[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2902-2903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01601]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-MB-2018-N137; FXMB12610700000-190-FF07M01000; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0124]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Alaska Subsistence Bird 
Harvest Survey

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 (Service) are proposing to renew an 
information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
April 9, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) by mail 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 1018-0124 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.

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.
    We are 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. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. 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 Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (16 U.S.C. 703-712) 
and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742d) designate the 
Department of the Interior as the key agency responsible for managing 
migratory bird populations that frequent the United States and for 
setting harvest regulations that allow for the conservation of those 
populations. These responsibilities include gathering data on various 
aspects of migratory bird harvest. We use harvest data to review 
regulation proposals and to issue harvest regulations.
    The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Protocol Amendment (1995) (Amendment) 
provides for the customary and traditional use of migratory birds and 
their eggs for subsistence use by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska. The 
Amendment states that its intent is not to cause significant increases 
in the take of species of migratory birds relative to their continental 
population sizes. A submittal letter from the Department of State to 
the White House (May 20, 1996) accompanied the Amendment and specified 
the need for harvest monitoring. The submittal letter stated that the 
Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), and Alaska 
Native organizations would collect harvest information cooperatively 
within the subsistence eligible areas. Harvest data help to ensure that 
customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory birds and their 
eggs by indigenous inhabitants of Alaska do not significantly increase 
the take of species of migratory birds relative to their continental 
population sizes.
    We monitored subsistence harvest of migratory birds using household 
surveys in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region in 1985-2002 and in the 
Bristol Bay region in 1995-2002. Since 2004, the Alaska Migratory Bird 
Co-Management Council--Harvest Assessment Program (AMBCC-HAP) conducts 
regular surveys across Alaska to document the subsistence harvest of 
birds and their eggs. The statewide harvest assessment program helps to 
describe geographical and seasonal harvest patterns, and to track 
trends in harvest levels. The program relies on collaboration among the 
Service, the ADF&G, and diverse Alaska Native organizations.
    We collect harvest data for about 60 bird species/categories and 
their eggs (ducks, geese, swans, cranes, seabirds, shorebirds, grebes 
and loons, and grouse and ptarmigan) in the subsistence eligible areas 
of Alaska. The survey covers spring, summer, and fall harvest in most 
regions.
    In collaboration with Alaska Native organizations, we hire local 
resident surveyors to collect the harvest data. The surveyors list all 
households in the communities, randomly selects households to be 
surveyed, and interview households that have agreed to participate. To 
ensure anonymity of harvest information, we identify households by a 
numeric code. Since the beginning of the survey in 2004, twice we have 
re-evaluated and revised survey methods to streamline procedures and 
minimize respondent burden. We use the following forms for household 
participation:
     FWS Form 3-2380 (Tracking Sheet and Household Consent). 
The surveyor visits each household selected to participate in the 
survey to obtain household consent to participate. The surveyor uses 
this form to record household consent.
     FWS Forms 3-2381-1, 3-2381-2, 3-2381-3, and 3-2381-4 
(Harvest Report). The Harvest Report has drawings of bird species most 
commonly available for harvest in different regions of Alaska, with 
fields for recording numbers of birds and eggs taken. There are four 
versions of this form: Interior Alaska, North Slope, Southern Coastal 
Alaska, and Western Alaska. This form has a sheet for each season 
surveyed, and each sheet has fields for the household code, community 
name, harvest year, date of completion, and comments.
    Following the most recent re-evaluation of survey methods, the

[[Page 2903]]

sampling design was revised to include only 5 of 12 management regions 
as an index to the statewide harvest, these 5 regions representing 
about 90% of the statewide subsistence bird harvest. This modification 
was needed to make survey effort compatible with the funding available 
for the survey. The number of communities and households to be surveyed 
each year were also adjusted based on statistical methods to maximize 
accuracy of harvest estimates given the survey funding. We also reduced 
the number of household visits from seasonal (3 times per year) to 
annual (once a year). These modifications much reduced the estimated 
survey burden.
    Title of Collection: Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest 
Household Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0124.
    Form Number: 3-2380, 3-2381-1, 3-2381-2, 3-2381-3, and 3-2381-4.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Households within subsistence eligible 
areas of Alaska.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

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                                                                                    Completion
                                                  Average number  Average number     time per      Total annual
                    Activity                         of annual       of annual       response      burden hours
                                                    respondents      responses       (minutes)
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3-2380 Tracking Sheet and Household Consent                  723             723               5              58
3-2381-1 thru 3-2381-4 Harvest Report (three                 645             645              15             155
 seasonal sheets)
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals......................................           1,368           1,368  ..............             213
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    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: February 5, 2019.
Madonna L. Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-01601 Filed 2-7-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P