The objective of the law enforcement activity is to secure and maintain widespread public compliance with the Federal conservation laws and regulations. The major emphasis is on obtaining voluntary compliance by the responsible citizen. An educational program designed to prevent violations by creating an understanding of the intent and purpose of regulatory measures, and gaining better voluntary public support and law observance is emphasized. In addition, vigorous conventional and covert law enforcement operations are utilized to attain this objective.

U.S. game management agents are responsible for enforcing Federal conservation laws. The more important include the Migratory Bird Treaty Act enacted to perpetuate North American migratory bird populations, regulate hunting, and prevent commercial exploitation of the resource; the Bald Eagle Act to perpetuate bald and golden eagle populations; and the Lacey and Black Bass Acts which regulate the importation, transportation, and use of foreign and domestic fish and wildlife. Agents operate on a basis of reciprocal cooperative assistance with State conservation officers to protect all migratory and resident wildlife. The agents are deputized by the States and are authorized to enforce State conservation laws and regulations.

Four U.S. game management agents are employed full time at the important entry ports of New York, Los Angeles, and Miami to administer and enforce Federal regulations covering the importation of wildlife into the United States. The purpose of the regulations is to prevent the entry into this country and subsequent introduction into the wild of any creature deemed to be injurious or potentially injurious to the health and welfare of human beings, to the interests of forestry, agriculture, and horticulture, or to the welfare and survival of wildlife indigenous to the United States. The wildlife expertise of these agents, cooperating with U.S. Customs officers, has substantially increased the effectiveness of wildlife import regulations.

Migratory game and nongame birds protected by Federal law may be periodically responsible for damage to grain, truck, fruit, or other crops. Over a period of years the Bureau has developed and carries out an extensive migratory bird damage prevention program throughout the States. U.S. game management agents administer the program in their respective districts. Dispersal techniques are demonstrated, such as the use of pyrotechnics and other frightening means, and the use and construction of control devices are demonstrated and explained to property owners. Increased emphasis on training is necessitated by the need to improve the quality of the enforcement services rendered and acquaint the field force with new advances in wildlife management and conservation education. As part of the cooperative assistance program, qualified U.S. game management agents are made available to assist in State conservation law enforcement training efforts as instructors for short periods of time. Also available is a four-day national Law Enforcement Workshop which is taught by teams of specially trained U.S. game management agents at locations and times as requested by the States. This workshop program was developed to enhance the professional aptitude of Bureau law enforcement officers. It provides intensive training in the legal and practical aspects of law enforcement operations.

Current migratory game bird management emphasizes selective harvest of specific species. These techniques require detailed information on the status of bird populations and effects of hunting regulations. Proper harvest of this resource provides hunting recreation while assuring an adequate breeding population and providing an opportunity for bird watching, photography, and other benefits.

Various surveys are conducted to determine the abundance, distribution, and trends in migratory game bird populations and their habitats. Major efforts measure breeding populations and production of ducks on a continent-wide basis each spring and summer. These surveys are conducted or coordinated by Management and Enforcement personnel in cooperation with the States and Canadian wildlife agencies. A winter survey is conducted annually to assess wintering waterfowl populations and

their habitats. Several regional or local surveys are also conducted during the fall and spring to determine the status of particular species and flocks of ducks, geese, and swans. Most operational surveys are conducted from light, fixed-wing airplanes; however, a helicopter is being used experimentally in the breeding ground surveys. In addition to the waterfowl surveys, Management and Enforcement personnel conduct surveys to determine the status of other migratory game birds such as mourning doves and woodcock.

A continental game bird banding program coordinated and conducted by Management and Enforcement provides information on movements, distribution of harvest, rate of harvest, and mortality rate of migratory game birds. Technical data on the status of migratory game bird populations derived from the surveys and banding activities and an analysis of its practical significance is distributed to all interested parties. This information forms the basis for development of migratory game bird hunting regulations each fall. The development and dissemination of these regulations are handled by Management and Enforcement personnel.

Examples of Recent Accomplishments: 1. Over 2,500,000 pamphlets outlining the migratory game bird hunting regulations were printed and distributed as part of the continuing education effort to gain public understanding and compliance.

* Wildlife fit for human consumption was donated to charitable institutions. ** Data not compiled for 1967.

3. Regulating importations of foreign wildlife into the United States is a growing problem. Enforcement efforts have been intensified resulting in improved importation records and apprehension of smugglers of live birds, bird feathers, live mammals, and valuable wild animal skins. Special training has been provided other interested Federal agencies which has improved their cooperation and interest in this problem. The following table illustrates the magnitude of wildlife importations.

8. Duck banding in Canada during August and Sercember emphasize mllare a blue-winged teal, however, all species are bander what captured. program compared to previous years follow:

9. Roadside surveys to determine the status of mourning doves and woodcock are conducted annually. In fiscal year 1969, nearly 600 mourning dove call-count routes in the contiguous United States and 1,044 woodcock singing grounds routes in the eastern half of the United States and Canada were conducted.

10. During a special hunting season for teal ducks in September 1969, 345 hunter observations were recorded to obtain information on the species composition of the harvest, crippling loss of teal ducks, and the ability of hunters to abide by the teal-only regulation.

In fiscal year 1969, over 1,000 copies of Special Scientific Report--Wildlife No. 122, "Waterfowl Status Report 1968," were published and distributed.

11.

A functional breakdown of the total program, including refuge receipts, is as follows: