Notice2026-09926
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; International Dolphin Conservation Program
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
May 18, 2026
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
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 95 (Monday, May 18, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28575-28577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09926]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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; International Dolphin Conservation Program
AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 July 17, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e1afaea0a0cfb1b3a0a18f8e8080cf868e97"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4a04050b0b641a180b0a24252b2b642d253c">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0387 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 Chris Fanning, Fishery Policy Analyst, NOAA/National Marine
Fisheries Service, 501 West Ocean Blvd., #4200, Long Beach, CA 90802,
(562) 980-4198, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ffbc978d968cd1b99e9191969198bf91909e9ed1989089"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="edae859f849ec3ab8c838384838aad83828c8cc38a829b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This request is for the revision and extension of OMB Control
Number: 0648-0387, sponsored by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) West Coast Region (WCR). This collection is being
revised to remove five (5) of the twenty-one (21) information
collections under OMB Control Number: 0648-0387 that were
[[Page 28576]]
recently added to Control Number 0648-0335, which is sponsored by the
NMFS Office of International Affairs, Trade, and Commerce (IATC). The
purpose of this revision is to more accurately reflect how the
information is being managed. The remaining sixteen (16) information
collections are being renewed without modification.
The sixteen unmodified collections of information comply with the
requirements of the International Dolphin Conservation Program Act
(IDCPA), 16 U.S.C. 1414. The IDCPA amended the Marine Mammal Protection
Act (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. Ch. 31, and the Dolphin Protection Consumer
Information Act (DPCIA), 16 U.S.C. 1385. The IDCPA and the DPCIA
authorize the Secretary of Commerce to promulgate regulations that,
inter alia, implement the dolphin-safe labeling standard in the United
States by the collection of documents on the dolphin-safe status of
tuna import shipments and domestic tuna product processing; by allowing
documentary requests to allow for an effective tracking and
verification program; and by verifying that tuna was not harvested by a
nation under embargo or otherwise prohibited from exporting tuna to the
United States.
The IDCPA allows entry of yellowfin tuna into the United States,
under specific conditions, from nations in the International Dolphin
Conservation Program that would otherwise be under embargo. The IDCPA
also allows U.S. fishing vessels to participate in the yellowfin tuna
fishery in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP) on terms equivalent
with the vessels of other nations. NOAA collects information to verify
these conditions are met and that allows tracking and verification of
``dolphin-safe'' and ``non-dolphin safe'' tuna products from catch
through the U.S. market.
This collection of information also complies with the requirements
of the Tuna Conventions Act (TCA), 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq., which was
amended by the ``Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing
Enforcement Act of 2015'' (Pub. L. 114-81). The TCA gives the Secretary
of Commerce the authority to enact regulations to fulfill the
requirement that all member States maintain and provide to the Inter-
American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) a list of vessels flagged by
the member State and (1) authorized by the member State to be used for
fishing for tuna and tuna-like species in the IATTC Convention Area, or
(2) authorized by other States to be used for fishing for tuna and
tuna-like species in their areas of jurisdiction in the IATTC Area, and
to maintain and provide for each vessel on that list certain
information on its characteristics and its owner and operator. The TCA
also gives the Secretary of Commerce authority to implement fishery
management resolutions of the IATTC.
The information is used by NMFS, the United States Coast Guard
(USGC), and the IATTC to monitor the size and composition of the vessel
fleets in the IATTC Convention Area for compliance and scientific-
related purposes. Knowing such information as the number of vessels,
the details of the vessels and their ownership, and the types of gear
employed enables effective monitoring of vessel activity for
enforcement and assessment purposes. NMFS also uses this information
for the purposes of managing the U.S. purse seine fleet capacity in the
IATTC Convention Area.
This collection includes permit applications, notifications,
reports, and certifications that provide information on vessel
characteristics and operations in the ETP, documentary evidence
requests, and certain other information necessary to implement the
IDCPA.
The five information collections being removed from 0648-0387 that
were added to 0648-0335 ``Tuna Tracking and Verification Program'' (90
FR 21752, May 21, 2025), also comply with requirements of the IDCPA and
DPCIA. They include vessel arrival notifications, tuna tracking forms,
tuna product receiving and processing reports, and documents/
certifications that provide information on vessel characteristics and
operations in the ETP, the origin of tuna and tuna products, and chain
of custody recordkeeping requirements.
II. Method of Collection
Information will be collected via online application, email
notifications and reporting, and an option for paper format permit
applications.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0387.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission [revision and extension of a
currently approved information collection].
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations;
individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 240.
Estimated Time per Response: 35 minutes for a vessel permit
application; 10 minutes for an operator permit application, a
notification of vessel arrival or departure, a change in permit
operator, a notification of a net modification; 30 minutes for a
request for a waiver to transit the ETP without a permit (and
subsequent radio reporting) or for a special report documenting the
origin of tuna (if requested by the NOAA Administrator); 10 hours for
an experimental fishing operation waiver; 15 minutes for a request for
a Dolphin Mortality Limit; 35 minutes for written notification to
request active status for a small tuna purse seine vessel; 5 minutes
for written notification to request inactive status for a small tuna
purse seine vessel or for written notification of the intent to
transfer a tuna purse seine vessel to foreign registry and flag; 30
minutes for International Maritime Organization (IMO) application or
exemption request.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 111.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $450.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: International Dolphin Conservation Program Act
(IDCPA), 16 U.S.C. 1414; The IDCPA amended the Dolphin Protection
Consumer Information Act (DPCIA), 16 U.S.C. 1385; and the Tuna
Conventions Act (TCA), 16 U.S.C. 951 et seq.
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
[[Page 28577]]
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. 2026-09926 Filed 5-15-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 18, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.