[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 155 (Thursday, August 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40835-40836]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19405]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-MB-2009-N169] [91200-1231-9BPP-L2]


Proposed Information Collection; 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) 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 December 31, 2009. 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: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC, 
we must receive them by October 13, 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 hope_
[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

    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.
    The regulations at 50 CFR 21.47 (Aquaculture Depredation Order) 
authorize aquaculture producers in 13 States to take double-crested 
cormorants 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 double-crested cormorants 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 double-
crested cormorant 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.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0121.
    Title: Depredation Orders for Double-Crested Cormorants, 50 CFR 
21.47 and 21.48.
    Service Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Aquaculture producers, States, and tribes.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually for reports; ongoing for 
recordkeeping.

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                                   Number of annual    Number of annual   Completion time per    Annual burden
            Activity                  respondents          responses            response             hours
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Report take of migratory bird                      1                   1  1 hour.............                  1
 species other than double-
 crested cormorants
 (21.47(d)(7); 21.48(d)(7)).
Report take of species protected                   1                   1  1 hour.............                  1
 under Endangered Species Act
 (21.47(d)(8); 21.48(d)(8)).
Written notice of intent to                       12                  12  3 hours............                 36
 conduct control activities
 (21.48(d)(9)).
Report of control activities                      12                  12  20 hours...........                240
 (21.48(d)(10) and (11)).
Report effects of management                       9                   9  100 hours..........                900
 activities (21.48(d)(12)).

[[Page 40836]]

 
 Recordkeeping (21.47(d)(9))....                 500                 500  7 hours............              3,500
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    Totals......................                 535                 535  ...................              4,678
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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: August 6, 2009
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E9-19405 Filed 8-12-09; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S