[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 51 (Monday, March 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12674-12675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6198]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

[I.D. 031003D]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species Recreational Landings Reports.

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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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 May 16, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW,

[[Page 12675]]

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Dianne Stephan, phone 978/281-9397; Highly Migratory 
Species Division, NMFS, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The purpose of BFT catch reporting is to provide real-time catch 
information for monitoring the recreational BFT fishery. Under the 
Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (ATCA, 16 U.S.C. 971), the United 
States is required to abide by recommendations of the International 
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), including a 
specified BFT quota. This program supports BFT management and 
scientific research authorized under ATCA and the Magnuson Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFMCA,16 U.S.C. 1801 et 
seq.). Recreational anglers are required to report specific information 
regarding their catch after they land a BFT. The reported information 
is tallied and used to monitor recreational landings and incorporated 
into scientific analysis of BFT stock status. For any State that 
participates in tagging programs to monitor recreational landings, it 
is expected that weekly and one annual report would be submitted to 
summarize landings and results to date.
    Atlantic swordfish and billfish are also managed internationally by 
ICCAT and nationally under the ATCA and the MSFMCA. This collection 
will provide information needed to monitor the recreational limit 
established by ICCAT for Atlantic blue and white marlin, and the 
recreational catch of swordfish, which is applied to the ICCAT 
established U.S. quota. This collection will also provide information 
on recreational landings of West Atlantic sailfish which is unavailable 
from established monitoring programs. Collection of sailfish 
information is authorized under MSFCMA for purposes of stock 
management.

II. Method of Collection

    Once a recreational fisherman lands a bluefin tuna, he is required 
to report his catch via one of three methods. If the fish is landed in 
the states of North Carolina (NC) or Maryland (MD), the fisherman must 
obtain a harvest tag from the state fisheries agency by submitting a 
landing card at a state BFT reporting station. Under this tag method 
participating States (MD and NC) also submit weekly written reports and 
one annual report summarizing results and data for the prior time 
period.
    In all other Atlantic and Gulf coast states, fishermen report via 
either a toll-free telephone call or an Internet Web site. A follow-up 
call to the angler is made by NOAA Fisheries personnel when the landed 
fish is a trophy BFT (greater than or equal to 73'' curved fork 
length).
    When a fisherman lands an Atlantic marlin, West Atlantic sailfish 
and/or North Atlantic swordfish, they must report their catch by 
calling a toll-free telephone number. Agency personnel then place a 
follow-up call to the angler to verify the initially-reported 
information.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0328.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households; and State, Local, or Tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,131.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 5 minutes for an initial call-in or 
Internet report; 5 minutes for a confirmation call; 10 minutes for a 
landing card; 1 hour for a weekly state report; and 4 hours for an 
annual state report.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,096.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: None.

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: March 7, 2003.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-6198 Filed 3-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S