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OMB Control No:	ICR Reference No: 202407-1018-002
Status: Received in OIRA	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: DOI/FWS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: National Double-Crested Cormorant Survey
Type of Information Collection: Existing collection in use without an OMB Control Number	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular	Date Submitted to OIRA: 08/05/2024

	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	36 Months From Approved
Responses	1,016	0
Time Burden (Hours)	4,064	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Abstract: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we) is the Federal agency delegated with the primary responsibility for managing migratory birds. Our authority derives from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 (MBTA; 16 U.S.C. 703–712), as amended, which implements conventions with Great Britain (for Canada), Mexico, Japan, and Russia. We implement the provisions of the MBTA through the regulations in parts 10, 13, 20, 21, 22, and 92 of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The MBTA protects migratory birds (listed in 50 CFR 10.13) from take directed at birds, except as authorized under the MBTA. Regulations pertaining to specific migratory bird permit types are at 50 CFR parts 21 and 22. The double-crested cormorant (cormorant) is a fish-eating migratory bird that is distributed across a large portion of North America. There are five different breeding populations, variously described by different authors as the Alaska, Pacific (or Western), Interior, Atlantic, and Southern populations. Although these populations are described by their breeding ranges, the birds commingle to various extents on their migration and wintering areas, with birds from populations closer to each other overlapping more than those that are more distant. In response to ongoing damage at aquaculture facilities and other damage and conflicts associated with increasing cormorant populations, the Service administers regulations that authorize the take of cormorants through regular Depredation Permits (50 CFR 21.100) or the Special Double-crested Cormorant Permit available only to State and Tribal Fish and Wildlife Agencies (50 CFR 21.123). Take through these two permit types is supported by National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessments that were completed in 2017 (an Environmental Assessment (EA) supporting issuance of depredation permits) and 2020 (an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) supporting creation of the Special Double-crested Cormorant Permit). The 2020 EIS contained a Potential Take Limit (PTL) assessment to determine sustainable take of cormorants that is used to inform permitting decisions. Federal, State, Tribal, and many private entities share the Service’s goal of maintaining sustainable cormorant populations. Many of these entities conduct cormorant monitoring and contribute to ongoing research and regional or local cormorant management efforts. However, to date, coordinated monitoring across the Flyways with shared objectives and standardized sampling design does not exist. The desire to enhance existing monitoring efforts was shared in comments by States, Tribes, nongovernment organizations, and members of the public during the 2020 rulemaking process. Therefore, the Service committed to work in partnership with the four North American Flyways (Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic) to develop a monitoring program for each subpopulation of cormorants. In the 2020 FEIS, the Service made the commitment to monitor cormorant populations and produce a report every five years that provides analyses from population monitoring and other status information. The survey, which was develop in coordination with the four Flyways, will be conducted for the first time in 2024 and is scheduled to be repeated every 5 years in order to update population estimates and PTL assessments.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 16 USC 703-712 Name of Law: Migratory Bird Treaty Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 29361	04/22/2024
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	89 FR 63442	08/05/2024
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Double-Crested Cormorant Monitoring	None	Double-Crested Cormorant Monitoring

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Request	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	1,016	1,016
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	4,064	4,064
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a request for a new OMB control number in conjunction with an ongoing 5-year survey in use without approval.

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $15,190

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination. No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Madonna Baucum 202 354-1916 madonna_baucum@nps.gov

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