Notice2022-12592
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Northwest Region Federal Fisheries Permits
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
June 10, 2022
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 87 Issue 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 112 (Friday, June 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35506-35507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-12592]
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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; Northwest Region Federal Fisheries Permits
AGENCY: National Oceanic and 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 August 9, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#672928262649373526270908060649000811"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8fc1c0cecea1dfddcecfe1e0eeeea1e8e0f9">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0203 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 Matt Dunlap, Fishery Policy Analyst, NOAA Fisheries/West Coast
Region, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115, (206-316-
7944), and <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#85e8e4f1f1ede0f2abe1f0ebe9e4f5c5ebeae4e4abe2eaf3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0964687d7d616c7e276d7c676568794967666868276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for extension of a currently approved information
collection. The Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801) provides that the
Secretary of Commerce is responsible for the conservation and
management of marine fisheries resources in Exclusive Economic Zone (3-
200 miles) of the United States (U.S.). NOAA Fisheries manages the
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
off Washington, Oregon, and California under the Pacific Coast
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. The regulations implementing the
Pacific Groundfish Fishery require that those vessels participating in
the limited entry fishery be registered to a valid limited entry
permit. Participation in the fishery and access to a limited entry
permit has been restricted to control the overall harvest capacity.
NOAA Fisheries seeks comment on the extension of permit information
collections required for: (1) renewal and transfer of Pacific Coast
Groundfish limited entry permits; (2) implementation of certain
provisions of the sablefish permit stacking program as provided for at
50 CFR 660.231 and 660.25; and (3) issuing and fulfilling the terms and
conditions of certain exempted fishing permits (EFPs). The regulations
implementing the limited entry program are found at 50 CFR part 660,
subpart G.
In addition, NOAA Fisheries requires an information collection to
implement certain aspects of the sablefish permit stacking program,
which prevents excessive fleet consolidation. As part of the annual
renewal process, NOAA Fisheries requires a corporation or partnership
that owns or holds (as vessel owner) a sablefish endorsed permit to
provide a complete ownership interest form listing all individuals with
ownership interest in the entity. Similarly, any sablefish endorsed
permit transfer involving registration of a business entity requires an
ownership interest form if either the permit owner or vessel owner is a
corporation or partnership. This information is used to determine if
individuals own or hold sablefish permits in excess of the limit of
three permits. Also, for transfer requests made during the sablefish
primary season (April 1st through October 31st), the permit owner is
required to report the remaining tier pounds not yet harvested on the
sablefish endorsed permit at the time of transfer.
Applicants for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) must submit written
information that allows NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery
Management Council to evaluate the proposed exempted fishing project
activities and weigh the benefits and costs of the proposed activities.
The Council makes a recommendation on each EFP application and for
successful applicants, NOAA Fisheries issues the EFPs that contains
terms and conditions for the project including various reporting
requirements. The information included in an application is specified
at 50 CFR 600.745(b)(2) and the Council Operating Procedure #19. Permit
holders are required to file preseason harvest plans, interim and/or
final summary reports on the results of the project, and in some cases
individual vessels and other permit holders are required to provide
data reports (i.e., logbooks and/or catch reports). The results of EFPs
are commonly used to explore ways to reduce effort on depressed stocks,
encourage innovation and efficiency in the fishery, provide access to
constrained stocks by directly measuring the bycatch associated with
such strategies, and evaluate/revise current and proposed management
measures.
Letters of Authorization (LOAs) and Exempted Educational Activity
Authorizations (EEAAs) were historically collected under OMB control
number 0648-0309. LOAs and EEAAs were combined into this collection
(0648-0203) in 2019.
NMFS may grant exemptions from fishery regulations for educational
or other activities (e.g., using non-regulation gear). An EEAA is a
permit issued by the Regional Office to accredited educational
institutions that authorize, for educational purposes, the target or
incidental harvest of species managed under an FMP or fishery
regulations that would otherwise be prohibited. EEAAs are generally of
limited scope and duration, and authorize the take of the amount of
fish necessary to demonstrate the lesson. Researchers are requested to
submit reports of their scientific research activity after its
completion.
LOAs are required under Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972 for the incidental take of marine mammals
during fisheries surveys and related research activities conducted by
the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), NMFS. Management of
certain marine mammals falls under the jurisdiction of the NMFS under
the MPA and Endangered Species Act (ESA) and mechanisms exist under
both the ESA and MMPA to assess the effect of incidental takings and to
authorize appropriate levels of take.
II. Method of Collection
Renewal forms are mailed to all permit owners. They can complete
their renewals online, submit by mail, or in person. Ownership interest
forms and permit transfer forms are available from the region's website
but must be submitted to NOAA Fisheries by mail or in person.
Applications for an exempted
[[Page 35507]]
fishing permit must be submitted in a written format. The exempted
fishing permit data reports may be submitted in person, faxed,
submitted by telephone or emailed by the monitor, plant manager, vessel
owner or operator to NOAA Fisheries or the states of Washington,
Oregon, or California.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0203.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Individuals, Non-profit institutions, State,
local, or tribal government; business or other for-profit
organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 539.
Estimated Time per Response: Permit renewals: 20 minutes; Permit
transfers: 30 minutes; Sablefish ownership interest form: 10 minutes;
EFP Applications: 32 hours; EFP Trip Notifications: 2 minutes; EFP
Harvest Plans: 16 hours; EFP Data Reports: 2 hours; EFP Summary
Reports: interim report, 4 hours; final report, 20 hours; Letters of
Authorization: 6 hours; Exempted Educational Activities Authorizations,
6 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,011 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $56,468.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain Benefits.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Act (16 U.S.C. 1801).
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit NOAA Fisheries to: (a)
Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for
the proper functions of the agency, 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. 2022-12592 Filed 6-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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