[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29658-29659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14717]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0038]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection; 
National Animal Health Monitoring System; Catfish 2010 Study

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New information collection; comment request.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's 
intention to initiate an information collection to support the National 
Animal Health Monitoring System Catfish 2010 Study.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 24, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0038 to submit or view comments and 
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0038, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to 
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0038.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of 
the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Catfish 2010 
Study, contact Ms. Sandra Warnken, Management and Program Analyst, 
Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre 
Avenue, Building B MS 2E3, Fort Collins, CO 80526; (970) 494-7193. For 
copies of more detailed information on the information collection, 
contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: National Animal Health Monitoring System; Catfish 2010 
Study.
    OMB Number: 0579-xxxx.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: Under the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et 
seq.), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is authorized, among 
other things, to protect the health of our Nation's livestock and 
poultry populations by preventing the introduction and interstate 
spread of serious diseases and pests of livestock and for eradicating 
such diseases from the United States when feasible. In connection with 
this mission, APHIS operates the National Animal Health Monitoring 
System (NAHMS), which collects nationally representative, statistically 
valid, and scientifically sound data on the prevalence and economic 
importance of livestock diseases and associated risk factors.
    NAHMS' national studies have evolved into a collaborative industry 
and government initiative to help determine the most effective means of 
preventing and controlling diseases of livestock, including farm-raised 
fish. APHIS is the only agency responsible for collecting data on 
aquaculture health. Participation in any NAHMS study is voluntary, and 
all data are confidential.
    APHIS plans to conduct the Catfish 2010 study (Catfish 2010) as 
part of an ongoing series of NAHMS studies on the U.S. aquaculture 
population. The purpose of Catfish 2010 is to support the catfish 
farming industry by providing

[[Page 29659]]

current information on production methods and catfish health status. 
The study includes objectives to:
     Describe foodsize fish production practices, including 
stocking, feeding, pond management, and general practices.
     Examine fingerling production practices, including brood 
stock management, hatchery management, vaccination practices, 
fingerling pond management, and stocking and feeding practices.
     Describe the prevalence of disease problems in fingerling 
and foodsize fish, disease control and treatment practices, and risk 
factors associated with disease.
     Develop baseline information on the use of hybrid channel 
x blue catfish production by the industry.
     Evaluate trends in foodsize fish and fingerling management 
practices from 2003 to 2010.
    Catfish 2010 will take place on farms in Alabama, Arkansas, 
Louisiana, and Mississippi, which account for 91.6 percent of 2008 
total catfish sales and 90.9 percent of the water surface acres for 
catfish production (National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA, 
Catfish Production Report, January 2009). The type, quantity, and 
frequency of data collected by NAHMS through this study are unique in 
the United States. A comparable study of the catfish industry was 
conducted by NAHMS in 2003. No other entity/source is collecting and 
analyzing data on the health of the U.S. catfish industry. The 
potential benefits to the industry from Catfish 2010 include increased 
production through enhanced pond management and increased consumer 
confidence in quality through disease reduction.
    Information from this study will be disseminated to and used by 
aquaculture producers, animal health officials, private veterinary 
practitioners, animal industry groups, policymakers, public health 
officials, multimedia, educational institutions, and others to improve 
aquaculture productivity and competitiveness.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for 3 years.
    The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public 
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection. 
These comments will help us:
    (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the 
information collection, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the information collection on those who 
are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, 
mechanical, and other collection technologies, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection 
of information is estimated to average 0.4103174 hours per response.
    Respondents: Aquaculture industry personnel and company and 
independent producers.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 700.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.8.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,260.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 517 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per 
response.)
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of June 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-14717 Filed 6-22-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P