(a) Authority. The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture hereby establish a Federal Subsistence Board (Board) and delegate to it the authority for administering the subsistence taking and uses of fish and wildlife on public lands and the related promulgation and signature authority for regulations of subparts C and D of this part. The Secretaries retain their existing authority to restrict or eliminate hunting, fishing, or trapping activities that occur on lands or waters in Alaska other than public lands when such activities interfere with subsistence hunting, fishing, or trapping on the public lands to such an extent as to result in a failure to provide the subsistence priority. The Secretaries also retain the ultimate responsibility for compliance with title VIII of ANILCA and other applicable laws and maintain oversight of the Board.

(b) Membership. (1) The voting members of the Board are: A Chair who possesses personal knowledge of and direct experience with subsistence uses in rural Alaska to be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior with the concurrence of the Secretary of Agriculture; five public members who possess personal knowledge of and direct experience with subsistence uses in rural Alaska, three of whom shall be nominated or recommended by federally recognized Tribal governments in Alaska and shall possess personal knowledge of and direct experience with subsistence uses in rural Alaska (including Alaska Native subsistence uses), to be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior with the concurrence of the Secretary of Agriculture; the Alaska Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Alaska Regional Director, National Park Service; the Alaska Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service; the Alaska State Director, Bureau of Land Management; and the Alaska Regional Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs. Each Federal agency member of the Board may appoint a designee.

(2) Public Board members serve at the will of the Secretaries. The Secretaries maintain their authorities for replacement of Federal agency members, public Board members, or any designees.

(c) Liaisons to the Board are: a State liaison, and the Chairman of each Regional Council. The State liaison and the Chairman of each Regional Council may attend public sessions of all Board meetings and be actively involved as consultants to the Board.

(d) Powers and duties. (1) The Board shall meet at least twice per year and at such other times as deemed necessary. Meetings shall occur at the call of the Chair, but any member may request a meeting.

(2) A quorum consists of five members when the total number of Board members is nine or fewer and six members when the total number of Board members is 10 or higher.

(3) No action may be taken unless a majority of voting members are in agreement.

(4) The Board is empowered, to the extent necessary, to implement Title VIII of ANILCA, to:

(i) Issue regulations for the management of subsistence taking and uses of fish and wildlife on public lands;

(ii) Determine which communities or areas of the State are rural or non-rural;

(iii) Determine which rural Alaska areas or communities have customary and traditional subsistence uses of specific fish and wildlife populations;

(iv) Allocate subsistence uses of fish and wildlife populations on public lands;

(v) Ensure that the taking on public lands of fish and wildlife for nonwasteful subsistence uses shall be accorded priority over the taking on such lands of fish and wildlife for other purposes;

(vi) Restrict the taking of fish and wildlife on public lands for nonsubsistence uses or close public lands to the take of fish and wildlife for nonsubsistence uses when necessary for the conservation of healthy populations of fish or wildlife, to continue subsistence uses of fish or wildlife, or for reasons of public safety or administration. The Board may also reopen public lands to nonsubsistence uses if new information or changed conditions indicate that the closure is no longer warranted;

(vii) Restrict the taking of a particular fish or wildlife population on public lands for subsistence uses, close public lands to the take of fish and wildlife for subsistence uses, or otherwise modify the requirements for take from a particular fish or wildlife population on public lands for subsistence uses when necessary to ensure the continued viability of a fish or wildlife population, or for reasons of public safety or administration. As soon as conditions warrant, the Board may also reopen public lands to the taking of a fish and wildlife population for subsistence users to continue those uses;

(viii) Establish priorities for the subsistence taking of fish and wildlife on public lands among rural Alaska residents;

(ix) Restrict or eliminate taking of fish and wildlife on public lands;

(x) Determine what types and forms of trade of fish and wildlife taken for subsistence uses constitute allowable customary trade;

(xi) Authorize the Regional Councils to convene;

(xii) Establish a Regional Council in each subsistence resource region and recommend to the Secretaries, appointees to the Regional Councils, pursuant to the FACA;

