Aircraft flying at low altitudes over wilderness areas, bird rookeries, and other natural areas can disturb wildlife and reduce the enjoyment of people using these areas for recreation. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management recently negotiated this agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration aimed at reducing these incidents.
Under the agreement, the agencies will identify specific areas where low-flying aircraft are creating problems and will inform pilots and urge voluntary compliance with an existing 2000 foot-above-ground-level (AGL) minimum altitude. The FAA previously recognized this as the minimum requested altitude for aircraft operations over lands managed by the three agencies.
In addition, the agreement calls for development of a standardized reporting system for low flying aircraft incidents, communications among the agencies, and investigation, or other follow-up efforts concerning reported incidents. The agencies also will train field personnel so they can better report instances of low flying aircraft.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
