[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 131 (Monday, July 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40374-40375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16664]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-MB-2012-N152; FF09M21200-123-FXMB1231099BPP0L2]


Proposed Information Collection; Depredation Orders for Double-
Crested Cormorants

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We (U.S. 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 January 31, 2013. 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 September 7, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 2042-
PDM, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); or 
[email protected] (email). Please include ``1018-0121'' in the subject 
line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey at [email protected] (email) or 703-358-
2482 (telephone).

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 in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 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, 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.

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.
    Description of Respondents: 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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                                                                                    Completion
                                                     Number of       Number of       time per      Total annual
                    Activity                        respondents      responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                      (hours)
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Report take of migratory bird species other than               1               1               1               1
 double-crested cormorants (21.47(d)(7);
 21.48(d)(7))...................................
Report take of species protected under                         1               1               1               1
 Endangered Species Act (21.47(d)(8);
 21.48(d)(8))...................................
Written notice of intent to conduct control                   12              12               3              36
 activities (21.48(d)(9)).......................
Report of control activities (21.48(d)(10) and                12              12              20             240
 (11))..........................................
Report effects of management activities                        9               9              75             675
 (21.48(d)(12)).................................
Recordkeeping (21.47(d)(9)).....................             325             325               7           2,275
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................             360             360  ..............           3,228
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III. Comments

    We 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. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this IC. Before

[[Page 40375]]

including your address, phone number, email 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 29, 2012.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-16664 Filed 7-6-12; 8:45 am]
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