Notice2024-23437
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan Data Collection
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
October 10, 2024
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 89 Issue 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82227-82228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-23437]
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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; Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan Data Collection
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 December 9, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c987868888e7999b8889a7a6a8a8e7aea6bf"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7a34353b3b542a283b3a14151b1b541d150c">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0491 in the subject line of your
comments. All comments received are part of the public record and will
generally be posted on <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> without change. 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 Colette Tweeddale, Fishery Management Specialist, Greater Atlantic
Regional Fisheries Office, 55 Great Republic Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930,
(978)-281-9335, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e88b87848d9c9c8dc69c9f8d8d8c8c89848da886878989c68f879e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="96f5f9faf3e2e2f3b8e2e1f3f3f2f2f7faf3d6f8f9f7f7b8f1f9e0">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for a renewal of an approved 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).
NMFS manages the Atlantic sea scallop (scallop) fishery through a set
of regulations that limit catch of scallops and fishing vessel
activity. In addition, regulations limit catch of certain other species
of fish in order to minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality (bycatch is
the catch and discard of species that are not targeted in the scallop
fishery). Finally, the regulations control vessel permitting and the
exchange of effort and quota allocations between vessels. In order to
effectively manage these resources, track fishing effort and catch, and
to allow vessel owners to exchange fishing trips and quota, NMFS must
collect information through the reporting requirements included in this
renewal. This renewal contains the following information collections:
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) requirements; Access area trip exchange
application procedures; Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) transfers; Cost
recovery; and IFQ sector program.
Access Area Trip Exchange Application
The one-for-one access area trip exchange program provides
flexibility to scallop vessels about where they may fish. Participants
need to send an access area trip exchange application to NMFS with the
following information: Vessel name and permit number, owner name and
signature, specification of the areas involved in the exchange. Both
vessels involved in the exchange are required to submit forms for cross
verification. This measure provides flexibility to vessels regarding
which areas to fish, thereby reducing the possibility of revenue loss
to those vessels that are unable to access some distant areas due to
vessel capacity constraints.
IFQ Transfers
IFQ permit holders can temporarily and/or permanently transfer
individual fishing quota from one IFQ vessel to another. Quota
transfers are requested through the submission of transfer
applications. Required information includes vessel information, quota
transfer information, and authorizing signatures from both parties. The
IFQ transfer program is entirely optional, and provides greater
flexibility for IFQ permit holders by enabling them to increase their
vessel's IFQ or for individuals to lease or sell IFQ if they choose not
to fish the allocation.
Cost Recovery
Section 304(d)(2) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) requires an IFQ
cost recovery plan to recover management and enforcement costs for IFQ
fisheries. The FMP includes an IFQ cost recovery program, whereby NMFS
will collect up to 3% of ex-vessel value of landed product to cover
actual costs directly related to enforcement and management of the IFQ
program. IFQ permit holders are required to submit a cost recovery
payment annually via a pre-existing Federal payment system called
<a href="http://www.pay.gov">www.pay.gov</a>, which is also currently used by the Alaska Region and the
Southeast Region. Information submitted via the internet would require
the user to establish an online account, including personal and
financial information. This requirement is necessary in order to comply
with the provisions of the MSA and to collect payments from individuals
that have been granted an allocation to a public resource.
IFQ Sector Program
The FMP contains provisions that authorize allocation of a portion
of the overall IFQ fishery total allowable catch (TAC) to a self-
selected group of IFQ permit holders (sector), provided the sector
provides adequate information describing the formation of the sector
and its intended plan of operations. Individuals or other entities
(corporations, cooperatives, etc.) proposing a sector are required to
submit a Sector Allocation Proposal and
[[Page 82228]]
Operations Plan. Any person may submit a Sector Allocation Proposal for
a group of limited access general category scallop vessels to the
Council, at least 1 year in advance of the start of a sector, and
request that the Sector be implemented through a framework procedure
specified at Sec. 648.55. A group that wants to form a Sector and
receive an allocation is required to submit a legally binding
Operations Plan to the Council and the Regional Administrator. The
operations plan must be agreed upon and signed by all members of the
sector and, if approved, would constitute a contract. This information
is necessary to describe the proposed sector and the proposed rules
under which the sector would operate. This information is used to
determine whether this sector would maintain consistency with the goals
and objectives of the FMP.
II. Method of Collection
Participants will submit paper applications by mail, facsimile, or
email.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0491.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission [extension of a current
information collection].
Affected Public: Businesses and other for-profit organizations are
primarily affected.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 647.
Estimated Time per Response: Cost recovery, 2 hours; Sector
proposals, 150 hours; Sector operations plans, 100 hours; IFQ transfer
application 35 hours; Access area trip exchange, 45 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 980.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $23,932.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management 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 information collection request. 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,
Departmental PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-23437 Filed 10-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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