Notice2021-27398
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16
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
December 17, 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
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 240 (Friday, December 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71624-71625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27398]
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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; Northeast Multispecies Amendment 16
AGENCY: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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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 February 15, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cd8ca9bfa4a8a3a3a8e3b9a5a2a0acbe8da3a2acace3aaa2bb"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6e2f0a1c070b00000b401a0601030f1d2e00010f0f40090118">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0605 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 Claire Fitz-Gerald, Fishery Policy Analyst, Greater Atlantic
Regional Fisheries Office, (978) 281-9255, and <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7c3f101d150e19523a150806513b190e1d10183c12131d1d521b130a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1a59767b73687f345c736e60375d7f687b767e5a74757b7b347d756c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for the revision and extension of a current
information collection. Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act (MSA), the Secretary of Commerce has the
responsibility for the conservation and management of marine fishery
resources. We, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA)
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the Regional Fishery
Management Councils are delegated the majority of this responsibility.
The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) develops
management plans for fishery resources in New England.
In 2010, we implemented a new suite of regulations for the
Northeast (NE) multispecies fishery through Amendment 16 to the NE
Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This action updated status
determination criteria for all regulated NE multispecies or ocean pout
stocks; adopted rebuilding programs for NE multispecies (groundfish)
stocks newly classified as being overfished and subject to overfishing;
revised management measures, including significant revisions to the
sector management
[[Page 71625]]
measures (established under Amendment 13) necessary to end overfishing,
rebuild overfished regulated NE multispecies and ocean pout stocks, and
mitigate the adverse economic impacts of increased effort controls. It
also implemented new requirements under Amendment 16 for establishing
acceptable biological catch, annual catch limits (ACLs), and
accountability measures for each stock managed under the FMP, pursuant
to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
(Magnuson-Stevens Act).
Sectors are a management tool in the NE groundfish fishery. A
sector consists of three or more limited access NE multispecies vessel
permits, with distinct ownership, who voluntarily enter into a contract
to manage their fishing operations and to share liability. A sector is
granted an annual allocation of most stocks of fish managed by the NE
Multispecies FMP. In return for increased operational flexibility, such
as exemptions from certain effort controls and the ability to pool and
trade quota, sectors have additional reporting and monitoring
requirements. The sector reporting and monitoring requirements, as
established by Amendment 16 and revised by subsequent framework
adjustments to the NE Multispecies FMP, are contained within this
information collection.
This revision incorporates a number of recent changes. Amendment 16
required sectors to develop and fund an independent third-party at-sea
monitoring (ASM) program. Amendment 16 allowed sectors to use
electronic monitoring (EM) instead of human monitors to meet ASM
requirements, provided that the Greater Atlantic Regional Administrator
deemed it sufficient. Using the authority and process granted to the
agency in Amendment 16, NMFS announced its determination that sectors
may use EM to meet monitoring requirements (86 FR 16686; March 31,
2021). To implement this change, we are proposing to collect additional
data elements necessary to support an electronic monitoring program.
Specifically, we propose to require the development and submission of
vessel monitoring plans and trip-level feedback reports, both of which
are critical for accurate catch data and management of ACLs. We also
propose to require the collection of information related to the
purchase and installation of EM equipment. This is necessary for NMFS
to reimburse industry's ASM costs as directed and funded by
Congressional appropriations.
In 2020, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
established a new requirement that vessels fishing in the NAFO
Regulatory Area must submit daily catch reports via a vessel monitoring
system (VMS) and NMFS implemented this requirement to ensure compliance
with NAFO reporting requirements. Daily VMS catch reports allow for
near real-time quota monitoring and are necessary for the management of
ACLs.
II. Method of Collection
Respondents must submit either paper forms via postal service, or
electronic forms submitted via the internet or a vessels' VMS.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0605.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a
current information collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,309.
Estimated Time per Response: Sector operations plan and membership
list updates, 110 hours; Monitoring service provider initial
application, 10 hours; Monitoring service provider response to
application disapproval, 10 hours; Data entry for sector discard
monitoring system, 3 minutes; Sector weekly catch report, 4 hours;
Sector annual report, 10 hours; Notification of expulsion from a
sector, 30 minutes; Request to transfer Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE),
5 minutes; Request to lease days-at-sea (DAS), 5 minutes; request to
downgrade DAS baseline, 5 minutes; VMS area and DAS declaration, 5
minutes; VMS trip-level catch report; VMS daily catch reports when
fishing in multiple broad stock areas, 15 minutes; Daily VMS catch
reports when fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area and Closed Area
II Special Access Programs (SAP), 15 minutes; Daily VMS catch reports
when fishing in the Regular B DAS Program, 15 minutes; Pre-trip hail
report, 2 minutes; Trip-end hail report, 15 minutes; Pre-Trip
Notification System notification, 2 minutes; Vessel notification of
selection for ASM coverage, 5 minutes; at-sea monitor deployment
report, 10 minutes; ASM and EM service provider catch report to NMFS
upon request, 5 minutes; at-sea monitor or electronic monitoring staff
report of harassment, safety concerns, and other issues, 30 minutes;
at-sea and EM service provider contracts upon request, 30 minutes; ASM
and EM service provider information materials upon request, 30 minutes;
EM vessel monitoring plan development and submission, 2 hours; EM
vessel feedback letters, 30 minutes; EM equipment installation, 16
hours; EM equipment purchase and installation reimbursement form, 30
minutes; Office of Law Enforcement debriefing of at-sea monitors and
electronic monitoring staff, 2 hours; ASM Database and Data Entry
Requirements, 0 minutes; DAS Transfer Program, 5minutes; Submission of
Proposed SAPs, 20 hours; NAFO Reporting Requirements, 23 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 73,198.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $10,632,454 in recordkeeping
and reporting costs.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the NMFS 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. 2021-27398 Filed 12-16-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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