[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48487-48488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22547]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Southeast 
Region Vessel and Gear Identification Requirements

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 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 by December 18, 2017.

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 Adam Bailey, NMFS Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th 
Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, telephone: 727-824-5305, or 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Region 
manages the U.S. fisheries in the exclusive economic zone of the 
Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic regions under various 
fishery management plans (FMPs). The regional fishery management 
councils prepared the FMPs pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The regulations 
implementing the FMPs are located at 50 CFR part 622.
    The recordkeeping and reporting requirements at 50 CFR part 622 
form the basis for this collection of information. The NMFS Southeast 
Region requires that all permitted fishing vessels must mark their 
vessel with the official identification number or some form of 
identification. A vessel's official number, under most regulations, is 
required to be displayed

[[Page 48488]]

on the port and starboard sides of the deckhouse or hull, and weather 
deck. In addition, certain fisheries are required to display their 
assigned color code. The official number and color code identify each 
vessel and should be visible at distance from the sea and in the air. 
These markings provide law enforcement personnel with a means to 
monitor fishing, at-sea processing, and other related activities, to 
ascertain whether the vessel's observed activities are in accordance 
with those authorized for that vessel. The identifying official number 
is used by NMFS, the United States Coast Guard, and other marine 
agencies in issuing violations, prosecutions, and other enforcement 
actions. Vessels that are authorized for particular fisheries are 
readily identified, gear violations are more readily prosecuted, and 
this allows for more cost-effective enforcement.
    In addition to vessel marking, requirements that fishing gear be 
marked are essential to facilitate enforcement. The ability to link 
fishing gear to the vessel owner is crucial to enforcement of 
regulations issued under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The 
marking of fishing gear is also valuable in actions concerning damage, 
loss, and civil proceedings. The requirements imposed in the Southeast 
Region are for coral aquacultured live rock; golden crab traps; 
mackerel gillnet floats; spiny lobster traps; black sea bass pots; and 
buoy gear.

II. Method of Collection

    Markings, such as numbers, are placed directly on the vessels and 
gear.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0358.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,825.
    Estimated Time per Response: Vessel marking: 45 minutes. Gear 
marking: aquacultured live rocks, 10 seconds each; golden crab traps, 2 
minutes each; spiny lobster traps, 7 minutes each; sea bass pots, 16 
minutes each; and mackerel gillnets, and buoy gear, 20 minutes each.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50,687.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $670,901 in recordkeeping 
and 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: October 12, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-22547 Filed 10-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P