Any person having an interest in a crop and who is suffering damage due to depredations by migratory waterfowl may file a complaint and apply for surplus grain for use in feeding programs to augment the natural source of food available to migratory waterfowl to aid in the prevention of crop damage by such birds, as provided for in these regulations.

The provisions of this part supplement 70 Stat. 492, 7 U.S.C. 442-445.

Section 1 of the Act of July 3, 1956, as amended (70 Stat. 492; 7 U.S.C. 442-445) provides that the Commodity Credit Corporation shall make available to the Secretary of the Interior such wheat, corn, or other grains, acquired through price support operations and certified by the Corporation to be available for purposes of the Act or in such condition through spoilage or deterioration as not to be desirable for human consumption, as the Secretary shall requisition for the purpose of preventing crop damage by migratory waterfowl. Section 2 of the Act provides that, upon a finding that any area in the United States is threatened with damage to farmers’ crops by migratory waterfowl, the Secretary is authorized and directed to requisition from the Commodity Credit Corporation and to make available to Federal, State, or local governmental bodies or officials, or to private organizations or persons, such grain acquired by the Corporation through price support operations in such quantities and subject to such regulations as the Secretary determines will most effectively lure migratory waterfowl away from crop depredations and at the same time not expose such migratory waterfowl to shooting over areas to which the waterfowl have been lured by such feeding programs.

The authorization contained in the Act limits the availability of grain acquired through price support operations to the prevention of crop damage by migratory waterfowl (brant, wild ducks, geese, and swans) and such grain may not be made available for the feeding of any other species of migratory birds, whether or not such other species of migratory birds are committing or threatening to commit crop damage. Further, the Act does not authorize the use of such grain to conduct a migratory waterfowl feeding program for the purpose of augmenting natural sources of food available to migratory waterfowl, nor for any purpose incident to migratory waterfowl management not related to the prevention of crop damage. Accordingly, such grain shall not be made available pursuant to the Act to augment or to substitute for natural sources of migratory waterfowl food except as may be determined by the Secretary to be necessary to aid in the prevention of crop damage by such birds.

Any person having an interest in crops being damaged or threatened with damage by migratory waterfowl in circumstances meeting the criteria prescribed in § 90.15 may make application for grain for use in luring such waterfowl away from such crops by submitting a written request to the Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional office having administrative jurisdiction over the wildlife activities in the State where the affected crops are located. (See § 2.2 for geographical jurisdiction and addresses of regional offices.) Such applications may be in letter form but must contain information disclosing the location, nature, condition and extent of the crops being damaged or threatened, and the particular species of migratory waterfowl committing or threatening to commit damage. For the purposes of this section any authorized official of Federal, State, or local governmental body shall be deemed to be a “person” and to have such an interest in crops threatened with damages as to qualify him as an applicant.

Upon receipt of a written application for such grain for use in preventing crop depredations, the Regional Director shall promptly cause an investigation to be made, when necessary, to determine whether the applicant is in fact entitled to have such grain made available for such purposes. Whenever feasible the required investigation shall be made jointly by a representative of the game department of the State in which the affected crops are located and a representative of the Regional Director. When conducting such investigations, each of the factors set forth in paragraphs (a) to (d) of this section shall be considered separately. An application for grain shall not be approved if it is determined that one or more of these factors minimizes the extent of crop damage or provides another effective method of preventing the complained of damage.

(a) The migratory waterfowl committing or threatening to commit crop damage must be predominantly of a species which are susceptible of being effectively lured away from the crops by the use of such grain.

(b) The crop damage or threatened crop damage must be substantial in nature (when measured by the extent and potential value of the crops involved and the number of birds threatening damage); and must affect growing crops or mature unharvested crops that are in such condition as to be marketable or have value as feed for livestock or other purposes of material value to the applicant.

(c) It must be shown that the damage or threat of damage cannot be abated through the exercise of any of the privileges granted in permits authorized by this chapter I to frighten or otherwise herd migratory waterfowl away from affected crops.

(d) During an open hunting season, it must be shown that the area affected by crop damage has been and is now open to public hunting and there has been a clear demonstration that such hunting is ineffective, and cannot be made effective, to prevent crop damage on such area.

