[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 63630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26751]


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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: Southeast Region Vessel Monitoring System and Related 
Requirements.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0544.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Request: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Number of Respondents: 945.
    Average Hours per Response: Power-down exemption requests, 5 
minutes; transmission of fishing activity reports, 1 minute; and annual 
maintenance, 2 hours.
    Burden Hours: 2,725.
    Needs and Uses: This request is for an extension of a currently 
approved information collection.
    The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 
authorizes the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Gulf Council) 
and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council) 
to prepare and amend fishery management plans for any fishery in 
Federal waters under their respective jurisdictions. NMFS and the Gulf 
Council manage the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) under 
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf 
of Mexico. NMFS and the South Atlantic Council manage the fishery for 
rock shrimp in the South Atlantic under the FMP for the Shrimp Fishery 
in the South Atlantic Region. The vessel monitoring system (VMS) 
regulations for the Gulf reef fish fishery and the South Atlantic rock 
shrimp fishery may be found at 50 CFR 622.28 and 622.205, respectively.
    The FMPs and the implementing regulations contain several specific 
management areas where fishing is restricted or prohibited to protect 
habitat or spawning aggregations, or to control fishing pressure. 
Unlike size, bag, and trip limits, where the catch can be monitored on 
shore when a vessel returns to port, area restrictions require at-sea 
enforcement. However, at-sea enforcement of offshore areas is difficult 
due to the distance from shore and the limited number of patrol 
vessels, resulting in a need to improve enforceability of area fishing 
restrictions through remote sensing methods. In addition, all fishing 
gears are subject to some area fishing restrictions. Because of the 
sizes of these areas and the distances from shore, the effectiveness of 
enforcement through over flights and at-sea interception is limited. An 
electronic VMS allows a more effective means to monitor vessels for 
intrusions into restricted areas.
    The VMS provides effort data and significantly aids in enforcement 
of areas closed to fishing. All position reports are treated in 
accordance with NMFS existing guidelines for confidential data. As a 
condition of authorized fishing for or possession of Gulf reef fish or 
South Atlantic rock shrimp in or from Federal waters, vessel owners or 
operators subject to VMS requirements must allow NMFS, the United 
States Coast Guard, and their authorized officers and designees, access 
to the vessel's position data obtained from the VMS.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; 
individuals or households.
    Frequency: On occasion and at least hourly for VMS.
    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: December 5, 2018.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-26751 Filed 12-10-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P