The regulations in this part implement the Federal Subsistence Management Program on public lands within the State of Alaska.

The Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture issue the regulations in this part pursuant to authority vested in Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), 16 U.S.C. 3101-3126.

(a) The regulations in this part implement the provisions of Title VIII of ANILCA relevant to the taking of fish and wildlife on public land in the State of Alaska. The regulations in this part do not permit subsistence uses in Glacier Bay National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Katmai National Park, and that portion of Denali National Park established as Mt. McKinley National Park prior to passage of ANILCA, where subsistence taking and uses are prohibited. The regulations in this part do not supersede agency-specific regulations.

(b) The regulations contained in this part apply on all public lands, including all inland waters, both navigable and non-navigable, within and adjacent to the exterior boundaries of the following areas, and on the marine waters as identified in the following areas:

(1) Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, including the:

(i) Karluk Subunit: All of the submerged land and water of the Pacific Ocean (Sheliokof Strait) extending 3,000 feet from the shoreline between a point on the spit at the meander corner common to Sections 35 and 36 of Township 30 South, Range 33 West, and a point approximately 1 1/4 miles east of Rocky Point within Section 14 of Township 29 South, Range 31, West, Seward Meridian as described in Public Land Order 128, dated June 19, 1943;

(ii) Womens Bay Subunit: Womens Bay, Gibson Cove, portions of St. Paul Harbor and Chiniak Bay: All of the submerged land and water as described in Public Land Order 1182, dated July 7, 1955 (U.S. Survey 21539);

(iii) Afognak Island Subunit: All submerged lands and waters of the Pacific Ocean lying within 3 miles of the shoreline as described in Proclamation No. 39, dated December 24, 1892;

(iv) Simeonof Subunit: All of the submerged land and water of Simeonof Island together with the adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean extending 1 mile from the shoreline as described in Public Land Order 1749, dated October 30, 1958; and

(v) Semidi Subunit: All of the submerged land and water of the Semidi Islands together with the adjacent waters of the Pacific Ocean lying between parallels 55°57′57″00-56°15′57″00 North Latitude and 156°30′00″-157°00′00″ West Longitude as described in Executive Order 5858, dated June 17, 1932;

(2) Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, including those waters shoreward of the line of extreme low water starting in the vicinity of Monument 1 at the intersection of the International Boundary line between the State of Alaska and the Yukon Territory; Canada, and extending westerly, along the line of extreme low water across the entrances of lagoons such that all offshore bars, reefs and islands, and lagoons that separate them from the mainland to Brownlow Point, approximately 70°10′ North Latitude and 145°51′ West Longitude;

(3) National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, including those waters shoreward of a line beginning at the western bank of the Colville River following the highest highwater mark westerly, extending across the entrances of small lagoons, including Pearl Bay, Wainwright Inlet, the Kuk River, Kugrau Bay and River, and other small bays and river estuaries, and following the ocean side of barrier islands and sandspits within three miles of shore and the ocean side of the Plover Islands, to the northwestern extremity of Icy Cape, at approximately 70°21′ North Latitute and 161°46′ West Longitude; and

(4) Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, including Nunivak Island: the submerged land and water of Nunivak Island together with the adjacent waters of the Bering Sea extending, for Federal Subsistence Management purposes, 3 miles from the shoreline of Nunivak Island as described in Executive Order No. 5059, dated April 15, 1929.

(5) Southeastern Alaska, including the:

(i) Makhnati Island Area: Land and waters beginning at the southern point of Fruit Island, 57°02′35″ north latitude, 135°21′07″ west longitude as shown on United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Chart No. 8244, May 21, 1941; from the point of beginning, by metes and bounds; S 58° W, 2,500 feet, to the southern point of Nepovorotni Rocks; S 83° W, 5,600 feet, on a line passing through the southern point of a small island lying about 150 feet south of Makhnati Island; N 6° W, 4,200 feet, on a line passing through the western point of a small island lying about 150 feet west of Makhnati Island, to the northwestern point of Signal Island; N 24° E, 3,000 feet, to a point, 57°03′15″ north latitude, 134°23′07″ west longitude; East, 2,900 feet, to a point in course No. 45 in meanders of U.S. Survey No. 1496, on west side of Japonski Island; southeasterly, with the meanders of Japonski Island, U.S. Survey No. 1,496 to angle point No. 35, on the southwestern point of Japonski Island; S 60° E, 3,300 feet, along the boundary line of Naval reservation described in Executive Order No. 8216, July 25, 1939, to the point of beginning, and that part of Sitka Bay lying south of Japonski Island and west of the main channel, but not including Aleutski Island as revoked in Public Land Order 925, October 27, 1953, described by metes and bounds as follows: Beginning at the southeast point of Japonski Island at angle point No. 7 of the meanders of U.S. Survey No. 1496; thence east approximately 12.00 chains to the center of the main channel; thence S 45° E. along the main channel approximately 20.00 chains; thence S 45° W, approximately 9.00 chains to the southeastern point of Aleutski Island; thence S 79° W, approximately 40.00 chains to the southern point of Fruit Island; thence N 60° W, approximately 50.00 chains to the southwestern point of Japonski Island at angle point No. 35 of U.S. Survey No. 1496; thence easterly with the meanders of Japonski Island to the point of beginning including Charcoal, Harbor, Alice, Love, and Fruit islands and a number of smaller unnamed islands.

