[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 11 (Tuesday, January 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2847-2848]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00757]


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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: Marine Recreational Information Program, Access-Point Angler 
Intercept Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0659.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 95,000.
    Average Hours Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Burden Hours: 7,917.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    Marine recreational anglers are surveyed to collect catch and 
effort data, fish biology data, and angler socioeconomic 
characteristics. These data are required to carry out provisions of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq.), as amended, regarding conservation and management of 
fishery resources.
    Marine recreational fishing catch and effort data are collected 
through a combination of mail surveys, telephone surveys and on-site 
intercept surveys with recreational anglers. Amendments to the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) require 
the development of an improved data collection program for recreational 
fisheries. To partially meet these requirements, NOAA Fisheries 
designed and implemented a new Access-Point Angler Intercept Survey 
(APAIS) in 2013 to ensure better coverage and representation of 
recreational fishing activity.
    The APAIS intercepts marine recreational fishers at public-access 
sites in coastal counties from Maine to

[[Page 2848]]

Louisiana, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, to obtain information about the 
just-completed day's fishing activity. Respondents are asked about the 
time and type of fishing, the angler's avidity and residence location, 
and details of any catch of finfish. Species identification, number, 
and size are collected for any available landed catch. Data collected 
from the APAIS are used to estimate the catch per angler of 
recreational saltwater fishers. These APAIS estimates are combined with 
estimates derived from independent but complementary surveys of fishing 
effort, the Coastal Household Telephone Survey and the For-Hire Survey, 
to estimate total, state-level fishing catch, by species, and 
participation. These estimates are used in the development, 
implementation, and monitoring of fishery management programs by the 
NMFS, regional fishery management councils, interstate marine fisheries 
commissions, and state fishery agencies.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    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.

    Dated: January 12, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-00757 Filed 1-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P