Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget; Alaska Subsistence Bird Harvest Survey, 72101-72103 [2023-23028]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
72101
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 201 / Thursday, October 19, 2023 / Notices
Average
number of
annual
respondents
Activity/respondents
Tribal Council Invitation Letter (50 CFR 92.5):
Tribal Governments ......................................................
Tribal Council Invitation Permit Request (50 CFR 92.5):.
Tribal Governments ......................................................
Tribal Council Notification to AMBCC (50 CFR 92.5):
Tribal Governments ......................................................
Kodiak Island Roaded Area Hunter Registration Permit (50
CFR 92.31):
Individuals .....................................................................
Cordova Household Registration Permit (50 CFR 92.31):
Individuals .....................................................................
Totals .....................................................................
Average
number of
submissions
each
Average
number of
annual
responses
Completion
time per
response
(min)
Total annual
burden
hours *
1
1
1
30
1
1
1
1
30
1
1
1
1
30
1
100
1
100
15
25
50
1
50
15
13
154
........................
154
........................
42
* 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. 2023–23029 Filed 10–18–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R7–MB–2023–N083;
FXMB12610700000–234–FF07M01000; OMB
Control Number 1018–0124]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget; Alaska
Subsistence Bird Harvest Survey
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection;
request for comment.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service), are proposing to renew,
without change, a currently approved
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before
November 20, 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
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:48 Oct 18, 2023
Jkt 262001
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 Info_
Coll@fws.gov. Please reference ‘‘10180124’’ 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 Info_
Coll@fws.gov, 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-ofcontact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 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 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.
On June 26, 2023, we published in the
Federal Register (88 FR 41415) a notice
of our intent to request that OMB
approve this information collection. In
that notice, we solicited comments for
60 days, ending on August 25, 2023. In
an effort to increase public awareness
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Sfmt 4703
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–R7–MB–2023–0081)
to provide the public with an additional
method to submit comments (in
addition to the typical Info_Coll@
fws.gov email and U.S. mail submission
methods). We received one comment in
response to that notice which did not
address the information collection
requirements. No response to that
comment is required.
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
E:\FR\FM\19OCN1.SGM
19OCN1
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
72102
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 201 / Thursday, October 19, 2023 / Notices
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 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. The
Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management
Council (AMBCC) was created in 2000,
including the Service, the ADF&G, and
the Alaska Native Caucus, to implement
provisions related to the amendment of
the Migratory Bird treaty Act allowing
the spring-summer subsistence harvest
of migratory birds in Alaska.
Information collection authorized
under Control Number 1018–0124
includes three items:
1. Five-Region Alaska Migratory Bird
Co-Management Council Harvest
Survey—We monitored subsistence
harvest of migratory birds using
household surveys in the YukonKuskokwim Delta region during the
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:48 Oct 18, 2023
Jkt 262001
period 1985–2002, and in the Bristol
Bay region during 1995–2002. Since
2004, the AMBCC Harvest Assessment
Program has been conducting 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 subsistenceeligible 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 select
households to be surveyed, and
interview households that have agreed
to participate. To ensure anonymity of
harvest information, we identify each
household 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. The fiveregion AMBCC harvest survey uses the
following currently approved forms for
household participation:
• Tracking Sheet and Household
Consent (Form 3–2380)—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.
• Harvest Reports (Forms 3–2381–1,
3–2381–2, 3–2381–3, 3–2381–4, and 3–
2381–5)—The Harvest Report forms
include drawings of bird species most
commonly available for harvest in
different regions of Alaska, with fields
for recording numbers of birds and eggs
taken. Each form has up to four sheets,
one sheet for each surveyed season.
Because bird species available for
harvest vary in different regions of
Alaska, there are four versions of the
harvest report form, each for a different
set of species. This helps to prevent
users from erroneously recording bird
species as harvested in areas where they
do not usually occur. The Western and
Interior forms (3–2381–1 and 3–2381–3)
have three sheets (spring, summer, and
fall). We use the Southern Coastal form
(3–2381–2) only in the Bristol Bay
region. The North Slope form (3–2381–
4) has two sheets (spring and summer).
