[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 164 (Tuesday, August 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 51538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20890]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Expenditure 
Survey of Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Tournaments and 
Participants

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 October 26, 
2015.

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 George Silva at (301) 427-8503 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for a new collection of information.
    The objective of the study is to collect information on the 
earnings and expenditures of Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) 
tournament operators and participants. The study will use two survey 
instruments to collect information from tournament operators and 
participants. One survey will ask tournament operators to characterize 
and quantify their operating costs and income sources in addition to 
describing their tournament participants. The other survey instrument 
will ask fishing tournament participants to estimate their expenditures 
associated with travel to, entering, and participating in the 
tournament.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will collect cost and 
earnings data from all tournaments registered within the year 
(approximately 260 based on recent years' tournament registration 
data). In addition, NMFS will select fifty percent of registered 
tournaments to distribute expenditure surveys to anglers registered for 
those tournament events. The Atlantic HMS Management Division is 
currently consulting with tournament organizers and participants to 
design the survey instruments to ensure NMFS captures data on all 
relevant expenditures.
    As specified in the Magnuson-Stevenson Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act of 1996 (and reauthorized in 2007), NMFS is required to 
enumerate the economic impacts of the policies it implements on fishing 
participants and coastal communities. The cost and earnings data 
collected in this survey will be used to estimate the economic 
contributions and impacts of Atlantic HMS tournaments regionally.

II. Method of Collection

    The primary data collection vehicle will be paper and/or internet-
based survey forms delivered at tournament events. Telephone and 
personal interviews may be employed to supplement and verify written 
survey responses.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (request for a new information 
collection).
    Affected Public: Members of the public.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 260 tournament operators and 2,500 
tournament participants.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes per survey.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 690.
    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: August 19, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-20890 Filed 8-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P