[Federal Register: July 6, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 127)]
[Notices]
[Page 31970-31971]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jy09-72]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-FWS-R7-MB-2009-N134] [70151-1231-BS51-L6]
Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1018-0124;
Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest Household Survey
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife Service, Service) will ask the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection
(IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and
respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is
scheduled to expire on January 31, 2010. We 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.
DATES: Your comments must be received by September 4, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to Hope Grey, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ,
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); or hope_
grey@fws.gov (e-mail).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or
by telephone at (703) 358-2482.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712) and the Fish and
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742d) designate the Department of the
Interior as the key agency responsible for managing migratory bird
populations that frequent the United States and for setting harvest
regulations that allow for the conservation of those populations. These
responsibilities include gathering accurate geographical and temporal
data on various characteristics of migratory bird harvest. We use
harvest data to issue harvest regulations, and we adjust the
regulations as needed to provide maximum subsistence harvest
opportunity while keeping migratory bird populations at desired and
sustainable levels.
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The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Protocol Amendment (1995) (Amendment)
provides for the customary and traditional use of migratory birds and
their eggs for subsistence use by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska. The
Amendment states that its intent is not to cause significant increases
in the take of species of migratory birds relative to their continental
population sizes. A submittal letter from the Department of State to
the White House (May 20, 1996) accompanied the Amendment and specified
the need for harvest monitoring. The submittal letter stated that the
Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), and Alaska
Native organizations would collect harvest information cooperatively
within the subsistence eligible areas. Harvest survey data help to
ensure that customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory
birds and their eggs by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska do not
significantly increase the take of species of migratory birds relative
to their continental population sizes.
Between 1989 and 2004, we monitored subsistence harvest of
migratory birds using annual household surveys in the Yukon-Kuskokwim
Delta, which is the region of highest subsistence bird harvest in the
State of Alaska. In 2004, we began monitoring subsistence harvest of
migratory birds in subsistence eligible areas Statewide. The Statewide
harvest assessment program allows tracking significant trends and
changes in levels of harvest and user participation. The harvest
assessment program relies on collaboration among the Service, the ADFG,
and a number of Alaska Native organizations.
We gather information on the annual subsistence harvest of 54 bird
species (ducks, geese, swans, cranes, upland game birds, seabirds,
shorebirds, and grebes and loons) in the subsistence eligible areas of
Alaska. The survey covers 10 regions of Alaska, which are further
divided in 29 subregions. We survey the regions and villages in a
rotation schedule to accommodate budget constraints and to minimize
respondent burden. The survey covers spring, summer, and fall harvest
in most regions.
In collaboration with Alaska Native organizations, we hire local
resident surveyors to collect the harvest information. The surveyors
list all households in the villages to be surveyed and provide survey
information and harvest report forms to randomly selected households
that have agreed to participate in the survey. To ensure
confidentiality of harvest information, we identify households by a
numeric code. The surveyor visits households three times during the
survey year. At the first household visit, the surveyor explains the
survey purposes and invites household participation. The surveyor
returns at the end of harvest seasons to help the household complete
the harvest report form.
We have revised the survey methods to streamline procedures and
reduce respondent burden. We plan to use two forms for household
participation:
(1) FWS Form 3-2380 (Tracking Sheet and Household Consent). The
surveyor visits each household selected to participate in the survey to
provide information on the objectives and to obtain household consent
to participate. The surveyor uses this form to record consent and track
subsequent visits for completion of harvest reports
(2) FWS Form 3-2381 (Harvest Report). This form has drawings of
bird species most commonly available for harvest in the different
regions of Alaska with fields for writing down the numbers of birds and
eggs taken. There are four versions of this form: Interior Alaska,
North Slope, Southern Coastal Alaska, and West/South-Central Alaska.
This form has a page for each season surveyed, and, on each page, there
are fields for the household code, community name, harvest year, date
of completion, and comments.
II. Data
OMB Control Number: 1018-0124.
Title: Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest Household Survey.
Service Form Number(s): 3-2380 and 3-2381.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Households within subsistence eligible areas of
Alaska (Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Archipelago, the Aleutian Islands, or
in areas north and west of the Alaska Range.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: Annually for Tracking Sheet and Household
Consent; three times annually for Harvest Report.
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Number of annual Number of annual Completion time per Annual burden
Activity respondents responses response hours
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3-2380--Tracking Sheet and 2,875 2,875 5 minutes.......... 240
Household Consent.
3-2381--Harvest Report (three 2,300 6,900 5 minutes.......... 575
seasonal sheets).
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Totals...................... 5,175 9,775 ................... 815
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III. Request for Comments
We invite comments concerning this IC on:
(1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary,
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection
of information;
(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
(4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
respondents.
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 IC. Before including your address, phone number,
e-mail 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.
Dated: June 26, 2009
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15832 Filed 7-2-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S