Alaska Administrative Code › Title 5 - Fish and Game › Part 3 - Game › Chapter 92 - Statewide Provisions › Article 5 - Intensive Management and Predator Control › 5 AAC 92.122 - Intensive Management Plan VI

Current through May 31, 2024
(a)
Plan
				  established
. The intensive management plan for the Unit 16 Predation
				  Control Area is established in this section.
(b)
Unit 16 Predation Control
				  Area
: the Unit 16 Predation Control Area is established, which is
				  focused primarily on mainland Unit 16(B), and consists of all lands within the
				  mainland portion of Unit 16(B) and that portion of Unit 16(A) west of a line
				  beginning at the confluence of the Yentna and Susitna Rivers, then northerly
				  along the western bank of the Susitna River to the confluence with the Deshka
				  River, then northerly to 61 ° 48.80' N. lat., 150° 2 1.77' W. long.,
				  then west to 62° 0 1.47' N. lat., 150° 24.06' W. long., then north to
				  the northern end of Trapper Lake at 62° 0 1.47' N. lat., 150° 16.67' W.
				  long., then west to 62° 01.47' N. lat., 150° 24.06' W. long., then
				  north to 62° 09.65' N. lat., 150° 24.06' W. long., then west to the
				  southwestern end of Amber Lake at 62° 09.65' N. lat., 150° 33.42' W.
				  long., then north to 62° 18.03' N. lat., 150° 33.42' W. long., then
				  west to 62° 18.03' N. lat., 150° 51.04' W. long., then north to 62°
				  27.97' N. lat., 150° 51.04' W. long., then west to the Denali National Park
				  boundary at 62° 27.97' N. lat., 151° 09.22' W. long., encompassing
				  approximately 11 ,105 square miles; notwithstanding any other provision in this
				  title, and based on the following information contained in this section, the
				  commissioner or the commissioner's designee may conduct a wolf and black bear
				  and brown bear population reduction or wolf and black bear and brown bear
				  population regulation program in the Unit 16 Predation Control Area. the
				  control program for this area is as follows:
(1) this program is currently designed to
				  increase moose numbers and harvest by reducing predation on moose and is
				  expected to contribute to achieving the intensive management (IM) objectives in
				  Unit 16.
(2) moose, wolf, black
				  bear and brown bear objectives are as follows:
(A) moose IM objectives established in
				  5 AAC 92.108 by the board for Unit 16(B) are 6,500 - 7 ,500
				  moose with a sustainable annual harvest of 310 - 600 moose; this population is
				  composed of subpopulations that reside within in the unit; however, a
				  subpopulation from the flanks of Mount Yenlo and in the upper Lake Creek
				  drainage mixes in winter with moose from Unit 16(a) in the Kahiltna River
				  drainage, and a subpopulation from the flanks of Mount Susitna and the
				  drainages of Alexander Creek and lower Yentna River winters with moose from
				  Units 14(A), 14(B), and 16(A) in the lower Yentna and Susitna rivers;
(B) the wolf control objective is
				  to reduce the population to 35 - 55 wolves in Unit 16(B);
(C) the black bear control objective is to
				  reduce the population to 700 black bears in Unit 16(B);
(D) the brown bear control objective is to
				  reduce the population to a minimum of 375 brown bears in Unit 16(B);
(3) board findings
				  concerning populations and humans use are as follows:
(A) repealed 6/23/2022;
(B) predation by wolves and bears is an
				  important cause of the failure to achieve moose population and harvest
				  objectives;
(C) a reduction in
				  wolf and bear predation in the mainland portion of Unit 16(B) and portions of
				  Unit L6(A) can reasonably be expected to make progress towards achieving the
				  Unit 16(B) intensive management objectives for moose;
(D) reducing predation is likely to be
				  effective and feasible using recognized and prudent active management
				  techniques and based on scientific information;
(E) reducing predation is likely to be
				  effective given land ownership patterns;
(4) authorized methods and means are as
				  follows:
(A) hunting and trapping of wolves
				  by the public in the Unit 16 Predation Control Area during the term of the
				  program will occur as provided in the hunting and trapping regulations set out
				  elsewhere in this title, including use of motorized vehicles; as provided in
				  5 AAC 92.080;
(B) notwithstanding any other provisions in this title, the
				  commissioner may issue public aerial shooting permits or public land-and-shoot
				  permits as a method of wolf removal under
				  AS
				  16.05.783;
(C) hunting of black and brown bears by the
				  public in the Unit 16 Predation Control Area during the term of the program
				  will occur as provided in the hunting regulations set out elsewhere in this
				  title;
(D) the commissioner may
				  issue public bear control permits to reduce the black bear and brown bear
				  populations within the Unit 16 Predation Control Area by the following methods
				  and means:
(i) legal animal is any black
				  bear, including sows and cubs, and any brown bear, except sows with cubs of the
				  year and cubs of the year;
(ii) no
				  bag limit;
(iii) same-day-airborne
				  taking of black bears if the permittee is at least 300 feet from the
				  airplane;
(iv) same-day-airborne
				  taking of bears if the permittee is at least 300 feet from the aircraft,
				  including the use of any type of aircraft, such as fixed-wing aircraft or
				  helicopter, to access bear baiting stations from April 15 through October 15,
				  except that helicopters may not be used from August 5 through September
				  25;
(v) April 15 through October 15
				  baiting season for bears; up to four bear bait stations per permittee;
(vi) repealed 6/23/2022;
(vii) repealed 6/23/2022;
(viii) repealed 6/23/2022;
(ix) repealed
				  6/23/2022;
(5)
				  time frame is as follows:
(A) through July 1,
				  2031, the commissioner may authorize the removal of wolves, black bears, and
				  brown bears in the Unit 16 Predation Control Area;
(B) annually, the department shall, to the
				  extent practicable, provide to the board a report of program activities
				  conducted during the preceding 12 months, including implementation activities,
				  the status of moose, wolf, and bear populations, and recommendations for
				  changes, if necessary, to achieve the objectives of the plan;
(6) the commissioner
				  will review, modify, or suspend program activities as follows:
(A) when the mid-point of intensive
				  management objectives for the moose population are achieved;
(B) when wolf population surveys or
				  accumulated information from permittees indicate the need to avoid reducing
				  wolf numbers below the midpoint of the intensive management objective of 35 -
				  55 wolves specified in this subsection;
(C) when black bear population inventories or
				  accumulated information from permittees indicate the need to avoid reducing
				  black bear numbers below the management objective of 700 black bears specified
				  in this subsection;
(D) when brown
				  bear population inventories or accumulated information from permittees indicate
				  the need to avoid reducing brown bear numbers below the management objective of
				  375 brown bears specified in this subsection;
(E) if after three years if the harvest of
				  predators is not sufficient to make progress towards the intensive management
				  population objectives for wolves, black bears, or brown bears; the program may
				  be temporarily suspended for one or more of the predator species;
(F) predator control activities may be
				  terminated:
(i) if the moose population can
				  be maintained at the midpoint of the IM population objectives, and moose
				  harvest objectives have been met;
(ii) if after three years, there is no
				  detectable increase in the total number of moose in the assessment
				  area.