Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program; Participating States for the 1998-99 Season

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) herein amends the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (Program) regulations. The Service requires all States except Hawaii to participate in the Program annually, beginning with the 1998-99 hunting season. This regulatory action will continue to require all licensed hunters who hunt migratory game birds in participating States to register as migratory game bird hunters and provide their name, address, and date of birth to the State licensing authority. Hunters will be required to have evidence of current participation in the Program on their person while hunting migratory game birds in participating States. The quality and extent of information about harvests of migratory game birds must be improved in order to better manage these populations. Hunters' names and addresses are necessary to provide a sample frame for voluntary hunter surveys to improve harvest estimates for all migratory game birds. States will gather migratory bird hunters' names and addresses and the Service will conduct the harvest surveys.