[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18973-18974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9063]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection Submitted to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for Approval Under the Paperwork Reduction Act

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: 60-day notice of renewal of approval to collect information OMB 
#1018-0015.

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SUMMARY: The collection of information listed below will be submitted 
to OMB for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act. A copy of the information collection requirement is included in 
this notice. Copies of the proposed information collection requirement, 
related forms, and explanatory material may be obtained by contacting 
the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer at the address 
listed below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 11, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments and suggestions on the requirement should be sent 
directly to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, ms 222C-ARLSQ, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, 
VA 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca A. Mullin, Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, (703) 358-2287; (703) 358-2269 (fax), or 
electronically to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   
    Title: Migratory Bird Harvest Surveys.
    Approval Number: 1018-0015.
    Service Form Number(s): 3-1823A, 3-2056G, 3-165, 3-165A-C, 3-2056J-
M.
    Description and Use: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 USC 703-711) 
and Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 USC 742d) designate the 
Department of the Interior as the key agency responsible for the wise 
management of migratory bird populations frequenting the United States 
and for the setting of hunting regulations that allow appropriate 
harvests that are within the guidelines that will allow for those 
populations' well being. These responsibilities dictate the gathering 
of accurate data on various characteristics of migratory bird harvest 
of a geographic and temporal nature. Knowledge attained by determining 
harvests and harvest rates of migratory game birds is used to regulate 
populations (by promulgating hunting regulations) and to encourage 
hunting opportunity, especially where crop depredations are chronic 
and/or lightly harvested populations occur. Based on information from 
harvest surveys, hunting regulations can be adjusted as needed to 
optimize harvests at levels that provide a maximum of hunting 
recreation while keeping populations at desired levels.
    This information collection approval request combines three sets of 
surveys (the Waterfowl Hunter Survey, the Migratory Bird Hunter Survey, 
and the Parts Collection Survey) and associated forms because they are 
interrelated and/or dependent upon each other.
    The Waterfowl Hunter Survey, which estimates the harvest of ducks 
and geese, is based on Federal Duck Stamp sales. This survey asks 
people who purchase Federal Duck Stamps from randomly sampled Post 
Offices and other stamp vendors to complete and return a postcard (form 
3-1823A) with their name and address. Hunters who complete and return 
the postcard are sent a postcard questionnaire (form 3-2056G) at the 
end of the hunting season, asking them to report their harvest of ducks 
and geese. Their responses provide estimates of the average harvest per 
hunter, which, combined with total Federal Duck Stamp sales, enables 
the Service to estimate the total harvest of ducks and geese.
    The Migratory Bird Hunter Survey is based on the Migratory Bird 
Harvest Information Program, under which each State annually provides a 
list of all licensed migratory bird hunters in the State. Randomly 
selected migratory bird hunters are sent either a waterfowl 
questionnaire (form 3-2056J), a dove and band-tailed pigeon 
questionnaire (form 3-2056K), a woodcock questionnaire (form 3-2056L), 
or a snipe, rail, gallinule, and coot questionnaire (form 3-2056M) and 
are asked to report their harvest of those species. The resulting 
estimates of harvest per hunter are combined with the complete list of 
migratory bird hunters to provide estimates of the total harvest of 
those species. This survey will replace the Waterfowl Hunter Survey 
after it has been fully implemented in all States and comparisons of 
results with Waterfowl Hunter Survey results have been completed.
    The Parts Collection Survey estimates the species, sex, and age 
composition of the harvest, and the geographic and temporal 
distribution of the harvest. Randomly selected successful hunters who 
responded to the Waterfowl Hunter Survey or the Migratory Bird Hunter 
Survey the previous year are asked to complete and return a postcard 
(forms 3-165A and C) if they are willing to participate in the Parts 
Collection Survey. Respondents are provided

[[Page 18974]]

postage-paid envelopes before the hunting season and asked to send in a 
wing or the tail feathers from each duck, goose, or coot (form 3-165) 
they harvest, or a wing from each woodcock, band-tailed pigeon, snipe, 
rail, or gallinule (form 3-165B) they harvest. The wings and tail 
feathers are used to identify the species, age, and sex of the 
harvested sample. Respondents are also asked to report on the envelope 
the date and location (state and county) of harvest for each bird. 
Results of this survey are combined with harvest estimates from the 
Waterfowl Hunter Survey and the Migratory Bird Hunter Survey to provide 
species-specific national harvest estimates.
    The combined results of these surveys enable the Service to 
evaluate the effects of season length, season dates, and bag limits on 
the harvest of each species, and thus help determine appropriate 
hunting regulations.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals and households.
    Estimated Completion Time: The reporting burden is estimated to 
average 2 minutes per respondent for the Migratory Bird Harvest 
Information Program, 8 minutes per respondent for the Waterfowl Hunter 
Survey, 4 minutes per respondent for the Migratory Bird Hunter Survey, 
and 50 minutes per respondent for the Parts Collection Survey.
    Number of Respondents: About 3,600,000 individuals are expected to 
participate in the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program. Recent 
Service experience indicates that about 20,500 hunters will respond to 
the Waterfowl Hunter Survey each year, about 11,400 hunters will 
respond to the Parts Collection Survey annually, and about 90,000 
hunters will respond to the Migratory Bird Hunter Survey annually.
    Annual Burden Hours: 138,917.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 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.

    Dated: April 9, 2001.
Rebecca A. Mullin,
Service Information Collection Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-9063 Filed 4-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P