(xiii) Establish Federal Advisory Committees within the subsistence resource regions, if necessary, and recommend to the Secretaries that members of the Federal Advisory Committees be appointed from the group of individuals nominated by rural Alaska residents;

(xiv) Establish rules and procedures for the operation of the Board, and the Regional Councils;

(xv) Review and respond to proposals for regulations, management plans, policies, and other matters related to subsistence taking and uses of fish and wildlife;

(xvi) Enter into cooperative agreements or otherwise cooperate with Federal agencies, the State, Native organizations, local governmental entities, and other persons and organizations, including international entities to effectuate the purposes and policies of the Federal subsistence management program;

(xvii) Develop alternative permitting processes relating to the subsistence taking of fish and wildlife to ensure continued opportunities for subsistence;

(xviii) Evaluate whether hunting, fishing, or trapping activities which occur on lands or waters in Alaska other than public lands interfere with subsistence hunting, fishing, or trapping on the public lands to such an extent as to result in a failure to provide the subsistence priority, and after appropriate consultation with the State of Alaska, the Regional Councils, and other Federal agencies, make a recommendation to the Secretaries for their action;

(xix) Identify, in appropriate specific instances, whether there exists additional Federal reservations, Federal reserved water rights or other Federal interests in lands or waters, including those in which the United States holds less than a fee ownership, to which the Federal subsistence priority attaches, and make appropriate recommendation to the Secretaries for inclusion of those interests within the Federal Subsistence Management Program; and

(xx) Take other actions authorized by the Secretaries to implement Title VIII of ANILCA.

(5) The Board may implement one or more of the following harvest and harvest reporting or permit systems:

(i) The fish and wildlife is taken by an individual who is required to obtain and possess pertinent State harvest permits, tickets, or tags, or Federal permit (Federal Subsistence Registration Permit);

(ii) A qualified subsistence user may designate another qualified subsistence user (by using the Federal Designated Harvester Permit) to take fish and wildlife on his or her behalf;

(iii) The fish and wildlife is taken by individuals or community representatives permitted (via a Federal Subsistence Registration Permit) a one-time or annual harvest for special purposes including ceremonies and potlatches; or

(iv) The fish and wildlife is taken by representatives of a community permitted to do so in a manner consistent with the community's customary and traditional practices.

(6) The Board may delegate to agency field officials the authority to set harvest and possession limits, define harvest areas, specify methods or means of harvest, specify permit requirements, and open or close specific fish or wildlife harvest seasons within frameworks established by the Board.

(7) The Board shall establish a Staff Committee for analytical and administrative assistance composed of members from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and USDA Forest Service. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service representative shall serve as Chair of the Staff Committee.

(8) The Board may establish and dissolve additional committees as necessary for assistance.

(9) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shall provide appropriate administrative support for the Board.

(10) The Board shall authorize at least two meetings per year for each Regional Council.

(11) The Secretary of the Interior, or the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to a unit of the National Forest System, retains authority to (at any time) stay, modify, or disapprove any action taken by the Board.

(12) Special actions of the Board are not effective unless ratified by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to a unit of the National Forest System. To allow an opportunity for the Secretaries to modify, disapprove, stay, or expressly ratify any emergency or temporary special action taken by the Board, such Board actions generally will not become effective until 10 calendar days after the date of the action (or any longer period specified by the Board when taking the action), unless the Board determines that the situation calls for responsive action within a shorter period of time. If no action is taken by the Secretary to modify, disapprove, stay, or expressly ratify within 10 days (or the longer or shorter period specified by the Board), the emergency or temporary special action will be deemed automatically ratified for purposes of this subpart. The Secretaries may revisit a prior ratification (express or automatic) of a Board action at any time. For other Board actions (i.e., actions that follow the regular adoption process in § 242.18), the Secretaries retain, and will exercise when appropriate, their authority to modify or disapprove actions prior to publication in the Federal Register, as is the current practice.

(13) For Board actions such as cyclic regulation revisions, customary and traditional use determinations, subsistence resource regions, rural determinations, and requests for reconsideration, when the Secretaries deem appropriate, they will exercise their authority to modify or disapprove the actions prior to publication of the actions in the Federal Register. The Board's special actions, both emergency and temporary, are often based on time-sensitive harvest opportunities for rural Alaskans or critical conservation concerns for a species and are valid upon decision by the Board. However, the Secretaries may at any time rescind, modify, disapprove, or stay a special action by the Board.