Each seasonal sheet has black and white
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drawings of bird species, next to which
are fields to record the number of birds
and eggs harvested.
2. Cordova Permit Household Harvest
Report (Form 3–2381–5)—Federal
regulations allow residents of the
community of Cordova (final rule
published on April 8, 2014; 79 FR
19454) and the neighboring
communities of Tatitlek and Chenega
(final rule published April 4, 2017; 82
FR 16298) to harvest in the area defined
for the Cordova harvest. Local partners,
including the Eyak Tribe and the U.S.
Forest Service Cordova Office’s Chugach
Subsistence Program, worked in close
collaboration with the ADF&G Division
of Subsistence to develop a household
registration and harvest monitoring
system. Data collection for the
household registration is approved
under OMB control number 1018–0178.
Data collection for the associated
harvest reporting is approved under
OMB control number 1018–0124.
Harvest monitoring for the Cordova
harvest is done using a post-season mail
survey (three mailings). The Cordova
harvest report form (3–2381–5) has only
one sheet (spring).
3. Kodiak Island Roaded Area Permit
Hunter Harvest Report (Forms 3–2381–
6 and 3–2381–7)—On April 19, 2021,
we issued a final rule (RIN 1018–BF08;
86 FR 20311) that allows migratory bird
hunting and egg gathering by
registration permit in the Kodiak Island
Roaded Area in the Kodiak Archipelago
Region of Alaska for a 3-year
experimental season (2021–2023). We
developed regulations for the springsummer subsistence harvest of
migratory birds in the Kodiak Island
Roaded Area under a co-management
process involving the Service, the
ADF&G, and Alaska Native
representatives. To participate in the
Kodiak roaded area harvest, harvesters
must obtain a permit and to complete a
harvest report form, even if they did not
harvest. Staff from the ADF&G Division
of Subsistence worked in close
collaboration with the Sun’aq Tribe of
Kodiak to develop the permit and
harvest reporting system, which started
in 2021. The Sun’aq Tribe issues the
permits. Information collection for the
permit is authorized under OMB
Control Number 1018–0178.
Information collection for the associated
harvest monitoring is authorized under
Control Number 1018–0124.
The Sun’aq Tribe requested in-season
harvest reporting. Permit holders
receive the Kodiak Roaded Area InSeason Harvest Report (Form 3–2381–6)
at the time the permit is issued.
Harvesters must record their harvest
using this form along the season. At the
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 201 / Thursday, October 19, 2023 / Notices
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end of the season (early September), all
permit holders must submit the
completed Kodiak Roaded Area InSeason Harvest Report (Form 3–2381–7)
indicating whether they harvested birds
and eggs, and if so, the kinds and
amounts of birds and eggs harvested.
Permit holders submit the completed
form by mail to the ADF&G for data
analysis (the form includes the return
address and is postage-paid). To ensure
a more complete harvest reporting, the
ADF&G will mail a post-season harvest
survey to permit holders who did not
submit a completed in-season harvest
log. The post-season mail survey
includes two reminders. Reported
harvests will be extrapolated to
represent all permit holders, based on
statistical methods. Forms 3–2381–6
and 3–2381–7 are only completed twice
per year (spring and summer seasons).
Title of Collection: Alaska Migratory
Bird Subsistence Harvest Household
Survey.
OMB Control Number: 1018–0124.
Form Numbers: Forms 3–2380, and 3–
2381–1 through 3–2381–7.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public:
Households within subsistence-eligible
areas of Alaska.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Respondents: 2,271.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Responses: 4,371.
Estimated Completion Time per
Response: 5 minutes.
Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 364.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour
Burden Cost: None.
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. 2023–23028 Filed 10–18–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333–15–P
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Jkt 262001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_NV_FRN_MO4500175288]
Notice of Extension of Segregation of
Public Lands for the Rough Hat Clark
County Solar Project, Clark County, NV
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of segregation extension.
AGENCY:
The Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) segregated public
lands included in the right-of-way
application (N–099406) for the Rough
Hat Clark County Solar Project from
appropriation under the public land
laws, including the Mining Law, but not
the mineral leasing or material sales
acts, for a period of 2 years on October
20, 2021, subject to valid existing rights.
