[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 106 (Friday, June 2, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36327-36328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11747]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-MB-2023-N041; FF09M21200-234-FXMB1231099BPP0; OMB Control 
Number 1018-New]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget; Northeast Region Hunter Participation 
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 a new 
information collection not in use without Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
July 3, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be submitted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the 
search function. Please provide a copy of your comments to the 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 ``1018-
New NE Hunt Surveys'' 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 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 in 
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 5 CFR 1320, 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.
    On February 9, 2023, we published in the Federal Register (88 FR 
8448) a notice of our intent to request that OMB approve this 
information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 
days, ending on April 10, 2023. In an effort to increase public 
awareness of, and participation in, our public commenting processes 
associated with information collection requests, the Service also 
published the Federal Register notice on Regulations.gov (Docket No. 
FWS-R5-NWRS-2022-0152) to provide the public with an additional method 
to submit comments (in addition to the typical [email protected] email 
and U.S. mail submission methods). We received one anonymous comment in 
response to that notice which did not address the information 
collection requirements. Therefore, no response is required to that 
comment.
    As part of our continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent 
burdens, we are again inviting 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. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may be 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 Service has overall Federal responsibility for 
managing the Nation's fish and wildlife resources. Part of the 
Service's mission is to provide the public with wildlife-based outdoor 
recreation opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges, National Fish 
Hatcheries, and other Service lands (collectively, refuges). These 
outdoor recreation opportunities include hunting, which is an important 
opportunity for people to connect with nature, harvest food, and assist 
the Service in managing wildlife populations.
    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, as amended 
by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act (the Act; 16 
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) stipulates that refuges undergo a comprehensive 
conservation planning process that, among other things, must look at 
the compatibility of wildlife-dependent recreation (including hunting) 
on refuges. We will use the information from the proposed survey effort 
to inform planning on refuges as mandated by the Act.

[[Page 36328]]

    Hunting on refuges is regulated by both State and Federal laws, as 
well as through refuge-specific regulations. These refuge-specific 
regulations are made in accordance with hunt plans required to be 
developed for each refuge. These hunt plans outline refuge-specific bag 
limits, season dates, areas open and closed to hunting, allowed hunting 
time, and other requirements. The hunt plans are an important tool that 
refuges use to manage harvest, safety, and visitor experience.
    Creating hunt plans relies on sound biological and social data. 
Understanding hunter experience, preference, and harvest helps refuge 
managers and planners tailor hunt plans to suit biological and visitor 
objectives and maintain a safe environment for hunters and non-hunting 
visitors.
    To ensure the surveys were comprehensive, the Service convened an 
interdisciplinary team made up of biologists, managers, visitor 
services specialists, social scientists, and law enforcement officers. 
The team identified data gaps needed to inform future hunt plan 
development, identified safety concerns, and considered methods to 
better understand hunter preference in order to improve visitor 
experience.
    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: Northeast Region Hunter Participation Surveys.
    OMB Control Number: 1018-New.
    Form Numbers: Forms 3-2557 and 3-2558.
    Type of Review: Request for new OMB control number.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.

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                                                                                      Average
                                      Average         Average         Average       completion       Estimated
           Requirement               number of       number of       number of       time per      annual burden
                                      annual         responses        annual         response         hours *
                                    respondents        each          responses       (minutes)
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                                  Form 3-2557, ``Hunter Participation Survey''
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Individuals.....................              50               1              50              20              17
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                           Form 3-2558, ``Spring Turkey Hunter Participation Survey''
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Individuals.....................              50               1              50              10               8
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    Totals:.....................             100  ..............             100  ..............              25
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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. 2023-11747 Filed 6-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P