[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10414-10415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03628]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; U.S.-Canada 
Albacore Treaty Reporting System

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 April 24, 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 Shannon Penna, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 
West Coast Region (WCR) Long Beach Office, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 
4200, Long Beach, CA 90802, (562) 980-4238 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for an extension of a current information 
collection.
    The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region 
(WCR), manages the United States (U.S.)--Canada Albacore Tuna Treaty of 
1981 (Treaty). Owners of vessels that fish from U.S. West Coast ports 
for albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) are required to notify the NMFS 
WCR of their desire to be on the list of vessels provided to Canada 
each year indicating vessels eligible to fish for albacore tuna in 
waters under the jurisdiction of Canada. Additionally, vessel operators 
are required to report in advance their

[[Page 10415]]

intention to fish in Canadian waters prior to crossing the maritime 
border as well as to mark their fishing vessels to facilitate 
enforcement of the effort limits under the Treaty. Vessel operators are 
also required to maintain and submit a logbook of all catch and fishing 
effort. The regulations implementing the reporting and vessel marking 
requirements under the Treaty are at 50 CFR part 300.172-300.176. If a 
vessel enters into Canadian waters without adhering to these 
regulations, they will be in violation of the treaty and Canadian 
enforcement may issue a fine or a warning.
    The estimated burden below includes hours to complete the logbook 
requirement, although it is assumed that most if not all of the 
respondents already complete the required logbook under the mandatory 
West Coast Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (HMS FMP), 
OMB Control No. 0648-0223. Duplicate reporting under the Treaty and HMS 
FMP is not required. Most years, there will be much less fishing (and 
thus less reporting) under the Treaty than the level on which the 
estimate is based.

II. Method of Collection

    Requests to be placed on the vessel eligibility list may be made in 
writing via mail, fax, email, telephone, or through online registration 
if available. Communications to comply with `hail in' and `hail out' 
requirements are made via ship to shore radio or via telephone and are 
compiled in an electronic database by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 
Summaries of hail reports are provided to NMFS on a periodic basis. 
Vessel marking requirements entail painting the letter `U' immediately 
after the U.S. Coast Guard documentation identification number or state 
registration number already on the vessel. Logbooks are maintained in 
pre-printed paper format and submitted via mail.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0492.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 135.
    Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes for the request to be placed 
on the eligible list per year; 2 hours and 55 minutes for required 
vessel markings; 10 minutes for logbook entries; 5 minutes for each set 
of two hail reports for border crossings per year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 840 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $2311.

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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2020-03628 Filed 2-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P