[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 227 (Friday, November 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 62344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28327]



[[Page 62344]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-MB-2009-N253] [91200-1231-9BPP-L2]


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. We summarize 
the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the 
estimated burden and cost. This ICR 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may 
continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is 
pending at OMB.

DATES: You must send comments on or before December 28, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this information 
collection to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at 
OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-5806 (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) or hope_
[email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Hope Grey by mail or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) 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(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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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)).
 Recordkeeping (21.47(d)(9))....                 500                 500  7 hours............              3,500
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................                 535                 535  ...................              4,678
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    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 and the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(APHIS-Wildlife Services) 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:
     Help assess the impact of the depredation orders on 
double-crested cormorant populations.
     Protect nontarget migratory birds or other species.
     Ensure that agencies and individuals are operating in 
accordance with the terms, conditions, and purpose of the orders.
     Help gauge the effectiveness of the orders at mitigating 
cormorant-related damages.
    Comments: On August 13, 2009, we published in the Federal Register 
(74 FR 40835) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew this 
ICR. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 days, ending on 
October 13, 2009. We did not receive any comments.
    We again invite comments concerning this information collection on:
     Whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
     The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 
collection of information;
     Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     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. 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 OMB in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it 
will be done.

    Dated: November 17, 2009
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E9-28327 Filed 11-25-09; 8:45 am
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