Topic: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers consolidating offices that issue Migratory Bird permits

August 2004: U.S.FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE CONSIDERING CONSOLIDATION OF MIGRATORY BIRD PERMIT OFFICES – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, on 9 June 2004 informed the Ornithological Council that by the end of 2005, the agency will end the migratory bird regional permitting programs (all permits, not just scientific research permits). There will be one central permitting office, although the policy functions will remain with the national office. All other migratory bird permit functions - issuance, reporting, etc - will be handled by the one central office. In addition to promoting efficiency, this system will also further eliminate interregional variation in permit decision-making, which the USFWS has been striving for, partly in response to input from the Ornithological Council. Also, consistent with an earlier announcement, it is anticipated that the permit application system will be web-based, although on-line reporting may not be available at the same time that on-line permit application systems are initiated. At last report, the USFWS planned to have an on-line permit application system ready by October of this year.

Update March 2005: USFWS DECIDES AGAINST CONSOLIDATION OF BIRD PERMIT OFFICES The Ornithological Council has learned that the USFWS has decided to against proceeding with a plan to consolidate the migratory bird permit offices, primarily because costs were higher than originally projected. However, the USFWS will continue to take measures to improve interregional consistency. The Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlfie Service requested that the Migratory Bird Washington office amend the regulations governing the appeal process for denied permits to transfer the final appeal decision to his office.  The Washington Office expects to develop and publish a proposal later this year.  In the interim, the Washington Office will be asking to be kept apprised of appeals received in the Regions.

With regard to the planned on-line permit application systems, the Ornithological Council has been informed that this effort has not progressed as rapidly as hoped, because the Division of Migratory Bird Management must share the time of the programmer who has been assigned to this task with other USFWS divisions.

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