(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.

[75 FR 63092, Oct. 14, 2010]