[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 49 (Monday, March 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13341-13342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05612]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Basic 
Requirements for Special Exemption Permits and Authorizations To Take, 
Import, and Export Marine Mammals, Threatened and Endangered Species, 
and for Maintaining a Captive Marine Mammal Inventory Under the Marine 
Mammal Protection, the Fur Seal, and the Endangered Species Acts

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 May 13, 2016.

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 Amy Sloan, NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources, 
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 ((301) 427-84010), 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for a revision and extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    The Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; MMPA), 
Fur Seal Act (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.; FSA), and Endangered Species Act 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibit certain activities affecting 
marine mammals and endangered and threatened species, with exceptions. 
Pursuant to section 104 of the MMPA and Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA, 
special exception permits may be obtained for scientific research and 
enhancing the survival or recovery of a species or stock of marine 
mammals or threatened or endangered species. Section 104 of the MMPA 
also includes permits for commercial and educational photography of 
marine mammals; import and capture of marine mammals for public 
display; and, Letters of Confirmation under the General Authorization 
for scientific research that involves minimal disturbance to marine 
mammals. The regulations implementing permits and reporting 
requirements under the MMPA and FSA are at 50 CFR part 216; the 
regulations for permit requirements under the ESA are at 50 CFR part 
222. The required information in this collection is used to make the 
determinations required by the MMPA, ESA and their implementing 
regulations prior to issuing a permit; to establish appropriate permit 
conditions; and to evaluate the impacts of the proposed activity on 
protected species. Inventory reporting pertaining to marine mammals in 
public display facilities is required by the MMPA.
    This information collection applies to certain protected species 
for which NMFS is responsible, including cetaceans (whales, dolphins 
and porpoises), pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), sawfish (largetooth 
and smalltooth), sea turtles (in water), and sturgeon (Atlantic and 
shortnose). The information collection may be used for future listed 
species.
    The currently approved application and reporting requirements will 
be revised to (1) create separate sections for marine mammals versus 
non-mammal species where doing so will result in less burden to the 
applicant (e.g., for scientific methods); (2) clarify to applicants why 
the information is required and what level of detail is needed for our 
analyses; (3) create `enhanced help' features (e.g., pop-up windows) in 
the online application system, Authorizations and Permits for Protected 
Species (APPS; https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/) to make the instructions 
more accessible; (4) create a streamlined application and online module 
in APPS for scientific research permits involving only import, export, 
or receipt of biological samples (i.e., where no animals in the wild 
are affected); (5) make photography permit applications accessible via 
APPS.

II. Method of Collection

    Permit applications, permit reports, and inventory reports are 
available in paper or electronic versions (online or via email). 
Respondents may submit all applications and forms by email, facsimile, 
or mail. Respondents may also submit scientific research and 
enhancement permit applications and Letters of Intent under the General 
Authorization online via APPS.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0084.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular (revision and extension of a currently 
approved collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals; business or other for-profit 
organizations; not-for-profit institutions; state, local, or tribal 
government; Federal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 536.
    Estimated Time per Response: Scientific research permit 
applications, 50 hours; public display permit applications, 30 hours; 
photography permit applications, 10 hours; General Authorization 
applications, 10 hours; major permit modification requests, 35 hours; 
minor permit modification requests, 3 hours; scientific research

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permit reports, 12 hours; public display permit reports, 2 hours; 
photography permit reports, 2 hours; General Authorization reports, 8 
hours; public display inventory reporting, 2 hours; and record keeping, 
2 hours per permit or authorization type (including permits for 
scientific research, public display, photography, General 
Authorization; and retention or transfer of rehabilitated animals).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,455.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $1,000 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: March 8, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-05612 Filed 3-11-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P