[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 151 (Monday, August 7, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 44611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12708]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program.
    Form Number(s): None.
    OMB Approval Number: 0648-0445.
    Type of Request: Regular submission.
    Burden Hours: 23,838.
    Number of Respondents: 1,854.
    Average Hours per Response: VMS transmission, 5 seconds; VMS 
installation, 6 hours; VMS maintenance, 4 hours annually; one-time VMS 
check-in report, 12 minutes; notification of VMS malfunction, 2 
minutes.
    Needs and Uses: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska 
Region requires use of the VMS when fishing under certain conditions in 
the following fisheries: Atka Mackerel, Pollock, Pacific Cod, Bering 
Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) Management Area Crab, essential fish 
habitat (EFH) and habitat areas of particular concern (HAPC) in the 
Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. The Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) 
transmitter automatically determines the vessel's position several 
times per hour using a Global Positioning System satellite. A 
communications service provider receives the transmission and relays it 
to NMFS, Office for Enforcement. The VMS transmitters are designed to 
be tamper-resistant and automatic. In most cases, the vessel owner is 
unaware of exactly when the unit is transmitting and is unable to alter 
the signal or the time of transmission. The VMS unit is passive and 
automatic, requiring no reporting effort of the vessel operator.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-3897.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, fax number (202) 395-7285, or 
[email protected].

    Dated: August 1, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-12708 Filed 8-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P