(14) The Secretaries may establish term limits for service of Board members in such circumstances as the Secretaries deem appropriate.

(e) Relationship to Regional Councils. (1) The Board shall consider the reports and recommendations of the Regional Councils concerning the taking of fish and wildlife on public lands within their respective regions for subsistence uses. The Board may choose not to follow any Regional Council recommendation which it determines is not supported by substantial evidence, violates recognized principles of fish and wildlife conservation, would be detrimental to the satisfaction of subsistence needs, or in closure situations, for reasons of public safety or administration or to assure the continued viability of a particular fish or wildlife population. If a recommendation is not adopted, the Board shall set forth the factual basis and the reasons for the decision, in writing, in a timely fashion.

(2) The Board shall provide available and appropriate technical assistance to the Regional Councils.

(a) The Board shall establish a Regional Council for each subsistence resource region to participate in the Federal subsistence management program. The Regional Councils shall be established, and conduct their activities, in accordance with the FACA. The Regional Councils shall provide a regional forum for the collection and expression of opinions and recommendations on matters related to subsistence taking and uses of fish and wildlife resources on public lands. The Regional Councils shall provide for public participation in the Federal regulatory process.

(b) Establishment of Regional Councils; membership. (1) The Secretaries, based on Board recommendation, will establish the number of members for each Regional Council. To ensure that each Council represents a diversity of interests, the Board will strive to ensure that 70 percent of the members represent subsistence interests within a region and 30 percent of the members represent commercial and sport interests within a region. The portion of membership that represents the commercial and sport interests shall include, where possible, at least one representative from the sport community and one representative from the commercial community. A Regional Council member must be a resident of the region in which he or she is appointed and must be knowledgeable about the region and subsistence uses of the public lands therein. The Board will accept nominations and make recommendations to the Secretaries for membership on the Regional Councils. In making their recommendations, the Board will identify the interest(s) the applicants propose to represent on the respective Regional Councils. The Secretary of the Interior with the concurrence of the Secretary of Agriculture will make the appointments to the Regional Councils.

(2) Regional Council members shall serve 3-year terms and may be reappointed. Initial members shall be appointed with staggered terms up to 3 years.

(3) The Chair of each Regional Council shall be elected by the applicable Regional Council, from its membership, for a 1-year term and may be reelected.

(c) Powers and Duties. (1) The Regional Councils are authorized to:

(i) Hold public meetings related to subsistence uses of fish and wildlife within their respective regions, after the Chair of the Board or the designated Federal Coordinator has called the meeting and approved the meeting agenda;

(ii) Elect officers;

(iii) Review, evaluate, and make recommendations to the Board on proposals for regulations, policies, management plans, and other matters relating to the subsistence take of fish and wildlife under the regulations in this part within the region;

(iv) Provide a forum for the expression of opinions and recommendations by persons interested in any matter related to the subsistence uses of fish and wildlife within the region;

(v) Encourage local and regional participation, pursuant to the provisions of the regulations in this part in the decisionmaking process affecting the taking of fish and wildlife on the public lands within the region for subsistence uses;

(vi) Prepare and submit to the Board an annual report containing—

(A) An identification of current and anticipated subsistence uses of fish and wildlife populations within the region;

(B) An evaluation of current and anticipated subsistence needs for fish and wildlife populations from the public lands within the region;

(C) A recommended strategy for the management of fish and wildlife populations within the region to accommodate such subsistence uses and needs related to the public lands; and

(D) Recommendations concerning policies, standards, guidelines, and regulations to implement the strategy;

(vii) Appoint members to each Subsistence Resource Commission within their region in accordance with the requirements of Section 808 of ANILCA;

(viii) Make recommendations on determinations of customary and traditional use of subsistence resources;

(ix) Make recommendations on determinations of rural status;

(x) Make recommendations regarding the allocation of subsistence uses among rural Alaska residents pursuant to § 242.17;

(xi) Develop proposals pertaining to the subsistence taking and use of fish and wildlife under the regulations in this part, and review and evaluate such proposals submitted by other sources;

(xii) Provide recommendations on the establishment and membership of Federal Advisory Committees.