Upon receipt of a report and recommendations based upon an investigation conducted under § 90.15, the Secretary shall make a determination that the applicant meets the qualifications for receiving grain. He shall then determine the quantity of grain, either bagged or in bulk, to be made available; the means of transportation; and the point of delivery in the vicinity of the crop damage. Before receiving delivery of such grain the applicant shall execute and deliver to any officer authorized to enforce this part written assurances as follows:

(a) That grain made available to him under this part will be used exclusively for the prevention and abatement of crop damage by migratory waterfowl and that no portion of such grain will be sold, donated, exchanged, or used as feed for livestock or other domestic animals or for any other purpose;

(b) That consent is granted to any officer authorized to enforce this part, to inspect, supervise or direct the placement and distribution of grain made available under this part for the prevention of crop damage at all reasonable times;

(c) That free and unrestricted access over the premises on which feeding operations have been or are to be conducted shall be permitted at all reasonable times, by any officer authorized to enforce this part and that such information as may be required by the officer will be promptly furnished; and

(d) That the applicant will not take, nor permit his agents, employees, invitees, or other persons under his control to take migratory game birds on or over any lands or waters subject to his control, during the time such grain is placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, scattered, or present upon such lands or waters, nor for a period of 10 days immediately following the consumption or removal of such grain from such lands or waters.

Nothing in this subpart shall be construed to supersede or modify any regulations relating to the hunting of migratory game birds, nor to permit the transportation, installation or use of grain contrary to any applicable Federal, State, or local laws or regulations.

(a) The purpose of these regulations is to establish procedures for selecting a design that will be used for the annual Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp).

(b) All individuals entering the contest must comply with these regulations. A copy of the regulations along with the Reproduction Rights and Display and Participation Agreements may be requested from the Federal Duck Stamp Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

(c) All contestants from the most recent contest will be sent a copy of the regulations, the Display and Participation Agreement, and the Reproduction Rights Agreement.

Contest Coordinator— the contest official responsible for overseeing the judges’ scores for each entry. The contest coordinator will be named by the Secretary of the Interior and will not be a past or present employee of the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Display and participation agreement—a document that each contestant must complete, sign and submit with the entry. The signed agreement permits the Service to display the entry at various locations for promotional purposes, and requires the artist to participate in events in behalf of the Federal Duck Stamp Program.

Qualifying entry— each original work of art submitted to the contest that satisfies the requirements outlined in subpart B.

Reproduction rights agreement—a document that each contestant must sign and submit with the entry. The signed agreement certifies that the entry is an original work of art and stipulates how the Fish and Wildlife Service may use the winning entry.

All phases of the voting process will be open for viewing by the general public.

Five or fewer of the species listed below will be identified as eligible each year; those eligible species will be provided to each contestant with the information provided in § 91.1.

(a) Whistling-Ducks. (1) Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)

(2) Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

(b) Swans. (1) Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

(2) Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)

(c) Geese. (1) Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

(2) Snow Goose (including bluephase) (Chen caerulescens)

(3) Ross’ Goose (Chen rossii)

(4) Emperor Goose (Chen canagica)

(5) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

(d) Brant. (1) Brant (Branta bernicla)

(e) Dabbling Ducks. (1) Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

(2) American Widgeon (Anas americana)

(3) Gadwall (Anas strepera)

(4) American Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca carolinensis)

(5) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

(6) Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula)

(7) American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

(8) Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

(9) Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

(10) Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)

(11) Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

(f) Diving Ducks. (1) Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

(2) Redhead (Aythya americana)

(3) Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)

(4) Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

(5) Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

(g) Sea-Ducks. (1) Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)

(2) King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)

(3) Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri)

(4) Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)

(5) Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)

(6) Oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis)

(7) Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra)

(8) Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

(9) White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

(10) Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)

(11) Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)

(12) Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

(h) Mergansers. (1) Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus)

(2) Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

(3) Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)

(i) Stiff Tails. (1) Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

(a) The contest will officially open on July 1 of each year.

(b) Entries must be postmarked no later than midnight, September 15.

