Notice2025-23564
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; West Coast Region Permit Family of Forms
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 22, 2025
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 90 Issue 243 (Monday, December 22, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 243 (Monday, December 22, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59793-59795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-23564]
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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; West Coast Region Permit Family of Forms
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
[[Page 59794]]
(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 20, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d49a9b9595fa84869594babbb5b5fab3bba2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="612f2e20204f313320210f0e00004f060e17">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0204 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: Karen Palmigiano, West Coast Region (WCR) Permits Specialist, at
NOAA WCR, 7600 Sand Point Way NE--Building 1, Seattle, Washington (WA)
98155, (562) 980-4238, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1e757f6c7b70306e7f72737779777f70715e70717f7f30797168"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="72191300171c5c02131e1f1b151b131c1d321c1d13135c151d04">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This is a request for renewal of the existing reporting
requirements of the approved collection of information, West Coast
Region Family of Forms (0648-0204).
The WCR Permits Office administers permits required for persons and
vessels participating in Federally managed fisheries off the West Coast
under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management act, 16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq. Section 303 (b) (1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act
specifically authorizes the establishment of permit requirements.
Almost all international, federal, state, and local fishery management
authorities use permits as part of their management systems.
The Magnuson-Stevens Act established regional fishery management
councils, including the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Pacific
Council), to develop fishery management plans (FMP) for fisheries in
the United States (U.S.) exclusive economic zone (EEZ). These plans, if
approved by the Secretary of Commerce, are implemented by Federal
regulations, which are enforced by the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), in cooperation with
State agencies to the extent possible. FMPs are intended to regulate
fishing for stocks to prevent overfishing and achieve the optimum yield
from the fisheries for the benefit of the U.S. The Pacific Council has
prepared FMPs for the coastal pelagic species (CPS) fishery and Pacific
Highly Migratory Species (HMS) off the U.S. West Coast. Each of these
FMPs created permit programs which are administered by the West Coast
Region, NMFS.
There are two types of regulatory permits used by the WCR: Open
access fishery permits and limited entry permits for selected
fisheries. Open access permits are used in all fisheries where there
are no specific limitations or eligibility criteria for entry to the
fishery. Limited entry permits are used to prevent overcapitalization
or address other management goals in the fishery and limit the number
of applicants permitted to participate in the fishery. Applicants for
both open access and limited entry permits are required to submit
applications to obtain these permits but are not required to submit
reports on their fishing activities under these permits. These permits
are part of information collection request (ICR) 0648-0204.
Exempt fishing permits (EFPs) are issued to applicants for fishing
activities that would otherwise be prohibited under a fisheries
management plan. Applicants for an EFP must submit written information
that allows NOAA and the Pacific Council to evaluate the proposed EFP
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 EFP which 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 Pacific Council Operating Procedure
#19. EFP 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, and provide
access to constrained stocks by directly measuring the bycatch
associated with current and proposed management measures. EFPs are
currently part of ICR 0648-0204.
Letters of Authorization (LOAs) and Exempted Educational Activity
Authorizations (EEAAs) are types of permits used to grant exemptions
from fishery regulations for educational or other activities (e.g.,
using nonregulation gear). An EEAA is issued by the WCR to accredited
educational institutions that authorize, for educational purposes, the
target or incidental harvest of species managed under a fisheries
management plan 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 scientific research plans
prior to undertaking those activities, along with 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 MMPA and
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and mechanisms exist under both the MMPA
and ESA to assess the effect of incidental takings and to authorize
appropriate levels of take.
II. Method of Collection
The primary method of collection is via an electronic (internet)
submission form; paper applications are also available and may be
submitted by mail to the Long Beach Permits Office.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0204.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current
information collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,099.
Estimated Time per Response: Highly Migratory Species (Paper),
New--20 minutes; Highly Migratory Species (Online), New--15 minutes;
HMS Paper; Renew--10 minutes; HMS Online, Renew--5 minutes ; CPS
Renewal--10 minutes; CPS Transfer--30 minutes; LE DGN Renew--10
minutes; LE DGN Transfer--30 minutes; LE DGN Designation Request--30
minutes; LE DGN Exemption Request--30 minutes; Appeals--240 minutes;
Scientific research plans--13 hours; scientific research reports--7
hours exempted
[[Page 59795]]
fishing permit requests; 60 minutes, exempted fishing permit reports,
4.5 hours; exempted educational requests, 5 hours; exempted educational
reports, 2.5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 233 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $4,780.
Legal Authority: MSA, MMPA, ESA.
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 (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,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2025-23564 Filed 12-19-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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