[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 140 (Friday, July 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37761-37763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18367]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment on 
Development of a Bilateral Agreement Between the United States and 
Russia for the Conservation of Polar Bears and Notice of Public 
Meetings To Seek Comments

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability and public meetings.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability to the public of a 
draft Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the proposal to develop a 
United States/Russia Bilateral Agreement for the Conservation of Polar 
Bears in the Chukchi/Bering Seas. The Chukchi/Bering Seas and a portion 
of the Eastern Siberian Sea stock of polar

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bears, hereafter referred to as the Alaska-Chukotka population, is 
shared between Russia and the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, the agency responsible for management and conservation of 
polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the United States, proposes to develop 
a conservation agreement for the Chukchi/Bering Seas stock of polar 
bears as part of the Service's natural resource stewardship 
responsibilities in the management and conservation of this 
international resource. This notice also announces two public meetings 
that will be held by the Service to consider the draft EA.

DATES: Written comments on the draft EA should be submitted no later 
than September 17, 1996. Two public meetings are scheduled to promote 
discussion of the draft EA. The public meetings will be held as 
follows:

1. August 14, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Anchorage, Alaska.
2. August 21, 1996, 10 a.m., Washington, DC.

ADDRESSES: To request a copy of the draft EA or to submit comments, 
contact Supervisor, Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503 (telephone 907/
786-3800; FAX 907/786-3816). The location of public meetings follows:

1. In Anchorage, Alaska: Wilda Marston Theater, 1st floor, Loussac 
Library, 3600 Denali Street.
2. In Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, Main Interior 
Building Auditorium, 1849 C Street NW.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott Schliebe, Marine Mammals Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 800/362-5148 or 907/786-3812.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 1973, Canada, Denmark (on behalf of 
Greenland), Norway, Russia, and the United States signed the 
international Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears (1973 
Agreement). Each country is obligated to develop conservation programs 
to comply with the 1973 Agreement. The United States relies largely on 
the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to comply with the terms of the 
1973 Agreement. Also, in 1988 a local Native-to-Native subsistence 
users agreement was developed between the Inupiat of the North Slope 
Borough in the United States and the Inuvialuit of the Northwest 
Territories, Canada, to provide further protection for the shared 
Beaufort Sea polar bear population. No such agreement exists for the 
Alaska-Chukotka population that is shared between the United States and 
Russia. Section 113(d) of the 1994 Amendments to the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act states, ``. . . the Secretary of the Interior, acting 
through the Secretary of State and in consultation with the Marine 
Mammal Commission and the State of Alaska, shall consult with the 
appropriate officials of the Russian Federation on the development and 
implementation of enhanced cooperative research and management programs 
for the conservation of polar bears in Alaska and Russia. . . .'' The 
Service, in consultation with the Department of State, the Marine 
Mammal Commission, and the State of Alaska proposes to enter into a 
government-to-government Bilateral Conservation Agreement with the 
Russian Federation,; and the Natives from Alaska and Chukotka, Russia, 
plan to enter into a Native-to-Native implementation agreement for the 
Alaska-Chukotka population.
    The draft EA describes three alternatives for entering into 
conservation agreements. The purpose of the agreements is to unify 
management regimes, regulate take, enhance protection for polar bears 
and their habitat, and provide for non-consumptive uses such as eco-
tourism, as well as consumptive uses.
    Alternative 1 is the status quo where the U.S. Federal Government 
takes no new action. It describes three possible scenarios: (a) Neither 
country takes action; (b) Russia takes action independent of the U.S.; 
or (c) an Alaska/Chukotka Native-to-Native agreement is implemented. 
Under the first scenario, each country would retain its current 
conservation and management strategies. In Russia, the existing ban on 
polar bear hunting would likely remain in effect, and unquantified 
hunting would continue to pose a threat to the population. In Alaska, 
subsistence take of polar bears would continue provided the population 
remains non-depleted. Ongoing habitat protection would continue through 
the existing system of reserves in Russia, and parks and refuges in 
Alaska, and other existing authorities.
    Under the second scenario, Russia could sanction hunting 
independent of cooperation with the U.S. This would likely increase the 
numbers of polar bears removed from the population and could have an 
impact on the availability of the polar bears for subsistence hunters 
in Alaska.
    Under the third scenario, Alaska and Chukotka Natives could enter 
directly into cooperative agreements with each other without formal 
participation from their respective Federal governments. Such an 
agreement would not have official standing, harvest level restrictions 
would not be binding, and research and monitoring programs, habitat 
protection, and enforcement would continue to be conducted unilaterally 
by the governments of each country or as a part of existing 
international programs. Varying degrees of participation and 
coordination with Natives from each country would occur.
    In Alternative 2, a unilateral cooperative agreement within each 
country between the Federal government and Natives would be developed. 
International bilateral conservation and co-management strategies would 
not be initiated. Subsistence hunting in Alaska would continue provided 
the population remains at a non-depleted level, and harvest level 
restrictions would not be binding. The population status could be 
affected by the level of unquantified hunting in Russia, and lack of 
enforcement. Research, monitoring, and enforcement would continue at 
current levels with little or no bilateral coordination. In Alaska, 
habitat protection would rely on the existing legal authority of the 
MMPA and other legislation.
    The preferred alternative (Alternative 3) of the draft EA describes 
a bilateral management scenario where a government-to-government 
agreement establishes the guiding framework and ultimate oversight role 
for an Alaska-Chukotka Native-to-Native agreement. A harvest system 
would be established by an international joint commission composed of 
one Federal and one Native representative from each country. Harvest 
levels would be binding. Joint research and management, population and 
harvest monitoring, enforcement, and habitat protection would be the 
primary elements of the agreement. Alternative 3 is the preferred 
alternative because it provides the basis for a comprehensive and 
coordinated conservation program. The agreement would provide guidance 
for the Russian and American governments and Native entities to manage 
the shared population stock, and it would support Russian efforts to 
curb threats to polar bears associated with illegal, unquantified 
hunting and lack of enforcement. A government-to-government bilateral 
agreement would also ensure closer coordination and involvement in 
management decisions by the primary users, namely the Native peoples of 
Alaska and Chukotka.
    The Service requests interested persons to submit comments, 
information, and suggestions concerning

