[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