Indian Moneys, Proceeds of Labor (IMPL)

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is proposing to delete the

regulations contained in the Code of Federal Regulations pursuant to

the public law which suspended all deposits to Indian Monies, Proceeds

of Labor (IMPL) accounts after September 30, 1982. The law eliminated

the use of IMPL accounts, and since these accounts are no longer in

use, they will be removed from the BIA accounting system.

DATES: Comments must be received before May 9, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be directed to the Bureau of Indian

Affairs, Office of Trust Funds Management, 505 Marquette NW., suite

700, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Jim Parris, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Trust Funds

Management, 505 Marquette NW., suite 700, Albuquerque, NM 87102,

Telephone Number 505-766-3233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This proposed rule is published in exercise

of authority delegated by the Secretary of the Interior to the

Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs by 209 DM 8.

This proposed rulemaking action will delete part 113 of subchapter

G of chapter I of title 25 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which

contains regulations governing Indian Monies, Proceeds of Labor (IMPL)

established under the Act of March 3, 1883, as amended (25 U.S.C. 155).

Pursuant to the amendments contained in Public Law 197-257, title

I, section 100, 25 U.S.C. 155 B, which provided that, ``No funds shall

be deposited in such `Indian monies, proceeds of labor' (IMPL) accounts

after September 30, 1982,'' all deposits to IMPL accounts were

discontinued. The unobligated IMPL balances at the close of business on

September 30, 1982, including the income resulting from investment of

funds from such accounts prior to such date, were transferred to and

held in escrow accounts. After consultation with appropriate tribes and

individual Indians up to September 30, 1985, to determine the extent to

which the funds held in escrow accounts represented income from the

investment of ``special deposits'' relating to individual Indians or a

specific tribe, funds were transferred to appropriate trust accounts

for individual Indians and tribes during the period of October 1, 1985,

through September 30, 1987. The unobligated balances of the IMPL escrow

accounts as of the close of business on September 30, 1987, are to be

withdrawn and deposited into miscellaneous receipts of the U.S.

Treasury. The IMPL accounts are to be removed from the Bureau of Indian

Affairs trust accounting system and are no longer available for use.

The policy of the Department of the Interior is, whenever

practical, to afford the public an opportunity to participate in the

rulemaking process. Accordingly, interested persons may submit written

comments regarding the proposed rule to the office identified in the

Addresses section of this document.

The Department has certified to the Office of Management and Budget

that these proposed regulations meet the applicable standards provided

in sections 2(a) and 2(b)(2) of Executive Order 12778.

The Department of the Interior has determined that this document is

not a significant rule under Executive Order 12866 and therefore will

not require the approval of the Office of Management and Budget.

This rule will not have a significant economic impact on a

substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility

Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq).

In accordance with Executive Order 12630, the Department has

determined that this proposed rule does not have significant takings

implications.

The Department has determined that this rule does not have

significant federalism effects.

The Department has determined that this proposed rule does not

constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality

of the human environment and that no detailed statement is required

pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

There are no new information collection requirements requiring

approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et

seq.

The primary author of this proposed rule is Loren J. Farmer,

Policy, Analysis and Evaluation Staff, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office

of Trust Funds Management, 505 Marquette NW., suite 700, Albuquerque,

NM 87102.

List of Subjects in 25 CFR Part 113

Accounting, Indians--business and finance.

For reasons set out in the preamble and under the authority of

Public Law 97-257, title I, section 100 (September 30, 1982, 96 Stat.

839), part 113 of title 25, chapter I of the Code of Federal

Regulations is proposed to be removed.

Dated: February 4, 1994.

Ada E. Deer,

Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.

[FR Doc. 94-8325 Filed 4-6-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-02-P

_______________________________________________________________________

Part VIII

Department of the Interior

_______________________________________________________________________

Fish and Wildlife Service

_______________________________________________________________________

50 CFR Part 20

Proposed 1994-1995 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations

(Preliminary) With Requests for Indian Tribal Proposals; Proposed Rule

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Part 20

RIN 1018-AA24

Migratory Bird Hunting; Proposed 1994-1995 Migratory Game Bird

Hunting Regulations (Preliminary) with Requests for Indian Tribal

Proposals

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rulemaking.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter the Service)

proposes to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory

game birds. The Service also requests proposals from Indian Tribes that

wish to establish special migratory bird hunting regulations. These

regulations will permit the taking of the designated species during the

1994-95 season. The Service annually prescribes outside limits

(frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. The

Service has also employed guidelines to establish special migratory

bird hunting regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded

lands. These seasons provide hunting opportunities for recreation and

sustenance; aid Federal, State, and Tribal governments in the

management of migratory game birds; and are designed to permit harvests

at levels compatible with migratory bird population and habitat

conditions.

