SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 1018-0121.

Title: Depredation Orders for Double-Crested Cormorants, 50 CFR 21.47 and 21.48.

Service Form Number(s): None.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Description of Respondents: Aquaculture producers, States, and tribes.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.

Frequency of Collection: Annually for reports; ongoing for recordkeeping.

Abstract: This information collection is associated with regulations implementing the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.). Under the MBTA, it is unlawful to take, possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, migratory birds or their parts, nests, or eggs, except as authorized by regulations implementing the MBTA.

The regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 21.47 (Aquaculture Depredation Order) authorize aquaculture producers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (APHIS-Wildlife Services) in 13 States to take double-crested cormorants when the birds are found committing or about to commit depredations on commercial freshwater aquaculture stocks. The regulations at 50 CFR 21.48 (Public Resource Depredation Order) authorize State fish and wildlife agencies, APHIS-Wildlife Services, and federally recognized tribes in 24 States to take double-crested cormorants to prevent depredations on the public resources of fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.

Both 50 CFR 21.47 and 21.48 impose reporting and recordkeeping requirements on those operating under the depredation orders. We use the information collected to:

• Help assess the impact of the depredation orders on double-crested cormorant populations.
• Protect nontarget migratory birds or other species.
• Ensure that agencies and individuals are operating in accordance with the terms, conditions, and purpose of the orders.
• Help gauge the effectiveness of the orders at mitigating cormorant-related damages.

Comments: On July 9, 2012, we published in the Federal Register (77 FR 40374) a notice of our intent to request that OMB renew approval for this information collection. In that notice, we solicited comments for 60 days, ending on September 7, 2012. We received one comment. The commenter objected to APHIS-Wildlife Services being included as an action agency under the depredation orders, but did not address the information collection requirements. We did not make any changes to our requirements based on this comment.

We again invite comments concerning this information collection 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 ( printed page 74499)
• 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. 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 OMB in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it will be done.