62720 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 27, 2004 / Notices 

day notice of our intent to request 

renewal of information collection 

authority from OMB. In that notice, we 

solicited public comments for 60 days 

ending on June 29, 2004. We received 

two comments, both from the same 

individual, regarding this Federal 

Register notice. The comments 

expressed opposition to the collection of 

the information as described in the 

notice. Comments were based on the 

premise that the terminology is 

misleading and that the information 

provided to the Service is inaccurate. 

We note the concerns raised by this 

individual; however, we believe this 

collection of the information provides 

an important means to measure the legal 

subsistence harvest of polar bear, sea 

otter, and walrus and to improve the 

quality and quantity of harvest and 

biological data used in management 

decisions. In addition, we believe the 

information provided by the 

participants is accurate. 

In October 1988, pursuant to 

provisions of section 109(i) of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA) of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 

1361–1407), we implemented formal 

marking, tagging, and reporting 

regulations at 50 CFR 18.23(f) for Alaska 

Natives harvesting polar bear, northern 

sea otter, and Pacific walrus in Alaska. 

Under section 101(b) of the MMPA, 

Alaska Natives residing in Alaska and 

dwelling on the coast of the North 

Pacific or Arctic Ocean may harvest 

these species for subsistence or 

handicraft purposes. Section 109(i) of 

the MMPA authorized us, acting on 

behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, to 

prescribe marking, tagging, and 

reporting regulations applicable to this 

Native subsistence and handicraft take.

Our regulations have enabled us to 

gather data on the Native subsistence 

and handicraft harvest and on the 

biology of polar bear, sea otter, and 

Pacific walrus in Alaska necessary to 

determine what effect such take is 

having on these populations. The 

regulations have also provided 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. 

The information that we propose to 

continue to collect from Alaska Natives 

will be used to improve our 

decisionmaking ability by substantially 

expanding the quality and quantity of 

harvest and biological data upon which 

we can base future management 

decisions. It will provide us with the 

ability to make inferences about the 

condition and general health of these 

populations. Without authority to 

collect this harvest information, our 

ability to measure the take of polar bear, 

sea otter, and walrus is inadequate. We 

believe that mandatory marking, 

tagging, and reporting is essential for us, 

in concert with Alaska Natives, to be 

able to improve the quality and quantity 

of harvest and biological data necessary 

to base future management decisions. It 

allows us to make rational, 

knowledgeable decisions regarding the 

Native harvest. 

We estimate that the annual burden 

associated with this request will be 639 

hours for each year of the 3-year period 

of OMB authorization. We calculated 

this estimated burden based on previous 

experience suggesting that Alaska 

Natives annually take about 2,556 polar 

bears, sea otter, and Pacific walrus for 

subsistence and handicraft purposes, 

and that 15 minutes will be needed to 

provide the required information for 

each animal taken. 

Title: Marine Mammal Marking, 

Tagging, and Reporting Certificates, 50 

CFR 18.23(f). 

OMB Control Number: 1018–0066. 

Form numbers: R7–50, R7–51, and 

R7–52. 

Frequency of collection: Occasional. 

Description of respondents:

Individuals and households. 

Total annual responses: 2,556. 

Total annual burden hours: 639 

hours. 

As with our 60-day notice, this notice 

invites your comments on: (1) Whether 

or not this collection of information is 

necessary for us to properly perform our 

functions, including whether or not this 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) the accuracy of our estimate of 

burden, including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions we use; 

(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 

and clarity of the information we are 

proposing to collect; and (4) ways for us 

to minimize the burden of the collection 

of information on people who are to 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology.

Dated: October 5, 2004. 

Hope Grey, 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

Fish and Wildlife Service.

[FR Doc. 04–23988 Filed 10–26–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force 

Meeting

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice announces a 

meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance 

Species (ANS) Task Force. The meeting 

topics are identified in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

DATES: The Aquatic Nuisance Species 

Task Force will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 

5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 

and 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, 

November 17, 2004. Minutes of the 

meeting will be available for public 

inspection during regular business 

hours, Monday through Friday.

ADDRESSES: The Aquatic Nuisance 

Species Task Force meeting will be held 

at the Marriott Crystal Gateway, 1700 

Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 

22202. Phone (703) 920–3230. Minutes 

of the meeting will be maintained in the 

office of Chief, Division of 

Environmental Quality, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Suite 322, 4401 North 

Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 

22203–1622.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Everett Wilson, Acting Executive 

Secretary, Aquatic Nuisance Species 

Task Force, at (703) 358–2148.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 

I), this notice announces meetings of the 

Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. 

The Task Force was established by the 

Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance 

Prevention and Control Act of 1990. 

Topics to be covered during the ANS 

Task Force meeting include: a 

discussion of the implementation of the 

ANSTF Strategic Plan; ANSTF 

Committee and Regional Panel reports; 

a presentation on the draft National 

Management Plan for the genus 

Caulerpa; and a presentation of a new 

public awareness campaign.

Dated: October 15, 2004. 

Mamie A. Parker, 

Co-Chair, Aquatic Nuisance Species Task 

Force, Assistant Director—Fisheries & Habitat 

Conservation.

[FR Doc. 04–23989 Filed 10–26–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–55–P