Hearings Set for Sport Hunting Proposals

Date: October 16, 2014
Contact: Kris Fister, [phone]

The National Park Service will hold 17 public hearings this fall on proposed regulations and environmental assessment related to sport hunting in Alaska’s national preserves. Three of these are taking place at or near Denali National Park and Preserve on the following dates and locations:

• Wednesday, October 22:Denali National Park, Murie Science and Learning Center (5:00 - 6:00 pm)
  
• Thursday, October 23: Healy, Tri-Valley Community Center (6:00 - 7:00 pm)
  
• Monday, October 27: Cantwell, Cantwell Community Hall(6:00 - 7:00 pm)

The proposals include prohibitions on taking wolf and coyote pups and adults in early summer when they den and their pelts have little commercial value; the taking of brown bears over bait stations; and the use of artificial light to take black bear cubs and sows with cubs at dens. Other procedural changes and wildlife harvest related changes are also proposed.

Recent authorizations by the State of Alaska’s Board of Game have liberalized predator hunting practices in many areas. This includes national preserves, which are managed in the same manner as national parks, but by law are open to sport hunting. Liberalized predator hunting intended to manipulate natural population dynamics conflicts with National Park Service law and policy. National park areas are managed to maintain natural ecosystems and processes, including wildlife populations and their behaviors. While sport hunting is consistent with the purposes for which national preserves were established in Alaska, NPS policies prohibit reducing native predators for the purpose of increasing numbers of harvested species.

The proposed rule would not restrict federal subsistence hunting on NPS managed lands.

An informational Facebook Chat will be held beginning October 20 and running through October 31. The regional Facebook address is www.Facebok.com/AlaskaNPS. On October 21, from 10 a.m. to Noon, National Park Service staff will be available to post real-time replies to questions. On-line dialogue is not considered official public comment.

The proposed regulations would apply in the following national preserves: Denali, Wrangell-St. Elias, Glacier Bay, Yukon-Charley Rivers, Gates of the Arctic, Noatak, Bering Land Bridge, Lake Clark, Katmai, Aniakchak, and the Alagnak Wild River.

On October 27, the NPS will hold a phone-in hearing from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. where callers will identify themselves and can provide testimony which will be recorded. The toll-free number is 1- 888-921-5898; callers will use 5499349# as the access code and be connected to the hearing.

The in-person public hearing schedule is as follows:

Date	Location	Time
October 21	Palmer Community Center, 610 S. Valley Way	3-7 p.m.
October 22	Bettles, Gates of the Arctic NP Visitor Center	4:30-6 p.m.
October 22	Denali NP, Murie Science & Learning Center	5-6 p.m.;
October 23	Healy, Tri-Valley Community Center	6-7 p.m.
October 27	Cantwell, Cantwell Community Hall	6-7 p.m.
October 27	Nome, Sitnasuak Building, Front Street	6-7:30 p.m.
October 28	Kotzebue, Northwest Arctic Heritage Center	6-7:30 p.m.
October 28	Anchorage, Lydia Selkregg Chalet, Russian Jack Springs Park	3-7 p.m.
October 30	Fairbanks, Morris Thompson Center	7-9 p.m.
October 30	Soldotna, Kenai Peninsula Borough Building	3-7 p.m.
November 1	Yakutat, Yak-Tak Kwaan Office	1-4 p.m.
November 5	Eagle, Eagle School	6-8 p.m.
November 5	Copper Center, Wrangell-St. Elias NP Visitor Center (Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway)	4-6 p.m.
November 6	Tok, Tok School	6-8 p.m.
November 18	Port Alsworth, Lake Clark NP Visitor Center	6-8 p.m.
November 20	Naknek, Bristol Bay Borough Assembly Chambers	7-9 p.m.

In addition to taking public comment in person and by phone, comments may be made on line by following the links at www.nps.gov/akso/management/regulations.cfm or by postal mail to NPS Regulations, 240 W. 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501. A copy of the proposed rule may be requested at the same mailing address. A copy of the proposed rule, draft environmental assessment, economic analysis, news releases and other related material is available at www.nps.gov/akso/management/regulations.cfm