[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 87 (Friday, May 5, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29145-29147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-09577]



[[Page 29145]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-LE-2023-0049; FF09L00200-FX-LE18110900000; OMB 
Control Number 1018-0012]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Declaration for 
Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife

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 
July 5, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the information collection request 
(ICR) by one of the following methods (please reference 1018-0012 in 
the subject line of your comments):
     Internet (preferred): https://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-LE-2023-
0049.
     Email: [email protected].
     U.S. mail: Service Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB 
(JAO/3W), Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

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 in the United States who are 
deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 
711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make international calls to 
the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and its implementing regulations at 5 
CFR 1320.8(d)(1), all information collections require approval under 
the PRA. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we invite the public and other Federal agencies 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 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. 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 Endangered Species Act (Act; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 
makes it unlawful to import or export fish, wildlife, or plants without 
filing a declaration or report as necessary for enforcing the Act or 
upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 
(CITES; 16 U.S.C. 1538(e)). With some exceptions, individuals, 
businesses, and others importing into or exporting from the United 
States any fish or wildlife must complete and submit to the Service an 
FWS Form 3-177 (Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or 
Wildlife). This form, as well as FWS Form 3-177a (Continuation Sheet) 
and instructions for completion, are available for electronic 
submission at https://edecs.fws.gov. These forms are also available in 
fillable format at http://www.fws.gov/forms/. The information that we 
collect enables us to:
     Accurately inspect the contents of the shipment;
     Enforce any regulations that pertain to the fish, 
wildlife, or plants contained in the shipment; and
     Maintain records of the importation and exportation of 
these commodities.
    Individuals, businesses, and others must file FWS Forms 3-177 and 
3-177a with us at the time of import or export of fish or wildlife. Our 
regulations allow certain species of fish or wildlife to be imported or 
exported between the United States and Canada or Mexico at U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection ports, even though our wildlife inspectors may 
not be present. In these instances, importers and exporters may submit 
the hard copy of the completed forms to U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP). We later collect these submitted forms from CBP and 
enter the information into the Service's Law Enforcement Management 
Information System (LEMIS). Form 3-177 collects the following 
information:
    1. Date of the import/export;
    2. Import/export license number;
    3. Whether the shipment is an import or export;
    4. Port of clearance;
    5. Purpose code;
    6. Customs documents number(s);
    7. Name of carrier;
    8. Transportation code;
    9. Bonded location for inspection;
    10. Whether the importer/exporter is based in the United States or 
in a foreign country;
    11. Name, address, phone, and email of importer/exporter;
    12. Identifier number and ID type of importer/exporter;
    13. Name, phone, fax, email address, and contact person for customs 
broker, shipping agent, or freight forwarder;
    14. Identifier number and ID type of customs broker, shipping 
agent, or freight forwarder;
    15. Scientific and common name of the fish or wildlife;
    16. Permit numbers (if permits are required);
    17. Description, quantity, and value of the fish or wildlife;
    18. Natural country of origin of the fish or wildlife; and
    19. Whether the wildlife is live and venomous.
    In addition, certain information, such as the airway bill or bill 
of lading number, the location of the shipment containing the fish or 
wildlife for inspection, and the markings on cartons

[[Page 29146]]

and number of cartons containing fish or wildlife, assists our wildlife 
inspectors if a physical examination of the shipment is necessary.
    We are also requesting OMB's continued approval for electronic 
collection of data through CBP's Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) 
portal as an alternative electronic option for importers to eDecs. ACE 
is the system through which the trade community transmits international 
trade data required by CBP and all other participating government 
agencies. The Safe Port Act requires the Service to participate in the 
International Trade Data System, and the Executive Order on 
Streamlining Exports and Imports establishes ACE as the primary means 
for collection of international trade data by the government. Although 
the Service does not mandate importers to use ACE to file Service data 
at this time, if the filer chooses to file in ACE, we will collect the 
data from ACE as an alternative to eDecs. If importers file in ACE, 
they should not file in eDecs.

