[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 122 (Friday, June 24, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37062-37063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-15778]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Northeast Region Observer Providers Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0546.
    Form Number(s): NA.
    Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 631.
    Average Hours per Response: Observer deployment report, observer 
availability report, request for an observer, 10 minutes; raw observer 
data, biological samples, notification of unavailability of observers, 
observer contact list updates, 5 minutes; observer availability 
updates, 1 minute; safety refusals, incident reports, requests for 
observer training, service provider material submissions, service 
provider contracts, 30 minutes; observer debriefings, 2 hours; observer 
provider permit applications, applicant response to a denial, 10 hours; 
rebuttal of removal from list of approved service providers, 8 hours.
    Burden Hours: 6,236.
    Needs and Uses: 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 data from 
users of the resource.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 648.11(g) require observer service providers 
to comply with specific requirements in order to operate as an approved 
provider in the Atlantic sea scallop (scallop) fishery. Observer 
service providers must comply with the following requirements: Submit 
applications for approval as an observer service provider; formally 
request observer training by the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program 
(NEFOP); submit observer deployment reports and biological samples; 
give notification of whether a vessel must carry an observer within 24 
hours of the vessel owner's notification of a prospective trip; 
maintain an updated contact list of all observers that includes the 
observer identification number; observer's name, mailing address, e-
mail address, phone numbers, homeports or fisheries/trip types 
assigned, and whether or not the observer is ``in service.'' The 
regulations

[[Page 37063]]

also require observer service providers submit any outreach materials, 
such as informational pamphlets, payment notification, and descriptions 
of observer duties as well as all contracts between the service 
provider and entities requiring observer services for review to NMFS/
NEFOP. Observer service providers also have the option to respond to 
application denials, and submit a rebuttal in response to a pending 
removal from the list of approved observer providers. These 
requirements allow NMFS/NEFOP to effectively administer the scallop 
observer program.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: Annually, semi-annually, monthly, daily and on occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    OMB Desk Officer: [email protected].
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected]).
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected].

    Dated: June 20, 2011.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-15778 Filed 6-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P