110 HCON 174 IH: Expressing the sense of the Congress that U.S. House of Representatives 2007-06-22 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 174 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 22, 2007 Mr. Young of Alaska submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Congress that hunting seasons for migratory ducks and geese should be modified so that individuals have a fair and equitable opportunity to harvest such birds.

Whereas the vast majority of ducks and geese that hatch, fledge, and nest on the North Slope of Alaska migrate south beyond the boundaries of that State before the national hunting season opening date of September 1, thus denying hunters in Alaska an equitable opportunity to harvest these species; Whereas ducks and geese are some of the most widely distributed and harvested game birds in North America; Whereas current regulated hunting for ducks and geese has been conclusively found to cause no significant effects on recruitment of fledglings in duck and geese populations; Whereas sportsmen have a strong commitment to the health, conservation, and enjoyment of wildlife, as demonstrated by the billions of dollars they have voluntarily paid over the past 70 years into the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Fund established by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.); Whereas migratory waterfowl hunting has been a cherished and honored tradition in the United States for generations; Whereas migratory bird hunters provide millions of dollars to wildlife conservation and local economies; and Whereas hunters in Alaska are currently unable to experience hunting conditions similar to conditions in other regions of the country with respect to game availability because of the current unfair hunting season restrictions: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of Congress that, to provide a fair and equitable opportunity for individuals to hunt for ducks and geese— (1)the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 should be modified to allow for duck and goose hunting during the last week of August in areas north of 49 degrees north latitude, as approved by the parties to the appropriate international agreement; (2)such an extended hunting season will— (A)improve hunting opportunities in Alaska without causing negative impacts on waterfowl populations; (B)through the sale of hunting permits, generate additional revenue that may be used for the better management and conservation of ducks, geese, and other wildlife species in Alaska; and (C)continue to provide for the conservation and enhancement of waterfowl populations; and (3)the United States should take immediate steps to begin discussions with the appropriate parties to ensure that all Americans have an opportunity to harvest migratory ducks and geese in an equitable manner.