Proposed Revisions to This Information Collection

    With this submission, we propose the following revisions to this 
information collection for OMB approval:
    1. We propose to collect the container number for fish or wildlife 
shipped via ocean cargo. When fish or wildlife are imported and 
exported on cargo ships, they are packed in shipping containers, which 
have unique numbers. When our inspectors receive documents for these 
shipments, the documents often, but do not always, include the 
container number. However, Form 3-177 currently does not have a field 
for the container number. It is difficult for our wildlife inspectors 
to locate a shipment at a seaport without the container number, as 
ocean cargo shipments are tracked by container number. By adding a 
field for the container number to Form 3-177 and thus requiring this 
information on the form, we will improve our ability to inspect ocean 
cargo shipments and expedite the inspection process for individuals, 
businesses, and others who ship via ocean cargo.
    2. Second, we propose to add a field to collect U.S. permit numbers 
other than CITES. Currently, we require importers and exporters to 
include the number for a U.S. CITES permit for those CITES listed 
species that require a U.S. CITES permit. They may also or instead have 
other U.S.-issued wildlife permits, such as those required under the 
Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Marine Mammal 
Protection Act, Wild Bird Conservation Act, Bald and Golden Eagle 
Protection Act, and Lacey Act. These additional permit numbers will 
enable us to link the Form 3-177 to the permit. This will improve data 
collection and analysis, as we will be able to better ascertain what 
fish or wildlife is being imported and exported and tie it to what is 
being permitted. It will also help us ensure that permits are not 
duplicated and are used the allowable number of times, aiding 
enforcement.
    3. Next, we propose to add a field to collect the designated port 
exception permit number. We have designated certain ports for import 
and export of fish and wildlife (see 50 CFR 14.12). Generally, 
individuals, businesses, and others who seek to import and export fish 
and wildlife at non-designated ports must obtain a designated port 
exception permit by submitting an application and paying the 
appropriate fees (see 50 CFR part 13). When they file Form 3-177, they 
must also include the issued designated port exception permit in their 
document package. Requiring importers and exporters to put the permit 
number on Form 3-177, along with the import-export license number 
(which we already require on Form 3-177), will assist us in tracking 
permits and making sure that importers and exporters are authorized to 
use the ports they are seeking to use. Having the number easily 
accessible on Form 3-177 will help to streamline the review process. If 
they are not authorized because they have not obtained the designated 
port exemption permit for the particular port, it will assist us with 
enforcement.
    4. Next, we propose to add a field to collect the CITES tag or 
marking number for sport-hunted wildlife species that require a CITES 
tag or marking for import, export, and in-transit shipments (see 50 CFR 
23.74(e)). Those species include black rhinoceros, crocodilians (all 
members of the order Crocodilia, which includes alligators, caimans, 
crocodiles, and gavials), elephants, leopards, and markhor. A CITES tag 
or marking is specific to an individual wildlife item and may not be 
used for multiple wildlife items. Each CITES tag or marking has a 
unique alphanumeric identifier. Requiring placement of the CITES tag or 
marking number on Form 3-177 will help ensure we can match the tag or 
marking to the Form 3-177 declaration and verify that the tag or 
marking has only been used once. Thus, we will improve our ability to 
inspect shipments of these species, expedite inspections, and improve 
enforcement. It will also bolster our ability to meet our obligations 
under the CITES treaty.
    As part of the renewal of and proposed changes for this information 
collection, we also will review the instructions pages of Form 3-177 to 
determine what updates are appropriate.
    The public may request copies of any form or document contained in 
this information collection by sending a request to the Service 
Information Collection Clearance Officer in ADDRESSES, above.
    Title of Collection: Declaration for Importation or Exportation of 
Fish or Wildlife, 50 CFR 14.61-14.64 and 14.94(k)(4).
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0012.
    Form Number: 3-177 and 3-177a.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals, businesses, or others 
that import or export fish, wildlife, or plants; scientific 
institutions that import or export fish, wildlife, or plant scientific 
specimens; and government agencies that import or export fish, 
wildlife, or plant specimens for various purposes.
    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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                                      Annual  number
             Requirement                    of         Total annual       Completion time per      Total annual
                                        respondents      responses        response  (minutes)     burden hours *
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                                     FWS Form 3-177 Hard Copy (Upon Import)
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Individuals.........................           8,996           9,569  15........................           2,392
Private Sector......................             128             347  15........................              87
Government..........................               0               0  15........................               0
     Subtotals:.....................           9,124           9,916  ..........................           2,479
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[[Page 29147]]

 
                                     FWS Form 3-177 Hard Copy (Upon Export)
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Individuals.........................             717             881  15........................             220
Private Sector......................              30              43  15........................              11
Government..........................               0               0  15........................               0
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    Subtotals.......................             747             924  ..........................             231
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                                             eDecs/ACE (Upon Import)
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Individuals.........................          21,567          25,030  10........................           4,172
Private Sector......................          13,005         120,035  10........................          20,006
Government..........................              46              90  10........................              15
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    Subtotals.......................          34,618         145,155  ..........................          24,193
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                                               eDecs (Upon Export)
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Individuals.........................             975           1,930  10........................             322
Private Sector......................           2,548          32,230  10........................           5,372
Government..........................              36              68  10........................              11
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    Subtotals.......................           3,559          34,228  ..........................           5,705
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                           eDecs--Confirmation Number (Automated Export System (AES))
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Private Sector......................           1,824          35,175  1.........................             586
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               Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)/AES Disclaimer (and Accompanying Documents)
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Private Sector......................           5,000         500,000  1.........................           8,333
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                                       eDecs--Fee Exemption Certification
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Private Sector......................              42           2,906  1.........................              48
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        Totals......................          54,914         728,304  ..........................          41,575
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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.).

Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-09577 Filed 5-4-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P