a summary of the proposed rule to delist the gye grizzly...
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GrizzlybearrecoveryanddelistingintheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystem
AsummaryoftheproposedruletodelisttheGYEgrizzlybearpopula8on
Summaryoftheproposedaction• We(USFish&WildlifeService)areproposingtodelisttheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystem(GYE)populationofgrizzlybears.
• Upondelisting,asperthedelistingrule,thepopulationwillbemanagedunderacomprehensivemanagementplancalledthe2016GrizzlyBearConservationStrategybyajointcommitteeincludingtheStatesofWyoming,Montana,andIdaho,theForestService,theNationalParkService,andtheEasternShoshone,NorthernArapahoe,andShoshoneBannockTribes.
• Concurrentwiththisproposeddelistingrulewereleaseddraftsofthe2016GrizzlyBearConservationStrategyandtheRecoveryPlanSupplement:RevisedDemographicCriteriaforpubliccommentandpeerreview.
Publiccommentsrequested
• Wearerequestingpubliccommentson3documents:– Theproposeddelistingrule– Thedraft2016ConservationStrategy– ThedraftsupplementtotheRecoveryPlanproposedreviseddemographicrecoverycriteria
• Directionsonhowtocommentonlineorinwritingaredetailedintheproposeddelistingrulewhichcanbefoundat:http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php
Whatistheobjective?
• TogettheGYEgrizzlybearpopulationrecoveredanddelistedasperthedirectionoftheEndangeredSpeciesAct.
• ThisrequiresabiologicallyandlegallydefensibleproposeddelistingruleandConservationStrategy.
WhydelisttheYellowstonegrizzlybear?
• ThepurposeoftheEndangeredSpeciesAct(Act)istogetlistedspeciestothepointatwhichprotectionundertheActisnolongerrequired.
• RecoverygoalsfortheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystem(GYE)havebeenmetsince2004.
• TheGYEgrizzlybearpopulationishealthyandhasbeenessentiallystablefrom2002to2015.
• Cooperativeeffortsbystate,federal,andtribalagenciesandthesupportofthepublichaveresultedinahealthygrizzlypopulation.
• TheabovefactorshavebroughttheGYEgrizzlybearpopulationtothepointwhereachangeinstatusisappropriateaspertheintentoftheAct.
ConservationReliantSpecies• Grizzlybearsarea“conservationreliantspecies1”.• Aconservationreliantspeciesisde8inedas:“Speciesthatcanmaintainaself-sustainingpopulationinthewildonlyifongoingmanagementactionsofproveneffectivenessareimplemented”.
• Thisisnotunusual.Mostvaluedanimalspecies(e.g.moose,mountaingoats,bighornsheep,trout,salmon,rhinos,etc.)aredependentuponongoingconservationmanagement.
• TheConservationStrategyshouldprovidetheongoingmanagementactionsofproveneffectivenesstomaintainarecoveredGYEgrizzlypopulation.
1Sco=,J.M.,D.D.Goble,J.A.Wiens,D.S.Wilcove,M.Bean,andT.Male.2005.RecoveryofimperiledspeciesundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct:theneedforanewapproach.Fron8ersinEcologyandtheEnvironment3:383-389.
WhatisthepurposeoftheConservationStrategy?
• TheConservationStrategyisthepost-delistinginteragencymanagementplanthatwillbeinplaceinperpetuitytoguideanddirecthabitatandpopulationmanagementinordertomaintainarecoveredGYEgrizzlypopulation.
• TheConservationStrategygoesintoeffectupondelistingandwillguideanddirectmanagementinperpetuity.
Thegrizzlyrecoveryzones.ThisproposeddelistingactiononlywilleffecttheGreaterYellowstoneEcosystem.Allothergrizzlypopulationswillremainlistedasthreatened.
Grizzlybeardistribu8onintheGYEasof
2014.
WilltheYellowstonegrizzlybearstillbeprotected?
• Yes.TherewillcontinuetobestrictlimitsontotalmortalityfromallcausesinsidetheDMA,statelawsagainstillegalkilling,andstronghabitatprotectionsonfederallandsinthe9,200sq.mi.primaryconservationareawhereapproximately75%offemaleswithcubsliveformostoftheyear.
