[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 703-704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00004]



[[Page 703]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Large Pelagic 
Fishing Survey

AGENCY: 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 on or before March 9, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Adrienne Thomas, PRA Officer, 
NOAA, 151 Patton Avenue, Room 159, Asheville, NC 28801 (or via the 
internet at [email protected]). All comments received are part of the 
public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. All 
Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to John Foster, (301) 427-8130 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is responsible for 
monitoring and managing United States (U.S.) marine fisheries 
resources. Collection of information regarding fishing for large 
pelagic species (tunas, billfishes, swordfish, and sharks) is necessary 
to fulfill the following statutory requirements: Atlantic Tunas 
Convention Act (16 U.S.C. 971 et seq.), the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and to meet 
administrative requirements of the National Marine Fisheries Service 
(NMFS) Marine Recreational Fishery Policy implemented to comply with 
Executive Order 12962 on Recreational Fisheries.
    The Atlantic Tunas Convention Act at 16 U.S.C. 971d(c)(3)(I) 
provides the Secretary of Commerce the authority to ``require any 
commercial or recreational fisherman to obtain a permit from the 
Secretary and report the quantity of catch of a regulated species''. 
Section 303(a) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act specifies data and analyses 
to be included in Fishery Management Plans (FMPs), as well as pertinent 
data, which shall be submitted to the Secretary of Commerce under the 
plan. Recommendation One of the NMFS Marine Recreational Fishery (MRF) 
Policy focuses on developing ``a comprehensive data acquisition and 
analysis system (participation, catch, effort and socio-economic data) 
on a regular, continuing basis'' in support of the Executive Order 
12962 requirement to assess the implementation and evaluate 
achievements of the ``Recreational Fishery Resources Conservation 
Plan.''
    Because highly migratory species are only sought on a relatively 
small proportion of the total marine recreational angler fishing trips 
made, the fishing effort directed at such species, and the resulting 
angler catches are generally not estimated very precisely or accurately 
by general (all species) recreational surveys. Therefore, the Large 
Pelagics Survey (LPS) was designed as a specialized survey that would 
focus specifically on the recreational fishery directed at large 
pelagic, also called highly migratory, species. This specialization has 
allowed higher levels of sampling needed to provide more precise and 
accurate estimates of pelagic fishing effort and catches of large 
pelagic species.
    The LPS consists of two complementary surveys: A directory frame 
telephone survey of tuna and/or HMS permit holders to obtain fishing 
effort information (Large Pelagic Telephone Survey or LPTS), and a 
dockside survey which collects catch information and also estimates the 
proportion of vessels fishing for large pelagics that are not on the 
telephone frame (Large Pelagic Intercept Survey or LPIS). Results from 
the two survey components are combined to estimate total landings of 
Highly Migratory Species. In addition, we are requesting approval to 
continue to implement the Large Pelagic Biological Survey (LPBS) to 
collect supplemental weight and length measurements of landed fish 
through independent dockside sampling, as well as LPIS Validation 
telephone calls to validate LPIS data. Implementation of certain 
components will depend on fiscal year funding and NMFS priorities.
    NMFS, regional fishery management councils, interstate marine 
fisheries commissions, and state fishery agencies use the data in 
developing, implementing and monitoring fishery management programs. 
This collection has been the key source of data used to monitor 
recreational quotas for the harvest of bluefin tuna in the Mid-Atlantic 
and southern New England regions. Catch distributions, harvested size 
distributions, and other indices obtained in this data collection have 
formed the basis of fishery management plans and used in stock 
assessments for Atlantic highly migratory species such as tunas, 
billfish, swordfish and sharks.

II. Method of Collection

    Dockside and telephone interviews are used. In lieu of telephone 
interviews, respondents may also provide information online via a web 
tool.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0380.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 15,024.
    Estimated Time per Response: 11 minutes for a telephone interview; 
5 minutes for a dockside interview, 1\1/2\ minutes to respond to a 
follow-up validation call for dockside interviews; 1 minute for 
biological sampling of catch.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,608.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
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.

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    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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-00004 Filed 1-6-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P