DATES: Tribal proposals and related comments should be submitted by

June 3, 1994. The comment period for proposed early-season frameworks

will end on July 22, 1994; and for proposed late-season frameworks on

September 2, 1994. The public hearing for early-season frameworks will

be held on June 23, 1994, at 9 a.m. The public hearing for late-season

frameworks will be held on August 4, 1994, at 9 a.m.

ADDRESSES: Both public hearings will be held in the Auditorium,

Department of the Interior Building, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC.

Written comments on the proposals and notice of intention to testify at

either hearing may be mailed to the Chief, Office of Migratory Bird

Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior,

ms 634--ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240. Comments

received will be available for public inspection during normal business

hours in room 634, Arlington Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive,

Arlington, Virginia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on tribal

proposals contact Keith A. Morehouse, for other issues regarding annual

migratory bird hunting regulations contact William O. Vogel. Both Dr.

Morehouse and Mr. Vogel may be contacted at: Office of Migratory Bird

Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior,

ms 634--ARLSQ, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240 (703) 358-1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For administrative purposes, this document

consolidates the notice of intent and request for Tribal proposals with

the preliminary proposals for the annual regulations-development

process. The remaining proposed and final rulemaking documents will be

published separately.

Notice of Intent to Establish Open Seasons

This notice announces the intention of the Director, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, to establish open hunting seasons and daily bag and

possession limits for certain designated groups or species of migratory

game birds for 1994-1995 in the contiguous United States, Alaska,

Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, under Secs. 20.101 through

20.107, 20.109, and 20.110 of subpart K of 50 CFR part 20.

``Migratory game birds'' are those bird species so designated in

conventions between the United States and several foreign nations for

the protection and management of these birds. For the 1994-95 hunting

season, regulations will be proposed for certain designated members of

the avian families Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans); Columbidae

(doves and pigeons); Gruidae (cranes); Rallidae (rails, coots,

moorhens, and gallinules); and Scolopacidae (woodcock and snipe). These

proposals are described under Proposed 1994-95 Migratory Game Bird

Hunting Regulations (Preliminary) in this document. Definitions of

waterfowl flyways and mourning dove management units, as well as a

description of the data used in and the factors affecting the

regulatory process, were published in the March 14, 1990, Federal

Register (55 FR 9618).

Regulatory Schedule for 1994-1995

This is the first in a series of proposed and final rulemaking

documents for migratory game bird hunting regulations. Proposals

relating to the harvest of migratory game birds that may be initiated

after publication of this proposed rulemaking will be made available

for public review in supplemental proposed rulemakings to be published

in the Federal Register. Also, additional supplemental proposals will

be published for public comment in the Federal Register as population,

habitat, harvest, and other information becomes available.

Because of the late dates when certain portions of these data

become available, it is anticipated that comment periods on some

proposals will necessarily be abbreviated. Special circumstances that

limit the amount of time which the Service can allow for public comment

are involved in the establishment of these regulations. Specifically,

two considerations compress the time in which the rulemaking process

must operate: the need, on one hand, to establish final rules at a time

early enough in the summer to allow resource agencies to select and

publish season dates and bag limits prior to the hunting seasons and,

on the other hand, the lack of current data on the status of most

migratory game birds until later in the summer.

Because the process is strongly influenced by the times when

information is available for consideration, the overall regulations

process is divided into two segments. Early seasons are those seasons

that generally open prior to October 1, and include seasons in Alaska,

Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Late seasons are those

seasons opening in the remainder of the United States about October 1

and later, and include most of the waterfowl seasons.

Major steps in the 1994-1995 regulatory cycle relating to public

hearings and Federal Register notifications are illustrated in the

accompanying diagram. Dates shown relative to publication of Federal

Register documents are target dates.