(ii) Tongass National Forest:

(c) The regulations contained in this part apply on all public lands, excluding marine waters, but including all inland waters, both navigable and non-navigable, within and adjacent to the exterior boundaries of the following areas:

(1) Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge;

(2) Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve;

(3) Becharof National Wildlife Refuge;

(4) Bering Land Bridge National Preserve;

(5) Cape Krusenstern National Monument;

(6) Chugach National Forest;

(7) Denali National Preserve and the 1980 additions to Denali National Park;

(8) Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve;

(9) Glacier Bay National Preserve;

(10) Innoko National Wildlife Refuge;

(11) Izembek National Wildlife Refuge;

(12) Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge;

(13) Katmai National Preserve;

(14) Kenai National Wildlife Refuge;

(15) Kobuk Valley National Park;

(16) Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge;

(17) Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge;

(18) Lake Clark National Park and Preserve;

(19) Noatak National Preserve;

(20) Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge;

(21) Selawik National Wildlife Refuge;

(22) Steese National Conservation Area;

(23) Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge;

(24) Togiak National Wildlife Refuge;

(25) Tongass National Forest, including Admiralty Island National Monument and Misty Fjords National Monument;

(26) White Mountain National Recreation Area;

(27) Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve;

(28) Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve;

(29) Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge;

(30) All components of the Wild and Scenic River System located outside the boundaries of National Parks, National Preserves, or National Wildlife Refuges, including segments of the Alagnak River, Beaver Creek, Birch Creek, Delta River, Fortymile River, Gulkana River, and Unalakleet River.

(d) The regulations contained in this part apply on all other public lands, other than to the military, U.S. Coast Guard, and Federal Aviation Administration lands that are closed to access by the general public, including all non-navigable waters located on these lands.

(e) The public lands described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section remain subject to change through rulemaking pending a Department of the Interior review of title and jurisdictional issues regarding certain submerged lands beneath navigable waters in Alaska.

The following definitions apply to all regulations contained in this part:

Agency means a subunit of a cabinet-level Department of the Federal Government having land management authority over the public lands including, but not limited to, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and USDA Forest Service.

ANILCA means the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Public Law 96-487, 94 Stat. 2371, (codified, as amended, in scattered sections of 16 U.S.C. and 43 U.S.C.)

Area, District, Subdistrict, and Section mean one of the geographical areas defined in the codified Alaska Department of Fish and Game regulations found in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code.

Barter means the exchange of fish or wildlife or their parts taken for subsistence uses; for other fish, wildlife or their parts; or, for other food or for nonedible items other than money, if the exchange is of a limited and noncommercial nature.

Board means the Federal Subsistence Board as described in § 242.10.

Commissions means the Subsistence Resource Commissions established pursuant to section 808 of ANILCA.

Conservation of healthy populations of fish and wildlife means the maintenance of fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in a condition that assures stable and continuing natural populations and species mix of plants and animals in relation to their ecosystem, including the recognition that local rural residents engaged in subsistence uses may be a natural part of that ecosystem; minimizes the likelihood of irreversible or long-term adverse effects upon such populations and species; ensures the maximum practicable diversity of options for the future; and recognizes that the policies and legal authorities of the managing agencies will determine the nature and degree of management programs affecting ecological relationships, population dynamics, and the manipulation of the components of the ecosystem.

Customary trade means exchange for cash of fish and wildlife resources regulated in this part, not otherwise prohibited by Federal law or regulation, to support personal and family needs; and does not include trade which constitutes a significant commercial enterprise.

Customary and traditional use means a long-established, consistent pattern of use, incorporating beliefs and customs which have been transmitted from generation to generation. This use plays an important role in the economy of the community.

FACA means the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 86 Stat. 770 (codified as amended, at 5 U.S.C. Appendix II, 1-15).

Family means all persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption or any other person living within the household on a permanent basis.

Federal Advisory Committees or Federal Advisory Committee means the Federal Local Advisory Committees as described in § 242.12.

Federal lands means lands and waters and interests therein the title to which is in the United States, including navigable and non-navigable waters in which the United States has reserved water rights.

