVSMA), which lies west and north of Arctic Village, is closed to sheep hunting except by federally qualified residents of Arctic Village, Venetie, Fort Yukon, Kaktovik and Chalkyitsik Red Sheep Creek and Cane Creek are now part of this closure due to a decision made by the Federal Subsistence Board in January 2012.

• Read more
• News Release

Walrus Calves on the Beach
July 31, 2012

In the last week, three abandoned walrus calves have been captured and transferred to the Alaska SeaLife Center for treatment and observation before being placed in zoos. This was a community effort with hunters contacting the NSB Department of Wildlife Management to assist with the capture of the animals (with approval from USFWS).  The NSB Veterinary Clinic assisted Alaska SeaLife Center staff with the stabilization of the animals until they could be transported. Thanks goes out to the community of Barrow for making these captures and transports successful.  Read more

Final Rule for Queen Charlotte Goshawk Listing in Canada
July 31, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today its final rule to list the British Columbia distinct population segment (DPS) of the Queen Charlotte goshawk (Accipiter gentilis laingi) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The species is not being listed in the U.S. due in part to protections provided by the U.S. Forest Service’s Tongass Land Management Plan. The Endangered Species Act provides this flexibility so that protections can be tailored to where they are needed.

• News Release
• Learn More

Scientists Explore Social Dimensions of Climate Change
July 13, 2012

Communities in Alaska are at the forefront of the impacts of climate change. Rural communities, heavily dependent on natural resources, are not only aware of the impacts of a changing climate, but they see and experience these changes in a profound way. In 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program requested in its Call for Proposals a broad range of fisheries science and social science projects that examined or discussed climate change effects on subsistence resources and users. Learn more…

2012 Alaska Weed Smackdowns: fun, community events to control non-native, invasive plants!
June 13, 2012

In conjunction with Alaska Invasive Weed Awareness Week in 2010, Alaska’s first Weed Smackdown event was structured to help contain the spread of non-native, invasive plants and educate/involve local residents in Fairbanks. Since then, awareness of the problem and the number of events have grown, with four Weed Smackdown events scheduled for 2012. Each offers a fun, friendly competition among teams comprised of members from community organizations, businesses, and unaffiliated individuals who all have one thing in common: the desire to spare Alaska the economic and ecological impacts of invasive species. Participants will not only enjoy fresh air, exercise, fun, free food, and fabulous prizes, but will also help control or eradicate these weed invaders. Learn more...

• Press Release

Make sure the Native art you buy in Alaska can go home with you!
June 12, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska State Council on the Arts recently produced an updated Customs Guide on Alaska Native Arts. Long recognized as an excellent tool for the Alaska Native art market, the online guide helps artists, arts patrons, and retailers interpret the complex wildlife laws that affect the international trade of some of Alaska’s most unique products. 

Information in the guide can help visitors determine what artwork they can legally purchase and lawfully transport through Canada or across another national border. The guide lists wildlife materials commonly used in traditional Alaska Native art. Learn more...

Celebrate Great Outdoors Month and National Fishing and Boating Week in Alaska
June 7, 2012

Summer is here. June brings Alaskans and visitors outdoors to enjoy camping, boating, outdoor festivals and events, fishing, and much more.  In fact, across the country June 2-10 is National Fishing and Boating Week; this month is also Great Outdoors Month. 

Outdoor activities like camping and fishing encourage young and old alike to explore and enjoy Alaska’s rich recreational opportunities. Learn more...

America’s Great Outdoor Rivers Initiative at the Kenai River
May 22, 2012

Today, as part of a weeklong event, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced projects in the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado that serve as models of the America’s Great Outdoors River Initiative. The goal of the Initiative is to conserve and restore key rivers across the nation, expand outdoor recreational opportunities, and support jobs in local communities. This effort was unveiled in January as part of  President Obama’s broader America’s Great Outdoors initiative; which aims to work with communities across the country to establish a 21st century conservation ethic, reconnect people, especially young people, to the natural world, and promote the outdoor recreation economy. Learn more

Caribou Board Concludes International Meeting
May 15, 2012

The International Porcupine Caribou Board, including members from Canada and the U.S., met April 18-19 in Fairbanks. The event included an evening public meeting on April 18 at the Morris Thompson Cultural Center, where the Board presented its history and mission and engaged in a question-and-answer session.  The board had been inactive for over a decade until meeting in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada in September, 2011, where the Board reviewed its roles and responsibilities and the role of the Porcupine Caribou Technical Committee of biologists, who provide advice to the Board. Learn more

Pollinator Gardens in Alaska
May 11, 2012

Most flowering plants depend on bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other animals for pollination. Pollination is an essential part of plant reproduction, producing fertile seeds and, in some species, fruit.

In Alaska our pollinators include at least 95 bee species and 75 butterfly species!

What you can do to help pollinators?

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