Harvest Management Working Group Report 2023

This report provides a summary of presentations and discussions that occurred at the 35th meeting of the Harvest Management Working Group (HMWG). The 2023 meeting focused on the Reconsideration of North American Duck Harvest management, the revision of the pintail Adaptive Harvest Management framework, and several updates on technical work related to the HMWG priorities.

A working group comprised of representatives from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), and the four Flyway Councils (HMWG Members) was established in 1992 to review the scientific basis for managing waterfowl harvests. The working group, supported by technical experts from the waterfowl management and research communities, subsequently proposed a framework for adaptive harvest management, which was first implemented in 1995.

The 2023 HMWG meeting report was prepared by the USFWS, Division of Migratory Bird Management based on contributions from meeting participants. G. Scott Boomer was the principal compiler and serves as the coordinator of the HMWG.