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these actions. Copies of the draft EA and this notice will be 
distributed to persons who have expressed a prior interest in this or 
related polar bear conservation issues. Copies are available upon 
request at the location under the ADDRESSES section. As identified 
above in the DATES Section, the Service will also conduct two public 
meetings to promote discussion of the draft EA. Comments and materials 
received in response to this action will be available for public 
inspection at this address during normal working hours of 8:00 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
    Discussions regarding development of a unified management approach 
between Russia and the United States were initiated in Sochi, Russia in 
October 1988, at the International Union for Conservation of Nature and 
Natural Resources (IUCN) Polar Bear Specialists Group Meeting. Further 
talks occurred in May 1990, and correspondence supporting the 
development of a bilateral agreement followed. Between 1992 and 1995, 
protocols of agreement were developed between the natural resources 
agencies of the respective countries and the Native users of Alaska and 
Chukotka. During this period numerous discussions between the Service 
and Native representatives occurred on the possible development of a 
government-to-government conservation agreement and a companion Native-
to-Native agreement. These agreements would be consistent with the 
terms of the 1973 Agreement and include the principles of sustainable 
yield, support for research and the collection of biological 
information and local knowledge, and habitat protection. In April 1994, 
a ``Protocol of Intentions Between the Indigenous Peoples of Chukotka 
and Alaska on the Conservation, Protection, Management, and Study of 
the Bering and Chukchi Seas Shared Polar Bear Population'' was signed. 
In the United States representatives of the Service, the Department of 
State, the Department of the Interior, the Marine Mammal Commission, 
the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the North Slope Borough, the 
Alaska Nanuuq Commission, and the Audubon Society have met several 
times to discuss principles for a draft conservation agreement. The 
need for public input and review led to the development of the draft EA 
in June 1996. The Service plans to submit a request to the Department 
of State for authority to enter into formal negotiations with Russia, 
pending the consideration of public comments and development of a final 
EA.

    Dated: July 16, 1996.
Gary Edwards,
Assistant Director--Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 96-18367 Filed 7-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M