(2) The Regional Councils shall:

(i) Operate in conformance with the provisions of FACA and comply with rules of operation established by the Board;

(ii) Perform other duties specified by the Board.

(3) The Regional Council recommendations to the Board should be supported by substantial evidence, be consistent with recognized principles of fish and wildlife conservation, and not be detrimental to the satisfaction of subsistence needs.

(a) The Board shall establish such local Federal Advisory Committees within each region as necessary at such time that it is determined, after notice and hearing and consultation with the State, that the existing State fish and game advisory committees do not adequately provide advice to, and assist, the particular Regional Council in carrying out its function as set forth in § 242.11.

(b) Local Federal Advisory Committees, if established by the Board, shall operate in conformance with the provisions of the FACA, and comply with rules of operation established by the Board.

(a) General. (1) The Board, in making decisions or recommendations, shall consider and ensure compliance with specific statutory requirements regarding the management of resources on public lands, recognizing that the management policies applicable to some public lands may entail methods of resource and habitat management and protection different from methods appropriate for other public lands.

(2) The Board shall issue regulations for subsistence taking of fish and wildlife on public lands. The Board is the final administrative authority on the promulgation of subparts C and D regulations relating to the subsistence taking of fish and wildlife on public lands.

(3) Nothing in the regulations in this part shall enlarge or diminish the authority of any agency to issue regulations necessary for the proper management of public lands under their jurisdiction in accordance with ANILCA and other existing laws.

(b) Section 808 of ANILCA establishes National Park and Park Monument Subsistence Resource Commissions. Nothing in the regulations in this part affects the duties or authorities of these commissions.

(a) State fish and game regulations apply to public lands and such laws are hereby adopted and made a part of the regulations in this part to the extent they are not inconsistent with, or superseded by, the regulations in this part.

(b) The Board may close public lands to hunting, trapping, or fishing, or take actions to restrict the taking of fish and wildlife when necessary to conserve healthy populations of fish and wildlife, continue subsistence uses of such populations, or pursuant to other applicable Federal law. The Board may review and adopt State openings, closures, or restrictions which serve to achieve the objectives of the regulations in this part.

(c) The Board may enter into agreements with the State in order to coordinate respective management responsibilities.

(d) Petition for repeal of subsistence rules and regulations. (1) The State of Alaska may petition the Secretaries for repeal of the subsistence rules and regulations in this part when the State has enacted and implemented subsistence management and use laws which:

(i) Are consistent with sections 803, 804, and 805 of ANILCA; and

(ii) Provide for the subsistence definition, preference, and participation specified in sections 803, 804, and 805 of ANILCA.

(2) The State's petition shall:

(i) Be submitted to the Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. 20240, and the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20240;

(ii) Include the entire text of applicable State legislation indicating compliance with sections 803, 804, and 805 of ANILCA; and

(iii) Set forth all data and arguments available to the State in support of legislative compliance with sections 803, 804, and 805 of ANILCA.

(3) If the Secretaries find that the State's petition contains adequate justification, a rulemaking proceeding for repeal of the regulations in this part will be initiated. If the Secretaries find that the State's petition does not contain adequate justification, the petition will be denied by letter or other notice, with a statement of the ground for denial.

(a) The Board determines which areas or communities in Alaska are nonrural. Current determinations are listed at § 242.23.

(b) All other communities and areas are, therefore, rural.

(a) The Board shall determine which fish stocks and wildlife populations have been customarily and traditionally used for subsistence. These determinations shall identify the specific community's or area's use of specific fish stocks and wildlife populations. For areas managed by the National Park Service, where subsistence uses are allowed, the determinations may be made on an individual basis.

