[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 145 (Thursday, July 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49633-49634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17880]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Reporting 
Requirements for Sea Otter Interactions With the Pacific Sardine 
Fishery; Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan

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 September 26, 
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 Joshua Lindsay, (562) 980-4034 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    On May 30, 2007, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 
published a Final Rule (72 FR 29891) implementing a requirement under 
the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan (CPS FMP) to report 
any interactions that may occur between a CPS vessel and/or fishing 
gear and sea otters.
    Specifically, these reporting requirements are:
    1. If a southern sea otter is entangled in a net, regardless of 
whether the animal is injured or killed, such an

[[Page 49634]]

occurrence must be reported within 24 hours to the Regional 
Administrator, NMFS West Coast Region.
    2. While fishing for CPS, vessel operators must record all 
observations of otter interactions (defined as otters within encircled 
nets or coming into contact with nets or vessels, including but not 
limited to entanglement) with their purse seine net(s) or vessel(s). 
With the exception of an entanglement, which will be initially reported 
as described in #2 above, all other observations must be reported 
within 20 days to the Regional Administrator.
    When contacting NMFS after an interaction, fishermen are required 
to provide information regarding the location, specifically latitude 
and longitude, of the interaction and a description of the interaction 
itself. Descriptive information of the interaction should include: 
Whether or not the otters were seen inside or outside the net; if 
inside the net, had the net been completely encircled; did contact 
occur with net or vessel; the number of otters present; duration of 
interaction; otter's behavior during interaction; and, measures taken 
to avoid interaction.

II. Method of Collection

    The information will be collected on forms submitted by mail, 
phone, facsimile or email.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0566.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $10.00 in 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: July 25, 2016.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-17880 Filed 7-27-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P