Federal Register: July 2, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 126)
DOCID: fr02jy09-22 FR Doc E9-15681
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOTICE: NOTICES
DOCID: fr02jy09-22
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast Region Permit Family of Forms
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 31, 2009.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
SUMMARY:
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
I. Abstract
Under the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) has the responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery resources. Much of this responsibility has been delegated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Under this stewardship role, the Secretary was given certain regulatory authorities to ensure the most beneficial uses of these resources. One of the regulatory steps taken to carry out the conservation and management objectives is to collect information from users of the resource.
As regional Fishery Management Councils develop specific Fishery
Management Plans (FMP), the Secretary has promulgated rules for the
issuance of permits to individuals and organizations participating in
Federally controlled fisheries in order to: (1) Register fishermen,
fishing vessels, fish dealers and processors, (2) List the
characteristics of fishing vessels and/or dealer/processor operations,
(3) Exercise influence over compliance (e.g., withhold issuance pending
collection of unpaid penalties), (4) Provide a mailing list for the
dissemination of important information to the industry, (5) Register
participants to be considered for limited entry, (6) Provide a universe
for data collection samples, and (7) Provide notification when a vessel
is conducting fishing activities that are authorized by the FMPs only in specific circumstances (e.g., exemption programs). The
identification of the participants, their gear types, vessels, and
expected activity levels is an effective tool in the enforcement of
fishery regulations. This information is needed to measure the
consequences of management controls as well. Participants in certain
fisheries may also to be required to notify NMFS before fishing trips
for the purpose of observer placement and to make other reports on fishing activities.
II. Method of Collection
Initial vessel and dealer permit applications are made by signed
paper form. After initial permit issuance, a preprinted permit renewal
form is generated via computer using current permit information. This
form is then sent to the permit holder for updates. If no changes to
the preprinted form are required, the applicant simply needs to sign
the form and return it with any additional information (i.e., current
state registration or United States (U.S.) Coast Guard document)
required for permit renewal. Initial and renewal vessel operator permit
applications, additional information associated with vessel permits
including gillnet and lobster trap tag purchases, and permanent days
atsea (DAS) transfers, are submitted by signed paper form. Automated
position reporting by means of a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is
required for all vessels issued a limited access sea scallop, Northeast
(NE) multispecies, surf clam/ocean quahog, herring, or monkfish
Category F permit. Permitted Canadian herring transport vessels must
also be equipped with VMS. Vessel owners issued a monkfish Category A
or B permit may voluntarily elect to provide DAS notification through
VMS. VMS power down exemption requests are submitted by signed paper
form. Categories of vessels not required to use VMS are required to report via a DAS callin system.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 06480202.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Business and other forprofit organizations; individuals or households; state, local or tribal governments.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 51,339.
Estimated Time Per Response: Initial vessel permit applications, 45
minutes; preprinted renewal forms, 30 minutes; initial dealer permit
applications, 15 minutes; preprinted dealer permit renewal forms, 5
minutes; initial and renewal vessel operator permit applications, 1
hour; limited access vessel upgrade or replacement applications, 3
hours; applications for retention of limited access permit history, 30
minutes; VMS unit installation, 1 hour; confirming VMS connectivity, 5
minutes; VMS certification form, 5 minutes; request to turn off VMS
under certain circumstances (powerdown exemption), 30 minutes; area
and DAS declarations, 5 minutes; requests for observer coverage, 2 or
10 minutes, depending on the program for which observers are requested;
NE multispecies and monkfish vessels, 3 minutes to declare a block of
time out of the gillnet fishery; callin requirements for limited
access monkfish and occasional category scallop vessels, 2 minutes;
limited access vessels fishing under DAS requirements that have
assisted in U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue operations or assisted
in towing a disabled vessel, or have stood by entangled whales, Good
Samaritan DAS credit applications, 30 minutes; application for a Letter
of Authorization (LOA) to participate in any of the exemption programs,
to transfer certain fish species from one vessel to another, or (for
charter/party vessels), to fish in the Nantucket Lightship Closure
Area, 5 minutes; requests for Charter/Party Exemption Certificate to
fish in Gulf of Maine (GOM) closed areas, 2 minutes; limited access sea
scallop vessel notification of participation, of first trip, or
withdrawal from participation in state waters DAS or gear exemption
programs, 2 minutes; NE multispecies fishery vessels request for change
in permit category designation or request for transit to another port
by a vessel required to remain within the GOM cod trip limit, 2
minutes; request to permanently transfer DAS to another vessel, 5 minutes; research requests for
[[Page 31690]]
GOM Cod Research Set Aside landings allowances, 1 hour; calling out of
a gillnet fishery for NE multispecies or monkfish, 3 minutes; gillnet
category designation, including initial requests for gillnet tags, 10
minutes; requests for additional tags, notification of lost tags and
requests for replacements, 2 minutes; attachment of a tag, 1 minute;
initial lobster area designations, 5 minutes; requests for state quota
transfers in the bluefish, summer flounder and scup fisheries, 1 hour;
applications for sector allocations in the NE multispecies fishery, 50
hours per sector; annual reports for approved sector applications, 6 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 31,144.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $4,991,553 in recordkeeping/ reporting costs.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: June 29, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E915681 Filed 7109; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 351022P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Aja PetersMason at (978) 2819195 or aja.peters mason@noaa.gov.