[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 46770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21580]


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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: NMFS Alaska Region Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0445.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 1,139.
    Average Hours per Response: 12 minutes for VMS check-in report; 2 
hours for VMS operation (includes installation and maintenance).
    Burden Hours: 5,101.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) units integrate global positioning 
system (GPS) and communications electronics into a single, tamper-
resistant package to automatically determine the vessel's position 
several times per hour. The units can be set to transmit a vessel's 
location periodically and automatically to an overhead satellite in 
real time. In most cases, the vessel owner is unaware of exactly when 
the unit is transmitting and is unable to alter the signal or the time 
of transmission. The VMS unit is passive and automatic, requiring no 
reporting effort by the vessel operator. A communications service 
provider receives the transmission and relays it to the National Marine 
Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Coast 
Guard. Enforcement of management measures, such as directed fishing 
closures and critical habitat no-fishing zones, relies heavily on the 
use of VMS.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households.
    Frequency: Annually 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: October 3, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-21580 Filed 10-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P