[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 6400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-2459]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Billfish 
Certificate of Eligibility

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

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 April 5, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 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 Margo Schulze-Haugen, (301) 713-2347 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.), NOAA is responsible for 
management of the Nation's marine fisheries. In addition, NOAA must 
comply with the United States' (U.S.) obligations under the Atlantic 
Tunas Convention Act of 1975 (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.). A Certificate of 
Eligibility (COE) for Billfishes is required under 50 CFR part 635 to 
accompany all billfish, except for a billfish landed in a Pacific state 
and remaining in the state of landing. This documentation certifies 
that the accompanying billfish was not harvested from the applicable 
Atlantic Ocean management unit (described on the NOAA sample 
certificate at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/GPEA/0216%20Billfish%20COEform.pdf), and identifies the vessel landing the 
billfish, the vessel's homeport, the port of offloading, and the date 
of offloading. The certificate must accompany the billfish to any 
dealer or processor who subsequently receives or possesses the 
billfish. The certificate is required for all first receivers of 
billfish, and dealers or processors who subsequently receive or possess 
billfish must also retain a copy of the certificate while processing or 
handling the billfish. A standard certificate format is not currently 
required to document the necessary information, provided it contains 
all of the information required. The continuation of this collection is 
necessary to implement the Consolidated Highly Migratory Species 
Fishery Management Plan, which contains an objective to reserve 
Atlantic billfish for the recreational fishery.

II. Method of Collection

    A paper document is required to be completed by respondents. The 
document must be signed, dated, and retained by each dealer or 
processor who subsequently receives or possesses the billfish.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0216.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 200.
    Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes for initial completion of 
certificate and 2 minutes for subsequent billfish purchase record 
keeping.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 43.
    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: February 1, 2011.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-2459 Filed 2-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P