Sections of this and subsequent documents which outline hunting

frameworks and guidelines are organized under numbered headings. These

headings are:

1. Ducks

2. Sea Ducks

3. Mergansers

4. Canada Geese

5. White-fronted Geese

6. Brant

7. Snow and Ross's (Light) Geese

8. Tundra Swans

9. Sandhill Cranes

10. Coots

11. Moorhens and Gallinules

12. Rails

13. Snipe

14. Woodcock

15. Band-tailed Pigeons

16. Mourning Doves

17. White-winged and White-tipped Doves

18. Alaska

19. Hawaii

20. Puerto Rico

21. Virgin Islands

22. Falconry

23. Other

Later sections of this and subsequent documents will refer only to

numbered items requiring attention. Therefore, items requiring no

attention will be omitted and the remaining numbered items will be

discontinuous and appear incomplete.

Hearings

Two public hearings pertaining to 1994-1995 migratory game bird

hunting regulations are scheduled. Both hearings will be conducted in

accordance with 455 DM 1 of the Departmental Manual. On June 23, a

public hearing will be held at 9 a.m. in the Auditorium of the

Department of the Interior Building, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC.

This hearing is for the purpose of reviewing the status of migratory

shore and upland game birds. Proposed hunting regulations will be

discussed for these species plus regulations for migratory game birds

in Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; special September

waterfowl seasons in designated States; special sea duck seasons in the

Atlantic Flyway, and extended falconry seasons. On August 4, a public

hearing will be held at 9 a.m. in the Auditorium of the Department of

the Interior Building, address above. This hearing is for the purpose

of reviewing the status and proposed regulations for waterfowl not

previously discussed at the June 23 public hearing. The public is

invited to participate in both hearings. Persons wishing to make a

statement at these hearings should write to the address indicated under

the caption ADDRESSES.

Requests for Tribal Proposals

Background

Beginning with the 1985-86 hunting season, the Service has employed

guidelines described in the June 4, 1985 Federal Register (50 FR 23467)

to establish special migratory bird hunting regulations on Federal

Indian reservations (including off-reservation trust lands) and ceded

lands. The guidelines were developed in response to tribal requests for

Service recognition of their reserved hunting rights, and for some

tribes, recognition of their authority to regulate hunting by both

tribal and nontribal members throughout their reservations. The

guidelines include possibilities for: (1) on-reservation hunting by

both tribal and nontribal members, with hunting by nontribal members on

some reservations to take place within Federal frameworks, but on dates

different from those selected by the surrounding State(s); (2) on-

reservation hunting by tribal members only, outside of usual Federal

frameworks for season dates and length, and for daily bag and

possession limits; and (3) off-reservation hunting by tribal members on

ceded lands, outside of usual framework dates and season length, with

some added flexibility in daily bag and possession limits. In all

cases, the regulations established under the guidelines would have to

be consistent with the annual March 10 to September 1 closed season

mandated by the 1916 Convention Between the United States and Great

Britain (for Canada) For the Protection of Migratory Birds

(Convention). The guidelines are capable of application to those tribes

that have reserved hunting rights on Federal Indian reservations

(including off-reservation trust lands) and ceded lands. They also

apply to the establishment of migratory bird hunting regulations for

nontribal members on all lands within the exterior boundaries of

reservations where tribes have full wildlife management authority over

such hunting, or where the tribes and affected States otherwise have

reached agreement over hunting by nontribal members on non-Indian

lands.

Tribes usually have the authority to regulate migratory bird

hunting by nonmembers on Indian-owned reservation lands, subject to

Service approval. The question of jurisdiction is more complex on

reservations that include lands owned by non-Indians, especially when

the surrounding States have established or intend to establish

regulations governing hunting by non-Indians on these lands. In such

cases, the Service encourages the tribes and States to reach agreement

on regulations that would apply throughout the reservations. When

appropriate, the Service will consult with a tribe and State with the

aim of facilitating an accord. The Service also will consult jointly

with tribal and State officials in the affected States where tribes may

wish to establish special hunting regulations for tribal members on

ceded lands. As explained in previous rulemaking documents, it is

incumbent upon the tribe and/or the State to put forward a request for

consultation as a result of the proposal being published in the Federal

Register. The Service will not presume to make a determination, without

being advised by a tribe or a State, that any issue is/is not worthy of

formal consultation.

