(SitNews) Soldotna, Alaska - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Friday announced an emergency closure of sport hunting of brown bears on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, effective October 26, 2013 at 12:01 am.

Operating under the assumption of lagging indicators, the known human-caused brown bear mortalities on the Kenai Peninsula in 2013 now total at least 66 bears. This includes a minimum of 43 brown bears taken during spring and fall hunting seasons, and 23 bears killed through defense of life and property takings, illegal takings, agency kills of problem bears, and vehicle collisions. Total mortalities now represent more than 10 percent of the best available estimate of a total Kenai Peninsula brown bear population, numbering 624 bears.

“This level of mortality is not scientifically sustainable,” said Refuge Manager Andy Loranger in announcing the Refuge emergency closure.

In addition to the total number of mortalities, a high number of reproductive-age female bears have been killed. Prior to 2013, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game limited the annual number of human-caused mortalities of adult female brown bears at 10. At least 22 adult females, or 33 per cent of all known mortalities, have been killed so far this year - more than double the previously established limits.

“Survivorship of adult female bears has been shown to be the primary driver of brown bear population dynamics. Losing so many adult female bears will have immediate negative impacts on this population,” said Refuge Supervisory Wildlife Biologist John Morton.

“Kenai brown bears are highly valued by the public for many reasons, and play an important ecological role,” continued Loranger. “If allowed to continue this season and into the immediate future, the Service believes that this level of mortality, which includes a high rate of loss of adult female bears, will result in a substantial reduction in the Kenai Peninsula’s brown bear population. This would create a conservation concern for this population, which in turn would negatively impact hunters and many other Refuge visitors who value and enjoy viewing and photographing bears.”

Actual human-caused mortalities are higher than the documented number. “Unreported human-caused mortalities are also occurring at an unknown rate, and must be considered when identifying sustainable harvest levels,” said Morton.

While this emergency closure is only temporary under applicable regulations and will last for 30 days, the Service intends to develop and implement a longer term brown bear harvest management strategy on the Refuge.

“As it has in previous years, the Service envisions developing and eventually implementing harvest parameters after appropriate public input and review, in an effort to ensure that harvests remain sustainable, and which focus on adequately protecting adult female bears for the healthy reproduction of the brown bear population on the Kenai Peninsula,” Morton said.

The Service will hold public hearings in the near future at which this strategy will be presented to the public. Hearing dates will be released at a later date.

“We do not take this closure lightly and will work with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to develop a strategy to collaboratively manage brown bear populations that is consistent with the mandates of both agencies,” said Loranger.

However the State of Alaska is "disappointed" by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decision to use emergency authority to close national wildlife refuge lands on the Kenai Peninsula to the taking of brown bears.

“This action is an unnecessary and unjustified preemption of state hunting regulations," said Doug Vincent-Lang, Director of the Division of Wildlife Conservation.

"The state regulations were developed by the Alaska Board of Game in an open public process and addressed increasing numbers of bears, public concerns over increased human-bear interactions, and are consistent with the state constitution’s requirement for sustainable populations," said Vincent-Lang.

Vincent-Lang added, “The current harvest of bears this year is not unexpected and does not represent a viability concern. Once again we are faced with overreach by the federal government into the management of Alaska’s wildlife.”

The Alaska Department of Fish & Game announced because viability of bears is not a concern, non-refuge lands on the Kenai Peninsula normally open to hunting will remain open to brown bear harvest.

The emergency closure announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is issued pursuant to federal regulations at 50 CFR 36.42.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News: 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
www.fws.gov

Alaska Department of Fish & Game
www.adfg.state.ak.us

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