[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 6, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 44006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15877]



[[Page 44006]]

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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: Fishery Observer Retention Survey.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-xxxx.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (request for a new information 
collection).
    Number of Respondents: 785.
    Average Hours per Response: 20 minutes.
    Burden Hours: 262.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for a new information collection.
    NOAA Fisheries utilizes observers to collect information on catch, 
bycatch, fishing efforts, biological characteristics, interactions with 
protected species, and socioeconomic information from United States 
(U.S.) commercial fishing and processing vessels. More information on 
the observer population is needed to support the Agency's conservation 
and management goals, to strengthen and improve fishery management 
decision-making, and to satisfy legal mandates under the 
Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (MSA), the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), the 
Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), Executive Order 12866 (EO 12866), and other pertinent statutes.
    The National Observer Program (NOP) is conducting a survey of 
fishery observers in order to investigate incentives and disincentives 
for remaining an observer and to identify their subsequent career 
choices. The data will be used by the NOP and regional observer 
programs to improve observer recruitment and retention rates. The 
survey results will be used by regional program managers to evaluate 
current observer provider contract requirements to increase observer 
retention. With a greater understanding of these data observer 
retention may increase as a result of improved recruitment for 
observers. Improved retention of qualified and experienced observers is 
expected to reduce training efforts and costs, and improve data 
quality. Observers are often the only independent data collection 
source for federal agency and scientists to collect at-sea data and are 
crucial in fishery management.
    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.

    Dated: June 29, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-15877 Filed 7-5-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P