[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 82 (Monday, April 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22921-22922]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9213]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Highly 
Migratory Species Permit Family of Forms

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

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 June 27, 2008.

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 Dianne Stephan, (978) 281-9260 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Under the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
is responsible for management of the Nation's marine fisheries. In 
addition, NMFS must comply with the United States' obligations under 
the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). NMFS 
issues permits to fishing vessels and dealers in order to collect the 
information necessary to comply with domestic and international 
obligations, secure compliance with regulations, and disseminate 
necessary information.
    Current regulations at 50 CFR 635.4 require that vessels 
participating in commercial and recreational fisheries for Atlantic 
highly migratory species (HMS), and dealers purchasing Atlantic HMS 
from a vessel, obtain a Federal permit issued by NMFS. Current 
regulations at 50 CFR 300.182 require that individuals entering for 
consumption, exporting, or re-exporting consignments of bluefin tuna, 
southern bluefin tuna, swordfish, or frozen bigeye tuna obtain an HMS 
International Trade Permit (ITP) from NMFS. This action addresses the 
renewal of permit applications currently approved under Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) Control No. 0648-0327, including vessel 
permits for Atlantic tunas, HMS charter/headboats, HMS angling, 
swordfish (directed, incidental, and hand gear), sharks (directed and 
incidental); dealer permits for the purchase of swordfish, sharks, and 
Atlantic tunas from vessels; and the HMS ITP.

II. Method of Collection

    Applications for Atlantic Tunas, HMS Angling, and HMS Charter/
Headboat Vessel Permits may be submitted online at http://www.hmspermits.gov, mailed, or faxed. All other applications including 
dealer permits and other vessel permits must be mailed.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0648-0327.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 40,810.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes for the HMS ITP application, 
initial and renewal Shark and Swordfish Dealer Permit applications, and 
renewal Atlantic Tunas Dealer Permit application; 6 minutes for renewal 
application for the following vessel permits: Atlantic Tunas, HMS 
Charter/Headboat, and HMS Angling; 15 minutes for initial Atlantic 
Tunas Dealer Permit application; 20 minutes for initial and renewal 
shark and swordfish vessel permit applications; and 30 minutes for 
initial applications for the following vessel permits: Atlantic Tunas, 
HMS Charter/Headboat, and HMS Angling.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,571.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,239,374.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information

[[Page 22922]]

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: April 23, 2008.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-9213 Filed 4-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P