[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 204 (Friday, October 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 65500]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27251]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Highly 
Migratory Species 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 December 20, 
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]) or 
Karyl Brewster-Geisz (301) 427-8503 ([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 an extension 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.). NMFS 
issues permits to fishing vessels and dealers in order to collect the 
information necessary to comply with domestic and international 
obligations, secure compliance with regulations, and disseminate 
necessary information.
    Current regulations at 50 CFR 635.4 require that vessels 
participating in commercial and recreational fisheries for Atlantic 
highly migratory species (HMS) and dealers purchasing Atlantic HMS from 
a vessel, obtain a Federal permit issued by NMFS. Current regulations 
at 50 CFR 300.182 require that individuals entering for consumption 
(importing into the Customs territory of the United States or the 
separate customs territory of a U.S. insular possession, for domestic 
use), exporting, or re-exporting consignments of bluefin tuna, southern 
bluefin tuna, swordfish, or frozen bigeye tuna obtain an HMS 
International Trade Permit (ITP) from NMFS. This action addresses the 
renewal of permit applications currently approved under information 
collection, including both vessel and dealer permits. Vessel permits 
include Atlantic tunas, HMS charter/headboats, HMS angling, swordfish 
(directed, incidental, and hand gear), sharks (directed and 
incidental), smoothhound sharks, and incidental HMS squid trawl 
permits. Dealer permits include swordfish, sharks, and Atlantic tunas 
dealer permits and the HMS ITP.

II. Method of Collection

    Applications for Atlantic Tunas, HMS Angling, and HMS Charter/
Headboat Vessel Permits may be submitted online at http://www.hmspermits.gov, mailed, or faxed. All other applications including 
dealer permits and other vessel permits must be mailed.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0327.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (request for extension of a 
current information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 38,446.
    Estimated Time per Response: HMS ITP application, initial and 
renewal Shark and Swordfish Dealer Permit applications, and renewal 
Atlantic Tunas Dealer Permit application, 5 minutes; renewal 
applications for the following vessel permits--Atlantic Tunas, HMS 
Charter/Headboat, and HMS Angling, 6 minutes; initial Atlantic Tunas 
Dealer Permit application and the initial Incidental HMS Squid Trawl 
Permit, 15 minutes; initial and renewal shark and swordfish vessel 
permit applications, 20 minutes; initial applications for the following 
vessel permits--Atlantic Tunas, HMS Charter/Headboat, HMS Angling, and 
Smoothhound Shark, 30 minutes (the burden for renewal for the last two 
permits is covered under OMB Control No. 0648-0202 (checkbox on the 
Federal Fisheries Permit application).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8,053.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,190,593.50.

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: October 17, 2011.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-27251 Filed 10-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P