[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 68817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27340]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Northeast 
Region Gear Identification

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 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 January 14, 
2014.

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 Jason Berthiaume, (978) 281-9177 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This notice is for the extension of Paperwork Reduction Act 
requirements regarding fishing gear marking requirements. Regulations 
at 50 CFR 648.84(a), (b), and (d), 648.123(b)(3), 648.144(b)(1), 
648.264(a)(5), and 697.21(a) and (b) require that Federal fishing 
permit holders using certain types of fishing gear mark the gear with 
specified information. The gear marking requirements provide vessel and 
gear identification information (e.g., hull identification number, 
Federal fishing permit number, etc.). The regulations also specify how 
the gear is to be marked for the purposes of visibility (e.g., buoys, 
radar reflectors, etc.).
    The quantity of gear in the case of longline, pots, and traps is 
not the number of hooks, pots, or traps, but rather the number of 
attached end lines associated with each string of hooks, pots, or 
traps. As such, a single Federal permit holder may be responsible for 
marking several strings of a given gear type, or may use multiple 
different gear types that require marking. These gear marking 
requirements aid in fishery law enforcement, make the gear more visible 
to other vessels to aid in navigation, and provide other fishermen with 
information regarding the gear type being used to help prevent gear 
conflicts.

II. Method of Collection

    No information is submitted to the NMFS as a result of this 
collection. The vessel's hull identification number or other means of 
identification specified in the regulations must be affixed to the buoy 
or other part of the gear as specified in the regulations.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0351.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals and households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,116.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 minute per string of gear.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 20,309.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $61,160 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.

Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-27340 Filed 11-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P