[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 87 (Friday, May 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29145-29147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09577]
[[Page 29145]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-LE-2023-0049; FF09L00200-FX-LE18110900000; OMB
Control Number 1018-0012]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Declaration for
Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an
information collection with revisions.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
July 5, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request
(ICR) by one of the following methods (please reference 1018-0012 in
the subject line of your comments):
Internet (preferred): https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-LE-2023-
0049.
Email: Info_Coll@fws.gov.
U.S. mail: Service Information Collection Clearance
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB
(JAO/3W), Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_Coll@fws.gov, or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503. Individuals in the United States who are
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing regulations at 5
CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under
the PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies to comment on
new, proposed, revised, and continuing collections of information. This
helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements
and minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public
understand our information collection requirements and provide the
requested data in the desired format.
We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information, including the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g.,
permitting electronic submission of response.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Abstract: The Endangered Species Act (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)
makes it unlawful to import or export fish, wildlife, or plants without
filing a declaration or report as necessary for enforcing the Act or
upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES; 16 U.S.C. 1538(e)). With some exceptions, individuals,
businesses, and others importing into or exporting from the United
States any fish or wildlife must complete and submit to the Service an
FWS Form 3-177 (Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or
Wildlife). This form, as well as FWS Form 3-177a (Continuation Sheet)
and instructions for completion, are available for electronic
submission at https://edecs.fws.gov. These forms are also available in
fillable format at http://www.fws.gov/forms/. The information that we
collect enables us to:
Accurately inspect the contents of the shipment;
Enforce any regulations that pertain to the fish,
wildlife, or plants contained in the shipment; and
Maintain records of the importation and exportation of
these commodities.
Individuals, businesses, and others must file FWS Forms 3-177 and
3-177a with us at the time of import or export of fish or wildlife. Our
regulations allow certain species of fish or wildlife to be imported or
exported between the United States and Canada or Mexico at U.S. Customs
and Border Protection ports, even though our wildlife inspectors may
not be present. In these instances, importers and exporters may submit
the hard copy of the completed forms to U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP). We later collect these submitted forms from CBP and
enter the information into the Service's Law Enforcement Management
Information System (LEMIS). Form 3-177 collects the following
information:
1. Date of the import/export;
2. Import/export license number;
3. Whether the shipment is an import or export;
4. Port of clearance;
5. Purpose code;
6. Customs documents number(s);
7. Name of carrier;
8. Transportation code;
9. Bonded location for inspection;
10. Whether the importer/exporter is based in the United States or
in a foreign country;
11. Name, address, phone, and email of importer/exporter;
12. Identifier number and ID type of importer/exporter;
13. Name, phone, fax, email address, and contact person for customs
broker, shipping agent, or freight forwarder;
14. Identifier number and ID type of customs broker, shipping
agent, or freight forwarder;
15. Scientific and common name of the fish or wildlife;
16. Permit numbers (if permits are required);
17. Description, quantity, and value of the fish or wildlife;
18. Natural country of origin of the fish or wildlife; and
19. Whether the wildlife is live and venomous.
In addition, certain information, such as the airway bill or bill
of lading number, the location of the shipment containing the fish or
wildlife for inspection, and the markings on cartons
[[Page 29146]]
and number of cartons containing fish or wildlife, assists our wildlife
inspectors if a physical examination of the shipment is necessary.
We are also requesting OMB's continued approval for electronic
collection of data through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)
portal as an alternative electronic option for importers to eDecs. ACE
is the system through which the trade community transmits international
trade data required by CBP and all other participating government
agencies. The Safe Port Act requires the Service to participate in the
International Trade Data System, and the Executive Order on
Streamlining Exports and Imports establishes ACE as the primary means
for collection of international trade data by the government. Although
the Service does not mandate importers to use ACE to file Service data
at this time, if the filer chooses to file in ACE, we will collect the
data from ACE as an alternative to eDecs. If importers file in ACE,
they should not file in eDecs.
Proposed Revisions to This Information Collection
With this submission, we propose the following revisions to this
information collection for OMB approval:
1. We propose to collect the container number for fish or wildlife
shipped via ocean cargo. When fish or wildlife are imported and
exported on cargo ships, they are packed in shipping containers, which
have unique numbers. When our inspectors receive documents for these
shipments, the documents often, but do not always, include the
container number. However, Form 3-177 currently does not have a field
for the container number. It is difficult for our wildlife inspectors
to locate a shipment at a seaport without the container number, as
ocean cargo shipments are tracked by container number. By adding a
field for the container number to Form 3-177 and thus requiring this
information on the form, we will improve our ability to inspect ocean
cargo shipments and expedite the inspection process for individuals,
businesses, and others who ship via ocean cargo.
