[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 17458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7211]



[[Page 17458]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Observer 
Programs' Information that Can Be Gathered Only Through Questions

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 May 25, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, 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 Chris Rilling, (301) 427-8168, ([email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) deploys fishery observers on 
United States (U.S.) commercial fishing vessels and to fish processing 
plants in order to collect biological and economic data. NMFS has at 
least one observer program in each of its six Regions. These observer 
programs provide the most reliable and effective method for obtaining 
information that is critical for the conservation and management of 
living marine resources. Observer programs primarily obtain information 
through direct observations by employees or agents of NMFS; and such 
observations are not subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 
However, observer programs also collect the following information that 
requires clearance under the PRA: (1) Standardized questions of fishing 
vessel captains/crew or fish processing plant managers/staff, which 
include gear and performance questions, safety questions, and trip 
costs, crew size and other economic questions; (2) questions asked by 
observer program staff/contractors to plan observer deployments; (3) 
forms that are completed by observers and that fishing vessel captains 
are asked to review and sign; (4) questionnaires to evaluate observer 
performance; and (5) a form to certify that a fisherman is the permit 
holder when requesting observer data from the observer on the vessel. 
NMFS seeks to renew OMB PRA clearance for these information 
collections.
    The information collected will be used to: (1) Monitor catch and 
bycatch in federally-managed commercial fisheries; (2) understand the 
population status and trends of fish stocks and protected species, as 
well as the interactions between them; (3) determine the quantity and 
distribution of net benefits derived from living marine resources; (4) 
predict the biological, ecological, and economic impacts of existing 
management action and proposed management options; and (5) ensure that 
the observer programs can safely and efficiently collect the 
information required for the previous four uses. In particular, these 
biological and economic data collection programs contribute to legally 
mandated analyses required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 
Executive Order 12866 (EO 12866), as well as a variety of state 
statutes. The confidentiality of the data will be protected as required 
by the MSA, Section 402(b).

II. Method of Collection

    The information will be collected by (1) NMFS observers while they 
are deployed on a vessel to observe a particular fishing trip; 
questions will be asked in-person to the captain, crew and/or owner (if 
on board the vessel) during the course of the observed trip; (2) via 
mail through a follow up surveys of economic information not available 
during the trip; (3) via telephone or mail survey by the observer 
program staff or contractor planning to deploy observers; or (4) via 
feedback questionnaires mailed to the vessel owners or captains to 
evaluate observer performance.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0593.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,643.
    Estimated Time per Response: 51 minutes. Information will be 
collected for observed fishing trips and deployments to fish processing 
plants; therefore, there will be multiple responses for some 
respondents, but counted as one response per trip or plant visit.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 26,172.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,160.

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: March 21, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-7211 Filed 3-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P