[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8681-8682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03237]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FW-HQ-WSFR-2015-N036; FVWF97820900000-XXX-FF09W13000 and 
FVWF54200900000-XXX-FFO9W13000]


Proposed Information Collection; National Survey of Fishing, 
Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (FHWAR)

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. 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 April 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to the Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or 
[email protected] (email). Please include ``1018-0088'' 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

    The information collected for the National Survey of Fishing, 
Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation (FHWAR) assists the Fish and 
Wildlife Service in administering the Wildlife and Sport Fish 
Restoration grant programs. The 2016 FHWAR will provide up-to-date 
information on the uses and demands for wildlife-related recreation 
resources, trends in uses of those resources, and a basis for 
developing and evaluating programs and projects to meet existing and 
future needs.
    We collect the information in conjunction with carrying out our 
responsibilities under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act 
(16 U.S.C. 777-777m), commonly referred to as the Dingell-Johnson Act, 
and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669-669i), 
commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act. Under these acts, as 
amended, we provide approximately $1 billion in grants annually to 
States for projects that support sport fish and wildlife management and 
restoration, including:
     Improvement of fish and wildlife habitats,
     Fishing and boating access,
     Fish stocking, and
     Hunting and fishing opportunities.
    We also provide grants for aquatic education and hunter education, 
maintenance of completed projects, and research into problems affecting 
fish and wildlife resources. These projects help to ensure that the 
American people have adequate opportunities for fish and wildlife 
recreation.
    We conduct the survey about every 5 years. The 2016 FHWAR will be 
the 13th conducted since 1955. We sponsor the survey at the States' 
request, which is made through the Association of Fish and Wildlife 
Agencies. We contract with the Census Bureau, which collects the 
information using computer-assisted telephone or in-person interviews. 
The Census Bureau will select a sample of sportspersons and wildlife 
watchers from a household screen and conduct three detailed interviews 
during the survey year. The survey collects information on the number 
of days of participation, species of animals sought, and expenditures 
for trips and equipment. Information on the characteristics of 
participants includes age, income, sex, education, race, and State of 
residence.
    Federal and State agencies use information from the survey to make 
policy decisions related to fish and wildlife restoration and 
management. Participation patterns and trend information help identify 
present and future needs and demands. Land managing agencies use the 
data on expenditures and participation to assess the value of wildlife-
related recreational uses of natural resources. Wildlife-related 
recreation expenditure information is used to estimate the economic 
impact on the economy and to support the dedication of tax revenues for 
fish and wildlife restoration programs.

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0088.
    Title: National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated 
Recreation (FHWAR).
    Service Form Number: None.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement with change of a previously approved 
collection.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals and households.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Pre-screener internet/paper questionnaire 
data collection will be conducted in January 2016. Household screen 
interviews and the first detailed sportsperson and wildlife-watcher 
interviews will be conducted April-June 2016. The second detailed 
interviews will be conducted September-October 2016. The third and last 
detailed interviews will be conducted January-March 2017.

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                                                                                              Number of
                            Activity                               Number of household       participant       Completion time per   Annual burden hours
                                                                        responses            respondents       response (minutes)
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Pre-screener....................................................                 6,970  ....................                     5                   581
Screener........................................................                 7,040  ....................                     7                   821
Wave 1 Sportsperson interviews..................................  ....................                 1,505                    11                   276
Wave 2 Sportsperson interviews..................................  ....................                 2,580                    15                   645
Wave 3 Sportsperson interviews..................................  ....................                 4,444                    35                 2,592
Wave 1 Wildlife Watching interviews.............................  ....................                 1,252                    11                   230
Wave 2 Wildlife Watching interviews.............................  ....................                 2,146                    11                   393

[[Page 8682]]

 
Wave 3 Wildlife Watching interviews.............................  ....................                 3,697                    20                 1,232
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    Totals......................................................                14,010                15,624  ....................                 6,770
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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: February 11, 2015.
Tina A. Campbell,
Chief, Division of Policy, Performance, and Management Programs, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-03237 Filed 2-17-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P