(b) A community or area shall generally exhibit the following factors, which exemplify customary and traditional use. The Board shall make customary and traditional use determinations based on application of the following factors:

(1) A long-term consistent pattern of use, excluding interruptions beyond the control of the community or area;

(2) A pattern of use recurring in specific seasons for many years;

(3) A pattern of use consisting of methods and means of harvest which are characterized by efficiency and economy of effort and cost, conditioned by local characteristics;

(4) The consistent harvest and use of fish or wildlife as related to past methods and means of taking; near, or reasonably accessible from, the community or area;

(5) A means of handling, preparing, preserving, and storing fish or wildlife which has been traditionally used by past generations, including consideration of alteration of past practices due to recent technological advances, where appropriate;

(6) A pattern of use which includes the handing down of knowledge of fishing and hunting skills, values, and lore from generation to generation;

(7) A pattern of use in which the harvest is shared or distributed within a definable community of persons; and

(8) A pattern of use which relates to reliance upon a wide diversity of fish and wildlife resources of the area and which provides substantial cultural, economic, social, and nutritional elements to the community or area.

(c) The Board shall take into consideration the reports and recommendations of any appropriate Regional Council regarding customary and traditional uses of subsistence resources.

(d) Current determinations are listed in § 242.24.

(a) Whenever it is necessary to restrict the subsistence taking of fish and wildlife on public lands in order to protect the continued viability of such populations, or to continue subsistence uses, the Board shall establish a priority among the rural Alaska residents after considering any recommendation submitted by an appropriate Regional Council.

(b) The priority shall be implemented through appropriate limitations based on the application of the following criteria to each area, community, or individual determined to have customary and traditional use, as necessary:

(1) Customary and direct dependence upon the populations as the mainstay of livelihood;

(2) Local residency; and

(3) The availability of alternative resources.

(c) If allocation on an area or community basis is not achievable, then the Board shall allocate subsistence opportunity on an individual basis through application of the criteria in paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section.

(d) In addressing a situation where prioritized allocation becomes necessary, the Board shall solicit recommendations from the Regional Council in the area affected.

(a) The Board will accept proposals for changes to the Federal subsistence regulations in subparts C or D of this part according to a published schedule, except for proposals for emergency and temporary special actions, which the Board will accept according to procedures set forth in § 242.19. The Board may establish a rotating schedule for accepting proposals on various sections of subpart C or subpart D regulations over a period of years. The Board will develop and publish proposed regulations in the Federal Register, publish notice in local newspapers, and distribute comments on the proposed regulations in the form of proposals for public review.

(1) Proposals shall be made available for at least a thirty (30) day review by the Regional Councils. Regional Councils shall forward their recommendations on proposals to the Board. Such proposals with recommendations may be submitted in the time period as specified by the Board or as a part of the Regional Council's annual report described in § 242.11, whichever is earlier.

(2) The Board shall publish notice throughout Alaska of the availability of proposals received.

(3) The public shall have at least thirty (30) days to review and comment on proposals.

(4) After the comment period the Board shall meet to receive public testimony and consider the proposals. The Board shall consider traditional use patterns when establishing harvest levels and seasons, and methods and means. The Board may choose not to follow any recommendation which the Board determines is not supported by substantial evidence, violates recognized principles of fish and wildlife conservation, or would be detrimental to the satisfaction of subsistence needs. If a recommendation approved by a Regional Council is not adopted by the Board, the Board shall set forth the factual basis and the reasons for its decision in writing to the Regional Council.

(5) Following consideration of the proposals the Board shall publish final regulations pertaining to subparts C and D of this part in the Federal Register.

(b) Proposals for changes to subparts A and B of this part shall be accepted by the Secretary of the Interior in accordance with 43 CFR part 14.

(a) Emergency special actions. In an emergency situation, if necessary to ensure the continued viability of a fish or wildlife population, to continue subsistence uses of fish or wildlife, or for public safety reasons, the Board may immediately open or close public lands for the taking of fish and wildlife for subsistence uses, or modify the requirements for take for subsistence uses, or close public lands to take for nonsubsistence uses of fish and wildlife, or restrict the requirements for take for nonsubsistence uses.

(1) If the timing of a regularly scheduled meeting of the affected Regional Council so permits without incurring undue delay, the Board may seek Council recommendations on the proposed emergency special action. Such a Council recommendation, if any, will be subject to the requirements of § 242.18(a)(4).

