Looks like the PNW Canada geese are safe for now.

Valerie Elliott
Olympia, WA

Contact: Nicholas Throckmorton 202-208-5636

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the release of a
final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that outlines various
alternatives to reduce, manage, and control resident Canada goose
populations and reduce related damages. Of the alternatives, the
Service's proposed action will allow state wildlife agencies,
landowners, and airports more flexibility in controlling resident Canada
goose populations.

The Service took this action in response to widespread concern about
overabundant populations of resident Canada geese, which can damage
property, agriculture, and natural resources in parks and other open
areas near water.

"Resident Canada geese populations have increased dramatically over the
past 15 years," said Service Director H. Dale Hall. "These high
population levels have been shown to cause problems for natural and
economic resources, and we believe increased local management with
national oversight is the best approach to reduce conflicts and bring
the population under control. Through this approach, the Service will
continue working to expand and protect hunting opportunity while
providing airports, private landowners, and State and local officials
the tools they need to address resident Canada goose issues."

"Resident Canada goose management is particularly challenging because of
the diversity of society's perspectives regarding the year-round
presence of these birds, but the growth of these resident populations
causes problems that compel population management," said John Cooper,
president of the International Association of Fish and Wildlife
Agencies. "The Service worked closely with the State fish and wildlife
agencies in the development of the strategies reflected in the rule to
provide a full suite of options to the states to manage resident
populations. We sincerely appreciate that close engagement by both the
Service and the State fish and wildlife agencies and look forward to
continued close cooperation with the Service."

During the last ten years, the resident Canada goose population in the
Atlantic flyway has increased an average of 1 percent per year to more
than
1 million birds. The Mississippi flyway has seen a growth of 5 percent
per year to 1.6 million birds.

The preferred alternative in this FEIS consists of three main program
components. The first component creates four specific control and
depredation orders for airports, landowners, agricultural producers and
public health officials. These orders would be targeted to address
resident Canada goose depredation, damage and conflict management.
Presently, State and Tribal 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 Fish and Wildlife
Service to control resident Canada geese where they are causing
conflicts with public resources. These new orders will allow take of
resident Canada geese without a federal permit provided agencies fulfill
certain reporting and monitoring requirements.

The second component consists of expanded hunting methods and
opportunities and would be targeted to increase the sport harvest of
resident Canada geese. Under this component, States could choose to
expand shooting hours and allow hunters the use of electronic calls and
unplugged shotguns.

The third component consist of a new regulation authorizing a resident
Canada goose population control program, or Management Take. Under
Management Take, the take of resident Canada geese outside the existing
sport hunting seasons (September 1 to March 10) would be authorized and
would enable States to authorize a harvest of resident Canada geese
during the August 1 through August 31 period. These dates are important
because wild migratory Canada geese have not arrived from the breeding
grounds in Alaska and Canada.

The agricultural depredation order, the expanded hunting opportunity and
the Management Take component of the FEIS will not include Alaska,
Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Utah and
parts of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and New Mexico. Only State wildlife
agencies and Tribal entities in the Atlantic, Central, and Mississippi
Flyway could implement these components for resident Canada geese. The
Pacific Flyway requested these states not be included because they have
fewer issues with resident Canada geese. For agricultural issues,
states in the Pacific Flyway will continue to apply for federal permits.

The Service received more than 2,900 submitted written comments on the
2002 draft EIS and more than 400 people attended 11 public meetings
across the country. Written comments were received from 2,657 private
individuals, 33 State wildlife resource agencies, 37 non-governmental
organizations, 29 local governments, 5 Federal/State legislators, 4
Flyway Councils, 4 Federal agencies, 3 tribes, 3 businesses, and 2 State
agricultural agencies.

Based on comments on the draft EIS, the Service modified the perferred
alternative by removing some areas from some components of the program
(Pacific Flyway States), adding some affected publics (airports), and
changing some of the program administration (State administration to
Federal administration).

The final Environmental Impact Statement will be available Friday,
November 18, at < The Service intends to issue a Record of Decision and
final rule on the issue after the 30-day public inspection period on the
FEIS.

For the most part, resident Canada geese generally stay in the same area
or migrate only short distances. There is no evidence that resident
Canada geese breed with migratory Canada geese that nest in northern
Canada and Alaska. The rapid rise of resident Canada geese populations
has been attributed to a number of factors. Key among these is that
most resident Canada geese live in temperate climates with relatively
stable breeding habitat conditions. They tolerate human and other
disturbances, have a relative abundance of habitat such as mowed grass
and waterways, and fly relatively short distances for winter compared
with migratory Canada goose populations. The virtual absence of
waterfowl hunting and natural predators in urban areas provides
additional protection to those portions of the resident population.

Expansion of existing annual hunting season and the issuance of control
permits have all been used to reduce resident goose numbers with varying
degrees of success. While these approaches have provided relief in some
areas, they have not completely addressed the issues.

B-Roll is available by calling the number above.


The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife,
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 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of
small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates
national fish hatcheries, fishery resource offices, and 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
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