United States citizens, nationals, or resident aliens are eligible to participate in the contest. Any person who has won the contest during the preceding three years will be ineligible to submit an entry in the current year's contest. All entrants must be 18 years of age as of July 1 to participate in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Contest judges and their relatives are ineligible to submit an entry. All entrants must submit a non-refundable fee of $100.00 by a cashiers check, certified check, or money order made payable to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Personal checks will not be accepted.) All entrants must submit signed Reproduction Rights and Display and Participation Agreements.

The design must be a horizontal drawing or painting seven (7) inches high and ten (10) inches wide. The entry may be drawn in any medium desired by the contestant and may be in either multicolor or black and white. No scrollwork, lettering, bird band numbers, signatures or initials may appear on the design. Each entry must be matted (over only) with a nine (9) inch by twelve (12) inch white mat, one (1) inch wide, and the entire entry cannot exceed one quarter (1/4) inch in total thickness. Entries must not be framed, under glass, or have a protective covering that is attached to the entry.

A live portrayal of any bird(s) of the five or fewer identified eligible species must be the DOMINANT feature of the design. The design may depict more than one of the eligible species, Designs may include, but are not limited to, hunting dogs, hunting scenes, use of waterfowl decoys, National Wildlife Refuges as the background of habitat scenes, and other designs that depict the sporting, conservation, stamp collecting and other uses of the stamp. The overall mandate will be to select the best design that will make an interesting, useful and attractive duck stamp that will be accepted and prized by hunters, stamp collectors, conservationists, and others. The design must be the contestant's original “hand drawn” creation. The entry design may not be copied or duplicated from previously published art, including photographs. Photographs, computer-generated art, art produced from a computer printer or other computer/mechanical output device (airbrush method excepted) are not eligible to be entered into the contest and will be disqualified. An entry submitted in a prior contest that was not selected for the Federal or a state stamp design may be submitted in the current contest if it meets the above criteria.

All entries should be drawn with fullest attention to clarity of detail and the relationship of tonal values. These prerequisites are important to interpret pictorial elements to hand engraving for printing, as they determine the engraved line techniques and direction. The engraver relies on the accuracy of the artist's work for successful interpretation. The engraver is primarily responsible for line interpretation and discipline, creating the miniature image of bird(s) appearing on the stamp.

(a) Each contestant may submit only one entry. Each entry must be accompanied by a non-refundable entrance fee and a completed and signed Reproduction Rights Agreement and a completed and signed Display and Participation Agreement. The bottom portion of the Reproduction Rights Agreement must be attached to the back of the entry.

(b) Each entry should be appropriately wrapped to protect the art work and sent by registered mail, certified mail, express mail, overnight delivery service or hand delivered to: Federal Duck Stamp Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Suite 2058, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

Each contestant is responsible for obtaining adequate insurance coverage for his/her entry. The Department of the Interior will not insure the entries it receives nor is it responsible for loss or damage unless it is caused by its negligence or willful misconduct. In any event, the liability of the Department of the Interior will not exceed the amount of the entry fee as specified in § 91.12.

Any entry that does not comply with the requirements of subpart B will be disqualified from the contest.

(a) Selection. Five voting judges and one alternate judge will be selected annually by the Secretary of the Interior. Current employees of the Fish and Wildlife Service and their relatives are ineligible to serve as judges for the contest. The judges will be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses. The judges will be announced on the first day of the contest.

(b) Qualifications. The panel of five judges will be made up of individuals, all of whom have one or more of the following prerequisites: recognized art credentials, knowledge of the anatomical makeup and the natural habitat of the eligible waterfowl species, an understanding of the wildlife sporting world in which the Duck Stamp is used, an awareness of philately and the role the Duck Stamp plays in stamp collecting, and demonstrated support for the conservation of waterfowl and wetlands through active involvement in the conservation community.

All eligible entries will be displayed in the Department of the Interior auditorium in numerical order. The only visible identification on each entry will be the number assigned to it in chronological order when it is received and processed by the Service.

Entries will be judged on the basis of anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and suitability for engraving in the production of a stamp.

(a) The day before the judging begins, the judges will be briefed on all aspects of the judging procedures and other details of the competition, and will preview all eligible artwork entered.

