(a) The Regional Director, after consultation with the Co-management Council, may close or temporarily suspend any regulation established under subparts C or D of this part:

(1) Upon finding that a continuation of the regulation would pose an imminent threat to the conservation of any endangered or threatened species or other migratory bird population; and

(2) Upon issuance of local public notice by such means as publication in local newspapers of general circulation, posting of the areas affected, notifying the State wildlife conservation agency, and announcement on the internet and local radio and television.

(b) The Service will also announce any such closure or temporary suspension by publication of a notice in the Federal Register simultaneously with the local public notice referred to in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. However, in the event that publishing a Federal Register notice simultaneously with the local public notice is impractical, we will publish in the Federal Register as soon as possible after the steps outlined in paragraph (a) of this section are taken.

(c) Any closure or temporary suspension under this section will be effective on the date of publication of the Federal Register notice; or if such notice is not published simultaneously with the notification methods described in paragraph (a) of this section, then on the date and at the time specified in the local notification to the public given under paragraph (a)(2) of this section. Every notice of closure or temporary suspension will include the date and time of the closing, the area or areas affected, and the species affected. In the case of a temporary suspension, the date and time when the harvest may be resumed will also be provided by local notification to the public and by publication in the Federal Register as provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

[68 FR 43028, July 21, 2003]