[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36119-36120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12263]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Haddock Bycatch 
Notification of Landing

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.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 22, 2005.

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 Brian R. Hooker, Fishery Policy Analyst, Sustainable 
Fisheries Division, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, 978-281-
9220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Region 
manages Northeast (NE) multispecies and herring fisheries of the 
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Northeastern United States through 
the NE Multispecies and Herring Fishery Management Plans (FMPs). The 
New England Fishery Management Council prepared the FMPs pursuant to 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson 
Act). The regulations implementing the FMPs are specified under 50 CFR 
648.80 and 648.200
    The recordkeeping and reporting requirements at Sec.  648.80(d)(9) 
and (e)(8) form the basis for this collection of information. NMFS 
Northeast Region requests information from Category 1 herring vessel 
owners/operators in order to facilitate enforcement of haddock 
possession limits and monitor the bycatch of haddock in the herring 
fishery. The failure to collect information on Category 1 herring 
vessel activity or collecting it less frequently could undermine 
efforts to facilitate enforcement. This information is important in 
determining the impact of herring vessel operations on groundfish 
fishing mortality. The information is a prior notification of landing 
submitted through a vessel monitoring system (VMS). The cost of 
operation and installation of the VMS for Category 1 herring vessels is 
accounted for under OMB Control Number 0648-0404. This information, 
upon receipt, results in an increasingly more efficient and accurate 
database for management and monitoring of fisheries of the Northeastern 
U.S. EEZ.

II. Method of Collection

    Information is collected electronically through the vessel's VMS.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0525.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 105.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 56.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $335.

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

[[Page 36120]]

approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: June 16, 2005.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-12263 Filed 6-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P