[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 97 (Monday, May 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 23203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10292]


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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: Foreign Fishing Vessel Permits, Vessel, and Gear 
Identification, and Reporting Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0075.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 7.
    Average Hours per Response: For permit applications: One and one 
half hours for an application for a directed fishery; two hours for a 
joint venture application, and 45 minutes for a transshipment permit; 
for fishing activity reporting: 6 minutes for a joint venture report; 
30 minutes per day for joint venture record-keeping; and 7.5 minutes 
per day for record-keeping by transport vessels; for weekly reports, 30 
minutes per response; for foreign vessel and gear identification 
marking: 15 minutes per marking.
    Burden Hours: 82.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issues permits, under 
the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 
1801 et seq.; MSA), to foreign fishing vessels fishing or operating in 
United States' (U.S.) waters. MSA and associated regulations at 50 CFR 
part 600 require that vessels apply for fishing permits, that vessels 
and certain gear be marked for identification purposes, that observers 
be embarked on selected vessels, and that permit holders report their 
fishing effort and catch or, when processing fish under joint ventures, 
the amount and locations of fish received from U.S. vessels. These 
requirements apply to all foreign vessels fishing, transshipping, or 
processing fish in U.S. waters.
    Information is collected from persons who operate a foreign fishing 
vessel in U.S. waters to participate in a directed fishery or joint 
venture operation, transship fish harvested by a U.S. vessel to a 
location outside the U.S., or process fish in internal waters. Each 
person operating a foreign fishing vessel under MSA authority may be 
required to submit information for a permit, mark their vessels and 
gear, or submit information about their fishing activities. To 
facilitate observer coverage, foreign fishing vessel operators must 
provide a quarterly schedule of fishing effort and upon request must 
also provide observers with copies of any required records. For foreign 
fishing vessels that process fish in internal waters, the information 
collected varies somewhat from other foreign fishing vessels that 
participate in a directed fishery or a joint venture operation. In 
particular, these vessels may not be required to provide a permit 
application or mark their vessels. The information submitted in 
applications is used to determine whether permits should be used to 
authorize directed foreign fishing, participation in joint ventures 
with U.S. vessels, or transshipments of fish or fish products within 
U.S. waters. The display of identifying numbers on vessels and gear aid 
in fishery law enforcement and allows other fishermen to report 
suspicious activity. Reporting of fishing activities allows monitoring 
of fish received by foreign vessels.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: Annually, weekly and on occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    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: May 16, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-10292 Filed 5-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P