One of the guidelines provides for the continuation of harvest of

migratory game birds by tribal members on reservations where it is a

customary practice. The Service does not oppose this harvest, provided

it does not take place during the closed season required by the

Convention, and it is not so large as to adversely affect the status of

the migratory bird resource. For several years, the Service has reached

annual agreement with tribes (for example, in Minnesota, the Mille Lacs

Band of Chippewa Indians) for hunting by tribal members on their lands

or on lands where they have reserved hunting rights. The Service will

continue to consult with tribes that wish to reach a mutual agreement

on hunting regulations for on-reservation hunting by tribal members.

The guidelines should not be viewed as inflexible. Nevertheless,

the Service believes that they provide appropriate opportunity to

accommodate the reserved hunting rights and management authority of

Indian tribes while ensuring that the migratory bird resource receives

necessary protection. The conservation of this important international

resource is paramount. Use of the guidelines is not required if a tribe

wishes to observe the hunting regulations established by the State(s)

in which the reservation is located.

Details Needed in Tribal Proposals

Tribes that wish to use the guidelines to establish special hunting

regulations for the 1994-95 hunting season must submit a proposal that

includes: (1) The requested hunting season dates and other details

regarding regulations to be observed; (2) harvest anticipated under the

requested regulations; (3) methods that will be employed to measure or

monitor harvest (mail-questionnaire survey, bag checks, etc.); (4)

steps that will be taken to limit level of harvest, where it could be

shown that failure to limit such harvest would impact seriously on the

migratory bird resource; and (5) tribal capabilities to establish and

enforce migratory bird hunting regulations.

A tribe that desires the earliest possible opening of the waterfowl

season should specify this in the proposal, rather than request a date

that might not be within the final Federal frameworks. Similarly,

unless a tribe wishes to set more restrictive regulations than Federal

regulations will permit, the proposal should request the same daily bag

and possession limits and season length for ducks and geese that

Federal regulations are likely to permit the States in the Flyway in

which the reservation is located.

Proposal Procedures

Pertinent details in proposals received from tribes will be

published for public review in later Federal Register documents.

Because of the time required for Service and public review, Indian

tribes that desire special migratory bird hunting regulations for the

1994-95 hunting season should submit their proposals as soon as

possible, but no later than June 3, 1994. Tribal inquiries regarding

the guidelines and proposals should be directed to the appropriate

Service Regional Office. Tribes that request special hunting

regulations for tribal members on ceded lands should send a courtesy

copy of the proposal to officials in the affected State(s).

Public Comments Solicited

The policy of the Department of the Interior is, whenever

practicable, to afford the public an opportunity to participate in the

rulemaking process. Accordingly, interested persons are invited to

submit written comments, suggestions, or recommendations regarding the

proposed regulations. Promulgation of final migratory game bird hunting

regulations will take into consideration all comments received by the

Service. Such comments, and any additional information received, may

lead to final regulations that differ from these proposals. Interested

persons are invited to participate in this rulemaking by submitting

written comments to the address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.

Comments received on the proposed annual regulations will be

available for public inspection during normal business hours at the

Service's office in room 634, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington,

Virginia. Specific comment periods will be established for each series

of proposed rulemakings. All relevant comments will be accepted through

the closing date of the comment period on the particular proposal under

consideration. The Service will consider, but possibly may not respond

in detail to, each comment. As in the past, the Service will summarize

all comments received during the comment period and respond to them

after the closing date.

Flyway Council Meetings

Departmental representatives will be present at the following

winter meetings of the various Flyway Councils:

Date: March 20, 1994

--Atlantic Flyway Council, 8:30 a.m.

--Mississippi Flyway Council, 8:30 a.m.

--Central Flyway Council, 8:00 a.m.

--Pacific Flyway Council, 9:30 a.m.

--National Waterfowl Council, 3:30 p.m.

The Council meetings will be held at the Egan Civic and Convention

Center, Anchorage, Alaska.

NEPA Consideration

NEPA considerations are covered by the programmatic document,

``Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Issuance of Annual

Regulations Permitting the Sport Hunting of Migratory Birds (FSES 88-

14)'', filed with the Environmental Protection Agency on June 9, 1988.

Notice of Availability was published in the Federal Register on June

16, 1988 (53 FR 22582). The Service's Record of Decision was published

on August 18, 1988 (53 FR 31341). In addition, an August 1985

environmental assessment entitled ``Guidelines for Migratory Bird

Hunting Regulations on Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands'' is

available from the Service at the address indicated under the caption

ADDRESSES.

