[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 11 (Thursday, January 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2347-2348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-943]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection To Be Submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; Application, Permit, and 
Reporting for Federal Subsistence Hunt, Designated Hunter, and Fish/
Shellfish Harvest in Alaska

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 
part 1320, which implement provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), require that we provide an opportunity 
for interested members of the public and affected agencies to comment 
on our information collection and recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 
1320.8(d)). We are notifying the public that we will submit a request 
to OMB to renew its approval of the collection of information for 
application, permit, and reporting for Federal Subsistence Hunt, 
Designated Hunter, and Fish/Shellfish Harvest in Alaska.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 17, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments to: Harvest Data Coordinator, Office of 
Subsistence Management, 3601 C Street, Suite 1030, Anchorage, Alaska 
99503; and Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 
22203, or e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the Information 
Collection request, explanatory information, and related forms, contact 
Anissa Craghead, Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, at 
703/358-1730 or [email protected]; or Charles Miller, Office of 
Subsistence Management, at 907/786-3888.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We will submit a request to OMB to renew its 
approval of the collection of information associated with three forms 
used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those forms are discussed 
below.
    Title: Federal Subsistence Hunt Application, Permit, and Report.
    OMB Number: 1018-0075.
    Service Form Number: 7FS-1.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Federally defined rural residents.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: The reporting burden is estimated to 
average .25 hours per response. The total annual burden is 1,225 hours.
    Total Annual Responses: 4,900.
    Abstract: The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act 
(ANILCA) and Fish and Wildlife Service regulations at 50 CFR part 100, 
require that persons engaged in taking fish and wildlife in Alaska must 
report their take to the Federal Subsistence Board (the Board) and that 
rural residents who want to participate in special hunts must apply for 
and obtain a special permit to do so. The Board uses harvest 
information to

[[Page 2348]]

evaluate subsistence harvest success; the effectiveness of season 
lengths, harvest quotas, and harvest restrictions; hunting patterns and 
practices; and hunter use. Then the Board uses this information, along 
with other information, to set future seasons and harvest limits for 
Federal subsistence resource users. These seasons and harvest limits 
are set in order to meet the needs of subsistence hunters without 
adversely impacting the health of existing wildlife populations.
    The Federal Subsistence Hunt Application, Permit, and Report form 
allows Federal subsistence users to participate in special hunts that 
are not available to the general public but are provided for by Title 
VIII of ANILCA. The collection of information on this form is essential 
to the missions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Board. 
Without this information, the Service would be unable to set 
subsistence seasons and harvest limits to meet users' needs without 
adversely impacting the health of the animal population.
    Title: Designated Hunter Permit Application, Permit, and Report.
    OMB Number: 1018-0075.
    Service Form Number(s): 7FS-2.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Federally defined rural residents.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: The reporting burden is estimated to 
average .25 hours per response. The total annual burden is 100 hours.
    Total Annual Responses: 400.
    Abstract: Under the authority of ANILCA and Fish and Wildlife 
Service regulations at 50 CFR part 100, the Board obtains harvest 
information from persons engaged in taking fish and wildlife in Alaska 
and uses that information to evaluate subsistence harvest success; the 
effectiveness of season lengths, harvest quotas, and harvest 
restrictions; hunting patterns and practices; and hunter use. Then the 
Board uses this information, along with other information, to set 
future seasons and harvest limits for Federal subsistence resource 
users. These seasons and harvest limits are set in order to meet the 
needs of subsistence hunters without adversely impacting the health of 
existing wildlife populations.
    The Designated Hunter Application, Permit, and Report form allows 
qualified subsistence users to harvest fish or wildlife for others and 
report the harvest of multiple animals by a single hunter who is acting 
for others. The collection of information on this form is essential to 
the missions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Board. 
Without this information, the Service would be unable to set 
subsistence seasons and harvest limits to meet users' needs without 
adversely impacting the health of the animal population.
    Title: Federal Subsistence Fish/Shellfish Harvest/Designated 
Harvester Application, Permit, and Report.
    OMB Number: 1018-0075.
    Service Form Number(s): 7FS-3.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Description of Respondents: Federally defined rural residents.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: The reporting burden is estimated to 
average .5 hours per response. The total annual burden is 62.5 hours.
    Total Annual Responses: 125.
    Abstract: ANILCA allows the taking of fish and wildlife on public 
lands in Alaska for subsistence use, if users possess and comply with 
the provisions of any pertinent permit, harvest tickets, or tags 
required by the State or Federal government. All Alaskans who are 
residents of rural areas or communities are eligible to participate in 
subsistence taking of fish and shellfish under the regulations at 50 
CFR part 100. The Board needs information on the fisherman, qualified 
subsistence users fished for (i.e., users who have designated another 
person to harvest for them), the fish or shellfish harvested, and the 
location of harvest in order to make recommendations on subsistence 
use. Once the Board evaluates harvest information, the Board uses that 
information, along with other information, to set future seasons and 
harvest limits for Federal subsistence resource users. These seasons 
and harvest limits are set in order to meet the needs of subsistence 
fisherman without adversely impacting the health of existing fish and 
shellfish populations.
    The Federal Subsistence Fish/Shellfish Harvest/Designated Harvester 
Application, Permit, and Report form allows qualified subsistence users 
to harvest fish and shellfish for themselves or for others. This form 
also allows Federal subsistence users to participate in special fishing 
opportunities that are not available to the general public but are 
provided for by Title VIII of ANILCA. The collection of information on 
this form is essential to the missions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service and the Board. Without this information, the Service would be 
unable to set subsistence seasons and harvest limits to meet users' 
needs without adversely impacting the health of the fish and shellfish 
populations.
    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. We are requesting a 3-year term of 
approval of this information collection. We invite comments concerning 
this renewal on: (1) Whether the collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of our functions, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of our 
estimate of burden; (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: January 13, 2003.
Anissa Craghead, Information Collection Officer, Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-943 Filed 1-15-03; 8:45 am]
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