2. Second, we propose to add a field to collect U.S. permit numbers
other than CITES. Currently, we require importers and exporters to
include the number for a U.S. CITES permit for those CITES listed
species that require a U.S. CITES permit. They may also or instead have
other U.S.-issued wildlife permits, such as those required under the
Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Marine Mammal
Protection Act, Wild Bird Conservation Act, Bald and Golden Eagle
Protection Act, and Lacey Act. These additional permit numbers will
enable us to link the Form 3-177 to the permit. This will improve data
collection and analysis, as we will be able to better ascertain what
fish or wildlife is being imported and exported and tie it to what is
being permitted. It will also help us ensure that permits are not
duplicated and are used the allowable number of times, aiding
enforcement.
3. Next, we propose to add a field to collect the designated port
exception permit number. We have designated certain ports for import
and export of fish and wildlife (see 50 CFR 14.12). Generally,
individuals, businesses, and others who seek to import and export fish
and wildlife at non-designated ports must obtain a designated port
exception permit by submitting an application and paying the
appropriate fees (see 50 CFR part 13). When they file Form 3-177, they
must also include the issued designated port exception permit in their
document package. Requiring importers and exporters to put the permit
number on Form 3-177, along with the import-export license number
(which we already require on Form 3-177), will assist us in tracking
permits and making sure that importers and exporters are authorized to
use the ports they are seeking to use. Having the number easily
accessible on Form 3-177 will help to streamline the review process. If
they are not authorized because they have not obtained the designated
port exemption permit for the particular port, it will assist us with
enforcement.
4. Next, we propose to add a field to collect the CITES tag or
marking number for sport-hunted wildlife species that require a CITES
tag or marking for import, export, and in-transit shipments (see 50 CFR
23.74(e)). Those species include black rhinoceros, crocodilians (all
members of the order Crocodilia, which includes alligators, caimans,
crocodiles, and gavials), elephants, leopards, and markhor. A CITES tag
or marking is specific to an individual wildlife item and may not be
used for multiple wildlife items. Each CITES tag or marking has a
unique alphanumeric identifier. Requiring placement of the CITES tag or
marking number on Form 3-177 will help ensure we can match the tag or
marking to the Form 3-177 declaration and verify that the tag or
marking has only been used once. Thus, we will improve our ability to
inspect shipments of these species, expedite inspections, and improve
enforcement. It will also bolster our ability to meet our obligations
under the CITES treaty.
As part of the renewal of and proposed changes for this information
collection, we also will review the instructions pages of Form 3-177 to
determine what updates are appropriate.
The public may request copies of any form or document contained in
this information collection by sending a request to the Service
Information Collection Clearance Officer in ADDRESSES, above.
Title of Collection: Declaration for Importation or Exportation of
Fish or Wildlife, 50 CFR 14.61-14.64 and 14.94(k)(4).
OMB Control Number: 1018-0012.
Form Number: 3-177 and 3-177a.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals, businesses, or others
that import or export fish, wildlife, or plants; scientific
institutions that import or export fish, wildlife, or plant scientific
specimens; and government agencies that import or export fish,
wildlife, or plant specimens for various purposes.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual number
Requirement of Total annual Completion time per Total annual
respondents responses response (minutes) burden hours *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FWS Form 3-177 Hard Copy (Upon Import)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals......................... 8,996 9,569 15........................ 2,392
Private Sector...................... 128 347 15........................ 87
Government.......................... 0 0 15........................ 0
Subtotals:..................... 9,124 9,916 .......................... 2,479
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 29147]]
FWS Form 3-177 Hard Copy (Upon Export)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals......................... 717 881 15........................ 220
Private Sector...................... 30 43 15........................ 11
Government.......................... 0 0 15........................ 0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotals....................... 747 924 .......................... 231
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eDecs/ACE (Upon Import)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals......................... 21,567 25,030 10........................ 4,172
Private Sector...................... 13,005 120,035 10........................ 20,006
Government.......................... 46 90 10........................ 15
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotals....................... 34,618 145,155 .......................... 24,193
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eDecs (Upon Export)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Individuals......................... 975 1,930 10........................ 322
Private Sector...................... 2,548 32,230 10........................ 5,372
Government.......................... 36 68 10........................ 11
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotals....................... 3,559 34,228 .......................... 5,705
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eDecs--Confirmation Number (Automated Export System (AES))
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector...................... 1,824 35,175 1......................... 586
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)/AES Disclaimer (and Accompanying Documents)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector...................... 5,000 500,000 1......................... 8,333
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
eDecs--Fee Exemption Certification
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Private Sector...................... 42 2,906 1......................... 48
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................... 54,914 728,304 .......................... 41,575
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Rounded.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number.
The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-09577 Filed 5-4-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P