Summary

GAO reviewed the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service's (FWS) new rule on migratory bird hunting regulations on certain federal Indian reservations and ceded lands for the 2009-10 early season. GAO found that (1) the rule prescribes special early season migratory bird hunting regulations for certain tribes on federal Indian reservations, off-reservation trust lands, and ceded lands. The final rule also allows the establishment of season bag limits and, thus, harvest at levels compatible with populations and habitat conditions; and (2) FWS complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.