[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 12, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8438-8439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-03010]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Comprehensive 
Regional Decision-Support Framework To Prioritize Sites for Coral Reef 
Conservation in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Survey of Professional SCUBA 
Divers

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 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 April 14, 2014.

[[Page 8439]]


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 Theresa L. Goedeke, 301-713-3028 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a new data collection to benefit marine 
resource managers in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). The National Ocean 
Service (NOS) proposes to collect data on the resource usage patterns, 
knowledge and values of the professional SCUBA diving community 
relative to coral reefs in the USVI. Data are needed to support 
conservation and management goals as defined under the Coral Reef 
Conservation Act (CRCA) (16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq). The purpose of the 
CRCA is to advance conservation of coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. 
and Territories. Specifically, the Act requires the federal government 
to produce sound scientific information on the condition of coral reef 
ecosystems and threats to them, so that reefs may be better preserved, 
sustained and restored. The present data collection is one component of 
a larger project to produce a science-based decision support tool that 
will be used by resource managers to prioritize coral reefs in the USVI 
for the purposes of management under the CRCA.
    Researchers propose to collect information from the professional 
SCUBA diving community in the USVI, who are an important stakeholder 
group with much knowledge about this marine ecosystem. Information will 
be gathered from this community because of their experience diving on 
focal coral reefs and reliance on such ecosystems for their livelihood. 
The survey will ascertain which coral reef areas are needed/used most 
by persons in the professional SCUBA diving community. It will gather 
divers' opinions on the status and health of these coral reefs. 
Finally, the survey will collect information on the demographic 
characteristics of professional SCUBA diving community, along with the 
values they have for local coral reefs.
    Data gathered will be used to identify, rank and describe key 
characteristics of the coral reefs that are most important to the 
professional SCUBA diving community in the USVI, as well as their 
perception of reef status and resilience. The survey data will become 
one of several layers of information combined in a larger effort to 
objectively map the important reefs in the USVI. Knowledge of the 
locations of priority reefs, together with an assessment of the threats 
to those reefs, will provide information to prioritize management 
actions.

II. Method of Collection

    The data collection will take place over a four month period and 
will be comprised of a questionnaire as well as a mapping exercise to 
be completed by the respondent. The data will be collected 
electronically using an online survey instrument and associated mapping 
tool.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information 
collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 250.
    Estimated Time per Response: 25 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 104.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 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: February 6, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-03010 Filed 2-11-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-JE-P