[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25306-25307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10814]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Highly 
Migratory Species Vessel Logbooks and Coast-Earnings Data Reports

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 July 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 Steve Durkee (202) 670-6637 ([email protected]), 
Jennifer Cudney (301) 713-2347 ([email protected]), or Margo 
Schulze-Haugen (301) 713-2347 ([email protected]), Highly 
Migratory Species Management Division (F/SF1), Office of Sustainable 
Fisheries, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for renewal of a current information collection. 
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.), 
which implements the International Commission for the Conservation of 
Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recommendations. NMFS collects information via 
vessel logbooks to monitor the U.S. catch of Atlantic

[[Page 25307]]

swordfish, sharks, billfish, and tunas in relation to the quotas, 
thereby ensuring that the United States complies with its domestic and 
international obligations. HMS logbooks are verified using observer 
data that is collected under OMB Control No. 0648-0593 (Observer 
Programs' Information That Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions). In 
addition to HMS fisheries, the HMS logbook is also used to report 
catches of dolphin and wahoo by commercial and charter/headboat 
fisheries. The HMS logbooks collect data on incidental species, 
including sea turtles, which is necessary to evaluate the fisheries in 
terms of bycatch and encounters with protected species. For both 
directed and incidentally caught species, the information supplied 
through vessel logbooks also provides the catch and effort data on a 
per set or per trip level of resolution. These data are necessary to 
assess the status of highly migratory species, dolphin, and wahoo in 
each fishery. International stock assessments for tunas, swordfish, 
billfish, and some species of sharks are conducted and presented to the 
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) 
periodically and provide, in part, the basis for ICCAT management 
recommendations which become binding on member nations. Domestic stock 
assessments for most species of sharks and for dolphin and wahoo are 
used as the basis of managing these species. The supplementary 
information on fishing costs and earnings has been collected via this 
vessel logbook program. This economic information enables NMFS to 
assess the economic impacts of regulatory programs on small businesses 
and fishing communities, consistent with the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA), Executive Order 12866, the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act, and other domestic laws.

II. Method of Collection

    Logbook entries are mailed.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0371.
    Form Number: NOAA Form 88-191.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (renewal of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit (vessel owners).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 11,496.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes for cost/earnings summaries 
attached to logbook reports, 30 minutes for annual expenditure forms, 
12 minutes for logbook catch reports, 2 minutes for negative logbook 
catch reports.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 31,360.
    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: April 29, 2011.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-10814 Filed 5-3-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P