1. (a) A person may not use radio telemetry equipment to pursue game without first obtaining a permit from the department, unless that person is an authorized employee or agent of

   1. (1) the department; or
   2. (2) a federal conservation agency with a current memorandum of understanding or cooperative agreement with the department.

2. (b) At the time of application, a permit applicant must provide the department with the following:

   1. (1) the species and number of game to be pursued using radio telemetry equipment;
   2. (2) the geographic area where the radio telemetry pursuit of game will be conducted;
   3. (3) the time frame when radio telemetry pursuit of game will be conducted, including planned dates and frequency of field operations; and
   4. (4) the names of all persons who will pursue game under the permit.

3. (c) A permit issued under this section must include reasonable conditions and protocols to ensure that

   1. (1) game being pursued is not unduly harassed resulting in behavioral or energetic changes affecting individual viability or utility for research; and
   2. (2) telemetry and survey operations conducted on game by the department or other government agencies will not be impeded by the permittee's activities.

4. (d) A permit issued under this section must include at least the following conditions:

   1. (1) a designation of the permitted geographic area for operations;
   2. (2) a designation of the flight altitudes for aircraft operations necessary to ensure that the conditions specified in (c) of this section are met;
   3. (3) standards for radio communications between the permittee and department;
   4. (4) standards for motorized vehicles to ensure that the conditions specified in (c) of this section are met;
   5. (5) reporting plans to conduct radio telemetry operations for the pursuit of game to designated department staff;
   6. (6) requirements that operations must be conducted so that game being pursued does not respond to the permittee's activities by taking evasive action; and
   7. (7) temporal or frequency restrictions to minimize the potential for energetic or behavioral responses by game being pursued.

(Eff. 5/16/99, Register 150)

Authority: AS 16.05.255