Notice2026-15957
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; West Coast Region Vessel Monitoring Requirement in the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
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 6, 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
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 150 (Thursday, August 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 150 (Thursday, August 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50810-50811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-15957]
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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 Vessel Monitoring Requirement in the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery
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 5, 2026.
[[Page 50811]]
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e7a9a8a6a6c9b7b5a6a789888686c9808891"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="efa1a0aeaec1bfbdaeaf81808e8ec1888099">[email protected]</span></a>. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0573 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: 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#3a515b485f54144a5b5657535d535b54557a54555b5b145d554c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9d2d8cbdcd797c9d8d5d4d0ded0d8d7d6f9d7d6d8d897ded6cf">[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 Vessel Monitoring Requirement in the Pacific Coast Groundfish
Fishery (0648-0573).
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has
established large-scale depth-based management areas, referred to as
Groundfish Conservation Areas (GCAs), where groundfish fishing is
prohibited or restricted. These areas were specifically designed to
reduce the catch of species while allowing healthy fisheries to
continue in areas and with gears where little incidental catch of
overfished species is likely to occur. Because NOAA needs methods to
effectively enforce area restrictions, certain commercial fishing
vessels are required to install and use a vessel monitoring system
(VMS) that automatically position reports every 15 minutes. Exemptions
from the reporting requirement are available for inactive vessels or
vessels operating outside the monitored area. The vessels are also
required to declare what gear will be used. To ensure the integrity of
the GCAs and Rockfish Conservation Areas, a pilot VMS program was
implemented on January 1, 2004. The pilot program required vessels
registered to Pacific Coast groundfish fishery limited entry permits to
carry and use VMS transceiver units while fishing off the coasts of
Washington, Oregon and California. On January 1, 2007, the VMS program
coverage was expanded to include all open access fisheries in addition
to the limited entry fisheries. Finally, in 2010, NMFS expanded the
declaration reports to include several more limited entry categories.
II. Method of Collection
The installation/activation reports are available over the
internet. Due to the need for the owner's signature, installation
reports must be faxed or mailed to the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS). Hourly position reports are automatically sent from VMS
transceivers installed aboard vessels. Exemption reports and
declaration reports are submitted via a toll-free telephone number.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648-0573.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently
approved collection).
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations;
individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 650.
Estimated Time per Response: VMS installation: 4 hours; VMS
maintenance: 4 hours; installation, exemption and activation reports: 5
minutes each; and declaration reports: 4 minutes. Estimated Total
Annual Burden Hours: 929 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $22,877.
Respondent's Obligations: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: NMFS and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council
(Council) manage the groundfish fisheries in the exclusive economic
zone seaward of California, Oregon, and Washington under the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The Council prepared
the FMP under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act (MSA), 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Regulations governing U.S. fisheries and implementing the FMP appear at
50 CFR parts 660.
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 Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2026-15957 Filed 8-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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