Fish and wildlife means any member of the animal kingdom, including without limitation any mammal, fish, bird (including any migratory, nonmigratory, or endangered bird for which protection is also afforded by treaty or other international agreement), amphibian, reptile, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod, or other invertebrate, and includes any part, product, egg, or offspring thereof, or the carcass or part thereof.

Game Management Unit or GMU means one of the 26 geographical areas listed under game management units in the codified State of Alaska hunting and trapping regulations and the Game Unit Maps of Alaska.

Inland Waters means, for the purposes of this part, those waters located landward of the mean high tide line or the waters located upstream of the straight line drawn from headland to headland across the mouths of rivers or other waters as they flow into the sea. Inland waters include, but are not limited to, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, streams, and rivers.

Marine Waters means, for the purposes of this part, those waters located seaward of the mean high tide line or the waters located seaward of the straight line drawn from headland to headland across the mouths of rivers or other waters as they flow into the sea.

Person means an individual and does not include a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business, trust, or society.

Public lands or public land means:

(1) Lands situated in Alaska which are Federal lands, except—

(i) Land selections of the State of Alaska which have been tentatively approved or validly selected under the Alaska Statehood Act and lands which have been confirmed to, validly selected by, or granted to the Territory of Alaska or the State under any other provision of Federal law;

(ii) Land selections of a Native Corporation made under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq., which have not been conveyed to a Native Corporation, unless any such selection is determined to be invalid or is relinquished; and

(iii) Lands referred to in section 19(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 43 U.S.C. 1618(b).

(2) Notwithstanding the exceptions in paragraphs (1)(i) through (iii) of this definition, until conveyed or interim conveyed, all Federal lands within the boundaries of any unit of the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, National Wild and Scenic Rivers Systems, National Forest Monument, National Recreation Area, National Conservation Area, new National forest or forest addition shall be treated as public lands for the purposes of the regulations in this part pursuant to section 906(o)(2) of ANILCA.

Regional Councils or Regional Council means the Regional Advisory Councils as described in § 242.11.

Reserved water right(s) means the Federal right to use unappropriated appurtenant water necessary to accomplish the purposes for which a Federal reservation was established. Reserved water rights include nonconsumptive and consumptive uses.

Resident means any person who has his or her primary, permanent home for the previous 12 months within Alaska and whenever absent from this primary, permanent home, has the intention of returning to it. Factors demonstrating the location of a person's primary, permanent home may include, but are not limited to: the address listed on an Alaska Permanent Fund dividend application; an Alaska license to drive, hunt, fish, or engage in an activity regulated by a government entity; affidavit of person or persons who know the individual; voter registration; location of residences owned, rented, or leased; location of stored household goods; residence of spouse, minor children, or dependents; tax documents; or whether the person claims residence in another location for any purpose.

Rural means any community or area of Alaska determined by the Board to qualify as such under the process described in § 242.15.

Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, except that in reference to matters related to any unit of the National Forest System, such term means the Secretary of Agriculture.

State means the State of Alaska.

Subsistence uses means the customary and traditional uses by rural Alaska residents of wild, renewable resources for direct personal or family consumption as food, shelter, fuel, clothing, tools, or transportation; for the making and selling of handicraft articles out of nonedible byproducts of fish and wildlife resources taken for personal or family consumption; for barter, or sharing for personal or family consumption; and for customary trade.

Take or taking as used with respect to fish or wildlife, means to pursue, hunt, shoot, trap, net, capture, collect, kill, harm, or attempt to engage in any such conduct.

Year means calendar year unless another year is specified.

(a) You may take fish and wildlife on public lands for subsistence uses only if you are an Alaska resident of a rural area or rural community. The regulations in this part may further limit your qualifications to harvest fish or wildlife resources for subsistence uses. If you are not an Alaska resident or are a resident of a non-rural area or community listed in § 242.23, you may not take fish or wildlife on public lands for subsistence uses under the regulations in this part.

(b) Where the Board has made a customary and traditional use determination regarding subsistence use of a specific fish stock or wildlife population, in accordance with, and as listed in, § 242.24, only those Alaskans who are residents of rural areas or communities designated by the Board are eligible for subsistence taking of that population or stock on public lands for subsistence uses under the regulations in this part. If you do not live in one of those areas or communities, you may not take fish or wildlife from that population or stock, on public lands under the regulations in this part.

(c) Where customary and traditional use determinations for a fish stock or wildlife population within a specific area have not yet been made by the Board (e.g., “no determination”), all Alaskans who are residents of rural areas or communities may harvest for subsistence from that stock or population under the regulations in this part.

(d) The National Park Service may regulate further the eligibility of those individuals qualified to engage in subsistence uses on National Park Service lands in accordance with specific authority in ANILCA, and National Park Service regulations at 36 CFR Part 13.