• MANAGEMENTDECISIONSWILLBEGUIDEDBYREGULATORYMECHANISMSINCLUDING:– THECONSERVATIONSTRATEGY– NATIONALPARKSERVICEMANAGEMENTPLANS– USFSFORESTPLANAMENDMENTS– STATEGRIZZLYBEARMANAGEMENTPLANS– OVER70STATEANDFEDERALLAWS,STATUTES,ANDREGULATIONS
WhathabitatprotectionswilltherebeINSIDEtheprimaryconservationarea
(PCA)?• Withinthe9,200sq.mi.primaryconservationarea(PCA),whereapproximately75%offemaleswithcubsliveformuchoftheyear,therewillbe:– Noincreaseinnumberorcapacityoflivestockallotments
– Noreductionsinsecurehabitat– Nopermanentincreasesinroaddensities– Noincreaseinthenumberofdevelopedsites
WhathabitatprotectionswillbeinplaceforsuitablehabitatOUTSIDEofthePCA?
• TheForestServicewillmanagethevastmajorityofsuitablehabitatoutsidethePCA(4.2millionacres).
• Ofthis4.2millionacres,80%(3.3millionacres)isDesignatedWildernessArea,WildernessStudyArea,orInventoriedRoadlessArea.Thesedesignationsprovideregulatorymechanismsthatprotectgrizzlybearhabitatfromincreasesinmotorizeduse,oil&gasdevelopment,livestockallotments,andtimberharvest.
• Asaresult,71%(3millionacres)ofsuitablehabitatoutsidethePCAonForestServicelandsislong-termsecurehabitat.
• FoodstorageregulationsarebeingextendedtoincludemostsuitablehabitatintheGYE.
• TheForestServicewillincorporateguidancefromtheConservationStrategyforminimizinggrizzlybear-humanandgrizzlybear-livestockconglictsandmaintainingkeygrizzlybearfoodsbothinsidethePCAandinsuitablehabitatsoutsidethePCA.
• TheYellowstoneGrizzlyBearCoordinatingCommittee(YGCC)isthemanagementcommitteethatwillreplacetheYellowstoneEcosystemSubcommittee(YES)upondelisting.
• TheYGCCiscomposedofrepresentativesfromFederal,State,Local,andTribalagencies.
• TheYGCCwillcontinueinplacetoimplementthedetailsoftheConservationStrategyinperpetuitysincegrizzlybearsareaconservationreliantspeciesandwillrequirecarefulandcoordinatedmanagementtoremainrecovered.
• TheYGCCisresponsibleforcoordinatingtheimplementationoftheConservationStrategy,whichincludes:– Ensuringthatpopulationandhabitatdataarecollectedandevaluatedannuallytoassessthestatusofthepopulation.
– Identifyingmanagement,research,andginancialneeds.– Coordinatinginformationandeducationefforts.
WhattypesofmortalitiescountagainstthetotalmortalitylimitsinsidetheDMA?• Totalmortalityincludesdocumentedknownandprobablegrizzlybearmortalitiesfromallcausesincludingbutnotlimitedto:– Managementremovals– Illegalkills– Mistakenidentitykills– Self-defensekills– Vehiclekills– Naturalmortalities– Undetermined-causemortalities– Grizzlybearhunting– AstatisticalestimatebytheIGBSTofthenumberofunknown/unreportedmortalities
Howwillthepopulationbemanagedpost-delisting?
Asstatedintheproposeddelistingrule:• MaintaintheGYEgrizzlybearpopulationattheaveragepopulationestimatefor2002–2014of674.
• ThepopulationinsidetheGYEdemographicmonitoringareawillbeestimatedannuallybytheIGBSTusingthemodel-averagedChao2method.
• TheStateswillmeeteachJanuarytoreviewthepopulationmonitoringdatasuppliedbytheIGBSTandcollectivelyestablishdiscretionarymortalityinsidetheDMAoutsideofNationalParkswithinthetotalmortalitylimitspereachage/sexclassavailableforeachjurisdiction(MT,ID,WY).
Willtherebeahuntingseasonforgrizzlybears?
• ThestateshavestatedtheirintentiontoclassifygrizzlybearsasagamespeciesintheStatesofWyoming,Montana,andIdahooutsideoftheNationalParksandtheWindRiverReservation.
• Theremaybealimitedhuntingseasonifthestatesdecidetohaveahuntingseason,however:– AnyhuntingmortalitiesmustbewithinthetotalmortalitylimitsinsidetheDMAdetailedintheproposedrule.
– Grizzlybearscannotbekilledoutofseasonorwithoutahuntinglicense.
– Allhuntingmortalitiesmustbereported.– PoacherswillbeprosecutedunderStatelaws.
• TheproposedrulesetsoutthenecessaryStateregulationsthatmustbeinplacepriortoaginalruletodelist.
• MortalitiesoutsideoftheDMAwillnotcountagainsttotalmortalitylimitsinsidetheDMA.
WhatStateregulationsarenecessaryinsidetheDMAbeforeanyginalruleto
delist?Asstatedintheproposeddelistingrule,thesestateregulationsmustbeinplacepriortodelisting:• Alldiscretionarymortality(exceptifrequiredforhumansafety)insidetheDMAwillbesuspendedifthepopulationestimatefallsbelow600.
