Notice2023-18815
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions
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
August 31, 2023
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 88 Issue 168 (Thursday, August 31, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 168 (Thursday, August 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60184-60185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18815]
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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; NMFS Observer Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only
Through Questions
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 October 30, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e3adaca2a2cdb3b1a2a38d8c8282cd848c95"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7b35343a3a552b293a3b15141a1a551c140d">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0593 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 Ken Keene, National Observer Program Coordinator, NOAA, 1315 East-
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301-427-8158), and
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#29424c47474c5d4107424c4c474c6947464848074e465f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c0aba5aeaea5b4a8eeaba5a5aea580aeafa1a1eea7afb6">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for revision and extension of an existing
information collection.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) deploys fishery observers on
United States (U.S.) commercial fishing vessels and to fish processing
plants in order to collect biological and economic data. NMFS has at
least one observer program in each of its five Regions. These observer
programs provide the most reliable and effective method for obtaining
information that is critical for the conservation and management of
living marine resources. Observer programs primarily obtain information
through direct observations by employees or agents of NMFS; and such
observations are not subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
However, observer programs also collect the following information that
requires clearance under the PRA: (1) Standardized questions of fishing
vessel captains/crew or fish processing plant managers/staff, which
include gear and performance questions, safety questions, and trip
costs, crew size and other economic questions; (2) questions asked by
observer program staff/contractors to plan observer deployments; (3)
forms that are completed by observers and that fishing vessel captains
are asked to review and sign; (4) questionnaires to evaluate observer
performance; and (5) a form to certify that a fisherman is the permit
holder when requesting observer data from the observer on the vessel.
The information collected will be used to: (1) Monitor catch and
bycatch in federally managed commercial fisheries; (2) understand the
population status and trends of fish stocks and protected species, as
well as the interactions between them; (3) determine the quantity and
distribution of net benefits derived from living marine resources; (4)
predict the biological, ecological, and economic impacts of existing
management action and proposed management options; and (5) ensure that
the observer programs can safely and efficiently collect the
information required for the previous four uses. In particular, these
biological and economic data collection programs contribute to legally
mandated analyses required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Endangered Species Act
(ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA),
Executive Order 12866 (E.O. 12866), as well as a variety of state
statutes. The confidentiality of the data will be protected as required
by the MSA, section 402(b).
This collection will be revised as follows. First is the expansion
of observers to include an additional fishery. The Southeast region
will begin sending observers out on Southeast reef fish fishery trips
and thus needs to add this fishery to this collection. Second, NOAA is
combining the Southeast observer efforts into one program. The third
change is the West Coast Groundfish Observer Program (WCGOP) would like
to start collecting the names of crew members within their observer
logbooks. The data will be recorded on paper, scanned in, and stored
according to vessel name. This information will only be accessed if
there is an enforcement issue. The final change is also within the West
Coast Groundfish Observer Program. They have introduced a new phone app
that captains are using to declare upcoming fishing trips and NMFS is
using to let them know if they have been selected for observer
coverage. Other observer programs are also working on converting to
smart phone apps, but they have not yet been implemented.
II. Method of Collection
The information will be collected by (1) NMFS observers while they
are deployed on a vessel to observe a particular fishing trip;
questions will be asked in-person to the captain, crew and/or owner (if
on board the vessel) during the course of the observed trip; (2) via
mail through follow up surveys of economic information not available
during the trip; (3) via telephone or mail survey by the observer
program staff or contractor planning to deploy observers; or (4) via
feedback questionnaires mailed to the vessel owners or captains to
evaluate observer performance.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0593.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 13,212.
[[Page 60185]]
Estimated Time per Response: Northeast Fisheries Observer Program
and At-Sea Monitors, 117 minutes; North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut
Observer Program and Processing Plants, 56 minutes; Alaska Marine
Mammal Observer Program, 15 minutes; West Coast Groundfish Observer
Program, 31 minutes; Pacific Islands Region Observer Program, 86
minutes; Southeast Fishery Observer Program, 55 minutes; West Coast
Region Observer Program, 62 minutes. Information will be collected for
observed fishing trips and deployments to fish processing plants;
therefore, there will be multiple responses for some respondents, but
counted as one response per trip or plant visit.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 16,253.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $459,631.
Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: The primary authority for NMFS to place observers
on fishing vessels is included in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Endangered Species Act
(ESA), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).
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 Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2023-18815 Filed 8-30-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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