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[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 155 (Thursday, August 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40836-40837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19404]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-LE-2009-N168] [99011-1224-0000-9B]

Proposed Information Collection; OMB Control Number 1018-0012; 
Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or Wildlife

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:  Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  We (Fish and Wildlife Service, Service) will ask the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection 
(IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and 
respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal 
agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. This IC is 
scheduled to expire on January 31, 2010. We 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.

DATES: To ensure that we are able to consider your comments on this IC, 
we must receive them by October 13, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments on the IC to Hope Grey, Information 
Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 
4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); or hope_
[email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or 
by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Endangered Species 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 deemed necessary for enforcing the Act or 
upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species 
(CITES) (see 16 U.S.C. 1538(e)). With a few exceptions, businesses or 
individuals importing into or exporting from the United States any 
fish, wildlife, or wildlife product 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 hard copy at http://www.fws.gov/forms/.
    The information that we collect is unique to each wildlife shipment 
and enables us to:
     Accurately inspect the contents of the shipment;
     Enforce any regulations that pertain to the fish, 
wildlife, or wildlife products contained in the shipment; and
     Maintain records of the importation and exportation of 
these commodities.
    Additionally, we use information from FWS Forms 3-177 and 3-177A to 
compile an annual report that we provide to the CITES Secretariat in 
Geneva, Switzerland. This annual report on the number and types of 
imports and exports of fish, wildlife, and wildlife products is one of 
our treaty obligations under CITES. The report does not contain any 
personally identifying information.
    We also use the information obtained from FWS Form 3-177 as an 
enforcement tool and management aid to monitor the international 
wildlife market and detect trends and changes in the commercial trade 
of fish, wildlife, and wildlife products. Our Division of Scientific 
Authority and Division of Management Authority use this information to 
assess the need for additional protection for native species.
    The information we collect is part of a system of records covered 
by the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552(a)).
    Businesses or individuals must file FWS Forms 3-177 and 3-177a with 
us at the time and port where they request clearance of the import or 
export of wildlife or wildlife products. Our regulations allow for 
certain species of 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 file the forms 
with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. We collect the following 
information:
    (1) Name of the importer or exporter and broker.
    (2) Scientific and common name of the fish or wildlife.
    (3) Permit numbers (if permits are required).
    (4) Description, quantity, and value of the fish or wildlife.
    (5) Natural country of origin of the fish or wildlife.
    In addition, certain information, such as the airway bill or bill 
of lading number, the location of the fish or wildlife for inspection, 
and the number of cartons containing fish or wildlife, assists our 
wildlife inspectors if a physical examination of the shipment is 
necessary.

[[Page 40837]]

II. Data

    OMB Control Number: 1018-0012.
    Title: Declaration for Importation or Exportation of Fish or 
Wildlife.
    Service Form Number(s): 3-177 and 3-177a.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses or individuals that import or export 
fish, wildlife, or wildlife products; scientific institutions that 
import or export fish or wildlife scientific specimens; government 
agencies that import or export fish or wildlife specimens for various 
purposes.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

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                                   Number of annual    Number of annual   Completion time per    Annual burden
            Activity                  respondents          responses            response             hours
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3-177 - Hard Copy Submission....               4,200              37,000  15 minutes.........              9,250
3-177 -Electronic Submission....              16,500             145,000  10 minutes.........             24,167
    Totals......................              20,700             182,000  ...................             33,417
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III. Request for Comments

     We invite comments concerning this IC on:
     Whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
     The accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this 
collection of information;
     Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents.
    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 IC. Before including your address, phone number, 
e-mail 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.

    Dated: August 6, 2009
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E9-19404 Filed 8-12-09; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 4310-55-S
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