(b) Prior to the first round of judging, and prior to the opening of the contest to the public, the judges will spend an additional two hours reviewing the entries.

(c) In the first round of judging, all qualified entries will be shown one at a time to the judges by the Contest Coordinator or a contest staff member. The judges will vote “in” or “out” on each entry; those entries receiving a majority of votes “in” will be eligible for the second round of judging. The remaining entries will be placed on display as a group for public viewing.

(d) Prior to the second round of judging, each judge may select not more than five entries from those eliminated in the first round. Those additional entries selected by the judges will be eligible to be judged in the second round.

(e) Prior to the second round of judging, the entries selected by the judges under the procedures of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section will be displayed in numerical order in the front of the auditorium.

(f) The technical advisors from the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing will do a critical analysis of the entries that will be judged in the second round and advise the judges of any serious anatomical problems and/or any serious design problems for the engraver.

(g) In the second round of judging, each entry selected in the first round, plus the additional entries selected by judges, will be shown one at a time to the judges by the Contest Coordinator or by a contest staff member. The judges will vote by indicating a numerical score from one to five for each entry. The scores will be totaled to provide the entry score. The entries receiving the five highest scores will be advanced to the third round of judging.

(h) In the third round of judging, the judges will vote on the remaining entries using the same method as in round two, except they would indicate a numerical score from 3 to 5 for each entry. The Contest Coordinator will tabulate the final votes and present them to the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who will announce the winning entry as well as the entries that placed second and third.

(i) In case of a tie vote for first, second, or third place in the third round, the judges will vote again on the entries that are tied. The judges will vote using the same method as in round three.

(j) The selection of the winning entry by the judges will be final. Each contestant will be notified of the winning artist and the design. The winning artist will receive a pane of Duck Stamps signed by the Secretary of the Interior at the Federal Duck Stamp Contest the following year. The artists placing first, second, and third will receive a framed commendation from the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

All entries will be returned by certified mail to the participating artists within 120 days after the contest, unless the artwork is selected to appear at one or more wildlife art expositions. If artwork is returned to the Service because it is undelivered or unclaimed (this may happen if an artist changes address), the Service will not be obligated to trace the location of the artist to return the artwork. Any artist who changes his or her address is responsible for notifying the Service of the change. All unclaimed entries will be destroyed one year from the date of the contest.

The regulations in this part implement the Alaska migratory bird subsistence program as provided for in Article II(4)(b) of the 1916 Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds in Canada and the United States (the “Canada Treaty”), as amended.

(a) In general. The regulations in this part apply to all eligible persons harvesting migratory birds and their eggs for subsistence purposes in Alaska between the dates of March 10 and September 1. The provisions in this part do not replace or alter the regulations set forth in part 20 of this chapter, which relate to the hunting of migratory game birds and crows during the regular open season from September 1 through March 10. The provisions set forth in this part implement the exception to the closed season, which authorizes the taking of migratory birds in Alaska for subsistence purposes between March 10 and September 1.

(b) Land ownership. This part does not alter the legal authorities of Federal and State land managing agencies or the legal rights of private land owners to close their respective lands to the taking of migratory birds.

(c) Federal public lands. The provisions of this part are in addition to, and do not supersede, any other provision of law or regulation pertaining to national wildlife refuges or other federally managed lands.

(d) Migratory bird permits. The provisions of this part do not alter the terms of any permit or other authorization issued pursuant to part 21 of this chapter.

(e) State laws for the protection of migratory birds. No statute or regulation of the State of Alaska relieves a person from the restrictions, conditions, and requirements contained in this part. Nothing in this part, however, prevents the State of Alaska from making and enforcing laws or regulations that are consistent with the regulations in this part, the conventions between the United States and any foreign country for the protection of migratory birds, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and that give further protection to migratory birds.

The following definitions apply to all regulations contained in this part:

Alaska Native means the same as “Native,” defined in section 3(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 16 U.S.C. 1602(b).

Co-management Council means the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council, consisting of Alaska Native, Federal, and State of Alaska representatives as equals.

Eligible person means an individual within the State of Alaska who qualifies to harvest migratory birds and their eggs for subsistence purposes during the spring and summer.

