Under the authority of: 36 CFR Part 242.10 and .19 50 CFR Part 100.10 and .19 Blue Lake, Medvejie Lake, South Katlian River and the Harbor Mountain/Indian River watersheds on Baranof Island in Unit 4 are closed to the harvest of mountain goats The
Sitka District Ranger, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is taking action to close Blue Lake, Medvejie Lake, South Katlian River and the Harbor Mountain/Indian River watersheds to the harvest of mountain goats. The closure will be
effective at 11:59 p.m., Sunday July 31, 2016 and will remain in effect through the remainder of the 2016 season which ends December 31. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has issued a concurrent closure of the same areas. Continued mountain goat
harvest in these areas would be detrimental to the long term conservation of the mountain goat population.
A public hearing to discuss the 2016 Baranof Island Mountain Goat Management Plan was held on July 28, 2016 in Sitka, Alaska. The ability to teleconference was provided so residents of other affected communities could participate. Members
of the public who attended were not opposed to conserving mountain goats on Baranof Island through closures guided by the management plan. The 2016 management plan is similar to the 2015 plan with distinct male and female guideline harvest levels by zones
on Baranof Island. As in prior seasons, nanny harvest will be more restrictive than billy harvest when applied to the point total. If and when point totals are met, special actions will be issued to close additional watersheds or zones to prevent over harvest
of mountain goats. The remainder of Baranof Island will remain open for goat hunting unless closed by future special action.
A map and description of the closed areas are available from the Sitka Ranger District Office and the Sitka area office of ADF&G. Information on Federal subsistence management special actions for the Tongass National Forest can be found
at http://www.fs.usda.gov/news/tongass/news-events. For additional information, call Subsistence Biologist Justin Koller at 907-747-4297 or email him at
jpkoller@xxxxxxxxx. Information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program can be found at
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