[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36893-36894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13519]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Electronic 
Monitoring Systems and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) for Atlantic 
Highly Migratory Species (HMS)

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 August 8, 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 Margo Schulze-Haugen, (301) 427-8503 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    VMS and electronic monitoring systems collect important information 
on fishing effort, catch, and the geographic location of fishing effort 
and catch for certain sectors of the Atlantic HMS fleet. Data collected 
through these programs are used in both domestic and international 
fisheries management, including for law enforcement, stock assessments, 
and quota management purposes. Atlantic HMS vessels required to use VMS 
are pelagic longline, purse seine, bottom longline (directed shark 
permit holders in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia), and 
gillnet (directed shark permit holders consistent with the requirements 
of the Atlantic large whale take reduction plan requirements at 50 CFR 
229.39.(h)) vessels. In addition to VMS, pelagic longline vessels are 
also required to have electronic monitoring systems to monitor catch 
and account for bluefin tuna harvest and discards.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Law 
Enforcement (OLE) monitors fleet adherence to gear- and time-area 
restrictions with VMS position location data. Gear restricted areas and 
time-area closures are important tools for Atlantic HMS management that 
have been implemented to reduce bycatch of juvenile swordfish, sea 
turtles, and bluefin tuna, among other species. Electronic monitoring 
data from the pelagic longline fleet includes bluefin tuna discard and 
harvest information. These data are used by NMFS to accurately monitor 
bluefin tuna catch by the pelagic longline fleet, to ensure compliance 
with Individual Bluefin Quota (IBQ) limits and requirements, and to 
ensure that the Longline category bluefin tuna quota is not over-
harvested. VMS reporting of bluefin tuna catch is used to monitor the 
status of IBQ allocations in real-time.
    Atlantic HMS fisheries are managed under the dual authority of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the 
Atlantic Tunas Conservation Act (ATCA). Under the MSA, management 
measures must be consistent with ten National Standards, and fisheries 
must be managed to maintain optimum yield, rebuild overfished 
fisheries, and prevent overfishing. Under ATCA, the Secretary of 
Commerce shall promulgate regulations, as necessary and appropriate, to 
implement measures adopted by the International Commission for the 
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

II. Method of Collection

    First-time VMS respondents must install a VMS unit and submit an 
activation checklist to NMFS via mail. Hail-out, hail-in, hourly 
position reports, and bluefin tuna catch reports must be submitted to 
NMFS via the VMS communication system. First-time electronic monitoring 
respondents must have an electronic monitoring system installed by a 
NMFS contractor. Electronic monitoring data must be submitted after 
each pelagic longline trip via mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0372.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households; State, Local, or Tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 311.
    Estimated Time per Response: Four hours for initial VMS 
installation; 5 minutes per VMS initial activation checklist; 2 minutes 
per VMS hail-out/hail-in declaration; 6 hours for electronic monitoring 
installation; 5 minutes for VMS pelagic longline bluefin tuna catch 
reporting;15 minutes for VMS purse seine bluefin tuna catch records; 1 
minute for dockside review of bluefin tuna catch records previously 
submitted via VMS; 2 hours for electronic monitoring data retrieval.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 20,402.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $389,416 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.

[[Page 36894]]

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: June 2, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-13519 Filed 6-7-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P