Feds revise rule on harvested game birds from Canada
Aug. 4—WASHINGTON — Waterfowl and upland game bird hunters will have one less restriction when bringing birds back from Canada this fall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said this week.
According to a news release from Ducks Unlimited, APHIS in its
2023 rule,
after consultation with waterfowl biologists from DU, revised
last year's rule
and will now allow skin to remain intact on hunter-harvested carcasses. All previous restrictions remain the same, DU said.
The revision comes after close consultation with waterfowl scientists from DU, the conservation group said. Under the previous rule issued last year to limit the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), APHIS required hunters to remove skin from harvested game birds from Canada, among other restrictions. The 2023 rule has eliminated that requirement.
"We appreciate USDA's acceptance of input from DU scientists throughout this decision-making process," Adam Putnam, CEO of Ducks Unlimited, said in a statement. "They've heard the concerns of the hunting and conservation communities and have made a decision using the best available science. The 2023 rule is both practical and science-based and, importantly, it gives American waterfowlers clearly defined guidance to safely plan trips north of the border while taking the necessary precautions to limit the spread of HPAI."
Under the revised restrictions, unprocessed hunter-harvested wild game bird carcasses originating from or transiting Canada must meet the following conditions:
* Viscera, head, neck, feet and one wing have been removed.
* Feathers have been removed, with the exception of one wing, as required by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for species identification.
* Carcasses must be rinsed in fresh, clean, potable water prior to packaging and must not have visible evidence of contamination with dirt, blood, or feces.
* Carcasses must be imported in leak-proof plastic packaging and stored in a leak-proof cooler or container during transport and import.
* Carcasses must be chilled or frozen during transport and import.
On Sept. 2, 2022, APHIS issued a regulation that prohibited game birds taken by hunters in Canada from entering the United States. Over the following week, DU scientists held several discussions with APHIS, making the case there was little existing evidence this regulation would have a meaningful impact on the spread of avian influenza in the U.S. On Sept. 12, 2022, APHIS
issued a revised regulation
permitting hunters to transport carcasses with certain restrictions — which were the same as the 2023 rule, but with the additional requirement to remove the skin from carcasses.
"When it comes to HPAI, we agree limiting its spread in the United States is a top priority," Karen Waldrop, DU chief conservation officer, said in a statement. "Waterfowlers should appreciate that this rulemaking process is not taken lightly and continues to utilize the best available science — which tells us carcasses transported by American hunters pose minimal risk. It's incumbent upon waterfowlers to follow these import guidelines to ensure game birds are transported responsibly. DU will help educate waterfowl hunters on how to do so as safely as possible."
More details on restriction criteria and additional APHIS recommendations
for hunters, is available at
.
To learn more about what waterfowlers need to know about highly pathogenic avian influenza, visit
DU's dedicated avian influenza webpage
at
.
