[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 41214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18371]


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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: Greater Atlantic Observers Providers' Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0546.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 515.
    Average Hours per Response: Application for approval of observer 
service provider and applicant response to denial of application for 
approval of observer service provider, 10 hours each; observer service 
provider request for observer training, 30 minutes; observer deployment 
report and observer availability reports, 10 minutes each; safety 
refusal report, 30 minutes; submission of raw observer data and 
biological samples, 5 minutes each; observer debriefing, 2 hours; 
rebuttal of pending removal from list of approved observer service 
providers, 8 hours; vessel request to observer service provider for 
procurement of a certified observer, 25 minutes; vessel request for 
waiver of observer coverage requirement and observer contact list 
updates, 5 minutes each; observer availability updates, 1 minute; 
service provider material submissions and service provider contracts, 
30 minutes each.
    Burden Hours: 5,250.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) has the responsibility for the 
conservation and management of marine fishery resources. Much of this 
responsibility has been delegated to the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS). Under this stewardship role, the Secretary was given certain 
regulatory authorities to ensure the most beneficial uses of these 
resources. One of the regulatory steps taken to carry out the 
conservation and management objectives is to collect data from users of 
the resource.
    Regulations at 50 CFR 648.11(g) require observer service providers 
to comply with specific requirements in order to operate as an approved 
provider in the Atlantic sea scallop (scallop) fishery. Observer 
service providers must comply with the following requirements: Submit 
applications for approval as an observer service provider; formally 
request observer training by the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program 
(NEFOP); submit observer deployment reports and biological samples; 
give notification of whether a vessel must carry an observer within 24 
hours of the vessel owner's notification of a prospective trip; 
maintain an updated contact list of all observers that includes the 
observer identification number; observer's name mailing address, email 
address, phone numbers, homeports or fisheries/trip types assigned, and 
whether or not the observer is ``in service.'' The regulations also 
require observer service providers submit any outreach materials, such 
as informational pamphlets, payment notification, and descriptions of 
observer duties as well as all contracts between the service provider 
and entities requiring observer services for review to NMFS/NEFOP. 
Observer service providers also have the option to respond to 
application denials, and submit a rebuttal in response to a pending 
removal from the list of approved observer providers. These 
requirements allow NMFS/NEFOP to effectively administer the scallop 
observer program.
    Affected Public: Business and other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: Daily and 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: August 25, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-18371 Filed 8-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P