Importation of Polar Bear Trophies From Canada Under the 1994 Amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) establishes application requirements, permit procedures, and a fee for the issuance of permits to import trophies of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) sport hunted in Canada, including bears taken before the enactment of the 1994 Amendments. The Northwest Territories (NWT) is the only area in Canada that currently allows sport hunting. The Service finds that the NWT polar bear management program meets the general criteria in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and approves specific populations when provisions are in place to be consistent with the International Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears (International Agreement) and ensure the maintenance of the affected population at a sustainable level. The Service intends these findings to be effective for multiple sport- hunting seasons pending review as required under the MMPA.