[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 78 (Friday, April 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21399-21400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10025]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 041700C]


Bluefin Tuna Statistical Documents

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5027, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230 (or via 
Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Christopher Rogers, Highly Migratory Species 
Management Division (F/SF1), Office of Sustainable Fisheries, NMFS, 
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301-713-2347).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Under the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), NOAA is responsible for 
management of the nation's marine fisheries. In addition, NOAA must 
comply with the United States' obligations under the Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.) to implement 
recommendations by the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). In order to monitor landings and trade in 
bluefin tuna, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) collects 
information through the bluefin tuna statistical document (BSD) program 
recommended by ICCAT. BSDs are required for lawful import of bluefin 
tuna products into countries that are contracting parties to ICCAT. By 
exchanging information collected through the BSD program, ICCAT members 
can monitor catch of

[[Page 21400]]

Atlantic bluefin tuna in relation to applicable country quotas for 
contracting parties and assess the extent to which catch by non-
contracting parties could undermine the effectiveness of ICCAT's stock 
rebuilding program for Atlantic bluefin tuna.

II. Method of Collection

    Importers and commercial fish dealers who import or export bluefin 
tuna are required to obtain a tuna dealer permit from NMFS (approved 
under a separate collection: 0648-0202). Permitted dealers must obtain 
original BSDs from import shipments, complete the importer 
certification section and mail or fax the completed BSD to NMFS. 
Exporters must obtain numbered, non-transferable BSDs from NMFS, 
complete the landings information and exporter certification sections, 
mail or fax a copy of the completed BSD to NMFS, and attach the 
original BSD to the export shipment. In certain cases, the landings and 
export information must be validated by a government official or an 
accredited non-government institution. For the most part, U.S. catches 
of bluefin tuna are tagged upon landing (approved under a separate 
collection: 0648-0239) and such tagged bluefin are exempt from the BSD 
validation requirement. In order for a non-governmental institution to 
be accredited to provide validations it must submit a request for such 
authority.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0040.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected public: Businesses and other for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 50.
    Estimated Time Per Response: An average of 20 minutes for 
completing a BSD upon import, export or re-export of bluefin tuna into 
or from the United States (range of 5 minutes for BSDs listing tagged 
fish to 2 hours for BSDs requiring validation); 2 hours for a request 
for accreditation from a non-governmental institution.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 500.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $500.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 13, 2000.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-10025 Filed 4-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F