Policies and Guidelines for Fish and Wildlife Management in National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Wilderness

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240 http://www.blm.gov February 5, 2007 In Reply Refer To: 6500, 8560 (172/230) P EMS TRANSMISSION 02/09/2007 Instruction Memorandum No. 2007-052 Expires: 09/30/2008 To: All Washington and Field Office Officials From: Director Subject: Policies and Guidelines for Fish and Wildlife Management in National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Program Areas: Wilderness Management; Wildlife, Fisheries, and Special Status Species Management. Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to transmit the revised “Policies and Guidelines for Fish and Wildlife Management in National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Wilderness” as amended June 2006 (Policies and Guidelines). These were developed in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). A copy of the revised Policies and Guidelines is attached. Policy/Action: The Policies and Guidelines are intended to strengthen cooperative management between the State and Federal agencies of fish and wildlife resources in wilderness. Stewardship of wilderness resources, including fish and wildlife, depends upon our effective communication and consultation with State agencies and respect for our individual management responsibilities in accordance with applicable Federal and State laws. Implementing the Policies and Guidelines in this agreement in the wilderness areas covered by the following acts may require further consultation with the local solicitors by the State Directors of Nevada and Arizona: Arizona Desert Wilderness Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-628), Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-282), Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-424), and Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-432). Timeframe: Effective immediately. Budget Impact: The budgetary effects of implementing this IM and Handbook revisions are minimal. Background: Periodically, the BLM and USDA Forest Service, working in a spirit of cooperation with the AFWA, work to update or clarify policies and guidelines related to management of fish and wildlife resources within wilderness areas. First developed in 1976 and revised through coordination between the agencies in 1986 and again in 2006, the Policies and Guidelines provide guidance for fisheries and wildlife management activities in wilderness. They are designed to serve as a framework for cooperation among the agencies. Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: The 2006Policies and Guidelines will be incorporated into affected BLM Manuals and Handbooks. Coordination: The Policies and Guidelines are the result of extensive coordination and consultation with AFWA, State wildlife agencies, USDA Forest Service, the BLM’s Division of Fish, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (WO-230), the Division of Wilderness, Rivers and National Trails (WO-172), the Department of the Interior Office of the Solicitor and the USDA Office of General Council. Contact: E. Dwight Fielder, Chief, Division of Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (WO-230) at (202) 452-7761 or e-mail addressdwight_fielder@blm.gov orJeff Jarvis, Chief, Division of Wilderness, Rivers and Trails at (202) 452-5189 or email at jeff_jarvis@blm.gov. Signed by: Authenticated by: Henri R. Bisson Robert M. Williams Acting, Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560 1 Attachment 1 - Policies and Guidelines for Fish and Wildlife Management in National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Wilderness (as amended June 2006) (17 pp)