Importation, Exportation, and Transportation of Wildlife (User Fee Exemptions for Qualified Fur Trappers)

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are revising our regulations providing for user fee collections from commercial importers and exporters of wildlife and wildlife products. We provide a fee exemption to trappers of fur-bearing wildlife operating small, low volume businesses engaged in wildlife trade on a small scale where there is relatively low cash flow, to individuals who trap fur-bearing wildlife from the wild as a hobby or to supplement their income and who do not deal in manufactured products or live animals as a primary means of income. The exemption from our inspection fee will apply to commercial importers and exporters based upon specific criteria, including country of origin, numbers of items, and permitting requirements. We therefore modify our user fee regulations to grant this relief to certain individuals and small businesses, meeting the outlined criteria, from the designated port inspection fees, non- designated port administrative fees, and hourly minimums only. This rule still allows us to continue to collect data on fee collections in order to analyze the impact of user fees on small business for future decision making.