[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17428-17429]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08188]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-R-2018-N027; FXRS12630900000-167-FF09R81000; OMB Control Number 
1018-0140]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Hunting and 
Fishing Application Forms and Activity Reports for National Wildlife 
Refuges

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are proposing to renew an 
information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
May 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on this information collection request 
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the 
Department of the Interior by email at [email protected]; or 
via facsimile to (202) 395-5806. Please provide a copy of your comments 
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 by email to [email protected]. Please reference OMB 
Control Number 1018-0140 in the subject line of your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at [email protected], or by 
telephone at (703) 358-2503. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and 
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact 
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information 
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired 
format.
    A Federal Register notice with a 60-day public comment period 
soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on 
August 31, 2017 (82 FR 41421). We received no comments in response to 
that notice.
    We are again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is 
described below. We are especially interested in public comment 
addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the 
proper functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed 
and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; 
(4) how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize 
the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the 
use of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. 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.
    Abstract: The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
1966 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), as amended (Administration Act), and the 
Refuge Recreation Act of 1962 (16 U.S.C. 460k-460k-4) (Recreation Act) 
govern the administration and uses of national wildlife refuges and 
wetland management districts. The Administration Act consolidated all 
the different refuge areas into a single Refuge System. It also 
authorizes us to permit public uses, including hunting and fishing, on 
lands of the Refuge System when we find that the activity is compatible 
and appropriate with the purpose for which the refuge was established. 
The Recreation Act allows the use of refuges for public recreation when 
the use is not inconsistent or does not interfere with the primary 
purpose(s) of the refuge.
    We administer 373 hunting programs and 310 fishing programs on 411 
refuges and wetland management districts. We only collect user 
information at about 20 percent of these refuges. Information that we 
plan to collect will help us:
     Administer and monitor hunting and fishing programs on 
refuges.
     Distribute hunting and fishing permits in a fair and 
equitable manner to eligible participants.

[[Page 17429]]

    We use nine application and report forms associated with hunting 
and fishing on refuges. We may not allow all opportunities on all 
refuges; therefore, we developed different forms to simplify the 
process and avoid confusion for applicants. The currently approved 
forms are available online at http://www.fws.gov/forms/. Not all 
refuges will use each form and some refuges may collect the identical 
information in a non-form format (meaning there is no designated form 
associated with the collection of information).
    We use the following application forms when we assign areas, dates, 
and/or types of hunts via a drawing because of limited resources, high 
demand, or when a permit is needed to hunt. We issue application forms 
for specific periods, usually seasonally or annually.
     FWS Form 3-2354 (Quota Deer Hunt Application).
     FWS Form 3-2355 (Waterfowl Lottery Application).
     FWS Form 3-2356 (Big/Upland Game Hunt Application).
     FWS Form 3-2357 (Migratory Bird Hunt Application).
     FWS Form 3-2358 (Fishing/Shrimping/Crabbing Application).
    Forms 3-2354 through 3-2358 collect information on:
     Applicant (name, address, phone number) so that we can 
notify applicants of their selection.
     User preferences (dates, areas, method) so that we can 
distribute users equitably.
     Whether or not the applicant is applying for a special 
opportunity for disabled or youth hunters.
     Age of youth hunter(s) so that we can establish 
eligibility.
    We ask users to report on their success after their experience so 
that we can evaluate hunting/fishing quality and resource impacts. We 
use the following activity reports, which we distribute during 
appropriate seasons, as determined by State or Federal regulations.
     FWS Form 3-2359 (Big Game Harvest Report).
     FWS Form 3-2360 (Fishing Report).
     FWS Form 3-2361 (Migratory Bird Hunt Report).
     FWS Form 3-2362 (Upland/Small Game/Furbearer Report).
    Forms 3-2359 through 3-2362 collect information on:
     Names of users so we can differentiate between responses.
     City and State of residence so that we can better 
understand if users are local or traveling.
     Dates, time, and number in party so we can identify use 
trends and allocate staff and resources.
     Details of success by species so that we can evaluate 
quality of experience and resource impacts.
    Title of Collection: Hunting and Fishing Application Forms and 
Activity Reports for National Wildlife Refuges, 50 CFR 25.41, 25.43, 
25.51, 26.32, 26.33, 27.42, 30.11, 31.15, 32.1 to 32.72.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0140.
    Form Number: FWS Forms 3-2354 through 3-2362.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 805,492 (269,011 for 
applications and 536,481 for activity reports).
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 805,492.
    Estimated Completion Time per Response: 15 minutes for hunting/
fishing applications and 10 minutes for activity reports.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 156,667 (67,253 for 
applications and 89,414 for activity reports).
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion (for applications, usually 
once per year at the beginning of the hunting season; for activity 
reports, once at the conclusion of the hunting/fishing experience).
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: We estimate the annual 
non-hour cost burden to be $65,000 for hunting application fees at 
approximately 31 of the 408 refuges that are open for hunting and/or 
fishing.
    An agency 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.
    The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

    Dated: April 16, 2018.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-08188 Filed 4-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P