[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 49 (Monday, March 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 11088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5649]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Economic 
Surveys of American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands Small Boat-based Fisheries

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 May 15, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 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 Minling Pan, (808) 983-5347 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to collect 
information about fishing expenses in the American Samoa, Guam, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) boat-based reef 
fish, bottomfish, and pelagics fisheries with which to conduct economic 
analyses that will improve fishery management in those fisheries; 
satisfy NMFS' legal mandates under Executive Order 12866, the Magnuson-
Steven Fishery Conservation and Management Act (U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the 
National Environmental Policy Act; and quantify achievement of the 
performances measures in the NMFS Strategic Operating Plans. An example 
of these performance measures: the economic data collected will allow 
quantitative assessment of the fisheries sector's social and economic 
contribution, linkages and impacts of the fisheries sector to the 
overall economy through Input-output (I-O) models analyses. The results 
from I-O analyses will not only provide indicators of social-economic 
benefits of the marine ecosystem, a performance measure in the NMFS 
Strategic Operating Plans, but also be used to assess how fishermen and 
economy will be impacted by and respond to regulations likely to be 
considered by fishery managers. These data will be collected in 
conjunction with catch and effort data already being collected in this 
fishery as part of its creel survey \1\ program. In general, 
participation in the economic data collection will be voluntary.
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    \1\ The Creel Survey Program is one of the major data collection 
systems to monitor fisheries resources in these three geographic 
areas. The survey monitors the islands' fishing activities and 
interviews returning fishermen at the most active launching ramps/
docks during selected time periods on the islands.
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II. Method of Collection

    The economic surveys will be conducted in-person interview when a 
fishing trip is completed. Captains of selected vessels by the creel 
survey will be required to report information about trip costs, input 
usage, and input prices.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1200.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes per trip survey
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 200.
    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 included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 11, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E9-5649 Filed 3-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P