Section 5.92.106. Intensive management of identified big game prey populations.

For purposes of implementing AS 16.05.255(e) - (g), the Board of Game (board) will  
		(1) consider the following criteria when identifying big game prey populations that are important for providing high levels of human consumptive use:  
			(A) harvest size: the average annual historic human harvest meets or exceeds values as follows:  
				(i) caribou: 100;  
				(ii) deer: 500;  
				(iii) moose: 100;  
			(B) accessibility to harvest;  
			(C) utilization for meat: a population that is used primarily for food; and  
			(D) level of hunter demand: as reflected by total hunter effort, number of applications for permits, or other indicators;  
		(2) consider the following criteria when establishing population objectives and harvest objectives for each identified big game prey population consistent with maintaining near maximum sustainable yield from the population:  
			(A) effects of weather, habitat capability, diseases, and parasites;  
			(B) maintenance of viable predator populations;  
			(C) maintenance of habitat conditions suitable for other species in the area;  
			(D) effects on subsistence users;  
			(E) cost, feasibility, and potential effectiveness of possible management actions;  
			(F) land ownership patterns within the range of the population;  
			(G) accessibility to harvest; and  
			(H) other factors considered relevant by the board;  
		(3) find that depletion of a big game prey population or reduction of the productivity of a big game prey population has occurred when  
			(A) the number of animals, estimated by the department, that can be removed by human harvest from a population, or portion of a population, on an annual basis without reducing the population below the population objective, preventing growth of the population toward the population objective at a rate set by the board, or altering a composition of the population in a biologically unacceptable manner is less than the harvest objective for the population; and  
			(B) the population size is less than the population objective for the population;  
		(4) determine whether a finding made under (3) of this section may result in a significant reduction in the allowable human harvest of the population;  
		(5) not consider as significant:  
			(A) any reduction in taking that continues to allow a level of harvest equal to or greater than the minimum harvest objective established by the board; or  
			(B) any reduction in taking that is intended or expected to be of a short-term and temporary nature and is necessary for the conservation of the population;  
		(6) utilize active management of habitat and predation as the major tools to reverse any significant reduction in the allowable human harvest of the population.  

Authorities

16.05.020;16.05.050;16.05.255

Notes

Authority

AS 16.05.020 AS 16.05.050 AS 16.05.255

History

Eff. 7/1/98, Register 146; add'l am 7/1/98, Register 146