Notice2023-24440
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Large Pelagic Fishing Survey
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
November 6, 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 213 (Monday, November 6, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 213 (Monday, November 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76188-76190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24440]
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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; Large Pelagic Fishing Survey
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
[[Page 76189]]
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 January 5, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ca84858b8be49a988b8aa4a5ababe4ada5bc"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f61606e6e017f7d6e6f41404e4e01484059">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0380 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 John Foster, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Science
and Technology, 1315 East-West Hwy./FST1, Silver Spring, MD 21910,
Phone: (301) 427-8130 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#23494c4b4d0d454c50574651634d4c42420d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="452f2a2d2b6b232a36312037052b2a24246b222a33">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for the extension of a currently approved
information collection.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is responsible for
monitoring and managing United States (U.S.) marine fisheries
resources. Collection of information regarding fishing for large
pelagic species (tunas, billfishes, swordfish, and sharks) is necessary
to fulfill the following statutory requirements: Atlantic Tunas
Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and to meet
administrative requirements of the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) Marine Recreational Fishery Policy implemented to comply with
Executive Order 12962 on Recreational Fisheries.
The Atlantic Tunas Convention Act at 16 U.S.C. 971d(c)(3)(I)
provides the Secretary of Commerce the authority to ``require any
commercial or recreational fisherman to obtain a permit from the
Secretary and report the quantity of catch of a regulated species''.
Section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies data and analyses
to be included in Fishery Management Plans (FMPs), as well as pertinent
data, which shall be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce under the
plan. Recommendation One of the NMFS Marine Recreational Fishery (MRF)
Policy focuses on developing ``a comprehensive data acquisition and
analysis system (participation, catch, effort and socio-economic data)
on a regular, continuing basis'' in support of the Executive Order
12962 requirement to assess the implementation and evaluate
achievements of the ``Recreational Fishery Resources Conservation
Plan.''
Because highly migratory species are only sought on a relatively
small proportion of the total marine recreational angler fishing trips
made, the fishing effort directed at such species, and the resulting
angler catches are generally not estimated very precisely or accurately
by general (all species) recreational surveys. Therefore, the Large
Pelagics Survey (LPS) was designed as a specialized survey that would
focus specifically on the recreational fishery directed at large
pelagic, also called highly migratory, species. This specialization has
allowed higher levels of sampling needed to provide more precise and
accurate estimates of pelagic fishing effort and catches of large
pelagic species.
The LPS consists of two complementary surveys: a directory frame
telephone survey of tuna and/or HMS permit holders to obtain fishing
effort information (Large Pelagic Telephone Survey or LPTS), and a
dockside survey which collects catch information and also estimates the
proportion of vessels fishing for large pelagics that are not on the
telephone frame (Large Pelagic Intercept Survey or LPIS). Results from
the two survey components are combined to estimate total landings of
Highly Migratory Species. In addition, we are requesting approval to
continue to implement the Large Pelagic Biological Survey (LPBS) to
collect supplemental weight and length measurements of landed fish
through independent dockside sampling, as well as LPIS Validation
telephone calls to validate LPIS data. Implementation of certain
components will depend on fiscal year funding and NMFS priorities.
NMFS, regional fishery management councils, interstate marine
fisheries commissions, and state fishery agencies use the data in
developing, implementing and monitoring fishery management programs.
This collection has been the key source of data used to monitor
recreational quotas for the harvest of bluefin tuna in the Mid-Atlantic
and southern New England regions. Catch distributions, harvested size
distributions, and other indices obtained in this data collection have
formed the basis of fishery management plans and used in stock
assessments for Atlantic highly migratory species such as tunas,
billfish, swordfish and sharks.
II. Method of Collection
Dockside (in-person) interviews and telephone interviews.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0380.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 15,024.
Estimated Time Per Response: 11 minutes for a telephone interview;
5 minutes for a dockside interview, 1\1/2\ minutes to respond to a
follow-up validation call for dockside interviews; 1 minute for
biological sampling of catch.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,608.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, Atlantic Tunas Convention Act.
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
[[Page 76190]]
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. 2023-24440 Filed 11-3-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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