Endangered Species Act Consideration

Prior to issuance of the 1994-95 migratory game bird hunting

regulations, consideration will be given to provisions of the

Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543;

hereinafter the Act) to ensure that hunting is not likely to jeopardize

the continued existence of any species designated as endangered or

threatened or modify or destroy its critical habitat and is consistent

with conservation programs for those species. Consultations under

section 7 of this Act may cause changes to be made to proposals in this

and future supplemental proposed rulemaking documents.

Regulatory Flexibility Act and the Paperwork Reduction Act

This document was reviewed under Executive Order 12866.

These regulations have a significant economic impact on substantial

numbers of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5

U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Therefore, in accordance with Office of Management

and Budget instructions, a Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (FRIA) was

prepared in 1981 and revised in 1990. Although a FRIA is no longer

required, the economic analysis contained in the FRIA has been reviewed

and the Service has determined that it meets the requirements of

Executive Order 12866. This analysis was updated for 1994. The FRIA

update included waterfowl hunter and harvest information from the 1992-

93 season. The summary of the 1994 update follows:

``New information which can be compared to that appearing in the

1990 Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (FRIA) includes estimates of the

1992 fall flight of ducks from surveyed areas, and hunter activity and

harvest information from the 1992-93 hunting season. There was

essentially no change in the total fall flight of ducks, regulatory

frameworks, hunter numbers, number of hunting days, or total duck

harvest between the 1991-92 and the 1992-93 seasons.''

Copies of the updated analysis are available upon request from the

Office of Migratory Bird Management. The address is indicated under the

caption ADDRESSES.

These regulations contain no information collections subject to

Office of Management and Budget review under the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Authorship

The primary authors of this proposed rule are Keith A. Morehouse

and William O. Vogel, Office of Migratory Bird Management, (703) 358-

1714.

List of Subjects in 50 CFR part 20

Exports, Hunting, Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Transportation, Wildlife.

The rules that eventually will be promulgated for the 1994-95

hunting season are authorized under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (July

3, 1918), as amended, (16 U.S.C. 703-711); the Fish and Wildlife

Improvement Act of 1978 (November 8, 1978), as amended, (16 U.S.C.

712); and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (August 8, 1956), as

amended, (16 U.S.C. 742 a-d and e-j).

Dated: March 10, 1994.

George T. Frampton,

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

Proposed 1994-1995 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Regulations

(Preliminary)

Pending current information on populations, harvest, and habitat

conditions, and receipt of recommendations from the four Flyway

Councils; specific framework proposals (including opening and closing

dates, seasons lengths, and bag limits) may be deferred. Unless

otherwise specified, no change from the final 1993-94 frameworks of

August 23 and September 24, 1993, (58 FR 44590 and 50188) is proposed.

Specific preliminary proposals that vary from the 1993-94 frameworks

and issues requiring early discussion, action, or the attention of the

States or Tribes are contained below:

1. Ducks.

F. Zones and Splits.

Temporary Zone in the Southern San Joaquin Valley of California. In

1993, the Service allowed the State of California an additional year to

modify its zoning proposal to conform more closely with the Service's

policy. The Service encourages a reopening of dialogue in order to

resolve this problem as soon as possible.

G. Special seasons/species management.

i. Canvasback Management.

During 1983-92, annual sport-harvest regulations for this species

were guided by provisions in the environmental assessment ``Proposed

Hunting Regulations on Canvasback Ducks, 1983''. That document

acknowledged separate eastern and western populations and set breeding-

population threshold levels for each, below which all possible actions,

including season closure, in the respective regions, would be

considered for canvasbacks. In 1993, after completing a review of

canvasback databases, the Service determined that currently there is

not sufficient evidence to warrant managing canvasbacks as separate

eastern and western populations. However, the Service did not adopt a

new harvest strategy to regulate the overall harvest of canvasbacks and

the allocation of that harvest. Rather, it continued to follow

guidelines set forth in the environmental assessment for a continental

population. Because the most recent 3-year average (482,000 birds) was

below the threshold identified in the assessment (500,000 birds), the

Service determined liberalizations were not warranted during 1993-94;

no changes in regulations from those which occurred during 1992-93 were

enacted.

Although the Service delayed implementation of a revised harvest

strategy, the Service is not satisfied with an indefinite continuation

of the 1983 guidelines. The Service desires to build consensus on an

improved harvest-management strategy which ensures the welfare of the

canvasback population and preserves the historical emphasis on Flyway-

based management.