This 2-year extension of the segregation
is necessary to allow the BLM to
complete review of the Rough Hat Clark
County Solar Project application and
reach a decision on the application.
DATES: This segregation extension for
the lands identified in this notice is
effective on October 20, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information and/or to have your
name added to the project mailing list,
send requests to: Whitney Wirthlin,
Southern Nevada District Energy and
Infrastructure Team, at telephone (702)
515–5084; address 4701 North Torrey
Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130–2301;
or email BLM_NV_SND_
EnergyProjects@blm.gov. 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 for
contacting Whitney Wirthlin.
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: This
notice extends the segregation
published in the Federal Register on
October 20, 2021 (86 FR 58301) for an
additional 2 years. Candela Renewables,
LLC, submitted a right-of-way
application to the BLM Las Vegas Field
Office for the Rough Hat Clark County
Solar Project requesting authorization to
construct, operate, maintain, and
eventually decommission a 400megawatt photovoltaic solar electric
generating facility, battery storage
facilities, associated generation tie-line,
and access road facilities. The BLM has
made substantial progress in the review
SUMMARY:
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72103
of the Rough Hat Clark County Solar
Project right-of-way application;
however, the BLM needs additional
time to complete its review and make a
decision on the application.
The BLM completed the variance
process required by the solar
programmatic environmental impact
statement and determined it was
appropriate to continue processing the
application. On October 21, 2022, the
BLM published in the Federal Register
(87 FR 68187) a Notice of Intent to
amend the Las Vegas Resource
Management Plan (RMP) and prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
for the proposed Rough Hat Clark
County Solar Project in Clark County,
Nevada. The BLM is currently preparing
the draft RMP amendment/EIS.
Authority: 43 CFR 2091.3–1(e) and 43
CFR 2804.25(f).
Jon K. Raby,
Nevada State Director.
[FR Doc. 2023–23057 Filed 10–18–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331–21–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[BLM_AZ_FRN_MO4500175809]
Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey;
Arizona
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of official filing.
AGENCY:
The plats of survey of the
following described land were officially
filed in the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Arizona State Office, Phoenix,
Arizona on the dates indicated. The
surveys announced in this notice are
necessary for the management of lands
administered by the agency indicated.
ADDRESSES: These plats will be available
for inspection in the Arizona State
Office, Bureau of Land Management,
One North Central Avenue, Suite 800,
Phoenix, Arizona 85004–4427. Protests
of any of these surveys should be sent
to the Arizona State Director at the
above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Geoffrey A. Graham, Chief Cadastral
Surveyor of Arizona; (602) 417–9558;
ggraham@blm.gov. 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
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\19OCN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 201 (Thursday, October 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72101-72103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23028]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R7-MB-2023-N083; FXMB12610700000-234-FF07M01000; OMB Control
Number 1018-0124]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget; Alaska Subsistence Bird Harvest Survey
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew,
without change, a currently approved information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
November 20, 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-
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. 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 of 1995 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 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.
On June 26, 2023, we published in the Federal Register (88 FR
41415) a notice of our intent to request that OMB approve this
information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60
days, ending on August 25, 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-R7-MB-2023-0081) 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 comment in response to
that notice which did not address the information collection
requirements. No response to that comment is required.
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
[[Page 72102]]
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 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. The Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council
(AMBCC) was created in 2000, including the Service, the ADF&G, and the
Alaska Native Caucus, to implement provisions related to the amendment
of the Migratory Bird treaty Act allowing the spring-summer subsistence
harvest of migratory birds in Alaska.
Information collection authorized under Control Number 1018-0124
includes three items:
1. Five-Region Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council Harvest
Survey--We monitored subsistence harvest of migratory birds using
household surveys in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region during the period
1985-2002, and in the Bristol Bay region during 1995-2002. Since 2004,
the AMBCC Harvest Assessment Program has been conducting 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 select households to be
surveyed, and interview households that have agreed to participate. To
ensure anonymity of harvest information, we identify each household 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. The five-region AMBCC harvest survey
uses the following currently approved forms for household
participation:
Tracking Sheet and Household Consent (Form 3-2380)--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.
