Final rules for subsistence harvest of migratory birds in Alaska

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is finalizing regulations that allow certain Indigenous communities in Alaska to hunt migratory birds and collect eggs during the spring and summer. These changes update existing rules for the Upper Copper River/Ahtna Territory region, adjusting when harvesting can occur to better align with local nesting cycles.

Why it matters: This action updates specific seasonal dates and regional definitions for who can harvest which birds when in parts of Alaska. It is a routine regulatory adjustment based on local input rather than a major policy shift. The main impact is ensuring that subsistence hunters in the Upper Copper River/Ahtna Territory have clear, legally defined windows to harvest birds without violating federal law.

Who it affects

• Residents of eligible communities in the Upper Copper River/Ahtna Territory region of Alaska

---

This information comes from a final rule published by the Interior Department’s Fish and Wildlife Service in the Federal Register; you should check the original document for full regulatory text before relying on it.

Agency: Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service
Source: Federal Register — read the official document