Arizona: Comments Sought on Reptile, Raptor, Amphibian and Mollusk Regulations

PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking public comments on draft 2009-2010 regulations for reptiles, raptors, crustaceans and mollusks, and amphibians.

Public comment will be accepted until August 22. If warranted, public meetings on the proposed changes to these commission orders may be held in Phoenix, Tucson and/or Flagstaff. Most of the proposed changes being considered for the 2009-2010 commission orders involve raptor regulations. Highlights include: 

• Removing western screech owls from the list of legal raptors harvested due to low demand, and the inability of the species to take game animals.
• Removing adult capture of American kestrel and great horned owls to adhere to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act during the spring when these species may have young in the nest.
• Increasing season dates for raptor capture pending final publishing of the Federal falconry regulations.
• Combining the four gender-specific peregrine falcon hunts into two hunts due to the inability to accurately sex nestlings.
• Adding limitations to the harvest of nestling to adhere to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

To see the draft commission orders, visit the department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/comments.

For more information, call (623) 236-7500. To provide written comments, send correspondences to: Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, Arizona 85086, or by e-mail to: CommOrd25@azgfd.gov (Raptors); CommOrd41&43@azgfd.gov (Amphibians and Reptiles); and CommOrd42@azgfd.gov (Crustaceans and Mollusks).