[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 23 (Monday, February 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 9373]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02416]


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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: South Pacific Tuna Act.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0218.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 41.
    Average Hours per Response: License application, 15 minutes; VMS 
registration application, 45 minutes; catch report, 1 hour; and 
unloading logsheet, 30 minutes, expression of interest, 2 hours and 
renewal, 15 minutes.
    Burden Hours: 402.
    Needs and Uses: Abstract.
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects 
vessel license, vessel registration, catch, and unloading information 
from operators of United States (U.S.) purse seine vessels fishing 
within a large region of the western and central Pacific Ocean, which 
is governed by the Treaty on Fisheries between the Governments of 
Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States 
of America. The Treaty, along with its annexes, schedules and 
implementing agreements, was signed in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 
in 1987. This collection of information is required to meet U.S. 
obligations under the Treaty.
    The Treaty authorizes U.S. tuna vessels to fish within fishing 
zones of a large region of the Pacific Ocean. The South Pacific Tuna 
Act of 1988 (16 U.S.C. 973-973r) and U.S. implementing regulations (50 
CFR part 300, subpart D) authorize the collection of information from 
participants in the Treaty fishery. Vessel operators who wish to 
participate in the Treaty Fishery must submit annual vessel license and 
registration (including registration of vessel monitoring system (VMS) 
units) applications and periodic written reports of catch and unloading 
of fish from licensed vessels. They are also required to ensure the 
continued operation of VMS units on board licensed vessels, which is 
expected to require periodic maintenance of the units. The information 
collected is submitted to the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency 
(FFA) through the U.S. government, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS). The license and registration application information is 
used by the FFA to determine the operational capability and financial 
responsibility of a vessel operator interested in participating in the 
Treaty fishery. Information obtained from vessel catch and unloading 
reports is used by the FFA to assess fishing effort and fishery 
resources in the region and to track the amount of fish caught within 
each Pacific island state's exclusive economic zone for fair 
disbursement of Treaty monies. Maintenance of VMS units is needed to 
ensure the continuous operation of the VMS units, which, as part of the 
VMS administered by the FFA, are used as an enforcement tool. If the 
information is not collected, the U.S. government will not meet its 
obligations under the Treaty, and the lack of fishing information will 
result in poor management of the fishery resources.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    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: February 1, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-02416 Filed 2-3-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P