(2) The emergency action will be effective when directed by the Board, may not exceed 60 days, and may not be extended unless the procedures for adoption of a temporary special action, as set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, have been followed.

(b) Temporary special actions. After adequate notice and public hearing, the Board may temporarily close or open public lands for the taking of fish and wildlife for subsistence uses, or modify the requirements for subsistence take, or close public lands for the taking of fish and wildlife for nonsubsistence uses, or restrict take for nonsubsistence uses.

(1) The Board may make such temporary changes only after it determines that the proposed temporary change will not interfere with the conservation of healthy fish and wildlife populations, will not be detrimental to the long-term subsistence use of fish or wildlife resources, and is not an unnecessary restriction on nonsubsistence users. The Board may also reopen public lands to nonsubsistence uses if new information or changed conditions indicate that the closure is no longer warranted.

(i) Prior to implementing a temporary special action, the Board will consult with the State of Alaska and the Chairs of the Regional Councils of the affected regions.

(ii) If the timing of a regularly scheduled meeting of the affected Regional Council so permits without incurring undue delay, the Board will seek Council recommendations on the proposed temporary special action. Such Council recommendations, if any, will be subject to the requirements of § 242.18(a)(4).

(2) The length of any temporary action will be confined to the minimum time period or harvest limit determined by the Board to be necessary under the circumstances. In any event, a temporary opening or closure will not extend longer than the end of the current regulatory cycle.

(c) The Board may reject a request for either an emergency or a temporary special action if the Board concludes that there are no time-sensitive circumstances necessitating a regulatory change before the next regular proposal cycle. However, a special action request that has been rejected for this reason may be deferred, if appropriate and after consultation with the proponent, for consideration during the next regular proposal cycle. The Board will consider changes to customary and traditional use determinations in subpart C of this part only during the regular proposal cycle.

(d) The Board will provide notice of all regulatory changes adopted via special action by posting the change on the Office of Subsistence Management Web site (http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/index.cfml). When appropriate, notice may also include distribution of press releases to newspapers, local radio stations, and local contacts, as well as direct notification to the proponent and interested parties. The Board will publish notice and reasons justifying the special action in the Federal Register as soon as practicable.

(e) The decision of the Board on any proposed special action will constitute its final administrative action.

(f) Regulations authorizing any individual agency to implement closures or restrictions on public lands managed by the agency remain unaffected by the regulations in this part.

(g) Fish and wildlife may not be taken in violation of any restriction, closure, or change authorized by the Board.

(a) Regulations in subparts C and D of this part published in the Federal Register are subject to requests for reconsideration.

(b) Any aggrieved person may file a request for reconsideration with the Board.

(c) To file a request for reconsideration, you must notify the Board in writing within sixty (60) days of the effective date or date of publication of the notice, whichever is earlier, for which reconsideration is requested.

(d) It is your responsibility to provide the Board with sufficient narrative evidence and argument to show why the action by the Board should be reconsidered. The Board will accept a request for reconsideration only if it is based upon information not previously considered by the Board, demonstrates that the existing information used by the Board is incorrect, or demonstrates that the Board's interpretation of information, applicable law, or regulation is in error or contrary to existing law. You must include the following information in your request for reconsideration:

(1) Your name, and mailing address;

(2) The action which you request be reconsidered and the date of Federal Register publication of that action;

(3) A detailed statement of how you are adversely affected by the action;

(4) A detailed statement of the facts of the dispute, the issues raised by the request, and specific references to any law, regulation, or policy that you believe to be violated and your reason for such allegation;

(5) A statement of how you would like the action changed.

(e) Upon receipt of a request for reconsideration, the Board shall transmit a copy of such request to any appropriate Regional Council and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) for review and recommendation. The Board shall consider any Regional Council and ADFG recommendations in making a final decision.

(f) If the request is justified, the Board shall implement a final decision on a request for reconsideration after compliance with 5 U.S.C. 551-559 (APA).

(g) If the request is denied, the decision of the Board represents the final administrative action.