(a) If you wish to take fish and wildlife on public lands for subsistence uses, you must be an eligible rural Alaska resident and:

(1) Possess the pertinent valid Alaska resident hunting and trapping licenses (no license required to take fish or shellfish, but you must be an Alaska resident) unless Federal licenses are required or unless otherwise provided for in subpart D of this part;

(2) Possess and comply with the provisions of any pertinent Federal permits (Federal Subsistence Registration Permit or Federal Designated Harvester Permit) required by subpart D of this part; and

(3) Possess and comply with the provisions of any pertinent permits, harvest tickets, or tags required by the State unless any of these documents or individual provisions in them are superseded by the requirements in subpart D of this part.

(b) In order to receive a Federal Subsistence Registration Permit or Federal Designated Harvester Permit or designate someone to harvest fish or wildlife for you under a Federal Designated Harvester Permit, you must be old enough to reasonably harvest that species yourself (or under the guidance of an adult).

(c) If you have been awarded a permit to take fish and wildlife, you must have that permit in your possession during the taking and must comply with all requirements of the permit and the regulations in this section pertaining to validation and reporting and to regulations in subpart D of this part pertaining to methods and means, possession and transportation, and utilization. Upon the request of a State or Federal law enforcement agent, you must also produce any licenses, permits, harvest tickets, tags, or other documents required by this section. If you are engaged in taking fish and wildlife under the regulations in this part, you must allow State or Federal law enforcement agents to inspect any apparatus designed to be used, or capable of being used to take fish or wildlife, or any fish or wildlife in your possession.

(d) You must validate the harvest tickets, tags, permits, or other required documents before removing your kill from the harvest site. You must also comply with all reporting provisions as set forth in subpart D of this part.

(e) If you take fish and wildlife under a community harvest system, you must report the harvest activity in accordance with regulations specified for that community in subpart D of this part, and as required by any applicable permit conditions. Individuals may be responsible for particular reporting requirements in the conditions permitting a specific community's harvest. Failure to comply with these conditions is a violation of the regulations in this part. Community harvests are reviewed annually under the regulations in subpart D of this part.

(f) You may not make a fraudulent application for Federal or State licenses, permits, harvest tickets or tags or intentionally file an incorrect harvest report.

(a) You may not use fish or wildlife or their parts, taken pursuant to the regulations in this part, unless provided for in this part.

(b) You may not exchange in customary trade or sell fish or wildlife or their parts, taken pursuant to the regulations in this part, unless provided for in this part.

(c) You may barter fish or wildlife or their parts, taken pursuant to the regulations in this part, unless restricted in §§ 242.25, 242.26, 242.27, or 242.28.

If you are convicted of violating any provision of 50 CFR Part 100 or 36 CFR Part 242, you may be punished by a fine or by imprisonment in accordance with the penalty provisions applicable to the public land where the violation occurred.

(a) The rules in this part contain information collection requirements subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval under 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. They apply to fish and wildlife harvest activities on public lands in Alaska. Subsistence users will not be required to respond to an information collection request unless a valid OMB number is displayed on the information collection form.

(1) Section 242.6, Licenses, permits, harvest tickets, tags, and reports. The information collection requirements contained in § 242.6 (Federal Subsistence Registration Permit or Federal Designated Harvester Permit forms) provide for permit-specific subsistence activities not authorized through the general adoption of State regulations. Identity and location of residence are required to determine if you are eligible for a permit and a report of success is required after a harvest attempt. These requirements are not duplicative with the requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section. The regulations in § 242.6 require this information before a rural Alaska resident may engage in subsistence uses on public lands. The Department estimates that the average time necessary to obtain and comply with this permit information collection requirement is 0.25 hours.

(2) Section 242.20, Request for reconsideration. The information collection requirements contained in § 242.20 provide a standardized process to allow individuals the opportunity to appeal decisions of the Board. Submission of a request for reconsideration is voluntary but required to receive a final review by the Board. We estimate that a request for reconsideration will take 4 hours to prepare and submit.

(3) The remaining information collection requirements contained in this part imposed upon subsistence users are those adopted from State regulations. These collection requirements would exist in the absence of Federal subsistence regulations and are not subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The burden in this situation is negligible, and information gained from these reports is systematically available to Federal managers by routine computer access requiring less than 1 hour.

(b) You may direct comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of the burden estimate to: Information Collection Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., MS 222 ARLSQ, Washington, D.C. 20240; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (Subsistence), Washington, D.C. 20503. Additional information requirements may be imposed if Local Advisory Committees or additional Regional Councils, subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), are established under subpart B of this part. Such requirements will be submitted to OMB for approval prior to their implementation.