• GrizzlybearhuntinginsidetheDMAwillbesuspendedinthatstateiftotalmortalitylimitsforanyage/sexclassaremetinsidethatstateatanytimeduringtheyear.
• Anymortalityexceedingtotalmortalitylimitsforanysex/ageclassinanyyearwillbesubtractedfromthatage/sexclasstotalmortalitylimitforthefollowingyear.
• Femalegrizzlybearswithyoungareprotectedfromhunterharvest.
• Goal:maintaintheGYEgrizzlybearpopulationattheaveragepopulationestimatefor2002–2014of674.
• Toachievethisgoal,withintheGYEdemographicmonitoringarea(DMA)theIGBSTwillmonitor:– Thenumberoffemaleswithcubs– Distributionoffemaleswithcubs– Survivalratesforallsex/ageclasses– Allsourcesofmortality– Populationtrend– Cubproduction– Movementsinrelationtoanychangesinfoods– Spatialdistributionofgrizzlybear-humanconglicts
• Backgroundmortality:mortalitiesthatoccureveryyearduetocausesotherthanhunting,includingmanagementremovals,illegalkills,self-defense,calculatedunknown/unreportedmortalities,naturalmortalities,andothercausessuchasvehiclecollisions.
• InsidetheDMA,expectedbackgroundmortalityiscalculatedbytakingtheaveragenumberofmortalitiesfromthemostrecent4-yearperiodfromallsourcesotherthangrizzlybearhunting.Becausebackgroundmortalitylevelsvaryfromyeartoyear,averagingtheseoverseveralyearsisareasonablepredictorofthesenumbers.
• Asstatedintheproposeddelistingrule,withinthesemortalitylimits,stategishandwildlifeagencieshavediscretiontodeterminewhethertheyintendtoproposeagrizzlybearhuntingseasonand/orhowmuchdiscretionarymortality(withinallowablelimits)toallocatetohunting.
Estimatedpopulationsize674(thepopulationgoal) 717(2015populationsize)IndependentFemales
IndependentMales
IndependentFemales
IndependentMales
Sizeofsex/agecohortatthispopulationsize 236 236 251 251Totalallowablemortalityrates 7.6% 15% 9% 20%Totalallowablemortalitynumbers 18 35 23 50Averagenon-grizzlyhuntingbackgroundmortalityfrom2012–2015,insidetheDMA 15 22 15 22
Bearsavailablefordiscretionary(hunting)mortalityinall3states 3 13 8 28
• Asstatedintheproposeddelistingrule,theServicemayinitiateaformalstatusreviewandcouldemergencyrelist(within2weeks)theGYEgrizzlybearpopulationuntilaformalstatusreviewiscompleteifanyoftheseconditionsexist:– ThereareanychangesinFederal,State,orTriballaws,rules,regulations,ormanagementplansthatdepartsignigicantlyfromthespecigicsofpopulationorhabitatmanagementdetailedintheproposedruleandthisincreasesthethreattothepopulation.
– Thepopulationfallsbelow500inanyyearusingthemodel-averagedChao2methodorcountsoffemaleswithcubsfallbelow48for3consecutiveyears.
– IndependentfemaletotalmortalitylimitsasperTables1,2,and3,intheproposedrule,areexceededfor3consecutiveyearsandthepopulationisfewerthan600.
– Fewerthan16of18bearmanagementunitsareoccupiedbyfemaleswithyoungfor3consecutive6-yearsumsofobservations.
• Wearerequestingpubliccommentsonthe3documents:– Theproposeddelistingrule– Thedraft2016ConservationStrategy– ThedraftsupplementtotheRecoveryPlanproposedreviseddemographicrecoverycriteria
• Directionsonhowtocommentonlineorinwritingaredetailedintheproposedrulewhichcanbefoundat:http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/es/grizzlyBear.php
• Ascientigicpeerreviewofthe3documentswillalsooccur.Theorganizationofthepeerreviewiscontractedouttoanon-governmentcontractorwhowillselect3-5peerreviewersandsubmitthereviewstotheFWSattheendofthecommentperiod.FWSandDOIhavenoinputintotheselectionofpeerreviewers.Thepeerreviewswillbecomepartoftherecordalongwithallthepubliccommentsreceived.
• Whenthepubliccommentandpeerreviewcommentperiodiscomplete,FWSwillconsiderthecomments,makeappropriatechangestothe3documentsbasedoncommentsreceived,andmakeadecisiononwhethertoproceedwithdelistingornot.Thisdecisionwilllikelycomeinlatefallorwinterof2016-17.
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