Harvest Reports (Forms 3-2381-1, 3-2381-2, 3-2381-3, 3-
2381-4, and 3-2381-5)--The Harvest Report forms include drawings of
bird species most commonly available for harvest in different regions
of Alaska, with fields for recording numbers of birds and eggs taken.
Each form has up to four sheets, one sheet for each surveyed season.
Because bird species available for harvest vary in different regions of
Alaska, there are four versions of the harvest report form, each for a
different set of species. This helps to prevent users from erroneously
recording bird species as harvested in areas where they do not usually
occur. The Western and Interior forms (3-2381-1 and 3-2381-3) have
three sheets (spring, summer, and fall). We use the Southern Coastal
form (3-2381-2) only in the Bristol Bay region. The North Slope form
(3-2381-4) has two sheets (spring and summer). Each seasonal sheet has
black and white drawings of bird species, next to which are fields to
record the number of birds and eggs harvested.
2. Cordova Permit Household Harvest Report (Form 3-2381-5)--Federal
regulations allow residents of the community of Cordova (final rule
published on April 8, 2014; 79 FR 19454) and the neighboring
communities of Tatitlek and Chenega (final rule published April 4,
2017; 82 FR 16298) to harvest in the area defined for the Cordova
harvest. Local partners, including the Eyak Tribe and the U.S. Forest
Service Cordova Office's Chugach Subsistence Program, worked in close
collaboration with the ADF&G Division of Subsistence to develop a
household registration and harvest monitoring system. Data collection
for the household registration is approved under OMB control number
1018-0178. Data collection for the associated harvest reporting is
approved under OMB control number 1018-0124. Harvest monitoring for the
Cordova harvest is done using a post-season mail survey (three
mailings). The Cordova harvest report form (3-2381-5) has only one
sheet (spring).
3. Kodiak Island Roaded Area Permit Hunter Harvest Report (Forms 3-
2381-6 and 3-2381-7)--On April 19, 2021, we issued a final rule (RIN
1018-BF08; 86 FR 20311) that allows migratory bird hunting and egg
gathering by registration permit in the Kodiak Island Roaded Area in
the Kodiak Archipelago Region of Alaska for a 3-year experimental
season (2021-2023). We developed regulations for the spring-summer
subsistence harvest of migratory birds in the Kodiak Island Roaded Area
under a co-management process involving the Service, the ADF&G, and
Alaska Native representatives. To participate in the Kodiak roaded area
harvest, harvesters must obtain a permit and to complete a harvest
report form, even if they did not harvest. Staff from the ADF&G
Division of Subsistence worked in close collaboration with the Sun'aq
Tribe of Kodiak to develop the permit and harvest reporting system,
which started in 2021. The Sun'aq Tribe issues the permits. Information
collection for the permit is authorized under OMB Control Number 1018-
0178. Information collection for the associated harvest monitoring is
authorized under Control Number 1018-0124.
The Sun'aq Tribe requested in-season harvest reporting. Permit
holders receive the Kodiak Roaded Area In-Season Harvest Report (Form
3-2381-6) at the time the permit is issued. Harvesters must record
their harvest using this form along the season. At the
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end of the season (early September), all permit holders must submit the
completed Kodiak Roaded Area In-Season Harvest Report (Form 3-2381-7)
indicating whether they harvested birds and eggs, and if so, the kinds
and amounts of birds and eggs harvested. Permit holders submit the
completed form by mail to the ADF&G for data analysis (the form
includes the return address and is postage-paid). To ensure a more
complete harvest reporting, the ADF&G will mail a post-season harvest
survey to permit holders who did not submit a completed in-season
harvest log. The post-season mail survey includes two reminders.
Reported harvests will be extrapolated to represent all permit holders,
based on statistical methods. Forms 3-2381-6 and 3-2381-7 are only
completed twice per year (spring and summer seasons).
Title of Collection: Alaska Migratory Bird Subsistence Harvest
Household Survey.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0124.
Form Numbers: Forms 3-2380, and 3-2381-1 through 3-2381-7.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Households within subsistence-eligible
areas of Alaska.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 2,271.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 4,371.
Estimated Completion Time per Response: 5 minutes.
Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 364.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: Annually.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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. 2023-23028 Filed 10-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P
