[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 74 (Friday, April 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20601-20602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8697]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 040904C]


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; In-depth 
Community Profiling of Fishing Communities in the Southeast Region

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 June 15, 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 e-mail at 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Dr. Brent Stoffle, NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries 
Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami, FL 33149, 305-361-4276.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The purpose of this research is to develop in-depth community 
profiles for fishing communities in the Southeast Region, excluding the 
U.S. Caribbean. The Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA, particularly National 
Standard 8, NS 8), National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), and 
Executive Order (EO) 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental 
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations) require 
that social impact analyses be conducted when federal agencies propose 
new regulations. These analyses require the social and cultural 
baseline data for various stakeholders, including descriptions of the 
commercial, recreational (including for hire) and subsistence fishing 
sectors. This effort is in response to the urgent need for research 
consistent with these new definitions and guidelines.
    This research not only focuses on the development of an extensive 
description of fishing communities and the social and economic networks 
embedded within these communities, but also solicits fishermen's 
perceptions about various kinds of common management options. The 
purpose of this is to be able to provide managers with a sense of what 
types of management options are determined to be more effective than 
others from the perspective of the fishermen. Some examples of the 
types of options to be discussed are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), 
Individual Fishing Quotas, Seasonal Closures and Limited Entry.

II. Method of Collection

    The data will be collected through individual and group interviews. 
Those interviewed will include a variety of stakeholders, including 
commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishermen, owners of packing 
houses, and key local, state and federal fisheries personnel. As well, 
business owners directly and indirectly impacted by fishing will be 
interviewed in order to identify the social and economic networks that 
exist within and outside of the place-based definition of a fishing 
community.

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 500.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 500.
    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

[[Page 20602]]

included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 9, 2004.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-8697 Filed 4-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S