The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed providing State wildlife agencies more flexibility in controlling resident Canada goose populations. Under a proposed rule published in the Federal Register, the Service would hand over much of the day-to-day management responsibility to States while maintaining primary authority to manage these populations.
The proposed rule, based on the preferred alternative outlined in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement released March 1, 2002, would authorize population control strategies such as aggressive harassment, nest destruction, gosling and adult trapping and culling programs, increased hunter harvest, or other general population reduction strategies. The rule will also offer guidelines for other activities such as special take authorization during a portion of the closed hunting season; control for the protection of airport safety, agriculture, and public health; and the take of nests and eggs without permits.
Presently, State Fish and Wildlife agencies or their authorized agents, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services division, need a Federal permit issued by the Service to control resident Canada geese. This rule would provide for opportunities to eliminate the need for most individual permits for resident Canada goose control activities.
"Since this birds population is increasing and they have been shown to cause local impacts to natural and economic resources, we believe local management with national oversight is the best approach to reduce conflicts," said Service Director Steve Williams.
To accommodate new information that may have become available since publication of the 2002 draft EIS, the Service is also re-opening the public comment period for 60 days.
The public may inspect comments during normal business hours in Room 4107, 4501 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia. You may obtain copies of the draft environmental impact statement from the above address or from the Division of Migratory Bird Management web site at
Note to broadcast editors: Resident Canada goose B-Roll available upon request.
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 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses nearly 542 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 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 more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov">