The Service has circulated to the Flyway Councils and Technical

Sections a draft harvest-management strategy to be considered for the

1994-95 hunting season and continues to welcome suggestions for

improving our capabilities to manage the harvests of this important

species. Copies of the draft harvest-management strategy are available

at the address indicated under the caption ADDRESSES.

ii. September Teal Seasons.

Evaluations of shooting hours for teal seasons were initiated in

several Mississippi and Central Flyway States in 1993, and more than 1

year likely will be required to achieve needed sample sizes. Provided

methods being employed are acceptable and the amount of progress being

made indicates a good-faith effort, we would recommend continuation of

presunrise shooting hours conditional upon satisfactory progress toward

completion of evaluations.

iii. September Wood Duck/Teal Seasons.

Evaluations of shooting hours for wood duck/teal seasons forwarded

to Service in 1993 were sufficient to allow continuation of presunrise

shooting hours in Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

4. Canada Geese.

In 1993, the Service announced that the administrative process for

setting hunting seasons does not permit the setting of regular seasons

that open prior to the Saturday nearest October 1 during the late-

season regulations-development cycle. Those portions of seasons that

open earlier must be established during the early-season regulations-

development cycle in June. The Service is concerned about setting

seasons in the absence of current status information. Because of this,

requests for regular Canada goose seasons that open earlier than the

Saturday nearest October 1 must include full justification of the need

for the early opening, which will be weighed against the risk of

establishing seasons prior to the time status information is available.

The Service proposed to implement these procedures beginning with the

1994-95 hunting season in order to allow those States desiring early-

season dates for regular Canada goose seasons sufficient time to

prepare their proposals and to provide an opportunity for flyway

council review.

7. Snow and Ross's (Light) Geese.

In 1993, the Central Flyway Council recommended a review of

framework closing dates for light geese. The Service indicated it would

work with the Flyway Councils during the coming year to review its

policy of framework dates for light geese. At this time, the Service

requests that the States and Flyway Councils submit any pertinent

information for joint review and that the Service, States, Flyway

Councils, and other interested parties accelerate discussions regarding

closing dates for light geese in migration-terminus and other areas.

9. Sandhill Cranes.

The Service has clearly indicated that it does not believe it is

appropriate to increase harvest on the Mid-continent Population at this

time, and that there should be no increase or shift in harvest toward

the Gulf Coast Subpopulation, especially the greater-sandhill-crane

component. In recent years, the Central Flyway Council has requested

changes in the frameworks which would increase harvest pressure on this

population. The Service recognizes the desire of the Central Flyway

Council to liberalize regulations in certain areas, but concern for

greater sandhill cranes would preclude any increase under the current

approach to establishing frameworks.

Because there is an east-west gradient in the distribution of the 3

subspecies managed as the Mid-continent Population, the Service would

be willing to consider an approach that would, in the future, provide

the ability to establish frameworks by geographic areas within the

Central Flyway. Such an approach of setting differential frameworks

would provide the ability to shift harvest toward the western portions

of the flyway, while limiting harvest in eastern portions. The Service

requests comments regarding such an approach.

15. Band-tailed Pigeons.

Evidence from three separate surveys suggests that the long-term

decline experienced by the Coastal Population may have subsided; and,

in fact, the overall and individual State population estimates appear

to have stabilized at low levels. Also, the status of the Interior

Population is not well understood. Efforts are underway to gather more

information about both populations. In 1993, all States having band-

tailed pigeon hunting seasons either participated in the nationwide

Migratory Bird harvest Information Program or required band-tailed

pigeon hunters to obtain mandatory State permits to provide sampling

frames for obtaining more precise estimates of band-tailed pigeon

harvest. Those States issuing permits were required to conduct a

harvest survey and provide the results to the Service by June 1 of each

year. In addition, all States with band-tailed pigeon hunting seasons

are participating in a wing-collection survey to provide information on

annual recruitment. The Service will continue to closely monitor

population and harvest information from both populations and will

evaluate this information in June prior to making any decisions

regarding the 1994-95 seasons. Indian Tribes also should consider this

situation when proposing harvest regulations for this species.

BILLING CODE 4310-55-F

TP07AP94.015

[FR Doc. 94-8318 Filed 4-6-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-C