[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 248 (Monday, December 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 74943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31896]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 122203C]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; South Pacific 
Tuna Act

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 February 27, 
2004

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW, 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 Raymond Clarke at 808-973-2935, ext. 205, or at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific 
Island States and the Government of the United States, signed in Port 
Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in 1987, and its annexes, schedules and 
implementing agreements, as amended (Treaty), authorize U.S. tuna 
vessels to fish within fishing zones of a large region of the Pacific 
Ocean. The South Pacific Tuna Act (16 U.S.C. 973g and 973f) and U.S. 
implementing regulations (50 CFR282.3 and 282.5), authorize the 
collection of information from participants in the Treaty fishery. 
Vessel operators who wish to participate in the Treaty fishery must 
submit annual license and registration applications and periodic 
written reports of catch and unloading of fish from a licensed vessel. 
The information collected is submitted to the Forum Fisheries Agency 
(FFA), on forms generated by the FFA, through the U.S. government 
(National Marine Fisheries Service). License and registration 
application information is used by FFA to determine the operational 
capability and financial responsibility of a vessel operator interested 
in participating in the Treaty fishery. The information obtained from 
vessel catch and unloading reports is used by FFA to assess fishing 
effort and fishery resources in the region and to track the amount of 
fish caught within each Pacific island state's exclusive economic zone 
for fair disbursement of Treaty monies. If the information is not 
collected, the U.S. government will not meet its obligations under the 
Treaty, and the lack of fishing information will result in poor 
management of the fishery resources.

II. Method of Collection

    The information is collected using forms required under the Treaty.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0218.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 32.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes for a license application 
form; 30 minutes for a registration application form; 15 minutes for a 
Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) application form; 1 hour for a catch 
report; 30 minutes for an unloading logsheet; 4 hours to install a VMS; 
2 hours per year to maintain a VMS; and 24 seconds per day for 
automated VMS position messages.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 430.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $53,000.

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: December 19, 2003.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 03-31896 Filed 12-24-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S