[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6814-6815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03497]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-MB-2019-N001; FXMB12310900WHO-189-FF09M26000; OMB Control 
Number 1018-0023]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Migratory Bird Harvest 
Information Program and Migratory Bird Surveys

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 revise 
an information collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
April 29, 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 1018-0023 in the subject line of your 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 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 (16 U.S.C. 703-711) 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 (1) the wise 
management of migratory bird populations frequenting the United States, 
and (2) setting hunting regulations that allow appropriate harvests 
that are within the guidelines that will allow for those populations' 
well-being. These responsibilities dictate that we gather accurate data 
on various characteristics of migratory bird harvest. Based on 
information from harvest surveys, we can adjust hunting regulations as 
needed to optimize harvests at levels that provide a maximum of hunting 
recreation while keeping populations at desired levels.
    Under 50 CFR 20.20, migratory bird hunters must register for the 
Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program in each State in which they 
hunt each year. State natural resource agencies must send names and 
addresses of all migratory bird hunters to Branch of Harvest Surveys, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Bird Management, 
on an annual basis.
    The Migratory Bird Hunter Survey is based on the Migratory Bird 
Harvest Information Program. We randomly select migratory bird hunters 
and ask them to report their harvest. The resulting estimates of 
harvest per hunter are combined with the complete list of migratory 
bird hunters to provide estimates of the total harvest for the species 
surveyed.
    The Parts Collection Survey estimates the species, sex, and age 
composition of the harvest, and the geographic and temporal 
distribution of the harvest. Randomly selected successful hunters who 
responded to the Migratory Bird Hunter Survey the previous year are 
asked to complete and return a postcard if they are willing to 
participate in the

[[Page 6815]]

Parts Collection Survey. We provide postage-paid envelopes to 
respondents before the hunting season and ask them to send in a wing or 
the tail feathers from each duck or goose that they harvest, or a wing 
from each mourning dove, woodcock, band-tailed pigeon, snipe, rail, or 
gallinule that they harvest. We use the wings and tail feathers to 
identify the species, sex, and ages of the harvested samples. We also 
ask respondents to report on the envelope the date and location of 
harvest for each bird. We combine the results of this survey with the 
harvest estimates obtained from the Migratory Bird Hunter Survey to 
provide species-specific national harvest estimates.
    The combined results of these surveys enable us to evaluate the 
effects of season length, season dates, and bag limits on the harvest 
of each species, and thus help us determine appropriate hunting 
regulations.
    The Sandhill Crane Harvest Survey is an annual questionnaire survey 
of people who obtained a sandhill crane hunting permit. At the end of 
the hunting season, we randomly select a sample of permit holders and 
ask them to report the date, location, and number of birds harvested 
for each of their sandhill crane hunts. Their responses provide 
estimates of the temporal and geographic distribution of the harvest as 
well as the average harvest per hunter, which, combined with the total 
number of permits issued, enables us to estimate the total harvest of 
sandhill cranes. Based on information from this survey, we adjust 
hunting regulations as needed.
    We received approval under the DOI Fast Track clearance process 
(OMB Control No. 1090-0011) to conduct limited user testing of a new 
online hunter diary survey. With this submission, we will request OMB 
approval of this new online harvest survey that will eventually replace 
our paper hunter diary survey (after a phase-in period of 3 years). The 
new online survey consists of a series of four questions, which ask for 
the same information that is currently solicited on our paper forms, 
but in an easier and more streamlined format. The online form also 
allows for hunters to keep track of their hunting activity in the form 
of a log, which they can download or print at the end of the season. 
Preliminary testing of this online survey suggests that the completion 
time is less than that of our paper surveys and will provide hunters 
with a more enjoyable experience.
    Title of Collection: Migratory Bird Information Program and 
Migratory Bird Surveys, 50 CFR 20.20.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0023.
    Form Number: Forms 3-165, 3-165A through E, 3-2056J through N.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: States and migratory game bird 
hunters.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory for Harvest Information Program 
registration information; voluntary for participation in the surveys.
    Frequency of Collection: Annually or on occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

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                                                                              Number of       Number of                                    Total annual
                Activity                              Form No.               respondents      responses     Completion time per response  burden hours *
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                                                       Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program
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Government..............................  None...........................              49             784  157 hours....................         123,088
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                                                              Migratory Bird Hunter Survey
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Individuals.............................  Form 3-2056J...................          18,500          18,500  5 minutes....................           1,542
Individuals.............................  Form 3-2056K...................          11,550          11,550  4 minutes....................             770
Individuals.............................  Form 3-2056L...................           4,450           4,450  4 minutes....................             297
Individuals.............................  Form 3-2056M...................           6,000           6,000  3 minutes....................             300
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                                                              Sandhill Crane Harvest Survey
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Individuals.............................  3-2056N........................           2,000           2,000  3.5 minutes..................             117
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                                                                 Parts Collection Survey
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Individuals.............................  Form 3-165.....................           4,200          92,400  5 minutes....................           7,700
Individuals.............................  Form 3-165A....................           1,000           5,500  5 minutes....................             458
Individuals.............................  Form 3-165B....................           3,600           3,600  1 minute.....................              60
Individuals.............................  Form 3-165C....................             400             400  1 minute.....................               7
Individuals.............................  Form 3-165D....................           1,100           1,100  1 minute.....................              18
Individuals.............................  Form 3-165E....................             900           1,350  5 minutes....................             113
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                                                     Online Hunter Diary Survey (all species groups)
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Individuals.............................  On-line........................          42,500          42,500  4 minutes....................           2,833
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    Totals..............................  ...............................          96,249         190,134  .............................         137,303
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* Rounded.

    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 25, 2019.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-03497 Filed 2-27-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P