Excluded areas are defined in § 92.5.

Flyway Council means the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, or Pacific Flyway Council.

Immediate family means spouse, children, parents, grandchildren, grandparents, and siblings.

Included areas are defined in § 92.5.

Indigenous inhabitant means a permanent resident of a village within a subsistence harvest area, regardless of race.

Migratory bird, for the purposes of this part, means the same as defined in § 10.12 of this chapter. Species are listed in § 10.13 of this chapter.

Native means the same as “Alaska Native” as defined in this section.

Nonwasteful taking means making a reasonable effort to retrieve all birds killed or wounded, and retaining such birds in possession between the place where taken and the hunter's permanent or temporary place of residence, or to the location where the birds will be consumed or preserved for food.

Partner organization or regional partner means a regional or local organization, or a local or tribal government that has entered into a formal agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the purpose of coordinating the regional programs necessary to involve subsistence hunters in the regulatory process described in this part.

Permanent resident means any person whose primary, permanent home for the previous 12 months was within a subsistence harvest area in Alaska. Whenever absent from this primary, permanent home, the person has the intention of returning to it. Factors demonstrating a person's primary, permanent home may include: an address listed on an Alaska Permanent Fund dividend application; an Alaska license to drive, hunt, fish, or engage in an activity regulated by a government entity; voter registration; location of residences owned, rented, or leased; location of stored household goods; the residence of the person's spouse, minor children, or dependents; tax documents; whether the person claims residence in another location for any purpose; or status as a tribal member of a tribe in a subsistence harvest area.

Service Regulations Committee means the Migratory Bird Regulations Committee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

State means State of Alaska.

Subsistence means the customary and traditional harvest or use of migratory birds and their eggs by eligible indigenous inhabitants for their own nutritional and other essential needs.

Subsistence harvest areas encompass customary and traditional hunting areas of villages in Alaska that qualify for a spring or summer subsistence harvest of migratory birds under this part.

Village is defined as a permanent settlement with one or more year-round residents.

If you are a permanent resident of a village within a subsistence harvest area, you will be eligible to harvest migratory birds and their eggs for subsistence purposes in the spring and summer.

(a) Included areas. Village areas located within the Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Archipelago, the Aleutian Islands, or in areas north and west of the Alaska Range are subsistence harvest areas, except that villages within these areas not meeting the criteria for a subsistence harvest area as identified in paragraph (c) of this section will be excluded from the spring and summer subsistence harvest. Any person may request the Co-management Council to recommend that an otherwise included area be excluded by submitting a petition stating how the area does not meet the criteria identified in paragraph (c) of this section. The Co-management Council will forward petitions to the appropriate regional management body for review and recommendation. The Co-management Council will then consider each petition and will submit to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service any recommendations to exclude areas from the spring and summer subsistence harvest. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will publish any approved recommendations to exclude areas in subpart D of this part.

(b) Excluded areas. Village areas located in Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna or Fairbanks North Star Boroughs, the Kenai Peninsula roaded area, the Gulf of Alaska roaded area, or Southeast Alaska generally do not qualify for a spring or summer harvest. Communities located within one of these areas may petition the Co-management Council through their designated regional management body for designation as a spring and summer subsistence harvest area. The petition must state how the community meets the criteria identified in paragraph (c) of this section. The Co-management Council will consider each petition and will submit to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service any recommendations to designate a community as a spring and summer subsistence harvest area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will publish any approved recommendations to designate a community as a spring and summer subsistence harvest area in subpart D of this part.

(c) Criteria for determining designation as a spring and summer subsistence harvest area. A previously excluded community may be included in the spring/summer harvest regulations if recommended by the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council will recommend designation of subsistence harvest areas based on a deliberative process using the best available information on nutritional and cultural needs and customary and traditional use. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council recommendations will accommodate traditional spring and summer harvests without creating new traditions or increasing harvest of migratory birds. Recommendations will be made based on the majority of factors and the weight of the evidence using the following criteria:

(1) A pattern of use recurring in the spring and summer of each year prior to 1999, excluding interruptions by circumstances beyond the user's control;

(2) The consistent harvest and use of migratory birds on or near the user's permanent residence;

(3) A use pattern that includes the handing down of knowledge of hunting skills and values from generation to generation;

(4) A use pattern in which migratory birds are shared or distributed among others within a definable community of persons; a community for purposes of subsistence uses may include specific villages or towns, with a historical pattern of subsistence use; and

(5) A use pattern that includes reliance for subsistence purposes upon migratory birds or their eggs and that meets nutritional and other essential needs including, but not limited to, cultural, social, and economic elements of the subsistence way of life.

