USFWS Finding of No Significant Impact 2026

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Finding of No Significant Impact concludes that opening the 2026 spring/summer subsistence harvest of migratory birds in Alaska—under established regulations and international treaty constraints—will not significantly affect the human environment or migratory bird populations. The action, developed through co-management with Alaska Native representatives and regional partners, allows customary and traditional harvesting while incorporating safeguards such as seasonal closures to protect nesting birds and restrictions on species and methods. Analysis of alternatives determined that maintaining a regulated harvest (Alternative 2) best meets subsistence needs without causing significant ecological harm, and consultations under the Endangered Species Act found no jeopardy to protected species like spectacled and Steller’s eiders, given mitigation measures and low projected harvest impacts. Public comments did not result in changes, and the Service determined that a full Environmental Impact Statement is not required.