Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting

Document 2026-12951 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Interior in the Federal Register on June 26, 2026, with an effective date of August 25, 2026. This direct final rule changes the administrative process for authorizing seasonal migratory game bird hunting in the United States. Migratory game bird hunting regulations are currently promulgated annually to provide opportunities for recreation and sustenance; aid Federal, State, and Tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds; and allow harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) is adopting a more efficient administrative process for authorizing seasonal migratory game bird hunting. The Service will issue a memorandum for migratory game bird hunting once every 3 years. The Service will continue to make annual decisions on harvest levels and will update the memorandum sooner than 3 years if changes are prescribed by our decision frameworks. The process eliminates the need for subsequent annual Federal regulation promulgation and rulemaking and is expected to increase efficiency; better meet State, Tribal, and Federal rulemaking constraints; and reduce the complexity and costs. Our goal is to better serve State partners and the hunting public while continuing to meet the legal and conservation purposes of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.Tribes are already authorized under a similar process. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/26/2026-12951/process-for-authorizing-seasonal-migratory-game-bird-hunting.

No. Document 2026-12951 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.