[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 14072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06219]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Mariner Opinions of the Right Whale Mandatory Ship Reporting 
System.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (request for a new information 
collection).
    Number of Respondents:
    Average Hours per Response:
    Burden Hours:
    Needs and Uses: This request is for a new information collection.
    The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is an 
endangered marine mammal found primarily in waters off the northeastern 
coast of the United States to Canada. Fatal collisions with large ships 
are the primary threat to the recovery of this species. In 1998 the 
United States proposed to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 
the establishment of two Mandatory Ship Reporting (MSR) systems in key 
right whale habitat areas. Under the proposed MSR all vessels 300 gross 
tons or greater are required to send a message to a shore-based station 
when entering either of two prescribed habitat areas. The IMO endorsed 
the proposal and the MSR systems were established in July 1999. Each 
reporting ship is required to provide vessel name, call sign, course, 
speed, location, destination, and route (e.g., waypoints). An 
automatically-generated message is sent directly to the reporting 
vessel that includes information on right whale locations and 
procedural guidance to help prevent vessel/whale collisions; mariners 
are also informed about additional regulations established to protect 
whales from vessel strikes. The two-way exchange is mediated by 
satellite-linked communications systems.
    Although the program has been in effect for over 15 years, the U.S. 
Government has not assessed the role, if any, that the MSR has in 
reducing ship collisions with right whales. In addition, mariners have 
not been polled to assess possible difficulties involved in the 
reporting itself. The goal of this information collection is to 
determine if (a) the reporting procedures are adequately clear to the 
mariner; (b) the reporting itself is onerous or unwieldy (e.g., it may 
interfere with other vessel operations); and (c) mariners use the 
information being sent to them and if so, how it is used to avoid 
collisions with North Atlantic right whales.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: One time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-06219 Filed 3-17-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P