Migratory Bird Hunting and Permits; Regulations for Managing Harvest of Light Goose Populations

Various populations of light geese (greater and lesser snow geese and Ross's geese) have undergone rapid growth during the past 30 years, and have become seriously injurious to their habitat, habitat important to other migratory birds, and agricultural interests. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service believes that several of these populations have exceeded the long-term carrying capacity of their breeding and/or migration habitats and must be reduced. This final rule sets forth regulations that authorize measures to increase harvest of certain populations of light geese. In addition, the rule revises the regulations for the management of overabundant light goose populations and modifies the conservation order that will increase take of birds from such populations. The Record of Decision is also published here.