[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 149 (Monday, August 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46701-46703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-16821]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-ES-2020-N056; FF07CAMM00.FX.ES111607MRG02; OMB Control Number 
1018-0066]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Marine Mammal 
Marking, Tagging, and Reporting Certificates, and Registration of 
Certain Dead Marine Mammal Hard Parts

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 with revisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 2, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function. Please 
provide a copy of your comments to Service Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB (JAO/3W), 
5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to 
[email protected]. Please reference OMB Control Number 1018-0066 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. Individuals who are hearing or speech 
impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY 
assistance. 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 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 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

[[Page 46702]]

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 
December 2, 2019 (84 FR 65997). We did not receive any comments in 
response to that notice.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again soliciting comments from the public and other 
Federal agencies on the proposed ICR that is described below. We are 
especially interested in public comment addressing the following:
    (1) Whether or not the collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) How might the agency minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., 
permitting electronic submission of response.
    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: Under section 101(b) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act 
of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361-1407), Alaska Natives 
residing in Alaska and dwelling on the coast of the North Pacific or 
Arctic Oceans may harvest polar bears, northern sea otters, and Pacific 
walruses for subsistence or handicraft purposes. Section 109(i) of the 
MMPA authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe marking, 
tagging, and reporting regulations applicable to the Alaska Native 
subsistence and handicraft take.
    On behalf of the Secretary, we implemented regulations at 50 CFR 
18.23(f) for Alaska Natives harvesting polar bears, northern sea 
otters, and Pacific walruses. These regulations enable us to gather 
data on the Alaska Native subsistence and handicraft harvest and on the 
biology of polar bears, northern sea otters, and Pacific walruses in 
Alaska to determine what effect such take may be having on these 
populations. The regulations also provide us with a means of monitoring 
the disposition of the harvest to ensure that any commercial use of 
products created from these species meets the criteria set forth in 
section 101(b) of the MMPA. We use three forms to collect the 
information: FWS Form 3-2414 (Polar Bear Tagging Certificates), FWS 
Form 3-2415 (Walrus Tagging Certificates), and FWS Form 3-2416 (Sea 
Otter Tagging Certificates). The information we collect includes, but 
is not limited to:
     Date of kill;
     Sex of the animal;
     Kill location;
     Age of the animal (i.e., adult, subadult, cub, or pup);
     Form of transportation used to make the kill of polar 
bears;
     Amount of time (i.e., hours/days hunted) spent hunting 
polar bears;
     Type of take (live-killed or beach-found) for walrus;
     Number of otters present in and number of otters harvested 
from pod;
     Condition of the polar bear and whether or not bear cubs 
were present; and
     Name of the hunter or possessor of the specified parts at 
the time of marking, tagging, and reporting.
    We use FWS Form 3-2406 (Registration of Certain Dead Marine Mammal 
Hard Parts) to record the collection of bones, teeth, or ivory of dead 
marine mammals by non-Native and Natives not eligible to harvest marine 
mammals under the MMPA. It is legal to collect such parts from a beach 
or from land within a quarter of a mile of the ocean (50 CFR 18.26). 
The information we collect via Form 3-2406 includes, but is not limited 
to:
     Date and location found.
     Age, sex, and size of the animal.
     Tag numbers.
     Name, address, phone number, and birthdate of the 
collector.

Proposed Changes to Form 3-2414, ``Polar Bear Tagging Certificate''

    With the changing environment, we are making a few needed changes 
to the Form 3-2414. These changes are:

A. Age Class (Five different categories).
B. Bear Condition (Three different categories).
C. Research Marks/Tags (New Question).
D. Conflict or Problem Bear? (New question).
E. Defense of Life (Property removed).
F. Hunter Available for Post Hunt Interview? (Yes/No). Phone # (New 
question).
Post-Interview Questions (if the hunter agrees):
    a. Was there a food source/attractant that the bear was interested 
in? What was the attractant?
    b. Was there any attempt to haze the bear to get it to leave?
    c. Was it believed that the bear could be a threat to people?


    NOTE:  These are typical post-hunt questions that would only be 
asked if the biologist needed information on a bear that was marked 
as a problem bear. There is no standardized questioning.


G. We removed the ``Time Spent Hunting'' and ``Vehicle Use While 
Hunting'' questions, as this information has not proved valuable.
    Title of Collection: Marine Mammal Marking, Tagging, and Reporting 
Certificates, and Registration of Certain Dead Marine Mammal Hard 
Parts, 50 CFR 18.23(f) and 18.26.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0066.
    Form Number: FWS Forms 3-2406, 3-2414, 3-2415, and 3-2416.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and households, private 
sector, and State/local/Tribal governments.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

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                                           Number of       Number of       Completion time per     Total annual
               Activity                   respondents      responses            response          burden hours *
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3-2414 (Polar Bear)...................              20              30  15 minutes..............               8
3-2415 (Walrus).......................              90             300  15 minutes..............              75

[[Page 46703]]

 
3-2416 (Sea Otter)....................              60           1,500  15 minutes..............             375
3-2406 (Beach Found)..................             200             200  15 minutes..............              50
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    Totals:...........................             370           2,030  ........................             508
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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: July 29, 2020.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-16821 Filed 7-31-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P