[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 8384]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4022]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 021804B]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Steller Sea 
Lion Protection Pilot Economic Survey

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 April 26, 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 
should be directed to Dr. Dan Lew, National Marine Fisheries Service, 
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 
98115; telephone: (206) 526-4252; fax: (206) 526-6723; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) plans to conduct a 
pilot survey with the objective of testing a survey instrument that 
will be used to collect data for measuring the preferences that U.S. 
residents have toward protecting the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias 
jubatus), which is a listed species under the Endangered Species Act of 
1973 (16 U.S.C. 35). NMFS is charged with protecting this species and 
has identified numerous potential protection options, and begun 
implementing selected options, to this end (68 FR 204). Since different 
management options are available to protect Steller sea lions, it is 
important to understand the public's attitudes toward the variety of 
potential impacts on Steller sea lions, Alaskan fisheries and fishing 
communities, and the nation. This information is currently not 
available, yet is crucial to ensure the efficient management of Alaskan 
fisheries and protection of Steller sea lions.
    The pilot survey instrument will present the latest information on 
Steller sea lions, current population trends, alternative management 
options, and likely impacts of management options. The survey is 
expected to ask respondents for information regarding their knowledge 
and opinions of Steller sea lions, other endangered species, Alaska 
fisheries and communities, and potential goals and impacts of 
management options available to protect the endangered population of 
Steller sea lions, in addition to standard socio-demographic 
information needed to classify respondents. The pilot pre-test will 
gather a sufficient number of responses to evaluate the information 
presentation, reliability, internal consistency, response variability, 
and other properties of a newly developed survey. Results from these 
activities will be used to make improvements to the survey instrument.

II. Method of Collection

    Since the data collected in the pilot pre-test is not intended to 
be used to generate national estimates, non-probability sampling 
methods will be employed to select a sample that is sufficiently 
diverse for the purposes of providing a range of feedback on the survey 
instrument. It is anticipated that the pilot survey will be given to 
approximately 130 voluntary respondents recruited by telephone in 3-4 
areas of the continental U.S. and Alaska. Telephone recruitment calls 
are expected to be brief, lasting up to about 3 minutes each. 
Individuals who agree to participate in the pilot pre-test will be 
asked to meet with survey administrators at a nearby central survey 
administration location where they will self-administer the survey and 
participate in a one-on-one follow-up debriefing. This debriefing 
involves a survey administrator asking a set of questions about the 
survey to elicit feedback about key design and conceptual components of 
the survey instrument. Respondents will be given an honorarium for 
participating in the pilot pre-test activities.
    Up to 1,300 recruitment phone calls are anticipated to be made to 
recruit the 130 participants. At 3 minutes apiece, this amounts to 65 
hours. The survey is expected to take approximately 25 minutes to 
complete, while the debriefing will be about 15 additional minutes, for 
a total of about 40 minutes or 0.67 hours for the entire process. Thus, 
we estimate the total respondent time burden to be 151.67 hours 
(rounded to 152) (130 participants multiplied by 0.67 hours plus the 
time for recruitment calls).

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,300 in recruitment; 130 in pilot 
pre-test activities.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 3 minutes per recruitment; 40 minutes 
for pilot pre-test activities.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 152.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

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: February 18, 2004.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-4022 Filed 2-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S