[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 245 (Thursday, December 21, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76680-76681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21893]


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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 1018-0012; Declaration 
for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife

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. This ICR is scheduled to expire on December 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 January 22, 2007.

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 (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: 1018-0012.
    Title: Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or 
Wildlife.
    Service Form Number(s): 3-177 and 3-177a.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses or individuals that import or export 
fish, wildlife, or wildlife products; scientific institutions that 
import or export fish or wildlife scientific specimens; government 
agencies that import or export fish or wildlife specimens for various 
purposes.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 30,600.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 170,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes for hard copy; 10 minutes 
for electronic completion.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 34,000.
    Abstract: The Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) makes 
it unlawful to import or export fish, wildlife, or plants without 
filing a declaration or report deemed necessary for enforcing the Act 
or upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species (CITES) (see 16 U.S.C. 1538(e)). With a few exceptions, 
businesses or individuals importing into or exporting from the United 
States any fish, wildlife, or wildlife product must complete and submit 
to the Service an FWS Form 3-177 (Declaration for Importation or 
Exportation of Fish or Wildlife). This form as well as FWS Form 3-177a 
(Continuation Sheet) and instructions for completion are available for 
electronic submission at https://edecs.fws.gov. These forms are also 
available in hard copy at http://www.fws.gov/forms/.
    The information that we collect is unique to each wildlife shipment 
and enables us to (1) Accurately inspect the contents of the shipment; 
(2) enforce any regulations that pertain to the fish, wildlife, or 
wildlife products contained in the shipment; and (3) maintain records 
of the importation and exportation of these commodities. Additionally, 
since the United States is a member of CITES, we compile much of the 
collected information in an annual report that we provide to the CITES 
Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland. This annual report on the number 
and types of imports and exports of fish, wildlife, and wildlife 
products is one of our treaty obligations under CITES. We also use the 
information obtained from FWS Form 3-177 as an enforcement tool and 
management aid to monitor the international wildlife market and detect 
trends and changes in the commercial trade of fish, wildlife, and 
wildlife products. Our Division of Scientific Authority and Division of 
Management Authority use this information to assess the need for 
additional protection for native species.
    Businesses or individuals must file FWS Forms 3-177/3-177a with us 
at the time and port where they request clearance of the import or 
export of wildlife or wildlife products. In certain instances, they may 
file the forms with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The information 
we collect includes:
    (1) Name of the importer or exporter and broker.
    (2) Scientific and common name of the fish or wildlife.
    (3) Permit numbers (if permits are required).
    (4) Description, quantity, and value of the fish or wildlife.
    (5) Natural country of origin of the fish or wildlife.
    In addition, certain information, such as the airway bill or bill 
of lading number, the location of the fish or wildlife for inspection, 
and the number of cartons containing fish or wildlife, assists our 
wildlife inspectors if a physical examination of the shipment is 
necessary. This information collection is part of a system of records 
covered by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552(a)).
    Comments: On June 20, 2006, we published in the Federal Register 
(71 FR 35444) a notice that we planned to ask OMB to renew approval for 
this information collection. In that notice, we solicited public 
comments for 60 days, ending August 21, 2006. We received one comment, 
which did not address the information collection requirements. We did 
not make any changes as a result of this comment.
    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;

[[Page 76681]]

    (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: November 16, 2006.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-21893 Filed 12-20-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P