Framework-date Extensions for Duck Hunting in the United States: Projected Impacts & Coping With Uncertainty

requested that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) conduct another assessment of the projected impacts of extended framework dates for duck hunting. To better assess the potential impact, the Service asked the Flyway Councils to survey their respective States concerning their interests in extended framework dates in each of their duck-hunting zones. Based on this survey, which assumed no penalties in season length or bag limit, only 13 of the 48 contiguous States would not take advantage of extended opening dates, closing dates, or both in at least a portion of the State. The predicted increase in annual harvest associated with extended framework dates in the moderate and liberal regulatory alternatives was approximately 15 percent and 5 percent for midcontinent and eastern mallards, respectively. Assuming these projected increases in harvest are accurate, we would expect a reduction in the frequency of liberal regulations, with a concurrent increase in the frequency of moderate regulations, in the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi Flyways. There was no discernable change in the expected frequency of liberal regulations in the Atlantic Flyway. Despite repeated assessments of this nature, however, the Service remains profoundly uncertain about the impacts of widespread framework-date extensions, and regulatory measures necessary to offset potential increases in harvests. Therefore, we propose a management approach that accounts for this uncertainty, and permits future modification of regulatory strategies as experience with framework-date extensions is accumulated. Framework-date Extensions for Duck Hunting in the United States: Projected Impacts & Coping With Uncertainty