[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60454-60455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24397]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-LE-2012-N229; FF09L00200-FX-LE12240900000G2]


Proposed Information Collection; Declaration for Importation or 
Exportation of Fish or Wildlife

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 March 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 December 3, 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 ``1018-0012'' in the subject 
line of your comments.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) makes it 
unlawful to import or export fish, wildlife, or plants without filing a 
declaration or report deemed necessary for enforcing the Act or 
upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 
(CITES) (see 16 U.S.C. 1538(e)). With a few exceptions, businesses, 
individuals, or government agencies importing into or exporting from 
the United States any fish, wildlife, or

[[Page 60455]]

wildlife product must complete and submit to the Service an FWS Form 3-
177 (Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife). 
This form as well as FWS Form 3-177a (Continuation Sheet) and 
instructions for completion are available for electronic submission at 
https://edecs.fws.gov. These forms are also available in fillable 
format at http://www.fws.gov/forms/.
    The information that we collect is unique to each wildlife shipment 
and enables us to:
     Accurately inspect the contents of the shipment;
     Enforce any regulations that pertain to the fish, 
wildlife, or wildlife products contained in the shipment; and
     Maintain records of the importation and exportation of 
these commodities.
    Businesses or individuals must file FWS Forms 3-177 and 3-177a with 
us at the time and port where they request clearance of the import or 
export of wildlife or wildlife products. Our regulations allow for 
certain species of wildlife to be imported or exported between the 
United States and Canada or Mexico at U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection ports, even though our wildlife inspectors may not be 
present. In these instances, importers and exporters may file the forms 
with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. We collect the following 
information:
    (1) Name of the importer or exporter and broker.
    (2) Scientific and common name of the fish or wildlife.
    (3) Permit numbers (if permits are required).
    (4) Description, quantity, and value of the fish or wildlife.
    (5) Natural country of origin of the fish or wildlife.
    In addition, certain information, such as the airway bill or bill 
of lading number, the location of the fish or wildlife for inspection, 
and the number of cartons containing fish or wildlife, assists our 
wildlife inspectors if a physical examination of the shipment is 
necessary

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0012.
    Title: Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or 
Wildlife, 50 CFR 14.61-14.64.
    Service Form Numbers: 3-177 and 3-177a.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description of Respondents: Businesses or individuals that import 
or export fish, wildlife, or wildlife products; scientific institutions 
that import or export fish or wildlife scientific specimens; and 
government agencies that import or export fish or wildlife specimens 
for various purposes.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

 
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                                                                                    Completion
                                                     Number of       Number of       time per      Total annual
                    Activity                        respondents      responses       response      burden hours
                                                                                     (minutes)
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3-177 hard copy submission......................           4,200          28,332              15           7,083
3-177 electronic submission.....................          16,500         154,971              10          25,829
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................          20,700         183,303  ..............          32,912
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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 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: September 26, 2012.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy and Directives Management, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-24397 Filed 10-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P