[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2902-2903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01601]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R7-MB-2018-N137; FXMB12610700000-190-FF07M01000; OMB Control
Number 1018-0124]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Alaska Subsistence Bird
Harvest Survey
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Information Collection; request for comment.
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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.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
April 9, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request
(ICR) by mail to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to Info_Coll@fws.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 1018-0124 in the subject line of your
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_Coll@fws.gov, or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies
with an opportunity 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 soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is described
below. We are especially interested in public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the proper
functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed and
used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4)
how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize the
burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use
of information technology.
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 Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (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 data on various
aspects of migratory bird harvest. We use harvest data to review
regulation proposals and to issue harvest regulations.
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 (ADF&G), and Alaska
Native organizations would collect harvest information cooperatively
within the subsistence eligible areas. Harvest 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.
We monitored subsistence harvest of migratory birds using household
surveys in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region in 1985-2002 and in the
Bristol Bay region in 1995-2002. Since 2004, the Alaska Migratory Bird
Co-Management Council--Harvest Assessment Program (AMBCC-HAP) conducts
regular surveys across Alaska to document the subsistence harvest of
birds and their eggs. The statewide harvest assessment program helps to
describe geographical and seasonal harvest patterns, and to track
trends in harvest levels. The program relies on collaboration among the
Service, the ADF&G, and diverse Alaska Native organizations.
We collect harvest data for about 60 bird species/categories and
their eggs (ducks, geese, swans, cranes, seabirds, shorebirds, grebes
and loons, and grouse and ptarmigan) in the subsistence eligible areas
of Alaska. 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 data. The surveyors list all
households in the communities, randomly selects households to be
surveyed, and interview households that have agreed to participate. To
ensure anonymity of harvest information, we identify households by a
numeric code. Since the beginning of the survey in 2004, twice we have
re-evaluated and revised survey methods to streamline procedures and
minimize respondent burden. We use the following forms for household
participation:
FWS Form 3-2380 (Tracking Sheet and Household Consent).
The surveyor visits each household selected to participate in the
survey to obtain household consent to participate. The surveyor uses
this form to record household consent.
FWS Forms 3-2381-1, 3-2381-2, 3-2381-3, and 3-2381-4
(Harvest Report). The Harvest Report has drawings of bird species most
commonly available for harvest in different regions of Alaska, with
fields for recording numbers of birds and eggs taken. There are four
versions of this form: Interior Alaska, North Slope, Southern Coastal
Alaska, and Western Alaska. This form has a sheet for each season
surveyed, and each sheet has fields for the household code, community
name, harvest year, date of completion, and comments.
Following the most recent re-evaluation of survey methods, the
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sampling design was revised to include only 5 of 12 management regions
as an index to the statewide harvest, these 5 regions representing
about 90% of the statewide subsistence bird harvest. This modification
was needed to make survey effort compatible with the funding available
for the survey. The number of communities and households to be surveyed
each year were also adjusted based on statistical methods to maximize
accuracy of harvest estimates given the survey funding. We also reduced
the number of household visits from seasonal (3 times per year) to
annual (once a year). These modifications much reduced the estimated
survey burden.
Title of Collection: Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest
Household Survey.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0124.
Form Number: 3-2380, 3-2381-1, 3-2381-2, 3-2381-3, and 3-2381-4.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Households within subsistence eligible
areas of Alaska.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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Completion
Average number Average number time per Total annual
Activity of annual of annual response burden hours
respondents responses (minutes)
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3-2380 Tracking Sheet and Household Consent 723 723 5 58
3-2381-1 thru 3-2381-4 Harvest Report (three 645 645 15 155
seasonal sheets)
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Totals...................................... 1,368 1,368 .............. 213
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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.).
Dated: February 5, 2019.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-01601 Filed 2-7-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P