[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62484-62485]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17826]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for Approval; OMB Control Number 1018-0121; Depredation 
Orders for Double-Crested Cormorants

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which 
is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the 
estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on October 
31, 2006. 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may 
continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is 
pending at OMB.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before November 24, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this ICR to the Desk 
Officer for the Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-
6566 (fax) or [email protected] (e-mail). Please provide a copy 
of your comments to Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 4401 North Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, VA 22203

[[Page 62485]]

(mail); (703) 358-2269 (fax); or [email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Hope Grey at one of the addresses above or by 
telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0121.
    Title: Depredation Orders for Double-Crested Cormorants, 50 CFR 
21.47 and 21.48.
    Service Form Number: None.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Aquaculture producers, State fish and wildlife 
agencies, tribes, and Federal agencies.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually for reports; ongoing for 
recordkeeping.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Completion
                                  Annual  number   Total annual      time per      Total annual    Total burden
      Activity/requirement              of           responses       response       burden hrs    cost to public
                                    respondents                       (hours)                         ($30/hr)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Report take of MB species other                1               1               1               1             $30
 than DCCOs (21.47(d)(7) &
 21.48(d)(7))...................
Report take of species protected               1               1               1               1              30
 under ESA (21.47(d)(8) &
 21.48(d)(8))...................
Written notice of intent to                   12              12               3              36           1,080
 conduct control activities
 (21.48(d)(9))..................
Report of Control Activities                  12              12              20             240           7,200
 (21.48(d)(10) & (11))..........
Report Effects of Management                   9               9             100             900          27,000
 Activities (21.48(d)(12))......
DCCO Depredation Order                       500             500               7           3,500         105,000
 Recordkeeping (21.47(d)(9))....
ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½
    Totals......................             535             535  ..............           4,678         140,340
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Abstract: This information collection is associated with 
regulations implementing the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) (16 
U.S.C. 703 et seq.). Under the MBTA, it is unlawful to take, possess, 
import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, 
purchase, or barter, migratory birds or their parts, nests, or eggs, 
except as authorized by regulations implementing the MBTA. In 2003, we 
promulgated regulations to authorize the take of double-crested 
cormorants (DCCOs) under certain circumstances. The regulations at 50 
CFR 21.47 (Aquaculture Depredation Order) authorize aquaculture 
producers in 13 States to take DCCOs when the birds are found 
committing or about to commit depredations on commercial freshwater 
aquaculture stocks. The regulations at 50 CFR 21.48 (Public Resource 
Depredation Order) authorize State fish and wildlife agencies, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (APHIS-Wildlife Services), and federally 
recognized tribes in 24 States to take DCCOs to prevent depredations on 
the public resources of fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
    Both 50 CFR 21.47 and 21.48 impose reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements on those operating under the depredation orders. We use 
the information collected to:
    (1) Help assess the impact of the depredation orders on DCCO 
populations.
    (2) Protect nontarget migratory birds or other species.
    (3) Ensure that agencies and individuals are conforming to the 
terms, conditions, and purpose of the orders.
    (4) Help gauge the effectiveness of the orders at mitigating 
cormorant-related damages.
    Comments: On April 19, 2006, we published in the Federal Register 
(71 FR 20120) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew approval 
for this information collection. In that notice, we solicited public 
comments for 60 days, ending on June 19, 2006. We received two 
comments.
    The first commenter noted opposition to the killing of cormorants 
but, for the most part, did not specifically address the information 
collection except to say that ``this paperwork * * * is ineffectual in 
even recording the actual numbers killed.'' We believe that the 
reporting provides valid information about the number of birds killed.
    Following are comments by the second commenter and our responses:
    Comment: The information will have practical utility only if it is 
freely accessible to other individuals to assess the accuracy and 
predictability of the outcomes.
    Response: We have found the information useful and it is available 
upon request.
    Comment: The accuracy of the burden estimate for this collection of 
information is only valid if cross-validation is allowed and 
reassessment of the data by another is conducted without knowledge of 
the outcome (blind tests).
    Response: The accuracy of the estimate might be enhanced, but we 
believe it is of sufficient quality as reported.
    Comment: The quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected must have transparency, ground truthing, and redundancy by 
collaborators and outside entities.
    Response: We do not believe that ground truthing or other 
confirmation of the limited data collected is necessary.
    We again invite comments concerning this information collection 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 submitted in response to this notice are a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: August 28, 2006.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17826 Filed 10-24-06; 8:45 am]
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