Notice2021-14292
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Greater Atlantic Region Permit Family of Forms
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 6, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 126 (Tuesday, July 6, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35493-35494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14292]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Greater Atlantic Region Permit Family of Forms
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received on or before September 7, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3f7e5b4d565a51515a114b5750525e4c7f51505e5e11585049"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="276643554e4249494209534f484a4654674948464609404851">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0202 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Cynthia Ferrio, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great
Republic Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930, (978) 281-9180,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4e0d37203a26272f60282b3c3c27210e20212f2f60292138"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e1a2988f95898880cf87849393888ea18f8e8080cf868e97">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for revision of a current information collection.
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the
Secretary of Commerce has the responsibility for the conservation and
management of marine fishery resources. Much of this responsibility has
been delegated to NOAA's 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 resources.
The Secretary has enacted rules to issue permits to individuals and
organizations participating in federally controlled fisheries. Permits
are necessary 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)
maintain contact lists for the dissemination of important information
to the industry; (5) register participants to be considered for limited
entry; and (6) provide a universe for data collection samples.
Identification of fishery participants, their gear types, vessels, and
expected activity levels is an effective and necessary tool in the
enforcement of fishery regulations.
This collection is being revised to introduce a new online
permitting system (FishOnline) to allow individuals and organizations
to apply and renew their fishing vessel permits, operator permits,
dealer permits, Letter of Authorization (LOA), and gillnet
certificates.
This collection also includes the requirement for participants in
certain fisheries to use onboard vessel monitoring systems (VMS) and to
notify NMFS before fishing trips for the purpose of observer placement.
Other permitting in this collection includes the written request to
participate in any of the various exemption programs offered in the
Greater Atlantic region.
Exemption programs may allow a vessel to fish in an area that is
limited to vessels of a particular size, using a certain gear type, or
fishing for a particular species. This collection also contains
paperwork required for vessel owners to request gillnet and lobster
trap tags through the Greater Atlantic region permit office.
Lastly, vessel owners that own multiple vessels, but would like to
request communication from NMFS be consolidated into one mailing (and
not separate mailings for each vessel), may request the single letter
vessel owner option to improve efficiency of their business practice.
II. Method of Collection
Vessel Permits: All vessel permit applications, including permit
applications and renewals for vessels, dealers, and vessel operators,
as well as gillnet and lobster trap tag purchase, are required to be
submitted using an online account (FishOnline).
VMS Requirements: Vessels with VMS requirements are required to
declare their intent to fish (e.g., declare into the fishery) and
submit daily catch reports using electronic VMS units on board the
vessel. Other VMS actions may include trip start and end hails, pre-
landing notifications, and days-at-sea (DAS) adjustments. VMS power
down exemption requests are submitted by signed paper form.
Observer Program Call-in Requirements: Vessels issued certain
permits such as Northeast multispecies, monkfish, scallop, and Atlantic
herring permits are required to give advance notification to the
Northeast Fisheries Observer Program (NEFOP) before the start of a trip
in order to receive a fisheries observer or a waiver. Vessels use an
online pre-trip notification system, email, toll-free call-in number,
or a local phone number to comply with this requirement.
Exempted Fisheries Programs: Vessels that would like to request
participation in one or more of the Greater Atlantic region fisheries
exemption programs must either submit a request electronically using
their VMS unit, by declaring into an exempted fishery prior
[[Page 35494]]
to the start of a trip, or by submitting a request to participate in
the program(s) of interest using their FishOnline account.
Vessel Owner Single Letter Option: Vessel owners that own multiple
vessels, but would like to receive only a single Greater Atlantic
Fisheries Bulletin or small entity compliance guide instead of one for
each vessel permit, must submit a written request to NMFS to
participate in this program.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0202.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular (revision of a current information
collection).
Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit organizations are
primarily affected. Individuals or households, state, local or tribal
governments, and the Federal Government are also affected.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 129,453.
Estimated Time per Response: Vessel Permits: Vessel permit
application: 40 minutes; vessel permit renewal forms: 20 minutes;
initial dealer permit applications: 15 minutes; dealer permit renewal
forms: 5 minutes; initial and renewal vessel operator permit
applications: 30 minutes; online account creation (FishOnline Account
Information Collection): 15 minutes; limited access vessel replacement
applications: 1.5 hours; and applications for retention of limited
access permit history: 1.5 hours. VMS Requirements: Installing a VMS
unit: 1 hour; confirming VMS connectivity: 5 minutes; VMS certification
form: 5 minutes; VMS installation for Canadian herring transport
vessels: 1 hour and 20 minutes; email to declare their entrance and
departure from U.S. waters: 15 minutes; automatic polling of vessel
position using the VMS unit: 0 minutes; area and DAS declarations: 5
minutes; declaration of days-out of the gillnet fishery for monkfish
and NE multispecies vessels: 5 minutes; Good Samaritan DAS credit
request: 30 minutes; entangled whale DAS credit request: 30 minutes;
DAS credit for a canceled trip due to unforeseen circumstances, but
have not yet begun fishing: 5 minutes to request via the VMS unit and
10 minutes to request via the paper form; VMS catch reports: 5 minutes;
VMS power down exemption: 30 minutes. Observer Program Call-in
Requirements: Requests for observer coverage are estimated to require
either 2 or 10 minutes per request, depending on the program for which
observers are requested. Exempted Fisheries Programs: Letter of
Authorization (LOA) to participate in any of the exemption programs: 5
minutes; Charter/Party Exemption Certificate for GOM Closed Areas: 5
minutes; limited access sea scallop vessels state waters DAS exemption
program or state waters gear exemption program: 2 minutes; withdraw
from either state waters exemption program prior to the end of the 7-
day designated exemption period requirement: 2 minutes; request for
change in permit category designation: 5 minutes; request for transit
to another port by a vessel required to remain within the GOM cod trip
limit: 2 minutes; gillnet category designation, including initial
requests for gillnet tags: 10 minutes; requests for additional tags: 2
minutes; notification of lost tags and requests for replacement tag
numbers: 2 minutes; attachment of gillnet tags: 1 minute; initial
lobster area designations: 5 minutes; requests for additional tags: 2
minutes; and notification of lost tags: 3 minutes; requests for state
quota transfers in the bluefish, summer flounder and scup fisheries: 1
hour; GOM cod trip limit exemption: 5 minutes; vessel owner single
letter option: 5 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 18,737.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $2,302,677 in record
keeping/reporting costs.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Title 50, Chapter VI, Part 648: FISHERIES OF THE
NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
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 ICR. 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 may 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.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-14292 Filed 7-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 6, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.