[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 35375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15584]


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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: West Coast Region U.S. Pacific Highly Migratory Species 
Logbook Family of Forms.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0223.
    Form Number(s): NOAA Form 88-197.
    Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a currently 
approved collection.
    Number of Respondents: 1,700.
    Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
    Burden Hours: 3,400.
    Needs and Uses: Under the Fishery Management Plan for United States 
(U.S.) West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species (HMS) U.S. 
fishermen, participating in the Pacific hook-and-line (also known as 
the albacore troll and poll-and-line), coastal purse seine (vessels 
less than 400 st carrying capacity), large-mesh drift gillnet, and 
swordfish harpoon fisheries, are required to obtain a Highly Migratory 
Species (HMS) permit. Permit holders are also required to complete and 
submit logbooks documenting their daily fishing activities, including 
catch and effort for each fishing trip. Logbook forms must be completed 
within 24 hours of the completion of each fishing day and submitted to 
the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) within 30 days of the 
end of each trip. Federal regulations allow the use of state logbooks 
to fulfill this requirement, for example, California has fulfilled this 
requirement to date for HMS fisheries. These data and associated 
analyses help the SWFSC provide critical HMS fisheries information to 
researchers, fisheries managers, and the needed management advice to 
the U.S. in its negotiations with foreign fishing nations that fish for 
HMS.
    At the November 2018 Pacific Fisheries Management Council meeting, 
the California Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted an 
informational report outlining proposed regulations to repeal the state 
logbook requirements for swordfish harpoon and large-mesh drift 
gillnet. In December 2018, the California Fish and Wildlife Commission 
adopted an amendment to the California Code of Regulations (CCR) to 
eliminate the use of California logbooks for these gear types. These 
regulations are expected to become effective on April 1, 2019.
    As a result, NMFS has developed Federal logbooks to replace the 
California logbooks. In addition, the SWFSC developed a purse seine 
logbook for vessels under 400 st (362.8 mt) carrying capacity. This 
will replace their use of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission 
(IATTC) Seiner Record and Bridge Log designed for purse seine vessels 
over 400 st (362.8 mt) carrying capacity.
    The SWFSC and representatives from each of the fisheries have 
reviewed the Federal logbooks. Representatives were chosen based on 
their experience with State logbooks and specific gear-types. The 
information collected from the public will remain consistent and 
information currently collected from California Fish and Wildlife 
logbooks. There will be no additional burden to the public.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Frequency: Submission is required for each HMS fishing trip.
    Respondent's Obligation: Keep an accurate and complete record of 
catch, effort, and other data on report forms. The original logbook 
form for each day of the fishing trip must be submitted to the 
Southwest Fisheries Science Center within 30 days of each landing of 
HMS.
    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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-15584 Filed 7-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P