[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 18, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12814-12815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6471]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

15 CFR Part 902

50 CFR Part 648

Docket No. 021122284-3056-03 ; I.D. 110602A]
RIN 0648-AQ30


Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Scup Fishery; Gear 
Restricted Area (GRA) Exemption Program

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: NMFS announces the approval by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) and effectiveness of a collection-of-information 
requirement for a GRA Exemption Program, whereby interested 
participants must contact NMFS to request authorization to participate 
in the program. This final rule also codifies the OMB control number. 
The intent of this final rule is to inform the public of the 
effectiveness of the collection-of-information requirements and publish 
its related OMB control number.

DATES: Effective March 18, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Any comments regarding burden-hour estimates for collection-
of-information requirements contained in this final rule should be sent 
to Patricia Kurkul, Regional Director, Northeast Regional Office, NMFS, 
One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, and to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Washington, DC 20503 (ATTN: NOAA Desk Officer).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah McLaughlin, Fishery Policy 
Analyst, (978) 281-9279, fax (978) 281-9135, e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 2, 2003 (68 FR 60), NMFS 
published a final rule that promulgated a regulatory amendment, under 
the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan 
(FMP), codifying requirements of the GRA Exemption Program. Section 
648.122(d) of that final rule contains a collection-of-information 
requirement for any vessel that is subject to the provisions of the 
Southern and Northern GRAs. Such vessel must telephone the NMFS 
Northeast Region Permits Office (at 978-281-9370) if any portion of a 
trip will be in a GRA, to request a Scup GRA Exemption Program 
Authorization. Delayed effectiveness of Sec. Sec.  648.14(a)(122), 
648.14(a)(127), 648.122(a), 648.122(b), and 648.122(d) was announced in 
the January 2, 2003, final rule, pending OMB approval of the program 
enrollment procedures. On February 6, 2003, OMB approved the 
collection-of-information requirement under OMB control number 0648-
0469.
    NOAA codifies its OMB control numbers for information collection at 
15 CFR part 902. Part 902 collects and displays the control numbers 
assigned to information collection requirements of NOAA by OMB pursuant 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This final rule codifies OMB 
control number 0648-0469 for Sec. Sec.  648.14(a)(122), 648.14(a)(127), 
648.122(a), 648.122(b), and 648.122(d). Under NOAA Administrative Order 
205-11, dated December 17, 1990, the Under Secretary for Oceans and 
Atmosphere, NOAA has delegated to the AA the authority to sign material 
for publication in the Federal Register.

Classification

    This rule has been determined to be not significant for the 
purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    The Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA (AA) finds, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) that it is unnecessary to provide for 
prior notice and opportunity for public comment because this is a non-
discretionary, non-substantive administrative provision, which merely 
announces an OMB control number. This rule codifies the approvals 
(i.e., control numbers) by OMB for collection of information 
requirements in Sec. Sec.  648.14(a)(122),

[[Page 12815]]

648.14(a)(127), 648.122(a), 648.122(b), and 648.122(d). Accordingly, 
good cause exists to waive notice and comment. Furthermore, because 
this is a non-substantive rule, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d), this final 
rule is not subject to the 30-day delay in effectiveness.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is 
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty 
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the 
requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.
    The public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average approximately 2 minutes per vessel (twice a year). 
The estimated response time includes the time needed for reviewing 
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information. Send comments regarding these reporting 
burden estimates or any other aspect of the collection-of-information, 
including suggestions for reducing the burden, to NMFS and OMB (see 
ADDRESSES).

List of Subjects

15 CFR Part 902

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

50 CFR Part 648

    Fisheries, Fishing, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: March 12, 2003.
William T. Hogarth,
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 15 CFR part 902, chapter 
IX is amended as follows:

PART 902--NOAA INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE 
PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT: OMB CONTROL NUMBERS

    1. The authority citation for part 902 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 350 et seq.

    2. In Sec.  902.1, the table in paragraph (b) under 50 CFR is 
amended by adding new entries for 648.14 and 648.122, in numerical 
order, to read as follows:


Sec.  902.1  OMB Control numbers assigned pursuant to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act.

* * * * *
    (b)* * *

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                                              Current OMB control number
 CFR part or section where the information     (all numbers begin with
     collection requirement is located                  0648-)
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                                * * * * *
 
 
50 CFR                                       ...........................
                                * * * * *
648.14                                       -0469
                                * * * * *
 
648.122                                      -0469
                                * * * * *
 
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[FR Doc. 03-6471 Filed 3-17-03; 8:45 am]
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