[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 127 (Monday, July 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31970-31971]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15832]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-FWS-R7-MB-2009-N134] [70151-1231-BS51-L6]


Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1018-0124; 
Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest Household Survey

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:  Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  We (Fish and Wildlife Service, Service) will ask the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection 
(IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is 
scheduled to expire on January 31, 2010. 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.

DATES: Your comments must be received by September 4, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to Hope Grey, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); or [email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or 
by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-712) and the Fish and 
Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742d) designate the Department of the 
Interior as the key agency responsible for managing migratory bird 
populations that frequent the United States and for setting harvest 
regulations that allow for the conservation of those populations. These 
responsibilities include gathering accurate geographical and temporal 
data on various characteristics of migratory bird harvest. We use 
harvest data to issue harvest regulations, and we adjust the 
regulations as needed to provide maximum subsistence harvest 
opportunity while keeping migratory bird populations at desired and 
sustainable levels.

[[Page 31971]]

    The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Protocol Amendment (1995) (Amendment) 
provides for the customary and traditional use of migratory birds and 
their eggs for subsistence use by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska. The 
Amendment states that its intent is not to cause significant increases 
in the take of species of migratory birds relative to their continental 
population sizes. A submittal letter from the Department of State to 
the White House (May 20, 1996) accompanied the Amendment and specified 
the need for harvest monitoring. The submittal letter stated that the 
Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), and Alaska 
Native organizations would collect harvest information cooperatively 
within the subsistence eligible areas. Harvest survey data help to 
ensure that customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory 
birds and their eggs by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska do not 
significantly increase the take of species of migratory birds relative 
to their continental population sizes.
    Between 1989 and 2004, we monitored subsistence harvest of 
migratory birds using annual household surveys in the Yukon-Kuskokwim 
Delta, which is the region of highest subsistence bird harvest in the 
State of Alaska. In 2004, we began monitoring subsistence harvest of 
migratory birds in subsistence eligible areas Statewide. The Statewide 
harvest assessment program allows tracking significant trends and 
changes in levels of harvest and user participation. The harvest 
assessment program relies on collaboration among the Service, the ADFG, 
and a number of Alaska Native organizations.
    We gather information on the annual subsistence harvest of 54 bird 
species (ducks, geese, swans, cranes, upland game birds, seabirds, 
shorebirds, and grebes and loons) in the subsistence eligible areas of 
Alaska. The survey covers 10 regions of Alaska, which are further 
divided in 29 subregions. We survey the regions and villages in a 
rotation schedule to accommodate budget constraints and to minimize 
respondent burden. The survey covers spring, summer, and fall harvest 
in most regions.
    In collaboration with Alaska Native organizations, we hire local 
resident surveyors to collect the harvest information. The surveyors 
list all households in the villages to be surveyed and provide survey 
information and harvest report forms to randomly selected households 
that have agreed to participate in the survey. To ensure 
confidentiality of harvest information, we identify households by a 
numeric code. The surveyor visits households three times during the 
survey year. At the first household visit, the surveyor explains the 
survey purposes and invites household participation. The surveyor 
returns at the end of harvest seasons to help the household complete 
the harvest report form.
    We have revised the survey methods to streamline procedures and 
reduce respondent burden. We plan to use two forms for household 
participation:
    (1) FWS Form 3-2380 (Tracking Sheet and Household Consent). The 
surveyor visits each household selected to participate in the survey to 
provide information on the objectives and to obtain household consent 
to participate. The surveyor uses this form to record consent and track 
subsequent visits for completion of harvest reports
    (2) FWS Form 3-2381 (Harvest Report). This form has drawings of 
bird species most commonly available for harvest in the different 
regions of Alaska with fields for writing down the numbers of birds and 
eggs taken. There are four versions of this form: Interior Alaska, 
North Slope, Southern Coastal Alaska, and West/South-Central Alaska. 
This form has a page for each season surveyed, and, on each page, there 
are fields for the household code, community name, harvest year, date 
of completion, and comments.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0124.
    Title: Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest Household Survey.
    Service Form Number(s): 3-2380 and 3-2381.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Households within subsistence eligible areas of 
Alaska (Alaska Peninsula, Kodiak Archipelago, the Aleutian Islands, or 
in areas north and west of the Alaska Range.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually for Tracking Sheet and Household 
Consent; three times annually for Harvest Report.

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                                   Number of annual    Number of annual   Completion time per    Annual burden
            Activity                  respondents          responses            response             hours
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3-2380--Tracking Sheet and                     2,875               2,875  5 minutes..........                240
 Household Consent.
3-2381--Harvest Report (three                  2,300               6,900  5 minutes..........                575
 seasonal sheets).
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    Totals......................               5,175               9,775  ...................                815
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III. Request for Comments

     We invite comments concerning this IC 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 that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this IC. Before including your address, phone number, 
e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your 
personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Dated: June 26, 2009
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E9-15832 Filed 7-2-09; 8:45 am]
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