U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Grant: Alaska Polar Bear Co-Management

Purpose:

The purpose of this Cooperative Agreement between the Service and the Commission is to: 1) conserve polar bears in Alaska; 2) encourage co-management of polar bears by involvement of subsistence users through the Commission; 3) provide the Commission with information on polar bear population status and trends for the development of sound management practices integral to fulfilling their mission; and, 4) provide the Service with information for the monitoring of polar bear population status and trends to fulfill its species oversight responsibilities.

The proposed Agreement and specific projects will serve not only to involve subsistence users (through the Commission) in co-management activities for the subsistence use of polar bears, but also to implement Section 119 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as Amended, authorizing Marine Mammal Cooperative Agreements in Alaska; 16 U.S.C. � 1388. The Service will obtain reports and data pertaining to the implementation of specific projects identified in the Agreement. The Commission will use this information to, in part, meet its mandate in representing and advising subsistence polar bear hunters.

Objectives:

The objective of this Agreement is to ensure joint participation and direct involvement in accomplishing each project and its associated goals. The projects� goals are: 1) to maintain the organizational structure of the Alaska Nanuuq Commission; 2) to support the implementation of the U.S.-Russian Polar Bear Conservation Agreement through continued involvement in working group meetings and through development of a harvest management plan; 3) to participate in and assist with planning future meeting agendas and action items of the Joint Commission; and 4) to conduct a traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) study on polar bear habitat use.

Reason for Single Source:

(1) Continuation � The activity to be funded is necessary for the continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity. The Alaska Nanuuq Commission (ANC) was formed in 1994 to represent Alaska Native hunters concerning issues related to the conservation and subsistence uses of polar bears. The ANC consists of representatives from 15 villages from northern and western coastal Alaska. The ANC is party to the U.S./Russia Bilateral Agreement, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as government and Native counterparts in Russia.

(2) Unique Qualifications � There is no other source; the ANC is the only Alaska-wide Native organization that addresses issues that affect conservation and subsistence use of polar bears. Since this award is being paid for from funds designated by Section 119 of the MMPA, an Alaska Native Organization must be used.