(d) Participation by residents in excluded areas. In cases where it is appropriate to assist indigenous inhabitants in meeting their nutritional and other essential needs, or for the teaching of cultural knowledge to or by their immediate family members, residents of excluded areas may participate in the customary spring and summer subsistence harvest in a village's subsistence harvest area with the permission of the village council. Eligibility for participation will be developed and recommended by the Co-management Council and adopted or amended by regulations published in subpart D of this part.

Harvest and possession of migratory birds must be done using nonwasteful taking. You may not take birds for purposes other than human consumption. You may not sell, offer for sale, purchase, or offer to purchase migratory birds, their parts, or their eggs taken under this part. Nonedible by-products of migratory birds taken for food may be used for other purposes only by individuals qualified to possess those birds. You may possess migratory birds, their parts, and their eggs, taken under this part, only if you are an eligible participant as determined in § 92.5.

(a) Establishment. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hereby establishes, as authorized by the Protocol amending the Canada Treaty, a statewide management body to be known as the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-management Council.

(b) Membership. The Co-management Council must include Alaska Native, Federal, and State of Alaska representatives, as equals.

(1) The Federal and State governments will each seat one representative. The Federal representative will be appointed by the Alaska Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the State representative will be appointed by the Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Regional partner organizations will seat 1 representative from each of the 7 regions identified in § 92.11(a), except that a region having more than 1 partner organization may send a representative from each partner organization for a maximum of 12 regional representatives.

(2) The Federal and State representatives and the collective Native representatives will each have one vote, for a total of three votes for the entire council.

(c) Roles and responsibilities. The Co-management Council is authorized to:

(1) Hold public meetings for the purpose of conducting business related to spring and summer subsistence harvest of migratory birds;

(2) Develop recommendations for regulations governing the spring and summer subsistence harvest of migratory birds and their eggs;

(3) Develop recommendations for, among other things, law enforcement policies, population and harvest monitoring, education programs, research and use of traditional knowledge, and habitat protection;

(4) Develop procedures and criteria by which areas and communities can be determined to be eligible or ineligible for a spring/summer subsistence harvest;

(5) Provide guidelines to the regional management bodies each year for formulation of annual regulations;

(6) Consolidate regional recommendations and resolve interregional differences in order to prepare statewide recommendations;

(7) Establish committees to gather or review data, develop plans for Co-management Council actions, and coordinate programs with regional management bodies;

(8) Send regional representatives from the Co-management Council to meetings of the Pacific Flyway Council and to meetings of the other Flyway Councils as needed, and to meetings of the Service Regulations Committee;

(9) Elect officers; and

(10) Conduct other business as the Council may determine is necessary to accomplish its purpose.

(d) Meetings. Meetings of the Co-management Council will be open to the public. The Co-management Council will:

(1) Hold meetings at least twice annually;

(2) Conduct meetings in accordance with bylaws approved by the Co-management Council;

(3) Provide an opportunity at each meeting for public comment;

(4) Establish the dates, times, and locations of meetings; and

(5) Maintain a written record of all meetings.

(e) Staff support. Administrative support for the Co-management Council will be provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and will include, but not be limited to:

(1) Making arrangements for the meeting rooms and associated logistics related to Co-management Council meetings;

(2) Preparing public notices announcing Co-management Council meetings;

(3) Maintaining records of discussions and actions taken by the Co-management Council;

(4) Coordinating with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to provide technical information needed by the Co-management Council for its deliberations;

(5) Preparing documents and gathering information needed by the Co-management Council for its meetings; and

(6) Preparing the annual subpart D regulations package recommended by the Co-management Council for submission to the flyway councils and the Service Regulations Committee.

