[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 32617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11375]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; U.S.-Canada 
Albacore Treaty Reporting System

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), DOC.

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 13, 2007.

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 Chris Fanning, (562) 980-4198 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southwest Region (SWR) 
manages the U.S.-Canada Albacore Tuna Treaty of 1981 (Treaty). Owners 
of vessels that fish from U.S. West Coast ports for albacore tuna will 
be required to notify NMFS SWR of their desire to be on the list of 
vessels provided to Canada each year indicating vessels eligible to 
fish for albacore tuna in waters under the jurisdiction of Canada. 
Additionally, vessel operators are required to report in advance their 
intention to fish in Canadian waters prior to crossing the maritime 
border as well as to mark their fishing vessels to facilitate 
enforcement of the effort limits under the Treaty. The vessel operators 
are also required to maintain and submit a logbook of all catch and 
fishing effort. The regulations implementing the reporting and vessel 
marking requirements under the Treaty are at 50 CFR 300.172-300.176.
    The estimated burden below includes hours to complete the logbook 
requirement, although it is assumed that most if not all of the 
respondents already fill out the required logbook under the mandatory 
West Coast Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP) 
(Form No.: 88-197, OMB Control No. 0648-0223, expires 05/31/2008). 
Duplicate reporting under the Treaty and HMS FMP is not required. Most 
years, there will be much less fishing (and thus less reporting) under 
the Treaty than the level on which the estimate is based.

II. Method of Collection

    Requests to be placed on the vessel eligibility list may be made in 
writing via mail or fax, by e-mail, or by telephone. Communications to 
comply with `hail in' and `hail out' requirements are made via ship to 
shore radio or via telephone and are compiled in an electronic database 
accessible by NMFS via a web interface. Vessel marking requirements 
entail painting the letter `U' immediately after the U.S. Coast Guard 
documentation identification number already on the vessel. Logbooks are 
maintained in pre-printed paper format and submitted via mail.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0492.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes to make the request to be 
placed on the eligible list per year; 10 minutes for each set of two 
hail reports for border crossings per year; 5 minutes to make the 
required vessel markings per year; and an estimated 2 and one-half 
hours for logbook maintenance and submission.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 283.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $3,955.

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: June 7, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E7-11375 Filed 6-12-07; 8:45 am]
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