An increase in daily bag limits for canvasback ducks, snow geese and brant will be in effect when the waterfowl hunting season opens Sept. 1 for most of Alaska.
The announcement on Aug. 22 from the Alaska Division of Wildlife Conservation also included a reminder for waterfowl hunters that amendments last year to the federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act raised the price of federal waterfowl stamps from $15 to $25 and redefined which hunters must have a federal stamp to hunt waterfowl.
Starting Sept. 1, canvasback limits statewide will increase from one to two birds daily, six in possession. The bag limit bump comes in the wake of 2016 breeding population estimates that were determined to be 26 percent greater than the long-term average of the last 50 years. Canvasback populations in North America have increased recently to more than 725,000 birds, state officials said.
Bag limits for snow and Ross’ geese will increase statewide from four to six birds daily, 18 in possession. Breeding surveys of light geese in the western Arctic, including the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, indicate these populations are increasing and have potential to reach undesirable population levels, and increased harvests are not expected to significantly reduce these populations, according to state officials.
Statewide bag limits for brant will rise from two to three birds, nine in possession.
The 2016 winter brant survey counted 140,000 birds. An increased harvest was approved by the Pacific Flyway Council as part of a cooperative harvest strategy when the population exceeded 135,000 birds.
All waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older must have a current federal Migratory Bird Hunting stamp, exceptions include those who are permanent rural residents of an included area or permanent rural residents eligible for subsistence under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Included areas are those areas where spring and summer migratory bird subsistence harvest is legal.
A list of included areas and subsistence harvest regulations are online at
http://www.fws.gov/alaska/ambcc/Regulations.htm
