[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 13 (Friday, January 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4127-4128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00965]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Basic 
Requirements for Special Exemption Permits and Authorizations To Take, 
Import, and Export Marine Mammals, Threatened and Endangered Species, 
and for Maintaining a Captive Marine Mammal Inventory Under the Marine 
Mammal Protection, the Fur Seal, and the Endangered Species Acts

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 March 19, 2013.

[[Page 4128]]


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 Amy Sloan, (301) 427-8401 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    The Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; MMPA), 
Fur Seal Act (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.; FSA), and Endangered Species Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibit certain activities affecting 
marine mammals and endangered and threatened species, with exceptions. 
Pursuant to section 104 of the MMPA and Section 10 of the ESA, special 
exception permits can be obtained for scientific research and enhancing 
the survival or recovery of a species or stock of marine mammals or 
threatened or endangered species. Section 104 of the MMPA also includes 
permits for commercial and educational photography of marine mammals; 
import and capture of marine mammals for public display; and, Letters 
of Confirmation under the General Authorization for scientific research 
that involves minimal disturbance to marine mammals. The regulations 
implementing permits and reporting requirements under the MMPA and FSA 
are at 50 CFR part 216; the regulations for permit requirements under 
the ESA are at 50 CFR part 222. The required information in this 
collection is used to evaluate the impacts of the proposed activity on 
protected species; to make the determinations required by the MMPA, ESA 
and their implementing regulations prior to issuing a permit; and to 
establish appropriate permit conditions. Inventory reporting pertaining 
to marine mammals in public display facilities is required by the MMPA.
    This information collection applies to protected species for which 
NMFS is responsible, including the marine mammal species of cetaceans 
(whales, dolphins and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), sea 
turtles (in water), white abalone, black abalone, smalltooth sawfish, 
largetooth sawfish (imports only), shortnose sturgeon, and Atlantic 
sturgeon. The information collection may be used for proposed listed 
species (e.g., corals).
    The currently approved application and reporting requirements are 
being revised to include submission of Letters of Intent under the 
General Authorization via the existing online application system, 
Authorizations and Permits for Protected Species (APPS). Respondents 
can currently only apply for scientific research and enhancement 
permits using APPS. This revision also includes adding Atlantic 
sturgeon and largetooth sawfish. NMFS listed Atlantic sturgeon as 
endangered or threatened under the ESA on April 6, 2012 (77 FR 5914 and 
77 FR 5580). Largetooth sawfish, which live outside of U.S. waters, 
were listed as endangered on August 11, 2011 (76 FR 40822). ESA Section 
10 permits are required for taking or importing these ESA-listed 
species for scientific research or enhancement purposes.
    A number of coral species have been proposed to be listed or 
reclassified under the ESA by NMFS (77 FR 73220). If such listings take 
effect, the scientific research and enhancement application 
instructions may be revised to clarify information pertaining to taking 
ESA-listed coral species. However, revisions pertaining to corals would 
not occur until and if a final listing rule was published.

II. Method of Collection

    Permit applications, permit reports, and inventory reports are 
available in paper or electronic versions (online or via email). 
Respondents may submit all applications and forms by email, mail, or 
facsimile. Respondents may also submit scientific research and 
enhancement permit applications via an online application system, APPS.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0084.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a 
currently approved collection).
    Affected Public: Non-profit institutions; universities; Federal, 
State, local, or tribal governments; and business or other for-profit 
organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 536.
    Estimated Time per Response: Scientific research permit 
applications, 50 hours; public display permit applications, 30 hours; 
photography permit applications, 10 hours; General Authorization 
applications, 10 hours; major permit modification requests, 35 hours; 
minor permit modification requests, 3 hours; scientific research permit 
reports, 12 hours; public display permit reports, 2 hours; photography 
permit reports, 2 hours; General Authorization reports, 8 hours; public 
display inventory reporting, 2 hours; and recordkeeping, 2 hours per 
permit or authorization type (including permits for scientific 
research, public display, photography, General Authorization; and 
retention or transfer of rehabilitated animals).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,730.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $2,000 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

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: January 14, 2013.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-00965 Filed 1-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P