I was living in Western Ak in the heart of the Y-K Delta when both the Emperor and the Cackling goose were placed on the protected list. Numerous meetings were held with the Eskimo population in the area to discuss and pursuade the elders that protection was necessary, and for the Elders to impress upon their people to curtail their spring subsistence hunting and egg gathering.
At the time (mid-80's), the Emperor had fallen to around 42,000 birds in number from close to 140,000 in the 60's. The target number for the Emperor was 80,000 birds, to re-open hunting. A quick google search indicates the surveyed numbers have risen to 84,000, so maybe they are contemplating a re-opening of the Emperor hunting.