(a) Regions identified. The Alaska Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hereby establishes seven geographic regions based on common subsistence resource use patterns. You may obtain maps delineating the boundaries of the seven regions from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. The regions are identified as follows:

(1) Southeast, Gulf of Alaska and Cook Inlet;

(2) Aleutian/Pribilof Islands and Kodiak Archipelago;

(3) Bristol Bay;

(4) Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta;

(5) Bering Straits;

(6) Northwest Arctic and Arctic Slope; and

(7) Interior.

(b) Regional partnerships. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will establish partner agreements with at least one partner organization in each of the seven regions. The partner organization identified must be willing and able to coordinate the regional program on behalf of all subsistence hunters within that region. A regional partner will:

(1) Organize or identify one or more management bodies within the region in which it is located.

(2) Determine how the management body for the region should be organized, the manner in which it should function, its size, who serves on it, the length of terms, methods of involving subsistence users, and other related matters.

(3) Coordinate regional meetings and the solicitation of proposals.

(4) Ensure appointment of a person to represent the region by serving on the Co-management Council. If a region consists of more than one partner organization, each partner organization may appoint a member to sit on the Co-management Council.

(5) Keep the residents of villages within the region informed of issues related to the subsistence harvest of migratory birds.

(6) Work cooperatively with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to gather harvest data, numbers of subsistence users, and other management data and traditional knowledge for the benefit of the management bodies.

(c) Regional management bodies. (1) Regional management bodies must provide a forum for the collection and expression of opinions and recommendations regarding spring and summer subsistence harvesting of migratory birds. They must develop requests and recommendations from the region to be presented to the Co-management Council for deliberation. They must provide for public participation in the meetings at which recommendations and requests are formulated.

(2) Requests and recommendations to the Co-management Council may involve seasons and bag limits, methods and means, law enforcement policies, population and harvest monitoring, education programs, research and use of traditional knowledge, habitat protection, and other concerns related to migratory bird subsistence programs.

(3) Regional management bodies may be established specifically for the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities identified in this part, or they may be existing entities that can add these responsibilities to their existing duties.

(a) Flyway councils. (1) Proposed annual regulations recommended by the Co-management Council will be submitted to all flyway councils for review and comment. The Council's recommendations must be submitted prior to the SRC's last regular meeting of the calendar year in order to be approved for spring/summer harvest beginning March 11 of the following calendar year.

(2) Alaska Native representatives may be appointed by the Co-management Council to attend meetings of one or more of the four flyway councils to discuss recommended regulations or other proposed management actions.

(b) Service regulations committee. Proposed annual regulations recommended by the Co-management Council will be submitted to the Service Regulations Committee for their review and recommendation to the Service Director. Following the Service Director's review and recommendation, the proposals will be forwarded to the Department of Interior for approval. Proposed annual regulations will then be published in the Federal Register for public review and comment, similar to the annual migratory game bird hunting regulations (found in part 20 of this chapter). Final spring/summer regulations for Alaska will be published in the Federal Register in the preceding Fall.

(a) The taking, possession, transportation, and other uses of migratory birds are generally prohibited unless specifically authorized by regulation developed in accordance with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Therefore, harvesting migratory birds is prohibited unless regulations are established ensuring the protection of the various populations of migratory birds. Migratory bird population levels, production, and habitat conditions vary annually. These conditions differ within Alaska and throughout North America. Therefore, the regulations governing migratory bird hunting may include annual adjustments to keep harvests within acceptable levels.

(b) The development of the regulations in this part, like the development of the annual migratory game bird hunting regulations in part 20 of this chapter, involves annual data gathering programs to determine migratory bird population status and trends, evaluate habitat conditions, determine harvests, and consider other factors having an impact on the anticipated size of annual populations.

(c) The Service proposes annual migratory game bird hunting regulations in the Federal Register in the spring for seasons beginning September 1 of that year. Following consideration of additional biological information and public comment, the Service publishes supplemental proposals throughout the summer. These are also open to public comment.

(d) Sections 92.31 through 92.39 provide for the annual harvest of migratory birds and their eggs during spring and summer for subsistence users in Alaska.