[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 126 (Thursday, July 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31689-31690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-15681]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast 
Region Permit Family of Forms

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 31, 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 Aja Peters-Mason at (978) 281-9195 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) has the responsibility for the 
conservation and management of marine fishery resources. Much of this 
responsibility has been delegated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS). Under this stewardship role, the Secretary was given certain 
regulatory authorities to ensure the most beneficial uses of these 
resources. One of the regulatory steps taken to carry out the 
conservation and management objectives is to collect information from 
users of the resource.
    As regional Fishery Management Councils develop specific Fishery 
Management Plans (FMP), the Secretary has promulgated rules for the 
issuance of permits to individuals and organizations participating in 
Federally controlled fisheries in order to: (1) Register fishermen, 
fishing vessels, fish dealers and processors, (2) List the 
characteristics of fishing vessels and/or dealer/processor operations, 
(3) Exercise influence over compliance (e.g., withhold issuance pending 
collection of unpaid penalties), (4) Provide a mailing list for the 
dissemination of important information to the industry, (5) Register 
participants to be considered for limited entry, (6) Provide a universe 
for data collection samples, and (7) Provide notification when a vessel 
is conducting fishing activities that are authorized by the FMPs only 
in specific circumstances (e.g., exemption programs). The 
identification of the participants, their gear types, vessels, and 
expected activity levels is an effective tool in the enforcement of 
fishery regulations. This information is needed to measure the 
consequences of management controls as well. Participants in certain 
fisheries may also to be required to notify NMFS before fishing trips 
for the purpose of observer placement and to make other reports on 
fishing activities.

II. Method of Collection

    Initial vessel and dealer permit applications are made by signed 
paper form. After initial permit issuance, a pre-printed permit renewal 
form is generated via computer using current permit information. This 
form is then sent to the permit holder for updates. If no changes to 
the pre-printed form are required, the applicant simply needs to sign 
the form and return it with any additional information (i.e., current 
state registration or United States (U.S.) Coast Guard document) 
required for permit renewal. Initial and renewal vessel operator permit 
applications, additional information associated with vessel permits 
including gillnet and lobster trap tag purchases, and permanent days-
at-sea (DAS) transfers, are submitted by signed paper form. Automated 
position reporting by means of a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is 
required for all vessels issued a limited access sea scallop, Northeast 
(NE) multispecies, surf clam/ocean quahog, herring, or monkfish 
Category F permit. Permitted Canadian herring transport vessels must 
also be equipped with VMS. Vessel owners issued a monkfish Category A 
or B permit may voluntarily elect to provide DAS notification through 
VMS. VMS power down exemption requests are submitted by signed paper 
form. Categories of vessels not required to use VMS are required to 
report via a DAS call-in system.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0202.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households; state, local or tribal governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 51,339.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Initial vessel permit applications, 45 
minutes; preprinted renewal forms, 30 minutes; initial dealer permit 
applications, 15 minutes; preprinted dealer permit renewal forms, 5 
minutes; initial and renewal vessel operator permit applications, 1 
hour; limited access vessel upgrade or replacement applications, 3 
hours; applications for retention of limited access permit history, 30 
minutes; VMS unit installation, 1 hour; confirming VMS connectivity, 5 
minutes; VMS certification form, 5 minutes; request to turn off VMS 
under certain circumstances (power-down exemption), 30 minutes; area 
and DAS declarations, 5 minutes; requests for observer coverage, 2 or 
10 minutes, depending on the program for which observers are requested; 
NE multispecies and monkfish vessels, 3 minutes to declare a block of 
time out of the gillnet fishery; call-in requirements for limited-
access monkfish and occasional category scallop vessels, 2 minutes; 
limited access vessels fishing under DAS requirements that have 
assisted in U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue operations or assisted 
in towing a disabled vessel, or have stood by entangled whales, Good 
Samaritan DAS credit applications, 30 minutes; application for a Letter 
of Authorization (LOA) to participate in any of the exemption programs, 
to transfer certain fish species from one vessel to another, or (for 
charter/party vessels), to fish in the Nantucket Lightship Closure 
Area, 5 minutes; requests for Charter/Party Exemption Certificate to 
fish in Gulf of Maine (GOM) closed areas, 2 minutes; limited access sea 
scallop vessel notification of participation, of first trip, or 
withdrawal from participation in state waters DAS or gear exemption 
programs, 2 minutes; NE multispecies fishery vessels request for change 
in permit category designation or request for transit to another port 
by a vessel required to remain within the GOM cod trip limit, 2 
minutes; request to permanently transfer DAS to another vessel, 5 
minutes; research requests for

[[Page 31690]]

GOM Cod Research Set Aside landings allowances, 1 hour; calling out of 
a gillnet fishery for NE multispecies or monkfish, 3 minutes; gillnet 
category designation, including initial requests for gillnet tags, 10 
minutes; requests for additional tags, notification of lost tags and 
requests for replacements, 2 minutes; attachment of a tag, 1 minute; 
initial lobster area designations, 5 minutes; requests for state quota 
transfers in the bluefish, summer flounder and scup fisheries, 1 hour; 
applications for sector allocations in the NE multispecies fishery, 50 
hours per sector; annual reports for approved sector applications, 6 
hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 31,144.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $4,991,553 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

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 29, 2009.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-15681 Filed 7-1-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P